Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1255: The Daunian Royal Family at the Opening Ceremony

"It really is quite different!" Lycomedes marveled after taking his seat. "Back on the Greek Mainland, the first day of any sporting event always begins with the athletes and spectators gathering before the temple. They offer sacrifices to the gods alongside the priests. Then, guided by those priests, the athletes stand before the altar and swear oaths in the gods' names... Yet here we are, just sitting in an arena, waiting for the games to begin!"

"Yes, that's exactly what's been puzzling me," Pelopidas said. "Lycomedes, do you know what the Theonians will do next?"

"I ran into the chief general of Messenia, Tisias, on my way here and asked him the exact same thing. If he doesn't know, how could I?" Lycomedes smiled. "It's better not to know, anyway. This way, whatever Daionia does next will be a complete surprise!"

The moment he finished speaking, the entire arena erupted into a deafening chorus of cheers and shouts.

The two men hadn't realized what was happening, but Epaminondas, who had been quietly observing their surroundings, shouted to them over the noise, "King Davos has arrived!"

The exclusive royal grandstand sat not far to their right—a marble platform twenty meters long and five meters high. It featured gold-inlaid iron railings, a blue-and-white canopy draped overhead, and a perimeter secured by imposing palace guards.

Now, Davos stepped onto the grandstand, accompanied by his two queens, Christoya and Agnes, along with all of his children.

Sharp-eyed Theonians immediately spotted them and cheered in tribute to their beloved king and queens.

Wearing a golden crown and a magnificent black robe embroidered with gold, Davos smiled. He raised his right hand, waving gently to acknowledge the crowd.

Suddenly, the spectators sitting across from the royal grandstand stood up, threw their arms over their heads, and sat back down. The crowd immediately to their right did the exact same thing...

"The wave! The wave! I want to play too!" Six-year-old Chremides, the second son of Crotokatax, bolted forward in excitement. Christoya quickly caught him, pulling him back as she coaxed softly, "Don't rush, Chremi. We'll all join in together in a moment."

Sure enough, when the wave reached the royal grandstand, Davos and his family all threw their hands in the air, rising from their plush seats before sitting back down.

Despite the royal family's personal participation, the wave sputtered out intermittently due to the large number of foreign spectators. But the Theonian crowd was patient, keeping it going for a second round, then a third... Finally, the entire audience was swept up in the rhythm. The grandstands rose and fell in succession, rippling like a rolling ocean tide. It was a spectacular sight.

Even after the wave ended, Pelopidas was still buzzing with excitement. "Incredible!" he repeated. "That was a fantastic surprise!"

While the foreign dignitaries buzzed about the wave from their seats, Davos settled back onto his couch. He smiled at Christoya. "Judging from that wave, at least two-fifths of the crowd aren't Theonians. It seems the Thurii city hall strictly carried out the Royal Palace's resolution."

Christoya shot him a look. "It wasn't just the city hall. Our chamber of commerce put in a massive amount of work too!"

"Now, don't be hasty. I haven't finished speaking yet, and I certainly wasn't going to leave out your praise," Davos said cheekily. He reached out to stroke Christoya's hand, only for her to swat him away with a sharp slap.

"This is a public venue," she warned. "Behave yourself. It wouldn't do for the citizens to see you acting like this!"

"What's wrong with it?" Davos replied, putting on an air of utter righteousness. "Displaying our affection to the citizens serves to remind them to honor their own marriages and cherish their wives! Isn't that right, Agnes?" As he spoke, he took the opportunity to grab Agnes's hand instead.

Agnes offered a faint smile and tugged her hand back firmly. Unable to break his grip, she had no choice but to let her husband stroke her fingers.

Sitting just behind them, Eunice pulled a face and whispered to her siblings, "Father has absolutely no shame."

"Eunice, what are you whispering about back there?" Davos called out. He hadn't even turned his head, yet it was as if he had eyes in the back of his head.

"Ah... nothing! I was just telling my sister-in-law how much fun that wave was." Eunice quickly winked at Dido, who sat beside her. "Right, Sister-in-law?"

Stifling a laugh, Dido nodded. "Yes."

"Lying through her teeth," Christoya teased with a laugh. "Your daughter takes right after you!"

Davos let out a few dry coughs. "Who else would my daughter take after? Anyway, Eunice, I have a task for you. Go tell the officials down front that the opening ceremony can begin. We shouldn't keep the audience waiting."

"Shouldn't Eldest Brother be the one to announce it on an occasion like this?" Eunice asked hesitantly.

Crotokatax, however, understood his father's intentions perfectly. "Eunice, you're the most beloved member of the royal family in this arena," he said with a smile. "If you don't go, who will? Besides, your appearance will serve as a massive source of encouragement for the foreign women sitting in a sports arena for the very first time."

Convinced, Eunice stood up and shot her father a mischievous grin. "I'll go, then. But don't be jealous when I turn out to be more popular than you!"

"Show some respect and get going!" Davos shooed her away with feigned impatience before turning his teasing on her husband. "Arexes, what's wrong with you? Can't you keep your wife in line?"

Before Arexes could even open his mouth, Eunice's eyes went wide. "As if he'd dare!"

Unable to hold it in any longer, Avia burst into giggles.

Moving with natural grace, Eunice stepped out from beneath the canopy and walked to the very edge of the royal grandstand. Sure enough, an even more deafening wave of cheers erupted from the crowd.

It was no exaggeration to say that here in the Hades Main Arena, Eunice was far more popular than King Davos. As the most avid sports fan in the royal family, Eunice spent all her free time at the arena watching rugby and football matches, cheering on the players right alongside the citizens. Moreover, the Christoya Chamber of Commerce had spearheaded a major donation drive in her name to fund the arena's renovations. On top of that, she had frequently stepped in for Davos and Crotokatax when they were too busy, personally handing out trophies to the champion rugby and football teams. Because of all this, athletes and fans alike affectionately hailed her as the "Goddess of the Arena."

Amidst the wildly cheering crowd sat a very small contingent of women from the city-states of the Greek Mainland. More than half of them were the wives of commoners. Driven by financial necessity, they spent their days working out in public, whether haggling over goods in the bustling markets or toiling in the fields. As a result, they enjoyed far more power and influence within their own households than noblewomen did in theirs. Yet, despite that freedom, they were still barred from entering any arena to watch the thrilling athletic competitions back home. The Theonian Rugby Games had finally offered them that exact opportunity, and so they had come, albeit with lingering trepidation. Seeing the Daionian princess standing so boldly upon the royal grandstand served as the ultimate encouragement for them.

Scattered across the stands were also a few young Greek women. Brought to the games by their merchant fathers, their true purpose was to secure wealthy, influential husbands who could help expand their families' future business ventures within the Kingdom of Daunia. When they first took their seats, the girls had been exceedingly demure, keeping their heads bowed and scarcely daring to glance around. But after watching the Theonian women around them shouting and cheering with total abandon, they gradually began to lower their guards and enjoy themselves.

Situated immediately next to the royal grandstand was a slightly lower platform hosting the arena's five announcers. Upon receiving Eunice's signal, the head announcer immediately raised a red flag, waving it vigorously in the air. Spotting the signal, the Theonian spectators quickly quieted down and began hushing the foreign visitors beside them.

Once the massive arena had settled into a hush, the five announcers raised their copper-plated megaphones. Utilizing the booming voices and perfect synergy they had honed over years of hosting matches together, they roared in unison: "Citizens and guests, welcome to the Hades Main Arena! By the order of the great King Davos, we hereby announce—the Theonian Rugby Games have officially begun!"

"First, please welcome the band to the field!"

As the announcers' voices faded, the massive gates leading onto the field swung wide open. Nearly a hundred musicians, carrying an array of instruments, marched onto the grounds in pristine columns. They paraded along the perimeter track, playing the Marching Song as they advanced.

Their entrance was immediately greeted by thunderous applause from the crowd. The Daionian Citizens in the stands began to clap and hum along to the familiar melody, bringing the entire arena back to vibrant life.

...

Just as the band marched onto the field, the royal grandstand welcomed two highly distinguished guests: Plato and Xenophon.

Ever since Athens surrendered and the Greek War came to a close, Plato had politely declined Davos's invitations to stay. Instead, he returned to Athens to continue running his Academy. Not only was he no longer subjected to the scorn of the Athenian public, but the Executive Committee of Generals frequently sought his counsel regarding matters tied to the Kingdom of Daunia. He also wrote to Davos on occasion to exchange political views, maintaining a steady correspondence with the king.

Following the conquest of Sparta, Davos had written several letters inviting Xenophon to teach at the Institute of Literature within the Theonia Akademia. Xenophon, however, declined every offer, citing that he was "fully engrossed in writing and did not wish to be disturbed." Since then, he had been living in quiet seclusion in the Peloponnese.

Yet this time, when Davos extended invitations in the name of the athletic games, both men gladly accepted. The reason was simple: neither of them was just a spectator of sports; they were active participants. Plato had been a formidable wrestler in his youth, while Xenophon had excelled at sprinting. After Xenophon settled in the Peloponnese, his close proximity to Olympia meant that he never missed a single event at the Olympic Games—and even competed in the horse races himself. During this era, Greece fundamentally worshipped strength and beauty, meaning every prominent Greek figure shared a deep passion for athletics. No matter how profound a man's intellect, if his body was weak and frail, the public would look upon him with nothing but contempt.