Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1226: Negotiations with Ulterior Motives

"He isn't here?" Callistratus asked, both disappointed and slightly suspicious.

"His Highness has led the army to Argos," Callias replied, his enunciation crystal clear. "Since the people of Argos have decided to withdraw from the Greek League and surrender to Daionia, His Highness chose to personally reassure them."

"When will Prince Crotokatax return?" Callistratus asked without a change in expression, seemingly indifferent to the surrender of Argos. But his heart sank.

The surrender of Argos, the second most powerful city-state in the Peloponnese, actually made sense. Earlier, the Argive troops within the Greek expeditionary army had insisted on marching east to return to their motherland first, separating from the main force led by Iphicrates. As a result, they were surrounded by the Daionian Army within the territory of Tegea. Of the more than 7,000 Argive soldiers, some died in battle, while over half surrendered.

Following that, Plintors suggested that Crotokatax send envoys to Argos to demand their surrender, threatening to sell all the Argive captives as slaves in the western Mediterranean if they refused.

Even though three-quarters of their prime-aged citizens had fallen into the hands of the Daionian Army, the stubborn people of Argos still hesitated and did not agree immediately. However, it wasn't long before they learned that the Daionian forces that had landed in Thessaly had already invaded the Attica region, and that the army led by Iphicrates had fled back to the city of Athens. Realizing their cause was lost, the Argives finally decided to surrender to Daionia.

"His Highness should be back tomorrow," Callias said, his tone suddenly growing heavier. "However, if Lord Callistratus has come to negotiate, there is no need to see His Highness. The officials of the Kingdom of Daunia all have their designated duties, and negotiations fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Right now, all negotiations with the various Greek city-states are handled by me—Callias, diplomat of the Sacred Kingdom of Daunia!"

Upon hearing this, a smile resurfaced on Callistratus's face. "That is perfectly fine. Lord Callias and I are old acquaintances, which will make our discussions much more convenient."

He cleared his throat softly, sat up straight, and spoke with a serious expression. "The outbreak of war between Athens and Daionia was never actually the intention of us Athenians. I am sure you know that the original Thurii was a colony championed by the great Pericles of Athens and fully supported by the Athenian people. Thus, many Athenians have always believed that Daionia gradually expanded from the original Thurii, and they hold a special affection for Daionia. Even their love for the play

"However, Daionia is ultimately a foreign state. Your occupation of Sparta provoked anxiety among the priests of Olympia and Delphi. They traveled everywhere, lobbying other city-states to treat Daionia as an enemy, and even swayed many of Athens's allies. Ultimately, this left Athens with no choice but to join the Greek League and declare war on Daionia..."

Callistratus sighed. "But war is cruel. The vast reserves of gold and silver in the Athenian treasury have been rapidly depleted, the people's daily necessities are growing scarce, and our young citizens continue to die or suffer injuries in battle... The people of Athens have already tasted the cruelty of war! I imagine it must be the same for the people of Daionia. That is why I have come here today, carrying the will of the Athenian people, to formally propose that Athens is willing to cease hostilities with Daionia and restore peace!"

Callistratus glanced at the other man. Seeing that Callias was listening attentively, he continued, "After the armistice, Athens will recognize Daionia's current arrangements for Messenia and Sparta. We will also acknowledge Daionia's handling of the city-states in Thessaly, and we will persuade Delphi and Olympia to accept Daionia as a member of the Greek Sacred League.

"At the same time, Daionia must withdraw all its troops from the Greek Mainland, and the Daionian fleet must no longer appear on the Aegean Sea.

"If Daionia agrees to these conditions, Athens is willing to sign a long-term Friendship Agreement with Daionia, and we are willing to open the trade markets of Athens and its allies to Daionian merchants!"

Callias blinked slowly after hearing this and spoke in a deliberate tone. "This armistice proposed by Athens sounds good. It reminds me of the Friendship Agreement that Daionia once signed with Sparta. Back then, Daionia had no choice but to compromise with Sparta due to our limited strength. But as our kingdom has grown to what it is today, His Majesty no longer allows us to sign such agreements that bind our own hands—"

"Relying on armed force and expanding through blind aggression will only provoke the resistance of the Greek people, ultimately leading to failure!" Callistratus urged with righteous indignation. "Only friendly exchanges and peaceful trade can bring stability and prosperity to a city-state!"

Callias chuckled. "Wasn't it Athens's relentless maritime expansion in the past that triggered Sparta's concerns and ultimately led to the Peloponnesian War?"

Callistratus did not argue. Instead, he replied in a deep voice, "You are correct. It is precisely because of the mistakes Athens made back then that we must learn from those lessons today and avoid repeating them."

Callias was momentarily at a loss for words. He downed the drink in his wooden cup in one gulp, then spoke straightforwardly. "Let me be clear. There is no way Daionia will agree to the conditions you proposed. If Athens truly wishes to cease hostilities and make peace with Daionia, I have here the armistice demands drafted personally by His Majesty the King. It is exactly because Argos agreed to these demands that Daionia quickly turned them from an enemy into a friend. Would you like to hear them?"

Callistratus's expression turned solemn. "Please do."

Callias spoke forcefully, enunciating every word, "Athens must dissolve its own alliance and join the New Greek Alliance led by Daionia. Then, peace will be achieved immediately. It is that simple."

The moment Callias finished speaking, Callistratus declared loudly, "Your demands are too harsh! Athens could never agree to this! Most of Athens's allies are its colonies, sharing close blood ties with the Athenian people. The citizens of Athens would never consent—"

"Enough! The Greeks often say, 'The club of Sparta, the tongue of Athens.' I have witnessed your eloquence personally in the city of Athens, and I do not wish to hear any more of it now," Callias interrupted, his tone unyielding. "These are the demands put forth by His Majesty, and they cannot be changed! If you do not agree, you can only go back and continue fighting us. We do not care either way."

Callias had laid all his cards on the table, stripping Callistratus of the composure he had maintained during their initial greeting. Feeling a bitter taste in his mouth, he still wanted to make one last effort. "I cannot agree to the conditions you have proposed right now. I must return to Athens, present them before the Council of 500, and discuss them with the councilors. Once an agreement is reached, it must still pass a full debate in the ecclesia before I can give you a definitive answer. This process will take about five or six days... Before Athens gives its final answer, could the Daionian Army halt its attacks on Athens? This would ensure your demands are more smoothly accepted by the Athenian citizens."

"That is absolutely impossible!" Callias explicitly refused. "I am only responsible for diplomatic negotiations and cannot dictate the army commander's orders. If you want Athens to suffer less damage, you had better hurry and give us an answer!"

Seeing that the other party was completely inflexible, Callistratus felt deeply disappointed, though his face betrayed nothing. He stood up and said helplessly, "Very well. I will convey your demands to the people of Athens as soon as possible."

With that, he walked toward the exit of the tent. After a few steps, he couldn't help but look back, his expression solemn. "I think you should be prepared. The freedom-loving citizens of Athens will very likely reject your demands. In response, the Athenian citizens will unite to defend the city of Athens and Port Piraeus with all their might! During the Peloponnesian War, the Spartan Coalition failed to breach the city of Athens for over a decade. The war between Daionia and Athens is bound to be a protracted one, and when that time comes, it will be a disaster for both of our nations!"

Callias replied with utmost confidence, "Thank you for the reminder! The reason our King dares to propose such conditions is that he has already prepared us fully for any outcome. We firmly believe that the ultimate victory will belong to Daionia! But has your Athens made all its preparations? Also, I would like to remind you of something. The envoys of Carthage once came to negotiate with us exactly as you have, but they delayed in making a decision. When Carthage was ultimately forced to surrender, they paid a far heavier price. I hope Athens does not repeat the mistakes of Carthage!"

Callistratus wanted to say something more, but found he had no words left. He could only walk silently out of the military tent.

As he exited the military camp, he still couldn't resist turning his head to look back.

Callistratus turned to look forward at the City of Corinth. Stone projectiles were continuously smashing against the city walls, the thunderous impacts causing his heart to palpitate. He began to worry whether the walls of Athens could withstand such sustained attacks.

A boundless sense of bewilderment filled Callistratus's desolate gaze...