Back then, I just signed like everyone else and was informed that this involved our pay.
“So when do we get our pay?” piped up the one I had marked as being the loudmouthed great warrior.
His name was Spurius Didius, and he was also on the tall side, standing third from the end where I stood. He had a sly look about him, always peering about like he was searching for something to steal, which as it turned out, was exactly what he was doing, but that is for later. The clerk looked up in surprise at the question, then burst out laughing.
“Why don’t you ask the Primus Pilus about that?” he replied, and I sensed that this would not be a good idea, something that Didius obviously did not pick up on, as he exclaimed loudly, “I’ll do just that.”
Once we turned in our tokens and signed our documents, we went outside and fell into our positions in line more quickly than the first time. There was just enough time for Vibius to whisper a quick question about how I was doing, and I reassured him that I was fine, if still hurting a bit. However, I was determined that I learned my lesson and would let someone else make the mistakes from here on in. Standing in line again, we waited for what seemed like a full watch and I sensed, as did some of the others, that this was some sort of test, so I made sure to stand as still as I could and not look around.
The waiting turned out to be too much for some, and I heard someone whisper loudly, “Pluto’s cock, what are they waiting for?”
Instantly I heard quick footsteps, followed by the sound of what had to be a stick smashing into someone’s body, then a thud as the man fall to the ground, the unfortunate gasping for air much like I had.
“Did anyone tell you to speak, cunnus ?” it was the voice of the Primus Pilus.
“N-no, Primus Pilus,” the man managed to gasp.
“Then on your feet, you pathetic piece of cac ”, the Primus Pilus spoke scornfully. “I didn’t hit you near as hard as I did the oaf on the end, so get up and quit sniveling like a woman.”
The Primus Pilus reappeared in front of us, but instead of turning my head to look again, I watched him out of the corner of my eye. He wore the same expression on his face, except this time he was not alone. Standing next to him, in identical uniform, though without quite as many phalarae, torqs and arm rings, was a slightly taller, slender man, who also looked a bit younger. He bore a scar down the right side of his face, from the middle of his ear to midway down his jaw, giving him a look of wickedness, and he too was carrying the same kind of stick as Primus Pilus Favonius, although he stood slightly behind the Primus Pilus.
Indicating the second Centurion, Primus Pilus Favonius announced, “This is Secundus Pilus Prior Gaius Crastinus. He's the commander of the Second Cohort of the Tenth Legion. You’ll accompany him to the quartermaster, where you’ll be issued your equipment. You’ll obey him in the same manner you obey me, or you’ll wish you had never been born. Is that understood?”
This time, we responded in a more unified manner, although it still did not impress the Primus Pilus, or the Pilus Prior for that matter. The two Centurions exchanged a quiet word before the Primus Pilus disappeared into the Praetorium , leaving us to the tender mercy of Pilus Prior Crastinus.
“Right,” he called out, “the first thing we’re going to learn is how to go from one point to another without looking like a mob. Understood?”
“Yes, Pilus Prior,” we answered.
“The first thing you cunni need to know is how to stand correctly,” he continued.
I was somewhat surprised; I did not know until that moment that there was a right and wrong way to stand!
As if reading my mind, he said, “As you’ll learn, there are only two ways of doing things in the Legions. The Legion way and the wrong way. When you hear the command Intente
“So when do we get our pay?” piped up the one I had marked as being the loudmouthed great warrior.
His name was Spurius Didius, and he was also on the tall side, standing third from the end where I stood. He had a sly look about him, always peering about like he was searching for something to steal, which as it turned out, was exactly what he was doing, but that is for later. The clerk looked up in surprise at the question, then burst out laughing.
“Why don’t you ask the Primus Pilus about that?” he replied, and I sensed that this would not be a good idea, something that Didius obviously did not pick up on, as he exclaimed loudly, “I’ll do just that.”
Once we turned in our tokens and signed our documents, we went outside and fell into our positions in line more quickly than the first time. There was just enough time for Vibius to whisper a quick question about how I was doing, and I reassured him that I was fine, if still hurting a bit. However, I was determined that I learned my lesson and would let someone else make the mistakes from here on in. Standing in line again, we waited for what seemed like a full watch and I sensed, as did some of the others, that this was some sort of test, so I made sure to stand as still as I could and not look around.
The waiting turned out to be too much for some, and I heard someone whisper loudly, “Pluto’s cock, what are they waiting for?”
Instantly I heard quick footsteps, followed by the sound of what had to be a stick smashing into someone’s body, then a thud as the man fall to the ground, the unfortunate gasping for air much like I had.
“Did anyone tell you to speak, cunnus ?” it was the voice of the Primus Pilus.
“N-no, Primus Pilus,” the man managed to gasp.
“Then on your feet, you pathetic piece of cac ”, the Primus Pilus spoke scornfully. “I didn’t hit you near as hard as I did the oaf on the end, so get up and quit sniveling like a woman.”
The Primus Pilus reappeared in front of us, but instead of turning my head to look again, I watched him out of the corner of my eye. He wore the same expression on his face, except this time he was not alone. Standing next to him, in identical uniform, though without quite as many phalarae, torqs and arm rings, was a slightly taller, slender man, who also looked a bit younger. He bore a scar down the right side of his face, from the middle of his ear to midway down his jaw, giving him a look of wickedness, and he too was carrying the same kind of stick as Primus Pilus Favonius, although he stood slightly behind the Primus Pilus.
Indicating the second Centurion, Primus Pilus Favonius announced, “This is Secundus Pilus Prior Gaius Crastinus. He's the commander of the Second Cohort of the Tenth Legion. You’ll accompany him to the quartermaster, where you’ll be issued your equipment. You’ll obey him in the same manner you obey me, or you’ll wish you had never been born. Is that understood?”
This time, we responded in a more unified manner, although it still did not impress the Primus Pilus, or the Pilus Prior for that matter. The two Centurions exchanged a quiet word before the Primus Pilus disappeared into the Praetorium , leaving us to the tender mercy of Pilus Prior Crastinus.
“Right,” he called out, “the first thing we’re going to learn is how to go from one point to another without looking like a mob. Understood?”
“Yes, Pilus Prior,” we answered.
“The first thing you cunni need to know is how to stand correctly,” he continued.
I was somewhat surprised; I did not know until that moment that there was a right and wrong way to stand!
As if reading my mind, he said, “As you’ll learn, there are only two ways of doing things in the Legions. The Legion way and the wrong way. When you hear the command Intente
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