Chapter 34 The Opening Ceremony of the Dionysian Rugby Finals (1)

Of course, the most lively place is near the center of the East District. The former Dionysian Arena and the current Hades Arena are the venues for the opening ceremony of the Dionysian Kingdom Rugby Finals every year. It is coming here from all parts of the inner city.

The official leading the way took Gellney to speed up the pace, and finally squeezed to the south entrance of the arena. It was already very lively here. Not only was there a long queue at the entrance, but the famous food street opposite was also crowded. Like weaving. Not only did people go to the various stalls to buy food and snacks to satisfy their appetites while watching the game, but they also burrowed into the shops to buy screeching snare drums and piccolos and statues of their favorite players to cheer on.

Every stall owner and businessman has a hoarse voice due to the non-stop bargaining with customers, but his heart can't help but rejoice. Full bowl.

Between the entrance of the arena and the food street stands a large bronze statue: Hades, the protector of Dionysus, stretches his left hand forward and his right back, holding a football in his hand, in a throwing posture, with his left foot across In the first step, lift the right foot slightly, and the weight of the whole body falls between the two feet. He has black hair and a shawl with a serious demeanor. His robes are tied around his waist, blocking the mystery between his legs. The texture of his clothes is clear and does not affect the bulge of his muscles. The sense of movement at the start of the game...

The Hades in the temple is solemn and solemn, and the one outside the arena, although it is more than three meters high, and the thick cornerstone is five meters, is equally majestic, but it shows a friendly attitude, which makes people yearn for it, not only It has increased the public's love for rugby and made it one of the places where believers usually worship.

On the side of the entrance, there is a row of wooden houses, and the image of Tino, the goddess of luck, is drawn on the roof of each wooden house. There are also many people gathered here, and the voices are full of people.

"I voted for ten drachmas, and I bought Turiyi and beat Kopsa!"

"I said, brother, you see that the Turii team is too strong, of course it will beat Kopsa, the odds are too low, it's not worth your ten drachmas to earn two Opals at most, it's better In the second opening game, Udier vs Ugentum, the odds on both sides are relatively high, you bet right, and you earn more."

"I don't care about winning money, I'm from Turui, whether we win or lose, I support Turui's team to win!"

"Hey, hello! I don't know much about the rugby level of the cities in the Messapi area. Can you tell me which team is better, Ugentum or Udie?"

"You're asking the right person, I know the Messapi area very well! I tell you, Udière used to be the center of the Messapi city-state alliance, and it is now a big city in that area, with a large population. And Miron, you You know, the former General Crotone, now the senator,

He won many Greek Games championships when he was young. He served as the chief executive of Udière for four years before. In addition to suppressing the riots in Udière, he also vigorously promoted rugby and football. Therefore, Udière's rugby is in the The Messapi area was an early starter.

And Ugentum is just a small seaside town, because it is closer to Turii, it started rugby earlier, but as far as I know, the teams from the two cities have played against each other four times, and Udier has won all of them..."

"Then I'll throw five drachmas to beat Udier and beat Ujentum!"

...

These clamorous voices rushed to Gellney, who was passing through this area. He only felt his eardrums swell and rubbed his ears. "Tino's favor" paper ticket, once the buyer correctly guesses the outcome of the game, he will be rewarded with some money, and if he guesses wrong, the bet money will be lost. This form is actually similar to the game of dice played by the Samonites after a feast (in fact, it was also popular in various Greek city-states).

What makes Gellney sigh is that when he first came to watch the game at the Turii Arena, this kind of game was just beginning to be implemented. At that time, there was only one wooden house, and there were very few buyers. After a few years, look at this. There are so many people, I am afraid that this kind of game has already become popular in the cities of Dionia.

Although there was a long queue at the entrance of the arena, Gellney did not stop for a moment. The public official who brought him took him to another entrance, and went directly to the VIP passage after being checked by the guards. The seats in the arena are divided, and after entering from the VIP channel on the south side, it is not far from the podium of the arena.

He was arranged to sit down in an area not far from the podium, and there were already some spectators sitting here.

Gellney's seat was closer to the arena, and he turned his head to the left to see a large area behind the podium with a white curtain that blocked the sun. Gellney, who had been there once, knew that it was Dionysus. The place where the king and queen and the elders of the senate watched the game, but at this time it was still empty like the field ahead.

Just as Gellney was looking at the surroundings, someone next to him asked curiously, "Where are you from?"

This is a dark-skinned, rough face with several scars, a simple and honest-looking Greek old man with a hint of viciousness. He looks more like a farmer, but wears expensive purple Bolton.

Gellney didn't answer directly, but asked cautiously, "Where are you from?"

"I'm from Tyndares, and my name is Sycrops," the man replied frankly.

Gellney knows that the people who can be invited to sit in this area are extraordinary, even if the people in front of them are ordinary in appearance, but unfortunately Gellney knows very little about other areas except for the surrounding area of ​​Samona. , he didn't hide it, and he didn't care that it would embarrass the other party, and asked directly: "Then... where is Tyndaris?"

Sycrops was taken aback for a moment, but Gellney's blunt Greek language and appearance different from the Greeks made him understand, so he said seriously: "We Tyndares is a Greek city-state on the island of Sicily. , next to Messina, very close to the territory of the kingdom of Dionia. We in Tyndares have a friendly relationship with Dionia, and are invited by Dionia every year to participate in this magnificent and lively celebration!" Klops said proudly, with an expression that looked like Rong.

But in fact, when Syracuse was defeated, Dionysius was killed, Messina was captured, the city-states on the eastern coast of Sicily changed their political systems... When a series of great changes came to Tyndares, this The small city-state supported by Dionysius was suddenly terrified. They hurriedly led a team of consuls to form a huge group of messengers. They rushed to Turii with a large amount of gold and silver, panicking. Express submission and alliance to King Daves. Unexpectedly, King Davos not only did not speak evilly, but also expressed extreme sympathy for the tragic situation of the Mesenians in Sparta, and also publicly promised that Dionia would not violate Tyndares.

The people of Tyndares rejoiced at once, for the great Greeks knew that King Dionia had made a promise. Although Tyndares failed to form an alliance with Dionia in the end, the two sides soon signed a friendly agreement. Although the people of Tyndares later learned of Dionia's agreement with Carthage on the division of power in Sicily, they still held Dionia with deep gratitude and respect. What's more, every important celebration of Dionia will send a friendly invitation to Tindarius, so how can the people of Tindarius, a small city-state that is not long since established and very inconspicuous in Sicily, not be able to ignore Dionia, a southern city. The overlord of Italy has an extremely favorable impression.

"However, we at Tyndares were invited, as were the other Greek city-states in Sicily, Syracuse, Gera, Camerina, Agrigento, Economus, and even The towns of the Sikelians were also invited, and most of them sent embassies to this great event--" Sycrops paused as he said this, for he thought of Sicily. Syracuse, the largest city-state and supporter of Tindarius when it was founded, did not send anyone to this year's Hades celebration (nor had it in previous years), so did several of the smaller affiliated states around the city-state. No one was sent to Turii. This regretful thought only flashed in his mind, and was quickly thrown out of his mind. Now Dionia is the biggest support of Tyndares, Syracuse Zha is a thing of the past.

Sycrops stretched out his right finger and pointed around: "The people sitting here are all guests from Sicily. Only you seem a little... um... unfamiliar, so I will ask curiously."

Sycrops speaks politely, someone like Gellney with disheveled hair, bare legs, and no shoes, anyone who looks at him knows he's a "barbarian", even here the Sicilian native Sikels His clothes were also similar to those of the Greeks, so everyone around him was very curious, but they didn't come to ask. Only people like the Tyndares, who were oppressed by the Spartans in the past, and whose country was small and weak, would try their best to befriend any power.

Sicily! Mentioning this place name, Gellney has an impression. After all, the Samone people are in today's situation, all thanks to Syracuse, and Syracuse was the overlord of Sicily at the time, but now I listen to the other party. Only then did Gellney know that the hundreds of people around were from various city-states in Sicily, and only then did he realize that Dionia not only occupied the huge land in southern Italy, but also on the rumored rich Sicily. Possessing formidable strength, compared with Dionia, Abenerum's strength is really insignificant!

Note: Tino is the ancient Greek goddess of luck.