Chapter 55 The Progress of Downey's War

"I will never surrender to the Spartans, even to death!" Pelopidas was full of grief and indignation.

Epiminonda still maintained a calm expression, and gently persuaded again: "Calm down, my dear friend, your sacrifice is of no benefit to Thebes, the best thing you should do now is to hurry to find the people who haven't been killed. Captured anti-Spartan citizens and led them out of Thebes."

"You made me run away as a coward?!" Pelopidas looked at Epiminonda in disbelief, as if he didn't know him.

Epiminonda looked earnest and said in a deep voice: "When the Thirty Tyrants of Athens were in power, Thrasybros escaped from Athens. Later, he led the rebels to attack many times, and finally liberated Athens... I want you to be like him!"

You must know that Thalassibos led the exiles to hide in Thebes. It was the refuge and support provided by the Thebes to them, so his deeds were widely known in Thebes.

Pelopidas fell into contemplation, and Charon and other friends also came to persuade him.

Pelopidas finally made up his mind: "Okay, I'll go to Athens!"

His friends bid him farewell, and Charon gave him a package of gold and silver.

Pelopidas hurriedly embarked on the road of escape, but he swore to the gods: he would return to Thebes, just left the Spartans!

After Pelopidas left, everyone focused their attention on Ipaminonda. When the bad news came and everyone panicked, Ipaminonda was able to keep calm and persuaded the stubborn Pelopidas away, which made Charon and the others admire this ordinary-looking man and insisted on keeping him. at home.

Until the riots in the city subsided, Ipamironda immediately left.

Walking in an urban area that was once very lively due to festivals, but now has few pedestrians, I see shocking puddles of blood on the streets from time to time, and I am also questioned by the rude and arrogant Spartan patrols. Ipaminonda's heart was burning with anger...

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On this day, the Spartan raid on Thebes was carried out perfectly, and Phoebe Das completely controlled the city of Thebes.

This incident also quickly shook the other city-states in mainland Greece. "Sparta rashly captured a city-state that was not hostile to it without declaring war", which obviously violated the Greek tradition and violated the king's contract. Feel extremely disturbed. Athens, Corinth, Megara, Argos and other city-states all sent messengers to Sparta,

He was questioned and asked to withdraw the troops stationed in the city of Thebes.

The Spartan Council of Elders fell into a passive state for a time, and some elders scolded Phoebe for the chaos, but more elders were very satisfied with the success of Phoebe's raid on Thebes, especially Agesilaus , he declared: Phoebe Das established a pro-Spartan government in Thebes, which was a great victory! Even during the Peloponnesian War and after the victory, Lysander couldn't bring Thebes down completely to Sparta, but Phoebedas did, he's amazing!

But in order to perfunctory other city-states and quell their anger, superficial efforts still need to be done. As a result, the Council of Elders made a decision: Phoebe Das misconducted his words and deeds, fined 100,000 drachmas (in fact, the money was not paid by Phoebe Das at all), and transferred back to Sparta to reflect behind closed doors. But the reason why Phibbidas attacked the city of Thebes was because someone accused Ismailias, another military consul of Thebes, of insinuating Persia.

As one of the anti-Spartan leaders of Thebes, Ismailias was arrested by the Spartans on the day the city was broken, so Sparta placed the charge on him and declared that he would make peace with him. Other city-states organized juries to try the matter.

The Spartans actually tried to interrogate a consul of Thebes for the crime of smuggling Persia? ! This is terribly funny! Isn't Sparta the biggest lackey in Persia! !

The local Greek people who scold "Sparta is too overbearing" look at the jury again: except that the Spartans are the citizens of Sparta's allies on the Peloponnesian Peninsula, there is no justice at all, completely Sparta has the final say!

In the end, Sparta executed Ismailias for "collaboration with the enemy", and then transferred back to Phoebedas, but sent another general to take over the defense of the Acropolis of Thebes, Sparta's 1,500 troops of the army are still stationed at the Acropolis of Thebes.

The Spartans were cheeky, and in the face of accusations from other city-states, they firmly grasped the achievements of Phibidas in their hands without any change, and the city-states such as Athens, Corinth, and Argos were only in the face of this result. Protesting, no tougher action was made, the king's peace treaty weakened their power, and the strength of Sparta also made them can only hold back their dissatisfaction, but Athens began to provide support for the Thebes who continued to flee to its territory.

Phibbidas was recalled, but the task of suppressing the Chalcedic League in northern Greece had to continue, so the council of elders appointed Teleus, brother of Agesilaus, who had excelled in the Corinthian War. Expeditionary army general.

At the same time, the Council of Elders also decided to restore the city of Platia, which was destroyed by Sparta 50 years ago. This town is in the south of Thebes, guarding a passage from the Isthmus of Corinth to the territory of Pioxia. Sparta To start expanding its presence in Central Greece...

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"Brothers, get up, there is a mission!" The team leader got into the tent. shouted.

The soldiers who were lying on the bed and were resting immediately rolled over and sat up.

"Captain, what is the mission?!" Adoris asked first.

"Commander Alexis ordered our Fourth Army to attack Sipontum," the squad leader replied.

"Just our army?"

"Of course we are the only legion. Other legions also have their own tasks. For example, the First Legion is going to attack Vieste..."

"West, that's really a more troublesome task." Adoris' casual words aroused the curiosity of his comrades: "Adoris, is it difficult to attack West?"

"That's not it." Compared with these comrades who knew nothing about the Downey area, Adoris had learned from his father about the situation in the Downey area before the start of the Downey War: "West is a small town. , It is said that the number is less than 10,000 people, but it is located at the top of the Lara Peninsula, at least 150 miles from Lusenia to West, and half of it is mountain road. If the First Army takes a detour for safety, along the If you march on the coast, the journey will be even longer..."

"How far are we to West Pentum?" another soldier asked.

Adoris thought for a while and said, "It should be no more than 50 miles."

"That's great!" the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief.

"Don't be too happy, there may be soldiers of the Downey tribe harassing us at any time on the road, so the Olivers Corps commander asked us to march in full force!"

The squad leader’s reminder did not make the soldiers feel dissatisfied. From the start of the war to the present, although the casualties of Dionia’s army were not large, the recruits who had experienced many wars had lost their initial enthusiasm and longing, and felt the war. cruel and ruthless, including Adoris.

"Hurry up and put on your armor, grab your weapons, and gather outside. If you are late, you will experience the power of Captain Olivers!"

...

Although Dionia's army captured Lucena, the central city of the Daunis, Alexis only allowed the first army to enter the city to maintain order, and the other armies were still stationed in the original barracks outside the city. After all, the Downeys will soon become the people of Dionia. Too many soldiers enter the city, and it is difficult to manage them, which will inevitably lead to conflicts and disputes. In case the Downeys are extremely disgusted with the Dionias As a result of the riots, I am afraid that it will not be easy to govern in the future. King Davos may not praise Alexis for his contribution to conquering Downey, but will blame him for the mistakes he made.

After the Fourth Army had assembled in the battalion, it left the battalion and headed east.

Not long after walking, I saw the ruined city walls of the city of Luceria standing not far to the north, quietly telling the tragic siege of the previous day.

Adoris still clearly remembers:

"That morning, the army surrounded the city of Lucena, and there were thousands of cavalry cruising around and the Tenth Corps as a reserve force to detect and defend the arrival of the Downey reinforcements.

His Fourth Army was responsible for the attack to the west. Their side alone is equipped with 20 ballistas and four large siege towers.

Captain Olivers gave an order.

Ballistas were fired, the siege tower moved forward, the soldiers carried the ladder, shouted the name of Hades, and rushed to the city wall. This time, his brigade, as the second echelon of the siege, did not immediately enter the battle, so he could see the entire battlefield more clearly from the rear.

He didn't know if it was because of him that Olivers let his brigade serve as a backup, but he never stopped worrying about the deadlock in the siege battle, and grieved for other soldiers falling from the city from time to time.

However, when a company attacked the city head, the commander of the Olivers army ordered the reserve troops to fight. Adoris and his comrades rushed to the city head along the wooden ladder of the siege tower with high fighting spirit and fast speed. The defenders attacked...

The resistance of the Downeys did not last long. When they were excited about the victory, they were sent by the legion commander to clean up the battlefield. Adoris was like being poured a jar of cold water, and at that moment, he loved fighting and experienced the cruelty of war..."

"You said that when this war is over and we return to Turii, can we still see the Rugby Finals?" The teammates beside him interrupted Adoris' thoughts.