Chapter 355
"How much does it cost to buy a set of these surgical instruments?" Stasypus asked the shopkeeper.
"A set?!" The shopkeeper pursed his lips. "You're a doctor from another country. You don't understand that doctors in Diónia will use different surgical instruments depending on the type of surgery they perform. Moreover, the Diónia School of Medicine will send new surgical instruments to us from time to time. With these surgical instruments in this shop, we can perform at least five or six different types of surgery. "
"Even if you can buy them …" The shopkeeper looked at the three of them and rolled his eyes. "You can't afford them."
"We can't afford them?! Tell me, how much do these cost? "At this moment, Nicus Stratos also came over and said unhappily.
The shopkeeper glanced at him, pointed to the shop, and said, "The things you picked up just now are worth about 30 minas."
"30 minas?! Just a few small things were worth 30 minas?! You're robbing us! "Lycassus shouted in shock.
"Don't talk nonsense if you don't know anything!" The shopkeeper was obviously a liar. He argued, "Do you know how difficult it is to make those things? Do you know how high the requirements are? Let me tell you, the time it takes to make a knife like that is enough for us to make 30 bronze shields, and it needs to be made by the best blacksmiths. Only then can we make the surgical instruments that meet the requirements of those doctors. As they said, 'The tools used to cut a person's body must be very fine. Otherwise, it won't be saving lives, it'll be killing people!' So tell me, how can the price not be high?! Besides, these tools aren't something that just any ironware workshop can produce. In Tuliyi, only our Theos Weapons Workshop has the ability to do so! "
The three of them were speechless.
"Also, what I just said is the previous price. They are now priced at 40 minas."
"Why?"
"Because in the future, our workshop will not be producing these surgical instruments."
"Why is that?"
"Our workshop has received a major task from Diónia's Ministry of Roads and Transport. They want to build a stone bridge, and they need to place huge iron bars into the river to empty the river so that they can use boulders and stone slurry (actually, 'Devers Cement') to cast the bridge piers. Therefore, our workshop needs to gather all the casters and high-quality iron ore to make these big guys …"
… …
While the three of them were happily touring the port market, Ephialte and his wife were riding north in a carriage to the hot springs of the Tyrol, a tributary of the Cosene River.
The Devers became famous in this battle, annihilating the allied forces of the Lucania tribe, thus laying the cornerstone of the establishment of the Diónia Alliance. At that time, the Great River Beach was littered with corpses. Now, a white memorial pillar 20 meters high and 2 meters in diameter was erected. The scene of the battle was carved on it, and at the top was a bronze statue of the Devers holding a shield and a spear.
This memorial pillar for the victory of the Great River Beach Battle was initially called the "Pillar of Miracles" by the people. It symbolized the victory of the Diónia Consul, who was outnumbered and outnumbered, creating a miracle in an impossible situation. Later, students from various cities in the Alliance were often brought here by teachers to let them experience the hardships of the establishment of Diónia and the greatness of the Devers. It was also nicknamed the "Pillar of Children" by the citizens. It was not only a place for children to receive education, but it also had a deeper meaning. Since the battle, the Diónia Alliance began to grow healthily like a newborn baby … Of course, this was a story for another time.
There was a large circular tomb not far from the memorial pillar. The tombstone was engraved with the words "Tomb of the Warriors Who Died in the Great River Beach Battle". Below it was an inscription by the Devers, "The war is in the past, the blood is one."
Two bronze statues of men were erected in front of the tomb. From their attire, one could tell that one was a Lucanian and the other a Greek. They were smiling and holding each other's strong arms. The Greek man's left hand was pointing at Tuliyi, which was 20 miles away in the east, making an inviting gesture. The meaning behind it was self-evident.
There were no bones in the tomb. Back then, the Turií cremated the bones of thousands of Lucanian warriors. It was said that the incineration alone took three days and three nights. Then, the ashes were poured into the river and fed to the fish and shrimps. Later, the Diónia Union was established. Out of political purposes and under the strong suggestion of the Devers, this tomb was built. Every year, people would come here to pay their respects, most of them Lucanians.
Of course, this was not the main reason why this once desolate area had become lively now. Instead, it was the other side of the Tyros River that the Devers' statue spear was pointing at. The once barren pools and hot spring swamps that were infested with snakes and insects were now replaced by a huge building. Dozens of aqueducts made of 'Devers' cement led the hot spring water that emerged from the cracks in the rocks into the building. Finally, a large channel led the hot spring water that flowed into the building into the river. This was the famous Turií hot spring baths in all of Greece.
The Greeks did not like to bathe, but the people of Diónia had developed the habit of bathing under the long-term preaching of doctors led by Helpes in the hospital over the past few years. They also knew that bathing in hot spring water was more beneficial to the body. Therefore, on the opening day of the big baths, almost all the men of Turií came to the hot spring swamps to have a try.
As a result, the baths were overcrowded. Later on, the big baths even changed the rules for this, setting a time limit and limiting the number of people who could enter.
After the Turií men who soaked in the hot spring and enjoyed all kinds of novel services returned to the city reluctantly, they began to proclaim how wonderful it was to bathe in the big baths. They even praised that this was an Elysium built by Sir Consul in the human world!
Not long after, the people also found out that this baths actually allowed women to enter.
Since then, the people of Turií would go to the big baths every day and regarded it as an essential enjoyment in their lives. The people of other Diónia cities would also come to enjoy it from time to time.
At the same time, the Turií people also regarded the 'hot spring baths' as one of the three major entertainment activities to entertain distinguished guests from afar (the other two were tasting Turií cuisine and watching ball games in the arena). Since then, the reputation of the 'Turií hot spring' had spread far and wide.
On certain special days in Diónia, the big baths would be free of charge to the people. This made the already cheap baths (only one Opol) even more popular among the people. For example, these few days, due to the arrival of the Marriage Festival, the big baths were free of charge to all the couples who came to bathe. This was also the reason why Efyarte brought his wife here.
There were many couples who came to the big baths today. Everyone consciously formed a long line and slowly moved towards the entrance of the baths.
At this moment, there was a commotion at the back of the line. Afa turned his head to see what was going on.
"What happened?" asked his wife curiously.
"Nothing, it seems like two senators from the Senate are here too," said Efyarte nonchalantly. There were almost a hundred senators in the Senate. Other than the people of Turií, the people of Diónia from other cities only knew the chief senator, Daves, the senators who had served as the city's governor, and the elders who held important positions in the army. This was not strange. Whether it was training or fighting, the people who served would naturally have a deep impression of these officers.
Finally, they crossed the wooden bridge over the Tyrol River and stood at the entrance. The caretaker glanced at Efyarte and his wife and asked, "Are you husband and wife?"
The two nodded.
"Citizens of Diónia?"
Efyarte nodded again and said, "We are also the couples who are participating in the Marriage Festival this year. May I ask if there are any private rooms with small baths? " As he spoke, he extended his left hand, and his wife extended her right hand. On her ring finger was an iron ring, with Hera's emblem, 'Peacock', engraved on it. Because of the Devers's suggestion, the Hera Temple that Aegnis was in charge of not only hosted the celebration, but also awarded rings blessed by Hera to the newlyweds who participated in the celebration (with a small processing fee, of course) in order to encourage and supervise the stability of their marriages.
"Congratulations!" After the caretaker confirmed it, he turned around and looked at the wooden wall that had many long nails nailed into it. Only one of them had a key hanging on it. He took it down and placed it in Efyarte's hands. "Hera blesses you. There is still one last key left. The room number is written on the wooden plate. After entering the room, lock the door, and no one will disturb you. Return the key at noon."
"Alright, thank you!" Efyarte led his wife into the middle passage, and the two passages on the left and right each led to the men's and women's baths.
As time passed, the long queue at the entrance was almost at the end.
When the caretaker of the baths saw the two people in front of him, he was momentarily stunned, but immediately put on a smile. "Lord Polyxis, Lord Enanilus!"
"Is there a private room?" Polyxis asked straightforwardly.
The caretaker pointed at the wooden wall behind him that only had iron nails left, and said apologetically, "Because of the Marriage Festival, the rooms are all full."
The corner of Polyxis's mouth twitched in dissatisfaction. Ignoring the fact that the caretaker was an employee of the Devers, he said sarcastically, "Look at our Lord Archon, he really knows how to take care of the people of Diónia!"
Enanilus did not reply. He asked the slave behind him to take out four Opors, and paid for himself, Polyxis, and two of his personal slaves.
After they entered, the caretaker used the excuse of urinating to go to the back room, and quickly found the manager of the large baths. "Polyxis and Enanilus, come take a bath together!"
… …
After walking along the passage on the left for a short distance, a vast area appeared in front of them. There was a large pool in the middle, and there were a few small pools beside it, all steaming hot and surrounded by mist.
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