Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1186: Athens Declares War

“I had long heard the Kingdom of Daunia was overbearing in the western Mediterranean, to the point that several city-states were forced to yield to your military might. I didn't quite believe it at first. But today, on our own Athenian soil, within the sacred Ecclesia, our highly respected torchbearer of the Eleusinian Mysteries, Callias, was publicly threatened by a Daionian envoy! That makes me truly believe in Daionia's arrogance!”

Iphicrates stood up. Pointing a finger at Callias, he spoke with righteous indignation. “Citizens, do you remember the very first words of his speech? ‘I greet you on behalf of the two million citizens of Daionia’—were those words of greeting? No, that was a threat! He wasn't just threatening Callias; he was threatening every single citizen of Athens! He was threatening that if we don't agree to Daionia's demands, they will send a massive army to conquer Athens!

“But I stand here on behalf of the Athenian citizens to tell you this: decades ago, Persia, with a population even greater than Daionia's, sent an envoy here to issue a similar threat. Yet in the end, we won that war. We Athenians fear no threats!”

“Iphicrates is right! Athens fears no nation, whether it be Persia or Daionia! Don't be fooled by Daionia's numbers; they are afraid of going to war with Athens, otherwise they wouldn't have sent an envoy here to spout nonsense!...” Influenced by Iphicrates, several Athenian citizens waved their arms and loudly voiced their discontent.

Callias's expression remained perfectly calm. He waited for the wave of shouting to subside before speaking with absolute conviction. “More than ten years ago, Athens made a promise to Daionia: ‘We will no longer stage the play The Theonians.’ Yet, when I walked into this city, I discovered multiple theaters repeatedly staging this very play that humiliates the Theonians. Moreover, upon learning that I come from Daionia, many Athenians not only cast disdainful glances my way, but even curse me as a barbarian...

“The reason I deliberately included the phrase ‘two million citizens’ during my speech was to solemnly remind you that Daionia is a massive nation, a great power in the western Mediterranean. Regardless of whether your impression of Daionia is good or bad, you must first and foremost show Daionia respect!

“Think about Sparta, a state that has caused you immense suffering. How do you treat their envoys every time they visit Athens? Even when their army plundered the villages near Port Piraeus, you still did not make things difficult for their envoy, instead letting him return safely. Every time you go to war with Sparta, whether you have the upper hand or are at a disadvantage, you always ultimately choose to sign a peaceful truce with them...

“Isn't the reason you do this because Sparta is the most powerful city-state in Greece, forcing you to carefully consider the consequences of going to war with them? Now, this very Sparta that you have always treated so cautiously is struggling to hold out against the attacks of the Daionian Army. Therefore, when facing the Sacred Kingdom of Daunia, which is even stronger than Sparta, shouldn't Athens show proper respect and carefully handle all matters related to Daionia?!”

Callias's words were deafeningly impactful, leaving some citizens deep in thought.

A hint of tension finally slipped through Callias's composure. The Athenians had indeed brought up this massive headache. Truthfully, the arrogant actions of the 1st Fleet were undoubtedly exacerbating the tension between the two nations. He had even written to the commander of the expeditionary force, Crotocatax, expressing his views and hoping the prince would persuade Secilian to temporarily halt patrols in the Aegean Sea to avoid provoking the Athenians further. But judging by the current situation, Crotokatax had failed to convince the haughty, unruly Secilian, who thought too highly of his own merits. As a result, Callias was now forced to rack his brains for an answer to this thorny issue.

However, just as he was formulating his words to better placate the disgruntled Athenian citizens, Callistratus spoke up once more. “Citizens! We all know that the reason this barren land of Attica has been able to feed so many people and prosper to this day is not due to abundant resources on land, but because of maritime trade.

“Through maritime trade, we can purchase enough cheap grain to meet the needs of our people. Through maritime trade, we can earn enough wealth to enrich our own lives while also paying sufficient taxes. Therefore, whether our maritime trade flourishes or not is tied directly to the life and death of Athens!

“But in recent years, Athenian maritime trade has been shrinking. The merchants' incomes are decreasing, and many workshops have started to cut production or even shut down completely. The number of vagrants in the city of Athens and its ports is rising, yet the price of grain is steadily climbing... Do you know the reason for this?!”

Callistratus's words were like a burning torch tossed into a vat of oil. Instantly, the entire Ecclesia boiled over.

“That is because Daionian merchants are dumping massive amounts of cheap olive oil across the various city-states! Hardly anyone buys my goods anymore; they just pile up in the warehouse until they rot and spoil. That's all money lost!”

“The price of a fine amphora has never been lower than six drachmas, but Daionian merchants can sell it for four drachmas! This is malicious trade competition targeting Athens! If we let them keep doing this, my pottery shop is going to collapse!”

“I am an excellent accountant! I worked for the great merchant Parson for decades, always diligent and conscientious. But a few days ago, he suddenly told me that because his overseas shops had been slumping and his revenue had plummeted, he had to let me go. Several other long-serving veterans left with me. I was very unhappy with him, but now I know that all of this was the fault of the Daionian merchants!”

...

Wave after wave of verbal condemnation crashed upon Callias in the center of the hall, subjecting him to immense pressure. Frowning tightly, his mind raced as he quickly thought of a way to defuse the anger of the Athenian citizens.

But just then, he heard the deep, resonant voice of Callistratus. “Thank you for the speech you delivered to the Athenian citizens! We have all clearly understood Daionia's thoughts and demands. Next, we will cast our votes on the vital issue of whether to continue maintaining friendly relations with Daionia, or to help Sparta. Therefore, please—”

“Please wait a moment, I have more to say!” Callias pleaded urgently, feeling a strong sense of unease.

“Please respect the order of our assembly and leave the venue immediately!” Callistratus stared at him coldly, his tone resolute.

Callias hesitated, wanting to say more, but ultimately let out a helpless sigh. Before the guards could approach, he took the initiative to step away from the center of the hall. Although somewhat disappointed, he still held his head high and his chest out as he walked through the insults of the Athenian citizens, exiting the Athenian Assembly that he had once looked forward to...

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In the afternoon, he was invited to the City Hall of Athens. The Executive Committee of Generals, led by Callistratus, was there to receive him.

Callistratus spoke to him with a solemn expression. “On behalf of all the citizens of Athens, we officially inform you that Athens has decided to join the Greek League and help Sparta resist Daionian aggression!”

Although Callias had already mentally prepared himself for this, his resentment had not faded. He sneered coldly, “All the painstaking effort you put into manipulating the entire Ecclesia wasn't wasted after all. Congratulations on finally achieving your goal.”

Callistratus appeared exceptionally calm as he replied frankly, “You are indeed very eloquent, but a war between Athens and Daionia is inevitable. It cannot be avoided. And choosing to go to war at this very moment is the best possible timing for Athens.”

“It seems you are quite confident in an Athenian victory!” Callias sneered again.

“I know that Daionia is powerful.” Callistratus looked at Callias, his gaze deep and his words forceful. “But has Daionia always been powerful? When you were fending off the massive invading army of Dionysius, when you learned that Carthage had declared war on you... didn't a relatively weak Daionia feel the exact same way as Athens does today?! If Daionia, a nation founded only a few decades ago, dared to take risks time and time again, then does Athens, with its glorious history, lack that same courage?!”

He paused for a moment before adding meaningfully, “This morning at the Ecclesia, you repeatedly used Sparta to stir up the emotions of the Athenian citizens. But let me tell you the truth: the facts of the past few decades prove that no matter how tyrannical Sparta gets, it won't cause too much damage to the fundamental interests of Athens. However, Daionia's power hasn't even fully entered the Greek Mainland yet, and it has already severely impacted Athens! For the sake of the independence, freedom, and prosperity of Athens, the citizens of Athens possess the very same courage they had during the Greco-Persian Wars!”

Callias fell silent for a while. Then, staring at him, he said with a hint of respect, “Then let us settle this on the battlefield. I hope that after the war, I can still sit down with you to discuss the future of Athens!”

With that, he offered a slight bow in salute, then strode out of the City Hall.

Callistratus watched Callias's retreating back, his expression suddenly turning grim. He turned to the others and said, “Next, we must hurry and have a talk with the Persians!”

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“Teacher, this is bad! It's terrible!...” Oreas burst into the room, completely out of breath.