Isocrates couldn't help but look at him a few more times.

The rotating chairman, Scombras, struck the table with a gavel, and today's meeting officially began.

Scombras then loudly announced: "There is only one item for today, the Athenian envoys have come to Turiyi, let us hear their requests. ”

As soon as some of the patriarchs, who had not received the news beforehand, heard this, they immediately came to their senses: Athens, the great city-state famous throughout the Mediterranean, had sent an envoy to our Dionian League!

Isocrates walked to the front desk under the curious gaze of the crowd, stood calmly in front of the crowd, and then saluted gracefully and steadily, and after standing up straight and chest up, he began his speech: "Dear Patriarchs of Dionia, I am Isocrates, the messenger from Athens. It was my first time setting foot on the land of Turiyi, but it made me feel incredibly deafening! Fifty years ago, the great Athenian general Pericles reached out to the displaced people of Cybaris and promised to rebuild a new city for them, and the city would inherit the lifelong ideal of the general Pericles—that all Greeks would be able to live together in peace and friendship, regardless of region or race (Greeks can actually be subdivided into many races, 'Greeks' is just a large, broad term and concept).

To this end, he mobilized not only Athens, but also the whole of Greece, which was in action for the creation of a beautiful pan-Greek city-state. Of course, we Athenians contributed the most, not only did we use the gold and silver in the Athenian treasury to buy stone and food for the new city, but at the same time, General Pericles also invited the great Greek architect Hippodamus to preside over the construction of the new city, sent two Athenian generals Lycyon and Xenochlitus to take charge of the management of the new city, and invited my teacher, the wise Protagoras, to make laws for Turiyi, and the historian Herodotus and the rhetorician Ticias settled here, Planting the seeds of Greek culture and wisdom for immigrants......

With such a strong help, as soon as it was built, Turiyi became one of the brightest jewels of Greater Greece. The Athenians, on the other hand, returned to the Eastern Mediterranean without asking for anything in return, allowing Turiy, a newborn baby, to grow up independently and freely...... "Isocrates aspired to be an orator since he was a child, but when he grew up, because of his hoarse voice, in Athens, where speech was prevalent and demanding, this was almost a fatal flaw, so he rarely showed his oratorical talents in large formal occasions, and could only reluctantly turn to teaching rhetoric and eloquence.

The Ionians were not so particular about speeches, but felt that his emotions were mixed into a husky voice, which had a unique appeal. In particular, the senators like Lucania and Bruti did not know much about this period of history and listened to it with relish.

Cuno Gorata, Bulkos, Davos, etc., who knew the inside story, were very clear: Athens was not as noble as Isocrates said, and the political situation in the first few decades was dominated by Athenian descendants due to gratitude to Athens and the majority of Athenians among the immigrants. However, it is true that Athens did not make Turiy a member of the Delian League or a vassal state of Athens, nor did it make any overly strong demands on Turiy.

"Today, when I set foot on the land where the Athenians once poured their hearts and souls, I am amazed to find that General Pericles' original dream has been realized, and it should be said that today's Turiyi has exceeded his expectations! Over here...... Not only did immigrants from various Greek city-states live together peacefully, but other races also live in friendship with the Greeks. When Isocrates said this, his heart was slightly uncomfortable, but his voice was already full of emotion: "The magical alliance of city-states of Dioonia has shown a beautiful prospect of peace for the Mediterranean world of ethnic conflict and war! For this reason, I would like to pay tribute to all of you who have led the people, worked hard to achieve this grand goal! As he spoke, he bent down and bowed respectfully and slowly.

Cornerus, Scombras, Burkos, Veesba, Hermon, Bachilipi, Sedorum and other senators were touched by his sincere words, and even the more profound senators of the city, such as Kunograta and Marigi.

Although Davers knew from Ansitanos that Isocrates was an "Athenian supremacist", these words were not his intention, but were intended to gain the favor of the senators in order to achieve some purpose. But out of politeness, he led the elders to stand up and applauded warmly in return.

There was no trace of smugness on Isocrates' face, he calmly waited for the applause to weaken, and then said: "It is precisely because of this unique friendship between Athens and Turriy that whenever it is difficult, both sides will lend a helping hand and do their best to help each other!" …… Shortly after the founding of the city, it was Athens who helped Turij resolve the threat from Crotone and signed a peace agreement on behalf of Turiy and Crotone; It was also with the aid of Athens that Turiy defeated Tarantum on the plain of Seris and reached a settlement with Tarantum.

When war broke out between Athens and Sparta, and a large army was sent to conquer Syracuse, passing through the Greek city-states, only Turiyi provided sincere help and sent an army to help in the war!

Decades have passed in a flash, and a few years ago both Athens and Turij have been devastated by the catastrophe. During the Peloponnesian War, the Attica region of Athens was completely in ruins and has not yet fully recovered. The city of Athens was occupied by the Spartans, who supported a group of tyrants who hated democracy and advocated dictatorship, who ignored the law, wantonly harmed citizens, and robbed property......

The Turiy was also subjected to the tyranny of the powers, and the Crotone people used tricks to lead to the fall of the Turii, and the city of Turriy, which had been cast by the sweat of the people of Athens and the Turriy, was completely burned down, and countless people died in the fire......

When this astonishing news reached Athens, the whole city fell silent, and many of the people who had fond memories and feelings for Turii were in tears, including my deputy, Lycias...... "Isocrates was full of affection and grief, and many of the senators were touched and became solemn.

"Fortunately, both the Athenians and the Dioonians bravely rose from the blow, and we wiped away our tears, buried our loved ones, and rebuilt our homes with our industrious hands......

The past is gone, but it must not be forgotten. Today's Greek world is still not peaceful, the powerful are rampant, bullying the weak, there are Sparta in the east, Syracuse in the west, all coveting their Greek compatriots with greedy and murderous eyes, just like a hungry wolf coveting a fat flock, the weak lamb must unite in order to deter the powerful wolf and avoid repeating the mistake of extinction!

That's the main reason I'm here. We in Athens have reached out from the east, and we want to regain the hand of our brother Turii in the west, and call Greece and Greater Greece a bridge, not only to strengthen trade and cultural exchanges, so that the lives of the people of the two places can get more benefits, but also to reach a military alliance and cooperate with each other, so as to tightly protect the precious freedom and rights that we have been robbed of and now cherished! ”

Isocrates finished speaking, and there was silence in the assembly hall.

Davers could not but admire the Athenian orator's euphemism and incendiary remarks about the alliance. For this reason, he also played the emotional card, even ignoring the fact that Turii had expelled the descendants of Athens, not to mention the fact that Athens formed the Delian League, and also suppressed many allies who opposed it, and put Athens and Turii in the position of victims, in an attempt to resonate with the senators.

However, Isocrates forgot one thing, this is Dionia, and the place where he speaks is not the citizens' assembly, and any decisions and affairs of Dionya are not decided by the citizens' assembly, but by the senators headed by Davers, these senators are either veterans who have been in politics for many years, or capable people who can handle complex affairs, or leaders who have been in charge of the lives of thousands of peoples, and they should all belong to the elite of the Dionian League, They certainly don't think about issues and make decisions on impulse alone, as ordinary citizens do. They may be moved for a while, but when it comes to making decisions about the future of the alliance, they must consider the problem more from the perspective of interests.

When Isocrates was invited out of the council, Petarus, Bergam, and several other former Buranti chieftains were the first to show their support: to form an alliance with Athens against Sparta and Syracuse. In fact, this was not their original intention, but before Polyxis and others were sentenced, and they were denounced as "traitors" by all the Dionians, and the voice of the people was completely stinky.

The other patriarchs were largely opposed: an alliance with Athens against Sparta and Syracuse. Although they already felt the ambition of Dionysius during the trial of Polyxis, the difference in strength between Dionia and Syracuse was their unwillingness to take the initiative to provoke the Greek overlord of the Western Mediterranean. What's more, Syracuse has already signed a friendship agreement with Dionia.

Even though Davers is more wary of Syracuse, he doesn't think it's a good time to confront Syracuse.