Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1230: The Surrender of Delphi
Previously on Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece...
"I promised those big shots I'd deliver you safely to Delos Island. I always keep my word, but don't cause me any trouble. Cross me, and I'll toss you into the sea to feed the fish!" Stolus, the ship captain, growled as he rowed.
"I don't appreciate being ordered around!" the man snapped back. "Let me tell you, I'm not going back to lie in that foul-smelling cabin! If you don't like it, you can push me overboard right now."
A natural air of authority bled into the man's words. Stolus found himself unable to meet that sharp gaze; muttering under his breath, he ducked his head and rowed harder.
A long while passed. Seeing the man staring motionless at the coastline, Stolus couldn't suppress his curiosity. "Hey, who exactly are you? Why did Callistratus, Iphicrates... why did all those generals come to the docks to see you off?"
"Because... I am their creditor," the man said bitterly. Then, his voice deepening with meaning, he added, "And because I am the sworn enemy of Daionia."
He spoke the truth, for this man was Jason. After he fled to Athen, the generals had treated him with the utmost courtesy. They hired the best physicians to treat him and provided a luxurious estate for his recovery, but they expected him to temporarily hand command of his mercenaries over to the Executive Committee of Generals.
A man under another's roof must bow his head. Reduced to a stray dog, Jason had little choice but to agree. As a result, his nearly 8,000 mercenaries became the main force resisting the advancing Daionian Army, suffering devastating losses. They were an elite force he had spent years of blood, sweat, and countless coin to forge, and they were intensely loyal to him.
Yet when Jason learned of this result, he had not uttered a single word of complaint. His silence only deepened the guilt among the Athenian leadership. When Athens finally decided to surrender to Daionia, Callistratus personally sought Jason out, explicitly offering to risk smuggling him out of Athens, because once the city capitulated, it was highly likely the Theonians would demand they hand over the Thessalian Tagus.
Whether the Athenians acted out of genuine guilt, or simply wanted to create a little trouble for the Theonians out of lingering spite, Jason knew he had no other options.
Now, Jason stared blankly at the shoreline being battered by the waves. Thinking of his life's work destroyed in an instant, of being forced into exile far from his homeland, overwhelming regret and remorse filled his heart, and he felt the irresistible urge to go mad. He suddenly dropped to his knees, gripped the side of the boat with both hands, and plunged his head straight into the seawater...Stolus jumped in fright. Dropping his oars, he rushed over to haul him back up, shouting, "Get up quickly! Don't do anything stupid, don't jump into the sea!"
Jason shoved against the side with both hands and stood up sharply. The biting chill of the seawater temporarily extinguished the anxiety burning in his chest. He wiped a hand hard over his head and face, then flicked the cupped saltwater toward the captain.
Seeing Stolus flinch back in a panic, Jason burst into laughter. He looked up at the slowly rising sun and snarled, "Row faster, I need to get to the East!"
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The surrender of Athens was like tipping the first domino, shattering the illusions of all the Greek city-states still watching from the sidelines. Elis, Phocis, Locris, the Arcadian City-States, and the Ionian city-states that had once belonged to the Athenian Maritime Alliance... they dispatched emissaries one after another to the Daionian military camp in Attica, expressing their goodwill to Crotokatax and eagerly volunteering to join the New Greek League.
Driven by this trend, even those who had remained neutral since the war began—the Achaean city-states, Euboea, and even Crete (Crete had been coerced by the Daunian 2nd Fleet; under orders from the Ministry of Military Affairs, Midorades had led the Second Fleet to patrol the waters around Crete daily)... all began to signal their willingness to accept Daionia as their hegemon.
In light of this, Delphi's absolute silence stood out glaringly. Many began to speculate that Delphi, as the holy site of the entire Greek World, might intend to fight the heretical faith of Daionia to the bitter end.
But in reality, the priests of Delphi were already in a blind panic. Rumors were spreading that Daionia was preparing to send an army to destroy Delphi and plunder all the gold and silver from its sacred treasuries.
Thus, when they received confirmed news that the Daionian prince, Crotokatax, was coming to visit Delphi under armed escort, all the priests and citizens felt that a great disaster was imminent. Some packed their belongings to flee into exile, while others resolved to lay down their lives defending the Temple of Apollo...
The eyes of all the citizens across the city-states of the Greek Mainland converged on Crotokatax, their hearts equally heavy with worry.
Upon entering Delphi, the esteemed Daionian prince did break with tradition for the sake of his security, bringing his Palace Guard up the mountain and into the temple. However, he did not draw weapons against the priests; on the contrary, he maintained a remarkably pleasant demeanor. Not only did he solemnly offer sacrifices to Apollo, but he also volunteered to construct a sacred treasury in Delphi to house the gold and silver donated by Daionia.
The priests of Delphi temporarily lowered their guard and sat down to negotiate with Crotokatax.
Crotokatax made a promise to the priests: after Daionia assumed the role of leader of the New Greek League, Delphi's status among the people of the Greek Mainland would remain unchanged! Furthermore, the Sacred Kingdom of Daunia would not merely guarantee Delphi's position as the "most sacred oracle" in the Greek World, but would also make it the greatest oracle of the entire Sacred Kingdom of Daunia, and this promise would be implemented in every territory Daionia conquered and controlled in the future!
This sudden, miraculous windfall sent the priests of Delphi into a frenzy of joy. Ever since the rise of the Kingdom of Daunia, the number of city-states and individuals coming to Delphi to offer sacrifices and seek oracles had steadily dwindled, leaving Delphi's sacred standing among the Greeks a shadow of its former self. Daionia's promise would not just allow Delphi to regain its past glory; by relying on Daionia's immense power, Delphi's influence could exceed the boundaries of the Greek World and expand across the vast Mediterranean Sea.
Just as the priests were overwhelmed with euphoria, Crotokatax laid out a demand: Delphi must endorse the contents of the
The priests froze, but with the Daionian Army sharpening their swords in their territory on one hand, and a vastly brighter future on the other, Delphi truly had no other choice.
The priests accepted Crotokatax's demands and moved swiftly. They held a grand sacrificial ceremony, mandating the attendance of every citizen of Delphi. Then, in front of the entire assembly, Crotokatax formally requested an oracle from the Temple of Apollo.
Inside the oracle chamber thick with the stench of sulfur, the elderly Pythia danced and writhed for hours until she nearly fainted. Emerging at last, she publicly declared her vision: she had seen the great Apollo driving a Golden Chariot, leaping from the western mountains. Seated in the chariot was the black-haired Hades, gripping his Bident, engaged in warm conversation with another young man wearing a royal crown. As the Golden Chariot ascended to the heavens, it transformed into a blindingly brilliant white light that illuminated the entire earth and seas...
Everyone present immediately began formulating their own interpretations of this oracle. Before long, a universally accepted version spread throughout the Greek Mainland: "The western mountains" referred to the Italian Peninsula and the Kingdom of Daunia, since Italy, lying west of the Adriatic Sea, was indeed a peninsula bisected north to south by the towering Apennines. Furthermore, the people of the Greek Mainland often mocked the Theonians as barbarians, and barbarians were traditionally mountain-dwelling races; "The Golden Chariot leaping from Italy" signified Apollo's approval of the Kingdom of Daunia. The fact that he was driving the chariot for Hades already implied that Apollo had changed his allegiance and acknowledged Hades as his master. As for the other young man in the chariot, it was undoubtedly the King of Daonia, since word had long circulated throughout the western Mediterranean that King Davos was a descendant of Hades, and Delphi was now publicly acknowledging this claim on behalf of the Greek Mainland. The final blazing spectacle was a metaphor for the unprecedented glory the Kingdom of Daunia was destined to achieve, and Hades and Apollo would undoubtedly share in that splendor...
One could say the Pythia had considered this oracle masterfully, yet it still unleashed a profound psychological storm in the minds of the people across the Greek Mainland. In comparison, Delphi's subsequent announcements were far easier for the masses to accept: Delphi officially recognized the sacred title of the Kingdom of Daunia, confirming it as an unquestionable Greek kingdom; it would become a vital member of the Sacred League and was fully qualified to participate in the Pythian Games.
Regardless, Delphi had been saved, and it was a happy ending for all involved. The Greek masses breathed a sigh of relief. Naturally, certain city-states felt disappointed and bitter, but it was of no use.
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Having secured a perfect result in Delphi, Crotokatax did not pause to rest. He immediately made a public announcement: his next visit would be to Olympia.
Now it was the Olympians' turn to feel nervous.
Unlike Delphi, Olympia had never been an independent sanctuary. Over the centuries, control of it had bounced back and forth between Elis and Pisa, while Argos, Sparta, and Athens frequently tried to dictate its affairs. Nor did it boast Delphi's immense influence over the masses—perhaps because the capricious, lustful nature of Zeus, the god king, simply did not endear him to the Greek people.
(End of Chapter)