Chapter 374: A secret hidden in the legends
“The next part is interesting.” Showing a mocking smile, Davos said, “Decades ago, Dorieus a Spartan royal*, brought his men to Sicily and demanded the Eryxians to return the land on the grounds that he is a direct descendant of Heracles. The Eryxians refused, so he led his troops to chase the natives and establish a colonial city near Eryx. But by then, Eryx had begun to become the religious centre of the Carthaginians in Sicily, and the Carthaginians would naturally not allow foreign people to occupy their core area. Thus they led a large army to fight back, killing Dorieus and most of his men in the battle.”(the older brother of the famous spartan king Cleomenes I, and was the one who expelled him on the grounds of sending him to colonise the western Mediterranean after a failed bid for the throne.)
“This should be a fact since it’s written in Herodotus’ history.” Ansitanos was quite familiar with these historical events in the western Mediterranean.
“Read this part. Before going to Sicily, Dorieus, the unlucky Spartan prince, had tried to build a colonial city on the Libyan coast west of Cyrenaica and within the sphere of influence of Carthage, for the reason that Heracles killed the giant Antaeus in Africa. However, Carthage soon expelled them. And such similar things are recorded in this document. Lord Ansitanos, as a historian, if you put aside your identity as a Greek and analyse this document from a neutral position, you might find the problem.” Said Davos in a low voice.
“Putting aside my identity as a Greek and stand in a neutral position…” Murmured Ansitanos as if realising something, retook the document and started reading it. Afterwards, his eyes lit up, “I see! Now I see! These activities of Heracles in the western Mediterranean provide reasonable proof for us Greeks to open up colonies in the western Mediterranean!…”
Davos smiled, “Thus, we could say that in the distant past, Heracles was the first Greek hero who has gone to explore the western Mediterranean. Based on all his stories and looking at his journey in the western Mediterranean, many routes are repetitive to the point that it is unreasonable and unnecessary. So, it is clear that some of them might have happened*, some might be fabricated by later Greeks to provide moral grounds for their encroachment on other people’s land and the establishment of colonial cities…..” Davos pointed to the document and said, “That is why the former Cumaeans have even acquired the skin of the huge wild boar that Heracles killed from Peloponnese to Italia and solemnly stored it in the Temple of Apollo in Cumae to prove to the natives the legitimacy of the Cumaeans occupation of the land… On the other hand, there are several theories about the location where Heracles and the giant battled. One of them took place in Magna Graecia, other places where several lands the Carthaginians controlled. We can only say that those Greeks were desperate to find a new home in the western Mediterranean that they even have great courage and dared to have ideas on the Carthaginians..” (Davos naturally cannot deny the existence of Heracles as it is equivalent to him denying his status as a god’s descendant.)
And at this moment, Ansitanos was immersed in joy, “Milord, thank you for waking me up! I finally realised the wonderful things regarding what Thucydides said about standing in a neutral position and writing the true history with an impartial attitude!”
“Once you get rid of the barriers between nations and races, you would be able to do better than him and see the history from a higher position. Thus I believe that you will write a great work!”
Davos’ encouragement made Ansitanos embarrassed, “Milord, I feel that there is still a gap between Thucydides and me.”
Instead of continuing to discuss this issue, Davos talked regarding another matter, “Before you came, Kunogelata had come and told me that the envoys of Athens came and visited him…”
“Athens had sent an envoy to come to Thurii?” Ansitanos was a little surprised. Thinking of something, he asked, “Are they looking for allies for their anti-Sparta Alliance?”
“That should be.” Davos then added, “Kunogelata also mentioned that there is someone among the envoys who you knew.”
“Who?” A sudden jolt struck Ansitanos.
“Lysias.” Davos looked at him and slowly said, “Kunogelata told me that he is a very talented man, but due to him not being an Athenian, he isn’t doing well in Athens. So he hopes that I can try my best to retain him. What do you think?”
“Of course, we have to keep him!” Ansitanos then said excitedly, “During my youth, I had frequent dealings with him. From that, I know that he has great talent in rhetorics and oratory! His articles are natural but not boring, and even though they are simple, it’s not uninteresting, and they are easy to arouse resonance with the people. My family even treasured three articles he had written when he was young, and I often take them out to figure out his writing skills and rhetoric techniques… If he could stay, I suggest making him the dean of the Institute of Literature, which is the most suitable place for him to give full play to his talents.”
Davos appreciated Ansitanos more in his mind upon hearing these, as he did not envy or slander Lysias’ talent. Rather, he praised him unreservedly and from the bottom of his heart and even took the initiative to give way to the talented. This kind of open-mindedness made Davos respect him but also felt ashamed at his vague probing just now. He coughed twice and gently said, “…erm…I will leave the task of trying to keep Lysias to you. However, I can make a promise here that as long as he is willing to stay, I will immediately propose to the Senate to give him citizenship, allocated land, and appointing him as the dean of the Institute of Literature of the Akademia of Theonia.”
“I will do my best to make him stay!” Ansitanos also gave his pledge without hesitation.
“If Theonia Union wants to become the centre of the western Mediterranean, military might alone would not do as we also need a glorious culture that can be admired by those races that had just come out of isolation and worshipped by other city-states!”
“You are absolutely right, milord! Only a city-state with a splendid civilisation can withstand the passage of time without being forgotten!” Ansitanos, who is familiar with history, sincerely praised.
“In addition, are you familiar with Isocrates, the envoy of Athens?” Asked Davos once more.
“Isocrates?! He was the student of one of the wise men of Athens, Protagoras.” Ansitanos then exclaimed, “Of course I know him. He is no less a rhetorical genius than Lysias. Moreover, he is not only proficient in rhetorics and oratory but also in teaching, which made many youths from various city-states to come to Athens to worship him as their teacher. By the way, what happened today?! Two scholars of Greek literature had come to Thurii at the same time!” Said Ansitanos looking excited.
“Can we retain-” Asked Davos hurriedly.
“That’s impossible!” Ansitanos shook his head, “Isocrates is an Athenian citizen. And I also heard that he often preaches that the Greeks, especially the Athenians, are superior to other races in his speeches to the youths. Therefore, it is impossible for him to stay in our union of various races…”
Davos sighed with regret. Although he did not have a detailed understanding of Greek history in his previous life, he was familiar with the names of the two ancient Athenian orators, Lysias and Isocrates, as he had studied at the University of Political Science and Law. And in the course of Western Legal History, it is impossible not to hear these two names when talking about ancient times.
‘Either one of them is fine.’ He thought expectantly.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
The following day, Isocrates, who had already learned the general attitude of the Theonian Senate from Lysias, still had great enthusiasm and prepared carefully. Then he arrived at the Theonian Senate, a magnificent place that can accommodate thousands of people.
However, it looks empty as only less than 100 statesmen are sitting there leisurely.
If he had seen this situation before fully knowing about Theonia Union, Isocrates would have laughed at Theonia’s wastefulness and blind vanity.
But after staying in the city of Thurii for more than a day, watching ball games, tasting Thurii’s food, going to the Temple of Hades, visiting the Akademia of Theonia with Lysias under the guidance of Ansitanos. Furthermore, he even dressed up as a commoner to mingle in the pubs and chatted with the Theonians… Thus he had some understanding about the Theonia Union and the Senate members. So when he saw the large venue with a small number of statesmen, he did not find it funny; rather, he felt a chill in his heart because he realised the ambition of the Theonians.
He quickly pushed this annoying thought to the back of his mind so that he could focus all his energy on his speech.
But at this moment, he felt that someone was looking at him intently. After following the gaze, he could only see a young man sitting in the front row directly in the centre, looking at him and giving a gentle smile.
Isocrates smiled back as he realised that this young man is the founder of the Theonia Union – the archon Davos. Rumours regarding him filled the streets of Thurii, such as he is Hades’ descendant, a famous strategos that has never lost, a physician who can bring someone back from the dead, a highly clever wise man, a great inventor… But after seeing him in person, Isocrates felt that he was no different from ordinary people, aside from the aura that far exceeded a citizen of his age. That is why it is hard to imagine that this young man was the one who proposed and planned this magnificent Grant Senate Hall.