Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece - Chapter 567

[Chapter 234 Division of Powers]

But before Okredon’s words were finished, Martius said again: “Your Majesty, I still have a few letters here, which I sent with the battle report.”

“Why didn’t you say it earlier, bring it to me quickly Look!” Davos pretended to be angry and criticized, pretending to read the letters, and then said to Okriton who was looking at it: “This is the request of the city-states such as Taunis, Leotini, Sikuli… Letters of alliance.”

Okriton shook his hands, took these letters, and after reading the first and second letters, he was in no mood to read any more.

Of course, he could see that these letters were real, and he could show it with just one point: from the signature at the end of the text, there were a lot of names written all over the place, and there were even handprints and graffiti.

He could imagine: among the leaders of a city-state riot, there are both upper-class citizens, whose handwriting is very elegant; there are ordinary civilians, who are not literate, and their writing is crooked; there may also be free people or slaves, Of course, the illiterate can only do graffiti.

These mobs have just driven away the forces of Dionysius, and they wrote in such a hurry, I am afraid not only want to get Dionia’s force protection, but also want to get Dionia in the city-state election later. support and win more interests for the group they represent.

If a distraught Okredon had taken the time to read the letters, he would have found that there was no letter from Katanai.

In fact, there was, but Davers didn’t take it out.

Catane’s letter was from Antrapolis, in which he emphasized that the people and free people of Catane, and even a small number of slaves, under his repeated exchanges and persuasion, Agree to allow Catane to join the Dionysian League…

that’s why Davos didn’t take out the letter.

In addition, there is a letter from a city-state also asking to join the alliance, that is Naxos.

Yes, the former exiles, after taking back their homeland, decided to rebuild the city of Naxos and dedicate it to Dionysus.

The two cities of Catane and Naxos were both destroyed by Dionysius, so the people here know better than the people of other Sicilian city-states that peace and tranquility are far more free and dangerous than that. Independence is more important, so under the guidance of Antrapolis and his men, they willingly chose to join Dionia, the Greek city-state alliance that could defeat the terrifyingly powerful Syracuse and make them No longer displaced.

Okredon handed the letter back to Davos in a trance, and at the same time persuaded in a lack of confidence: “King Davos, even if Dionia defeated Syracuse and won the final victory, but your The first task should be… It should be to restore the prosperity of Greater Greece. The relationship between the various city-states in Sicily is complicated, as well as the contradiction between the local indigenous Sikeles and the Greeks, Dionia rashly intervened This island, which is completely unfamiliar to you, can easily be involved in the quagmire of conflicts between various city-state forces, which will actually hinder the development of Dionia…”

“Thanks Lord Okriton for your concern and reminder.

” Diver Smile smiled and asked back: “In the army of Siracusa’s invasion of Great Greece, there are citizens from city-states such as Leotine, Taunis, Catanay, Sikuli, etc. If Dionia rejects these city-states Join the alliance, what do you think they will do?”

Okredon was stunned, and before he could answer, Henepolis next to him interjected: “They must suspect that Dionysus still hates them for helping Tin Rakuza invaded Greater Greece, fearing that we would retaliate against them, and out of panic, to fend off a possible threat, would likely reunite with Syracuse.”

“Yes, and a brand new one without Theo. Syracuse, the tyrant of Nisius, formed an alliance. It was like pouring wine from one clay pot into another empty pot. In fact, the taste remained the same. The result was that Syracuse was still the ally of the Greek city-state of Sicily. Is this what Carthage wants to see?!” Davos asked again.

Okleton had to admit in his heart that this situation is very likely to occur, and he said eagerly: “You…you can tell these city-states that you have no intention of attacking them, and you can also sign…sign a friendly agreement with them. …”

Davos chuckled lightly, leaned his body against the back of the chair, and said slowly, “Lord Okleton, did Carthage take the initiative to sign a friendship treaty with the neighboring small Phoenician city-state?”

Okredon was stunned for a moment, and then he understood Davos’ intention: the lion never cared about the feelings of the cattle and sheep. The big state has its own majesty. Rakuza’s Dionia is already a powerful country with a great reputation, and of course he won’t do such a foolish thing to lose his worth.

Okleton felt a fever in his face, and heard Davos say again: “In addition, the strength of Syracuse is far greater than that of other city-states in Sicily, including the city-states attached to Carthage. No matter whether Syracuse is What kind of government, who will govern, as time goes by, it will naturally attract the surrounding city-states to move closer to it, and then the Syracuses will also be a threat to Great Greece and Carthage! Therefore, Catane , Leotine… These city-states require an alliance with Dionia, which can make the central area of the east coast of Sicily closest to Greater Greece out of the sphere of influence of Syracuse, known as the southern security barrier of Greater Greece. If Syracuse wants to invade Greater Greece, it must first conquer this area to the north of it, then the war will start there, and no more damage to Greater Greece! So we Dionia will anyway Agree to their demands and form a solid alliance with them!”

Oklahoma City listened to Davos’ firm words, and suddenly realized a question: “Didn’t Dionia plan to destroy Syracuse? ”

Destroy Syracuse?” Davos said as if he had heard a joke: “What even Carthage can’t do, how can Dionia, who is now scarred, do it! We It’s just to ensure the safety of Great Greece and do something that can weaken the power of Syracuse.”

After listening to Davos’ answer, Okriton was both moved and regretful, and he was a little bit regretful about Dionysian insistence. He was a little uneasy about accepting those Sicilian city-states: this was the first time in hundreds of years that a foreign force had set foot in Sicily!

The Athenian invasion during the Peloponnesian War does not count, after all, it is too far away, and Great Greece is different, only separated by a strait a few miles away…

“Lord Okreton, do you know what kind of geometry is the most stable?” Davos asked suddenly.

Geometry, a knowledge developed for calculating land area, has been highly praised by Greek scholars who like to study natural science. Some Athenian scholars once declared: Geometry is the foundation of all knowledge!

“What?” Okriton, who had recovered his senses, did not expect Davos to ask an outrageous question, and was stunned again.

“It’s a triangle.” Davos said bluntly: “Why are Carthage and Syracuse constantly at war in Sicily? Because you are the only two powerful forces in Sicily.”

Davos stretched out two fingers: “Just touch When they are together, there will inevitably be a war because of conflict of interest, and there is no room for manoeuvre. But if Dionysian joins—” Davos raised another finger to form a triangle: “The three parties contain each other. , but it will reach a long-term peace! Because one party wants to wage war on the other, it has to take into account the threat of a third party to it.”

Okriton stared at his fingers, and hesitantly said after a while: ” It is also possible that the two forces will unite and attack one.”

Davos smiled: “This war has made Dionia and Syracuse enemies, and it is impossible to join forces to attack Carthage, do you think? Right?”

Okleton didn’t speak, but he was thinking: Syracuse burned Crotone, slaughtered Cilidia, and destroyed Dionia’s territory, which really made the great Greeks hate them!

That’s why Dionia sold some of the captured citizens of Syracuse to Carthage. If the people of Syracuse knew about this, they would definitely not spare Dionia…

“Carthage will Is Syracuse jointly attacking Dionia?”

Okredon shook his head: Decades of war have made the hatred between the two city-states too deep.

“Dionia wants to unite with you Carthage to destroy Syracuse, but the current situation is impossible. In a few decades, maybe two forces can unite. , but the distribution of interests is always uneven, and third parties will always find loopholes to break this union, so the peace of Sicily can be guaranteed for a long time, and this guarantee is also in the interests of your Carthage, Are you right, Lord Okriton?” Davos said gently.

From the heart, Okriton felt that Davers had some truth in what he said, but such a major matter was beyond the scope of his mission, so he remained silent.

But Davos obviously didn’t plan to just let it go: “Heney, go get the map.”

Henepolis put the map of Sicily on the wooden table, and Davos picked up the pen and said, “I think Palermo The west of Sicily and Serinus is your Carthaginian sphere of influence.” After speaking

, he “cut” off a large western corner of Sicily, and then he said: “Syracuse to the south to The north of Camanlina belongs to Syracuse’s sphere of influence.”

He stretched out another stroke, “cut” a small southeast corner, and finally said: “Tauromenion, Naxos, Sikuli, Catane, Leotine, and Taunis are attached to Dionysus.” After speaking, he carefully drew a narrow strip along the east coast of Sicily.