Volume 5: The Hegemon of Southern Italy, Chapter 38: Davos Proposal

The wide, straight streets, the neatly divided blocks, the orderly houses… all gave the envoys a sense of how much the Daonians valued cleanliness and order. The towering aqueduct that spanned the city, the slowly turning giant water wheels, the uniquely shaped fountains, the murmuring streams along both sides of the roads… all these demonstrated that the Daonians, as Greeks, had their own distinct style and pursuits in architectural art and engineering.

What made the envoys stop and stare the most were the gleaming white Triumphal Arch, the imposing Victory Square, and the magnificent Great Council Chamber of the Senate—these were clearly displays of Daonia’s ambition and aspirations. If this had been before, they might have secretly scoffed at Daonia’s overreaching. But after experiencing the Second Croton War, they had to take this city-state alliance seriously, and they clearly realized that this new city had shown its uniqueness and extraordinary ambitions from the very beginning.

Not to mention anything else, just look at the Temple of Hades on the distant hill, nearly completed—making the Lord of the Underworld the city’s patron god was something only Daonia had done in all of Greece.

Just as the envoys were thoughtfully observing the heart of this rising city-state alliance while walking west toward the Senate, the citizens of Thurii were leaving their homes in droves, in high spirits, heading eastward.

“I heard them say something… distributing land?” the Scylletium envoy asked curiously.

“Yes, I heard it too.” The Trina envoy was more direct: “Are you really going to distribute the newly conquered lands to your citizens?”

“Gentlemen, Daonia has not forcibly taken any land. Everything was obtained legally, according to the treaties!” Pleisinas, who had come to welcome them, promptly corrected them with a serious expression.

The envoys didn’t argue, but they grumbled inwardly.

“According to the *Military Code of Daonia*, the *Citizen Law of Daonia*, and the promises made by the Senate before the war, every citizen and preparatory citizen who took part in this war will receive land,” Pleisinas continued without hiding anything. “Based on the merits of the citizen soldiers in the war and the actual conditions of the lands in Asperustum, Crimissa, and the northern plains of Croton… the Agriculture Department and Military Department under the Senate have done a great deal of work recently. Today is the announcement of the land distribution results. Not only the people of Thurii, but also the people of Amendolara and Nerulum will come. Since there are too many people, it can only be held outside the city… If you envoys are interested, you can go and take a look after the meeting.”

“We should hurry to the Senate and get our business done first. The people of our cities are waiting for news!” Seeing the other envoys somewhat tempted, Sisprontis reminded them loudly, using the opportunity to hide his own shame—after all, what Daonia was distributing was land that Croton had been forced to cede.

…

Sisprontis knew this delegation would not be as easy as the last one, but he hadn’t expected that, faced with the requests of four city-state envoys, all the senators of the Daonian Senate would be so firmly opposed to sending troops.

“…The war has just ended. Daonia has suffered heavy losses as well. We don’t have enough money and grain to handle another war right away!”

“…The Daonian citizens have just laid down their shields and spears, and just received newly distributed land. They are all preparing to rest and, before spring ends, quickly plant wheat on their new plots so they can still reap a good harvest. So they have no desire to fight!”

“…Daonia has no need to make enemies of Locri and thus provoke the powerful city-state of Syracuse!”

In short, a thousand words boiled down to one sentence: Daonia only wanted to rest and recuperate, not meddle in other people’s affairs.

So the envoys of Scylletium, Trina, and Caulonia each expressed willingness to sign a Defensive Alliance Treaty with Daonia, just as Croton had done. But the Daonian senators strongly opposed this as well, with a simple reason: given Daonia’s current strength, almost no power in southern Italy would dare provoke them, while Caulonia, Trina, and Scylletium were frequently raided by Locri and the Bruttians. Signing such a treaty would mean these three city-states essentially hiring a powerful alliance to protect their safety for free, which clearly benefited them and gave Daonia no advantage.

The negotiations in the Senate reached a deadlock. Sisprontis was anxious but powerless.

At that moment, the Trina envoy spoke eagerly: “What if I request to join the Daonian Alliance?”

The Trina envoy was not acting on a sudden whim. When they had passed through Castron, Amykles and his men had warmly entertained them. During the banquet, the Castron councilmen had deliberately or unintentionally mentioned the many benefits Castron had gained after joining the Daonian Alliance. Moreover, they had seen for themselves the stability and prosperity of the people in Castron, which had somewhat impressed the envoys.

Hearing this, Sisprontis was startled and instinctively shouted: “Sipros, do you know what you’re saying?!”

“To save Trina!” Envoy Sipros said righteously. “We Trinians have always abided by the alliance treaty, answered Croton’s calls, paid tribute every year on time, and in every war we actively sent troops and grain! And what did that get us? The Locrians ravaging Trina’s lands! Trina is a small city-state, stuck between Hipponion (a city in the Locrian League, south of Trina) and the Bruttians. If we don’t drive back Locri soon, and then the Bruttians come, the Trinians will starve to death!”

Sisprontis wanted to say: if Trina runs out of food, Croton can provide aid.

But he swallowed the words. Croton, after these two wars with Daonia, had suffered heavy losses, and with the later blockade by the Locrian fleet, the entire city was also facing a food shortage. That was exactly why Croton had so urgently agreed to let its three allied cities come to Daonia for help.

He warned loudly: “Don’t you know that once you join the Daonian Alliance, you can no longer have any alliance with other city-states?! If Trina withdraws from the Croton Alliance, then Croton will immediately pull out the Crotoniate troops currently helping to defend Trina, and from now on, if enemies invade, we will give no more help to Trina!”

Sisprontis’s words were aimed at Trina, but also served as a reminder to the envoys of Scylletium and Caulonia, and even the Daonian Senate. After all, the main force currently resisting Locri in the south was Croton. If Croton walked away, not only would the other city-states suffer greatly, but it would also hinder Daonia’s plans.

Therefore, the Scylletium and Caulonia envoys, who had been harboring some thoughts, fell silent. The Trina envoy Sipros was now in a difficult position, unable to back down.

Seeing this, Davos spoke slowly: “Envoys from the city-states of the Croton Alliance, if Daonia agrees to your request and sends troops to drive back Locri, then Locri—and even Syracuse—will likely focus their anger from defeat on Daonia. No rational Daonian citizen would allow us to make such a stupid decision that harms our own alliance’s interests just to help you.”

Davos’s words darkened the envoys’ expressions.

Then Davos shifted his tone: “But as you just said, whether it’s Daonia, Croton, Scylletium… conflicts and wars arising from contradictions and interests are ultimately matters among the city-states of Magna Graecia. However, for a city like Locri to collude with Syracuse in Sicily and meddle in the wars of Magna Graecia is unquestionably like luring a wolf into the flock, threatening the safety of all city-states in Magna Graecia. We must take advantage of Syracuse’s current preoccupation with fighting Carthage to quickly end the war with Locri, leaving Syracuse no excuse to interfere. Therefore, whether to send troops or not, our Daonian Senate is in a difficult position! The people need a good reason—one that makes them, who yearn for stability, feel they are not fighting a meaningless battle for outsiders. And Daonia does not want to be abandoned after aiding you, left to face a strong enemy alone!”

The envoys fell silent. Davos’s meaning was very clear.

Sisprontis, however, was agitated. He recalled Lysias’s warning before leaving: Daonia might not want the money, gold, and supplies that the city-states had promised to induce it to send troops, nor would it likely sign a defensive alliance treaty. What they wanted was probably more…

At that moment, Davos spoke again in a clear voice: “I have a proposal for you to consider.”

At his pause, every envoy pricked up their ears.

“Daonia, Croton, Scylletium, Caulonia, and Trina—the five of us together form an alliance, to jointly defend against and attack any enemy that dares to invade us. Among allies, no aggression is allowed. Conflicts can be resolved through negotiation!…”

Hearing this, the envoys all wore expressions of “just as expected,” except Sisprontis, whose face darkened further. The others were clearly tempted, especially the Trina envoy Sipros, who perked up and asked first: “May I ask, Archon, who will lead this alliance?”

At this question, Sisprontis immediately tensed.

Davos smiled slightly: “In the alliance, all city-states are equal, regardless of size. When problems arise and it’s hard to reach consensus, each city-state gets one vote, and decisions are made by voting…”

Davos’s answer surprised the envoys. They had assumed that Daonia’s proposal to form a new alliance was to gain leadership. Except for Sisprontis, the other envoys’ eyes lit up.