Volume 6: The Meeting of Two Heroes, Chapter 42: A Speech by a Historical Figure

Isocrates couldn't help but glance at him a few more times.

The Rotating Chairman Scombrus struck the table with his wooden mallet, and today's meeting officially began.

Scombrus then announced loudly, "There is only one item on today's agenda. An Athenian envoy has arrived in Thurii. Let us hear their requests."

Some senators who had not received advance notice of this news perked up immediately: the famous city-state renowned throughout the Mediterranean—Athens—had actually sent an envoy to our Daonia Alliance!

Amid the curious gazes of the crowd, Isocrates stepped forward to the front. He stood calmly before them, then gracefully and steadily bowed to the audience. Straightening his back and puffing out his chest, he began his speech: "Honored senators of Daonia, I am Isocrates, an envoy from Athens. This is my first time setting foot on the soil of Thurii, yet it feels exceptionally familiar! Fifty years ago, the great Athenian general Pericles extended a helping hand to the displaced Sybarites, agreeing to build a new city for them. This city was to carry forward the ideal that General Pericles pursued throughout his life—that all Hellenes, regardless of region or race—for Hellenes can indeed be subdivided into many races; 'Hellene' is but a broad and general term and concept—could live together in peace and friendship."

"To that end, he not only mobilized Athens but also summoned the entire Hellenic world. All of Hellas moved to establish a pan-Hellenic city. Of course, we Athenians contributed the most. Not only did we draw gold and silver from the Athenian treasury to purchase stone, grain, and other supplies for this new city, but General Pericles also invited the great Hellenic architect Hippodamus to oversee the city's planning, dispatched two exceptionally capable Athenian generals, Lysias? actually the text says 吕西昂 and 色诺克利图斯—we'll use Lysion and Xenocritus—to manage the new city, invited my teacher, the sophist Protagoras, to draft laws for Thurii, and had the historian Herodotus and the rhetorician Tisias settle here, planting the seeds of Hellenic culture and wisdom among the immigrants..."

"With such powerful assistance, Thurii, as soon as it was built, became the most brilliant pearl of Magna Graecia. And the Athenians, asking for nothing in return, returned to the Eastern Mediterranean, leaving Thurii, this newborn infant, to grow independently and freely..." Isocrates had aspired from a young age to become an orator, but as he grew older, his hoarse voice became a near-fatal flaw in Athens, where oratory flourished and standards were exacting. Thus, he rarely showcased his oratorical talents on large formal occasions, reluctantly turning instead to teaching rhetoric and argumentation. Today was a rare opportunity for him to speak in public, so his emotions ran high.

The Daonians were not so particular about oratory; instead, they felt that his emotion, infused into his hoarse voice, possessed a unique appeal. Especially the senators from Lucania and Bruttii, who did not know much of this history, listened with great interest.

Kynogoratas, Bourkos, and Davos, who knew the inside story, were well aware: Athens was not as noble as Isocrates portrayed. Due to gratitude toward Athens and the fact that Athenians made up the majority of immigrants, the political situation in Thurii for the first few decades had been dominated by Athenian descendants. However, it was also true that Athens never forcefully turned Thurii into a member of the Delian League or a subordinate state of Athens, nor had it ever made excessively harsh demands of Thurii openly.

"Today, when I set foot on this land into which Athens once poured its heart, I am amazed to find that General Pericles' ideal has been realized. In fact, today's Thurii has exceeded his expectations! Here... not only do immigrants from various Hellenic city-states live together peacefully, but other races also coexist harmoniously with the Hellenes." Saying this, Isocrates felt a slight discomfort inside, but his voice was already full of emotion: "This wondrous alliance of city-states, Daonia, shows the war-torn Mediterranean world a beautiful prospect of peace! For this, I wish to express my highest respect to you, who have led the people, worked hard, and achieved this grand goal!" With that, he bent down and bowed respectfully and slowly.

Senators such as Cornelius, Scombrus, Bourkos, Vespa, Hemon, Bagiripi, and Sedorum were moved by his sincere words. Even profoundly experienced senators like Kynogoratas and Mariji were touched.

Although Davos knew from Antistanos that Isocrates was an "Athens supremacist" and that these words were by no means his true intention, but rather aimed at gaining the favor of the senators to achieve some objective, out of politeness he still led the senators in standing up and applauding warmly in return.

Isocrates did not show a trace of complacency on his face. He waited calmly for the applause to die down, then continued: "It is precisely because Athens and Thurii share this unique bond that, in times of difficulty, both sides extend a helping hand and do their utmost to assist each other!... Shortly after Thurii was founded, Athens helped Thurii resolve the threat from Croton and signed a peace agreement on behalf of Thurii with Croton; also with Athens' aid, Thurii defeated Tarentum on the Siris plain and reached a reconciliation with Tarentum."

"When Athens went to war with Sparta and sent a great army to attack Syracuse, as they passed through the city-states of Magna Graecia, only Thurii offered sincere help and even sent troops to fight alongside them!"

"Several decades have passed in a flash. A few years ago, both Athens and Thurii suffered disasters. In the Peloponnesian War, Attica was reduced to complete ruins and has yet to fully recover. Athens itself was occupied by the Spartans, who installed a bunch of tyrants who hated democracy and revered autocracy. These people ignored the law, arbitrarily harmed citizens, and plundered property. Lovers of freedom fled Athens, enduring the pain of leaving their homeland..."

"Thurii likewise suffered the brutality of power. The Crotoniates used cunning schemes, leading to the capture of Thurii. The city of Thurii, built with the sweat of Athenians and Thurians, was completely burned, and countless people perished in the great fire..."

"When this shocking news reached Athens, the entire city fell silent. Many citizens who held fond memories and feelings for Thurii shed tears. Among them was my deputy envoy, Lysias..." Isocrates spoke with deep feeling and a mournful expression. Many senators were also touched and became solemn.

"Fortunately, both Athenians and Daonians bravely rose from the heavy blows. We wiped away our tears, buried our loved ones, and rebuilt our homes with our own hands..."

"The past is gone, but it must not be forgotten. Today's Hellenic world is still not peaceful. Might runs rampant, bullying the weak. To the east lies Sparta, to the west Syracuse. Both gaze with greedy and ferocious eyes upon their neighboring Hellenic brethren, like hungry wolves salivating over plump flocks. The weak lambs must unite to deter the strong wolves and avoid repeating the tragedy of destruction!"

"This is the main reason I am here. We in Athens reach out from the east, wanting to once again grasp the hand of our former western brother, Thurii, to build a bridge between Hellas and Magna Graecia. Not only to strengthen trade and cultural exchanges, bringing more benefits to the lives of people in both regions, but also to achieve military unity and mutual cooperation, thereby firmly guarding the precious freedom and rights that were once taken from us and are now all the more cherished!"

After Isocrates finished his speech, the assembly hall fell silent.

Davos had to admire how this Athenian orator had made the proposal of an alliance seem so tactful and stirring. To that end, he had also played heavily on emotions, even ignoring the fact that Thurii had once expelled the Athenian descendants, not to mention that Athens had formed the Delian League and had suppressed allied city-states that opposed it. He placed both Athens and Thurii in the position of victims, trying to evoke sympathy from the senators.

But Isocrates forgot one thing: this was Daonia. The place he was speaking was not the Assembly. None of Daonia's decisions or affairs were determined by the Assembly; they were decided by the senators of the Senate, with Davos at the lead. These senators were either old hands who had been in politics for years, capable men who could handle complex affairs, or leaders who had once managed the lives of tens of thousands of tribesmen. In short, they were the elite of the Daonia Alliance. When considering issues, they certainly did not make decisions on impulse like ordinary citizens. They might be moved temporarily, but when it came to making decisions that affected the alliance's future, they would surely think more from the perspective of interests.

After Isocrates was escorted out of the council chamber, Petalus, Bogam, and a few other former Bruttii chiefs were the first to stand up in support: ally with Athens to jointly confront Sparta and Syracuse. In truth, this was not their true intention. It was because Polyxides and others had been sentenced and denounced across all Daonia as "traitors," their reputations thoroughly ruined. Although Petalus and a few other senators who had once supported their demands for calling the Assembly were not involved in these matters and remained safe, they still felt uneasy. They took this opportunity to express their innocence and determination.

The other senators were basically opposed: ally with Athens to confront Sparta and Syracuse. Although during the trial of Polyxides they had already sensed Dionysius's ambition, the gap in strength between Daonia and Syracuse made them unwilling to actively provoke this Hellenic hegemon of the Western Mediterranean. Moreover, Syracuse had already signed a friendly agreement with Daonia.

Even Davos, who was more wary of Syracuse, did not consider this the right time to confront Syracuse.