After sundown
safely back in their legislative chamber
relieved to be resuming their speechifying
the Senators rubbed their wounds, sipped their wine
and orated through the night.
But afterwards, in their beds, more than a few had the terrible realization
the awful revelation
that no matter how much they deferred to Caligula
how much they acquiesced to his insatiable demands
how many accolades they placed on his head
how many virgins they sent him to defile
how blind the eye they turned to his pilfering of the Treasury
and dereliction of his duties
how many Christians and Celts they let him feed to the lions
how many insults they bore in silence
it would never be enough.
Caligula would gladly sic them to the mob
Had that very day forced these octogenarian Senators to cower
in the basement of the Capitol
while vandals roamed the venerable halls and ransacked their offices
while a ruffian clown stood at the dais
and a barbarian sat in the chair of the President Pro Tempore
Fortunately, the epiphany soon faded
By mid-day they were back soaking in the baths
regaling each other with bawdy stories and boasting
of the Emperor’s love for His devoted servants.
