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It is the Year of the Consulship of Publius Valerius Publicola and Titus Lucretius Tripicinitus (508 BC). The city of Rome, having just adopted a system of a republic after seven terrible kings, is under attack by the Etruscan city of Clusium. Rome managed to repel the first attack, which had been led by the famous general Porsenna, but now, Porsenna has besieged Rome and the city is rapidly running out of food. You are Gaius Mucius, a young Roman noble, and you think that it is a shame that the Etruscans, who Rome had beaten so many times, would be their defeat.
With this great tragedy in mind, you decide that disaster can only be avoided by a clever and daring feat, which of course would be accomplished by none other than yourself. You decide that the deed fitting to this indignity against Rome is to sneak into the Etruscan camp and kill Porsenna himself. That leaves only one decision: go immediately without telling anyone, or get the approval of the Senate. By telling the Senate, you risk losing time or being turned down, but if you go on your own, you risk being branded a deserter to Rome.
With this great tragedy in mind, you decide that disaster can only be avoided by a clever and daring feat, which of course would be accomplished by none other than yourself. You decide that the deed fitting to this indignity against Rome is to sneak into the Etruscan camp and kill Porsenna himself. That leaves only one decision: go immediately without telling anyone, or get the approval of the Senate. By telling the Senate, you risk losing time or being turned down, but if you go on your own, you risk being branded a deserter to Rome.