“Lord Archon, there are many Crotones, while there are only a few of us. If we attack them rashly, won’t it be likely-” As soon as Cornelius spoken his worries, Amintas immediately rebuke, “If you don’t understand war, then don’t blindly poke yourself into it!”
Davos immediately berated Amintas and asked him to apologized. Then he explained to the native elders like Cornelius, “As the archon of Amendolara and at the same time, as a leader who is well experience in the battlefield, I specially treasure the life of the citizens of Amendolara. If I don’t have full assurance, then I won’t carelessly attack the powerful army of Crotone! The Crotonians have occupied Thurii, which won them great glory and bountiful spoils, and us, Amendolarans, have chosen to make a concession. They must be very proud, and their strategos, Melanseus, is definitely much more prouder! These Crotonian soldiers, loaded with spoils, who are on their way back, are all probably thinking about how to get back to their home and how to get their share of wealth, and so, they have no desire to fight. And so, when they set their camp, they will be exhausted, and the security of the camp would be lightened, and so, we will strike them hard while they are asleep, just like the time we recaptured Amendolara!” When Davos saw that Cornelius and the others were pondering, he then added, “Of course, if our scouts find that the camp of Crotone is well defended, then we can only cancel our attack.”
Philesius emphasized it, “His lord archon’s plan is indeed feasible!”
Antonios said, “I agree!”
At this time, Scambras, Tritodemos and Protesilaus expressed their approval in advance, and the strategy was approved immediately.
“Now, go and gather the citizens of the four brigades to the square immediately. All the senior centurion must pay attention in telling the soldiers to not make any noise, and to keep quiet! I don’t want the spies of Crotone to find out that something is amiss!” Davos calmly ordered, “My strategy is…”
Philesius and the elders who served as officers of the Legion all accepted their orders.
Davos then said to Cornelius seriously, “Thurii has suffered such a disaster, and as its allies, we should go help its people. I want to set up a Thurii Emergency Rescue Committee under your command, to provide Thurii with food, accommodation, treatment and other assistance…”
Cornelius only hesitated for a moment and nodded.
The other native elders who hated Thurii kept silent, but Stromboli still reminded him, “If we took some food to help the Thurians, I am afraid that we won’t have enough.”
“Don’t worry!” Davos then said confidently, “The Crotonians have looted so much food that once we defeat Melanseus, we will have so much.” He also added a sentence to himself, ‘Of course, we will get more important things!’
“I hope that the Crotonians are as unprepared as you have said.” Stromboli didn’t argue any more because he also have expectations.
Thinking of another person in the city-state who was familiar with Thurii, and so Davos asked, “By the way, is the wound of Kunogelata already healed?”
“He should be much better now. I saw him in the temple yesterday, and he walked down the mountain alone without the help of his slaves.” Said Scambras.
“Then have him be your assistant, as he is very familiar with the people and stuffs in Thurii.” Said Davos to Cornelius.
“But he was previously-” Cornelius hesitated.
“What I think is, since he was after all, born in Thurii, and it is also his mother country in where he grew up and where he had lived for decades. The damage that was done to him couldn’t be compared to his worry and yearning for Thurii in his heart, specially after the city of Thurii was burned down!” Affirmed Davos, although he has only been in contact with him for a few times. In his impression of the old man, (in fact, Kunogelata is in his early 50s) he had spent most of his energy on the stability and prosperity of Thurii in the past few years, and he did not even hesitate to offend so many people, and so, he definitely won’t easily discard Thurii.
Sure enough, Kunogelata, who had heard the city of Thurii getting burned, had almost made him faint in grief. He then immediately went to the house of Cornelius in order to discuss with him how to rescue Thurii.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
And now, in his own house, Davos summoned the leader of Lucania, Vespa, and his son, Bagul.
“Tonight, we are going to attack the army of Crotone, and so, I hope that you will join us. If we win, your five-year service will be halved.” Davos didn’t beat around the bush and went straight to the point.
“Attack the army of Crotone?! I heard that they numbered more than 10,000!” Although Vespa is currently a slave, his eyes and ears were not blocked, and so he hesitated.
“Let’s join!” Said Bagul immediately.
“Son, you-” Vespa was frightened and was about to give him a warning glare.
Bagul did not look at his father, but raised his head and shouted it once more, “We Lucanians will join!” Because of his age, and status as a leader, Vespa was only confined in the city and was not forced to take part in the labor service. During this period, Bagul had participated in a lot of Rugby matches, from which he learned about the special features of Amendolara’s citizen army. He had also chatted with the soldiers in private, and knowing the miracles of the young archon that was in from of him, he believed that since Amendolara dared to attack, they would surely have a chance to succeed. This was a good opportunity for his tribe.
“Good! Very good!!” Davos was not only happy with Bagul’s agreement, but was also excited due to the “assimilation policy” which had achieved results so quickly.
Davos came forward and patted the shoulder of Bagul and said with a bit of excitement, “I believe that this decision of yours will be very good for you and your people!”
Bagul did not dodge it.
And Vespa could only sigh.
“What you will do next, is for you to have your brother-in-law, Asistes, be your adjutant and you will be the senior centurion of the Lucanian brigade.” Davos then looked behind him, and Asistes could only smile shyly.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
At noon, the army of Crotone have abandoned the thousands of people of Thurii outside the ruins of the city, and they retreated with a large number of looted supplies, but they did not burn the pontoon bridge.
The information was transmitted back to Amendolara. Davos, accompanied by the priests, arrived at the temple of Zeus at the top of the mountain and offered a bull as a sacrifice. While the hymn is being sang, he prayed to Zeus for this time’s expedition, the priests blessed him and performed a sacred divination.
Davos then went back to the square and told all the citizens that were waiting, “The prophecy of Zeus is a good omen! We will definitely win!”
Because of the military order, the citizens without armor did not shout for joy, but they all showed a look of excitement and fanaticism.
The whole city of Amendolara began to take action.
Watching the people rush out of the gate with carts loaded with food and supplies. The words of Caesar that he had said in front of the Rubicon River in Davos’ previous life, inexplicably appeared in Davos’ mind, “Alea iacta est!”
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
As for what happened on that day, Ansitanos, who wrote the 《History of Magna Graecia》 more than ten years after, has described it in detail in the chapter 《The Burning of Thurii》.
On that day, the sky was dark and the thick dark clouds were very low. It seemed that the gods had shown an ominous omen from the start…
The soldiers of Crotone are not men, they are bandits, they are beasts! They snatched all the food that they can eat, even taking the porridge in the bowls of the children. They plundered all the valuable things, even the artificial tooth in the mouth of the people. Anyone that dares to come forward to stop them will be trampled down by them mercilessly and might even lose their lives. For those who had knelt down and beg, they just gave them a cold stare. From every house came the cry of despair of the people of Thurii, and every street was filled with the blood and tears of the people of Thurii. What kind of sins did the Thurians committed that they have invited such a terrible demon! (It should be said that the position of Ansitanos in the book 《History of Magna Graecia》 is basically neutral, but in this chapter, he had put his strong feelings, and made the later Crotonians to protest, believing that Ansitanos had seriously exaggerated the facts, which was not beneficial to the unity of the country, and demanded for it to be removed. Ansitanos, however, refused and so the lawsuit went on for a very long time.)
Finally, the soldiers of Crotone drove the people out of the city with spears and shields, then they covered every corner of the city with branches and hay, and oiled the city and so, the city began to burn…
The Thurians watched as their homes turn to ashes in the fire, and their temples collapsed, but they could not do anything about it. Did the gods abandon Thurii and let Hephaestus cast down the flames of wrath?!
After the Crotonians retreated, the people of Thurii ran into the city like madman, regardless of the smoke and the flames in the city. The hot temperature fumigated their flesh and blood, but they still desperately rushed into the ashes braving the flames, looking for anything that could still be used…
No shelter, no food, no clothes, no money, how can the Thurians survive in the plains of Sybaris that have become a wilderness…
Just when they were in despair, the Amendolarans appeared.
Thousands of Amendolarans, with hundreds of loaded cart (half of which were filled with hidden weapons and equipment), began to rescue the people of Thurii, they set up tents and excavate camps…Kunogelata has already completely forgotten what the Thurians had done to him before, and even though his injuries that he got from getting beaten before was still not fully healed, he still kept running around every corner to help all the Thurians that are in need. While the Praetor of Amendolara, Cornelius, arrange the manpower, distribute the supplies and organized the rescue work in a very orderly manner…
Finally, allow me to mention Davos. At that time, he was the archon of Amendolara and the hero who saved the city of Thurii from the Lucanians. However, this was the first time that the Thurians had met him, and they had met him in such a situation. In their eyes, this young man, who seems to have just become an adult, was as friendly as the child of their own family. He always wears a gentle smile, listen to the suffering of the people with great attention, and comforts the injured with a gentle voice. He picked up the crying children and wipe away their tears and dust for them, he lift up the injured old people and gave them soft bread..
Under the leadership of Davos, the Amendolarans were like their relatives, they did their best to help the Thurians. Davos had once more rescued the people of Thurii, so that the people who had lost their homes did not suffer from hunger and disease. The Thurians thanked the people of Amendolara from the bottom of their heart, and specially thanked the hero, Davos, who saved the people of Thurii twice!
-Excerpt from 《History of Magna Graecia》 by Ansitanos