The Big Show: Ruins of the Past
Standing in what remained of the Coliseum, Athena gripped the rail and looked over it with a sad smile. Oh, how she remembered this place in its full glory. If she closed her eyes, she could even hear the crowds as they cheered. While her tastes for entertainment ran more towards philosophical debates and plays, she had gone to gladiator fights more than once. There had been a great feel in the air then, like a battlefield the whole building had seemed alive.
She could reach out with her power, if she so desired, and touch the emotions that still lived in the stones and earth of the Coliseum. That much emotion, that much blood, the building and the Earth it stood upon would not forgot that. Still, she refrained from using her abilities in that way. She wanted only the power of her mind to bring back the past. She didn’t have the greatest imagination as her mind leaned more towards logic, but she had a fantastic memory.
Carefully, piece by piece, she began to reconstruct the building as it was the first time she went there. Yes, it was a Roman building and she had not been worshiped there, but battle was battle and she had been curious. One visit and she had gotten caught up in the passion there. She had been younger then, and less disciplined. She had easily given into the verve of the place. Of course, later she had admired the architecture, which she was now rebuilding in her head.
When she had it constructed, she filled in the crowds, the roar of them, the collective life and movement of them. She separated them as they would have been back then, by class. The poor were in the cheapest seats, high above the center arena and then the riches patrons at the bottom with the best seats. She even included the Emperor in his own private box. She picked one of her favorite Roman Emperor’s, Cesar.
She herself was the gladiator, in her armor with her spear and shield. She was the current favorite, of course. Her skill and prowess was legendary. Everyone here today was there to see her and praise her for her skill. She would defeat all challengers, all the tests they gave her she would best and that adoration and praise would be the truth.
There was a small smile on her face as she opened her eyes and saw what remained of the one great Coliseum. There was a slightly pang of longing, but she would never forget and so the great building would live on. She let go of the railing and turned to walk out to leave the past where it belonged in the minds of those who lived it.
She could reach out with her power, if she so desired, and touch the emotions that still lived in the stones and earth of the Coliseum. That much emotion, that much blood, the building and the Earth it stood upon would not forgot that. Still, she refrained from using her abilities in that way. She wanted only the power of her mind to bring back the past. She didn’t have the greatest imagination as her mind leaned more towards logic, but she had a fantastic memory.
Carefully, piece by piece, she began to reconstruct the building as it was the first time she went there. Yes, it was a Roman building and she had not been worshiped there, but battle was battle and she had been curious. One visit and she had gotten caught up in the passion there. She had been younger then, and less disciplined. She had easily given into the verve of the place. Of course, later she had admired the architecture, which she was now rebuilding in her head.
When she had it constructed, she filled in the crowds, the roar of them, the collective life and movement of them. She separated them as they would have been back then, by class. The poor were in the cheapest seats, high above the center arena and then the riches patrons at the bottom with the best seats. She even included the Emperor in his own private box. She picked one of her favorite Roman Emperor’s, Cesar.
She herself was the gladiator, in her armor with her spear and shield. She was the current favorite, of course. Her skill and prowess was legendary. Everyone here today was there to see her and praise her for her skill. She would defeat all challengers, all the tests they gave her she would best and that adoration and praise would be the truth.
There was a small smile on her face as she opened her eyes and saw what remained of the one great Coliseum. There was a slightly pang of longing, but she would never forget and so the great building would live on. She let go of the railing and turned to walk out to leave the past where it belonged in the minds of those who lived it.