Ankyra, 260 BCE
Philadelphos Ptolemaios was sitting in his private dining room together with his military and political advisors, drinking wine, eating biscuits and discussing the current situation of the kingdom.
MA: Your lands now include the strategically and economically important city of Antiocheia, and with the capture of Edessa it can be put in a pretty safe keeping. The only direct threats to it right now are from Palmyra, which is held by those ridiculous Arabs – they’re nothing to worry about – or from the north by the Seleukids. I don’t think they have what it takes to take it back just yet, though, at least not while Timon is in the area. However, I think it’s only a matter of time before they do assemble enough strength to embolden them to another offensive. You should probably follow Timon’s advice and create a garrison for Edessa, so that it is safe while you order him to go north and create a buffer zone there first.
Philadelphos: No, I don’t think so. I…
Philadelphos spots something, and then turns to one of his bodyguards.
Philadelphos: Oi! Look alive, son, and earn your pay! In that corner there, there’s a spider. Kill it.
Guard: Right away, sir.
The guard goes over and stamps on the spider, killing it.
MA: You were saying…?
Philadelphos: Oh, yes. I was saying that we needn’t worry about the Seleukids right now. The worry we should have, the first and foremost threat to our kingdom right now, is not from without but from within. Left to themself, our forces can defeat any enemy that is set against them. That much we have proven by now. The problem would be if the enemy found out about our plans, or about the weakness of our Council, and this they will find out if we do not divert a lot of our resources to eliminate all foreign spies and traitors.
PA: But sir, what “spies and traitors” are you speaking of? Sure, there are iffy people one would be less than wise to trust, and yes, it would be naïve to think that the enemy did not have some number of informants infiltrated amongst us. However, I do not think there are too many of them, or that they have much of a chance to get any important information out to their masters. To give them undue atten…
Philadelphos: Not much of a chance? Did I not just now catch a foreign spy, which had managed to make it into my palace, pass my guards and come this close to my own person? Had I not been so observant, it would no doubt have succeeded in disseminating everything that has been said here.
PA: Your forgiveness, my Basileus, but… what spy?
Philadelphos: What spy? What spy?! Are you a fool, man, or just blind and stupid? You know all spiders are working with the enemy, and all arachnids are under suspicion. There’s no trusting any of them, and who knows how deep they have infiltrated our ranks? They will find out something important soon enough, if they haven’t already. They must be taken care of.
MA: But not at the expense of our military security, surely! It won’t do to spend so much resource on protecting our secrets that we lose so much power that protecting them is no longer important. We must secure Antiocheia!
Philadelphos now got rather annoyed, even slightly angry.
Philadelphos: Don’t you think I know that?! What do you take me for, some petty farmer in Nubia? I know my strategy. You of everyone should know that.
MA: Yes, sir, but then I must ask again. What about the Seleukids to the north? Tarsos is hardly strong enough to secure the passage between Syria and Sophene. You must either conquer Sophene or at least create a force strong enough to guard that passage.
Philadelphos had now visibly calmed down again. His mood now seemed even joyful and light-hearted.
Philadelphos: Don’t you worry about that, my friend. I have plans and I know what I’m doing. It shall be taken care of, but as you yourself admitted, that is not an immediate concern. They do not have the strength to strike us right now. I will let Timon go south and take back Palmyra, if he so wants to. I don’t see why; but then again, as long as he doesn’t shirk his responsibility in defending Antiocheia, he can go fish in a desert for all I care!
All three men laughs as a man enters the room. It is one of guards posted at the door to the palace.
Guard: Sir, the Keltoi nobles are here to see you now.
Philadelphos: Right. Thank you, soldier. Show them to the meeting room and let them know I will be right there.
The guard salutes Philadelphos, who returns it and then turns to his advisors.
Philadelphos: Well, gentlemen, shall we?
Without any further words being spoken, Philadelphos and his advisors stood up and left.
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