Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece - Chapter 375

[Chapter 42 Speeches of Historical Famous People]

Isocrates couldn’t help but look at him a few more times.

The rotating chairman, Scombebras, knocked on the table with a gavel, and today’s meeting officially started.

Scombras then loudly announced: “There is only one issue for today. The Athenian envoys have come to Turii, let us listen to their demands.” When

some elders who had not been informed in advance heard this, they immediately came The spirit: the great city-state known throughout the Mediterranean – Athens actually sent messengers to our Dionysian League!

Isocrates walked to the front desk under the curious eyes of the crowd, stood calmly in front of the crowd, then saluted them gracefully and steadily, straightened up again, and raised his chest, he started his speech: “Dear Dionian senators, I am Isocrates, the messenger from Athens. This is the first time I have set foot on the land of Turii, but it makes me feel very kind! 50 years ago, Athens The great general Pericles extended a helping hand to the displaced Sybaris, promising to rebuild them a new city that would inherit the ideal that General Pericles had pursued throughout his life – the ability of all Greeks, regardless of region, Regardless of race (Greeks can actually be subdivided into many races, ‘Greek’ is just a big and broad term and concept), live together in peace and friendship.

To this end, he not only mobilized Athens, but also called on the whole of Greece , the whole of Greece is taking action to build a beautiful Pan-Hellenic city-state. Of course, we Athenians have contributed the most. We not only used the gold and silver in the Athenian treasury to buy materials such as stone and grain for this new city, but also Pericles The general also invited Hippodamos, the great Greek architect, to preside over the construction planning of the new city, and sent two outstanding Athenian generals, Lucion and Xenocritus, to take charge of the management of the new city. Lotagora made the laws for Turii, and also the historian Herodotus and the rhetorician Tisias settled here, planting the seeds of Greek culture and wisdom for the settlers…

With such strong help, Turii became the brightest pearl in Greater Greece as soon as it was built.

The Athenians, however, returned to the Eastern Mediterranean without asking for anything in return, and allowed Turii, a newborn baby, to grow up independently and freely…” Isocrates aspired to be an orator since he was a child, but he grew up with a hoarse voice. In Athens, where speeches are popular and demanding, this is almost a fatal flaw, so he rarely displays his speech skills in large-scale formal occasions, and can only helplessly turn to teaching rhetoric and eloquence. Today is his rare occasion in public. Speaking, so emotional.

The Dionysian is not so particular about speech, but feels that his emotions are integrated into his hoarse voice, which has a unique attraction. Especially the elders like Lucania and Bruti I don’t know much about this piece of history, and I listen to it with great interest.

But Kunogolata, Burkos, Davos, etc., who know the inside story, are very clear: Athens is not as noble as Isocrates said, because of Thanks to Athens and the Athenian majority among immigrants, the political situation of Turii was dominated by the descendants of Athens in the first few decades.

However, Athens did not forcefully turn Turii into a Delian League. It is also true that a member or a sub-state of Athens has never made any overly tough demands on Turii.

“Today, when I set foot on this land where the Athenians have devoted their efforts, Surprised to find that General Pericles’s original ideal has been realized, it should be said that today’s Turui has exceeded his expectations!

Here… not only immigrants from various Greek city-states live peacefully together, but even other races get along friendly with the Greeks.

When Isocrates said this, he felt a little uncomfortable in his heart, but his voice was full of emotion: “The magical city-state alliance of Dionia has shown a beautiful prospect of peace for the Mediterranean world with racial conflicts and wars. !

For this, I would like to pay high tribute to all of you who have led the people, worked hard, and achieved this magnificent goal!

“Speaking, he bent down and bowed respectfully and slowly. The

elders such as Cornerus, Skombras, Burkes, Vespa, Hermon, Baclipi, Sedorum, etc. Moved by his sincere words, even Kunogolata and Mariji, the elders of the city government, were also moved.

Although Davos knew from Ancitanos that Isocrates was an “Athensian supremacist”, his words were by no means his intention, but to gain the favor of the senators to achieve a certain purpose.

But out of courtesy, he still led the elders to stand up and applaud warmly in return.

There was no complacent expression on Isocrates’ face, he waited calmly for the applause to subside, and then said: “Because Athens and Turii have such a unique friendship, so in times of difficulty, both sides will extend help. Give a helping hand and do your best to help each other!… Soon after the city of Turii was built, Athens helped Turii to solve the threat of Crotone, and signed a peace agreement on behalf of Turii and Crotone; With the aid of Athens, Turii defeated Tarantum on the Seris Plain and reached a reconciliation with Tarantum.

At the same time, a war broke out between Athens and Sparta, and a large army was sent to conquer Syracuse, passing through the great Greek city-states. At the time, only Turii offered sincere help and also sent troops to fight!

Decades passed by and both Athens and Turii were devastated a few years ago. During the Peloponnesian War, Athens The Attica region of Athens has been completely turned into ruins and has not been fully restored. And the city of Athens was occupied by the Spartans, who supported a group of tyrants who hated democracy and advocated dictatorship. These people ignored the law and wanted to hurt Citizens, robbed property, and freedom-loving Athenians fled one after another, suffering from the pain of being uprooted from their homes…

And Turii also suffered from the tyranny of the power. The city of Turii, which was cast with sweat by the people of Liyi, was completely burnt down, and countless people died in the fire…

When this amazing news reached Athens, the whole city fell into silence, and many had good memories of Tulii. The people with feelings all shed tears, including my deputy, Lysias…” Isocrates was full of affection, his expression was sad, and many of the elders were also touched and became awe-inspiring.

“Fortunately the Athenians and the Dionians stood up bravely from the great blow, we wiped away our tears, buried our loved ones, and rebuilt our homeland with industrious hands. . . .

The past is gone, but not forgotten.

Today’s Greek world is still unstable, the power is rampant, the weak are bullied, there is Sparta in the east and Syracuse in the west, all of them are coveting their Greek compatriots around them with greed and ferocity, like hungry wolves coveting fat The flock of sheep, the weak lambs must unite, in order to deter the powerful wolves and avoid repeating the mistakes of perdition!

That’s the main reason why I came here.

We, Athens, stretched out our hand from the east, wanting to re-hold the hand of our former brother Turii in the west, and call Greece and Greater Greece a bridge, not only to strengthen trade exchanges, but also to strengthen cultural exchanges, so that the people of the two places will be strengthened. In order to get more benefits in our lives, we must reach a military alliance and cooperate with each other, so as to tightly guard the precious freedom and rights that we have been robbed and now cherished!

After Isocrates finished his speech, the hall was silent.

Davos

had to admire how the Athenian orator spoke so eloquently and provocatively about the alliance. He also played emotional cards for this reason. , even ignoring the fact that Turii had expelled the descendants of Athens, not to mention the fact that Athens formed the Delian League, and the fact that many oppressed allies against it, put both Athens and Turii in the position of victims, in an attempt to arouse the elders However,

Isocrates

forgot one thing, this is Dionysus, the place where he speaks is not the Citizens Assembly, and any decisions and affairs of Dionia are not decided by the Citizens Assembly, but It was decided by the elders of the senate headed by Davos. These elders are either veterans who have been in the political arena for many years, or they are capable people who can handle complex affairs, or they have been in charge of thousands of people. The leaders of the lives of tens of thousands of ethnic groups should be said to belong to the elites of the Dionysian Alliance. Of course, they will not make decisions based on impulse like ordinary citizens. Maybe they can be moved for a while, but when they want to make a relationship When the alliance makes decisions in the future, it must consider issues more from the perspective of interests.

When Isocrates was invited out of the forum, Petaru, Bergam and other former Brutite leaders first stood up to express their support: they formed an alliance with Athens to fight against Sparta and Syracuse.

In fact, this is not their original intention, but Polyxis and others were sentenced before, and they were also scolded as “traitors” by all the Dionysians. The people’s voice was completely stinky. They once supported their request and held a citizens’ assembly. Although several elders such as Petaru were not involved in these matters and were safe, they always felt uneasy and took this opportunity to express their innocence and determination.

The other elders were basically against it: an alliance with Athens against Sparta and Syracuse.

Although they had already felt Dionysius’ ambition in the trial of Polyxis, the difference in strength between Dionysus and Syracuse was that they were unwilling to provoke the Greek overlord of the Western Mediterranean. .

What’s more, Syracuse has signed a friendly agreement with Dionia.

Even if Davos is more wary of Syracuse, he doesn’t think now is a good time to play against Syracuse.