Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece

"Hurry and help me sit down!" Aristophane leaned on the hillside and looked at the cheering people. His heart was equally excited, although he knew very well that Athenian Konon is now a naval general hired by Persia. It is the Persian fleet, but this victory has made Athens face fewer maritime threats.

You know, although the Civic Assembly passed the party to join Thebes and declared war on Sparta, the shadow of the defeat of the Peloponnesian War ten years ago and the fierceness of the Spartans were pressed tightly in every Athens like a nightmare. The heart of man.Especially now, despite the stalemate in the isthmus, the Allied side is still losing more and less, and recently it has been heard that another Spartan army from Asia Minor led by the Spartan King Agsilaus from the north Greece has landed and is coming to the Pioxia area. How can the people of Athens not be nervous or frightened!And the victory of this naval battle was like a timely rain. The boulders that held them in mind relieved a lot. They cheered loudly to vent their suppressed fear for a long time.

Aristophane was pleased to see that there was a little more anger in the city of Athens, and then he showed a surprised expression. There was a man in a shabby shirt sitting on the corner of the street, sitting on the dusty steps, leaning against the rough stone wall. Concentrate on what to watch.

This quiet picture is in stark contrast to the joy around, and this person's back makes Aristophane feel familiar.

He walked over and shouted uncertainly: "Antistine?"

The man looked back and didn't mean to stand up: "Aristophane, if you are here to ask me where Plato is, don't bother me reading."

Aristophane didn’t know that although Antistine and Plato were both Socrates’ students, the two’s ideas were at odds, so he said slightly, “I just wanted to tell you that Konon led 'S fleet defeated the Spartan Navy, and the news of this victory is now being heard throughout the city."

"Where is it?" Antistine said disapprovingly: "Victory will only encourage people to invest more blindly in the war. How long has Athens been calm, and this will be a long war..." Speaking of which, he shook his head and glanced at Aristophane: "You are just back from the theater. The new drama you wrote, "The Dionysians" seems to be very popular among the people."

Aristophane was not satisfied with Antistine’s negative attitude towards the news of victory, so he said angrily: "Oh! Antisthe, who has always refused to watch drama entertainment, actually knows my new drama, I am really honored !"

"That's because these days, some people are talking about it every day. I said you are too wide-spirited. What kind of citizens does Dionysia send to participate in the games? It's their business. What meaning?"

Aristophant burst into a rage, and just wanted to refute, Antisteni turned his head and pulled out his ears with his fingers, while saying: "Did you know that the Dionysia trial traitor and exposed in public some time ago After the news of Syracuse’s ambitions came, Serablos and their general executive committee members were discussing whether to send a messenger to discuss the alliance with Dionia so that Dionia could contain it Spartan’s ally Syracuse, your drama should not be performed again, to avoid stimulating the Dionysians and causing the alliance to fail."

"Serasibros what they want to do is their business, but they have no right to interfere with the legal freedom of an Athenian citizen!" Aristophane shouted angrily.

"This is also what I want to say." Antistine pointed to the people who were cheering: "What does their victory have to do with me?"

Aristophane was so angry that he glared and turned away. He again confirmed his knowledge: the reason why he could become a good friend with Plato but was always alienated from Antisten is due to his sense of responsibility.

Antistine didn't care about the departure of Aristophane. He gently brushed the dust off the book and looked attentively again.

…………………………

Agassius led the army through Thrace and Macedonia to reach Central Greece.In Amphipolis, he heard news of the Spartan victory in Corinth, but this did not inspire him, because the Spartans were still blocked in the isthmus and could not get in.

Worrying about the war, he accelerated his march, but when he arrived in Catalonia, he encountered an eclipse, and the soldiers panicked and considered it a bad omen.

Immediately, Agassius received news that the Spartan navy was defeated in Knidos. He was shocked and secretly thanked that he had chosen to rush to Piosia by land instead of by sea, otherwise he may still be Blocked in Asia Minor.

He immediately blocked the news to avoid shaking his mind.At the same time, he also felt that he must start a war quickly and use victories to scour the bad news.

So he led the army again and finally entered the Piosia area. He met the anti-Spartan coalition stationed in Crosso and guarded the passage to Thebes. A war was inevitable.

Before the war, he attracted the famous leader of the Persian expeditionary army Xenophon.

The 35-year-old Athenian has been fighting with Sparta in Asia Minor for five years. He is already a battle-hardened general, standing in front of Agassius, like a tall and tall cedar, showing high pressure. Human momentum.

Agassius looked at him with appreciative eyes, and then said: "Xenophon, my friend. The enemy of Sparta is in front of Chen Bing. We can only advance to the bottom of the city of Biscay by defeating them. But... …In the enemy's ranks, there are reinforcements of the Athenians. Perhaps they include your loved ones, your friends, your classmates, and fighting face-to-face with them. It is undoubtedly an extremely painful thing for you... So although I am reluctant, but—"

Agsilaus showed an unusual pity, and said emotionally: "I... I allow you to take the team away, even to join the other party, I am very grateful for your selfless help to Sparta in the past few years! Even if you I will become an enemy in the next battle, and I still regard you as my best friend of Agsi Laos!"

After listening to Xenophon, he was furious: "You are questioning my integrity, King Sparta! Before I led the mercenaries to follow you out of Asia Minor, I have said that since the Athens Civic Congress executed my teacher Socrates, and in the absence of trial for my guilt, I have regarded Athens as an enemy! And I agree with Spartan’s political philosophy, willing to fight for it, and swear to Zeus! Now you insist that I leave here, I... I'm leaving." After he finished, he would walk out of the tent without turning back.

"Xenophon, please forgive me for being rude!" Agassius hurriedly pulled him forward and apologized: "I didn't want you and your compatriots to fight each other to avoid your inner discomfort, But I now realize that you have a great conviction that far exceeds the emotions of the ordinary motherland. For this, I want to apologize to you!" As he said, he bowed to Xenophon sincerely.

Xenophon hurriedly stopped him, and his anger subsided most of the time.

"I decided to appoint you as the commander of the Central Front in the battle tomorrow." Agsi Laos made a decisive decision.

Xenophon was a little surprised, but he did not refuse to take it, and he readily accepted the order, because he knew that there were some rumors about him in the army in recent days, he secretly vowed: in this battle, we must use actual actions to make doubts His people shut up!

Xenophon came out, and Agassius’s adjutant and his son, Archdamus, came in. After learning of his father’s decision, he was surprised: “Father, you really let an Athenian serve as our middle road 'S commander?"

"What's wrong with the Athenians?" Agassius raised his eyebrows, and said loudly at the volume that the guards could hear, "Xenophon is my true friend of Agsirous! For friends, I have always trusted. Moreover, Xenophon is a very talented person, he deserves my trust!"

Speaking of which, Agassius suddenly remembered something, sighed, and Shen Sheng said to his son: "You have to understand that Sparta has missed Davis, highly recommended by Krithorpes, and that The Dionysian city-state alliance established by young people in just a few years has become a big problem for Dionysius. We can no longer push Xenophon to the enemy..."

………………………………

The next day, the two sides lined up in Koroso.

Agassius led the Spartans and formed a left wing. The side facing the coalition was the long-term enemy, the Argos; Xenophon led the expedition of tens of thousands of people and other mercenaries in Little Asia. The enemy he faced was his Athenian mother; on the right wing of the middle road was the Allied Fawkes of Sparta (the most important city in the area where Fawkes is located is Delphi). The enemy is Thebes, the initiator of this war.

At the forefront of the Thebes formation at the moment, the 26-year-old Peropidas and Ipamiunda are in the queue as heavy infantry.

"Why doesn't the bugle sound?! I can't wait!" Peropidas said eagerly.

Ipamunda didn't speak, staring sadly at the front.

"Ipa, what are you worrying about? Are you afraid that we can't beat the Fawkes?" Peropidas found something strange about his friend and asked.

"I'm not worried about the Fawkes, they are never our opponents. I am worried about the Argosians, whether they can block the Spartans' left-handed attack." Ipamiunda said worriedly .

"You think too much, Ipa. This should be the commander's consideration. Our goal is to quickly defeat the Fawkes!" Peropidas pointed the lance at the front, and said with enthusiasm.