"Three hundred dinars a year, well, that's a good salary, but the problem is that if we join the legion, we won't live for a year at all.??· Moreover, I will not join the legion either, my relatives are in Rome, and Anthony betrayed Rome. We can no longer work for him. ”

"Yes, even if I am given a salary of a thousand dinars, I will not do it, the Romans should not help a foreigner and conquer Rome......"

Anthony posted a public notice in the city to attract civilians to sign up for the army with high technology, but there were few responders, and even, when people knew that Apis's "righteous army" had arrived at the border, they fled at night and ran to Apis's military camp, expressing their willingness to join Apis and not serve Anthony.

A steady stream of civilians and even soldiers fled to Appis's barracks for days, numbering in the thousands. This made Anthony even more annoyed. Isn't it that he married an Egyptian queen and gave birth to a "mixed-race" baby boy, which was so disgusted by the native Italian residents. Anthony hated Appis for using public opinion to amplify this effect, and the people probably didn't care so much.

Seeing the situation, Anthony had to think about the next option. He blockaded the harbor and conscripted all the merchant and fishing ships in the city as his reserve, just in case. In case the city was broken, he would have a chance to leave the city with his legions, his soldiers, and his wealth. The merchants of Brindisi were unwilling, so Anthony forcibly requisitioned the ship, drove all the crew and sailors off the ship, sent his own soldiers on board, and occupied the ship.

The sea wasn't calm, and Anthony didn't know how long the Greeks would have to grapple with to reach the harbor???? One? See?? Book to read?

However, while Antony was preparing for all this, Appis ran out of patience and the Gallic legions had begun to erect giant catapults outside the city.

A siege battle of unprecedented scale seems to be imminent.

"Do you want me to compromise and negotiate peace with that nouveau riche? Alexander's corps can hold the city for more than half a month, I firmly believe it! ”

"But it's also possible that you won't be able to survive even three days. Dear Anthony, I'm not questioning your ability to lead, let alone your legion. However, everything must be based on the minimum risk. Appis' army was so large that it concentrated all of Italy and Gaul. There is no need for us to fight him with a small force. We still have a way out, Greece, Asia Minor, Syria, Alexandria, and Memphis, Cyprus, these are our big rear, and I have enough money and soldiers, several times more than Apis. There's no need to risk it here. Antony, we should make peace with Appis and buy time, I estimate that in three weeks at most the Greek fleet should arrive, and they may have had some trouble at sea. ”

The siege of Brindisi was imminent, but Antony was in trouble with whether to compromise with Appis. In the current situation, pretending to negotiate peace and waiting for reinforcements is actually the best and wisest choice. However, Appis's freeman background and even slave status made Anthony very reluctant to take the initiative to negotiate with him. The proud Antony, like Octavian, despised Appis in his bones. They are all descendants of Roman nobility, and what is Apis? Did you want to be one of the famous families of Rome just by marrying a woman from the Brutus family?

"Damn it!"

After the queen finished speaking, Anthony roared angrily, slammed his fist on the table, and was depressed. He knew that Cleopatra had a point, but he just couldn't let go of his high posture and took the initiative to negotiate peace with Apis. You must know that at this time, peace talks are not equal negotiations, but are for the other side. It's like the vanquished hoping that the conqueror will show mercy and not kill them all. For Anthony, this is a great disgrace.

However, the sea outside Brindisi was calm, and Antony, who was helpless, finally reluctantly accepted the queen's suggestion and sued for peace with Appis in order to buy some precious time.

……

"Thirty percent, thirty percent of Brindisi's and Calabria's income every month goes to you, Appis."

Outside Brindisi, Appis and Antony each held talks with fifteen knights. Antony's conditions were simple and crude, and 30% of the monthly income of southern Italy went to Appis, on the condition that Apis would not continue to attack Brindisi.

Appis almost burst out laughing at such conditions, for a month earlier, he had been in a difficult situation, and Antony's army had besieged Rome on the condition that he hand over two-thirds of Rome's income. Trying to crush themselves financially. However, only a month later, this unstoppable landowner went so far as to offer to cede one-third of his income.

"What made you, the invincible Mark Anthony, take the initiative to compromise with me and ask for negotiations? You know, if I don't accept it, if I storm this city, I'm going to get the whole city, the whole region, not just the thirty percent. ”

Faced with Anthony's sudden request for peace talks, Apis was somewhat skeptical. Either this proud Roman general encountered some sudden predicament, or his situation was really worrying, so he would let go of his posture and negotiate with himself. Appis knew that there must be something else hidden in this, but what it was was still unknown.

"I know you won't do that, Appis. Peace talks are good for both of us, you have just defeated Octavian, and many things in Rome have not yet been perfected and dealt with. You run out of assets to duel me, and your pressure is great. If you take one wrong step, you will never recover. And I, even if I lost to you in the previous battle, but my legion is still outnumbered, forcibly defending Brindisi, I guarantee that you will not be able to storm the city for half a year. When the time comes, it will be a lose-lose situation. There's no need to make such a mess, Appis. I even thought that in my lifetime, Rome would be divided and ruled equally. I rule over the east, and half of Italy, and the west is yours, Appis. ”

Anthony sat upright, squinted his eyes, and said with a smile.

"But my ambition is more than that, Anthony, you know, in my eyes the West, including all of Italy, Sicily, and Greece. And now, you're only giving me back half of Italy. I think that one day my ** will drive me to continue on the path of killing and conquest. ”

From Anthony's words and demeanor, Apis couldn't find any flaws, after all, the other party was also a general who had been on the battlefield for many years. The psychological quality is still excellent.

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