88. The Enlightenment

In a humble workshop

When Copernicus made his deathbed statement

Causing public debate.

“The planets were not right,”

He said

As he drew up the new cosmos.

The church felt threatened.

But what could be done?

Tycho Brahe,

Kepler too

Made changes to the cosmos.

The pope was angry.

No one was to challenge the church

There was no evidence

So the challengers were cleared by conjecture.

Galileo, on the other hand,

Favorite of  a new pope

Polished his telescope

To gaze at the stars

Found that Copernicus was right

About what he said with Mars.

His findings published

Became the new church’s challenge.

Another pope said “Ah ha!”

“I got you, you pesky things.”

Then he sentenced Galileo

To live at home

For the crime of heresy.

Over time the church cooled down.

They became more accepting.

While Newton dropped new laws and math

With the bright red apples

Of alchemy

Of chemistry

Of calculus

To calculate Galileo’s orbits.

An explosion of thought

Bursted out of Europe.

Creating new ideas,

Philosophies and change.

58. The Roman Republic

After the death of Romulus

Six more kings came

Numa, who spoke to the gods.

Tullus, who saw the destruction of Alba Longa.

Ancus, who wrote down religion and ceremonies.

New gods were created.

Zeus became Jupiter.

Hera became Juno.

Athena became Minerva.

Ares became Mars.

Poseidon became Neptune.

Hades became Pluto.

So many others changed their names

New ones were added

From old Latium’s religion.

Lucius, who increased the senate.

Servius, who expanded the vote.

Tarquinius, who terrorized the people

Becoming a tyrant.

The rape and death of Lucretia

Was the last straw.

The tyrant was deposed

The government overthrown

By the faithful women of Rome.

Slowly they settled into a republic

As the social elite saw fit.

Orders struggled for two centuries and five decades

To get their government right.

Patricians were the elite.

Plebeians were on the bottom

But wanted their say.

For years both groups brought turmoil to their beloved city

Until an agreement was made.

The plebeians were granted assembly.

Then Twelve Tables were made

As people climbed the ladder of offices to the consulship.

The senate was reinstated

As judges decided on matters of the state.

Each piece of the republic fell into place

Balancing out government and freedom

Like intricate working cogs of a machine

If one failed

The rest went with it.