Chapter 7 Rome and Carthage

His words successfully attracted the attention of the people around him, and the kingdom ministers who didn't know much about Worcey and didn't care too much focused their attention on him: the messenger from the north was wearing a white short coat, Wearing a belt, showing arms and calves, their dress is somewhat similar to that of the Samonais, the only difference being that they have shoes.

"Thank you for the generous donations from the Volsi people!" Davos said calmly: "I have long heard that the Volsi Alliance in central Italy is brave and good at fighting, but it is a pity that Dionia is too far away from you and has always been in contact with each other. Little, I believe your visit this time will open a new chapter of friendly exchanges between Dionia and Wolsey!  …”

Davos said a lot about enhancing the friendship between the two countries, as if the arrival of the Wolsey messenger was just to strengthen exchanges with Dionia.

Metabola was a little anxious, and said loudly, "Your Majesty the King, I'm here to ask Dionysus for help!"

"For help?" Davos put on a puzzled expression.

"The Romans in central Italy have always relied on their national strength to provoke wars everywhere. This time, the Romans have invaded my Volsi territory on a large scale. We Volsi cannot resist, and we specially attacked the most powerful kingdom in Italy - Dai Onia asks for help! I hope you can send reinforcements to help Wolsey fight back the Romans!" Metabola said earnestly.

"But I heard that it was because you Volsi took the initiative to attack Rome's allies first and angered the Romans before they attacked Volsi." Minister of War Hiros interjected.

Metabola glanced at Hiros, and then replied confidently: "Hundreds of years ago, we Wolsey have been living in the south of Latium, and we get along well with the surrounding neighbors. A hundred years ago, Rome was just Taiwan. A small town on the Bo River, but through constant wars and killings, it has become a powerful force in central Italy! In order to resist the invasion of the Romans, we have been fighting with the Romans for decades and have become mortal enemies.

In the past few years, Rome has conquered most of the southern Etruscan city-states and became more powerful. Of course, we Volsi can't sit still! It's a pity... we failed..." Metabola sighed in pain, and then said with a bit of resentment: "The Romans regard the wolf as their ancestor, and the wolf is a greedy and violent animal. Conquered, the swords of the Romans will surely strike the Campania confederation, where the land is more fertile and the people richer, and even after they are conquered, may continue to the south... So I implore Dionysus to give us fertile Elsie lend a hand! "

Most ministers felt that the Volsci people deliberately spoke of Rome so terribly that they seemed to be able to threaten Dionia, but they wanted to encourage Dionia to send reinforcements, but they disagreed.

Only Davos, who was on the throne, knew that what he said might be the truth, but he remained silent.

"We sympathize with what happened to Wolsey,

But as you have seen in Dionia, we are suffering from a drought, so at least for now Dionia is not capable of sending troops to central Italy to fight the Romans. '" said Commerce Secretary Marigi al-Marigi sadly.

"We Wolsey have food! The autumn harvest has just ended, and we have enough food! As long as Dionysian sends reinforcements, we are willing to guarantee the food supply of Dionia's army!" Metabola answered immediately.

After he finished speaking, Mersis, Minister of Finance, Marigi, Minister of Commerce, and Burkes, Minister of Agriculture, looked at each other and were a little moved.

At this time, Antaoris, one of the rotating presidents of the Senate, said: "Your Majesty, in fact, we don't have to rush to send troops to assist Volsey, we just need to send envoys to Rome to persuade them to retreat, so that we, Dionia, are in The prestige of Italy is also possible.

But...whether it's sending envoys to negotiate with Rome, or sending troops to help Volsi, you need a valid reason! But now Wolsey has no diplomatic relations with our Dionysus, and rashly interfering in the affairs of various forces in central Italy will only be criticized. "

Antaoris' reminder made everyone's eyes light up.

Davers looked at him with admiration and asked, "What do you think we should do with this?"

Before Antaoris could speak, Metabola immediately said loudly: "The Volsi Alliance is willing to form an alliance with the Kingdom of Dionia!"

"Alliance is a major event, and I'm afraid it will take a decision within your alliance to negotiate." Foreign Minister Ancitanos said tactfully, he was actually questioning Metabola's authority as a messenger, reminding him not to be blind of talking big.

"Please rest assured! Before I came out, the Wolsey Union had granted me full authority to make any decision temporarily! And—" Matebora straightened his chest and said confidently: "And my Purlo family is in the Wolsey has always been an important political force in Circeii, and any decision I make here will be recognised by the Wolsey Union!"

Davos nodded slightly and said: "I have understood Wolsey's request, we will discuss this matter, please go down and rest first, you will soon get Dionia's decision. "

…………………………

After Metabola left the hall, Davos looked around the ministers and asked, "What do you think about Wolsey asking us for help?"

"Your Majesty, we have just conquered Downey, and now we are facing a drought, and I heard that Rome is a powerful force. Once there is a war with it, it will not be calmed down in a short time. With our current situation, I am afraid that we cannot support it for a long time. This war." Cornelus said worriedly.

"Your Majesty, there is one more point, please pay attention." Lycias took the conversation and said: "Rome and Carthage are allies. If we rashly agree to Volsi's request, interfere in Rome's military operations, and finally resort to In terms of force, this is forcing Carthage to make a choice! Given that our relationship with Carthage has not been very good in the past two years, Carthage is likely to choose to support Rome, thus making this conflict bigger!  … "

The shocking words of Lysias surprised everyone in the hall.

"Carthage and Rome were allied?" Marighi asked the question that some people wanted to ask.

"A hundred years ago, Carthage and Rome formed a friendly alliance." Ancitanos, a scholar, said: "About a hundred years ago, Rome initially conquered the Latinum region and began to establish the Latin League. The Carthaginians signed a covenant with Rome. I remember the original terms of the covenant were

'...The friendship of the Romans and their allies to the Carthaginians and their allies is based on the following conditions. The Romans and their allies should not sail across Cape Belle... No trade in Libya, Iberia, Sardinia, Corsica...

. . . the Carthaginians could not harm anyone in any other Latin city that belonged to Rome. The Carthaginians must promise not to take any of the cities...'"

"It's just an amicable agreement, not a covenant," Senior Justice Terry Todmos questioned.

"I said that this is only the original text. The agreement has been renewed many times and has continued to this day. In the renewal two years ago, the following terms were added to this agreement..." Ancitanos is not nervous He said slowly: "When Rome or Carthage has a war against a third-party force, it can seek support from the other party, and the requested party can provide assistance as much as possible according to its own situation. After the victory of the war, the two sides will Let's discuss the ownership of the spoils..."

"Two years ago?!" Sedorum's face suddenly changed, and he said in a loss: "This clause added to this agreement is probably set up by Carthage for our Dionia!"

Two years ago, it was Dionia who discovered the conspiracy of the Tanikian tribe, which was secretly supported by Carthage, to unify the tribes of the Sikelians. The Eighth Legion defeated the Tanikian tribe in one fell swoop, and its leader led the remaining soldiers. He fled to western Sicily, which was controlled by Carthage, and was reportedly taken in by Carthage. Although Carthage then renewed the friendly agreement signed with Dionia, the relationship between the two countries has become delicate, especially in terms of trade competition.

Falling a Tarnician, and raising a Rome in the north of Dionia? ! The expressions of everyone became a little complicated.

Hiros said solemnly: "Your Majesty, although Carthage has maintained peace with us for more than ten years, it is because it needs to recover the wounds caused by the previous war with Syracuse. Even so, Carthage has maintained peace with us. The Taiki people are still quietly creating trouble for us. After all, the Western Mediterranean can only accommodate the next hegemon. This was the case with Carthage and Syracuse before, and now we and Carthage will be the same.

Hence Carthage's alliance with Rome should not be a reason for us to be afraid to aid Wolsey. On the contrary, we should intensify our efforts to form a strong alliance with Volsi, otherwise, let Rome conquer Volsi and become even stronger. It and Carthage are in the south and the north, sandwiching our kingdom of Dionia in the middle, and our situation will be even more troublesome in the future! It is better to take advantage of the fact that the Carthaginians are not willing to go to war, and the Romans are not strong enough. We unite with other forces in central Italy to encircle and suppress Rome, completely defeat and weaken it, and no longer become our Dionia and allies. Danger! "

As the Minister of Military Affairs, Hiros's words were murderous, and his meaning represented the meaning of the military department.

The chamber suddenly fell silent.

Davos did not express his position immediately, but looked at Cornerus, Lycias and the others, and asked, "What do you think of Hiros' opinion?"