Latest / Abide Meditation App / Relaxing Bedtime Story for Grown Ups _ The Emperor_s Villa _ Relaxing Historical Bedtime Story

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Relaxing Bedtime Story for Grown Ups _ The Emperor_s Villa _ Relaxing Historical Bedtime Story · Abide Meditation App

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Welcome to Get Sleepy, the podcast where we listen, we relax,
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: and we get sleepy. I'm your host, Thomas. Thanks for
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: joining me here tonight. This evening, we'll visit the peaceful
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: country estate of the Roman Emperor, Hadrian. This luxurious country
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: retreat is was his private haven and a place where
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: he could truly relax. We'll spend some time exploring the
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: grounds and relaxing in his company this evening. Before we
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: travel back into distant history for our story, let's take
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: a moment to be mindful and aware of the present.
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: take a nice deep breath breathing in through your nose
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: and out through your nose or mouth and as you
• 1:18
  Speaker 1: breathe slowly and smoothly finding a consistent rhythm that helps
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: you relax Begin to scan your awareness over your whole body,
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: starting from the top of your head and working down.
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: As you pay attention to your body, just note how
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: each area feels. It might be relaxed and tired, or
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: it might be a little tense and restless. You may
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: notice aches or discomfort in some places, especially if you've
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: had an active day. Without judgment, just notice these sensations
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: and reassure yourself that now is the time to rest.
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: If any areas feel particularly tense, spend a bit of
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: time just focusing on that spot. Breathing in the calming
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: breaths and letting go of any excess energy and tension.
• 2:59
  Speaker 1: gradually scan all the way down through your legs and
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: into the feet as well. And in your own time,
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: take a few more deep breaths before letting your breathing
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: return to its natural pace and rhythm. It's time to
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: relax like royalty as you drift towards a restful night's sleep.
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: Our story begins long ago at the country retreat of
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: the Roman Emperor, Hadrian. It's the early years of the
• 4:19
  Speaker 1: 2nd century CE, and the emperor Hadrian is midway through
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: his reign. Whenever he can, he comes to his newly
• 4:31
  Speaker 1: built estate in Tibur, which is located in a picturesque
• 4:37
  Speaker 1: part of the countryside. It's only 20 miles from Rome,
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: but it feels like another world. On this warm, sunny
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: afternoon in late spring, Hadrian is walking through the gardens
• 4:57
  Speaker 1: of his villa, He's a tall, middle-aged man with dark,
• 5:04
  Speaker 1: curly hair and a neatly trimmed beard. Although he's an emperor,
• 5:12
  Speaker 1: he's not dressed like one. He's wearing light, simple clothes
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: and his most comfortable pair of sandals as he strolls
• 5:24
  Speaker 1: through the gardens. Right now, there's no need to wear
• 5:32
  Speaker 1: one of his more elegant togas or tunics. He's not
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: working today and he doesn't have any appointments scheduled. Instead,
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: he's enjoying a well-deserved break in the country as he's
• 5:50
  Speaker 1: just returned from a hectic week in Rome. As well
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: as attending all the usual meetings he was kept busy
• 6:02
  Speaker 1: overseeing his team of architects. They're currently rebuilding one of
• 6:09
  Speaker 1: the most important temples in the city, the Pantheon. Hadrian
• 6:18
  Speaker 1: enjoys most of his imperial duties, particularly when the work
• 6:23
  Speaker 1: involves architectural projects. but he soon grows tired of living
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: in the city. So, whenever he has the chance, he
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: comes out here to the country. Travelling by horse from Rome,
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: it only takes a couple of hours, so he'll often
• 6:47
  Speaker 1: come here for a weekend. Increasingly, a weekend becomes a week,
• 6:55
  Speaker 1: then two, then three. In this moment, Hadrian's just beginning
• 7:04
  Speaker 1: to settle into the rhythm of country life once again.
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: He arrived this morning, and after a hearty lunch, began
• 7:16
  Speaker 1: his usual tour of the grounds. Now he's walking through
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: an elegant garden on the edge of the estate, while
• 7:29
  Speaker 1: his faithful black dog, Lydia, trots behind him. This area
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: is one of Hadrian's favorite parts of the villa, combining
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: man-made luxury with natural beauty. The pathways are lined with
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: exquisite marble statues and fountains, Fragrant wisteria plants cascade down
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: the nearby wall, covering the bricks with their beautiful violet blooms.
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: In the distance is a long pool, its surface glittering
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: in the sunlight. There are no sounds here. except for
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: the quiet footsteps of Hadrian and his dog and the
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: trickling waters of the fountains. Then Hadrian stops and stands
• 8:36
  Speaker 1: still for a moment to listen more carefully. Now he
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: becomes aware of the birdsong. Close by are the twittering
• 8:50
  Speaker 1: sparrows that come to the edge of the fountains to
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: drink and bathe. Further away, he can detect other distant
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: melodies from birds that are out of sight. Perhaps they're
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: hidden in the branches of the cypresses, or in the
• 9:11
  Speaker 1: graceful umbrella pine trees that surround the estate. Hadrian lets
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: out a deep sigh of contentment. He's so happy to
• 9:27
  Speaker 1: be back here once again, in a place where he
• 9:31
  Speaker 1: can finally relax and unwind. He can already feel the
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: pressures and worries of the week melting away. Whenever he
• 9:45
  Speaker 1: comes here, he instantly feels younger, and lighter, as though
• 9:52
  Speaker 1: a weight has been lifted. Hadrian can only tolerate the
• 9:59
  Speaker 1: hustle and bustle of the city for so long. Compared
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: to Rome, the villa at Tibur feels like a kind
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: of rural paradise. It's so peaceful here. and the air
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: is cool and fresh. Hadrian breathes in deeply and smiles.
• 10:28
  Speaker 1: He feels so fortunate to have a home in the country.
• 10:34
  Speaker 1: Not just a home, but a sanctuary he can come
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: to whenever he wants. The villa is Hadrian's dream home
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: a place he designed himself. He knew he wanted a
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: country retreat not too far from the capital. And while
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: there were plenty of existing houses, none were quite right.
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: He liked the idea of creating something bigger and more personal.
• 11:16
  Speaker 1: When he worked with his architects, to design the villa,
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: he told them that he wanted to create his ideal
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: city in miniature. Hadrian's villa is enormous, with more than
• 11:35
  Speaker 1: 30 buildings and extensive gardens. The estate is even larger
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: than the town of Pompeii. There are countless pools, fountains,
• 11:50
  Speaker 1: and thermal baths. In addition to the residential buildings, there
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: are also libraries, temples, and grand courtyards and pavilions. There's
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: even a private house on an artificial island. During construction,
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: no expense was spared. Everything in the villa was built
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: from the finest materials. The floors are made from rare marble,
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: as well as glass and ivory tiles arranged in intricate
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: geometric shapes. The walls are covered with marble or painted frescoes.
• 12:47
  Speaker 1: Many of the rooms are decorated with vivid mosaic art,
• 12:52
  Speaker 1: depicting birds, animals, and mythological scenes. In some ways, the
• 13:02
  Speaker 1: villa is similar to other imperial residences. Roman emperors have
• 13:09
  Speaker 1: always liked to live in luxury. Hadrian's main residence on
• 13:16
  Speaker 1: the Palatine Hill in Rome is also lavishly decorated. What
• 13:24
  Speaker 1: makes this country villa so special is Hadrian's unique vision.
• 13:32
  Speaker 1: He was directly involved in the design of many buildings,
• 13:37
  Speaker 1: as well as the selection of materials. When he designed
• 13:44
  Speaker 1: his villa, Hadrian had a very specific idea in mind.
• 13:51
  Speaker 1: He didn't want to create a house that was merely luxurious,
• 13:56
  Speaker 1: but rather a place that represented his life and his passions.
• 14:06
  Speaker 1: In recent years, Hadrian has travelled incessantly across the Roman Empire,
• 14:14
  Speaker 1: through regions that will one day be known as Britain, Greece, Turkey, Iran,
• 14:22
  Speaker 1: and Northern Africa. Although many of these journeys were related
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: to his responsibilities as an emperor, Hadrian also has a
• 14:36
  Speaker 1: deep love of travel. He has such fond memories of
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: all the places he's been from the green fields of
• 14:46
  Speaker 1: the north to the desert landscapes of the south. This
• 14:54
  Speaker 1: is why Hadrian's villa incorporates a range of architectural styles
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: and influences. The elegant layout of the estate is classic
• 15:08
  Speaker 1: Roman design, but certain areas are directly inspired by his
• 15:15
  Speaker 1: travels abroad. Right now, Hadrian's walking through part of the
• 15:23
  Speaker 1: garden that mixes some of these influences. The pathway leads
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: to a long, artificial pool surrounded by stone columns and archways.
• 15:40
  Speaker 1: This pool is lined with majestic, colourful marble sculptures of
• 15:46
  Speaker 1: Roman gods, as well as a row of Greek caryatids.
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: These are decorative statues of women in flowing dresses, which
• 15:59
  Speaker 1: stand in for columns to support the stone structure above.
• 16:07
  Speaker 1: As Hadrian slowly approaches the pool, he smiles. This view
• 16:15
  Speaker 1: always fills him with a sense of deep satisfaction. The
• 16:22
  Speaker 1: pool's symmetrical beauty and grace is exactly what he intended,
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: and it's the perfect combination of Greek, Roman, and Egyptian styles.
• 16:39
  Speaker 1: This pool represents a branch of the River Nile and
• 16:44
  Speaker 1: at the far end is a shell-shaped grotto. This cave
• 16:51
  Speaker 1: is decorative, but it's also a kind of shrine or
• 16:55
  Speaker 1: temple dedicated to Sarapis, the Egyptian god of the underworld.
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: Inside the cave is a marble sculpture of the god.
• 17:13
  Speaker 1: Sarapis is portrayed as a man with wild, flowing hair
• 17:19
  Speaker 1: who wears an unusual cylindrical crown resembling a vase. He
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: has a calm, almost neutral expression and reclines on an
• 17:34
  Speaker 1: elaborate plinth surrounded by flowing fountains. It looks as though
• 17:41
  Speaker 1: he's relaxing, watching over the tranquil body of water before him.
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: It's like a beautiful, sea-green mirror. On warm summer evenings,
• 18:00
  Speaker 1: Hadrian often hosts extravagant banquets by the pool. He knows
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: the effect this place has on visitors. Everyone comments on
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: its aesthetic perfection, complimenting him on the beautiful symmetry of
• 18:19
  Speaker 1: its design. There's something dreamlike about it. But for Hadrian,
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: the beauty of the pool also comes from its symbolism
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: and the memories it brings back. It's designed to recreate
• 18:42
  Speaker 1: the style and atmosphere of places he's visited on his
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: long travels through northern Africa and Greece. When he went
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: to Athens, Hadrian was struck by the splendor of the
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: architecture and the rich culture. He has fond memories of
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: his time there, exploring the city and participating in local
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: festivals and rituals. Hadrian also treasures these memories for the
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: time he spent with his beloved companion, Antinous. They met
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: during Hadrian's travels in the east, in the kingdom of Bithynia.
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: Ever since, the two men have been almost inseparable, traveling
• 19:43
  Speaker 1: across the Roman Empire together. Whenever Hadrian is near the
• 19:51
  Speaker 1: pool in his villa, he's transported back to those golden
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: days in distant lands with Antinous by his side. Standing
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: here by the water, he loses track of time. as
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: the happy memories come flooding back. When he reaches the
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: far end of the pool, near the grotto, Hadrian stands still,
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: gazing into the water. He's mesmerized by the glimmering reflections
• 20:32
  Speaker 1: of the sunlight and the statues. the memories of the
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: past gradually fade away, and his nostalgia shifts into another feeling,
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  Speaker 1: quiet contentment for this moment. Those days overseas were some
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: of the best of his life, but this is also
• 21:02
  Speaker 1: a happy, peaceful period. He's more relaxed now and more
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: at ease with himself. Looking up, Hadrian takes in the
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: whole scene. He admires the long expanse of the pool,
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  Speaker 1: surrounded by rows of columns and statues and elegant arches.
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: Through careful design, He's turned a dream into a reality
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  Speaker 1: that's somehow even more magical. Soon, the evenings will be
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: warm enough to host banquets here once again. There will
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: be tables all around the pool, and countless guests sitting
• 22:03
  Speaker 1: near the water, dining under the silver light of the moon.
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: When Hadrian closes his eyes, he can almost hear the
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: music and laughter mingling with the soft gurgling sounds of
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: the fountains. He's looking forward to these long, relaxed summer
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: evenings with Antinous and his closest friend. Opening his eyes,
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: Hadrian sees his dog, Lydia, sitting patiently beside him. It's
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: time to walk on, Hadrian decides. He knows Lydia is
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: happiest when they're on the move. She's too old to
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: hunt now, but she still enjoys roaming across the estate,
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: exploring all the different parts of the garden. As Hadrian
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: walks along the path, away from the pool, Lydia trots ahead.
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: She keeps her nose close to the ground, sniffing everything
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: she sees. Hadrian watches with amusement, noticing how she's fascinated
• 23:35
  Speaker 1: even by ordinary patches of grass. Every now and then
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: she'll stop to inspect a certain area, sniffing it repeatedly
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: as though she can detect all kinds of intriguing scents.
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: It's funny to think that Lydia is oblivious to her
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: luxurious surroundings. She doesn't notice the sculptural masterpieces or the
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: expensive stone beneath her paws. All that interests her is
• 24:15
  Speaker 1: the presence of her master and the scents in the grass.
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: She could be in any garden in the world and
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: she'd still be happy. This is one of the reasons
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: why Hadrian is so fond of dogs. as well as
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: offering loyal companionship and unconditional love. They also remind him
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: to take pleasure in the more ordinary things in life.
• 24:52
  Speaker 1: The buildings and artworks of the villa are beautiful, but
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: so is this simple lawn. Hadrian breathes in deeply, savouring
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: the rich scent of freshly cut grass. He may not
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: be able to detect as many smells as Lydia, but
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: this fragrance is good enough. And although it's a scent
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: he associates with spring, it also fills him with anticipation
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: for the summer to come. These moments of transition are
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: some of the most beautiful times of the year. Spring
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: turning to summer, then summer to autumn. As he reflects
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: on this, breathing in the scents of the garden, Hadrian
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: is filled with a sense of sweet nostalgia once again.
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: but this time it's not connected with any particular memory.
• 26:11
  Speaker 1: It's just a general feeling of contentment spreading through him
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: with a bittersweet tinge. Perhaps on some subconscious level, he
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: feels this way because he's aware of the passing of time.
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: it seems to be steadily speeding up as he gets older.
• 26:41
  Speaker 1: He has the impression that it was only yesterday that
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: he noticed this change from spring to summer, but it's
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: already been a whole year, and next spring he'll probably
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: feel exactly the same way, surprised by the sudden passing
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: of the seasons. Hadrian recalls a famous line from the
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: poet Virgil, it escapes irretrievable time. These words have since
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: become a popular phrase, tempus fugit, or time flies. When
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: Hadrian first encountered this expression, studying literature as a young man,
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: it didn't make a particular impression on him. In fact,
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: he probably would have disagreed with the idea. In his adolescence,
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: the days had seemed endless. It felt as though he
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: had all the time in the world. But the poet
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: was right. Ever since, time has flown for Hadrian. Becoming
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: emperor at the age of 40 was a particular turning point,
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: and the years seem to be passing even more quickly.
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: Perhaps it's a positive sign, thinks Hadrian. It means he's
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: living a rich and fulfilling life, full of interesting experiences.
• 28:44
  Speaker 1: The realization of time passing quickly can also be a
• 28:49
  Speaker 1: helpful reminder to slow down and enjoy moments such as these.
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: As he continues along the garden path, Adrian finds himself
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: walking more slowly. He pays attention to every step and
• 29:11
  Speaker 1: every sensation, from the scent of the grass to the
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: gentle warmth of the sun on the back of his neck.
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: At one point, Lydia turns to look at him quizzically,
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: wagging her tail. She must be getting impatient, wondering why
• 29:36
  Speaker 1: her master is moving so slowly. Hadrian gives her an
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: affectionate pat on the head, and then picks up pace
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: slightly as they walk in the direction of the residential buildings.
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: The emperor and his dog pass a grand complex of
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: thermal baths, then cross numerous smaller gardens and courtyards. Finally,
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: they reach a colonnaded porch, which is the entrance to
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: their destination, Hadrian's private island. The island is the location
• 30:31
  Speaker 1: of a large house. It's a private villa with more
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: than 30 rooms, including bedrooms, a library, a study, and
• 30:45
  Speaker 1: a small bath complex. This luxurious building occupies the entirety
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: of an artificial island. which is surrounded by a shallow moat.
• 31:04
  Speaker 1: To access the villa, Hadrian crosses the moat on a
• 31:08
  Speaker 1: retractable wooden drawbridge. Although the bridge is usually left in place,
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: Hadrian likes the idea that he can raise the bridge
• 31:21
  Speaker 1: once he's on the island. In this way, He has
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: the place entirely to himself. He can study, relax, or
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: sleep undisturbed. The idea of the private island was one
• 31:44
  Speaker 1: of Hadrian's childhood fantasies. When he squabbled with his sister
• 31:51
  Speaker 1: or wanted to avoid his schoolwork, He wished that he
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: had somewhere to escape to. As a boy, Hadrian would
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: often daydream about having his own special place. Not just
• 32:10
  Speaker 1: a room, but an island. He would only allow select visitors,
• 32:18
  Speaker 1: and sometimes nobody at all. It would be his own
• 32:25
  Speaker 1: little realm, a place where he could do whatever he
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: liked and enjoy some peace and privacy. In his childhood dreams,
• 32:41
  Speaker 1: the island was a craggy rock surrounded by the blue ocean.
• 32:47
  Speaker 1: The reality is a little different, but as he looks
• 32:52
  Speaker 1: up At the splendid house, its white marble gleaming in
• 32:58
  Speaker 1: the sunlight, Hadrian feels deeply content. As a child, he
• 33:08
  Speaker 1: could never have imagined that he would one day have
• 33:12
  Speaker 1: an island that he'd designed himself. Hadrian steps onto the
• 33:22
  Speaker 1: wooden drawbridge, with Lydia following at his heels. As he
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: crosses the bridge, he glances down into the moat and
• 33:34
  Speaker 1: catches sight of a shimmering fish darting just below the
• 33:39
  Speaker 1: surface of the water. The moat is just one of
• 33:46
  Speaker 1: many fishponds scattered throughout the grounds of the estate. Hadrian
• 33:54
  Speaker 1: finds the presence of the fish soothing, and he often
• 33:59
  Speaker 1: stops to watch them as they swim slowly through the reed.
• 34:08
  Speaker 1: Perhaps his next project will be some kind of indoor
• 34:13
  Speaker 1: pool or aquarium filled with the most vibrant, colourful fish.
• 34:21
  Speaker 1: There might even be space in one of his bedrooms.
• 34:27
  Speaker 1: Someday soon, he'll consult his architects and decide what to
• 34:33
  Speaker 1: do next. Hadrian is a perpetual daydreamer and planner, and
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: he always has at least a few ideas in the
• 34:44
  Speaker 1: back of his mind. After crossing the bridge, Hadrian steps
• 34:54
  Speaker 1: into the villa's grand entrance hall. The walls are decorated
• 35:00
  Speaker 1: with with an elaborate marble frieze depicting ships and sea creatures,
• 35:08
  Speaker 1: while the floors are covered with complex mosaic patterns. The
• 35:16
  Speaker 1: footsteps of Hadrian and Lydia echoing on the mosaic floor
• 35:23
  Speaker 1: are the only sounds that can be heard. At the moment,
• 35:28
  Speaker 1: there's no one else here, Many of the other buildings
• 35:34
  Speaker 1: on the estate are busy with servants or visitors, but
• 35:40
  Speaker 1: no one comes to the island house unless they have
• 35:44
  Speaker 1: permission from the emperor. The nature of his work means
• 35:52
  Speaker 1: Hadrian spends most of his time surrounded by other people,
• 35:59
  Speaker 1: It's a pleasant change to come here, to his peaceful,
• 36:04
  Speaker 1: silent house, where there's no need to talk. Right now,
• 36:12
  Speaker 1: the quiet companionship of his dog is all he needs.
• 36:20
  Speaker 1: Lydia pads softly ahead of him, heading towards the study.
• 36:27
  Speaker 1: It's as though she can read his mind. She often
• 36:32
  Speaker 1: seems to know where he's going before Hadrian himself has
• 36:37
  Speaker 1: even decided. Hadrian follows the dog into the study. It's
• 36:48
  Speaker 1: a large, airy room overlooking the moat. This is where
• 36:55
  Speaker 1: Hadrian comes to focus on his personal interests, which have
• 37:01
  Speaker 1: nothing to do with his role as an emperor. It's
• 37:07
  Speaker 1: the place where he reads, writes poetry, studies philosophy, and
• 37:14
  Speaker 1: makes architectural plans. Or sometimes he just sits and stares
• 37:24
  Speaker 1: out of the window, reminiscing or daydreaming. Hadrian enters the
• 37:34
  Speaker 1: room with the intention to study for a while, or
• 37:39
  Speaker 1: to make some sketches of the new fish pond. But instead,
• 37:46
  Speaker 1: he finds himself reclining on the couch by the window,
• 37:52
  Speaker 1: his mind wandering. Inevitably, his thoughts return once again to
• 38:02
  Speaker 1: his past travels. He recalls the tour of southern Greece
• 38:09
  Speaker 1: with Antinous, overseeing the restoration of ancient temples and shrines.
• 38:18
  Speaker 1: When he closes his eyes, he can still see everything
• 38:23
  Speaker 1: so clearly. He hopes he can return to these places
• 38:29
  Speaker 1: one day, or perhaps travel somewhere new, journeying to distant
• 38:37
  Speaker 1: lands on the far side of the Empire. Throughout his life,
• 38:46
  Speaker 1: Hadrian has always experienced these spells of intense wanderlust. But
• 38:54
  Speaker 1: now that he's older, he also knows how to bring
• 38:59
  Speaker 1: himself back to the present. Although he's looking forward to
• 39:06
  Speaker 1: future travels, he's become more patient. For now, he's perfectly
• 39:14
  Speaker 1: happy right here. Opening his eyes, he sees that Lydia
• 39:24
  Speaker 1: has settled down in the corner of the room. She's
• 39:30
  Speaker 1: curled up in her favorite spot on a soft, worn
• 39:35
  Speaker 1: piece of carpet. This old rug is perhaps the only
• 39:41
  Speaker 1: thing in the villa that's in less than perfect condition.
• 39:48
  Speaker 1: But Hadrian has resisted the urge to replace it. Lydia
• 39:54
  Speaker 1: always heads straight towards the rug, making herself comfortable at
• 40:00
  Speaker 1: the centre, and then sleeping the afternoon away. As he
• 40:10
  Speaker 1: watches Lydia dozing peacefully, Hadrian also starts to feel sleepy.
• 40:21
  Speaker 1: He's tired from his busy week and feeling pleasantly relaxed
• 40:27
  Speaker 1: after his stroll through the gardens. There's nothing he has
• 40:33
  Speaker 1: to do today, so there's no reason why he shouldn't
• 40:39
  Speaker 1: have a nap as well. Perhaps this is another sign
• 40:46
  Speaker 1: that he's starting to get old, he thinks, smiling to himself.
• 40:53
  Speaker 1: An afternoon nap is another of life's simple luxuries. After
• 41:04
  Speaker 1: rearranging the cushions on the couch, Adrian lies back and
• 41:12
  Speaker 1: closes his eye. He takes a deep breath in and
• 41:21
  Speaker 1: instantly feels his body and mind becoming still. The room
• 41:32
  Speaker 1: is cool and silent. The only thing he can hear
• 41:39
  Speaker 1: is the dog's quiet snoring and his own steady breathing.
• 41:49
  Speaker 1: His breaths are slow and deep, settling into a comfortable,
• 41:58
  Speaker 1: natural rhythm as they guide him towards sleep. At last,
• 42:12
  Speaker 1: Adrian's thoughts of his villa and his travels fade away
• 42:21
  Speaker 1: into the background. The emperor is about to enter another peaceful,
• 42:33
  Speaker 1: private world. The realm of sleep.
• 42:43
  Speaker 2: Thank you for watching. Thank you. Thank you. This is
• 44:00
  Speaker 2: the first time that I have seen this. I have
• 44:04
  Speaker 2: never seen anything like this before. I have never seen
• 44:11
  Speaker 2: anything like this before. I have never seen anything like
• 44:18
  Speaker 2: this before. you you you Thank you for watching. Thank
• 45:22
  Speaker 2: you for watching. Thank you. I'm going to take a
• 46:57
  Speaker 2: deep breath in and out. Thank you for watching. Thank you.
• 48:04
  Speaker 2: Thank you.