the barbarian

The Barbarian.

I.

(Britannia 100 AD. A Roman road next to a field alongside the Thames.)

Two Roman legionnaires where resting for a while as they traveled along the cobblestone road. The taller man was named Cassius, and the other Praxsus.

There is a fierce, tattooed Celtic warrior with long, unkempt brown hair, and disturbing dark green eyes, sitting nearby on his haunches under a willow tree, with a spear in his hand. He is studying them silently and they look back at him. It is a conquered land, and they the conquerors, and he the conquered. There is no threat of violence among them at the moment, for wherever the Empire ruled, law and order was enforced by the decree of the Pax Romano. They kept looking at each other in silence.

"I had a dream last night, said Cassius.
"Oh yes? said Praxsus.
"You see the barbarian sitting over there? Last night I dreamt he and his descendants ruled an Empire far greater and far more powerful than ours. It encompassed many continents and stretched over a world far more vast than our own, said Cassius.
Praxsus nearly choked on the water he was drinking from his personal flask, "What? he said.

Cassius repeated himself "I dreamt yonder barbarian and his offspring ruled a vast Empire, far greater than our own, that is what I told you.
Praxsus laughed a bit an said, "Really, and what becomes of our glorious Empire in your dream, my dear Cassius?
"In the dream our Empire is nothing but a relic, long forgotten, said Cassius.

Praxsus laughed a bit more at this, but the two of them kept looking at the barbarian squatting under the willow tree, and he kept staring back silently. Soon they picked up their backpacks and weapons and moved on down the broad cobblestone road towards their camp.

The fierce tattooed Celt still sat under the tree and watched them depart.

II.

Back inside the camp Praxsus was quick to tell his other comrades about the incident. As they entered their tent he said to the other Legionnaires lying on their bunks, "Hey fellows, we saw a Celt today, and Cassius said that he had a dream last night in which he saw the barbarians ruling an Empire far greater than that of our Roman one.

There was a slight pause followed by a generous round of laughter from his fellows. Above the laughter one of the men asked Cassius "And what becomes of mighty Rome in your dream, Cassius?
"It is ancient history in his dream, and does not exist anymore, Praxsus answered for him.

The laughter continued as Cassius went to lie on his bunk, and think about his dream.