Chapter VI: Of Senators and Citizens.
Laughter eased the tension in the large room, much to the annoyance of Lightning Bolt who was still pinning the short and stubby Emperor beneath his hooves.
Caesar Titus, however, received the message loud and clear and ordered his guards to immediately bring him a map of the world. “So, while they’re taking care of that, can I get up now?”
Bolt lifted himself off of the chubby human with his wings while some nearby people in red and white robes offered to lift their Emperor up off the ground. “By the way,” the Solar Guard began, “where am I now?”
“This is the Meeting House for the Senate on Capitoline Hill,” one of the robed senators said, kneeling down to his eye-level. Up close, the pegasus saw that his short, plastered gray hair was flattened against his head. He also saw that the man had a short but thin face, almost reminding him of a bird in a way. “I’m one of the Senators here, Cato Felix. It’s quite the coincidence that you would appear, Lord Jupiter, when we were discussing you before you broke through the window.”
“Augh! For the last time, my name isn’t Jupiter!” Even though he was still aching from his recent crash landing, the pegasus flew above the Senate so that everyone could get a good look at him. “I still think all of this is a huge misunderstanding. I’m not a god at all. I’m just a guy that got lost in a storm and is trying to figure out how to get where I’m going from here. As much as I appreciate your, uh… citizens taking care of me while I was out cold, I really need to go. There’s no need for all of this trouble.”
The senators murmured amongst each other. “But if you claim to not be Jupiter,” one of them asked, “then who are you?”
“My name is Captain Lightning Bolt. I’m the Head of the Solar Guard in Canterlot that is sworn to protect and serve both the co-ruler, Princess Celestia, and the citizens of Equestria.”
He was greeted with stunned silence. Bolt could read the confusion on many of the humans’ faces. “Princess who?” Cato questioned. “And of… where?”
“Oh come on, not you, too,” the stallion moaned. “She and her sister are known everywhere! Celestia and Luna? The immortal sisters that raise and lower both the sun and moon? The ones that rule over the ponies of Equestria?” But no matter how much he tried to clarify, there was nothing but bewilderment on their faces. “Are you seriously this isolated?”
“How could we be?” Titus interjected. “Rome has the largest empire on Earth. We control much of the islands of the seas to the mountains in the east. Even from places we haven’t conquered yet, we would have heard rumors of the names of other nations like China and India. But Equestria?” He turned to the Senate. “Has any Roman in the Empire ever heard of the name Equestria before?”
Every single senator shook their heads. “Surely, he must be mistaken,” one of them commented.
“Or mad,” said another. “Could it be possible that even the gods are prolonged to madness, too?”
“Lyssa is the very spirit of insanity,” a fat-looking senator with a bald head pointed out. “She was sent to make Hercules go mad. Who’s to say that even the gods are safe from her power?” Many of them agreed, leaving Lightning Bolt’s jaw to drop.
“You can’t seriously be buying this,” the gilded captain interjected. “So I got knocked out cold, but that doesn’t mean that I’m suddenly one of your gods!”
“And yet, you can talk,” Cato started. “In the form of a pegasus, an animal, you somehow are gifted with the power of speech. The only creatures in the cosmos that are capable of such a feat are either men or gods. It also worth considering that Jupiter is well known for changing his original form to anything he wants. Who’s to say that you aren’t the very King of the Gods?”
The remaining senators all applauded and gave acknowledging agreements. “Jupiter will recover!” one of them cried. “The people of Rome must cure his madness!” More agreement from the old and -- to Lightning Bolt’s eyes -- completely misguided people.
“I keep telling you,” he said, “I am not Jupiter. What do I have to do to convince you that I’m not who you think I am?”
Then, outside of the window, a sound was heard. It was the sound of a friendly mob that was growing outside that demanded to see their god. It was then that the pegasus got an idea. If the senators wouldn’t listen to him, maybe, just maybe, their citizens would.
“Look, what if I can make a deal with all of you?” This got their attention. Bolt pointed at the window. “I want to talk to them. If I can convince them that I’m not Jupiter, you have to let me go.”
“But you’re not well,” Titus pleaded.
“Okay… how about if I can’t convince them… then I’ll stay until you see me as ‘cured’. Deal?”
The Emperor turned to the Senate. “Those in favor of this deal say ‘aye’.” Just like that, the ‘aye’s’ multiplied.
_*_
Upon the steps of the Meeting House, the senators gathered upon the steps while the Emperor commanded his guards to blow their horns. The red guards obeyed and blew out a few loud notes, gathering the citizens’ attention.
“Citizens, countrymen, and noblemen of Rome!” he declared. “As you all know perfectly well, a pegasus has fallen from the sky bearing the mark of the Great Jupiter himself. Now, we have come before you so that you all may make a choice.
“The Pegasus, who we believe to be the very King of the Gods himself, has denied his divinity. We believe that he, the Bearer of the Mighty Lightning Bolts, has become insane. Of course, I and your fellow senators have offered to help cure him of his madness, yet he still denies his true identity.
“This is where all of you come in. He has offered us a deal towards the people of Rome. If he cannot convince you that he is who he says he is, then he is willing to stay here so that we may cure him of his madness. But if he convinces you that he is not Lord Jupiter, then we shall let him go free.
“So listen, O citizens of Rome, to the words that this pegasus has to say. You are the judges.” He, at last, turned to the Solar Guard, who spread his wings and hooves over everyone so that the citizens could get a good view of him.
“Please, please listen. I have a few words to say.”
“Tell us!” they demanded.
“Look, you’ve all got it completely wrong. I don’t know who put this idea in your heads, but I must tell you that I am not a god. There’s no need to follow me at all! I’m just a pegasus that has some ambitions in my country’s military. I started out as your average patriot who wanted to serve his fellow ponies! Heck, that’s what my cutie mark is all about! The lightning bolt means that I’m quick to respond to those in trouble, and the wreath means that I have some leadership skills, which is how I became a captain.”
A hand was raised from the mob. “But where are you from?”
“Cloudsdale,” Bolt responded. “It’s a floating city made out clouds. It’s where all the weather in my country is produced. It’s where most of the pegasi live and where I grew up.” There was murmuring among the crowd.
“What’s the name of the leader you serve, Captain?” another Roman questioned.
“She is Princess Celestia of Equestria.”
“Who is that?”
“I don’t know.”
“What’s Equestria?”
Skeptical questions swelled underneath him, which caused Bolt to get nervous. “Honestly, how can any of you not know her? She helps raise and lower the sun!”
“He’s mad!” one cried.
“No, no! She has a sister, Luna, who helps with the moon and stars!”
“Jupiter’s gone crazy,” someone commented.
“Look, what do I have to do or say to convince you that I’m not Jupiter?”
“How can you not see it that you are?!” a voice shouted.
“But I know I’m not! I’m not a god!”
“Only a true god would deny his divinity,” someone commented, while a few others agreed.
Lightning Bolt’s jaw slammed to the marble floor. “What sort of chance does that give me!?” The pegasus finally shouted in frustration. “You know what?! Fine! I’ll stay in your city because guess what? I am Jupiter!” There were cheers of rejoicing from the crowd below. On the edge of a conniption, the Captain of the Royal Guard screamed. “Now, buck off!”
There was a stunned silence for a moment before someone raised a hand. “I have a question.”
“Yes?” Bolt hissed through his teeth.
“How shall we ‘buck off’, O Lord Jupiter?”
Then, the pegasus screamed.
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So I am guessing this is around 80 AD?
I am probably worried what will happen to Emperor Titus within a couple years
6496102 Oh don't worry, you'll know the exact date pretty soon... Unfortunately.
MOOOOAAAAARRRR!!!!
I'm lovin' this! It might be quick, but it's still great to read! Keep! It! Up!
Haaaaaaaa!you used the skillful master of comedy's material.
Monty python's "The life of Brian." reference.
HAHAH!!! I just lost it!!
LOL!
It seems lightning is finally realising that he should just play along with the roman beliefs
I realize I'm commenting on an 8 year old story, but this should all be a whole lot easier than it is. The MLP-verse has a lot of greek and roman mythological bases. They should immediately recognize pretty much everything he's telling them. For example:
Sol (Roman mythology) - Wikipedia
Sol is the personification of the Sun and a god in ancient Roman religion.
Sol was most notably identified with Phoebus Apollo
Sol Invictus - Wikipedia
Sol Invictus (Classical Latin: "Unconquered Sun"), sometimes simply known as Helios, was long considered to be the official sun god of the later Roman Empire.
Invictus ("unconquered, invincible") was an epithet utilized for several Roman deities, including Jupiter, Mars, Hercules, Apollo, and Silvanus
Luna (goddess) - Wikipedia
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Luna is the divine embodiment of the Moon (Latin Lūna [ˈɫ̪uːnä]). She is often presented as the female complement of the Sun, Sol, conceived of as a god.
When he says he's a Sol-ar guard, and then specifically mentions the Roman goddess of the moon who's affiliated with Sol...they should probably be identifying him as one of Sol/Helios/Apollo's personal attendants. And that shouldn't be much of a stretch for anyone on either side to accept what the other is saying. Gods routinly have a multitude of names, and Celestia is a word that should be immediately familiar to the Romans:
celestial | Etymology, origin and meaning of celestial by etymonline
from Latin caelestis "heavenly, pertaining to the sky," from caelum "heaven, sky; abode of the gods
So Lightning Bolt has basically told them that he's a guard captain of Roman God Sol AKA Apollo, and given a word meaning "heavenly abode of the gods" as an alternate name. This should all fit in very easily in with their expectations. Meanwhile, the thunderbolts he's wearing should probably be familiar to them as well, because Pegasus' role specifically related to lightning:
Pegasus - Wikipedia
Pegasus was eventually brought to Olympus by Zeus. There, he was stabled next to Zeus' thunderbolts. One of his duties included carrying Zeus' thunderbolts.
So when he tells them that his name is Lightning Bolt, and he's wearing one on his body, and their expectation is that Pegasus is the carrier of thunderbolts, and he's telling them that he's a guard of "Sol" and then giving the word "heavenly" as an alternate name...all of this, totally, absolutely fits. There really should be no confusion here.
Meanwhile, to go back to Helios for a moment:
Helios
Helios ; Ancient Greek:, lit. 'Sun'; is the god and personification of the Sun. His name is also Latinized as Helius, and he is often given the epithets Hyperion ("the one above") and Phaethon ("the shining").[a] Helios is often depicted in art with a radiant crown and driving a horse-drawn chariot through the sky. He was a guardian of oaths and also the god of sight. Though Helios was a relatively minor deity in Classical Greece, his worship grew more prominent in late antiquity thanks to his identification with several major solar divinities of the Roman period, particularly Apollo and Sol.
Helios was envisioned as a god driving his chariot from east to west each day, pulled by four white horses.
The idea of a white horse "moving the sun through the sky" should immediately familiar to them, and Lightning Bolt giving the name "princess of the heavens" as the title and name of the horse that moves the sun through the sky...none of this should be a problem to anybody.