“Since Dionysius wishes to have a truce, what conditions did he give?” Davos calmly asked as if Damocles didn't say anything, which pressured him instead.
Damocles leaned over and said, “Lord Dionysius proposed that after the Syracusan army returns to Sicily, we would return all the occupied lands and cities of Magna Graecia, as well as our captives. But the South Italian Alliance must pledge that they would not declare war on the Locrian Alliance…”
“What?!” Henipolis couldn't hold himself back after hearing this, so he shouted again, “Do you take us for a fool?! You slaughtered many Theonians, turned our territories outside Krimisa and Aprustum into ruins, provoked civil unrest in the Bruttii Region… Yet you want to escape back to Sicily with just a peace negotiation now that you suffered a defeat, trapped in Scylletium, and we are about to settle this blood debt with you?!”
This time, Damocles did not turn a deaf ear as he looked at Davos and said thoughtfully, “You can also put forward your conditions.”
Davos pondered for a moment and said, “Come back tomorrow. I still need to consider this matter and have to discuss it with our allies.”
After hearing this, Damocles looked at Davos' complicated expression and immediately rejoiced inwardly, ‘It seems we have hope for a truce!’
After Damocles left, Henipolis could no longer hold himself back and asked, “Your majesty, you…do you really want to make peace with the Syracusans?!”
“Do you think that's possible?!” The calm Davos suddenly became serious.
“But you just…just-” Henipolis seemed to realise something.
“The Syracusan envoy just reminded me that even if we wipe out the enemy here, Syracuse could still put together another large army to continue fighting us, so-” Davos gazed at the bustling camp before him and said in a determined tone, “We can't just focus our sight on Magna Graecia! There is a saying, ‘If you don't kill the wolf, the wolf would instead wound you.’ Thus we must think of every possible way to completely kill this vicious wolf named Syracuse!”
Henipolis became excited and said, “Your majesty, will we attack Sicily?!”
Davos nodded and, considering that this young man would be his confidant in the future, he revealed to him, “Aristias' men have long operated in Sicily, and with the victory of this battle, we just need to add another-”
At this moment, Tolmides came and happily reported, “Your majesty, Seclian sent a messenger and said that his fleet with 5,000 Rhegian soldiers landed on the coast of Hipponion and had now surrounded the city!”
Davos wasn't surprised as he had already heard Seclian's plan from Hielos. After stroking his chin and thinking, Davos ordered, “Tolmides, go and call Hielos, Antonios and Hieronymus.”
“Roger.” Tolmides turned around and left.
“Heni, I'll dictate, and you write a letter for me.”
“Alright!” Henipolis answered excitedly as this was the first time he had accepted the task as a clerk. As Davos' tent had not yet been built, Henipolis looked around and quickly found a board, cut a piece of papyrus, lay on the grass and asked, “To whom should I address the letter.”
“Lord Athelycus, Rhegium's polemarchos.”
“Oh.” Henipolis' eyes twinkled as he knew that it was Davos' father-in-law.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Before long, several strategoi arrived.
Davos didn't exchange pleasantries with them as he bluntly said, “Time is urgent! Rhegium's army has now landed and surrounded the city of Hipponion, so Medma's defenders would probably head north to rescue them. Thus I ask you to lead the troops under your command to Hipponion immediately, repel Locri's reinforcements and capture the city of Hipponion. In addition, I will send you a siege brigade.”
After saying that, Davos swept his gaze across the faces of the strategoi that he trusted one after another. In the end, it landed on Hielos: The capture of Laos, the rapid march to Terina, the decisiveness to head north and cut off the fleeing Syracusan army…these series of military actions taken by Hielos during this period of independent leadership has amazed Davos.
So Davos said, “Hielos will be the commander of this joint army, so you must obey his orders!”
When Ledes heard this, he had no objection. After all, the cavalry has always been a subsidiary of the infantry and rarely took independent military operations. Moreover, the cavalry would be useless during the siege on Scylletium, so he was already happy enough to be sent out to fight.
Hieronymus only frowned and didn't say anything. Back in Persia, he was a mercenary leader, while Hielos was just a small squad leader. Yet even though he has more qualifications, Hieronymus now needs to listen to Hielos' commands. Although Hieronymus had misgivings, he didn't have a desire to fight for power and profit as long as the grand legatus still valued him. More importantly, Hielos' performance in Magna Graecia for the past few years, both in military and political matters, is obvious to all.
While Antonios felt uncomfortable, after all, Hielos used to be his subordinate, and he has now to listen to Hielos' command. What's more, he thought his ability was not inferior to Hielos, and he was leading the most powerful legion of Theonia – the first legion. Once those proud soldiers heard it, they would certainly protest.
Thinking of this, Antonios was about to speak when Hielos immediately said, “Your majesty, I think Lord Antonios is much more suited to be the commander of this military operation; not only is he experienced, but his first legion is also the main force of this operation! So if he is the commander, all our brothers would willingly follow his command!”
Antonios glanced at him, then turned to Davos.
Davos smiled lightly due to Hielos' speech becoming more rhetorical just after several years of practice.
After shaking his head lightly, Davos said, “Antonios cannot be the commander on this attack as the first legion has a more important mission!”
Antonios could only listen with doubt in his mind, ‘Is there anything more important than attacking Scylletium or Locri?!’
“Legatus Hieronymus, Ledes, you two shall fully assist Hielos in repelling the Locrian and takedown Hipponion as soon as possible!” Davos clenched his fists and swung them downward, “If you have a chance, push your way to Medma so that the Locrians have no place on the west coast of Magna Graecia!”
Hieronymus and Ledes immediately said they were willing to obey Hielos' command.
“Those are just my suggestions. For the specific actions, there is no need to ask me, so you must flexibly think about it yourselves according to the battlefield's situation. I believe you would exceed my expectation.” After Davos motivated the three, he then said to Hielos, “This trip to Hipponion involves the cooperation of the Rhegian army, so you must handle your relationship with them.”
“I will, your majesty.” Hielos nodded cautiously.
Davos then reassured him, “There is no need for you to worry so much. I heard that Rhegium's commanding strategos – Pheidon, who is brave and experienced, is easy to get along with and knows how to see the whole picture.”
Then he looked at Antonios and said, “After the first legion arrives at Hipponion, you shall assist Hielos in repelling the Locrian reinforcements. If it is easy to take the city of Hipponion, then the first legion will participate in the siege. Otherwise, the first legion should not stay in Hipponion for long. Instead, go to Hipponion's coast, board Seclian's fleet, and go to Rhegium.”
“The first legion would go to Rhegium?!” Antonios was surprised.
“Yes, to Rhegium.” Davos took a letter from Henipolis, handed it to Antonios, and earnestly instructed him, “Hand this letter to Lord Athelycus of Rhegium. If he provides you with rations and other assistance as stated in the letter, then Sicily would be the first legion's final destination. But if he refuses, then the first legion must return to Hipponion.”
“Sicily?!” the strategoi were all shocked at what Davos uttered.
“What? Scared?!” Davos teased Antonios.
Antonios was dissatisfied with Davos selecting Hielos as the commander of the expedition. Yet now that he learned he and his army would leave Magna Graecia for an independent expectation to Sicily, he started feeling the pressure. But Davos' tease made him brace himself and say, “The first legion…is willing to go to Sicily.”
“The first legion is the strongest among the Theonian legion. Many of its soldiers are old brothers who participated in the Persian expedition, so they have rich experience fighting in enemy territory. Hence if the first legion could not accomplish this plan, the other legions would certainly not be able to gain a foothold in Sicily!” Davos said to Antonios, full of expectation.
Antonios responded with a smile.
“There is no need for you to be nervous. Although Syracuse controlled most of Sicily, it relied on its strong military power and tyranny to deter the otherwise independent Sicily city-states, forcing them into submission. Then Dionysius placed tyrants in those city-states to assist him in ruling and collecting high tributes to maintain his huge military expenses. Thus the Greeks in Sicily and even those in Syracuse have long been very dissatisfied with Dionysius!”
