Emperor Honorius sat admiring the birds sat at his feet, arms, shoulder and hand and saw the beauty he’d loved since childhood: the fine softness of the feathers, and the colours and patterns. The elegant, wise look in the beads of eyes. Owls were his favourites, he especially loved to stick his finger into the feathers around the head, marvelling at how far it would go in. That never ceased to amaze him.
Emperor Honorius sat admiring the birds at his feet, arms, shoulder and hand but this was all he did. He would marvel as Rome fell, all the while his wonder mirrored in the faces of his courtiers and senators as they nodded along with all he did, seeing only what was before them as Honorius saw only the wonder of birds. No one would see the savages coming. Rome had become insular and forgotten itself entirely.
Emperor Honorius sat admiring the birds at his feet, arms, shoulder and hand and cooed to them. If only he could fly himself, all the way to Greece, Egypt, Spain, Judaea and beyond. That would be amazing. If only his skin were feathers, his bones hollow, if only he knew those secrets of flight that his pets knew. And that of song! To sing, to understand the song. How marvellous it would be. The courtiers agreed. Truly great.
Emperor Honorius sat admiring the birds at his feet, arms, shoulder and hand and soon wished he could fly when the Viscigoths arrived.
Emperor Honorius sat admiring the birds at his feet, arms, shoulder and hand but this was all he did. He would marvel as Rome fell, all the while his wonder mirrored in the faces of his courtiers and senators as they nodded along with all he did, seeing only what was before them as Honorius saw only the wonder of birds. No one would see the savages coming. Rome had become insular and forgotten itself entirely.
Emperor Honorius sat admiring the birds at his feet, arms, shoulder and hand and cooed to them. If only he could fly himself, all the way to Greece, Egypt, Spain, Judaea and beyond. That would be amazing. If only his skin were feathers, his bones hollow, if only he knew those secrets of flight that his pets knew. And that of song! To sing, to understand the song. How marvellous it would be. The courtiers agreed. Truly great.
Emperor Honorius sat admiring the birds at his feet, arms, shoulder and hand and soon wished he could fly when the Viscigoths arrived.
Note: As with the next 250 Words, this was inspired by a John William Waterhouse painting, in this case The Favourites of Emperor Honorius, which I saw at an exhibition at the Royal Academy.
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