Roman statue of Flora: Chloris found in the Hermitage

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an Ancient Greek, Ancient Britain, Ancient Roman sculpture, Appius's team, Appius’s legionnaires, Chloris found in the Hermitage, he protected Julia, Julia Fabia, Nerva, Roman statue of Flora, soldier Nerva

Roman statue of Flora: Chloris found in the Hermitage

He came back as she asked. She wanted to share her blanket with him, but he refused politely. He covered himself with a cape. Her head landed on his shoulder and he hugged her automatically. It was the very first night he spent with a women without any sexual context. As the morning came, Nerva stood up attentively again and minded not to wake her up. He took from her the ring and sighed heavily. He left the room and searched after Philo. It didn’t take long. Nerva knew the building. He spent here two or three nights already.

-Philo, go and bring her a breakfast. And don’t touch her. If she tells me that she felt offended in any way…

-We agreed yesterday about it. – The satyr smiled sleepy. – And I am no baby-sitter.

-Just do it. You can sleep there, in the entrance. If she asks where I am, tell here I explain everything, when I come back. If I won’t come back until the evening comes, give her a horse and sent her to Eboracum. Give her a companion, who brings the reward back to you. You’ll get what you ask.

-Is she really so important? – Philo stunned. – Is it your girl?

-Don’t ask. Just do it, please. And don’t say a word about it to anyone. – Nerva wasn’t in a good mood. Something bothered him and the heavy load made him standing rather less upright. His back was curved a bit. Maybe it was due to the fact that Philo was much shorter than Nerva.

-You’ve changed Nerva. She taught you good manners. Go and don’t worry. We’ll see us later.

He slapped Nerva on the shoulder and Nerva vanished. He went to Cornelius and reported that he searched for Julia the entire night. He lost her during the celebration and he was full of shame. She simply disappeared. Nerva said that he met Pompeius and shared his worry with the governor. Cornelius looked rather sleepy than worried. Nerva didn’t show his negative attitude. Instead, Nerva suggested that he would go to Pompeius and asks whether he found Julia. Cornelius agreed and went back to bed. Apparently, he didn’t care about Julia. It was strange. Nerva didn’t comment it and saluted. Then, he went, as suggested, to Pompeius. He was sure that he already spent all his luck already. The visit at Pompeius couldn’t be any easygoing track. Nerva was right.

By showing the massive ring, he was brought directly in front of Pompeius, in the lion’s den. The plenty of soldiers stood and made organized impression. Nerva didn’t show how insecure he was. He was prepared to be killed. Pompeius waited for him with a snaky look in his eyes. He smiled as if he would like to jeer Nerva. Nerva took it with dignity and saluted properly. Pompeius smiled and squinted.

-Here you are. And where is Julia from the Fabii family? – Pompeius asked.

-She’s in a safe place. She won’t come here until we won’t be sure that you’re on our side.

-You’re too unimportant to drive a hard bargain. – Pompeius said coldly. – You probably don’t know who am I.

-I know exactly who you are. – Nerva answered and squinted his eyes, too.

-Whether you’re brave and also adventurous, or a stupid man. Don’t play with fire. Where is she?

-Not here with me. Why do you want to have her?

-Why do you want to hide her?

-Yesterday, a man tried to kidnap her. You followed her. You said that Cornelius could be involved in the conspiracy. There are many reasons for why I do it that way. So, why do you want to have her? – Nerva repeated his question.

-I want to help you.

-Very generous. Why?

-Don’t be rude. – Pompeius smiled unfriendly.

-Why do you want to have her?

-You’re Appius’s soldier. You should help to protect people. Appius won’t approve your insubordination towards me.

-You’re right. I am Appius’s soldier. I will perform any order he gives me. I didn’t get any order to obey you.

-So, you’re acting on his command?

-I am acting for the well-being of Julia from the Fabii family. In what matter do you act?

-Senātus Populusque Rōmānus. That’s what I serve for.

Nerva didn’t answer. The soldiers standing in the room took off their swords and saw prepared for attacking him. The operation readiness didn’t change Nerva’s attitude. He knew that he had to be the last man standing and was ready to fight, even if the domination of Pompeius’s soldiers was outstanding. He stayed calm, because he knew that Julia would come back to Eboracum with Philo’s man. As long as her matter was clear, he was ready to die.

-So, you’re not under command of Cornelius?

-No, I’m not. – Nerva was nerved, but he tried to stay calm. He didn’t like talks. He used to be a messenger, not a politician, to slide between the words.

-If I promise to help you with protection over Julia of the Fabii family will you come under my command?

-No, as you already said, I am Appius’s soldier. – Nerva answered quickly.

-And if I kill you? You won’t say a word where the girl is and she will die somewhere alone, unprotected. Will you come under my command, if I promise you to save your life then?

-With all due respect – Nerva said with clinching teeth – I am Appius’s soldier.

-I understand. That’s the Appius’s school…

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Ancient Roman sculpture, Ludovisi Gaul and his wife, ca. 220 BC

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Ancient Roman sculpture, Ludovisi Gaul and his wife, Ludovisi Gaul Killing Himself and His Wife, recent victories over the Gauls of Galatia, The Galatian Suicide

Ancient Roman sculpture, Ludovisi Gaul and his wife, ca. 220 BC

The Ludovisi Gaul Killing Himself and His Wife (sometimes called “The Galatian Suicide”) is a Roman marble group depicting a man in the act of plunging a sword into his breast, looking backwards defiantly while he supports the dying figure of a woman with his left arm. It is a Roman copy of the early 2nd century AD, of a Hellenistic original, ca 230-20 BC, one of the bronze groups commissioned from Greek sculptors by Attalus I after his recent victories over the Gauls of Galatia. Other Roman marble copies from the same project are the equally famous Dying Gaul, and the less well-known Kneeling Gaul.

There was a special code between the two of them. Maybe it was due to the fact that they both learned under the command of Appius.

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Ancient Roman sculpture, book sample, Emperor Gaius Caligula, Marble equestrian statue of Emperor Gaius Caligula, the British Museum

Marble equestrian statue of Emperor Gaius Caligula (made AD 1 – 50) in the Great Court of the British Museum

When they arrived at Gesoriacum (also Bononia), a Roman port city on the English Channel important for Classis Britannica, where Caligula stayed over, before he travelled to the island, Julia saw a light house built based on directions of Caligula. Julia had already seen some port cities in her life, but she was always impressed by the great architecture and technical progress of the Romans.

When Octavian stepped into the wagon, Julia retreated to the furthest corner as she usually did. He was convinced that she was scared of him and he didn’t intend to hurt her at all. He noticed some bruises on her arms that she got after he pushed her away twice, and he was ashamed of it. He didn’t apologize, because he simply couldn’t find suitable words. However, Julia wasn’t scared, but rather ashamed that she wasn’t able to say Octavian how sorry she was for her silly resistance.

This time, there was no routine in Octavian’s acting. He stayed in the middle of the wagon watching Marcus Lucius sleep.

-We’ll go to the ship directly. – He said silently.

-A ship? – She seemed to be worried.

-Yes, it’s the fastest way to get to Eboracum. – Octavian confirmed and started at her curiously. He wondered what scared her more: he or the suggested means of transport. – If we would stay here, on the land, we would have to stay in the camp over night. The probability that we could be demasked is higher here. On the ship, you’ll get a cabin and have your privacy. Ina few minutes, my men will come here and you’ll get a litter carried by local slaves. We’ll put Marcus Lucius on it and you’ll get the second litter.

Octavian’s had a determined look, but not as cold as usually. Julia wondered what happened to him in the last days.

-I don’t need a special litter. I’ll go next to him.

Octavian wasn’t happy about it, but he didn’t intend to argue with her. He nodded once and stepped closer to Marcus Lucius. Within seconds, he woke the wounded man up and described the situation to him. Marcus Lucius showed his understanding of the plan.

-Are you doing better? – Octavian asked quietly, almost too quiet for Julia to hear.

Marcus Lucius nodded slightly. There was a special code between the two of them. Maybe it was due to the fact that they both learned under the command of Appius. Maybe it was just a sign of their special predisposition to understand each other.

Julia stood just a few steps away and didn’t understand the communication between them. She waited for the litter and then, as it was brought, she observed how Octavian helped to lift Marcus Lucius and shift him on the litter. Then he came to Julia and took her widest ribbon away. She wondered whether she should start struggling or let Octavian do what he wanted to do. As he went away with the ribbon, she was confused. She wanted an explanation, and got it in form of his action. Octavian put the ribbon on Marcus Lucius’s head and covered his face with it. The material was transparent enough to let him breath, but it didn’t allow strangers and uninitiated people recognise the face. Even though the litter had a kind of baldachin protecting Marcus Lucius from the unknown witnesses, Octavian wanted to double the protection. It wasn’t just about the one wounded man, but about possible collateral damages involving many people, who were important to Octavian.

He, personally, accompanied the litter to the ship and noticed how insecure Julia’s steps became the closer she came to the water. It was possible that nobody else noticed her tentativeness, but Octavian saw the girl already a couple of times in different situations and was able to judge whether she felt good or not while doing something. Even if he was just few meters away from her, he was able to feel her tension.

Therefore, he wondered what happened next. As Julia’s fragility increased and her legs became shaky just some centimetres in front of the wooden, provisory bridge between the ship and the land, a hand came out of the material curtain of the litter’s baldachin. The strong, determined fingers grasped Julia’s dainty hand. Marcus Lucius hold her carefully, but decisively. She wasn’t able to see his face, she wasn’t able to speak with him, but they communicated in the most secret way every human being could use: it was intuition and empathy. Or, you could say it was Marcus Lucius’s highly developed, sharp sense of observation.

Julia didn’t oppose and she didn’t change her mimic. However, Octavian saw a sign of relief in her eyes. She looked anxiously around every now and then, but her step became steadier and less shaky. She held Marcus Lucius’s hand as strong as she could. It was hard for her to let lose when Marcus Lucius had to be brought to the cabin and lifted onto the bed there. She was unsteady and waggly again, leaning on the wooden walls of the ship, thinking about every step. The ship wasn’t sinking. It almost didn’t move, but she acted as if the end of the world would come any moment.

Octavian made sure that Marcus Lucius laid safely in the bed and wasn’t recognized by anybody, then he sent away all guards and slaves from the room. They passed Julia on the stairs and greeted her for goodbye. She didn’t answer and kept grasping on any kind of stable surface. She trembled and was convinced she would vomit immediately. As the last person passing by, Julia saw Octavian. He didn’t pass her, but stretched his hand out to her. It was a peaceful offer, but Julia didn’t easily accept it.

-I don’t need your help. – She sounded proud.

-You do. Come along. – He answered in his typical cold way.

She refused again. He remembered that he had mostly pushed her away or ignored her, so she had a good reason not to accept his offer, but she was indeed in need. As neither his statement nor a kind of order helped, he added what Marcus Lucius told him in the cabin just a moment ago:

-It’s Marcus Lucius’s will.

It was like ‘open, O sesame’, a magical phrase in the story of “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” from One Thousand and One Nights. Julia stood frozen for a moment showing disbelief, then, she stretched out the hand and allowed Octavian to help her. His hand was rough as Marcus Lucius’s. Surprisingly enough for Julia, Octavian was warm and pleasant to touch. She wondered when the resources of ice melted and changed into a pleasant surface.

Octavian accompanied her to the cabin’s door. He was pleased by her touch. Even though she didn’t look at him and rather followed the wooden bars, he savoured her closeness. She smelled good, even though she didn’t wash herself for days. Her hands were dainty and he could feel her bones. He wondered whether she was so bony from the moment he met her. She didn’t look well, but it could be caused of her anxiety of being on a ship. He couldn’t understand it, but he knew even soldiers who were scared in such situations.

Life is all about living for one another, so we try to live with those who we love and respect most.

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a very charming being, Ancient Roman sculpture, emperor Hadrian., Faun in Pompeii, Hadrian, homes in Pompeii, House of the Faun, It's not hard to die when you know you have been loved, Life is all about living for one another, Marcus Lucius, Roman soldiers, so we try to live with those who we love and respect most., We need to look after what is most important in life, you already know who I am

The Dancing Faun, Pompeii, located in one of the largest, most luxurious homes in Pompeii. This home, named House of the Faun after this bronze statue, contained many important works of art

-You see, I have nobody, who is important to me so much that I wouldn’t fall asleep knowing that such person is in danger. You’re vulnerable. I am not. – His words were full of confidence.

-It’s not hard to die when you know you have been loved.

-You’re wrong, Marcus Lucius. You’re wrong. It’s even harder than you think. -Pompeius turned around wit furious sparkles in his eyes and left.

The forenoon passed by. The afternoon was over. Evening prowled slowly. The wind that came into Julia’s chamber brought the first scents of spring. Drapes danced in the room as four guards brought Marcus Lucius away from the chamber. He was let through the dining room, where he used to eat meals in company of Julia and Nerva. He was pushed to go further and finally. He stood in the yard, where he used to practice his skills. There, the stranger was waiting for him. Marcus Lucius saluted.

-Now, you already know who I am, soldier. – Hadrian smiled.

Marcus Lucius didn’t response.

-Please, sit down and let’s talk. If you don’t want to tell me anything, then don’t. – He made a short pause. – I sent you Julia. I give you my word that she won’t get hurt by anyone.

Marcus Lucius sighed and sit down next to the emperor. His tension decreased, but didn’t disappear.

-She is a very charming being. – The emperor continued quietly. – Life is all about living for one another, so we try to live with those who we love and respect most. – He sighed deeply and stopped talking for a while. He breathed the air deeply and savoured the moment. – As I became the emperor, I wished to have a period of peace. I don’t want any further, unnecessary battles or wars. The empire needs to rest. We, soldiers, need to rest. We need to look after what is most important in life…

Her skin was colourless. Her breath was short. Her anger was rising increasingly. She was so furious that she wasn’t able to scream anymore.

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Ancient Roman sculpture, Julia Fabia, Ludovisi Gaul and his wife, new guards of the convoy, Roman legionnaires, Roman soldiers, with all due respect

Ancient Roman sculpture, Ludovisi Gaul and his wife, ca. 220 BC

He didn’t feel the sweat drops on his forehead and his neck. He didn’t feel neither warmth nor coldness anymore. Having lost his senses, he wasn’t aware how Octavian argued with Julia. It was right after the moment Julia noticed Marcus Lucius’s mental absence. She screamed after Octavian, she wanted him to come back into the wagon and “do something” that could help Marcus Lucius to get better. She yelled Octavian’s name, because Appius ordered her to communicate just with Octavian or Nerva. Nerva was the messenger, who brought letters from Appius, quoted Appius’s utterances and Octavian’s statements. Nerva was always on the run, barely to meet. When he caught up with the convoy during the following weeks, the first thing he had to do was take a rest, he never kept the guard in the first night. He was full of sweat drops, but he smiled, somehow friendly. Whenever he saw Julia, he stopped to talk to her and nodded with his head to greet her. He was apparently quite popular, because everyone wanted to talk with him. He had fleeting talks with every soldier on his way. Julia wondered what they were talking about. He was direct and open, the total opposite of Octavian, the leader of the convoy, the one at the side of Julia and Marcus Lucius on the way to Britannia. Octavian was a tall, well-built legionnaire with blond, short hair and no smile on his lips. When he walked into the room, you could feel his cold, impersonal presence. He had deep ice-blue eyes and was of about the age of Marcus Lucius. He used only as many words as needed and didn’t make use of empty phrases nor as magic words like “with all due respect” or “thank you”. He was in charge of the convoy after the Maxentius’s guards were wounded and unable to travel. With an iron hand, he gave orders to stop or to travel on. It was not possible to judge how much he liked the position he got. He talked more with other legionnaires, mostly with soldiers from Appius’s team. The new guards of the convoy were a mix of Maxentius’s soldiers and legionnaires sent by Appius. Therefore, you could see various groups gathering during the evenings in front of a small fire place, who wished to keep watch together. There were more than twenty legionnaires, but just one of them was the direct contact person for Julia.

Between all legionnaires, Octavian and Nerva were the two most trusted persons of Appius. Some of the other legionnaires were from the unit trained by him, but they weren’t involved in the matter and according to the order it should stay this way. The more people were involved, the more probable leaks became. There was no space for misunderstandings and doubts due to the well-informed circle of people involved in the matter. Appius wanted to keep the secret circle closed and therefore, the entire communication should be over predefined persons. Therefore, Julia screamed Octavian’s name as she bowed over unconscious the Marcus Lucius.

Hearing her scream, Octavian stepped into the wagon immediately. Julia wondered how he managed to act so fast, but it didn’t concern her as much as the unconsciousness of Marcus Lucius. Additionally, the wound on his chest started bleeding and the bandages turned dangerously, suspiciously red. Octavian jumped over to Marcus Lucius. He pushed Julia aside, ripped off the bandages and looked briefly at the wounds. They had already been treated by a medico on the way, so Octavian knew that it was the last moment to use the old, reviewed methods.

Within heartfelt minutes, Octavian arranged the entire convoy to stop. Then, he waited until the camp fire was hot enough to heat an iron spear up until it glowed red. Marcus Lucius stayed in his bed and didn’t change his position. Julia stared, opened her mouth shocked to the glowing iron in Octavian’s hands. Behind him, two further soldiers followed. She was scared, but stepped into Octavian’s way and tried to prevent him from what he apparently intended to do.

-Go away. – He ordered strictly and emotionless and pushed her away again. This time he did it rougher and stronger than before. At the same time, he gestured to the soldiers behind and they came closer.

Julia fell to the side, but stood up. Within seconds, she stood directly in front of him again. Her eyes showed determination to step into Octavian’s way as long and as often as necessary to stop him.

-You can’t do this! You can’t harm him!

-Woman, if I won’t do this, his wound won’t heal. Go away. – He repeated his command with the same emotionless attitude. However, he didn’t scream at her. His voice remained cold and calculated as usual. With another wink of his hand, he ordered one of his soldiers to keep Julia away from him.

Julia tried to stop him, she screamed and moved hastily, but Octavian menaced to throw her out of the wagon, if she wouldn’t stay calm. His tensed body language confirmed the serious words coming out of his mouth. Julia wasn’t happy about it, but she stayed calm as ordered held back by a tall, calm legionnaire with an unpleasant smell. She watched how Octavian’s second supporter pressed Marcus Lucius’s body onto the bed with both hands and how Octavian placed the iron on his chest. Marcus Lucius woke up for a moment and yelled in pain. His look was blurry, disorientated, inhuman. Julia suffered with him. She observed that Marcus Lucius was too weak to fight against Octavian and his man. Instead, he let them burn out the wound with the glowing, hot iron piece. Just for looking at the scene, Julia fainted. Her skin was colourless. Her breath was short. Her anger was rising increasingly. She was so furious that she wasn’t able to scream anymore.

Appius analysed the crucial scene, which totally changed his life. It all started with the announcement that the rather less popular and recognized Maxentius Claudius from the Claudii family

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Ancient Roman sculpture, Appius, Appius’s legionnaires, book sample, Chloris found in the Hermitage, city of Aquincum, Decima, he protected Julia, Julia Fabia, Marcus Lucius's wife Decima, Maxentius Claudius from the Claudii family, On the way to Britannia, Roman statue of Flora, the tiny little patterns, traditional garment of Roman women

Roman statue of Flora: Chloris found in the Hermitage

Appius analysed the crucial scene, which totally changed his life. It all started with the announcement that the rather less popular and recognized Maxentius Claudius from the Claudii family was supposed to visit Aquincum with his new wife, Julia Fabia, the lesser known daughter of Julius of the Fabii family. It was remarkable that Maxentius managed to step into a family that held considerable power, perhaps almost total power, for much of the early Republic until the defeat at Veii. Even after that time, with their family so depleted, the only survivors carried awesome auctoritas only due to their illustrious name. Maxentius wasn’t the brave or paradigmatic person you wish to use to upgrade your social position. On the opposite, Maxentius didn’t manage to prove his military skills in the army structure and he wasn’t from a well-known, respected family. There had to be a crucial, hidden reason why these two got married.

Appius tried to get to the bottom of this issue when Maxentius visited him few days ago. He wasn’t successful. Apparently, Maxentius’s wish or goal was to present his beautiful, young wife, Julia to everyone, just to emphasise his new position. On the way to Britannia, Maxentius visited his old friends and expected a privileged acceptance from the local hosts. He already upgraded his backs by marrying up and extended his already quite developed attitude towards others.

It wasn’t pleasant and easy to control yourself and keep smiling politely. Being politically correct wasn’t the strength of Appius and everyone knew it. For his impulsive, direct way, he used to be overseen by superiors and put into question by colleagues during elections of tribunes or legates. Appius was a perfect teacher and he was respected for his educative contributions. He trained the youth and his straight, sometimes brutal way helped his pupils to find their way in the new, unfamiliar surroundings.

While he was looking at Julia, he saw a girl sweet as sugar, nice as the goddess of flowers and nature, Flora. Her innocent look was broken and her own will was dashed in her eyes. She was sitting as far away from her husband as it was possible without making it look impolite or unwanted. Her fingers trembled nervously and sometimes, her right eyelid shivered irritated. Her smile was neither bright nor minimal, and even if it didn’t look like put-on, it was definitely pretended. She was the proud daughter of a noble, respected man and she didn’t want to harm her father’s position by showing off her unhappiness. Appius thought it was allowed to debate, disagree and negotiate with women – respectfully. Even if he didn’t have many relationships with females, he treated them as ordinary persons. If he had a wife or daughters, he would have wished them to be more than usually expected, which was: simply being nice, conflict avoiding, not upsetting others and not challenging the status quo. He was one of the few representatives of such attitude.

Maybe therefore, Marcus Lucius loved Decima. She didn’t possess extended knowledge of geometry, literature, and philosophy like the noble Roman ladies, who Marcus Lucius normally met. Still, Decima was forthright, square. As she didn’t want to move from Rome, she said it directly. She mostly didn’t argue at all, but it was important to her to stay in the well-known surrounding. For the very first time, she expressed her contrary point of view. She didn’t intend to oppose as a matter of principle, but she spoke from conviction. She was at least true and straightforward in a short way of saying more than simple “No”, instead exerted to “I don’t like it.” He respected it. He accepted it. He left her the freedom of choice.

While he stared at Julia sitting on the floor of the trembling wagon, he started losing his consciousness. The surrounding became blurry, shifted out of focus. Instead of a sad, but still friendly face of Julia, he saw a skin coloured taint with dark strains of hair around it, with light blue speck instead of an average stola, a long, pleated dress, worn over an undergarment called a tunic. It was the traditional garment of Roman women and corresponded to the male toga or the pallium. Julia wore a version with sleeves and ribbons decorated with dainty ornaments. Marcus Lucius wasn’t able to see the tiny little patterns anymore. The patterns made the dress unique and showed the high value of it. Seeing the blurry spots, the dress looked ordinary, like Decima’s dress.

Book sample: You never can be sure about anything. People change, because life brings new experiences every day

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Ancient Roman sculpture, Ancient Roman sculpture of the young Marcus Aurelius. 139-144 AD, book sample, Capitoline Museum, civil administration, life brings new experiences every day, Marcus Aurelius, Marcus Lucius, Maximus, People change, Roman legionnaires, Roman soldiers, Sample from Vengeance and Remission, talking to a good friend, temptations to be promoted, You never can be sure about anything

Ancient Roman sculpture showing the young Marcus Aurelius. 139-144 AD, Capitoline Museum.

Marcus Lucius never had any temptations to be promoted. His father was already quite high in the army structure. Maximus was legati, a legion commander, who also controlled the auxiliary regiments attached to their legion, headed the civil administration and had to report directly to the emperor in Rome. He was one of the youngest in such a crucial post, but he had enough experience and backup from the legions behind him. They loved their empire with the incomprehensible, undefined, but noticeable power of Rome: Rome, the endless, powerful city and unlimited, successful state. The name of their capital was expressed with love due to the anagram for amor. Rome was worth fighting for.

Marcus Lucius preferred to stay on his post as a legionnaire. Once, he asked his father about being such an important commander and Maximus thought about it for a while, before answering the question.

-It’s not easy, my son, and it’s a great responsibility. The further you go, the more enemies you have.

-Enemies? – Marcus Lucius was surprised, because he never saw a person acting unfriendly towards his father.

-Oh yes, enemies. They watch your every step, they analyse your weaknesses and smile politely in front of you. Still, you have to stay focussed and know whom to trust in hard times.

-How do you know who is your friend and who’s not, then? – Marcus Lucius was curious.

-Sometimes, it’s easy, and sometimes, it’s not. You have to get trust in soldiers, when you fight with them on your side, because you need someone to rely on, but you have to stay focussed and hope that you chose the right people around you. If you’re not sure about someone, let it be. Don’t push yourself too far, because, of all things, you have to be true to yourself.

-And that’s it? There is no further way to be sure of it?

-You never can be sure about anything. People change, because life brings new experiences every day. You can just assume with high probability what the next day can bring you. Due to collected experiences and memories, you assume with high probability that someone is your friend or not. Sometimes, you have to dare a leap, sometimes you have to draw back. Still, there is nothing for sure in life. We are all people struggling with our surrounding, with situations and with ourselves.

His father’s tone was reasoning and somewhat sad. He didn’t make the impression like talking with his son, rather like talking to a good friend. Marcus Lucius listened cautiously to every word and inhaled the advices like a sponge. He appreciated them all.