The Curia

[SwissBarbar]

A messenger came in, and whispered something in Lvcvllvs' ears. He raised again.

Senatores, I add one more criterion that has to be considered. Carthage made peace with Epeiros. This not only means, that Epeiros will be able to raise more funds if we invaded Hellenic territory, but also the fact that Carthage declares peace with our enemies makes me feel extremely distrustful. Carthaginian scouts have been discovered sailing near our shores. If we invaded Greece, we most likely could not count on their support trough trade. Today ally, tomorrow maybe foe? We don't know.

For this threat is real, we MUST be swift and strike hard IF we went to Greece, in order not to let them even find the time to ask Carthage for help and prepare defending themselves.

So again, in the name of the Gods, I beseech you: If we went greecewards, let us send at least TWO legions and take - in this chronological order - Sparte, Korinthos, Athenai and Chalkis, and then install defend lines along the isthmus of Attike between Athenai and Demetrias and the strait between Peleponnesos and Aitolia, that easily could be traversed by an army.

If we secured these strategically most important points, we could hold all those cities with no further problems!

He added, with a deep, strident and ferocious voice and dramatically gesticulating:

If we'd send only one legion, the sound of bemouring wifes, fathers, mothers and children will be in the air over Roma, for no single man would return from this suicide operation! Looking upward and even more dramatical he said: May the Gods in their dark sense of humour never let our wisdom fail and make such a cataclysmal decision.

With that he took a seat again.