Over the past few weeks, legions from Africa, Silesia, and Rhodes have arrived in Greece, and the situation has been quite productive for the old Roman general compared to the situation a year ago when Pompey had just been exiled here. However, eight legions and 50,000 soldiers were still a little insufficient for Pompey's requirements, and he understood who his opponent was, and he also understood the strength www.biquge.info of this opponent and his soldiers. They were veterans of life and death who had fought the barbarians in Gaul, and Pompey's own soldiers, even experienced veterans, had not fought in at least six years. Therefore, even if both sides had a comparable number of armies, Pompey knew that such a formation was not enough to defeat Caesar.

"It's time to take the initiative, Ganeus, now that Caesar has landed in Greece and your army is about the size of his, it's time to show off your commanding prowess. We can't let that beast grow in Greece, Rome is still under his control, and we must reclaim the city that our ancestors left us as soon as possible. ”

Fifty miles from the siege of Athens in Pompey's barracks, Marcus Cato was already eager to try it, and he could not control his pride and anger, and tried to demand a decisive battle between Pompey and Caesar. However, his words were rejected by Pompey.

"Nope. Although Caesar's current legion is only six, his soldiers are all elite veterans who have been honed by the Gallic war, and we, although we also have eight legions at the moment, even surpass him in number, but many of these soldiers are new recruits, peasants, blacksmiths, and even ruffians and beggars who have just been recruited from all over the country, these people need to be trained, not immediately put into battle, the battlefield is terrible to them, and when the time comes, their collapse will cause panic in the whole army. So, we can't start a decisive battle with Caesar yet. ”

Gnaeus Pompey was a very good military commander, and he had his own advance predictions and judgments about the situation on the battlefield, the comparative measurement of the strength of the enemy and the enemy, and the evaluation and understanding of the opponent. He immediately repudiated Cato Jr.'s aggressive and arrogant rhetoric.

Although they are now loyal allies. But an alliance is an alliance after all. Pompey knew that the safest and most victorious way to win this war was to engage in a long-term and protracted war of attrition with Caesar. First of all, Caesar led the Roman legions, which had just triumphed from Gaul, and their morale was high, and their spirit was unstoppable for a while. But Pompey also knew that if Caesar wanted to win, he had to fight quickly, otherwise the areas under his control, rich nobles, and merchants had fled, and Caisar did not have the strength to fight for a long time in terms of funds. On their own side, the Senate will provide them with a steady stream of financial support, so they only need to defend as an offense, and wait until Caesar's side has internal turmoil due to the salary and financial problems of the legion, and they can easily win this civil war. However, the Senate did not think so, although they supported Pompey on the surface, but the nobles of the Senate did not want Pompey to delay the war for too long and continue to consume their wealth, so there would always be fierce arguments between the two over when the decisive battle would be. Cato the Younger was an aristocratic faction of the Senate who did not understand military affairs, so his words often actually represented the Senate's position on Pompey.

"But you can't retreat again and again, you have already retreated once in Rome, you have given up the great and holy city of Rome. And now, when you have a large army, you have to retreat from the beast again. Don't you tell me that you have lost the courage to fight in front of the bloody lions? ”

Little Cato's thin face showed a look of disdain, and he raised his head in a pretentious gesture of speech. Pompey interrupted him directly.

"Don't question my command skills, Cato. I'll fight Caesar, but it won't be a decisive battle. If I have a grudge against Caesar, I have more than any of you. Caesar killed my son Sextus, and this hatred will always be remembered by me. However, fighting such a bloody enemy requires more than just courage and brute force. The lion needs to be patient before hunting, patiently hiding and waiting, enduring the swaggering of the prey in front of you, eating. Then, strike at the best time and bite the prey's throat. This is war, Cato! ”

Pompey fought back solemnly. Little Cato looked annoyed.

Later, seeing that the other Senate generals present also stopped talking, Pompey asked the guards to bring the latest survey map of the battlefield.

Then, on that piece of parchment, he pointed and began to tell his plan.

"This is our station, twelve leagues from the place where Caesar landed. There are no more bushes on this side of the coast, and there is no water source for any kind. Caesar landed on this coast with fresh water brought from Rome. And we have a military camp here, so he needs a victory more than we need to get water and food. Because we blocked their way deep into the interior of Greece. ”

"You mean Caesar will take the initiative against us in the short term?"

M.J. Brutus asked.

"Yes. However, Caesar's forces were not enough to encircle our barracks. His soldiers, though elite, were limited in number. Six legions, Caesar could not have committed all his troops, he needed to have reserves. So, he will only besiege our camp with four legions. ”

Pompey sat in the center of the round table, like a seasoned hunter explaining his hunting plans and tactics.

"But how do you know Caesar would be so bold? Such a dangerous tactic is not a regular tactic. ”

Someone began to refute Pompeo's opinion.

"Yes, it's not a regular tactic, but Caesar isn't an ordinary person, and he won't fight you in a proper battle. In fact, each of his campaigns was launched under the most unlikely circumstances that the enemy deemed to be unlikely. If you think it's impossible, then it's right in his hands. ”

Pompey replied calmly and wisely. His eyes were so deep, and he was also a great general who conquered the enemies of Rome, so to speak, Caesar and Pompey were on a par in military command. The crowd was dumbfounded, and then Pompey raised his rough-wrinkled hands and pointed to the huge military camp on the map.

"Caesar, he was young, vigorous, and proud. He had defeated the barbarians in Gaul with such a bold and radical approach. Today, he will attack us in the same way. However, in a few days, I will tell him that I, Gnaeus Pompey, am not a barbarian, he is just a radical and childish hairy boy who is playing his childish and ridiculous tricks right under my nose. ”

Pompey finished speaking, revealing a serious and dull expression. (To be continued.) )