“In both Athens and Amendolara, the highest authority is the Assembly, where all citizens may participate and decide important matters of the city-state, such as laws, military affairs, and foreign relations. Athens has the institution of the ten generals, while Amendolara has dual magistrates, who manage internal affairs during peacetime and serve as military commanders in wartime, elected annually by the Assembly. Athens has a Council of Five Hundred, and Amendolara has a Senate of One Hundred, whose members are also elected each year by the Assembly. They propose bills, oversee the execution of laws and judicial matters, assist the magistrates in governing the city, and handle routine foreign affairs. Their most important task, however, is to review and provide candidates for the magistrates.
"Normally, the election of magistrates is held every June. Candidates apply on their own, are nominated by the Senate, and then elected by the Assembly. But now, after the war, Amendolara is in ruins and in urgent need of rebuilding. We need magistrates to lead the people in restoring the city, so we are holding the election today as a special exception. I would like to first invite the former mercenary leader Davos and the main officers to come up here to discuss and draw up the list of candidates for magistrates." As soon as Cornelius finished speaking, the newly minted citizens below—the former mercenary soldiers—had already grown impatient.
"Why do we need candidates! The only magistrate for Amendolara should be our leader Davos!" someone shouted loudly from the crowd, and the new citizens instantly agreed.
"That's right! We won't elect anyone else but Leader Davos!"
"Only Davos can lead us to keep creating miracles!"
"Leader Davos is a commander who never loses in battle. With him, we don't have to worry about failure!"
"Leader Davos for magistrate!"
"Davos!"
"Davos!!"
"Davos!!!"
……
The nearly three thousand new citizens in the assembly shouted Davos's name in unison, a truly impressive sight.
Cornelius had never encountered such a situation before and was flustered. He immediately cast a pleading look at Davos, who was standing below the platform.
Davos smiled and said a few words to Asiastes, who immediately ran to the back of the square.
Soon, a sharp bronze trumpet sounded over the square, instantly silencing the former soldiers of Davos's company. The other mercenaries gradually stopped shouting as well.
Cornelius was secretly shocked by Davos's powerful influence. *It seems certain that Davos will become a magistrate. Then the other magistrate should be chosen from among the original citizens of Amendolara.*
Just as Cornelius was anxiously thinking about how to broach the subject, someone in the crowd shouted, "Brothers, even though we've chosen Leader Davos as magistrate, don't forget he has to share power with another person. Next year, a new magistrate will be elected. Who is more capable than Leader Davos? Who can create more miracles than him? Who can command battles better than him? Who is more favored by the gods than Davos?"
"No one!"
"No!" the new citizens roared again.
"Do you want to be ruled by some incapable stranger?" another voice shouted.
"No!" That was exactly what the mercenaries feared.
"Brothers, think carefully. Is democracy really good? Look at Athens. Once the most powerful city-state in Greece, it was brought down by a bunch of incompetent politicians tearing each other apart. Think of the city-states we passed along the Euxine Sea—they also had democracy, and their governance was terrible. An army must obey a wise general to win battles. If a city-state wants to become strong, it should follow the same logic. Brothers, in the past year, we've faced many hardships, but we've also learned a lot. We've seen the vastness of Persian lands, the arrogance of Sparta, and how Thurii is bullied… Do you want to live in freedom under democracy but be despised and humiliated, or do you want to grow strong under the leadership of Leader Davos? Soldiers, say your choice!" As Olivus raised his arm and shouted from the crowd, Davos gave an almost imperceptible nod.
"Davos for king!" a voice roared from the crowd. Cornelius and the other five men on the platform, as well as the original citizens of Amendolara, were all taken aback.
Sestas and Adrianx turned to glance at Davos not far away and the senior officers around him—Antonios, Capus, Amyntas, and others—and saw that their expressions were calm. If they had known Davos better, they would have recognized that the ones leading the shouts in the square were Heilos, Matonis, Olivus, and others from the original squad of Heilos. Sestas and Adrianx exchanged a look and then fell silent.
After that single roar, the entire square fell into a terrifying silence. But soon, the new citizens began to chant: "Davos for king." At first it was scattered, but gradually it became more synchronized and louder.
Cornelius exchanged helpless glances with the other five. One old man tried to rush forward but was held back tightly by those beside him, and eventually he gave up. Facing the overwhelming pressure from the thousand people below, no one dared to step forward and shout, "You're wrong! Amendolara will never allow someone to become king! The laws of Amendolara do not permit it! The citizens of Amendolara will never permit it!" The reason these men had survived—unlike the other citizens of Amendolara who had fallen to the Lucanians—was that they were not courageous enough. That was also why Davos had chosen them. The original citizens of Amendolara below were mostly the elderly, the weak, and the disabled, with neither the will nor the strength to oppose the mercenaries.
Cornelius suddenly regretted agreeing to let the mercenaries join Amendolara, but he had no time to think further. He cast a pleading gaze at Davos again.
Davos, seeing that the moment was right, calmly walked up to the platform. When the new citizens saw his figure appear on the wooden stage, their emotions intensified, and they shouted in unison: "Davos for king!"
"Davos, king!"
"King Davos!"
Cornelius gave Davos a complicated look and stepped aside from the center.
Davos faced the dark mass of people below, the thunderous noise nearly bursting his ears. He calmly pressed both hands downward…
The square gradually quieted down.
"Soldiers—no, now I should call you citizens of Amendolara! When we left Byzantium, I told the officers, 'I will make you citizens of a city-state, with your own land.' In less than two months, my promise has been fulfilled. You have earned today's reward with your sweat, your blood, and your fearless fighting spirit! This is what you deserve. Congratulations—citizens of Amendolara!"
"Hail!"
"Hail!" The new citizens below cheered excitedly, some even shedding tears.
"Thank you very much for your trust in wanting to make me the king of Amendolara. For me, being king does not mean I have great power to oppress citizens for my own benefit. It means I must take on greater responsibility—to make the citizens of Amendolara live happier lives, to make our city-state stronger, and to ensure it is not bullied by others! Although I am confident I can achieve this, still—" Davos paused briefly, and Cornelius's heart felt like it was about to leap out of his throat.
"—I must apologize to you. I cannot be this king." As soon as he said this, the others on the platform breathed a sigh of relief, while the new citizens below erupted in uproar.
"Why?!" voices questioned in confusion.
"Because among the Greek city-states today, almost none still use monarchy. Even Sparta has a dual kingship. Macedonia does not count, as Greeks do not consider it a Greek city-state. Monarchy is not welcome among Greek city-states in this era. If I became the king of Amendolara, then Amendolara would be shunned by the city-states of Magna Graecia. To develop, Amendolara needs to trade with other city-states. To become strong, Amendolara needs to form alliances. Once Amendolara is isolated with no allies, then all our good ideas will come to nothing. Even worse, Amendolara would be attacked by Greek city-states that despise monarchy. So, for the sake of Amendolara, I cannot be this king."
King or Consul?