Augustus Road

"People say there are nine Muses, but they are all wrong. If you don't believe it, look at Sappho, the poetess of Lesbos. She is the tenth." - Plato

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Then, Diotusos continued to stand on the deck and announced the Ptolemaic royal family's vision:

Three generals or consuls were invited into the palace of Ibos;

The Kingdom of Egypt provided military protection to all Pompey's followers, and would not hesitate to go to war with Caesar if he came;

Invite three hundred Pompeian veterans to enter the city barracks to assist in the training of the Gorta legions and suppress the legionnaires of the remaining factions in the kingdom;

After the Roman Civil War ended, the Pharaoh executed his will and gave the kingdom to Pompey after his death - of course, Diotusos completely concealed the fact that the flute player had died.

After hearing the intention of the Pharaoh's guard chief, the "leaders" on the three islands of Scipio, Marcellus and Gebinus immediately started discussions. Three of them had different reactions. Gebinus had previously been a member of Cyprus. As the governor of the island and the spokesperson of Pompey, he had intervened in Egyptian affairs. He had always had a condescending attitude towards the Egyptians, and this time was no exception. He believed that the current Ptolemaic royal family had been frightened by his own diplomatic offensive. Those who sincerely ask for surrender. But Marcellus has always been a die-hard who is hostile to all foreign nations. He does not want outsiders to come to Rome, and he does not like Romans to go to foreign countries, so he has always been suspicious. Faced with Ptolemy's invitation, he remained strongly skeptical. "We can dispatch a centurion to explore the truth and make a decision."

"What can we decide now?" Scipio, who had been listening to the argument between the two, said. said angrily. "I only have this isolated island at hand. There is also this big lighthouse. There are only 300 combat veterans. Caesar has more than a dozen legions in Greece and Asia Minor. They are eyeing us. He can only accept Ptolemy's kindness and enrich himself with wealth. We will use the Nile River as our base and cooperate with His Excellency Pompeo to prepare for future counterattacks, so——" he said. He pointed at Marcelas and Gebinus and said in a commanding tone, "According to what the envoy said, in the evening, the Pharaoh will be waiting for us to disembark at the palace pier on Ipos Island with a ceremonial guard. So you take the boat to complete the city entry ceremony."

"However, there is no safety for us. I do not care about my life, but we are both former consuls. If we are killed, it will cause endless shame to the Republic. ." The two former governors immediately said in a panic. Scipio said you need not worry. I have observed carefully in the past few days. The long breakwater from Pharos Island to Alexandria blocks the vicious waves from this area, so the ships will sail very steadily no matter what time. So I allot you two a ship, with a guard of fifty veterans, and I myself will take the other seven ships, with all the armed slaves as rearguard a furlong from your ships, in case things should be reversed, we We will immediately withdraw to Pharos and leave Egypt forever. But if we do nothing and run away now, how will we face His Excellency Pompey in the future?

These words made the two former consuls shake their hearts. Then Scipio called out the centurion, the oldest and most loyal-looking man in the queue, and asked him his name and how long he had served.

"Lucius Septimius joined the army when Pompey marched into Spain. He served as a centurion when he suppressed pirates. He retired with the title of chief centurion. Later he lived on the island of Pharos and married A local indigenous woman, my general." The centurion had a wrinkled face and gray beard and hair, but he was in good spirits. All the other soldiers nodded and expressed their gratitude to Scipio. Us is a rigorous and brave man, so he can feel at ease letting him serve as a guard.

Naturally, Scipio was also very satisfied. He put his own gold chain on Septimius, gave him a purse of one hundred dinars, and promised to give him a thousand dinars as a gift after the event was completed. Your reward.

After the negotiation, Marcellus and Gebinus, or Septimius, jumped into a square-sailed boat. When Diotusos saw this, he also ordered his ship to row towards Ipos. , and hung a flag on the stern of the ship to be responsible for guidance. As the sun set, the entire palace, residential area, temples and statues of Alexandria seemed to be on fire. When the trumpet sounded, everyone saw that the Pharaoh's honor guard had appeared in front of the main entrance of the palace. on the pier.

This procession can be described as luxurious. The pharaoh's sedan chair with gorgeous curtains was carried by a group of Nubian slaves and placed in the center of the procession. Surrounded by generals, eunuchs, privy officers, clerks and slaves wearing white linen skirts, There were also guardsmen holding feather scepters, and many dead guardsmen carrying swords and spears.

Soon, the honor guard played solemn and grand music, as if to welcome the arrival of the king. This music relaxed everyone's guard to a great extent, because the enthusiasm and sincerity of the Egyptian royal family could be felt in it, even on the deck. Marcelas, who was sitting, looked less nervous and restrained. At this moment, Gabinus stood up, looked at the Pharaoh's ceremonial guard, and then muttered, "It seems a little strange. Although it is separated by the curtain of the sedan chair, the figure of the flute player should still be much larger." "

So in this music, Gabinus became more and more nervous. He began to ask the helmsman on the ship to turn around because "the Pharaoh's guard of honor on the opposite side was full of murderous intent." At this time, Diotus on the ship in front was still waving the flag there, asking them to follow.

"We can't continue to follow!" Gabinus made a prompt decision. He said to Septimius, who was still a little surprised standing on the mast, "Tell your people to turn around quickly and meet up with Scipio's fleet. We will return to Pharos Island!"

Septimius strode forward, shouted "obey the order", and then stabbed Gabinus's abdomen with a sharp sword. Marcellus next to him screamed, and Septimius flashed his secondary weapon, a bronze axe, and then slid down and held it in his hand, chopping Marcellus' neck. The other party bleeds and falls into the sea.

"You betrayed your patron, Centurion, you despicable man." Gabinus still had some breath left, gritting his teeth and cursing at Septimius, who was covered in blood.

"My patron is not Pompey, but General Cetus. I have been waiting for this day for a long time, enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens. What's more, the new Pharaoh is willing to spend 30,000 drachmas to buy your heads." After saying that, Septimius drew out his bloody sword, then forced Gabinus to kneel down, and then chopped off his head neatly. Several soldiers also pulled up Marcellus' body with a hook and cut off his head in the same way.

At this time, under the mast, in the afterglow of the sunset, placed between the sail rope coils, there was an inconspicuous wooden statue of a deer horned god, quietly "looking" at each other with the two heads on the deck.