I had a strange dream last night. I was back in Rome at the time of the Antonine period in history. My place was that of a slave, serving in the emperor's entourage. With me were many other slaves, and we each performed our respective duties diligently. Rome was then a magnificent place, although squalid in the slum quarters, around the palace it was really nice looking. My task was to keep things clean so I would go around cleaning objects and things. Anyway. The emperor (whom does not fit the description of any known emperor from that period - I have checked) decided to convene a council of the aristocracy to some Greek island somewhere.
We set off on a long voyage and encountered many mythological beasts along the way: the leviathan, hippocampi, nereids, mermen, mermaids, you name it. (It was very exciting). Anyway, we arrived on the opposite shore and the emperor (who was English, for some reason) sent the ship back to Rome and we were told to swim to the island with him (it was only about a mile out, and the sun was shining really nicely - there did not seem to be any more sea-monsters on the way). Myself and two other male slaves (both much bigger than me) swam out with the emperor to the island. I am unsure where we were, but it was beautiful. Columns, steps, beautiful belly dancers, musicians, everyone wore very nice stolae or togae with ornamental fibulae and jewelry, except for us slaves, who were for the most part butt-naked. Anyway. It was a nice day and really hot so I didn't mind walking around starkers so much (besides, I lived in France for years - standard). Anyhow.
In any case, some kind of Machiavellian plot was hatched by the emperor to do away with all the aristocrats whom he had summoned to the island, and many of his praetorian guard were dressed up as slaves or pretended to be servants of one sort or another before it all "went down". I just kept serving drinks and staying out of the way of the "firing line" before it all kicked off. Luckily I awoke before it all happened. Phew!
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