Chapter 243
"Supervising the implementation of the peace treaty, ceding land, and the resettlement of immigrants in the city of Elis has been temporarily put on hold due to the passing of Arcis. I've recommended you to the council. Are you willing to go?" Agesilaus said with a straight face.
"I'm willing!" Phoebidas blurted out. During this period of time, he had nothing to do other than military training and attending the king's funeral. He could not help but feel disappointed as he watched others being sent overseas to carry out important missions one by one. Now, Agesilaus had placed such a lucrative job in front of him. How could he not be moved and grateful!
"Thank you, King Agesilaus, for your trust in me! You becoming our king is a gift from Zeus to Sparta!! "
Agesilaus smiled when he heard Phoebidas, one of the talented younger generation of Sparta, flattering him.
… …
After Agesilaus and Phoebidas left, there were only a few dozen people in the canteen. A young man with a linen draped over his head sneaked out from behind a pillar. He looked at Agesilaus' back with hatred.
He hurriedly went to get his meal. The chef who distributed the food joked, "Leotychides, why are you dressed like this? You look like a woman."
A Piriasian dared to make fun of him. If it was before, Leotychides would have beaten him up or even chopped off his arms and legs. But now, the former king's son did not have the mood to argue. He found a corner, sat down, and munched on his bread. For some reason, tears welled up in his eyes. His failure in the election for the throne had made him a joke in Sparta. His uncle, who usurped the throne, gave half of his father's inheritance to his people who were living in hardship, thus gaining the support of the royal family. While the people praised Agesilaus' benevolence, some people suggested to chase him and his mother out of Sparta. The reason was that 'he and his mother are not Sparta, but have become a disgrace to Sparta'. Although the Elder Council refuted this absurd suggestion, the Sparta people looked at Leotychides with even more contempt.
"What did I do wrong?! Why is the Goddess of Fate punishing me like this? In order to prove myself, I participated in the 'Agog' (the cruel military training that Sparta boys undergo from a young age), which the heirs of kings did not have to participate in. I always performed well in every training. I always fought at the forefront of every battle. My debates always left my peers speechless. My essays were better than theirs. But why?! Why?! They can't see this, but they always use these rumors to humiliate me and my mother!! Damn you, Agesilaus! Damn the Elder Council! Damn it … Arkis, if you didn't mistreat Mother, how could there be … so many rumors! In the end, Leotychides began to blame his dead father. "I can't stand such humiliation anymore! I want to take my mother away from this disgusting place! I want to leave Sparta! … "
Leotychides finally made up his mind. His footsteps became vigorous again. When he was about to reach his destination, he saw many people gathered in front of his house. All of them shook their heads and sighed. Their expressions were solemn, and a sense of unease rose in his heart.
"Leotychides!" A clansman who was usually on good terms with him saw him and said sadly, "Your mother … committed suicide …"
… …
Diopantos' army ravaged the Siletgardian territory. The Siletgardian garrison was forced to leave the city to face the enemy, and the Rockley people retreated early.
On the second day, the Rockley people appeared again.
When the Siletgardian garrison chased them to the coast like yesterday, they found nearly two thousand Rockley soldiers waiting for them in battle.
The disorganized Siletgardian garrison quickly retreated. Under the pursuit of the Rockley cavalry, the Siletgardians paid the price of a few hundred casualties. They hid in the city and did not come out. They sent people to Corunya's Crotone army for help.
As the leader of the alliance, Crotone had no choice but to send three thousand people to help Siletgardian. However, the Rockley people retreated by sea again.
Just as the Crotone army was hesitating whether to stay in Siletgardian or return to Corunya, the three thousand Rockley, Medma, and Hibernian army marched along the west coast, crossed the Lala River, and entered Triene territory.
The Triene people who had learned their lesson from Siletgardian did not dare to act rashly. Instead, they asked for help from Crotone.
Not long after the Crotone army left Siletgardian and entered Triene, the Rockley people landed on the coast of Siletgardian.
The Crotone army was mobilized back and forth, but they could not touch a single hair of the Rockley people. They had nowhere to vent their anger.
Siletgardian and Triene people were also suffering. The newly sown farmlands were destroyed, and the people's war-weariness grew.
At this time, the Crotone people finally realized that the twenty warships that suddenly appeared at sea were not secretly built by Rockley in the past year. They were Syracuse's help.
This news caused the Crotone emissaries to panic …
… …
During this period of time, the Devers who returned to Turií, apart from dealing with the alliance's affairs, stayed at home to accompany their wives, take care of their newborn children, and educate their adopted children. Their days were quite fulfilling and happy. Even when the Crotone emissaries came to Turií and asked for help from Diónia, they did not cause any anxiety. This was because Hilos and Asistes quickly forced the Rockley people who invaded Crotone's territory to retreat.
For this, the Senate elders praised the Devers for choosing the right chief executive of Asplustom.
In their letters to Hilos and Asistes, the Devers praised them for their decisiveness in taking the right measures in such a complicated situation. They also encouraged them to act boldly in times of crisis. They did not care too much about their own feelings and wait for the Senate's orders.
The outstanding performance of Hilos and Asistes also made the Devers completely relieved. They put more energy into the resettlement work of Asplustom and Crimissa.
But at this time, he received the news from Aristiras that "the Crotone emissaries, the Siridean emissaries, the Trina emissaries, and the Corunnese emissaries had come north together". Linking this to the report that Aristiras had given him about the battle between Crotone and Rockley, the purpose of these emissaries coming to Turií was obvious.
The first thought that came to the Devers's mind was that this was a rare opportunity to expand the strength and influence of Diónia. In comparison, fighting with Rockley was not unacceptable.
But then he began to hesitate. Thanks to Aristiras from Catanai's "special attention" on Syracuse, he also knew the truth of Crotone's defeat in the naval battle. Syracuse was a true ally of Rockley, and they had also sent reinforcements in this war. If the Devers fought with Rockley, they would inevitably offend Syracuse. Was it worth it?
The Devers had to consider this carefully.
In his previous life, he did not know much about the history of Syracuse. He only knew that Archimedes and Syracuse were one of the culprits that triggered the first Carthage War. The people of Rome easily crushed Syracuse as if Syracuse's strength was not worth mentioning. However, it was the people of Rome who used the power of the whole of Italy to attack Syracuse, which was in the period of decline.
When the Devers traveled to this era in the Mediterranean world, in Magna Graecia, he felt that the Greek city-states of Italy were in awe of Syracuse, the big city of Sicily. A few decades ago, Syracuse defeated Carthage and dominated Sicily and Magna Graecia. Now, it seemed to have begun to restore its former glory and had a tendency to unify the Greek city-states in Sicily. Although Sicily was just an island, its land was fertile and it was a famous wheat producer in the Western Mediterranean (mainly because of volcanic ash). Moreover, the Greeks had colonized a large number of Sicily and developed Sicily very early. In addition, Sicily was located near the center of the Mediterranean Sea and became an important hub for trade and commerce in the Eastern and Western Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, Sicily's commerce and agriculture were relatively developed. Judging by the fact that Syracuse was able to organize such a large army just by occupying the southeastern part of Sicily, one could imagine the huge potential of war. This was not something that Diónia, which was still in its infancy, could compare to.
However, the Devers was not a frog in a well. He was so ignorant that he could not see the potential danger. On the contrary, the history of his previous life was filled with countless examples, political, economic, geographical, and geographical theories. No matter how Diónia tried to hide, once Syracuse defeated Carthage and unified the Greek city-states in Sicily, the rapidly rising Diónia would inevitably attract its attention and become an obstacle to its expansion. It might even become its next target. Therefore, it was better to seize the opportunity when Syracuse was in the quagmire of war with Carthage to strengthen itself so that it would have the strength to fight against Syracuse in the future.
Therefore, after careful consideration, the Devers finally made a decision and convinced the Senate.
Sisprotis was the envoy of Crotone. Because he had accompanied Lysias to successfully reach a truce with Diónia and sign an alliance treaty, and then he had single-handedly "persuaded" the garrison of Diónia in Asplusium to send troops to help Crotone and force the Locrians to retreat, almost everyone in the Crotone Council (except for Lysias) unanimously elected him to be the envoy of Diónia. This was the first time he was so highly regarded by the Crotone Senators. Furthermore, the envoys of the other three city-states had followed his lead along the way. It was inevitable that Sisprotis felt a little complacent.
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