"We can't let this situation continue in Rhegium!" Alcibiades suddenly raised his voice and said, "I and some others have discussed and decided to unite the people of Rhegium to urgently convene a citizens' assembly to jointly vote on whether to completely incorporate Rhegium into the Kingdom of Dionysia!"
Hearing this, Davos could no longer hide the surprise on his face. He leaned towards Alcibiades and asked, "Does your father support this matter?"
He understood this brother-in-law of his. He was very talented in business, but not very interested in politics. Such an important matter that would decide the future of Rhegium would be difficult to implement without the strong promotion of a prestigious and capable political figure.
"My father is no longer very interested in the politics of Rhegium, and he doesn't have the energy to do these things…" Alcibiades glanced at Davos, then said, "This matter was proposed by General Phayllus and is being promoted by him alone!"
"Phayllus…" Davos stroked his chin. He had been paying attention to this person.
This general, who led the Rhegium army, made a significant contribution in the Southern Italy War by defeating the Syracuse army. After the war, he was revered by the people of Rhegium and was elected as the general of Rhegium for several years, even serving as the chief general for one year. However, he, who was decisive on the battlefield, frequently encountered setbacks in the political arena. The proposals he put forward often failed to pass the council, and his governing ability was criticized by many. It was also revealed that his relatives were using his power to accept bribes and obtain benefits. Phayllus resigned to take the blame and even announced in a fit of anger that he would no longer hold any public office in Rhegium. According to some inside information probed by Aristoteles' intelligence department, Artiles was secretly promoting these criticisms of Phayllus in the Rhegium council.
Davos' power-hungry father-in-law obviously did not want to see Phayllus, whose prestige was greatly increased, control the political arena of Rhegium.
Seeing that Davos did not speak, Alcibiades thought that the king was doubting whether Phayllus alone could successfully implement this matter.
So he emphasized, "Not only Phayllus, but also some merchants have clearly expressed their support…" Then, Alcibiades said several names.
Davos was surprised. These people, like Alcibiades, were all famous merchants in Rhegium. Were they not worried that after Rhegium was completely incorporated into the Kingdom of Dionysia, they would lose some of the rights they had previously enjoyed?!
Alcibiades saw Davos' doubts and explained, "Your Majesty, Rhegium is too small for us. We hope to become true Dionysian merchants and have greater business convenience throughout the western Mediterranean! We firmly believe that after Dionysia goes to war with Carthage this time, Dionysian merchants will have unprecedented valuable opportunities to venture into trade areas that they have never ventured into before! …" Alcibiades looked somewhat excited.
So that's how it is! It's not that they care about the common people, but that they are driven by profit. As merchants of a free city, they naturally cannot obtain the same rights as merchants of the Kingdom of Dionysia… Davos smiled and said with emotion, "It seems that you have more confidence in the upcoming war between the kingdom and Carthage than I do. Indeed, merchants are the most adventurous! Have you been in contact with Sostratus?"
Alcibiades nodded, feeling a surge of tension in his heart. He knew that the crucial moment had arrived.
Davos said in a deep voice, "Then you must have a clear understanding of the difficulties the kingdom will face once it engages in this war, and the efforts that Sostratus and others will make to ensure that Dionysia wins this war."
Alcibiades said without hesitation, "The financial resources of Rhegium merchants are more abundant than those of Thurii merchants. What Thurii merchants can do, we can do too! What Thurii merchants cannot do, we can also do!"
Davos did not easily express his position, but said in a deep voice, "Very good, I hope Rhegium merchants can prove it to me!"
"Your Majesty, you will see it soon!" Alcibiades replied confidently.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Just as Alcibiades was chatting with the children about anecdotes of ancient Egypt, Ansitanos, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Dionysia, had already arrived in the oldest kingdom in the eastern Mediterranean—Egypt.
Egypt established a unified kingdom more than 2,000 years ago. Its economy was prosperous, its national strength was strong, and it created a splendid culture. It was once the most powerful country in the entire Mediterranean. However, as time went by, its national strength began to decline, and other races in the Mediterranean began to rise. Therefore, the Egyptians' misfortune came.
The Hyksos, Libyans, Assyrians, Persians… successively invaded and eventually ruled this most precious land on the African continent.
The Persian king appointed loyal subordinates to serve as governors of Egypt, exploiting the Persians and plundering their wealth to satisfy the extravagant lives of the Persian nobles and provide a material basis for Persia's further expansion. The Egyptians were unwilling to be ruled and oppressed by foreigners, and launched riots and resistance many times in a hundred years.
During this period, in 460 BC, it was the most prosperous period of Athens. The Athenian navy pressed eastwards against Persia, forcing it to shrink its defenses and face the Peloponnesian League army to the south. They successively won victories in the two battles of Aegina and Megara. The Athenians even called this year the glorious year.
At this time, the Libyans in Lower Egypt launched an uprising, attempting to overthrow Persian rule, and requested assistance from the powerful Athens.
Athens readily agreed and sent a navy composed of two hundred warships to Egypt. In the initial stage, they achieved some victories and even captured the city of Memphis, but in the end, they suffered a disastrous defeat, and many Athenian citizens and allied forces died on the land of Egypt.
It was not until 404 BC, when the Persian ruler Darius II died, and Cyrus the Younger competed with his brother Artaxerxes for the throne, that the internal strife in Persia gave the Egyptians an opportunity. This time, the uprising was still led by the Libyans in the Nile Delta region, whose leader was called Amyrtaeus. In the end, he was successful, drove away the Persians, and became the Pharaoh of Egypt.
But after only four years in office, he was usurped by one of his ministers, Nephrodes, who then passed the throne to Hacoris.
During Hacoris' reign, Sparta first attacked Persia, and later the Corinthian War broke out in Greece. After the "King's Peace," the Persian King Artaxerxes finally eased his hand and sent an army led by Pharnabazus in the eighth year of the Kingdom of Dionysia (386 BC), attempting to recapture Egypt.
Pharnabazus even hired Greeks to participate in the war, and the commander of his army was the Athenian general Iphicrates. However, conflicts arose between the Persians and the Greeks, and they could not cooperate well. After three years of fighting, Hacoris drove the Persian army out of Egypt.
Egypt was temporarily safe, but last year Hacoris fell seriously ill and was unable to preside over the government, leading to domestic turmoil. At the beginning of this year, his son Nepherites hurriedly ascended the throne, but soon domestic unrest occurred. In the end, Nectanebo, a general from the city of Bubastis in the northwestern Nile Delta, seized the throne and became the new Pharaoh of Egypt.
… …
Ansitanos recalled the major events that had occurred in Egypt in recent years, especially this year, which was a turbulent year for the Egyptians. Nectanebo had only been the Pharaoh of Egypt for four months. In theory, his political situation was still unstable. As the Dionysian envoy, it was not the best time for him to come to Egypt, hoping to establish friendly relations, but the situation forced him to…
At this time, the Dionysian passenger ship he was on, after being inspected by the outpost at the Canopic branch of the Nile River, smoothly sailed upstream along the Canopic River—the western branch of the lower Nile.
It was already the end of October, and the flood season in Egypt had passed, so the river surface was so calm that it was almost impossible to see the flow. Ships did not need trackers to pull them along the riverbank against the current.
Fertile Egypt benefited from the Nile River, which rose and fell regularly every year. Every summer, when the rainy season arrived, the Blue Nile River, which flowed through the Ethiopian highlands south of Egypt, surged, carrying away a large amount of sediment from the valley areas. When the flood peak reached the Nile Valley, the flood overflowed the riverbed, submerging the land on both banks. The sediment it carried and the organic matter contained in the river water penetrated into the soil, keeping the land in the narrow strip along the Nile River black and fertile. This was even more true in the downstream Nile Delta. In the event of a major Nile flood, this vast coastal lowland could even be turned into a vast expanse of water.
Although the Nile water had begun to recede, the riverbank was still full of puddles and muddy land covered with aquatic plants. However, the Egyptian farmers had already begun to manage their fields. They were naked to the waist, barefoot, and only had a piece of linen cloth wrapped around their waists. Some farmers built mud dams on the shore to try to keep the remaining river water in their fields; some cleared weeds and other debris from the fields, and incidentally scooped up a few fish from the puddles as an extra harvest; and some had already driven their plowing cattle and started to plow their own fields… Many papyrus boats were also shuttling back and forth along the river, bringing farming tools, food, and wheat seeds to the farm women working on the shore.
Ansitanos also noticed that some people dressed neatly and holding paper and pens were often seen beside the farmland. They should be the Pharaoh's scribes. They were both estimating how much the flood season would affect next year's harvest and supervising the farmers' work.
Agriculture was the pillar of Egypt, and the Pharaoh's emphasis on agriculture was far greater than that of other Mediterranean countries, but it was also clear that the new Pharaoh had begun to exercise his powers, which made Ansitanos slightly relieved.
"Lord, look there!" the captain shouted in surprise.
It turned out that an Egyptian herdsman was driving a herd of cattle to graze on the mudflats by the riverbank. Unexpectedly, a crocodile was lurking there and almost bit a calf. The herdsman rushed forward in panic, wanting to drive the crocodile away, but found that the crocodile was not large, so he wanted to hunt it. He drove his hounds to harass the crocodile to prevent it from escaping back into the river, while he himself, armed with a wooden stick, cautiously began to attack...
This thrilling scene quickly attracted passing papyrus boats and nearby farmers. They gathered around with pickaxes to watch the excitement, and some shouted, "Hey, do you need help?! But if we kill the crocodile, you have to share some with me!"
Amidst the busy and monotonous work, it was a rare moment of leisure for the farmers...
Around noon, Anxitanos and his group passed through a city—Naucratis.
This was an Egyptian town with strong ties to the Greeks.
More than 200 years ago, with the full support of Greek mercenaries from Ionia and Caria, the Egyptians overthrew the Assyrian rule and gained independence. Pharaoh Psamtik welcomed these meritorious Greeks and built the fortress of Daphnae in the eastern part of the Nile Delta for the Greek soldiers to live in. He also issued a decree: opening Egyptian trade to the outside world and allowing Greeks to reside permanently in Egypt.
Consequently, the Milesians built a cargo processing workshop by the River Canopic. As more Greeks arrived, a Greek town gradually emerged around this workshop area, named Naucratis (meaning "Mistress of the Seas").
For a long time, this colonial city served as a common port for all Greek merchants, even under the current Persian rule. Alcibiades had also traded here before.
Seeing the people in the city's port area wearing familiar Greek clothing made Anxitanos feel particularly close, but his ship would not stop here and continued onward.
Finally, at dusk, the ship passed through the Nile Delta and entered the wider Nile River. By this time, it was dark, and the captain was unfamiliar with the waterway and dared not proceed further, so he could only dock by the bank and at the same time go ashore to hire boatmen.
Anxitanos and his subordinates spent the night on the boat, listening to the "whooshing" sound of the Nile River and the strange calls of animals on the bank or in the river. For the young people, it was a peculiar experience, but for Anxitanos, who was over 50, it was quite a torment. The mosquito bites, in particular, caused him considerable discomfort, and he only fell into a deep sleep late at night due to exhaustion.
The next day, he reluctantly gathered his spirits,
and continued forward.
A few hours later, the ship passed through the ancient town of Giza.
When Anxitanos gazed at the west bank and could vaguely see the outlines of the several tall pyramids on the Giza Plateau, his spirits finally lifted.
Around noon, the passenger ship finally entered Memphis, the capital of Egypt.
More ships were plying the Nile River near Memphis, but there were few delicate papyrus boats, and more of a type of long, narrow wooden boat with pointed ends, a canopy in the middle, numerous oarsmen, and ranging from a few meters to dozens of meters in length. Of course, large and spacious passenger ships were occasionally seen.
While still on the ship, Anxitanos was amazed by the tall outer walls of Memphis, which were nearly 15 meters high. From outside the city, it was almost impossible to see any buildings within, except for the towering obelisks and the palace in the center of the city.
Since the Pharaoh had been informed by the signal station at the mouth of the River Canopic beforehand, the Dionysian passenger ship was actually allowed to enter the inner city's dock.
This was a good omen! Anxitanos thought to himself.
Anxitanos disembarked at the dock, where a carriage was already waiting.
After getting into the carriage, under the driver's control, the carriage sped towards the palace.
The inner city was the gathering place for high-status Egyptian officials, senior priests of various temples, wealthy nobles, and members of the royal family. Therefore, along the way, one could see magnificent temples, luxurious official residences, and mansions side by side, displaying the grandeur and luxury of the ancient capital.
The carriage traveled on a wide and straight avenue. According to Anxitanos's estimation, the width of the avenue was enough for more than ten carriages to travel side by side. At the end of the avenue, an even taller city wall stretched out before them, which was where the Egyptian palace was located.
As he passed through the majestic city gate, Anxitanos roughly estimated that the city wall was at least ten meters thick, indicating the Pharaoh's concern for his own safety.
Further on, the carriage could see dozens of towering golden statues standing on both sides of the avenue, each about 20 meters high. Although they had human bodies, they had animal heads. Anxitanos knew that these statues should be the deities revered by the Egyptians.
At the end of these colossal statues, a magnificent and resplendent palace stood tall, making Anxitanos feel insignificant as he disembarked from the carriage and stood before the steps.
At the top of the hundred steps, on either side of the main entrance to the palace, there was a colossal statue of a ram. They were lying down, with wide-open eyes, looking down at the visitors outside the palace, adding a touch of elegance and serenity to the center of Egypt while slightly diminishing its solemn mystery.
An official, with a team of imposing guards, descended the steps with steady strides: "Envoy from the Kingdom of Dionysia, the great Pharaoh is waiting in the great hall. Please follow me to have an audience!"
Anxitanos bowed and spread his hands, allowing the guards to check if he was carrying any weapons.
Anxitanos ascended the steps, passed through the colossal colonnades that required three or four people to embrace, and entered the great hall.
The perfectly smooth walls were covered with smooth gray plaster and painted with colorful floral patterns; on the smooth marble floor, lifelike lotus aquatic plants, birds, and animals were depicted, as if one were in fresh nature; coupled with the various unique and exquisite gold and silver objects in the hall, the entire great hall appeared magnificent.
Pharaoh Nectanebo was seated on the throne.
This general-turned-pharaoh was tall and strong with dark skin. He usually liked to wear the red-striped nemes headdress symbolizing his pharaoh status, which was both simple and elegant. However, he clearly attached great importance to this audience, so he wore the most traditional red and white double crown, symbolizing the unity of the two lands, with a golden uraeus (an Egyptian cobra) adorning his forehead. He also wore a false beard and held a scepter in his right hand.
To his left sat the Queen. A golden vulture headdress was lightly placed on her head, its outstretched wings pressing down on her straight black hair, allowing her long hair to fall across her chest. She wore precious jewelry and a magnificent dress, appearing graceful and noble.
Although Anxitanos had learned from historical records that Egyptian women had a relatively high social status, especially the Queen, and even participated in state affairs, seeing a woman present at a major state occasion for the first time today still slightly surprised him. He did not know that it was precisely because this Queen was not of royal blood that Pharaoh Nectanebo frequently had her appear at state affairs to elevate her status and solidify his and his family's rule.
On both sides of the great hall stood several ministers and generals, all scrutinizing Anxitanos as he entered the hall with curious eyes.
Anxitanos stood calmly before the throne and respectfully completed the bow. As a Greek scholar who studied historical materials from various places, Anxitanos had specifically purchased Egyptian slaves in his youth and diligently studied Egyptian writing and language. At this moment, he spoke in standard Egyptian, saying loudly, "Noble Lord of Upper and Lower Egypt, I bring the friendly greetings of King Davos of the Kingdom of Dionysia, and at the same time offer generous gifts to express his sincere congratulations! Congratulations on being favored by the god Amun and becoming the master of Egypt!"
As soon as Anxitanos finished speaking, the minister closest to the Pharaoh stepped forward and whispered a few words to the Pharaoh.
Pharaoh Nectanebo was very satisfied to hear that the gifts from Dionysia included a considerable number of spears, swords, shields, and armor, and even a few triremes docked at the river mouth... He thought: Egypt currently does not lack grain, gold, silver, or jewels; what it lacks is more sophisticated weapons and soldiers.
Therefore, a smile appeared on his face: "Thank you very much for the sincere blessings and generous gifts from King Davos of the West! Although Egypt and Dionysia are far apart, I have also heard many times of the reputation of the Kingdom of Dionysia and the bravery of King Davos. It makes me very happy to receive greetings from a king who also flows with the noble blood of a deity (Egyptians believed the Pharaoh was the incarnation of a god, and Pharaohs often publicly claimed to be the son of Ra)! I warmly welcome your visit, Envoy of Dionysia!"
Pharaoh Nectanebo stood up and extended his left hand, making a gesture of welcome.
What he said was not mere politeness; he did have some understanding of the Kingdom of Dionysia. Although among the city-states and countries along the Mediterranean coast, the Egyptians were the most closed and conservative, preferring to cultivate the land rather than engage in seafaring trade, so much so that even today many Egyptian officials probably do not know that a Kingdom of Dionysia exists in the Mediterranean. However, Pharaoh Nectanebo was different. Before becoming Pharaoh, he had guarded the town of Sais for many years, and Sais was not far from Naucratis, so he had heard many wondrous rumors about the Kingdom of Dionysia circulating among the Greek merchants who traded in Naucratis.
"Noble Pharaoh!" Anxitanos took over from Nectanebo and continued, "Although Dionysia and Egypt are far apart, precisely because of this, there has never been any conflict of interest between the two countries. On the contrary, they can complement each other's shortcomings. Therefore, King Davos hopes that Dionysia can establish more friendly relations with the country ruled by you, Pharaoh!"
"Just a friendly exchange?" Pharaoh Nectanebo leaned back, his eyes gleaming.
Nectanebo's question surprised Ansitanoos, but the Pharaoh continued, "Why not an alliance?"
Ansitanoos was genuinely taken aback; he hadn't expected Pharaoh Nectanebo to be so direct.
Pharaoh Nectanebo, however, didn't seem to notice his surprise, and said earnestly, "As far as I know, the citizens of Daonia are primarily Greeks. Egypt has always been friendly with Greece, as evidenced by Naucratis! And in recent decades, Greeks have repeatedly helped Egypt resist the tyrannical Persians. Even now, there are many Athenian tombs outside Memphis, marking the sacrifices made by the Greeks and Egyptians who fought together against the Persians 70 years ago. We must continue this friendship!" Pharaoh Nectanebo spoke with slight emotion, clearly overlooking the fact that Athenians, hired by the Persians, had attacked Egypt just a few years prior.
So, the Egyptians hoped to form an alliance with Daonia to help them resist Persian aggression! Ansitanoos was no longer surprised that Pharaoh Nectanebo spoke so urgently about an alliance, even though this diplomatic option was already part of his and Davos's plan.
But Ansitanoos would never know that, in Pharaoh Nectanebo's eyes, the Persian threat to Egypt was not potential, but a very real and present danger.
In the turbulent first half of this year, some Egyptian officials in the towns of the Nile Delta secretly sent messages to Canaan, under Persian rule and bordering Egypt's eastern frontier, attempting to surrender to the Persians and allow them to reoccupy Egypt, including some within the city of Memphis. Although the Persians had been driven out of Egypt for over 20 years, their efforts to sow discord and lure the Egyptians had never ceased. The Persian governor of Asia Minor, Pharnabazus, had been rebuilding warships and gathering soldiers in recent years.
Although scouts reported that the Persian King had summoned Governor Pharnabazus to Babylon this year with his troops.
Nectanebo had not forgotten that it was this Persian governor who had led troops to burn, kill, and plunder within Egypt a few years ago. Although ultimately defeated, their losses were not significant, and they could return at any time.
If Nectanebo hadn't proposed the slogan of 'treating the monks favorably' after his uprising (Pharaoh Hakor had restricted monks from owning too much land and hired laborers during his ten-year reign), and gained the support of the priests of Egypt's great temples, Nectanebo's army would not have been so unstoppable. Even the troops stationed in Memphis surrendered to him, and he quickly stabilized Lower Egypt in just a few months. As for Upper Egypt, centered on Thebes, it was still the priests' domain.
Realizing what the Pharaoh was truly worried about, Ansitanoos immediately said solemnly, "Although Persia is far away from our Daonia,
it also has its claws in the Western Mediterranean—Carthage, this Phoenician sub-state, has been continuously sending gold and silver mined from the Iberian Peninsula to Tyre for decades, thereby providing the Persian king with funds for expansion and aggression, and thus becoming extremely wealthy.
Our Daonia, as a rising kingdom, adheres to the principle of harmonious coexistence with its neighbors. More than a decade ago, it signed a friendly agreement with Carthage, but did not expect it to secretly support the surrounding forces of Daonia, constantly opposing Daonia. After its conspiracies were repeatedly thwarted, the Carthaginians actually tore up the friendly agreement with our Daonia and threatened to launch a war against Daonia. Therefore, Daonia is willing to form an alliance with Egypt to help each other and jointly resist the aggression of Persia and its affiliated forces!"
Pharaoh Nectanebo was surprised because this had just happened, and he had not yet received the news. He knew Carthage well, a powerful city-state established by the Phoenicians in the Western Mediterranean. Their merchant ships often passed through Egyptian waters, and even frequently traded with Egyptian coastal towns. The Egyptians even knew that some Carthaginian ships carried gold and silver, but they never had the intention of intercepting them, because the Egyptian army was weak, and the navy was even weaker. Besides the Egyptians' lack of love for sailing, the lack of dense forests in Egypt was an important reason. Therefore, the Egyptians could only make small papyrus boats. To have large wooden warships, they could only buy them from abroad.
Therefore, Pharaoh Nectanebo immediately asked with concern, "I have heard that Carthage is very powerful and has a strong navy. If Daonia goes to war with Carthage, can you win?"
"Honorable Pharaoh!" Ansitanoos said with a smile, "More than a decade ago, Syracuse, the Greek overlord of the Western Mediterranean, repeatedly defeated Carthage, forcing it to sign a humiliating peace treaty. But this Syracuse, which defeated Carthage, suffered a crushing defeat when attacking our Daonia. We defeated Syracuse's powerful navy through a frontal naval battle, and we defeated Syracuse's powerful army through a frontal battle, eventually turning Syracuse into an ordinary city-state on the island of Sicily.
Now, the land and population of our Kingdom of Daonia have increased several times compared to more than a decade ago. How could Carthage be our opponent! The cunning Carthaginians only dared to declare war because they saw that Daonia had suffered a drought this year and did not have enough food to supply the army!"
Ansitarnos spoke with passionate emotion, his words subtly highlighting the difficulties Daonia was currently facing.
While Pharaoh Nectanebo was pondering, the minister who had been speaking with him suddenly interjected, "Egypt and Daonia have become allies. If one day, the Persian army invades Egypt, will Daonia send troops to fight the Persians from thousands of miles away?"
Ansitarnos struck a proud pose and replied, "When our Daonia was first established, we risked annihilation to declare war on a powerful enemy because our allies were being invaded. In Daonia's short history of nearly 20 years, the majority of our wars have been sparked by the invasion of our allies. To uphold our alliances, Daonia has repeatedly had to fight against powerful enemies, and fortunately, we have always emerged victorious.
If you were to ask someone from the Western Mediterranean what Daonia's greatest strength is, they would surely tell you, 'Daonia keeps its promises and never abandons its allies!'"
"I've heard that said by Greek merchants in Naucratis…" Pharaoh Nectanebo said. As a general, he had heard this rumor before, and after learning of the arrival of the Daonian envoy, he considered forming an alliance. The Egyptian army was not strong, and a few years ago, they had only managed to hold the line with the help of over two thousand Greek mercenaries. He believed that allying with a stronger, more trustworthy nation that was also far away from Egypt made Daonia the best choice for Egypt.
Ansitarnos had not expected that the principles King Davos consistently upheld and promoted would blossom in distant Egypt, and he was delighted by it.
Pharaoh Nectanebo struck the scepter on the ground and said loudly, "To repay King Davos's generous gift, I will offer a hundred shiploads of wheat as a return gift! Moreover, after Egypt and Daonia form an alliance, Egypt will continuously supply Daonia with grain free of charge to alleviate the food shortage among the Daonian people!"
Even the usually composed Ansitarnos could hardly contain the joy on his face.
As for the Pharaoh and his ministers present, they did not feel it was a great loss. Egypt had plenty of grain. Blessed by the Nile, Egypt enjoyed consecutive bumper harvests. The vast Egyptian farmers had to hand over most of their harvest, and the granaries in various towns and temples were filled with the collected grain, even to the point of mold due to prolonged storage.
After finalizing the alliance, Pharaoh Nectanebo warmly invited Ansitarnos to lunch together in the palace gardens.
Upon reaching the garden, Ansitarnos's eyes widened. Before him was a huge artificial lake, with misty waves, fluttering lotus leaves, and blooming lotuses. The shore was a lush garden, filled with various exotic flowers and rare plants collected from abroad, as well as rare birds and animals…
Pharaoh Nectanebo took Ansitarnos to dine on a huge wooden boat in the lake, enjoying fine wine and delicacies, discussing ancient and modern times, and with beautiful maids dancing...
For a time, both host and guest were delighted.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
At the same time as Daonia's Foreign Minister Ansitarnos arrived in Egypt, an important meeting was taking place in the city hall of Catania, Sicily.
The participants included Prossus (Leotychides), commander of Daonia's Eighth Legion, Flarius, commander of the Third Fleet, Cypros, the administrative officer of Catania, Miron, the administrative officer of Naxos, Amicles, the administrative officer of Messina, Apirosia, the administrative officer of Siculi, Cleroux, the administrative officer of Henna, the administrative officer of Hebita… In addition, the chief generals of the two allied city-states of Leontini and Taormina also participated.
In theory, those present were all leading figures from various cities, with no significant differences in their positions. Referring to King Davos's clever approach in many of his previous innovative administrative practices, a round table conference should have been implemented to avoid any sense of hierarchy. However, Cypros was seated at the head of the table, with Prossus close to his left, which made the administrative officers who knew Cypros's personality murmur in their hearts, but even if there was some dissatisfaction, it was not shown on their faces.
Cypros looked around at everyone and said solemnly, "Gentlemen, you all know that our First Legion gathered and marched north a few days ago to help the Volsci defend against the Romans. If the Carthaginians fulfill their words when they tore up the agreement, then they will soon declare war on us and send troops to land on Sicily. In fact, all indications from Carthage show that the Carthaginians are indeed preparing for war! In order to clearly understand the state of our preparations in Sicily, so that His Majesty and the Senate can grasp the overall situation of the war and formulate better strategies, His Majesty has sent Philius of the Ministry of Military Affairs to Sicily to inspect. Now, please welcome Philius!"
The administrative officers were all stunned: Philius had come to Sicily, and they had not even been notified in advance!