Augustus Road

“We dominate all the peoples of the world, and then we are dominated by our own wives.” - Cato the Great

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In Lucullas' camp, several confidential slaves were dealing with the list of slaves released by Apis before. These names were to be transcribed on the document for future verification. And Luculas put the scroll of Sulla's gift "Memoirs" on his knees. He had no intention of reading these words tonight, because the messenger from Rome had just arrived, and the rumors finally became reality: no That day, Pompey would lead the new legion and land in Cilicia to take over his territory, reputation and team.

Everyone knows that in Sulla's heyday, he and Pompey were Sulla's right-hand men, and the two young men competed with each other. However, in his later years, Sulla gradually began to dislike the boastful, vain and snobbish Pompey, and began to be wary of him. Because of his ambition and power-grabbing behavior, he handed over the heavy responsibility of Tuogu to himself - but because of this, Luculas and Pompey began to be openly hostile to each other. So, as long as Pompey lands on the coast of Asia Minor, all the dreams and honors of Luculas will be gone. Pompey, who is narrow-minded and likes to seize other people's achievements, will never give up in the future. Anyone who tramples on the opportunity to discredit himself.

"Even if I want to fight back, if I lose the legion, I will be nothing. At most, I can only be a rich man in Rome." Luculas pinched his frowning brow with his hand absentmindedly.

"Calabis." At this time, a slave called out this name, making Luculas slightly shuddered.

Hey, when did this Calabis become a free citizen? Shouldn't he be following the Pontus princess named Adiana?

The next day, Karabis and Poti stood in front of coach Luculas, "That's right, it seems that Adiana will definitely make Bendu uneasy in the future - but, all this, It won't have much to do with me. By the way, dear Calabis, maybe I will leave Asia and return to Rome in two or three months. Now that Adiana has returned to the enemy's camp, what will happen to you? Isn’t the owner missing?” After listening to Calabis’s account, Luculas took a sip of hot drink and asked.

"But, I am now a free citizen. I also want to follow you and Poti to Rome to find a place to stay." Calabis replied.

Luculas laughed and said: "Dear Calabis, you don't understand what I mean. You may not know that in the eyes of us Romans, even if a slave becomes a free citizen, the original owner is still His patron must serve, love, and follow his patron. This is the relationship between patron and patron that the Romans value most.”

"Your Excellency, what you mean is that since Adiana is not here, she will automatically lose her qualifications to be my patron, right?"

"Well, but you have to understand that in the city of Rome, the experiences of free people without patrons are very miserable - what I mean, do you understand?" Luculas' tone became serious. , at this time Demetrius came up with special refreshing herbs, Luculas said, "If you are willing, you and Demetrius can let me continue to be your patron. Demetrius, are you willing to become a freeman like Calabis?"

"No, Master. I don't think there is anything good about free people at all. I can serve you every day without worrying about salary or settling down. Why should I be a free citizen who has to find his own way out? Once those free people leave, After entering the courtyard of the master's house, he can only eat and sleep outside in a cheap and dilapidated apartment. In winter, he can't even earn enough to buy warm clothes." After Demetrius finished speaking, he spoke to the people below. Calabis winked twice, meaning that he also continued to be Lucullas' niche slave.

However, in the end Calabis pretended to turn a blind eye to Demetrius's "suggestion". He recognized Luculas as his patron, and vowed to leave the legion and return to Rome as a soldier. Freeman, if he is still alone now, he can serve Luculas as a niche slave, saving worry and effort, and not less money. But he can now proudly announce that he has Bodie, this is his woman, and he must give her a fully educated family, no matter how shabby and small this family is.

On the other hand, since he has recognized Luculas as his patron, it also means some kind of iron-firm contract - Calabis must carry the carriage for Luculas when necessary. If his descendants have Citizenship, and with the votes in hand, he must also fully support Luculas' family political interests.

After concluding the master-slave agreement, Calabis and Poti moved the tents away from the camp of the Third Regiment and stayed in the same camp with the craftsmen accompanying the army.

Sometimes, after making love with Bodie, the two of them would lie on the soft mattress, hug each other, touch the freedmen's plaque around their necks, which was engraved with the words "Thank you master for giving me freedom", and think about their own Free citizen status, "What do you think our future home will look like?"

"Well, it would be best if there was a bread oven, and then there would be three beds, one big bed and two smaller cradles. I hope we will have two children, a boy who would be strong and will serve in the legion in the future; the other is a girl, we will love her, spoil her, and marry her into a respectable family when she grows up." At this time, Boti would also hug Karapis's neck and fantasize to his heart's content, "We would be best able to live in a spacious apartment with cabinets and dining tables, niches for worshipping household gods, silver tableware, and small cages for pet pigeons. We can support the children with our own income - Karapis."

"Yes, the children must receive a good education, will they obtain citizenship?" Karapis would be a little confused at this time. He could think that if he and Helenputina had a child, would the child be a boy or a girl, and how would the Amazon tribe treat their children? Everything was unknown. At this time, he would let the warm Boti hug him tighter, because the other party was the only existing bond between him and this cruel world.

Three days later, the envoys from the Senate arrived, led by Triari. The envoys harshly denounced Lucullus' "inaction" in Asia Minor and officially announced that General Pompey would replace him and perform the duties of a commander.

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