The last smuggling merchant ship docked at the dock of Thebes on the banks of the Tiber at the end of summer, and the Cypriot merchant on board said sadly to Appis—

"This is the last time I will trade with you, ruler of Rome. Antony and Cleopatra have begun a thorough investigation of smuggling on the eastern shore of the ocean. Our good days are over. Thank you, Lord Apis, for the great wealth we have gained during this time, something that we will not be able to obtain in a lifetime. For the sake of our friendship during this time, let me tell you that, in fact, we do not care who rules this country, but only the policy of the leaders towards us after the war. During his lifetime, Caesar encouraged trade and built ports and cities in the East and Greece, but unfortunately he died before he could complete this work. ”

After the Cypriot merchant finished speaking, he sighed helplessly, while driving his men to hurry up and carry the goods. And Apis could hear what he meant, hoping that you would become the next Caesar, valuing the status of merchants in the Roman world, and valuing cities and ports other than Rome.

Appis nodded his acquiescence to them, and ordered the workers to hurry up and load the goods, and let them return to their town before Cleopatra could find the smuggling merchant ship thoroughly.

Subsequently, Apis wrote to Cicero, hoping that he would return to Rome and preside over the Roman Senate. In fact, Cicero was asked to come forward and dominate the direction of public opinion. Because war was about to start, Antony and his "ragtag" army were sharpening their knives in Capua, ready to besiege Rome at any moment. Less than a year later, it is another big battle at stake.

"This is another crisis for the Republic, and this is my sacred duty and mission!"

Cicero, who was already in his seventies, jumped out of his chair with joy when he received the letter in the Teltila mansion. He is a person who can't be idle, probably all literati and writers, thinkers, are not willing to be lonely, not willing to do nothing. Cicero was the same, he had long had enough of the days of raising fish and weeding in this villa, Rome needed him again, what a glorious and great moment, he had to go back, even if he dragged his body to the end of his life, he had to fight for the cause of the republic again, and now, the opportunity had come......

"Cicero, my mentor, my old friend, thank the gods that you have finally come. Here's the thing......"

On the day Cicero returned to Rome, Antony's army was already on its way to Rome, and it was barely three days away to lay siege to Rome. Appis settled Cicero next to his house so that he could be "summoned" at any time, and that night he found the gray-haired ancient Roman scholar. Told him about the predicament in front of him.

"Anthony is a bandit, he's a traitor! Traitor to Rome! ”

After listening to Appis's account of the entire course of the war, Cicero was filled with indignation and immediately expressed his willingness to write again in order to criticize Antony.

Of course, this was also expected by Appis.

Two days later, tens of thousands of people gathered in the Roman Civic Forum, waiting for the wealthy scholar Cicero to make his appearance. Then, in the gaze of tens of thousands of people, the elderly Marcus. Tulius. Cicero stepped on the podium after a long absence, his face was full of pride and confidence, and for a moment, he seemed to return to his youth, when Cicero was full of vitality, full of political ideals and aspirations. Yes, he was going to do something for the country, change something, and now, Apis has given him that opportunity again.

"Citizens, it makes me proud and proud to stand here once again, to stand on the sacred land of the Republic. Rome, the crisis that it is facing, I think you are well aware, Antony and his foreign armies, are besieging the city, and there are some things that you may already know, but there are things that you may not know yet. What I want to tell you today is what you don't know. ”

Cicero stood on the stage excitedly, he swallowed his saliva, looked at the dense crowd, and then continued:

"We all know that Antony attacked Rome this time with no less than fifteen legions and more than 80,000 men. We all know that he longed for the city, for power and status, like a beast staring at its prey, and he had been preparing for a long time. But do you know what he wants to do when he takes the city? What era would he take Rome towards? You may not know it until I tell you, but it is shocking news that Antony and Cleopatra, the wicked woman of Egypt, gave birth to a son, and inherited it in Antony's name. ”

As soon as Cicero finished speaking, the crowd stirred up, and they talked about it as if there was no more terrible news in the world.

Cicero raised his hand and motioned for the people to be quiet, and he was going to continue.

"Antony, that traitor to Rome, what does he want? Did he swagger into the gates of Rome and announce that the Romans and Egyptians would henceforth be on an equal footing? Because his son is the bond of friendship between the two countries? Oh, no! Rome, our great Rome, is so holy that it can tolerate a traitor, a foreigner, to run rampant in our land? We have suffered many disasters, many oppressions, but this time, the people of Rome can no longer bow down and compromise with the devil. Thanks to our young leader, Apis, who led a handful of legions to fight against the demonic invasion. If it weren't for this, Rome would have fallen prey to wild beasts and demons. ”

Even though he was over 70 years old, Cicero's sentimental speech quickly made the people in the audience enthusiastic. They seem to see the return of that great politician, the eloquent.

"Romans, today you are no longer dealing with a dissolute and wicked man, but a dehuman, fierce and bloodthirsty beast. Anthony is no longer the Anthony of the past, he has returned this time, the flame of hatred for everyone is burning in his will, and he has been stained with the blood of the slaughter of citizens, and his mind can not tolerate anything but the idea of complete destruction. It's time to stand up and defend our homeland. ”

"It is inevitable that all mortals will die, either by doing nothing and on the sickbed, or by the sword and fire for a noble and great cause. Now, citizens of Rome, I beseech you from the bottom of my heart, to use our flesh and blood to protect the inheritance and spirit of our ancestors. Let us take up arms against the demons and thugs from the East, and Rome will be proud of what we have done! ”

Cicero's impassioned speech on the podium quickly ignited the enthusiasm of the audience, and it has to be said that this was a very ordinary and ordinary one of his thousands of speeches, but it was also the most enthusiastic and epic speech. Rome, the Eternal City, has never been more united and cohesive than ever before in the face of the great enemy. Appis stood on the balcony behind the fence, and a slight smile appeared on his lips when he saw such a scene...... 1910