Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 950: Vowing to March West

"Lord Prosous, rest assured—I will not interfere with your military command!" said Cyprolus sincerely.

Having enjoyed a pleasant working relationship with Cyprolus over the years, Leotychides nodded in agreement.

Davos smiled and offered his encouragement. "For this attack on Syracuse, Prosous, I hope you and Cyprolus can continue to cooperate well. Capture Syracuse as quickly as possible to eliminate this hidden threat to the army's rear, then lead your troops west to rendezvous with me."

...

After the discussion ended, Davos asked Cyprolus to stay behind.

Cyprolus expected Davos to offer confidential instructions regarding their political strategy for Syracuse, but the king instead asked in a solemn voice, "How is the mood of the people in the city right now?"

"Pardon?" Cyprolus was caught off guard.

"Since the outbreak of the war, the Sicily Territory has suffered considerable losses," Davos said, his expression grave. "Catana, in particular, hasn't just seen its homes and fields ruined and its wealth plundered, but its citizens have also suffered the heaviest casualties. They must have a lot of complaints against the kingdom, don't they?"

Cyprolus gathered his wits, understanding the king's concerns. He answered truthfully, "Your Majesty, if the war with Carthage had broken out a few years ago, the Sicily Territory would likely have fallen into turmoil and chaos. But after the 'Laodicean Incident,' you decisively dealt with the corrupt officials and old nobles here, readjusted the land policies, and strengthened the governance of the Sicilian cities. Furthermore, having the Eighth Legion conquer the rebellious Sicels brought even greater stability. After these years of development, the Sicilian people are much more devoted to the kingdom.

"But then a storm destroyed the Sicilian Fleet, plunging the people of Catana into grief, as over five thousand sailors from the city were lost to the sea. After that, Prosous lost the Battle of Gela, and the Carthaginian army invaded the Plain of Catania, causing massive destruction. The people were utterly enraged. Losing all reason, they gathered at City Hall in protest, demanding that Prosous lead his troops out of the city to drive off the Carthaginian cavalry ravaging the plains. Thankfully, Xenophanes quietly had his men guide public opinion from the shadows, while the officials did their utmost to placate the crowds, finally bringing the situation under control.

"Later, when Palagonia was burned to the ground, the people of Catana mourned the two thousand citizens who fell in battle. At the same time, many realized that if Prosous had not steadfastly defended the walls, Catana might have suffered the exact same tragic fate. As a result, some people even came to City Hall specifically to apologize.

"Your Majesty, I must apologize! Because you arrived in Catana a day early, just as most of the people were mourning their fallen family members, there was no time to organize a proper reception. That is why your welcome at the port was a bit cold. But that by no means suggests the people of Catana harbor any grievances against you.

"As far as I know, they were incredibly thrilled to learn you had arrived with the large army. It means they can finally shake off the threat of the Carthaginians and begin rebuilding their homes. They also desperately hope you will avenge them—you must know the entire city harbors an intense hatred for the Carthaginians right now!"

Davos listened in silence for a long time before asking softly, "To date, how many citizens of Catana have died in battle?"

"Counting the sailors who drowned in the two naval battles, nearly ten thousand. On top of that, over two thousand were wounded and can no longer fight."

Davos let out a heavy sigh. "The people of Catana have made tremendous sacrifices for this war! But with the national treasury stretched thin, I am afraid we won't be able to provide the families of the fallen with adequate compensation in the short term. Let us do this... Give me a list of the fallen citizens, and try to gather the families of the dead and wounded soldiers and sailors at the local council hall. I will go there personally to offer them my condolences and gratitude."

"Your Majesty, if you personally console them, they will certainly feel greatly comforted! But—" Cyprolus looked troubled. "The local council hall can accommodate four hundred people at most. With the families of the casualties numbering well over ten thousand, I am afraid—"

"Then have them enter the hall in batches, and I will console them batch by batch."

"But if you do that, Your Majesty—" Cyprolus said worriedly.

Davos understood his concern and said with firm resolve, "Do not worry about me. They have lost their loved ones for the kingdom—there is no greater sorrow. If I can offer them some comfort, a little fatigue on my part is nothing at all."

"I understand, Your Majesty. I will make the proper arrangements." Cyprolus stood up and bowed respectfully.

...

At noon the next day, the bulk of the troops from the first legion of Theonia, Second Legion, third legion of Theonia, fourth legion of Theonia, Sixth Legion, Seventh Legion, Eighth Legion, the Lucanian Reserve Legion, the First, Second, and Fourth Cavalry Legions, the Roman Reserve Cohort, and the Mountain Scout Corps arrived before the city of Palagonia. Following their orders, the units spread their formations to encircle the area and cautiously began advancing into the city.

A month ago, Palagonia was a new fortress boasting a comprehensive defense system, but now it had been reduced to ruins. The traps had been cleared, the abatis uprooted, and the trenches filled in. Stray arrows, javelins, stone bullets, swords, and spears still littered the ground. The dirt beneath the walls had turned blood-red, dried and coagulated. The once-sturdy outer walls were nothing more than shattered remnants, allowing the soldiers to enter the city without needing to pass through the gates. Yet they still had to tread carefully, as the broken walls intermittently shed falling rocks and dust...

Upon entering the city, the soldiers were left stunned: there were no houses and no streets. Everything had been reduced to ashes, leaving nothing but a charred, blackened landscape before them.

Max followed his comrades, carefully bypassing piles of charred ruins. The sorrowful sighs and murmurs of his fellow soldiers rang in his ears. Through constant interaction and language exposure over the past few days, he could vaguely pick out a few Greek words like "fire" and "battle." Paired with the devastating scenes he had witnessed outside the city, his heart pounded with shock—just how catastrophic had the fighting here been!

Before long, they reached the inner walls. These, too, were little more than broken remnants and collapsed masonry, entirely blackened by soot. Passing through the breaches into the inner city, the ground transitioned once again from charred black to blood-red.

At the center of the inner city stood a half-collapsed tower. Driven into the ground all around it were numerous crossed wooden poles. Sharp-eyed soldiers could clearly make out the bloodstains on the wood, along with the remnants of iron nails and ropes at their ends. Terrifying imagery instantly flooded their minds, sending a ripple of commotion through the ranks.

Right at that moment, Davos, clad in full military armor, ascended to the hastily repaired top of the tower, trailed by over a dozen heralds acting as voice relays.

The various units gradually quieted down. Under the direction of their officers, the soldiers formed up in relatively dense ranks radiating outward from the tower.

Max gazed up at the tower alongside the other soldiers. This was his second time seeing the King of Daonia, but unlike the scene at the bonfire party, the monarch now exuded a solemn, majestic aura.

"Citizens of Daionia!" Davos's voice rang out loud and full of vigor, though he spoke slowly to ensure the heralds could relay his words accurately. "A month ago, the very ground you stand on was defended by the seventh brigade of the first legion and two reserve cohorts from Catana. In total, they numbered a mere three thousand soldiers, yet the enemy they faced was a Carthaginian army one hundred thousand strong!

"Yet these warriors harbored no fear! They repelled the enemy's fierce assaults time and time again, holding off the Carthaginian army for more than twenty days! During their most perilous hour, they even risked their own lives to ignite a massive fire within the city, inflicting devastating losses on the Carthaginians. Ultimately, due to the insurmountable disparity in numbers, Carthage employed human wave tactics and breached this small city... But these warriors fought to the bitter end. Not a single one surrendered. They poured every last drop of their blood onto this soil!"

Hearing these words, the soldiers subconsciously lowered their heads to gaze at the reddish-brown earth.

In truth, not all of Palagonia's defenders had fought to the death. By the time the inner city was breached and the Carthaginians stormed the tower, the few remaining Daionian soldiers—severely exhausted and heavily wounded—had chosen to surrender. However, after taking them captive, the Carthaginians subjected them to brutal torture and executions. Davos was simply romanticizing their final stand.

"The Carthaginians! Those vicious, cruel Carthaginians!" Davos shouted, his voice thick with righteous fury. "They committed the most heinous of atrocities! They actually nailed the bodies of our warriors to crosses! Yes, those are the very wooden stakes erected right in front of you! By the time reinforcements arrived to clear the battlefield, their remains were too gruesome to even look upon!"

A commotion broke out among the soldiers beneath the tower, immediately giving way to a chorus of indignation.

Davos deliberately waited for a moment before roaring with impassioned fervor: "The Carthaginians, who boast of possessing the most glorious culture in the western Mediterranean—why would they commit atrocities that even barbarians would shun?! It is because our warriors used their very flesh and blood to block the Carthaginian army here for over twenty days, ruining the Carthaginians' plans to capture Catana and drive the kingdom's people out of Sicily! It is because our warriors, relying solely on this small city, inflicted casualties on the Carthaginian army many times their own number! It is because the three thousand warriors stationed here faced the relentless siege of a hundred thousand and forged such a glorious combat record, striking sheer terror into the hearts of the Carthaginians!"