143.The Siege of Alesia (Middle)
"Great Chief, we should count whether there is enough food in the city and we will hold out here for a month. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. biquge。 info If the Horde's reinforcements don't arrive on time. ”
Two weeks later, the siege of the Roman legions was almost complete. The Gallic garrison of the city began to panic, for they had not yet seen reinforcements from the Horde. And, more crucially, the food consumption in the city is much faster than expected. Now, the surviving chiefs of the tribes must sit down and discuss the issue of food and grass.
"Old people and women. They used up too much of our rations. ”
By the time the chiefs of the tribes approached Vicintoli, it was clear that the great leader of the Gallic coalition was already thinking about food. He sat there, not saying a word, and then revealed his thoughts to everyone.
"Vicintoli, do you want the old men and women in the city to go out and die?"
Verax, the leader of the Berovaches who had reacted, asked loudly. His face was full of anger, but he was holding back his emotions, for at the moment, Vicintoli was still their great leader. All must still be under his command.
"If they don't leave the city, we're going to starve to death here!"
Faced with the questioning of the Vellacs, the patriarch of the Berovacchi tribe, Vicintoli also yelled and expressed his helplessness. Yes, this is indeed a huge problem. According to the current rate of food consumption in Alesia City, in another half a month, there will be no food in the city for this tribal coalition army to eat.
Drive women and old people, non-combatants, out of town, and maybe the tribal soldiers in the city still have a glimmer of hope for survival. If these old men and women are allowed to consume the food stored in the city. Then it won't be long before everyone dies here. This is the cruelty of reality.
It's just that these old people, women, and many of them in the city are the families of the soldiers defending the city. Throw their wives, children, and parents beyond the walls to suffer from famine and face constant Roman attacks. This kind of thing is obviously something that many people don't want to see.
"But we can't let them go out and die! If they had to be sent to their deaths, waiting for the Romans to be enslaved or slaughtered, then I'd rather get rid of them here! ”
Verax yelled. The last thing he wanted was for the Romans to slaughter the Gauls right under his nose. Or enslavement, ** them. This is something that Verax cannot bear.
However, Vicintoli seems to have his own opinions and opinions -
"No, Patriarch. We didn't let these old men and women out of the city just to protect ourselves, the Romans might have given them food. If the Romans wanted to enslave them. Let them get out alive, in fact, to save them! ”
Vicintoli calmed his emotions for a moment, and then said calmly. In fact, Vicintoli, as the supreme commander of the battlefield, had a reasonable idea. Yes, it's better to live than to die of starvation in the city. Although there is a price to pay, which is enslavement and internment. Loss of freedom.
It's just that the Gauls don't know whether the Roman legions will take in and enslave the old men and women in these cities. Perhaps at such a time, they can only pray to their gods. Hopefully, Vicintoli's idea will come true......
"No, Grand Chief, we shouldn't let these people out."
However, just as everyone was almost on the verge of obeying another suggestion from Vicintoli, Barda, the patriarch of the Narvi, stood up and offered the opposite.
"If you have any ideas, just say them."
As soon as Barda spoke, everyone present knew that the buffalo would not have any good advice, but since he was the head of the clan, it was necessary to wait patiently for him to finish speaking. The patriarch of the Aguitanians, Briasso, was even more impatiently urging Barda to finish his sentence.
However, as a member of the Gallic tribal chief, Barda's next words made everyone present look at each other.
"Wild beasts can be stockpiled as food. People can do the same. These weak men should serve as our reserve food if the Romans continue to besiege our city. When we finally can't hold on, we can kill this group of people and eat their flesh for a longer period of time. ”
"Nope! I would never do that. ”
Barda's proposal was not preached at the tribal assembly and was rejected on the spot by Vicintoli. Moreover, many of the patriarchs present did not agree with this barbaric suggestion. These Gauls, with their long hair and strange tattoos, were in fact not as barbaric as the Romans had imagined. They have their own principles and bottom lines, their own beliefs and cultures. They are not beasts......
Viccintoli's on-the-spot veto left Barda indignant. But Viccintoli was the great leader of the tribal alliance, and Barda had no choice but to retreat with his own men.
In the evening, the soldiers of the tribe began to arrest the women and old men in the city in groups, and then gathered them in the town square.
Vicintoli stood on the platform of the tall building in the square, quietly watching the scene below, without saying a word. People know what he's thinking, and they know what he's sad and blames himself. However, this is a kind of helplessness.
In the square, from time to time, the cries of women and children could be heard, and even some Gallic soldiers began to rob their wives, children. Don't let them out of town...... Because once they leave the city, it means that in this life, the men of these tribes will never see their wives and children again. Such a sad and miserable picture that Vicintoli could not bear to look at it any more. He silently turned around and walked into the house, leaving the mournful cry to sound outside......
"Are you blaming yourself for your decision? The Great Chief? ”
As Vicintoli walked inside, Briaso asked in a heavy voice.
"No, I'm mourning my incompetence. My power is too small, Briasso, and I thought I could unite all the tribes against Rome on my own. However, now the facts show that I failed, completely defeated. I didn't even have the courage to stand in front of the women and children and tell them that I had told them to go, to get them out of town. Yes, I don't have the courage to face them. ”
Briasso's question brought Vicintoli's emotions to the brink of collapse. In front of the whole army, the great leader of the Gallic tribe may still be able to maintain his reluctance to composure, but in private, he is so fragile and insignificant. Just as Caesar revealed his vulnerability in front of Rabbi Enus. Leaders may always have two sides, and they are not perfect all-round people.
……
Briaso didn't say anything more, just put his hand on Viccintoli's shoulder. At this moment, he saw the sad face of Vicintoli and the melancholy eyes. In Briaso's memory, there had never been a moment when the great tribal leader had been so devastated as he was now. (To be continued.) )