Volume 6: The Meeting of Two Heroes, Chapter 22: Father and Son

As soon as he went downstairs, Hermes’ heart skipped a beat. Three patrol members were standing in the hotel lobby.

“He’s that Syracusan!” someone next to him loudly identified.

Fully armed, the patrol members stepped forward and asked coldly, “The Syracusan Hermes?”

“What do you want?!” Hermes said, panicking. “I am an envoy from Syracuse! I want to see your Magistrate!”

“Then you definitely have to come with us!” the patrol member sneered, and forcibly escorted him out of the hotel.

This scene undoubtedly added more fuel for gossip among the still-confused citizens of Thurii.

…

“Father, I heard Polyxides has been imprisoned for violating the alliance’s laws!” Sostratus rushed into the living room excitedly.

Kynogoratas glanced at him and said lightly, “The whole city has been shaken by this matter, and you only just found out? What have you been doing all day?”

“What else! I went to military training, of course. It was my turn today, and I’m exhausted!” Sostratus complained, flopping back onto a wooden chair, stretching out lazily. “It’s a pity the public baths are already closed, otherwise I’d have come back even later.”

Kynogoratas frowned, somewhat disapproving of his eldest son’s laziness, and said gravely, “All able-bodied citizens of Daonia have to participate in military training, but I haven’t seen anyone else complain as much as you. Learn from your younger brother—not only does he diligently attend afternoon training at school, but he also actively seeks out sparring partners when he comes home!”

“So all the family’s hopes rest on my brother. As for me... I just want to be rich, have good food to eat, beautiful women to sleep with, and games to watch... that’s enough.” Sostratus said nonchalantly.

Kynogoratas’s white eyebrows rose as he was about to speak, when his younger son Dikaiokrates interjected loudly, “Brother, do you know? It’s not just Polyxides who’s been detained. Senators like Eanilus, Massisacus, Oryphus, and Euricpus have also been arrested!”

“Really?!” Sostratus sat up straight, leaning forward, and asked urgently, “Old man, last time you analyzed that ‘Eanilus, Massisacus, Oryphus and the others might side with Polyxides and challenge Davos’s power.’ How come they’ve all been wiped out now?!”

Kynogoratas’s flaccid face twitched a few times, then he snorted coldly. “What’s so surprising about that? The Magistrate has always gotten along harmoniously with other senators. Even when someone pointed a finger at him in the Senate, he never held a grudge... After interacting with him for so long, I forgot how he became the lifelong magistrate. A wolf... is born to eat meat! I’m afraid I’m not the only one. Many in the Senate will once again feel the same way as when the alliance was first established... Hmph hmph...”

He sighed as he spoke, then let out two cold laughs. “Polyxides and his lot not only broke the law, but they were also dreaming big. I’m afraid Davos won’t let them off easily this time!”

“Absolutely don’t let them off! I heard Polyxides even colluded with Syracuse. Treason is punishable by death!” Dikaiokrates’s eyes flashed with hatred. He could never forget that day... when the citizens of Thurii turned into a mob and stormed his house... and among those mobsters, there was Polyxides’s shadow...

“Syracuse? You mean Dionysius has dealings with Polyxides?!” Sostratus’s eyes widened.

You see, with the rise of Daonia, the two powerful states—one in the south, one in the north—were geographically close, yet they had almost no diplomatic relations.

There was a story circulating in Magna Graecia that illustrated the delicate relationship between the two states: One day, at a port in a Magna Graecia city, a Syracusan merchant and a Daonian merchant met. They each boasted about their own country. The Syracusan merchant said, “Daonia hasn’t been founded even a fraction as long as Syracuse’s centuries-old history. And Syracuse was the hegemon of Magna Graecia and Sicily a hundred years ago, and still is!”

The Daonian merchant retorted, “Don’t be so smug! Our Daonia Alliance has become this powerful in just five years. In another five years, it will surely be twice as strong as Syracuse!”

Of course, this was just a story made up by busybodies. Syracuse and Daonia were like two beasts in the forest, cautiously guarding their own territories, never interfering with each other.

And now, hearing the news that “Dionysius has actually reached out to Daonia,” Sostratus couldn’t help but look astonished.

Kynogoratas reached out and gently patted his younger son’s head. He knew what he was thinking—that was the eternal pain in their family’s heart. “Whether Polyxides colluded with Syracuse or not will have to be determined by an alliance trial. Don’t spread rumors.”

Kynogoratas pondered for a moment, then said solemnly, “If it’s true... it could be a big trouble for Daonia!”

“Father, will there be war?!” Sostratus and Dikaiokrates asked in unison.

Seeing the excitement in his two sons’ eyes, Kynogoratas knew that his younger son’s eagerness came from a desire for battle, while his eldest son was probably thinking about how to seize the opportunity to make a fortune in the market. He shook his head gently and said thoughtfully, “...Syracuse and our Daonia are both major states. Every move we make concerns the safety and survival of the Greek city-states in the Western Mediterranean. How could a conflict break out so easily! I’m afraid it will be mostly diplomatic protests and negotiations...”

Dikaiokrates sat back down, slightly dejected, while Sostratus’s eyes shifted, his thoughts unknown.

“Sostratus, a few days ago I heard from your brother-in-law that you went to see him, hoping he would purchase a batch of your goods,” Kynogoratas suddenly changed the subject.

Sostratus was startled and quickly said, “I only made a small suggestion to him. Father, you know my brother-in-law is a serious man; there’s no way he would agree.”

Back then, when the riots broke out in Thurii, Kynogoratas’s family was driven out of Thurii. His youngest daughter was raped and committed suicide, and his eldest daughter was forcibly divorced by her husband’s family. She remained single at home, perhaps deeply traumatized by the disaster, and refused to remarry. Only when Kynogoratas learned about “Davos worrying about Heilos’s marriage” did he get an idea. He made a suggestion to Davos, and the two hit it off.

Urged on by both sides, Kynogoratas’s eldest daughter actually demanded to meet Heilos first before deciding whether to marry. Davos, as the matchmaker, actually agreed to this “absurd” request. Heilos, who was only agreeing out of respect for Davos, didn’t care much.

As it turned out, when they met, they took a liking to each other. Especially Kynogoratas’s daughter, after experiencing the betrayal of her first marriage, found Heilos to be simple, honest, and steady—a man she could entrust her life to. She even took the initiative to ask Kynogoratas to contact Heilos.

In the end, the two became husband and wife, which further strengthened the relationship between Kynogoratas and Davos.

After Heilos stepped down as Chief Magistrate of Asperustum and commander of the Fourth Army Corps, he happened to catch Davos’s further reform and decentralization of the Ministry of Military Affairs. Originally, the power to handle specific military affairs was concentrated in a single Military Affairs Officer. Now Davos divided it into three parts:

First, military administration, which was handled by Military Affairs Officer Philistos, responsible for personnel appointments in the army corps, rotation of troops at key posts, naval patrols, citizens’ military service, and tabulating battle merits. Of course, important appointments for the army corps, such as the army corps commanders and battalion commanders, still required Davos’s personal nomination and confirmation.

Second, military training, which was taken up by Hieronymus, who had just stepped down from the Third Army Corps. He was responsible for supervising the military training of citizens in each city, inspecting training results, and arranging instructors.

Third, military logistics. In this era, Greek city-states did not have personnel specifically assigned to manage military logistics. From the time Davos established a foothold in Amendolara, he had sent Mesis to manage the army’s logistics. However, as the alliance expanded and affairs increased, Mesis was already overwhelmed just managing the alliance’s finances. Moreover, local governance and military affairs must not be too intertwined; they had to be separated. Therefore, an officer was needed to specifically and professionally manage the army’s logistics. The first person Davos thought of was Heilos. Not only did he have rich military experience, but he also had a record in administrative management. He was steady, meticulous, and a former captain of Davos, one of his most trusted people, capable of shouldering great responsibility.

“I forbid you from bothering your brother-in-law again! Especially in this special time, don’t have any contact with him!” Kynogoratas commanded sternly. As an old politician, he already sensed the impending political storm.

Sostratus lowered his head and repeatedly agreed.

Kynogoratas knew his disobedient son all too well. He immediately said, “You’re not young anymore. Several families have recently sent matchmakers to propose marriages. Don’t go out these next few days. Settle your marriage quickly!”

“What?!” Sostratus’s eyes widened in shock.

“Great! I’m finally going to have a sister-in-law!” Dikaiokrates jumped up joyfully.

In the study of Davos’s residence, Davos was talking with Agricultural Affairs Officer Bourkos.

“Bourkos, I don’t agree with you resigning as Agricultural Affairs Officer! You have been elected by the senators as Agricultural Affairs Officer for four consecutive years, which is a high recognition of your achievements in Daonia’s agriculture. You must understand that only with you in charge of the Agricultural Affairs Department can I and our soldiers safely leave the city-state to go out and fight, because we know our farmlands will not go barren...” Davos urged sincerely.