“The people that once bestowed commands, consulships, legions, and all else, now meddles no more and longs eagerly for just two things — bread and circuses!”
Juvenal – Satires X, line 78;*
The morning after the disturbance I was late in to the office but the place was still deserted. As I settled at my table, the Chief Reader came into the room.
“Where is Bahla?” he demanded. “I need him for an urgent meeting.”
“Not here yet.” I answered. “He was hit on the head at the match so I’d be surprised if he was fit for work today.”
“What? He wasn’t involved in the riot, I hope.” The Chief’s voice showed very little sympathy as he looked round the room at the empty chairs. “Well you’d better come with me. I need someone to take notes.” He left the room and I picked up a note pad and followed.
We walked though the village to the Guardians’ hangar and into a meeting room. I recognised Lailavu, the Head Gardener and Paitor, Captain of the Guardians, each surrounded by a group of acolytes. Across the room, another group was in earnest discussion with their backs to the door and it was only as they turned round and took their places at the meeting table that I recognised the trainers of the Hill and the Field football teams.
The proceedings were opened by Paitor. “Gentlemen,” he commenced. “I would like to thank you all for attending this meeting at such short notice. Clearly, we have to recognise that yesterday’s disgraceful events represent a new low point in behaviour for our people. We need to decide how we will discipline those responsible and what actions are necessary to ensure that this is never repeated.
It is essential that we send a clear message to everyone on the island that we will never tolerate the type of disorder we saw then. We must find those responsible and we must make an example of them that the village will never forget. At the same time, this illustrates once again the foolishness of staging volatile events on prime farm land so close to the village.”
“If this is just another suggestion to plough the sports ground, Captain, ” The football coach from the Hill interjected, “then I can only say that we have been over that before. We have already agreed that a sufficiency of food and clothing is not sufficient for a healthy society. Our people need heroes they can emulate, exercise to keep them healthy and interests to keep them occupied. Without that, there is chaos.”
“So football prevents chaos?” Captain Paitor rolled his eyes. “Last night we saw the chaos that football is supposed to prevent and I say that we have to break a few heads and move the sports ground further from the village. If it had not been for the rain last night, we could well have ended up without a village to protect because of your football.”
“Excuse me!” the coach replied quickly. “My understanding was that it was the responsibility of the Guardians to protect players and keep order at football matches. I have a player who was knocked unconscious because of poor crowd control.”
“Gentlemen! Gentlemen!” the Chief Reader intervened “I don’t think there is any reason to point fingers at one another. We all accept that there has been a problem. Let us please focus on what needs to be done to prevent recurrence in the future, not on apportioning blame for the past.”
“Very well.” Paitor turned to face the Reader. “We have collected a list of people involved in last night’s affray. My proposal is that we round them up and give them a lesson that they won’t forget. This is just a small number of irresponsible young ruffians who need to be shown that they are not as important as they think they are. In the longer term, we should show them that we mean business by ploughing up the football ground and moving the location of the games down to the river. We have discussed this in the past and now is the time to take a firm stand.”
“We have indeed discussed this in the past.” The coach of the Field team interjected. “And every time we discuss this we come to the same conclusion. The people of the village value the football games and they build character, discipline and spirit among them. They are used to the football park that they have and we know they would be upset if they felt that it was being taken away from them.”
“In that case they should be taught how to show that character and discipline; a lesson they will learn more quickly by having to walk to the river to play football. This is a very serious situation,” the Captain of the Guardians replied quickly “ The Reverend Gardener, Lailavu has indicated that Our Granny agrees that now would be a good time to move dangerous, non-essential activities further from the Village.”
“If that is what Our Granny decides,” The Hill coach took up the argument, “Then clearly that is what we will do. But I think that we all need to be aware of the risks in that direction as well. Yesterday we all saw the consequences of just an interruption to a game. I hope that the Guardians can assure us that they can deal with the results of taking away the Football ground itself.”
“Our men are ready for any contingency.” Paitor looked belligerently round the table. “They are tough and they are trained.”
“I don’t think we want to start a war, Captain.” The Chief Reader sounded alarmed.
“Yes! I believe the job of your Guardians is to protect people, not attack them.” Added the coach.
“The job of the Guardians is to protect the village.” The Captain responded. “And that includes protecting the village from itself as well as from others.”
“Stop, please.” The deep voice of the Head Gardener brought the room to silence. “We will move the football park and we will have no riots. Our Granny has decided.”
“The villagers feel very strongly that they are entitled to their football.” The coach for the Field was indignant.
“And we have to be prepared for trouble.” The Captain added.
“On the contrary.” Lailavu was emphatic. “Our Granny has decided that the village needs a new football park, bigger and better than the one we use today. When the new park is ready, there will be a great holiday, with a feast to celebrate.
It will have seats for people to watch the games. There will be a ditch between the spectators and the playing field in which we will plant thorny bushes. And the viewing area for notable personages will be properly protected so that they are less vulnerable to, shall we say, assault.” He looked glanced significantly at the Captain of the Guardians who looked down at the table in front of him.
“But, reverend Father,” the Field coach protested “If we put a barrier between the spectators and the game, how will we be able to encourage our people to take part?”
“Now why would we want to do that, I wonder?” The coach from the Hill muttered.
“It is sometimes good” the Gardener added “To create a little distance. It increases respect. In this case, the spectators will learn that those who play the game are individuals they should look up to and emulate in their skill and dedication.
And Paitor,” he continued. “Do we have any idea who it was threw that thing?”
“I believe there is a name, Lailavu.”
“Well I don’t want any wholesale arrests. But I think it would be very good if the person who attacked Abakono were to spend a few weeks enjoying the hospitality of your men. And the other person, as well.”
“Very good.” The Captain responded. “Very good. Whoever they are, we will find them.”
“And young man,” Lailavu turned to me. “I want your notes this afternoon for the public announcement about the gift of a sports park that Our Granny will make to the village. Of course, they should contain nothing about the punishment of whoever threw the coconut. You understand?”
“Yes, my Lord.” I replied. “I believe that I do.”
* Needs a quote and citation from a pre 1941 translation
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