The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe
Chapter 62 Arrival

Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Arrival

Juleios looked up at the three-tiered trireme beside him and saw someone waving at him from the deck.

"Hey, Xenophon! I thought I wouldn’t have the chance to say goodbye to you!"

"Juleios, I accepted Anaxibius’ request and rushed to Byzantium, intending to regroup our mercenaries and quickly head to Asia Minor. I didn’t expect you to already be heading to Greater Greece! Stay, and let us continue fighting side by side!"

Juleios silently sighed with relief, then shrugged and said seriously, "Unfortunately, I have already signed an agreement with Thurii and sworn an oath to Hades!"

"Well... that’s truly unfortunate!" Xenophon, a man respectful of the Divines, revealed a look of regret. "We won’t be able to fight together anymore!..."

"It seems Sparta is going to war with Persia. All I can do is wish you the protection of Zeus in your coming battles!" Juleios said this sincerely.

"And I wish the same for you!" Xenophon replied earnestly. "I had wanted to invite you to Athens to meet my teacher Socrates. He would surely find your novel ideas fascinating! One of his students, my friend Plato, shares some views similar to yours. You two would definitely become friends! But alas..."

"One day, I will visit Athens! By then, I believe you will have finished writing the story of our battles in Persia. Don’t forget to send me a copy," Juleios said, only vaguely recalling Xenophon’s later authorship of Anabasis. He wasn’t familiar with Xenophon’s personal life; after all, in his previous life, he wasn’t a historian.

"Don’t worry, I’ll write you an extra copy," Xenophon said with a smile.

Juleios vaguely remembered: Socrates was sentenced to death by the Athenian authorities through poisoning. Although the exact timing wasn’t clear, he recalled that Socrates could have chosen exile but insisted on staying, hoping his death would awaken the apathetic citizens of Athens. Hence, Juleios refrained from warning Xenophon and simply waved, saying, "Goodbye!"

"Goodbye!"

Little did they know that this farewell wave would precede dramatic changes. When they met again, they would be on opposite sides—friends turned enemies. Such is life, full of twists and turns, evoking deep sighs...

The fleet moved forward, and the Spartan warships gradually disappeared into the azure horizon.

Bourkos noticed Juleios still standing at the stern of the ship and couldn’t help but walk over. "Still thinking about your Athenian friend?"

"Xenophon is a talented and capable person," Juleios said wistfully. After all, Xenophon was the first historical figure to connect this world with his previous life.

"Athens achieved its brilliance because of waves upon waves of talented people!" Bourkos said thoughtfully. "Even Thurii’s initial prosperity was thanks to Athens’ influence!"

"Oh? Really?" Bourkos’ words piqued Juleios interest.

"At the time, the leaders responsible for founding Thurii were two very capable Athenians: Lampon and Xenocleitus. Additionally, the famous Athenian scholar Protagoras drafted Thurii’s laws, and Athens invited the renowned Greek engineer Hippodamus to design and construct the city. Moreover, two distinguished Athenian guests relocated to Thurii: the historian Herodotus and the famed rhetorician Tisias. Even the Spartan Cleandridas commanded Thurii’s troops in battles—fighting for the Siris Plain to the north, defending against the Lucanians and Bruttians to the west, and strengthening trade with Greece to the east. It was a dazzling era!" Bourkos’ face lit up with enthusiasm.

Juleios listened intently.

However, Bourkos’ proud expression dimmed as he continued, "But sadly, Athens lost to Sparta. Now Sparta is the hegemon of Greece..."

"Has this greatly affected Thurii?" Juleios asked anxiously.

Bourkos, unwilling to elaborate, merely said, "You’ll find out once you reach Thurii."

Juleios smiled and reassured him, "Don’t worry. Sparta’s dominance won’t last much longer."

Juleios’ bold statement immediately caught Bourkos’ attention. "Why do you say that?"

"Because Spartans have begun accepting bribes," Juleios replied, half-jokingly and half-seriously. "Lycurgus designed Sparta’s unique system to turn all Spartan citizens into fierce warriors—enabling them to suppress the helots, who far outnumbered them, and dominate Greece externally. Maintaining a simple and austere lifestyle was crucial to preserving basic equality among citizens. Otherwise, dissent would arise: ’Why should you eat well and dress warmly while I endure brutal training from childhood and live in the barracks until I’m thirty?’ Thus, they closed their borders, banned trade and commerce, prohibited the use of portable currency, and forbade debates, theater, poetry, and even the writing or selling of non-military books. People feared Spartan warriors because Spartans had no other joys; fighting and killing were their sole pleasures! However, once Spartans leave their borders and spend months or years abroad, they encounter things they’ve never seen before. The Spartan fighting spirit that once ensured their dominance over Greece will gradually erode. How long can Spartan hegemony last?!"

Bourkos had never heard such a vivid and straightforward analysis of Spartan politics. Juleios’ explanation pierced directly to the system’s fragile core, making it sound entirely plausible. He stared at Juleios in a daze, feeling a faint sense of awe toward this young man. The rumors of Juleios being "favored by the Divines" suddenly came to mind. Bourkos cleared his dry throat and asked, "If... if that’s the case, who in Greece will challenge Sparta?"

Juleios shrugged. "I’m not a god; how would I know?" He looked up at the seagulls soaring in the clear blue sky. Names like Thebes and Macedonia flashed through his mind, filling him with an inexplicable sense of ambition...

After the Spartan blockade, Bourkos, fearing further incidents, ordered the fleet to travel day and night.

A few days later, they stopped at Euboea Island to resupply food and water. Then they sailed through the Cyclades, rounded the Attica Peninsula near Athens, and continued without docking. Juleios regretted that he could only look westward from the ship toward the distant, unseen Athens of his former life’s fame.

The fleet passed Argos, cautiously circled the Peloponnesian Peninsula, and eventually reached Zakynthos Island, where they rested for one night. The next day, they resumed their northward journey, stopping at Corcyra Island before turning west into the Gulf of Tarentum, named after the powerful Greek city-state of Taras in Greater Greece.

The harbor was serene, and the moist sea breeze barely stirred a ripple. The deep blue waters resembled smooth, translucent silk, with countless ships weaving a beautiful picture like silver shuttles darting across the vast fabric.

The mercenaries, captivated by the stunning scene, quickly forgot their fatigue from the long voyage and began laughing and joking loudly.

Bourkos’ substantial fleet also caught the attention of observers. A few triremes bearing sails painted with "man riding a dolphin" emblems approached.

"Don’t worry, they’re patrol ships from Taras," Bourkos reassured Juleios as the lead ship moved ahead to meet them.

"Have we entered Taras’ controlled waters?" Juleios asked curiously.

"Not yet. It’s part of an agreement among the city-states in this bay to stay informed and prepared for emergencies," Bourkos explained.

After the Taras ships turned away, the fleet continued onward.

About an hour later, Bourkos pointed ahead and said, "That’s Thurii."

Juleios hurriedly grabbed the ship’s rail and squinted into the distance. About 500 meters away, a green coastline came into view. A white "ribbon" stretched from west to east, extending into the sea. At the ribbon’s end, countless white sails gathered, and thousands of seagulls circled above, though the city itself remained hidden...

"Brothers, shout with me: ’Greater Greece, Juleios has arrived!’"

A new Chapter begins!