#Cicero Bio

[longdeadblonde]

About Cicero

NAME: Cicero. ALIAS: Carolina Warren. AGE: 2100+. TITLE: Princess. SPECIES: Archdemon. GENDER: Femme Presenting. OCCUPATION: Seamstress. HEIGHT: 5'9". HAIR: Platinum blonde. EYES: Pale Blue. FACECLAIM: Taylor Momsen.

Personality:    Cicero is a rebellious, young spirit but has a bit of a sadistic streak. She’s got tons of teen angst which manifests in moodiness, antagonizing her mother, and constant eye rolls. Currently, her father, Lucifer, is missing which is only adding to her anger and stress. Along with being moody, Cicero is just plain wicked and mean-spirited. She tends to bully any humans that rub her the wrong way and has a history of being romantically involved with humans just for the sake of breaking their heart or literally driving them crazy.

  Around humans that aren’t aware of her origins, she just becomes this seething pot of charisma, generosity, and kindness. She’s quite the charmer but that doesn’t mean she won’t lose her temper. She knows what makes a lot of people tick and she’ll exploit that until she wears people down and gets her way. To have any sort of relation with a human and not completely toy with them is a rarity. Being the youngest daughter before Fausta came along, Cicero is the self proclaimed “princess of the family” and acts as such. She’s been spoiled rotten by her father, paired with being her mother's unfavorite, she has a need to have things be her way. She can’t handle almost any kind of rejection and will keep pushing until she gets what she wants or she’s forced to stop.

  Cicero isn't entirely incapable of empathy or tenderness. As she's gotten older, as she's fallen for people she probably shouldn't have, she's found it harder to love. But those that she does love, she loves with everything she can give. Learning in to reign it has proven to be a challenge as most of the relationships she's had, regardless of nature, have always been turbulent. She battles her toxic impulses tooth and nail, but only for a chosen few.

Biography:   Being the 22nd born of Lucifer and Lilith, Cicero spent the vast majority of her life being the youngest in the brood. The beginning was a traumatic birth for Mother Lilith, as Cicero was born with a proper set of fully grown horns. Expelled with little grace, out onto the ancient fields of wheat, she brought pestilence and disease upon the land. Swarms of flies, locusts, and carrion birds followed. Her birth had already been foretold but arrived far sooner and more abruptly than anticipated. 

  Toddlerhood was loud, full of tantrums, and hiding behind papa. Cicero was spoiled rotten; older siblings, servants, and various denizens of the Underworld given no choice to go along with her whims and mischief. Strong-willed and stubborn, "What the little princess wants, the little princess will get". Lucifer was raising a monster as he intended to. As the little demoness grew, she gained only one friend who befriended her out of admiration and not sycophancy. A demon just a bit older than her known as Lethros. Together, they reigned their tiny terror and discussed the world around them, a world neither of them fully understood but yearned to. This friendship, although earnest, was still tainted by Cicero's spoiled nature and Lethros' willingness to comply would only begin build resentment on his end.

  Cicero's adolescence was full of confrontation with her mother, Lilith. In order to avoid being around, she began forming contracts as a means to hide on Earth from her family. This went unbeknownst to Lethros and he perceived her disappearance as abandonment. This was the breaking point for him and he decided to go his own way, this would permanently affect his relationship with Cicero for the worse. The demoness herself? Learning about the types of people who are willing to make deals with demons.

  Vanity, greed, lust, she knew to be as old as humankind but this was her firsthand experience with the people who would give everything and anything up just to fuel their vices. She would accept their souls to do as they pleased but this only soured her view on humankind. How quickly these people would throw her under the bus, how willingly they would humiliate her if it meant gaining something. Not only to her, really. But to their fellow man.

  As she cam into adulthood, she learned the tools of the trade, learning to manipulate, lie, and cheat as easily as her human counterparts breathed. Letting them think they've won, blissfully unaware of their true fate. Lives ruined over and over again. They'd receive much more than what they bargained for. Cicero can offer many things, she's grown to be very powerful. Anything anybody can ever want, she can give it. Just be forewarned that she will always be determined to get the last laugh in any arrangement, especially if a master abuses her power. With power, she's become increasingly sadistic especially towards those she really feels deserves it.

  Anybody is welcome to seek audience with her, so long as they're willing to pay her fee. A summoning circle, gifts of fine chocolate, cakes, clove cigarettes, roadkill, bones, cosmetics, jewelry, and a great and painful desperation are the best means of getting her attention. One must also know how to protect themselves though, she's not known for her patience or honesty.

[marcusagrippa]

hmm.

[gingerylangylang1979]

Why are Carmy and Cicero always having deep talks at a table?

Sorry, too lazy for images. They have a deep table talk when discussing the loan, the dream about Carmy’s dad, the loan again with Nat and Syd, and at F&F night. Is there symbolism around this that I’m missing? I don’t think it’s a coincidence because there isn’t this pattern with anyone else. They talk other places but when it’s then at a table it’s always giving dad doing a reality check or passing on lore.

[swankpalanquin]

done with cicero for now; moving on to old english poems

[mothiir]

put Cato in the cuck chair

….but this time with sex pollen. I’m sorry for this. Inspired ofc by @moodymisty, @pluvio-tea, @kit-williams and all others who have got me into bully boy cato

cw: gangbang, sex pollen, Cato being a sexist prick.

—

—

The first indication you have that the mission has gone very, very wrong is the sight of Roboute sans helmet, cheeks flushed red, blue eyes spangling like the aftermath of a nuclear explosion — he practically barrels into Sicarius’ quarters, where you are mending a tear in an Ultramarine’s undergarment, while Sicarius himself fumes quietly in the corner, clearly still rankling from being excluded from the planet side drop. We need someone to watch the diplomat, Roboute had said, in that tone that brooked no argument. 

The diplomat, Roboute calls you. The lady, the squad say. And yet Cato Sicarius still has no shame whatsoever in calling you the woman — or, when he is especially vexed (and Roboute is not within earshot) the whore. 

Sicarius is on his feet at once. “My lord —?”

The rest of the squad follows in, collapsing into the room like a pack of hounds returned from the chase. One of them yanks his helm off, revealing a face flushed just as Roboute’s, nostrils flared and panting. 

“Daemon,” the young recruit manages, only for one of his brothers to shush him frantically. 

“Died,” another astartes supplies. His helm is already long gone; his sandy hair plastered to his scalp with sweat. His eyes are shining. 

“Yes, died but afterwards —“

”Spores,” manages a third, shucking off his gauntlets. “Father, it is too hot.” The last sentence is directed towards Roboute; it lilts almost into a whine, a sound so incongruous with the marine’s bulk that you may have found it funny, in less dramatic circumstances. “Father it is too hot, and it hurts — “

”Be at ease, Augustus — we will be fine. We will all be fine.”

Roboute moves in a blur of blue. It still shocks you how a man of such bulk can dash with the speed and grace of a hare. He grabs Sicarius by the scruff, and lifts him bodily off the ground, dropping him without ceremony into a chair, pressing a strange gun into his hands. It’s all sharp angles and edges — Eldar make? Sicarius eyes it with deep suspicion. 

“What is —?”

”If things seem to be going too far — if she is in peril of mortal wounds — I want you to shoot us,” says Roboute, his voice low and serious, and yet somehow wrenched. He clasps Sicarius’s face with one hand, pinching his cheeks together. “This is a bio-weapon — it will only effect those with Ultramarine DNA. She’ll be fine, but it will knock the men out and a few shots will slow even myself down. I would rather not use it — I would rather solve this using more old-fashioned means — but I do not want her to perish in such an ignoble way. ”

Sicarius is so rarely at a loss for words. His mouth pops open, apparently to ask something, but he’s silenced when Roboute —

When Roboute kisses him. Hard. On the mouth. Your eyes widen, and Roboute curses, shoving the other marine away. 

“Apologies, Cato — it’s all — it’s a ll a little much at present.”

Roboute turns to you. He has positioned the chair so it is facing the chaise lounge on which you perch, mending in your lap. The furniture here is all too large for you, designed for Space Marine bulk, and you are suddenly, profoundly aware of your own smallness. 

“My Lord,” Sicarius manages. “What was —“

”Slaneeshi daemon. Last minute defence strategy. It — it will wear off eventually, but we need to redirect the urges, lest it tear us apart. Augustus, stop touching Cicero — Cicero, get your hand out of your damn pants. Have some dignity.”

”But you just kissed —“

”Nevermind that, you heard the Primarch get your hands off my arse —“

Three of the squad are directly behind the chaise lounge, slap-fighting with each other as they scramble to remove their armour, dropping it directly onto the floor in a manner that would have a tech-priest weeping at the flagrant disrespect shown to the machine-spirit within. Two others are practically glued to the door, huddled together like lambs, apparently afraid to move, quivering —

Quivering with fear, or with the effort of restraining themselves? Neither are wearing their helmets, and both are staring directly at you with a focus that is damn unnerving. It seems almost — almost hungry —

In another blur of preternatural speed, Roboute is before you, removing the mending from your lap with deliberate care. His smile is somewhat fixed, and doesn’t touch his manic eyes. 

“My lady, when you took this position you swore that you would give your life up for the Ultramarines, and in service of the Emperor,” he says, his voice still rough and low. Normally, the Primarch deliberately pitches his voice a little higher, avoiding his normal voice, which is clearly inhuman, a rumbling bass that speaks of deep lungs and a biology almost as alien to you as the Eldar. 

“Of course. Always.”

”Good. Good. Then I ask this of you as. I would ask my men to go to battle. You are strong, and I know you will endure.”

”I — I’ll do anything, of course I will,” you say, lost in the magnificent glow of his eyes, unable to deny him even if you wanted to. Primarchs are practically hypnotic to their own legions; a baseline human stands no chance. 

“Good girl,” he says, and tucks your hair behind your ear. “You’re such a good girl, aren’t you? So willing to please.”

”Father, can I —“

”Primarch gets dibs, shut up —“

You look back again at the bickering astartes, and your heart stutters at the sight: they’re all naked; skin flushed and glossy with sweat. The two by the door have joined their brothers, disrobing with shaking hands. 

“When you said…when you said service,” you say, pieces starting to click into place just a little too late. “Uh —“

”Hush, little one,” Roboute says. “Drink this.”

He shoves a bottle up at your face. You swallow instinctively, and Roboute stares at the movement of your throat, the flex and pull of muscles. It’s tea — you recognise the smell, if not the taste. Relationships between human women and Space Marines are rarely spoken of but by no means rare, and this tea is infamous among certain circles for making thing s a little easier. It’s a variation on an old Ultramarine recipe that aids with childbirth. It eases pain and opens you up.

”There. Good. Swallow that. Swallow it all.”

Roboute, apparently unable to wait any longer, sits beside you and pulls you into his lap. His mouth on yours is eager and demanding, his tongue sliding past your lips, filling your mouth. You close your eyes and kiss back, wondering if this is all a fantastical dream. The Primarch tugs at your dress, pulling it off your shoulders, bearing your breasts, and you hear five astartes moan in harmony. 

No. Not a dream. 

”Hold her —“ Roboute orders, lifting you up, and another astartes gathers you into his arms, his prick rigid against your thigh. He cradles you to his chest, his mouth seeking your nape, his tongue along your jugular. You squirm in his grasp, panting as his hand goes straight between your legs, thick fingers probing along your cunt, only to withdraw. Primarch’s dibs, you realise, and bite back a shrill of hysterical laughter. 

Roboute has rid himself of his own armour, his cock standing up in his lap; you try to eyeball measurements, planting a hand on your stomach. He grabs you back, and replaces your hand with his. 

“You’ll take me, little one. I have faith in you. You’ll take all of us.”

—

—

Cato Sicarius is going to shoot himself. He’s decided — it is the only honourable thing to do. The xenos weapon is cool in his hand, and he caresses the trigger in slow, circular motions that certainly aren’t meant to be echoing the movements of your slender hips. 

You took Roboute up to the hilt with no small amount of effort, puffing and mewling, and growing teary eyed — but his gene-father kept urging you down, cooing about what a good girl you were, what a loyal servant, how well you took him — and, demonstrating once more that the Avenging Son can achieve the impossible, you ended up with the full length of a Primarch in your guts, your belly bulging around him. Your thighs were stretched to their limit as you straddled him, and — lazy thing that you are — you didn’t have the strength to ride him. That did not seem to matter to Gulliman, who simply picked you up and slid you back down, using you like a toy. He started off as slow as possible, but soon abandoned that, jerking his hips up to meet you as he yanked you down again, and again, and again. 

The tears soon broke into full on sobs. Gulliman hushed and soothed you — patently ridiculous, in Sicarius’s opinion, since you were only doing your duty, and no one (least of all a damn woman) should be praised for doing their part for the Emperor’s will — and you tried your best to swallow back your cries, lips swollen and puffy as he kissed you, nipping and sucking at your flesh. Sicarius’s battle brothers flocked closer, clearly wanting to touch but not daring, not yet, instinctively waiting for Roboute to have his fill. 

As Sicarius is counting the threads on the chaise lounge — and only because your moans and whimpers irritate him so, not to distract himself — Roboute finally cums. Your belly is stretched so tightly around him that Sicarius sees the Primarch’s seed slip inside you, pulse after pulse. He wonders what that feels like. How you feel —

No he does not. One hundred and twenty, one hundred and eighteen, two hundred and eighty six —

“Your turn, Augustus,” Roboute pants, and the next battle brother practically yanks you off his gene-father’s prick. Apparently unbothered by the fact that you are leaking Roboute’s seed down your thighs, like the worst kind of degenerate whore, Augustus crams himself inside, taking you as he stands, one hand supporting your arse, the other holding his cock steady as he lets gravity do its work, sinking you onto him. You squeal with astonishment. 

“S’big,” you slur. All a show — he bets you’ve been dreaming of something like this. Dreaming of an excuse to bed your betters, to spread your legs and take them, to do what you are meant to do. No attempts at diplomacy here, no pretence at being more than you are, just spread thighs and a wet, greedy cunt, and a womb to be filled, and filled again. Disgusting. Disgraceful. 

He’s never been so hard in his entire life. 

He bites the inner part of his cheek, to — to try and avoid shouting at you. That’s it. He wants to shout at you, to call you a filthy little slut for tempting his Primarch so. His battle-brothers should be with an apothecary, being treated for the aftermath of their mission, not here, rutting against you like animals. When Augustus finishes — quicker than he intended, judging by the sound of frustration he makes as his balls gather up and he empties himself inside you — Hadrian and Decimus take ahold of you. The two youngest members of the squad could be twins, with hair that shades more to red than blonde, and the pale skin of Ultramar’s northern, rain-soaked wastes.

”Open your mouth,” says Decimus, and you obey, your tiny lips barely enough to cover the head of the astartes’ purple-flushed cock. “Swallow it, swallow me —“

Meanwhile, Hadrian is positioning you on the lounger, mounting you from behind, trying to ensure your mouth can reach his brother’s cock, but his cock can bury himself inside. It’s an endeavour that should be easy, but you make it difficult — as you always, always do — by squirming and whimpering as Hadrian aims for your cunt, slides on the seed his squad mates have left, and almost sinks into your arse instead. You should let him, Sicarius thinks. You should take him in the arse and thank him, you should take him in the arse and thank him, thank you Cato, my lord, thank you, I’m nothing, I’m —

He grips the gun a little tighter. Shifts from cheek to cheek. Tries to think of the least arousing things he can. Tyranid gene organs, tyranid gene organs — the weird goo that pulses out of a Nurgling when you shoot it — his genefather naked, his genefather buried inside you, his cock distending you, your expression fucked-stupid and slack and — 

Not helping. Not helping. Oh, he hates you, hates, you hates you —

“By the throne, that’s good. How are you still so tight?”

Hadrian has managed to penetrate you at least, and you cannot answer his question, even if you had the brains to: Decimus has his cock in your mouth, your jaw stretched so widely that tendons stand out in your neck, your eyes streaming with effort.

”That’s it — swallow, let me in, going to fuck your face,” Decimus promises, and you keen, with eagerness or distress. Maybe both. Sicarius hopes it is both. He hopes you want it, and hate how you want it, and hate how good you feel —

Count the stitches on the chaise lounge. Count the — the tiles on the floor. Count the number of his battle brothers who have cum inside you. With a low, drawn out groan, Hadrian makes three. And then he’s literally dragged away, Cicero taking his place. 

“You’ve made such a mess,” the astartes coos. You can only manage a gargling slurry of sound, Decimus now making good on his promise, one leg folded under him, the other dangling off the crunch to support him as he starts to hump into your throat. “I wonder if you’ll have a child after this — wonder if you’ll give us a nice little recruit —“

Slicking himself up with the spend pulsing out of you, he pushes in, and you arch your back, popping your hips up, making it easier for him. The sight of you submitting — of you presenting — or maybe the thought of you growing fat with child after this revolting display does something to Decimus, who cums in your mouth. Your throat bulges as his seed spills down inside you, but there is too much to swallow, and you hack and cough it up as he pulls out, your chin sticky and white. 

Decimus huffs, almost sulkily. “Don’t cough it up — lick it up. Go on.”

He gathers his own cum on his fingers, and pushes it onto your tongue. You’re too tired to move at first, but something registers, and you start licking his digits clean with swipes of your kitten pink tongue. Sicarius imagines you crawling to his feet, nuzzling your face against his crotch, begging him to give you a taste, just a taste — he would say no, of course, and backhand you across the face for your whorish temerity, but he would not mind the display. 

Titus is the last to take his due, settling himself down in Decimus’ place, stroking your hair, murmuring soft nonsense to you, like he is comforting you. You don’t need comfort, Sicarius wants to snarl, you want a cock in your throat. All the way down there. That’s what he would do, ram himself into your soft palette and keep going, keep going until your gag reflex was just a helpless little flutter around his shaft —

— that’s what he would do if he were a lesser man, that is. If he were — if he were tainted. If he was ordered. Would Gulliman order him to fuck you? Sicarius’ mouth goes dry at the thought. Maybe he would, maybe his Primarch would see you lying there in a pool of ejaculate and realise what Sicarius has known all along: that you aren’t a diplomat but a whore. That you’re more use to the Legion on your back. That you shouldn’t be using your sweet little tongue to convince xenos to co-operate with the cause of the Emperor, but to lick his balls until he came all over your face. 

Yes. If Gulliman ordered it of him he would. He would not be able to defy his Primarch — such a thing would be tantamount to heresy! He would take you from behind, but yank your head up so he could watch your face as he bullied inside. He would fuck you until even Titus realised that soft words were lost on you. He would —

He would try very hard not to cum in his armour like a neophyte as Titus petted your hair, your lips beginning to bleed from the stretch around his cock. Gulliman has returned to the fray, running his hands along your sides, spreading your cheeks to stare at the ruin they’ve no doubt made of your cunt. Maybe he will turn you about, just a little, so Sicarius can see — 

He does not. That’s fine. It’s fine. 

Instead, the Primarch slides a thumb into your arse, working it in and out, as you shift and mew, face boiled red and slick with drool. Titus’ eyes are closed, his head lolling back with pleasure, heedless of his brother’s impatient commentary. 

“Lieutenant, hurry up, I want her mouth again.”

”Father, Titus is hogging her, make him share.”

Roboute smiles indulgently at his men, now with a finger worked inside you. “Titus, if you don’t mind —?”

”Ah — apologies, my lord.” He strokes your hair back from your face, his fingers tracing the outline of his cock in your throat. “I’m going to cum in your mouth, darling. You can swallow it for me, can’t you?” Wide-eyed, and so eager to please, you nod as best you can. Titus starts moving his hips with intent, the wet glucking sounds of your throat audible even over the Ultramarine’s chatter and the obscene squelch of Roboute’s fingers butterflying you open. 

“That’s it — good girl —“

No sooner has he finished then Roboute snatches you up, arranging you once more on his lap — this time, however, starting to sink into a different hole. Your eyes bug with pain. “Lord —“

”Hush, little one. You can take me. And look!”

He gestures over to Sicarius. 

“Kind Sicarius is keeping watch to ensure nothing goes awry — don’t fret, I know that he does not  like you especially, but he does not wish to see his brothers dishonour themselves by killing you so. Isn’t that right, Sicarius? You’ll watch us most carefully — and I do appreciate it. As, I’m sure, does she.”

The Primarch’s burning eyes meet Sicarius’s over your shoulder as he starts once more to inch his way inside, your body struggling to accommodate him. And then — oh, it must be a trick of the light, or some of your witchery, because he swears that Roboute winks at him. 

[jeannereames]

Do you think alexander considered hephaistion his alter-ego?

"He, too, is Alexander"

Did Alexander think of Hephaistion as his alter-ego? Quite possibly—but not by that term. For one thing, “alter-ego” is Latin, and we find it first used in writing by Cicero, although it may have been (quite possibly was) in common parlance prior.

The concept did appear to exist in Greek, but the tendency to apply it to Alexander and Hephaistion owes chiefly to two attestations. The first is the recorded meeting between Alexander, Hephaistion, and Sisygambus, wherein he supposedly said, of Hephaistion, "He, too, is Alexander." The other concerns a quip attributed to Aristotle, mentioned in Diogenes Laertus that friendship is one soul in two bodies—but this not found Aristotle's surviving works, despite a longish passage on friendship in his Nikomachian Ethics.

Without being unduly cynical, we must always take exact phrasing with a grain of salt. I think there's very little we can be certain Alexander said. Same problem with Aristotle, unless you're reading his actual writings, and even some of those are dubious, such as the infamous Ath Pol, or Constitution of the Athenians. We typically distinguish these as “pseudo-Aristotle.” (So if you see “pseudo-”some-name, that means the work is attributed to that person but almost certainly not actually written by him/her.)

So, as part of my usual ‘Let me ‘splain you why you can’t trust that story/saying…,’ let’s play some dating games here.

First, Cicero is our initial attested use of “alter ego,” in a letter to his friend Atticus, that dates the phrase to somewhere between 68-44, or middle of the first century BCE. Maybe we can push it back a little earlier to the early first century, but I’d be uncomfortable pushing it further without solid evidence. Popular terms change. Anybody call a fashionable (male) person, “That cool cat…” these days—except as a bit of a joke? I didn’t think so. 😉 But “cool” itself is otherwise still in common use. So we have to be careful about when terms are popular.

Now, the story of Alexander before Sysigamgus is best known from Curtius (3.12.16-17), but Diodoros also relates it (17.37.5-6), and so does Arrian (2.12.3-8)—although with a caveat. He says it doesn’t appear in his trusted sources (Aristoboulos or Ptolemy) but he tells it anyway, apparently because he approves of the actions in it.

We don’t know where it comes from. Maybe Kleitarchos? Possibly Kallisthenes? It does not appear in either Plutarch’s bio of Alexander or his Moralia, although normally he loved these sorts of anecdotes. There’s a good reason, however, that Plutarch doesn’t tell it (see below). Justin is just too short. (It also appears in abbreviated form in a couple of later Roman sources, Valerius Maximus and Dio Chrysostom. So it was clearly popular in the rhetorician crowd.)

So, what are the words attributed to Alexander? Diodoros’ Greek is kai gar kai outos Alexandros estin: “and for also this [man] Alexander is” (6). Arrian renders it kai gar ekeinon einai Alexandron: “and for that man is Alexander” (7). Curtius puts it, albeit in Latin, nam et hic Alexander est: “for he also Alexander is” (17). Yes, I rendered those into English pretty exactly, even if it sounds a bit funny. First, it helps show how every translation is an interpretation, but also allows us to watch the parsing itself.

None of them is exactly the same, even if the meaning is the same. That’s a good reminder we don’t have his exact phrasing!

Assuming the event even happened.

Why should we doubt it? Aside from Arrian’s skepticism?

This story feels a LOT like a classic lesson in proper clemency. I’ve talked about the importance of clemency before. The bulk of this tale is meant to show a chivalrous Alexander early in his career, before he fell victim to divine aspirations and the lure of that nasty Oriental Luxury <tm>. See what a good guy he was?! Plutarch, in his take, insists not only did Alexander not rape the royal women, he wouldn’t even look at the women. That’s probably why he doesn’t tell this story, because going to their tent absolutely IS looking at them, donchaknow. It’s even funnier because it’s Plutarch who tells us Statiera died in childbirth well, well after that baby could have been Darius’s. (Consistency? What consistency? Pfff.)

My point here is that the story may very well have been fabricated to make a MORAL point of how to be an honorable victor—whether in the era of the Successors (which grew increasingly bloody and vicious), or in the later Roman period. It would also provide a perfect example for Curtius to contrast with Alexander’s later Asian debauchery.

You may be wondering, But why would they make up an entire story like that? Wouldn’t people know?

Um, to prove my point I give you…Twitter, QAnon, and whatever quote is being attributed (wrongly) to Samuel L. Jackson this week. The more often people hear something, even a lie, the more likely they are to believe it’s true. Arrian’s other stories of after-Issos events has Leonnatos going to talk to the women, not Alexander (and Hephaistion). Of course, it’s entirely possible Leonnatos went the first evening, while Alexander and Hephaistion went the next morning. It even makes a certain amount of sense that he’d visit the royal women. So, the bare-bones of the encounter may be true, but mistaken identities and all those speeches were likely put in people’s mouths later.

Incidentally, there’s a pun in the line, as alex-andros translates to “protector of men.” So Hephaistion is also a protector of men. Romans and Greeks ate up that sort of word-play.

As for the Aristotle titbit…Diogenes Laertus reports a list of “sayings” (aphorisms) attributed to various philosophers. For Aristotle, one is: “To the query, ���What is a friend?’ his reply was, ‘A single soul dwelling in two bodies’” (5.20). I’ve seen people claim he was referencing Alexander and Hephaistion. There’s absolutely no reason to assume that except romanticism and an Alexander-centric view. In our surviving writings by Aristotle, he barely mentions Alexander.* Shock, I know. 😂 But Alexander wasn’t at the forefront of his mind.

Additionally, as I said above, we have a longish bit on friendship in the Nikomachian Ethics, where that definition doesn’t appear, although nothing he says about true friendship in it contradicts the quote, either. But “Sayings of…” were a popular form of literature in antiquity, and sometimes a clever quip got attributed to more than one person! Maybe Aristotle did say that, but it’s not in actual writings about friendship by Aristotle. Aristotle’s writings on friendship are rather more complex; he lists three types of friendship in Book VIII.

Anyway, this little in-depth study is meant to help folks see how complicated it can be, to get back to what ALEXANDER himself said, thought, or even did.

Yet one thing ALL the sources agree upon: Hephaistion was Alexander’s favorite, not just (or even primarily) as a commander, but as a person. I’ve never read any claim to the contrary, and I have (quite literally) read everything in the ancient sources that concerns Hephaistion (and most everything that concerns Alexander too).

So, while it’s impossible to say that Alexander considered Hephaistion an “alter-ego,” or ever called him “Alexander too,” you can rest assured that every ancient source agrees that Hephaistion was dearer to Alexander than anybody else, maybe even including his own mother.

—————-

* 391a2: his “On the Universe” treatise opens with a reference to “Alexander,” who I think it’s safe to assume is the king. And 1420a5, is “Rhetoric to Alexander”--except that treatise is widely understood (even in the medieval world) to be bogus: e.g., a "pseudo-Aristotle" text. Plus Alexander is mentioned in a couple fragments.

[throughtrialbyfire]

If you’re open to it, will you drop some of your most treasured Cicero headcanons? 🙏🥺

YES OMG i absolutely can!!!! i have so many HAHA .

-cicero joined the Dark Brotherhood at a very early age. in a way, it was the first time he felt he had a family, as his bio family was uh. rough to say the least. he was probably in his early teens when he got involved, if not a tiny bit younger.

-adding onto that, his mommy issues didnt begin with the night mother. his bio mother was very hot-and-cold to him since he was a kid, where praise was on a very high shelf and he had to reach for it as much as possible, and the silent treatment was frequent.

-he has gold eyes that tend to look hazel in most lightings

-hes always worn kohl ever since he was a teenager, so even before his jester look, this was a constant feature of his appearance

-he has wavy-curly hair ❤️

-his real laugh is very loud and he snorts when he laughs

-extremely, extremely clever. he has a mind that never stops working and words are one of his fav ways to show this off

i have a hell of a lot but these are all that i can think of at the moment, thank you so much for asking anon i will always infodump abt this man <33333333

[stcantarella]

how do i get into those roman guys? i watched a bit of rome hbo back in the day. what are good sources to read? or cool books? i love what you post about them even though im always a bit lost

hiii!!! first of all, thank you so much! I'm so excited to get to recommend stuff because I love talking about what I've been reading and watching. Honestly though? My suggestion is that if you're already seeing stuff about the Rome guys and you've watched HBO Rome you have a baseline of knowledge and more or less know some guys so pick your favourite and start there! Reading about your favourite guy will lead you to like 5 different insane guys and you can then continue reading from there :)

I only watched HBO Rome this year I think? But I already knew about some of the guys because my friend Gus is a big Rome fan and I knew I liked Augustus so I read

The Power of Images in the Age of Augustus by Paul Zanker

Then I moved on to Agrippa and read

Marcus Agrippa: Right-Hand Man of Caesar Augustus by Lindsay Powell

which led me to rereading the Shakespeares, a couple of research papers on Crassus, some essays Gus sent me, Camus' Caligula, Catullus' stuff and

Sulla: The Last Republican by Arthur Keaveney

I'm currently reading a Lucullus bio! Other than this I watched a couple of stagings of the Shakesperes and this Cleopatra musical which was sooo fun and whichever Rome movie looked fun like the 1963 Cleopatra and 2003's Imperium: Augustus. I also listened to the History of Rome podcast when washing my dishes.

Currently, I'd recommend subscribing to e-pistulae which I've found is the easiest way of reading Cicero's letters, if you're interested in the Pharsalia, the Pharsalia book club is about to begin soon which I'm very excited about and here's a great list of recommendations if you want to pick up a biography of your favourite guy! Happy reading :))

[piranesisstatues]

I don’t get how men have the audacity to think they think about the Roman Empire more than I do. As of current I have do clue what’s going on in Bio because I was thinking about Cicero. This morning I stabbed my eye with a mascara wand because I was watching I video about Nero. I have literally taught myself conversational Latin. 2/3 conversations I have with female friends centres on Rome. I eat ancient Roman food regularly. I am the living embodiment of the Empire. I am fullly prepared to fail all my stem gcses so that I can think about Cicero being a silly little guy and write articles for the school paper in Latin. No one think about Rome more than deranged classics girlies.

[viola-ophelia]

TURN characters as pornbot bios, because why not?

abe:

Long Island 🥬 25 🍑 Proud Tory 🤓

ben:

Dragoons 🐎 LIBERTY 🇺🇸🗽Aide-de-camp www.washingtonsboner.ckdws

caleb:

Whaler 🐋⚓️ Sexy beard 😉🍆 Click HERE for a fun time!

anna:

Setauket 👗 Tying the knot?��� Whig and Proud 💪🏻💪🏻

abigail:

355 🤫 Cicero 💞 “Maid” you look! 🙈🧺🧹

simcoe:

Dominant 😏 Queen’s Ranger 🗡️🧨 Will make you SCREAM https.warmongeringwhore.pttgyslk

john andre:

I can play 🎹 you like my flute 🎺🎵 30 🍆 NYC 🗽

peggy shippen:

Flower 🌸 of Philadelphia 🫣💦 Threesome? 💘➡️

robert rogers:

Ranger 4Ever 🤬😈 Out for Blood 😏 Got Gold? www.notreallysponsoredbykg3.dkelys

robert townsend:

Pious Quaker 🙏🏻📖 Innkeeper 🍻 I have a naughty secret 😘🤐

hewlett:

They don’t call ☎️ me the Oyster Major 🦪 for nothing! Long Island 🌊 Send nudes?

washington:

For Life ☀️ And Liberty 🆓🇺🇸 45 🔥Sexy Dilf General

let me know if i missed anyone HAHA!

[suggesty-kalis]

INFO POST

Rules in bio yada yada. After my first post already being flagged I've come to a conclusion: the kind of stuff I'd usually censor on my main and horror art blogs is what will go here! However if I ever make full naughties and post them on twitter, I will post a cropped version here along with a direct link to the post!

Current fandoms you are most likely to expect suggesty art of are:

-Skyrim (mainly Cicero...ok just Cicero.)

-Super Paper Mario (Dimentio. Just...Dimentio.)

...Ok those are the main two to ecpect rn but also expect some:

-Dark Deception

-Home Safety Hotline (yes I have that imagination)

-That's Not My Neighbor

-Miser Brothers. Yes you heard that right.

-Dr. Zomboss. It HAS to be done somehow somewhere.

-And maybe MSM but I'm picky in that front so for now only a select few monsters that appeal to me.

[marcusagrippa]

taking a break from cicero bio 2 read the symposium but cicero is there too if you squint. parasite. wait hang on post cancelled does this at you

[aquatark]

Blue Dome - Ciceros Strait

Endless Ocean: Blue World, Nintendo Wii

here's a fun game: show this photo to a marine biologist (or anybody passionate about sea creatures) and ask them to guess where in the world this location could be set!

if you're enough of a marine bio nerd, thinking about all of the endless ocean series' creature placements is like a form of torture :)

[darkfictionjude]

Honestly an Augustan setting IF would be so good, there's just so much chaos and shifting alliances, a whole empire being slowly dragged and tricked into a, for better or worse, a new stable order (I finally got around to reading Symes this last week so my interpretation is probably a bit biased). Also I've always kinda considered Cicero a pompous ass, so being able to fight with him or a similar character would be very cathartic for me.

Although personally the one that's been gnawing on my mind is something around Emperor Julian, I read Athanassiadi's bio of him and the personal insecurity contrasted with his conviction of his own divine purpose and his increasing desperation to protect a dying culture leading to deranged decisions seems so fertile for something, if I can ever untangle my brain enough to write it.

Yeah the way I see it, the way I’ve been taught is that it’s not that they were deceived but more so that they went willingly blind into following Octavian, they knew that they were making him into a sole ruler but knew that they couldn’t call him king because Rome never wanted another king again so they used titles of Princeps and Augustus

Omg Cicero is such a pompous ass I have beef with him, and Ovid (although I love his fables)

Speaking of Julian my Roman Empire class just talked about him. We read some of his letters and yeah a useless attempt to bring back the old gods when Christianity was spreading like wild fire

[brother-emperors]

Can I ask for your thoughts on Cicero? I've always had a soft spot for him but his comment on the actress in Pro Plancio makes me want to punch his teeth out

I think he's compelling, but I also dont really "like him," per say. I find him a little offputting? all I previously knew about Cicero is that he made all my classics friends emotional from his correspondences with Atticus and his appearances in Plutarch's Brutus bio so. the executions were a fun surprise!

unfortunately I read about All Of That wrt to the executions without trial while I was doing some research for something else and the overlap betweem the two subjects made me go 😰😬

he sure was a guy who did a lot of stuff and wrote a lot of letters! never a dull moment reading about him for sure. what’s the meme. love him or hate him, he’s on your mind or something like that. That’s truly the Cicero experience.

[hannahhook7744]

Quinzel brothers only in Gotham bio (redone);

Name: Lucifer "Lu" Felix Quinzel. 

Age: 16 years old.

Pronouns: He/Him.

Gender: Cisgender male.

Sexuality: Heterosexual.

Notes:

Calling him by his first name instead of his nickname will get you slapped.

Commenting on his eyes will get you smacked.

Participating in 'Kick a ginger day' will get you kicked right back.

He hates his hair, eyes, and name.

He likes angry and sad music.

He is one of the many children of Harleen Quinzel and the joker. 

He is in the following clubs: The Global Villain Kid Support Club, Gymnastics Club, Martial Arts Club, Drama Club, Movie Club, Cards Club, and Comedy Club.

Liu likes building joke shop items and Jack in the boxes.

He is single for now.

He grew up with his grandparents until his youngest siblings—Jackie and Bryce—were born and his mother finally left his dad.

Harley fisted alot though and sent money for his, Emoji, and Joseph's care.

He did not know he had a twin that was being raised by Ivy until his mom left his dad.

He also didn't know that Lucy was his bio sister and not his bio cousin until then either.

After Harley left his dad, she moved him, Ace, Ivy, Ivy's kids, him, Emoji, and Joseph into the apartment building her uncle left her after his death.

Liu loves Hamilton the musical and stars.

He also always wears 3D glasses to cover up his mismatched eyes.

He has Heterochromia—which caused him to be born with one blue eye and one red eye.

He loves paint balloons and hates his name.

He and his family are Jewish.

He is terrible at chemistry but wonderful at psychology.

He resents his dad greatly.

He is also debating changing his name when he's 18.

Liu works at the movie theater and sometimes he takes up temporary jobs at passing by circuses.

He wants to be a dagger thrower at the circus when he grows up.

His superhero name is Karma.

He's allergic to anesthesia and corn.

His bestfriends are his twin brother, Ace, alongside Juke Jones (A Red Lantern) and Aster Cutter (Drawback).

His favorite classes are psychology and art.

His weapon of choice is throwing knives.

His family:

Frances Quinzel Sr. (Maternal Great Grandfather),

Phyllis Quinzel (Maternal Great Grandmother),

Nicholas Quinzel Sr. (Maternal Grandfather),

Sharon Quinzel (Maternal Grandmother),

Louis Quinzel (Maternal Great Uncle),

Alice Quinzel (Maternal Great Aunt by Marriage),

Harleen Quinzel (Biological Mother),

Delia Quinzel the 1st (Maternal Aunt),

Bartholomew Quinzel (Maternal Uncle),

Frances Quinzel Jr. (Maternal Uncle),

Ezekial Quinzel (Maternal Uncle),

Nickolas Quinzel Jr. (Maternal Cousin Via Barry),

Jennifer Quinzel (Maternal Cousin Via Barry),

Lila Valeska (Paternal Grandmother),

Zachary Trumble (Parental Great Uncle),

Paul Cicero (Paternal Grandfather),

Jeremiah Cicero Valeska (Paternal Uncle),

Joker/Jack Napier/ Jerome Valeska (Biological Father),

Bethany (Paternal Step-Mother),

Pamela Isley (Maternal Step-Mother),

Jeremiah Fleck (Older Paternal Half Brother),

Lonnie Machin (Older Paternal Half Brother),

Joker Quinzel Jr. (Full Older Brother),

Lucille Quinzel (Full Older Sister and Adoptive Maternal Cousin Via Delia),

Teresa Isley (Maternal Older Step-Sister),

Rose Isley (Maternal Older Step-Sister),

Thorn Isley (Maternal Older Step-Sister),

Hazel Isley (Maternal Older Step-Sister),

Ace Quinzel (Full Twin Brother),

Emoji Jeune Quinzel (Full Younger Brother),

Joseph King Quinzel (Full Younger Brother),

Sofia (Younger Paternal Step-Sister),

Benicio (Younger Paternal Step-Brother),

Jackie Napier (Full Younger Sister),

Bryce Napier (Full Younger Brother),

Ivan Isley (Maternal Younger Step-Brother),

Delia Dennis the 2nd (Daughter) ,

Deidre Dennis (Daughter),

Anthony Delfini (Godfather),

Calliope (Pet Monkey),

Rover (Pet Mutant Venus Fly Trap),

Budsie (Pet Hyena),

And Louie (Pet Hyena).

Name: Emoji Jeune Quinzel.

Age: 15 years old.

Pronouns: He/Him.

Gender: Cisgender male.

Sexuality: Pansexual.

Notes:

Unlike his older brother, Lucifer, Emoji actually likes his name.

He gets along great with his siblings and is usually the mediator between them and sometimes their friends.

Skylar Kyle and Lee-Lee Willis are his best friends.

He loves smiley faces and they take up a good portion of his wardrobe.

He loves pulling pranks, playing cards, and riding his bike.

Emoji also has quite the sweet tooth.

Emoji decorates his clothes with paint and patches.

His best classes are art and music.

His weapon of choice is a mallet.

Emoji is also a fan of croquet, parkour, dancing, singing, cards, and board games.

He likes happy sounding and funny music.

His superhero alias is Happy.

He is less of a sourpuss compared to Lucifer and less temperamental than him too.

He also has almost no bloodlust at all.

He is friendly and hyperactive and a well-behaved, albeit horrible student due to his short attention span and lack of interest in school-related things.

He is in choir, drama club, band, the comedy club, the DND club, and the Global Villain Kid Support Club.

He wears a pair of smiley face sunglasses that Harley gave him when he was little.

He lives with his siblings and mom in the apartment building they live in.

He is single for now.

Emoji also hates their dad just as much as his siblings do but since he doesn't want his siblings to go to jail he keeps them from killing their father.

He has no allergies.

Emoji wants to be an art teacher when he grows up.

His family:

Great Grandpa Frances Quinzel Sr. (Maternal Great Grandfather),

Great Grandma Phyllis Quinzel (Maternal Great Grandmother),

Nicholas Quinzel Sr. (Maternal Grandfather),

Sharon Quinzel (Maternal Grandmother),

Louis Quinzel (Maternal Great Uncle),

Alice Quinzel (Maternal Great Aunt by Marriage),

Harleen Quinzel (Biological Mother),

Delia Quinzel the 1st (Maternal Aunt),

Bartholomew Quinzel (Maternal Uncle),

Frances Quinzel Jr. (Maternal Uncle),

Ezekial Quinzel (Maternal Uncle),

Nickolas Quinzel Jr. (Maternal Cousin Via Barry),

Jennifer Quinzel (Maternal Cousin Via Barry),

Lila Valeska (Paternal Grandmother),

Zachary Trumble (Parental Great Uncle),

Paul Cicero (Paternal Grandfather),

Jeremiah Cicero Valeska (Paternal Uncle),

Joker/Jack Napier/ Jerome Valeska (Biological Father),

Bethany (Paternal Step-Mother),

Pamela Isley (Maternal Step-Mother),

Jeremiah Napier (Older Paternal Half Brother),

Lonnie Machin (Older Paternal Half Brother),

Joker Quinzel Jr. (Full Older Brother),

Lucille Quinzel (Full Older Sister and Adoptive Maternal Cousin Via Delia),

Teresa Isley (Maternal Older Step-Sister),

Rose Isley (Maternal Older Step-Sister),

Thorn Isley (Maternal Older Step-Sister),

Hazel Isley (Maternal Older Step-Sister),

Ace Quinzel (Full Twin Brother),

Lucifer Felix Quinzel (Full Older Brother),

Joseph King Quinzel (Full Younger Brother),

Sofia (Younger Paternal Step-Sister),

Benicio (Younger Paternal Step-Brother),

Jackie Napier (Full Younger Sister),

Bryce Napier (Full Younger Brother),

Ivan Isley (Maternal Younger Step-Brother),

Delia Dennis the 2nd (Maternal Niece via Lucifer) ,

Deidre Dennis (Maternal Niece via Lucifer),

Anthony Delfini (Godfather),

Calliope (Pet Monkey),

Rover (Pet Mutant Venus Fly Trap),

Budsie (Pet Hyena),

And Louie (Pet Hyena).

Name: Joseph King Quinzel.

Age: 14 years old.

Pronouns: He/Him.

Gender: Cisgender male.

Sexuality: Aroace (aromantic asexual).

Notes:

Joseph also goes by Jo, Joey, Joey King, and Jo King.

His superhero alias is April Fools King, April fools for short.

April Fools is his and his brothers' favorite holiday.

Him, Emoji, and Liu all have ADHD.

He finds his name funny and takes great joy in introducing himself as 'Jo King' to people.

He took like prank shop items and clowns.

Joseph also wears purple and green 3D glasses.

His bestfriends are Linus Luthor, Lylod Snart, Eleanor Nygma, Ivan Isley, and Achilles Emerson.

He's playful with a temper and thinks he's funnier than Liu.

He also enjoys riling Liu up in several ways. Especially when it comes to his name.

He does well in school. Far better than his brothers.

He is a ball at parties.

Joseph is apart of the comedy club, the gymnastics club, the drama club, the dnd club, and the baseball team.

I he lijes pranking, acting, dancing, singing, playing games, playing with my pets, playing baseball, sleeping, parkour, go karting with his family and friends, and telling jokes.

He is allergic to fish.

His favorite colors are green and purple despite his hatred of his dad.

Joseph wants to be a pro baseball player when he grows up.

His family:

Great Grandpa Frances Quinzel Sr. (Maternal Great Grandfather),

Great Grandma Phyllis Quinzel (Maternal Great Grandmother),

Nicholas Quinzel Sr. (Maternal Grandfather),

Sharon Quinzel (Maternal Grandmother),

Louis Quinzel (Maternal Great Uncle),

Alice Quinzel (Maternal Great Aunt by Marriage),

Harleen Quinzel (Biological Mother),

Delia Quinzel the 1st (Maternal Aunt),

Bartholomew Quinzel (Maternal Uncle),

Frances Quinzel Jr. (Maternal Uncle),

Ezekial Quinzel (Maternal Uncle),

Nickolas Quinzel Jr. (Maternal Cousin Via Barry),

Jennifer Quinzel (Maternal Cousin Via Barry),

Lila Valeska (Paternal Grandmother),

Zachary Trumble (Parental Great Uncle),

Paul Cicero (Paternal Grandfather),

Jeremiah Cicero Valeska (Paternal Uncle),

Joker/Jack Napier/ Jerome Valeska (Biological Father),

Bethany (Paternal Step-Mother),

Pamela Isley (Maternal Step-Mother),

Jeremiah Napier (Older Paternal Half Brother),

Lonnie Machin (Older Paternal Half Brother),

Joker Quinzel Jr. (Full Older Brother),

Lucille Quinzel (Full Older Sister and Adoptive Maternal Cousin Via Delia),

Teresa Isley (Maternal Older Step-Sister),

Rose Isley (Maternal Older Step-Sister),

Thorn Isley (Maternal Older Step-Sister),

Hazel Isley (Maternal Older Step-Sister),

Ace Quinzel (Full Twin Brother),

Lucifer Felix Quinzel (Full Older Brother),

Emoji Jeune Quinzel (Full Older Brother),

Sofia (Younger Paternal Step-Sister),

Benicio (Younger Paternal Step-Brother),

Jackie Napier (Full Younger Sister),

Bryce Napier (Full Younger Brother),

Ivan Isley (Maternal Younger Step-Brother),

Delia Dennis the 2nd (Maternal Niece via Lucifer) ,

Deidre Dennis (Maternal Niece via Lucifer),

Anthony Delfini (Godfather),

Calliope (Pet Monkey),

Rover (Pet Mutant Venus Fly Trap),

Budsie (Pet Hyena),

And Louie (Pet Hyena).

This is a mix of Harley Quin and Joker medias.

Dc Rp friends; @gotham-is-fucking-weird @gothams-new-hero @christelgothamite @gotham-its-seven-in-the-morning @formerarkhampsychologist @gotham-bitch etc.