"Marcus Aurelius was no King," Maximus said, his voice low, even, and quiet.

But there was a real warning, underneath, a shift of taut muscles under his tanned skin.

"I cannot speak for the future, or for any other man. But I fought at my Emperor's side until the day he died. He was a better man than any I have ever known, in that lifetime or this, and you would do well not to disrespect his memory."