Chapter 808
His words hit the nail on the head of Potitus, Maruginense, and the others. It also made more of the senators who had fantasies uneasy. There was a commotion in the shrine.
At this moment, a soldier came in to report that the southwest of the city was brightly lit, and the sounds of killing were deafening.
"Could it be that reinforcements have arrived?!" The speculation of a senator made everyone feel refreshed.
Everyone hurriedly walked out of the shrine and came to the edge of the cliff under the protection of the soldiers. Sure enough, they saw that the night in the southwest was dyed red by the flames, and there were faint lights surrounding the city of Rome in other places. That should be the torches on the entire city wall being lit by the enemy.
"I'm afraid that reinforcements have arrived!" The senators stood on the edge of the cliff and stared at the flames in the distance anxiously.
Under the leadership of the high priest, the people on the top of the mountain prayed excitedly and devoutly to God Jupiter.
… …
The attackers were the 6,000 Roman soldiers led by Quintus and Frius. They did not prepare any other siege machinery. They only carried a dozen or so thick logs from Prinister and raised their torches high as they charged straight at the Roman army.
Perhaps in the impression of the Roman soldiers, the Diónia had just captured the city of Rome and were looting the city's belongings and women. It was the time when the city gate was wide open and the defense was weak. Just like the Acquis and the Hernici who broke through the city of Prinister last year, or the Celts who broke through the city of Rome and other Latin city-states ten years ago, their sudden attack could catch the enemy off guard.
Unexpectedly, when they arrived outside the city of Rome, they found that the city of Rome was quiet. The city gates of Rome were closed, torches were lit on the city walls, and the enemy soldiers were fully armed and ready for battle.
The reality was different from what they had imagined. Quintus and Frius were a little nervous, but they still ordered the soldiers to make a tentative attack.
As a result, the Roman soldiers carried the logs and struggled to crawl through the trenches. When they arrived in front of the city gate, they suffered many casualties under the long-range attacks of the defenders. They soon found that hitting the city gate with the logs was not very effective.
It turned out that when the people of Rome were defending the city, they sealed all the gates with wood and stones because they lacked manpower. After the Dionysian Army entered the city, the Devers only ordered the soldiers to clear the Sirius Gate on the south wall, which was closest to the square, and the Nevia Gate on the west (mainly for the convenience of transporting supplies into the city). The other gates were still sealed. This caused the reinforcements of Rome to fail to break through the gates, and their morale was affected.
Just as Quintus and Frius were considering retreating, the scouts reported that they had found two breaches in the western wall.
This gave hope to the two Rome generals. They immediately led the soldiers who wanted to rescue their loved ones to attack the west side of the city.
As a result, the Fourth and Fifth Legions of Diónia were waiting at the breach, and the light infantry on the wall attacked fiercely with bows, arrows, javelins, and stones. The Roman army that rushed into the breach quickly suffered heavy casualties, but they could not advance an inch. The morale that was boosted by the desire to save their homeland quickly fell, and the exhaustion brought about by the long journey took over their bodies. The reinforcements of Rome were quickly defeated.
The Devers immediately sent out a cavalry legion to rush out of the Sirius Gate, ready to chase after the defeated soldiers and capture them all in one fell swoop.
However, the cavalry was intercepted by the reinforcements of Prinister led by Mejus. Because it was night, the Devers could not figure out how many reinforcements of Rome had arrived. To prevent any accidents, he ordered the pursuit to stop, allowing the defeated soldiers of Rome to escape.
… …
The fire in the distance went out in less than half an hour, and there was no more movement. It was obvious that the reinforcements had failed.
The people on Capitoline Mountain were very depressed, and sighs could be heard endlessly.
"People of Rome, our army is far away in Helniki, and it is impossible for them to arrive so quickly. They are just reinforcements from other alliances!" At this time, the voice of Scipio The Great sounded. It was particularly clear in the dark, and it slightly comforted the disappointed people.
At this time, Potitus whispered to Maruginense, "If … Camillus's army can't recapture Rome in a short time, there are too many people on the mountain, and it will only consume food and shake the morale of the army … cough …"
It was now April, and it was not yet summer. The night was cold on the top of the mountain, and the mountain wind was strong. An old man like Potitus had stood on the edge of the cliff for half an hour because he was concerned about the war. Even though he was wrapped in a leather robe, he could not stand it anymore, and his nose began to flow.
"… After Camillus's army arrives, we'll see how the war goes …" Maruginense looked at the dark night, as if the dispute with Potitus in the Senate over the years did not exist. He comforted him, "No matter who launched an attack on Rome tonight, they also created an opportunity for us. The people we sent should be able to escape from the city during the chaos, find Camillus, and tell him the situation in the city so that they can prepare …"
… …
Early the next morning, the soldiers of the First and Second Legions of Diónia began to pack up the tents and clean up the square.
In the morning, the people in the city of Rome were driven to the square by the Diónia soldiers. The square was surrounded by heavily armed Diónia soldiers, which made the people panic.
Especially the people from the slums. The scene of the battle at the breach of the city wall not far from them and the fiasco of the Rome reinforcements last evening still lingered in their hearts. Today, the people of Diónia actually allowed them to stand at the forefront of the square. How could they not be afraid?
When it was almost noon, the square was already filled with Rome's people.
At this time, the bugle sounded, and a group of Diónia soldiers in gorgeous armor escorted a man in golden armor and a fluttering feather helmet on his head up the stone steps and walked up to the high platform in front of the Senate's gate.
"Is that the King of Diónia?!" The crowd in the square was stirred up.
The Diónia soldiers around the square immediately hit their long shields with their short swords and roared in unison. It immediately poured a bucket of cold water on the people of Rome who had gathered in the square, making them quiet down. However, their eyes were filled with fear and hatred as they looked at the Devers high above.
The Devers completely ignored the anger in their eyes and said loudly, "People of Rome, I am the King of Diónia Devers, the new master of this city! I was going to take you to the foot of the Capitoline Mountain, where a hero of Rome whom I admire died, Marcus Manlius Capitolinus. I believe you all still remember this name! "
When the messenger translated the Devers' words into Latin and spread it to the audience, the crowd in the square was stirred up again. The faces of the people of Rome were full of doubts. They never expected that their enemy, the King of Diónia, would talk about Marcus Manlius Capitolinus, whom they were familiar with. Therefore, they focused their attention on the Devers, and there was a hint of curiosity in their eyes.
The Devers stretched out four fingers and said in a loud voice, "Debt! Land! Slavery! Power! These are the four major problems you are facing. From the establishment of Rome to the present, your ancestors and you have been fighting the aristocrats persistently. They even threatened to flee Rome many times, and they have paid the price of blood many times. However, a small village in Rome has developed into such a vast territory, but your situation has not improved much. You are still living in hardship, and you are still being bullied by the aristocrats!
Marcus is different from the other aristocrats of Rome. Not only did he defend Rome with his bravery, but he also abandoned the arrogance and greed of the aristocrats and did his best to help you, the commoners. He paid off the debts of more than 400 of you with his own money. For the first time, he loudly appealed in the Senate to cancel your debts and distribute the land you obtained …
Is he using you to achieve his own goals?! No! He's doing this so that you can enjoy a better life in the city! For this reason, he did not hesitate to betray his birth and become one of you. He led you to fight bravely against the evil aristocrats of Rome! Do you still remember what he said to you? 'I will not abandon any of you, and you have to be careful so that my fate does not abandon me. As your defender, I will not be afraid. You all have seen that I was once shackled, and then with the help of many of you, I abandoned it. If the enemy treats me more arrogantly, God will stop them, but God will never descend from heaven for us. He must have your full support … '
At this point, the Devers glared at the people and shouted, "But, did you do it?! No! Under the fierce counterattack of the aristocrats, you retreated. You actually believed the nonsense of the Senate. You let Marcus be framed and arrested by the Senate. You watched helplessly as he was pushed down Capitoline Mountain by the fierce aristocrats of Rome and fell to his death! Don't you feel guilty in your heart?! "
The words of the Devers made the people of Rome recall the scenes of the past. Shame welled up in their hearts, and a strange scene appeared: the people of Rome bowed their heads under the questioning of the king of Diónia, who had occupied their homeland.
Of course, although the Devers ordered the army to gather the civilians of Rome in the square, there were inevitably some minor aristocrats and patrons of the aristocrats. So they shouted angrily, "Don't listen to the rumors of the enemy! Don't forget, he has just led the army to invade our homeland and kill our loved ones! The Senate did nothing wrong. Marcus Manlius tried to dictate and divide Rome. He deserved to die! Now it seems that he has colluded with the people of Diónia. We should dig up his bones and tear him into pieces! "
。 Literature Hall.
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