2: Familia Andronici: Titus Andronicus genfic
By eremon_lass, for silverdragon262.
Familia Andronici
Lucius is the oldest, the smartest, and the favorite son simply because that’s the way it goes. He’s also the most like their father, with his stubborn determination and refusal to listen to anyone else. Quintus and Martius are next, the twins, the ones who do everything together. They’re stuck in the middle, so the learn to rely on each other instead of anyone else. Mutius is the youngest son, always feeling as though he has to keep up with his brothers and prove he’s worth just as much as they are. Lavinia is the only sister and the baby. Her father adores her, her brothers protect her fiercely, and her uncle dotes on her.
As the pueri Andronici get older, the family becomes somewhat more divided, though they are still as close as ever. Titus Andronicus, the family patriarch and a grand general of Rome, determines to teach his sons to be soldiers and warriors, just as he was. He trains them to fight, setting them against fellow soldiers, and when they always win against their friends he sets them against each other. Quintus and Martius always come to a draw, because they fight so much alike that neither can beat the other. Somethimes the twins fight in tandem against their elder and younger brother, who fight much like Achilles and Patrolicus with Mutius fighting from behind his Lucius’ defense. They are quick to point out that the similarities to those great heroes end there.
Marcus Andronicus, the great senator and brother to Titus, sends his son Publius with his uncle and cousins to train in the art of war. While they are gone wherever they happen to go, he takes charge of his niece. Lavinia and her uncle take long walks around the Andronicus estate and surrounding countryside. He tells her stories of the gods and heroes, and also of far off places. She listens with rapt attention.
Lucius gets married to a woman of another renowned family. She gives him a son, also called Lucius, and some time after that she dies, as is common. Marcus is given more duties in the senate and is away from home much more. There is talk of war with the Goths, and the soldiers train harder than ever. Lavinia passes her time reading to her young nephew the stories which her uncle read to her. Sometimes they go to the senate building to hear Marcus speak. It is there that Lavinia meets Bassanius, the younger of Caesar’s two sons, and by far the gentler as well.
Mutius is closest to his sister, both in age and in mind, so he is the first one to learn that she is in love. Only after he assures her that Bassanius is thought of favourably by the familia Andronici does she tell her father and her uncle. They are both pleased to hear of it, but their happiness and any prospects which might come of it are brought to a halt by war.
The morning Titus leaves, he calls them all together to remind them that they are not only a family, they are a familia Romani, and as the war rages that is first and foremost what they must be. He places his hand on Lucius and urges him to be wise in his decisions and not act with haste. Next, he places his hands on Quintus and Martius and urges them be always of one mind, that they might not be each other’s downfall. Then a hand on Mutius, to urge him hold to what he most believes is right whatever the cost. Last, he places his worn hands on Lavinia’s brow and gives her his blessing, that she might be the pride of the familia Andronici. He leaves then, his sons to follow and his daughter to stay, and he offers his silent prayer that the war shall be quick and all shall return to be as it was.
Familia Andronici
Lucius is the oldest, the smartest, and the favorite son simply because that’s the way it goes. He’s also the most like their father, with his stubborn determination and refusal to listen to anyone else. Quintus and Martius are next, the twins, the ones who do everything together. They’re stuck in the middle, so the learn to rely on each other instead of anyone else. Mutius is the youngest son, always feeling as though he has to keep up with his brothers and prove he’s worth just as much as they are. Lavinia is the only sister and the baby. Her father adores her, her brothers protect her fiercely, and her uncle dotes on her.
As the pueri Andronici get older, the family becomes somewhat more divided, though they are still as close as ever. Titus Andronicus, the family patriarch and a grand general of Rome, determines to teach his sons to be soldiers and warriors, just as he was. He trains them to fight, setting them against fellow soldiers, and when they always win against their friends he sets them against each other. Quintus and Martius always come to a draw, because they fight so much alike that neither can beat the other. Somethimes the twins fight in tandem against their elder and younger brother, who fight much like Achilles and Patrolicus with Mutius fighting from behind his Lucius’ defense. They are quick to point out that the similarities to those great heroes end there.
Marcus Andronicus, the great senator and brother to Titus, sends his son Publius with his uncle and cousins to train in the art of war. While they are gone wherever they happen to go, he takes charge of his niece. Lavinia and her uncle take long walks around the Andronicus estate and surrounding countryside. He tells her stories of the gods and heroes, and also of far off places. She listens with rapt attention.
Lucius gets married to a woman of another renowned family. She gives him a son, also called Lucius, and some time after that she dies, as is common. Marcus is given more duties in the senate and is away from home much more. There is talk of war with the Goths, and the soldiers train harder than ever. Lavinia passes her time reading to her young nephew the stories which her uncle read to her. Sometimes they go to the senate building to hear Marcus speak. It is there that Lavinia meets Bassanius, the younger of Caesar’s two sons, and by far the gentler as well.
Mutius is closest to his sister, both in age and in mind, so he is the first one to learn that she is in love. Only after he assures her that Bassanius is thought of favourably by the familia Andronici does she tell her father and her uncle. They are both pleased to hear of it, but their happiness and any prospects which might come of it are brought to a halt by war.
The morning Titus leaves, he calls them all together to remind them that they are not only a family, they are a familia Romani, and as the war rages that is first and foremost what they must be. He places his hand on Lucius and urges him to be wise in his decisions and not act with haste. Next, he places his hands on Quintus and Martius and urges them be always of one mind, that they might not be each other’s downfall. Then a hand on Mutius, to urge him hold to what he most believes is right whatever the cost. Last, he places his worn hands on Lavinia’s brow and gives her his blessing, that she might be the pride of the familia Andronici. He leaves then, his sons to follow and his daughter to stay, and he offers his silent prayer that the war shall be quick and all shall return to be as it was.