[Demosthenes]

*Amid the racaus calls and cheers of the gathered crowd a lone figure approaches the dias with solemn look and distinguished bearing on this, the eve of the critical vote. A body...an unknown SN member lies strewn on the steps of Parliament. Those in the crowd waving the Red Flag mourn their fallen comrade-in-arms, blood on their minds, vengence on their breaths. The figure knows the crowd is dangerous, knows a powder keg is waiting to be lit, but knows for the good of PoFo their wrath must turn to something positive. With the grave nature of the days ahead on his mind Marc "Demosthenes" Antony stands at the podium and delivers the words that shall become legend...*

"Friend, PoFoians, Countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come here to save the SN, not praise it.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with the SN. The Noble PUC
Hath told you the SN was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath the SN answer'd it.
Here, under leave of the PUC and the other parties--
For the PUC are honorable men;
so are they all, all honorable men--
Come I to speak in SN's defense.
They are my friends, faithful and just to me:
But the PUC say SN is ambitious;
And the PUC they are honorable men.
They hath brought many tidings home to PoFo
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in the SN seem ambitous?
When that the poor have cried, the SN hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet The PUC says the SN is ambitious;
And the PUC are honourable men.
You all did see that on the SLD-SN thread
I thrice presented them a kingly crown,
Which they did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Yet the PUC says the SN is ambitious;
And, sure, they are honourable men.
I speak not to disprove what the PUC has spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love The SN once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then, to mourn for them?
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with the SN,
And I must pause till it come back to me..."

*...and so the crowd in hushed awe and mourning for the fallen SN comrade awaits the next words to be uttered by Marc "Demosthenes" Antony.*

[The Immortal Goon]

*Inspired, The Immortal Goon raises his red flag higher*

Comrades!

Hear Comrade Demo!

Politics is a razor and we walk the line
With that red brigade
We slept in the dust for our worker's rights
Their eyes red with
The slaughter of innocence
But we will fight for them
We will call their names out loud
We will bleed for them
And nobody can stop us now

Living on a razors edge
Balancing on a ledge
Living on a razors edge

The evil that men do lives after them
The evil that men do lives after them
The evil that men do lives after them
The evil that men do lives after them

Circle of fire our days of mere talk is at an end it seems
The worker's republic slain
The manifesto lies open before us
But I will fight for them
And some day we may return
We would die for you
Beyond is where we learn

*Flags raise, people*

[Demosthenes]

*Marc "Demosthenes" Antony continues his speech, noting the crowds waving their Red Flags...*

"But yesterday the word of the SN might
Have stood against the world; now lies it there.
And none so poor to do it reverence.
O masters, if I were disposed to stir
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
I should do the PUC wrong, and the PNL wrong,
Who, you all know, are honourable men:
I will not do them wrong; I rather choose
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,
Than I will wrong such honourable men.
But here's a parchment with the seal of the SN;
I found it in their quarters, 'tis their platform:
Let but the commons hear this testament--
Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read--
And they would go and kiss the SN's wounds
And dip their napkins in their sacred blood,
Yea, beg a hair of them for memory,
And, dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it as a rich legacy
Unto their issue."

*He pauses as the crowd digests his latest words...*

[Brio]

A single voice is heard above the din of the crowd saying "Oh great orator do pray tell the knowledge of such a glorious platform?"

[Oxymoron]

A cloaked figure of a man moves through the crowd, soon a single shot rings out, and the sound of a single body hitting the floor is heard. The masses of the people panic and a dozens are killed in the stampede, as the assailant disapears into the chaos.

[Demosthenes]

*Amid the strife and havoc of the would-be assassin's bullet, Antony emerges unscathed. He gazes at the body of yet another fallen comrade. He shakes his head as the Parliamentary medical corp renders aid to yet another fallen hero. In the distance someone (I think it's Red_Army) cranks Slayer's "Ghosts of War".*

"Have patience, gentle friends, I must not read it;
It is not meet you know how the SN loves you.
You are not wood, you are not stones, but men;
And, being men, bearing the Platform of the SN,
It will inflame you, it will make you mad:
'Tis good you know not that you are their heirs;
For, if you should, O, what would come of it!"

*He pauses again, while the crowd mills about...amid calls for a reading of the platform Marc "Demosthenes" Antony raises his hands to them*

"Will you be patient? will you stay awhile?
I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it:
I fear I wrong the honourable men
Whose daggers have stabb'd the SN; I do fear it."

*He pauses yet again, realizing he has said too much...if these good, honest PoFo'ers were to know the real SN...the violence done to them this day would inflame them all the more...Amid yet more calls for a reading, he addresses them again.*

"You will compel me, then, to read the platform?
Then make a ring about the corpse of our fallen brother,
And let me show you them that wrote the platform.
Shall I descend? and will you give me leave?"

*The crowd parts as Marc "Demosthenes" ANtony makes his way ahead of the podium and in front of the crowd. He scans the body as a tear streams down his face. He begins his oration anew.*

"If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.
You all do know this mantle: I remember
The first time ever the SN put it on;
'Twas on a summer's evening, in their tent,
That day he overcame the PLN:
Look, in this place ran Clauswitz' dagger through:
See what a rent the envious Nets made:
Through this the well-beloved Paradigm stabb'd;
And as he pluck'd his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of the SN follow'd it,
As rushing out of doors, to be resolved
If Paradigm so unkindly knock'd, or no;
For Paradigm, as you know, was the SN's angel:
Judge, O you gods, how dearly the SN loved him!
This was the most unkindest cut of all;
For when the noble SN saw him stab,
Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms,
Quite vanquish'd him: then burst his mighty heart;
And, in his mantle muffling up his face,
Even at the base of Pompey's statua,
Which all the while ran blood, the great SN fell.
O, what a fall was there, my countrymen!
Then I, and you, and all of us fell down,
Whilst bloody treason flourish'd over us.
O, now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel
The dint of pity: these are gracious drops.
Kind souls, what, weep you when you but behold
Our SN's vesture wounded? Look you here,
Here is himself, marr'd, as you see, with traitors."

*One last pause as Marc "Demosthenes" Antony waits...the crowd primed, and ready for his last words...*

[Brio]

A great chorus of voices from the crowd yell "We'll hear him, we'll follow him, we'll die with him!"

[Demosthenes]

"Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up
To such a sudden flood of mutiny.
They that have done this deed are honourable:
What private griefs they have, alas, I know not,
That made them do it: they are wise and honourable,
And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you.
I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts:
I am no orator, as Paradigm is;
But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man,
That love my party; and that they know full well
That gave me public leave to speak of them:
For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth,
Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech,
To stir men's blood: I only speak right on;
I tell you that which you yourselves do know;
Show you the sweet SN's wounds, poor poor dumb mouths,
And bid them speak for me: but were I Paradigm,
And Paradigm Demosthenes, there were a Demosthenes
Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue
In every wound of the SN that should move
The stones of PoFo to rise and mutiny."

*The people clamor for more, yet respectfully allow Mar "Demosthenes" Antony to speak*

"Yet hear me, countrymen; yet hear me speak"

*Still they clamor, (jeez guys...what's with all the clamoring?) and yet they quit again*

"Why, friends, you go to do you know not what:
Wherein hath the SN thus deserved your loves?
Alas, you know not: I must tell you then:
You have forgot the platform I told you of."

*They screech, they scream, they beg to hear his words...*

"Here is the platform, and under the SN's seal.
To every PoFo citizen he gives,
To every several man, seventy-five hundred PoFo pound sterling."

*The roar now, overcome with joy...*

"Hear me with patience."

*They ease their shouts, and listen again*

"Moreover, they hath left you all their walks,
Their private arbours and new-planted orchards,
On this side Tiber; he hath left them you,
And to your heirs for ever, common pleasures,
To walk abroad, and recreate yourselves.
Here was the SN! when comes such another party?
Take thyself to the voting both and place thy
faith in the SN!"

*The crowds are filled with angst as they mill about too and fro'. WIth a great clamor and waving of the Red Flag, they begin to make their exodus from the Parliamentary HQ and onward to destiny!*

"Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot,
Take thou what course thou wilt!"

[Demosthenes]

BTW- Anyone who doesn't appreciate the artistry of my speech, nor know the tale of the mighty Marc Antony, does not deserve to vote or rule in this parliament.

[Cheesecake_Marmalade]

Did you write this, Demo?

[Demosthenes]

It's Marc Antony's speech at the podium in "Julius Caesar", where he masterfully whips the crowd into an orgy of revenge for the conspirator's killing of Caesar.

It's Shakespeare man, adopted for the PoFo sim...

[Cheesecake_Marmalade]

Masterfully done, good sir.

You're a teacher, right? You must be the most awesome teacher in the world.

[Demosthenes]

Why thank you good sir,

And yes, an English teacher (or at least I will be officially soon, kind of unofficially atm...)