Volume 6: The Meeting of Two Heroes, Chapter 54: Dionysius Takes Action

As soon as this shocking statement was thrown out, the Council instantly erupted into chaos, and Demodokas's face changed abruptly. He subconsciously shouted, "Isn't the Daonia Alliance afraid of bringing the army of Syracuse down on them?!"

Phraocleon smiled. Through Demodokas's bluster, he saw the fear hidden deep in the heart of this chief general of Locri. This discovery filled him with pride: "From its founding to the present, has the Daonia Alliance ever faced a strong enemy and not emerged victorious through weakness? That is how we became the powerful Daonia Alliance we are today! We do not fear Syracuse, but what about you Locrians? Can you also not fear the armies of Daonia and the South Italy Alliance combined?!"

Demodokas and the others' faces suddenly turned pale…

…

"Lord Phraocleon, look at those ships. They could charge over and capsize us at any moment. What did you do to the Locrians to make them so angry?!" The captain of the passenger ship that had brought Phraocleon to Locri said, half jokingly, half complaining.

"You'll know in a few days," Phraocleon said, standing at the bow, looking around at the Locrian warships that were guarding his ship in the center. He laughed boldly: "Don't worry, the generals of Locri won't let us die here. If something does happen and we die here, there will surely be statues of you and me in the Hall of Heroes at the Temple of Hades in Thurii!"

"Has that damned Daonian envoy left yet?"

"My lord, the Daonian ship has safely left the harbor."

Demodokas let out a light sigh, temporarily relieved of one worry.

Diopantos next to him roared: "It's infuriating! The Daonians come to Locri to show off and threaten, and we still have to protect him!…"

"Diopantos, you need to understand," Demodokas immediately put on a serious expression and spoke in a slightly scolding tone. "Whether we end up at war with the Daonia Alliance or resolve this conflict through negotiation, as long as their envoy is unharmed, there will always be room for easing tensions in the future. You must know that the combined strength of Daonia and the South Italy Alliance is no less than that of Syracuse!"

"The citizens of Locri are not afraid to fight!" Diopantos retorted resentfully, but his voice sounded powerless.

Demodokas couldn't be bothered to deal with him anymore. He turned to Metrophanes and said: "Go quickly to Syracuse and tell the plenipotentiary general Dionysius that Daonia has falsely accused Locri of sending assassins to kill their magistrate and has declared war on Locri. I hope he will send troops to reinforce us, otherwise Locri cannot resist the armies of Daonia and the South Italy Alliance alone!"

In the city of Laüs, Achradamas returned to his residence with a grim face. His wife saw him and couldn't help asking with concern: "Has your nephew given you another hard time?!"

Hearing his wife say this, Achradamas' anger flared. He snorted coldly: "Nephew?! He doesn't even treat me like his uncle. Do you know what new trick he pulled today? He wants to build a school!"

"A school?! What's that?" This Lucanian-born wife clearly rarely bothered to learn about Daonia.

"Oh, you wouldn't understand. Anyway, it's nothing good! He even wants to let the children of the poor attend the school. He's completely crazy!" Achradamas pounded the wooden table with his fist in frustration, venting his pent-up anger.

"Not long ago, his teacher came from Thurii and warned him not to act recklessly, didn't he? And told him to listen to you…" his wife reminded him.

"Listen to me?!" Achradamas sneered. "Don't you know your nephew? He's been stubborn since childhood. Now that his father is dead, he's the magistrate. Nobody can control him anymore!"

Achradamas got more and more worked up: "Go! Go! Go pour me some oxygala, I'm terribly thirsty now!"

After his wife left, Achradamas lay down on the couch, recalling that morning when he went to discuss government affairs with Henipolis. Henipolis proposed building a school. When Achradamas opposed it, the young man, somewhat drunk, blurted out in anger: "This is no good! That's no good! We can't do anything! What use are you ministers! Look at our ally, the Daonians have managed Thurii so well. I think it would be better for them to come and govern Laüs!"

The more Achradamas thought about it, the more alarmed he became: "Henipolis was speaking his true mind while drunk! This child lived in Thurii for six or seven years, and it's said he always lived in Davos' home. He has been too heavily influenced by Daonia! He actually wants to give away this estate that his father and he fought so hard to build to outsiders! Could it be… that this was all part of the Daonian magistrate's scheme all along…"

As soon as the image of Davos appeared in his mind, Achradamas felt his scalp tingle. While he was worrying, his trusted subordinate slave came in: "Master, there is a man outside asking to see you. He says he is from Syracuse."

"Not seeing him! Not seeing him!" Achradamas shouted instinctively. Then he suddenly remembered something: "Wait. Did you say he's from Syracuse?"

"That's what he said."

Syracuse… Achradamas pondered, his expression shifting uncertainly. Finally he said in a low voice: "Bring him to the reception room."

When Achradamas met this guest, the guest's first words startled him: "Lord Achradamas, I have come on the orders of the plenipotentiary general of Syracuse, Dionysius, to see you…"

"My lord, do you think that minister of Laüs… Achradamas will agree to our demands?" Philistos asked.

Dionysius said with considerable confidence: "Achradamas holds a high position. Over time, his desires may have grown. How could he stand by and watch his power be taken away by a young man who has never contributed anything to Laüs? According to intelligence analysis, although they are relatives, they are not on good terms and have had many arguments. Previously, when Avinogis's son Henipolis had Daonia's support, Achradamas dared not say anything. Now that we support him, do you think he might have other ideas?"

"Only barbarians like Achradamas are blinded by power. A man of good cultivation can keep his mind calm no matter where he is," Philistos replied, subtly expressing his own innocence.

Dionysius laughed heartily: "Phili, are you talking about me? Compared to you, my learning is far inferior."

"Who says that? In Syracuse, besides Philostratus, you write the best poetry!" Philistos praised sincerely. "Besides, you have already reached the top. You no longer need more desires."

"Phili, sitting in this seat is not easy!" Dionysius patted his own seat, pointed to his head, and said emotionally: "It's like a sharp sword hanging over my head at all times, ready to fall at any moment…"

"That's why this position is not something an ordinary person can attain!" Philistos flattered.

"Indeed!" Dionysius took the opportunity to continue: "I wonder if that Davos of Daonia feels the same way…" Dionysius sighed, then his gaze became sharp again: "Phili, you were wrong just now. I am not without desires now; rather, my desires are very great!"

"You mean Magna Graecia?" Philistos asked knowingly.

"That young man of Daonia escaped the assassination. What a pity… This time he has learned his lesson. He didn't send anyone to Syracuse, but instead declared war on Locri. He thinks I will obediently go to reinforce Locri. He underestimates me!" Dionysius's cold words carried a murderous intent.

"My lord, news has come back from the north of South Italy. They have agreed to send troops soon!" Philistos also said with slight excitement. "Moreover, the northeast of Daonia has not opposed our proposal."

"Everything is going smoothly. We have paid a great price, so of course we must reap greater rewards!" Dionysius's sinister gaze stared into the void of the great hall, as if looking down upon Daonia to the north. "After you return, immediately begin preparations for the expedition. Once the flames of war ignite in the north, we will set out at once!"

After the news that "Daonia declares war on Locri" spread throughout Magna Graecia, the various city-states of the South Italy Alliance also declared war on Locri one after another.

For most Daonian citizens, hearing this news, they were more excited: It had been several years since they had fought a war!

Although war had been declared on Locri, there was no tense pre-war atmosphere within Daonian territory. The Thurii rugby finals were still in full swing. The legion soldiers among the players of the participating city teams had not been recalled to their legions for war preparations. The Daonian Senate publicly stated: "Even war cannot affect the Daonians' celebration of Hades, just as war pauses during the Olympian Games." This was to demonstrate the importance of Hades to Daonia.

But in Davos's heart, his main reason for slowing down military mobilization was to lure the snake out of its hole. If he used too much force and easily crushed Locri, and the Syracusan reinforcements had not yet set foot on the land of Magna Graecia, then the true strategic goal of annihilating the Syracusans in Magna Graecia could not be achieved.

Fortunately, during this period, news from Sicily showed that Dionysius had already begun assembling his army, preparing a large number of ships and supplies…

Davos believed that even without a war mobilization, the Daonian citizens would clean and polish the weapons and armor they had treasured at home, and eagerly prepare to fight the enemy…

But as the initiator of this war, Daonia also needed to set an example for the South Italy Alliance. Davos still had the Senate issue a mobilization order to the Fifth and Fourth Army Corps stationed in the Bruttii region and the Croton Plain.