Chapter 3: The Ever-Lower Hierarchy of Hybrids
But you must ensure that there is no concealment from me, as this is the foundation of our transaction—trust. Centurion, can you do that?" Lucullus blinked, his gaze compelling.
This is Lucullus's third announcement of the cancellation of the winter camp. The soldiers of the three legions, during this prolonged campaign, have spent every winter either in desolate wilderness or encamped before the enemy's fortresses, while Lucullus has never allowed the soldiers to set foot in the extremely prosperous Greek cities along the coast of Asia Minor
Very good, at ease
Li Bida did not know how many hundreds of Sestertii he was worth in Haibulida's eyes. In any case, his current "profession" was merely that of a "camp slave," engaged in manual labor such as cutting fodder, feeding mules, gathering food supplies, and managing the camp's miscellaneous items. This was certainly much more "down-to-earth" than the summer internships he had during university.
About forty minutes later, Li Bida was just about to pull the mule back when the sound of a military bugle rose from the hillside. A flock of birds preparing to roost was startled into flight, circling above. The mountain path and the trees obstructed Li Bida's view, and he only saw a golden, glimmering eagle gliding over the treetops, eventually appearing in his line of sight
Then, she spoke in a commanding tone: "If you, this slave, are willing to hand me over to the Roman commander, allowing me to enjoy the treatment befitting a princess and to leave this place filled with despicable people, I might consider promoting you to my attendant slave"
Adiana consistently refused to look Li Bida in the eye, not even exchanging pleasantries. She was unwilling to work, merely wrapping herself in the cloak (which Li Bida had given to her) and sitting on a stone in front of the tent, gazing into the distant horizon with her noble and melancholic eyes
Yes, Your Excellency, I am willing to swear before the deities
You ask Li Bida why he did not escape? It is futile, for the next day, he was branded with the unique tattoo of the Seventh Legion's slaves, a row of curved grapevines. As long as he bears this mark, he is imprisoned wherever he goes. This thing, which young men and women two thousand years later might find very cool, has stripped Li Bida of his freedom and rights
Because Haibulida had stored twenty slaves with the trafficker at the port of Bithynia, all of whom were his "war spoils," he often said that once the winter camp was established, he would sell all the newly captured ones, including Libida, Demetrius, and Adriana, together with the old ones. This way, he could earn twenty thousand sestertii, and after retiring, he could own a considerable property in the suburbs of Rome with his wife, or move to a burgeoning town in Spain or Africa, purchasing a three-story apartment building, renting out the second and third floors to tenants, and leasing the ground floor to merchants as a marketplace.
The entire camp of the Seventh Legion became noisy
After Li Bida led the mule back, he entered the back room of the tent to chop firewood. Upon pushing the door open, he saw a pile of firewood where Adiana, wrapped in a robe, sat in the dim light, her bright black eyes fixed on him. She resembled her mother, equally beautiful and proud
As Lucullus slowly passed by, the soldiers of the Eleventh Legion behind him formed into columns, marching in units of a hundred, in time with the rhythm of the military bugle and flute. The centurion's grapevine staff bore the inscription of the legion's number "XI", resembling a giant python slithering along the hillside.
"You! Karabia, right?" Haibrida pointed at Adiana
Haibulida's face twitched twice, and then he replied, "Your Excellency, I have no comments."
"Official, you have had too much to drink and should regain your senses. You ought not to treat us this way, even if we are in the position of slaves." In the end, Li Bida, not knowing where he found the courage, uttered these words. After speaking, he felt his own body trembling violently, while the other slaves cast fearful glances from all directions.
"Batitas." Li Bida blurted out, "It's that one, that one..." He realized Adian's reaction and did not continue speaking, merely gesturing to substitute for the words that followed
Lucius slowly raised his hands, supporting his chin. In front of him was a white poplar board filled with writing. "Centurion, I can understand your courage and decisiveness, but the list presented to me by the quartermaster and the military tribune is quite unfavorable to you. Perhaps I should consider an appropriate punishment for you."
After everyone had received their orders and exited, Lucullus looked at the slave who was carelessly wiping the armor and sword with slightly weary eyes. He then took out a scroll, and under the candlelight, it was evident that the title of the book was "Memoirs," authored by Sulla
"Once again, the winter camp for this year is canceled." This was the first command from Lucullus, which immediately stirred a great "!" in the hearts of the crowd, followed by a long "... ..." They pondered in regret, could it be that the commander truly did not understand what was on the soldiers' minds?
A few days later, he donned a tattered leather coat and was herding mules and goats on a hillside covered with autumn grass on the outskirts of Karabi for the regiment. He was quite surprised by these tasks that he would never have touched before his journey. After a brief period of adaptation, he surprisingly performed them with great skill, just as the ancient Greek poet Hesiod wrote: "When the season for plowing arrives, you must go down to the fields with your servants, regardless of rain or shine, morning or evening." This is the eternal toil imposed on humanity by Zeus or God, something deeply embedded in the genes of generations, now awakened in the body of Li Bida.
Hello, may the God of War be with Rome!" Haibolida "Pa" saluted and then turned to leave
Therefore, Li Bida chose to remain unperturbed
The so-called winter camp refers to the cancellation of all combat plans by the legion. As the cold winter approaches, they withdraw to the relatively warmer encampment in Bithynia, allowing the soldiers to engage in free activities at the local garrison to alleviate the emotions of warfare: gambling, drinking, and engaging in sexual relations, selling spoils of war including slaves to the camp followers, and even finding a local woman to establish a "temporary family".
Out of her nature, Adiana turned away in disgust, her movements particularly striking, truly arousing Hebrida's "interest"
Adiana quietly followed behind Libida, arriving at the front room. The door panel had already been kicked in by Haibida. This short centurion, reeking of alcohol, stood in the center of the doorway like an enraged leopard, searching for a pitiful "prey"
Adiana turned around, her dark brows furrowed, "Presumptuous, who gave you the right to address me in such a manner?"
In those years, the Roman dictator "Lucky Sulla" imposed a fine of 20,000 talents on the cities of Asia Minor to punish them for their support of Mithridates VI. He dispatched legions and tax collectors to collect this amount; however, according to Lucullus's statistics, before the tax collectors had delivered even 10,000 talents to Rome, they had already extorted 100,000 talents from the cities of Asia Minor. This was the fundamental reason why Mithridates repeatedly suffered defeats yet remained unvanquished, as many people in Asia Minor regarded him as a savior to overthrow the tyranny of the Roman tax collectors.
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Haibulida stood silently, straight as an arrow, exuding an air of indifference akin to that of a dead pig unafraid of boiling water
The tent of Lucullus is easy to find; the one adorned with a golden eagle statue at the top is it. Upon entering, Haibulida saw that Lucullus had already removed his armor, and a shield-bearing slave was carefully polishing this exquisite set valued at 30,000 sestertii. The commander was draped in a casual robe, seated at a simple conference table, surrounded by his retinue of officers and commanders of various ranks, including the commander of the Seventh Legion, "Brute" Scectilius, as well as Utheris.
As for Batitas, who was severely injured by "Karabia," he is still lying on the couch in a daze, while that "sissy" has been sent by Haibulida to take care of him. In fact, Libida has already discovered the true identity of the "sissy"—a Jewish slave from Galilee named Demetrius, whose eyes resemble those of the male protagonist in "The Pianist on the Ocean." He always begins conversations by boasting, "I am educated, having served as a tutor for the children of wealthy Greeks in Asia Minor." Libida learned that he was captured by Haibulida's hundred-man squad during the war a year ago. Haibulida also considers him to be cultured and plans to sell him for one thousand Sestertii during the winter camp.
It is also quite simple; the people of the conquered territories harbor hatred towards the Roman army for having killed their husbands and fathers. However, they harbor even greater hatred towards the tax collectors, resenting them for depriving even their children of the right to exist
This general is probably Lucullus
"Is it necessary to cross the Taurus Mountains and continue pursuing Mithridates?" Utairis, noticing the awkward silence among the others due to the cancellation of the winter camp, took the initiative to speak and break the deadlock
The administrative system of the Roman city-state was quite simple, consisting of senators and a few officials, inherently suited to a small population. However, after nearly three hundred years, when this republic miraculously rose to a dominant position in the Mediterranean, such a rudimentary system could not possibly manage the vast new territories acquired through conquest. Therefore, Rome adopted the "tax farming" system, collaborating with some greedy tax companies: the company's tax collectors accompanied the army, traversing various regions, responsible for extracting profits from the local populace, delivering the pre-negotiated fixed tax amount to Rome, while the remainder was retained by the tax farmers.
Your Excellency, I must act according to the circumstances, especially since the seasoned centurion Utharis is not at the front line. Therefore, when I noticed signs of the enemy attempting to escape from the palace, I decisively ordered my brothers to take offensive measures, and I hope you can understand. This line of reasoning has been rehearsed by Haibrida to perfection over the past few days
There are only a few hours left before Haibulida is to serve his confinement punishment. He is drinking heavily with several old friends, including Aminius and Safano, in the tent ahead, though he is the only one drinking excessively, as he has no combat duties ahead of him
The great Macedonian will remember this humiliation, as King Philip's flight resembles that of a doe in the woods. - A poem by Alcius mocking the defeated Macedonian King Philip after the Battle of Scythus.
After a long while, Arminius said softly, "This is not your obligation, dear Heibida"
During dinner time, Haibulida was summoned and received a personal audience with Lucullus
Li Bida was directly named "Karabis" by Haibulida, as he was discovered in Karabi; regarding Adiana, Haibulida did not kill her for the time being, and of course did not know her true identity, instead referring to her as "Karabia." He was also hesitating whether to sell this exotic light beauty at a high price to some wealthy individual in Rome, wondering if it would make him appear more rational.
He is a key figure in the Fabrian veteran gang, a deceitful rogue!" Utheris protested discontentedly after Haibrida had just left
Then Haibulida grabbed him by the collar, like an angry leopard, and said: "In any case, you must believe me, just hand over the money!" After saying this, he released Safano, lowered his head, swayed as he supported himself against the tent door, and slowly walked out, loudly cursing Lukuras and Uteris all the way.
Thus, the soldiers gave Lucullus a nickname, "Protector of the Greeks"
At that time, it was not unusual; whenever the Roman army arrived at a location, traders, prostitutes, tax collectors, and speculators from Italy would swarm in like flies from all directions. They quickly established a temporary town called "Vesuvius" near the military camp, complete with bars, casinos, rental houses, and brothels. Many famous cities in Eurasia that emerged later can trace their origins back to this "Vesuvius".
As the crowd buzzed with discussion, Lucullus sat in place and raised his voice: "Gentlemen, I remind you not to forget the objective of this expedition." The scene immediately fell silent as several slaves brought forth a sand table map. Lucullus raised his scepter and struck the table, and the various officers and advisors gathered around.
However, Centurion, you must accept the punishment—I prohibit you from participating in the next battle. You must remain confined until the end of the next battle, and naturally, you will not receive any share of the spoils.
"That is a medicine pouch. Who is that slave treating?" asked Adiana
Insulted, Li Bida felt a surge of anger and began to retort sharply: "It seems that the poison has not entered your blood and heart, but has instead remained on your tongue."
Adiana stared wide-eyed in astonishment; she did not expect that this Asian-looking slave would dare to mock someone as noble as herself, and furthermore, that he could speak Greek. After a brief pause, she spoke quickly and somewhat sadly: "People from the Black Sea say that Mithridates was often poisoned by his mother and brother since childhood. Not only did he survive the poison, but he also became immune to it— it seems I have inherited my father's bloodline, and those poisons are insufficient to take my life"
After a moment of silence, Lucarus spoke: "Centurion, if you can accurately account for the captured supplies and verify the identities of the prisoners, I can consider granting each soldier in your detachment a reward of two hundred drakmas, as well as exemption from military punishment. What do you think?" Utheris wanted to say something, but was silenced by Lucarus's gaze.
Dear Centurion, I have heard that you displayed remarkable bravery in a recent battle. After Haibrida completed the military salute, Lucullus spoke in a very cordial tone
Adiana scoffed disdainfully
When Haibulida announced the disciplinary decision regarding Lukras, everyone present let out a sigh of relief, thanking heaven that there were still 200 drakmas left
The deceased dictator wrote at the beginning of the book, "This book is dedicated to my dear friend, my guardian, my warrior, Lucius Licinius Lucullus," and on the next line, "Lucullus, you are so favored by the heavens, I can only remind you of one thing, which is to always maintain reverence for the divine and for dreams"
That was the eagle standard of the Roman legion, held aloft by a standard-bearer clad in a bear-skin cloak, advancing to the front of the ranks. The golden eagle at the top of the banner, wings spread, assumed a proud and commanding posture. Behind the standard-bearer followed a group of buglers, and then came a general riding a white horse, draped in a red cloak, surrounded by attendants brandishing "Fascist" bundles of rods and axes.
Even so, Li Bida secretly gathered information about the key figures of the Seventh Legion. He hoped to encounter a high-ranking officer, and then send Adiana away, ensuring a better protection of the princess's chastity and reputation. If someone like Haibulida were to find out, the consequences would be dire. However, due to the urgency of the situation, Li Bida could only glean vague details from soldiers and slaves: the Seventh Legion is one of the three legions of the Roman Republic in Asia Minor, commanded by Secundus; the other two legions are the Eighth and Eleventh, with the former currently on standby in Silesia, while the latter is personally led by the Eastern commander Lucullus, who is on his way to Karabi. Due to the urgency of the situation, Li Bida could only glean vague details from soldiers and slaves: the Seventh Legion is one of the three legions of the Roman Republic in Asia Minor, commanded by Secundus; the other two legions are the Eighth and Eleventh, with the former currently on standby in Silesia, while the latter is personally led by the Eastern commander Lucullus, who is on his way to Karabi.
It was difficult to discern any expression on Adiana's face; I only saw her pale visage slowly retreating, fading into the deeper darkness, ceasing her conversation with Li Bida, leaving only her eyes still sparkling like two stars
I overestimated you; I originally thought you were a filthy Roman, but it turns out you are a thousand times filthier than a Roman, a despicable reptile, a slave. In the dim light, the melodious yet venomous voice of Adiana echoed, "If you knew that you had once oppressed and attacked someone as noble as I, you should now shamefully take your own life!" And the book.
"My subordinates are all like this; even I didn't know that Mithradates had already escaped in advance, haha." Secundus made a rather unamusing joke to relieve his subordinates, but no one around responded. He opened his mouth wide and awkwardly chuckled a few times.
Several male and female slaves huddled on the ground, trembling with fear. Compared to Li Bida and his companions, they had a better understanding of Haibulida's temperament: this brute would not hesitate to vent his frustrations on the slaves when things did not go smoothly.
However, because Utaeris served as a military protector, he held the position of advisor at Secdilios for a longer period. When it comes to the actual commander of the Third Battalion, it is still Haibrida.
It is very simple; the unlimited expansion of the remaining tax amount is the ultimate dream of all tax-inclusive individuals
"You two, gather 500 drakmas for me and transfer it to their home, consider it my account." After saying this, Haibrida finished the inferior wine in her cup
Li Bida turned to look at Adiana, hoping that this girl of noble descent could put a stop to Haibulida's atrocities, but Adiana stood calmly in place, saying nothing
Haibolida, inebriated, gazed at Libida, swaying back and forth in place. It was evident that he was also 'startled' by Libida's words. Then he chuckled, slowly removing his armor and sweat-soaked shirt, piece by piece, until he stood there completely bare, his body and face covered in wounds resembling caterpillars, contrasting starkly with his 'short sword', creating a fearsome sight.
In the following days of rest, the phrase that Li Bida heard most frequently from the centurion Haibulida was "winter camp"
The next objective, Amisus. The deployment must be completed by dawn, set out. This is a command from Lucullus that cannot be questioned
"The winter camp has been canceled, Haibulida. By the time you return to deal with the slaves in Pitinia, half of them may already be dead," Safano interjected from the side
Li Bida silently cried out in distress, yet still did his utmost to position himself between the two individuals
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed; it was the sound of the workshop being kicked open, accompanied by the startled cries of the slaves in front. The coarse voice of Haibulida rang out: "All the swine, come out here to your master!"
As for Li Bida, who is in the 6th Brigade, 3rd Regiment, he has also gained a slight understanding of it. The regiment of the legion is actually formed by the union of two centuriae, and the three regiments then constitute a brigade, with ten brigades forming a legion. The two centuriae are theoretically commanded by two centurions, but for the sake of centralization, they are divided into a senior and a junior position. However, the status of the two is not as the literal meaning suggests; it is established by years of service. For instance, Utares, coming from a noble background, although much younger than Haibrida, is still a senior centurion and concurrently serves as a military tribune. Of course, he merely views this as a stepping stone for his career advancement. With his noble lineage and substantial family wealth, he has gained the favor of the commander and believes that it will not be long before he can serve as a financial officer in a certain province, steadily rising through the ranks. In contrast, Haibrida has a nickname in the regiment: "Forever Junior." Although he is brave in battle, he has a penchant for plundering, which has led him to repeatedly disobey military orders. As a result, he has remained stagnant in the position of a junior centurion in the 6th Brigade for seven years (In the Roman legion, centurions first serve in the 10th Brigade, with the ultimate destination being the chief senior centurion of the 1st Brigade)
Safano awkwardly excused himself to organize his belongings, moving aside to bundle up shields, iron picks, and other items. Arminius also remained silent, his brow furrowed: Vantu was dead, and Batitas had effectively become incapacitated. The military pension amounted to only 800 sestertii, which was utterly insufficient, especially considering that both had incurred significant debts during their lifetimes.
The commander of Rome just arrived here, but perhaps you have not seen him yet, as he may have been humiliated and killed due to his exposed identity. Li Bida split a piece of firewood and slowly said, "I am willing to help you, but only out of a sense of duty"
At sunset, a group of patrolling soldiers on horseback rushed by with tense expressions, entering the military gate while shouting, "Please inform all our brothers that Commander Lucarus and the Eleventh Legion have arrived in Karabi!"
Haibulida's eyes were already bloodshot from drinking, and he responded vaguely, indicating that he had heard. Then he rubbed his wine glass and asked, "What are you planning to do about the matter concerning Fantou and Batitas?"
At that moment, the unfortunate and unsuspecting Demetrius was changing the bandages for Batitas in another tent when Hebrida happened to enter through the door. She seized his hair and slammed his head against the remaining half of the door panel. The Jewish man screamed and begged for mercy, which only fueled Hebrida's anger further. With a series of thuds, blood quickly splattered across the door panel. In the end, the Jewish man, resembling a dying shrimp, bent his emaciated body and collapsed in the dust, emitting low sounds that were indistinguishable as either weeping or moaning. The Jewish man screamed and begged for mercy, which only fueled Hebrida's anger further. With a series of thuds, blood quickly splattered across the door panel. In the end, the Jewish man, resembling a dying shrimp, bent his emaciated body and collapsed in the dust, emitting low sounds that were indistinguishable as either weeping or moaning.
After the fall of the Karabi Palace, the majority of those who perished were either killed or committed suicide, with only a few surviving as slaves. It is unclear why this was the case, but there is an advantage to it: the identity of Adiana remained undisclosed.
Bang! Haibulida thrust the short sword onto the table, causing the candle flame on the table to flicker violently. "Human debts, written in black and white! They once saved my life in Liketun; Romans never owe anyone a favor— I have twenty slaves, and with these, it amounts to twenty thousand sestertii. Are you afraid I cannot repay?"
Heibride seemed not to have understood Adiana's words, and then commanded: "You, turn around, support yourself against the wall with your hands, and raise your buttocks."
"Yes, Your Excellency, I have no objections." After a brief pause, Haibulida consented
Thus, Lucullus crossed the sea to Asia Minor, prohibiting the army from plundering, dismantling the insatiably greedy tax companies, and alleviating the heavy local debts. In doing so, he did not hesitate to offend many of the equestrian class in Rome (the wealthy class second only to the Senate, certified solely by their assets, mostly moneylenders and industrialists), as well as numerous soldiers of the legions. The Greeks loved him as much as the Romans hated him. The Senate was already tightening the rumors of his replacement, with the widely recognized successor being the highly favored "General Pompey"—that Pompey with a false smile, of humble origins, who was currently enjoying the Senate's favor and was granted immense power to eradicate the pirates of the Mediterranean.
Lucullus pointed with his scepter at the sand table, indicating the location of the Cappadocian mountains. "No, we are advancing alone, and it is easy to have our supply lines cut off here by the Bithynians and Armenians." He then swept the scepter upward on the sand table, saying, "I will leave four cohorts of the 11th Legion, along with my retinue, the fascists, and the eagle standard, to act as a feint, making the enemy believe I am preparing to cross the Taurus—when in fact, I will return with the 7th Legion to sweep through the Bithynian cities along the southern shore of the Black Sea, exhausting Mithridates' resources and troops, setting his territory ablaze, and turning him into a homeless dog, so that he can no longer sustain himself. Gentlemen, I hereby declare that within at most three years, Bithynia will surely be destroyed by me. Gentlemen, I hereby declare that within at most three years, Bithynia will surely be destroyed by me.
"Before the right moment arrives, please bear with me for a while." At that moment, a figure swiftly passed by the doorway; it was Demetrius, holding a pouch of medicine.
Li Bida felt somewhat uncomfortable; Adiana's personality was one that kept others at a distance. He did not like being watched by her, so he turned his back and prepared to start working
You must remember to submit that crown of Monime.
Everyone expressed their approval of Lucullus's strategy of "feinting to the east while striking to the west." Then the commander slowly sat down and said: "Once we have subdued Armenia, the Parthians occupying Mesopotamia will no longer be a threat. However, more than military matters, I am more concerned about the discipline of the troops and the issue of tax collectors"