The Curia

**/Bean\** · 02-18-2009, 09:38

Balbatus looks astonished at the Fat's outbursts.

Excuse me? So commanders are no longer rewarded for their accomplishments nowadays? We are to break hundreds, nay, thousands of years of tradition for your jealousy of this Roman Commander? No, I won't have it. You cannot deny the praise, rewards and justifications always go to the commander, and from hence to the lower orders. It has always been that way, and will forever remain that way.

Everyone knows the price of failure, yet many seem to not know the rewards of victory. Should this campaign have gone wrong, Dux Cotta's career would have been over. Like him as a man or not, that is a big risk to take. He asks only for what he deserves, as commander of the expidition that he planned, commanded and won! I saw no input from you, Caivs. As I see it, you don't look fit enough to comment on such matters.

Cotta asks for a triumphus to show his victory in Illyria, not against the kingdom of Epirus. The idea was never to directly attack Epirus, but to rid them of strong, supporting allies to the north, strangling their manpower and their wealth. The fact that their manpower was depleated and they did not leave a substantial defence force, alongside their failures at governing these new tribes, is no fault of Dux Cotta's. You are suggesting he be denied prizes for the enemie's failures. There is no sense in that.

Even now, Cotta toils in the mountains in the north of Epirus and Makedonia, protecting the Legio III, who did do a fine job indeed in taking the lightest garrisoned target, although the relief force was unprecidented and dealt with well, I must say. I do praise the commanders of the other Legions, and wholeheartidly agree with their respective promotions. But would you have the lower commanders granted these rewards, these honours and new powers, and that Dux Cotta receive nothing? Don't even bother to answer; it's propostrous.

In a letter sent to me, Dux Cotta assured me he wanted the Province of Illyria Hellenike simply due to the fact it would need a strong leader and protection in this time of need, when it is at it's weakest. The Illyrian kingdoms to the north do not require such attention as of yet; they can be governed by Roman puppet kings for now, guarded by a mixture of Italian and Illyrian loyalists.

This attack is nothing more than jealousy and regret that you could not be there yourself, Caivs, and for whoever else you may speak for. I beg you, Senators, do not get sucked into this way of thinking.
Thank you.

**The Celtic Viking** · 02-18-2009, 10:12

Dux Regvlvs re-enters the Curia.

"Senators, I have heard news that a triumphus has been proposed for Cotta. May I ask why King Blasio seeks to make such a prestigious reward bleak and honourless? If we're giving out a triumphus for killing some rag-tag pirates, where is my triumphus for taking out the rebels in Massalia? When will Blasio's triumph be held for taking out those rebels he's aiming to put down? If he had hiked from town to town all alone by himself, then the proposal would at least make sense, but when using three whole legions, it's an affront to the gods to even utter the word.

I wholeheartedly agree with Tiberius, in other words. He should neither get a triumph, nor should we give him the land. He has not deserved it, and I will not accept that my men died in their great feats of valour only for him to take all the credit. All he did more than me or Dux Longus was to plan the operation - a plan that was too tightly scheduled and which caused a lot of tired legs and unnecessary casualties in The First, I may add. My three year old son could have done that."

**SwissBarbar** · 02-18-2009, 11:05

Lvcvllvs rises and adresses Regvlvs highly indignant

It's for planning and leading an operation with 3 legions, don't forget, Regvlvs, you were under his command and fought for him, not for yourself.

First you say it's only a bunch of pirates and easy to defeat, and in the same breath you speak of the high losses you suffered? So what is it. Are you just a bad commander who let a few crappy pirates slaughter his brave soldiers or were the Illyrians, who fought in the armies of Philipp and Alexander, stronger adversaries than you admit and you are just jealous of Cotta?

I say yes, you are. You all are jealous cretins, not worthy of the Roman Republic. Shame on you! Shame on you all! You don't need to be jealous, for you'll never reach the glory of Cotta anyway!

Lvcvllvs voice got louder as he spoke the last sentence. This had to be said!

**/Bean\** · 02-18-2009, 11:13

Balbatus speaks again.

Thank you, Lvcvllvs, but remember we all fight for the glory of the Republic. Cotta does not want to take any kind of power away from other men. He simply wants what he deserves; some recognition.

**SwissBarbar** · 02-18-2009, 11:14

Yes yes, I know. They fought under Cottas command but for the republic. It's just pathetic how obviously jealous they are.

**/Bean\** · 02-18-2009, 11:20

May I propose a compromise? Dux Cotta does recognise the other commanders' skill and sacrifice in this campaign. I am sure he would agree for them to join him on his Triumphal procession through Roma. A shared Triumph, gentlemen. How about it?

**The Celtic Viking** · 02-18-2009, 13:01

"On the way here I squashed an ant with my boot. I demand some recognition for it, and I think I deserve no less than a triumphus. Will you support me now, or can we safely call you jealous?

Yes, you laugh. I would too, if someone came here and made this claim in full sincerity. It is a preposterous suggestion to throw a triumphus for such a thing as squashing an ant, and you'd oppose it because of that, not because you're jealous. It is an obvious false dilemma we can all find humour in. Yet, that is exactly what Lvcvllvs and Balbatvs are doing here."

Pvblivs sighs and turns to Lvcvllvs.

"I have a very well understanding of how a Dux campaign works, Lvcvllvs, so spare me the lessons. The only thing he did that I or Longvs didn't do was to plan the campaign, and he planned it poorly, causing unnecessary deaths of strong, Roman soldiers. If you think that warrants a triumphus, then I don't want to know how low you regard triumphs. They must be worthless in your mind, only a sign given to vane people for not falling on his sword.

As for your insults, you can spare me them as well. Many of my men died because they were tired from the forced marching I had to put them under to keep up with the insane and impossible schedule Cotta had given me, hungry from the lack of a proper supply line that I was not given time to set up and even pirates can do much damage when you are forced to assault prepared positions. That is why I say unnecessary casualties happened, and if you do not get the meaning of that, then perhaps you should get an aid who can explain it to you separately. Everyone else know what that means anyway."

**SwissBarbar** · 02-18-2009, 13:48

Congratualtions for killing an ant. At least something.....finally

Bad supply is a foul excuse for your incompetence. Unnecessary losses indeed, because if your three year old son had commanded the army, the result would've been much better. We should consider that for the next time.

**The Celtic Viking** · 02-18-2009, 14:16

Pvblivs laughs, sincerely and loudly.

"Is that the best you've got? More insults based on absolutely nothing, and not even a single argument?" He chuckles. "Then you concede that there really is no support for your position, and that the support for mine is sound. All you've managed to do here is to make a fool out of yourself, my dear Lvcvllvs."