Fruit of the Vine:Josephus
A Visit to the Locus Itertion IX, called the Ninth Hill, by The Historian
My first impression upon entering Locus Itertion IX by way of the massive Id Gate was one of profound Deja vu. Having spent much of my time in Rome of old--before the eighth and ninth hills disappeared, mind--I found the sights greatly reminiscent of the old city. The simple yet elegant togas adorning the rich as their servants bore them along in litters, the magnificent columns that rose to dizzying heights holding aloft statues and images of gods; it was so like Rome.
Yet, much more had changed than had remained the same, I noted sadly. No longer were the palanquins of the rich carried by bare chested slaves from the south, the hot sun glistening seductively on their exotic, ebony skin. No, now the rich were carried by simulacrums of man; metal machines that never grew tired, never required food or pay. But they didn’t sweat, either; didn’t have the stars of far off countries reflected in their homesick eyes. Progress cannot be attained without the loss of something else.
The streets, likewise, were different. Gone were the earthy, stone roads that made Rome and empire. Now the famous Vias were smooth metal, each road a different type. Via Aurum is the road that leads from the Id Gate to the heart of the Chancel and is paved entirely of gold. Via Meshuga twists in a winding, chaotic fashion through the Courts district and is paved with Uranium. This helps one to navigate easier—all one must do is identify the alloy of the road they’re on—but it is a trifle disconcerting walking on radioactive metal, I will tell you.
