Here's a fun mini-update while I continue doing some research:
Chapter I: The Sons of Tarchon and Aeneas
Part VI: The Senonorix
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Brennus' claim to being Senonorix had not gone uncontested. His cousin Crixus emerged as a rival claimant, claiming the credit for victory at the Alia. He had been the one who had led the charge that crushed the right flank of the Roman army and won the day for the Senones. Having always commanded the loyalty of a significant portion of the Senone warriors, Crixus had to be taken very seriously as an obstacle to uncontested kingship.
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So when Crixus challenged Brennus to single combat over the title of Senonorix, Brennus was forced to accept. Single combat was an effective way to solve the dispute with limited conflict and bloodshed. Through single combat, the entire clan or tribe could participate in the battle indirectly. A crowd of Celtic warriors gathered outside the Campus Martius to witness the occasion. Supporters of Brennus and Crixus gathered with their claimant. Even some of the Romans who had not fled the city when the Celts had arrived, never ones to miss out on the opportunity to see some blood spilled (particularly if it was Celtic blood rather than Roman), gathered around to witness the occasion. After all, Brennus and Crixus were fighting over who would rule [/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]
their[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]
city.
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The two men approached each other, hurling insults as they neared. There was a pause as they both stopped just outside of melee range, both sizing up his opponent. Brennus and Crixus were easily the most experienced and adept warriors in the tribe, and were both extremely confident in their martial abilities. Brennus made the first move, a wide slash with his falcata that was easily avoided by Crixus. It was more of an attempt to gauge his opponent rather than actually making a serious attempt to end the fighting before it began.
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Insults became as common as slashes and thrusts as the combat heated up. Crixus managed to bring Brennus to the defensive, preventing him making any attempts at attacking himself, as he had to block and dodge repeated blows. A sword thrust scraped mail, and another blow to the head cracked his helmet in two. Crixus moved in for the kill, convinced Brennus was finished. In the heat of the combat, he became reckless and careless. Crixus now seriously underestimated Brennus' martial prowess, and Brennus took full advantage. Blocking another reckless sword swing with ease, Brennus noticed Crixus had left his torso wide open to a counter attack. He slashed his sword across Crixus' body, plunging into and gashing open his stomach. Immedietaly Crixus collapsed from the fatal blow. [/FONT]
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Brennus stood over his vanquished foe, prepared to deliver the final blow that would end Crixus' life. A Latin inscription in the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus records his final words to the man who dared challenge his claim to Senonorix. It was hardly poetic, but rather short and straightforward. He uttered the line “[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]
Vai Victus[1][/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]
” -”Woe to the Vanquished”. His point made, the falcata seared through Crixus' chest, putting him out of his misery. Crixus' body was tied to the end of Brennus' chariot, where he dragged it around the Campus Martius, sending a message regarding the fate of anyone who challenged his right to rule as Senonorix. If that was not enough, Crixus' head was placed on a spike on the Capitoline, where it remained for weeks, as a gruesome reminder of his martial valour that earned him his title. [/FONT]
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[1] Obviously this would be done in his native Celtic tongue, but only the Latin inscription comes down to us here. Plus, I could not find any good dictionary on ancient Celtic.[/FONT]