Chapter 378: The Magonids
This was a humiliation for the Magonids.
‘Who would dare to shout outside the residence when our family was powerful?! Those conceited Carthaginians! They were the reason for our family’s current predicament!’ Hasdrubal could not hold back his anger anymore, turned to the slaves outside the hall and shouted, “All of you take a stick and go outside and get rid of all those pests!”
“Hasdrubal!” Mago shouted in a low voice, causing the irritable Hasdrubal to shut his mouth unwillingly.
Mago swept a glance at the few immediate relatives behind him and sighed. In the past, their family looked brilliant. However, for the benefit of Carthage, they fought Syracuse for many years, causing many of their relatives to die on the battlefield. His cousin, Hannibal Mago, became infected with a cold after getting his revenge on their grandfather’s humiliation at his defeat in the Battle of Himera and then died of illness on his return to the city. Another one of his brothers died in the plague in which Himilco had fled, and even his son was, unfortunately, shot in the just-ended war with Syracuse…
Even though the Magonids paid so much, the only thing they received in return was a relentless joint suppression by their political enemies. In the Senate election a few days ago, the influence of the Magonids among the newly appointed statesmen was significantly reduced. And for the first time, Mago, the new patriarch of the Magonids, did not serve as the shophet. This is the first time in a century that the Magonids’ patriarch has failed to become the shophet. In contrast, the Magonids’ main opponent, the Hannonian, another great aristocrat family whose strength is only second to them, has become the big winner of this election. The Hannonian had not only firmly controlled the Senate, but their patriarch – Hanno became the shophet, while the other shophet was his close friend. (T/N: This is actually not true, after Himilco’s death, Mago still became one of the shophet.)
‘We had to prepare early as the family would face even greater difficulties!’ Mago clenched his fists and once again affirmed the decision he made earlier.
“Hasdrubal.” Mago then said to his nephew with seriousness, “You are already 25-years old, and yet you are still reckless. So how would I dare entrust you the task of reviving the family and restoring our glory in the future?!”
“Uncle, I-” Hasdrubal wanted to argue but was interrupted by Mago. Mago then simply said, “Go to Iberia. At least there, no one will stare at you and take advantage of your political childishness and bring disaster to the family.”
“You are making me go to Iberia?!” Hasdrubal’s mouth dropped open, not expecting to be banished just like that.
“You are not the only one to leave Carthage, as I will also leave.” Mago was about to explain when his 10-year-old daughter Dido asked urgently, “Father, where are you going?”
Mago bowed his head and said to his only daughter, who had the same name as the founding Queen of Carthage – Dido, “I’m just going to Sicily. It’s not far from Carthage, and I can come back at any time.”
“Father, are you going to serve as the commander in Sicily to fend off the Greeks?” Dido asked again immediately.
Mago looked at his young but already quite beautiful daughter and sighed at her intelligence. However, it was a pity that she was a woman.
Glancing at the disgruntled Hasdrubal again, he sighed and went on to explain, “Although we have signed a contract with Syracuse, the Senate is still wary of Dionysius. Hence they sent me to Sicily, and even though it is what Hanno wanted, it is also what I hope. Sooner or later, there will be another war between Carthage and Syracuse as the peace between both city-states will not last long. That’s why we must be prepare and take back what our, the Magonids, lost in the war through war!” Mago continued firmly, “After I arrived in Sicily, I will start recruiting soldiers, train them strictly and gradually established an effective defensive fortress east of Lilibaeum and Eryx. Afterwards, I will slowly extend the buffer zone with the Greeks eastward as we wait for the time to…”
He then patted Hasdrubal’s broad shoulder and said, “Do you think that by sending you to Iberia, I am exiling you? No! It’s because I need your help!”
“You need my help?” Hasdrubal felt puzzled and excited at the same time.
“War consumes men and money. Once we go to war with Syracuse, I fear that Hanno will hold me back by not giving Carthage’s full support. Therefore, we must rely more on ourselves, just like how Hannibal used the family’s wealth to summon an army to help Himera decades ago. The south of Iberia is a fertile land much larger than Carthage and Sicily, rich in silver, iron ore and other metals. They also have a large population of indigenous people. Since the fall of the kingdom of Tartessos, there has never been a powerful force there, which should have been a great opportunity given to the Carthaginians by Melqart. However, our people and the elders became too comfortable as they would rather do trade and farming in Carthage and Numidia than venture on the unfamiliar land thousands of kilometres away.
Since no one in Carthage could do it, it’s up to our family to do it! Hasdrubal, the family has decided to provide you with sufficient manpower and money, so I hope that you can gain a firm foothold in Iberia and occupy a stable territory for the family as the strongest backer for my future war with Syracuse!”
“Rest assured, uncle, I won’t let you down!” Hasdrubal no longer has any dissatisfaction. On the contrary, he clenched his hands and looked excited.
Mago looked at him with some uneasiness. He knew his nephew well enough to know that he was good at leading men into battle, but conquering an unfamiliar land requires more than warfare; it needs administrative and diplomatic skills, which Hasdrubal lacked. However, he is the only one among the Magonids immediate family who was up to the task, so he could only think of sending him a competent assistant to make up for his shortcomings in this regard.
“Uncle, I’d like to go to Iberia with my brother!” A young voice then sounded in the hall.
“Haka, you can’t come!” Hasdrubal said flatly to a thinned face, pale youth.
“Developing Iberia has become the most important event that will determine the rise and fall of our Magonid family, so how can I, a member of the family, live comfortably alone in the city and just watched my uncle and you go through difficulties outside! And-” The young man looked solemnly at the bronze bust of Himilco and the food offering in front of it, “I also hope to avenge father!”
His words made Hasdrubal choked. Afterwards, Hasdrubal said, “But your health-”
“After exercising for some time, my body is now much better. And I will continue doing exercise in Iberia. Besides, you are the one that needs to lead the troops into battle, brother, while I will just stay in the camp…” Haka explained to both Hasdrubal and Mago.
“Haka, are you sure you want to go?” Mago finally asked.
“Yes, uncle. I already made up my mind!”
Although Haka said it lightly, Mago knew that once his little nephew decided something, it would be difficult for others to make him change his mind. However, he had been intelligent from a young age and had maturity and steadiness, unlike any other teenage kid. Himilco even once thought that he would bring greater glory to the Magonids in the future, but he had always been weak and ill. Still, Mago believes that if he went to Iberia and assisted Hasdrubal, he would undoubtedly get greater benefits.
“Now that you have made up your mind, I agree in letting you go. But you should understand that if you could not guarantee your health, it would be difficult for you to help Hasdrubal and our Magonids in the future!” Mago said seriously.
“I understand.” Haka nodded.
“Uncle, but-” Hasdrubal wanted to say more due to his uneasiness, but Mago loudly said, “Let’s go and pray to your father for the last time. I hope that he can protect the family’s business and for everything to go well…”
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Theonia’s rugby and football games are in full swing even though July is a scorching season.
Davos, who had just return from the Senate meeting, received an urgent letter from Laos.
“Go to the Akademia of Theonia and call Henipolis back!” After reading the letter, he immediately ordered his slave with a severe expression.
“Yes, master.”
“Milord, why have you hurriedly called me back? I almost got scolded by that old man again.” Davos could hear Henipolis voice before he even entered his study, “Since that old Athenian came to the Institute of Literature, we have become much busier than before. Besides reciting poetry and prose every day, we also have to write an article within two to three days. And if we can’t meet his requirements, we have to rewrite it. Milord, why don’t you tell teacher Ansitanos that I don’t want to be a rhetorician, as I just want to continue studying history with him…”
“Heni, you no longer have the time to study history.” Davos handed him a letter with a solemn expression.
Henipolis suddenly felt a bad premonition. He quickly received the letter and opened it. He then felt like five thunderbolts had struck him, making his whole body freeze, “…this…this is not real…at the start of the year, my father came to Thurii to see me…he was in good health!…really good!…” As he spoke, lines of tears dripped down from both of his eyes.
Davos sighed: Avinoges fainted at the party and remained unconscious. According to his previous life’s experience, he feared that it was “Cerebral Oedema”. ‘I have long advised him to stop overeating, but!…’
Henipolis suddenly remembered something. He then suddenly came forward, grabbed Davos’ hands tightly and begged anxiously, “Milord! Milord! You are the favoured of Hades! You are the teacher of all Theonia’s physicians! Please save my father! Save him!!…”