“At first, I didn’t know what ‘the West of the Mediterranean’ meant either. But today, when the man from Thurii came to see me, I realized the dream had come true!” Davos said with slight excitement, briefly explaining the matter of Burkos.
“Thurii wants to hire us to fight the natives?” Capus asked.
“Yes, I hear the entire Greater Greece region is now threatened by the natives. Thurii is just the most afflicted city-state,” Davos explained.
While the others were still mulling over whether to accept the invitation, Antonios stood up and said, “But Persia is far from us, and Thurii is just as far. Fighting in Thurii is no different from fighting in Persia!”
Davos shot Antonios a subtle, approving glance, since his apparent question was actually meant to make it easier for Davos to explain further. Davos said earnestly, “We fought alongside Sparta against Persia. If we win, Sparta profits, and all we get is meager pay. If we lose, we die on foreign soil, and our souls can’t even return to the underworld. But going to Greater Greece is different—”
Davos looked around the room and said with some emotion, “First, as I just mentioned, Thurii is offering us two darics per man per month. That’s much more than what Cyrus the Younger gave us. Second, Greater Greece is filled with Greeks just like us. Fighting on the land of our own kind, we’ll have support and receive care and attention. Third, Greater Greece is nothing like the barren Greek mainland. It has many rivers, fertile soil, and every city-state is wealthy. Does anyone know how many people lived in Athens during the time of Pericles?” Davos asked, his gaze falling on Alexis, since this hoplite company commander from Megara had studied in Athens for two years when he was young.
Sure enough, he lived up to Davos’s expectations. After a moment’s thought, he said, “About three hundred thousand.”
“Yes, three hundred thousand—an astonishing number! But do you know that decades ago, Syracuse in Greater Greece also had three hundred thousand people? And Thurii, Croton, Locri, Tarentum, Rhegium, Acragas—they are all great city-states like Syracuse (Davos had learned all this intelligence from Cheiristoya)! So we’re not heading to some remote, backward area, but to a prosperous region full of cities, where many opportunities await us!” Davos extolled the prosperity of Greater Greece.
“Commander Davos, what opportunities are you talking about? Defeating the Luc... Lucanians for a rich reward, or something else?” The quick-witted Epithenis caught the hidden meaning and pressed on.
“An excellent question! That’s also the last and greatest advantage of going to Thurii that I was about to mention—” Davos raised a finger and said energetically, “The envoy said, ‘Because of the massive incursions by the Lucanians and Bruttians, some small towns in Greater Greece, especially in southern Italy, have been captured by the natives.’ Do you know what that means for us?!”
Davos curled his finger into a fist and swung it forcefully in the air: “It means that once we gain a foothold in Greater Greece and retake a small town, we have a chance to become its masters! We will no longer be landless freemen looked down upon, but citizens of a city-state with land! We will no longer be mercenaries ordered around, unable to decide our own fate, but the masters of a city-state! I believe this is the mission the ‘man in the dream’ revealed to me! Regardless of your decision, I have already decided to go to Greater Greece and fulfill my mission!”
A strange silence fell over the gathering. Only the sound of rapid breathing could be heard. Everyone stared intently at Davos’s raised fist, their eyes burning with intense longing. For thousands of years, Greeks from various city-states had fought over the small, barren, gravel-covered land of Greece itself—wasn’t it all for land! The Greeks became a seafaring people only because there were too many people and too little land! Mercenaries drifted and struggled to survive—wasn’t that the helplessness of having no roots! Now, before them lay the hope of owning land—how could they not be overjoyed, terrified that the flame of this hope might be extinguished!
In that brief, tense silence, it was Tsipet who weakly spoke first: “But there are many fierce natives there. Even the people of Greater Greece can’t hold them back. We—”
“We’re not those useless fools in Greater Greece! The Lucanians are no stronger than the Dukeyans or the Carduchians! If you’re scared, just don’t come!” Amyntas shouted dismissively.
“Who said I’m not coming! Commander Davos, since this is Hades’s mission to you, even if I have to give my life, I will help you complete it!” Tsipet spread his hands and, with extreme piety, performed a sacred kneeling salute to Davos.
“Davos, I am your strong shield. How could going to Thurii be possible without me!” Heilos raised his right fist and stood up.
“And I, Amyntas, am your spear. A shield without a spear is useless!” Another fist shot up.
“Commander, let me continue to help you with military affairs, so you have more time to think about how to win the war!” Philistos also stood up.
“Commander, going to Thurii naturally requires me as your vanguard!” Antonios stood up.
“Commander, let me continue to command the center for you!” Capus also got to his feet.
“And I, Alexis, will always be your reserve force in critical moments!” Another fist was raised high.
“How could going to Thurii be missing us peltasts, who can both fight and throw!” Epithenis stood up with a grin.
“Davos, don’t forget, you still need an important quartermaster!” A chubby fist was raised.
“My respected teacher, I still need to continue studying medical theory with you, so wherever you go, I will follow!” Helpus stood up solemnly.
“I am your herald. You can’t just abandon me!” Asiastes stood up hurriedly.
…
Davos looked at the forty or so fists thrust straight into the air, like a small forest of saplings rising up, ready to withstand the coming storm. His blood boiled, and he swung his right hand forward sharply: “Brothers, follow me, and we will go westward to find our ‘Elysian Paradise’!”
After receiving the enthusiastic response from his officers, Davos discussed with them: they needed to keep the true purpose of going to Thurii a secret, otherwise they would face many obstacles.
Everyone immediately swore oaths to the god of the underworld.
Next, Davos told them to return and use every means possible to persuade the soldiers to go. He also had them secretly go to other camps and quietly convince the soldiers to join. These veterans, rich in combat experience and having fought together before, were not men Davos wanted to give up.
Then, Davos led Mariji back to his tent. Before he could speak, Mariji said, “I am willing to go with you to Thurii.”
Davos turned around and laughed, “You’re quite clever.”
“Isn’t that the reason you let me listen in?” Mariji said indignantly. “If I didn’t agree, what would you do? Kill me?”
Davos shook his head and said, “I would only tie your hands and feet, throw you in the cargo hold, and let you out once we reach Thurii.”
“Davos, I always thought you were a cultured, knowledgeable, and promise-keeping Greek. I never expected you to be just a bandit, the same as the rest of them!” Mariji gritted his teeth.
“Is that how a slave speaks to his master, who saved his life?” Davos said, feigning surprise.
“Slave?” Mariji’s face was filled with shock, as if he had completely misjudged Davos.
Note: Elysian Paradise: In Greek legend, after death, souls are judged by the three judges of the Underworld. The innocent are allowed to enter the Elysian Paradise, a beautiful, peaceful place free from want, still under Hades’s domain. There is a theory that the Christian concept of Heaven was derived from Elysium.
To Magna Graecia