Augustus Road

"He who knows how to say, also knows when to say. ∷Talk ∷Speak ∷Small ∷" - Spartan proverb

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Cicero immediately seized this opportunity and whipped Antony, his followers and even his relatives. He directly called Antony the successor of his stepfather's evil, and wanted to eradicate him mercilessly, just like he did to Catiline. Only in this way can the peace and tranquility of the Republic be maintained.

Then, Cicero pointed his finger directly at the young Caesar standing there and said: "I suggest giving this boy the power to conquer, because he has this kind of prestige, and the army can accept his leadership!"

At this time, the opposition senators booed loudly, expressing their extreme dissatisfaction with Cicero's dictatorship. Someone shouted, "He is not old enough. I don't believe he can suppress the legions. You know if this kind of If something goes wrong in the slightest, the consequences can be devastating.”

Someone else said sarcastically, "Cicero, your son-in-law has already set off from the port. If Antony is a public enemy, what should Eurabella do with him? Aren't the accomplices of a public enemy also a public enemy?"

"If Antony is a public enemy, Eurabella will be treated equally. I have no intention of bending the law for personal gain in supporting the republic." Cicero's reply was resounding.

Soon, the news came again that Brutus and Cassius escaped from the city of Rome with a small number of followers and a seal granted in advance by the Senate.

The senators made loud noises again, some sad and some booing. Cicero's party soon gained the upper hand at the resolution level. But Cicero's tone became extremely severe. "Who gave the chief executive's seal to Brutus privately without the necessary procedures? We need to get to the bottom of it tonight and find out these guys who have always sheltered the murderers." After that, Cicero The report on the proposed secret ballot was obviously aimed at Aetius, Spinzel, Casca and Banks who had not yet had time to escape.

However, Octavian begged not to do this, but in a very gentle tone. He said that his goal was Antony, because Antony was the bastard who embezzled the inheritance, and the escape of Brutus, Cassius and Eurabella also proved that these three were the masterminds of Caesar's murder. The city has been plunged into chaos and massacre. I am just a child who hopes to avenge my adoptive father and limit everything within a reasonable range. I do not want to affect the rest of the people at all, so I implore you to help me in terms of official position and prestige. "Finished. Like a child asking for advice from his teacher, Octavian handed a tablet to everyone one by one. On it were engraved the guilt of Antony, as well as the necessity and legitimacy of the authority given to him.

When the writing board was handed to Casca and Spinzel, their sweat continued to break out and their hands trembled. However, after thinking about it, they were still ready to take the pen and ink from the clerk's hand, ready to compromise and sign it. stamp.

"Idiot, don't sign!" Aetius and Banks over there shouted angrily, but they still couldn't stop them. Then the fortune teller Merut also signed and sent it to Aetius as a writing board. When they were in front of a few people, they turned their faces away with all their strength, expressing their complete and utter rejection.

But Octavian just remained humble and polite, and did not say any offensive and extreme words, because the attitude of a few people such as Aetius did not help at all. The resolution has been passed - Octavian owns Lucania and Brindi. He was given the command of the Sixth and Twelfth Legion in the West, and he was granted the power of acting constable to replace Gaius, who had escaped. In addition, Cicero was still unsatisfied and added an individual targeting Octavian. Bill of Rights, which was to give him a golden statue to stand in front of the synagogue in the name of the Republic, to restore the statue of Lepidus (Cicero also wanted to show his kindness, of course), and to declare an amnesty for everyone except Antony.

After completing these matters at once, Cicero continued to ask for a vote on Antony's declaration of public enemies. His tendency was to immediately appoint Pansa, Hedius and Lesser Caesar to send troops to cooperate with Deximus to defeat or kill Antony.

However, both Picasso and Igurus expressed fierce opposition, so Cicero adopted a compromise plan. He drafted a letter of interrogation against Antony, requiring the other party to disarm and return to Rome for trial as soon as possible, otherwise he would be deprived of all his property. identity and power, and resorted to the means of military conquest. Originally, Igurus insisted that he write this letter because he had the best personal relationship with Antony. However, this request was ruthlessly rejected by Cicero, and many senators who had secretly contacted him were bound to exclude Igurus.

The result was already one-sided. At this time, the two clerks who had been bribed in advance hurriedly took advantage of the senator's attention to other aspects to sketch out the message and handed it to another retainer who had also been bribed. At the side door of the brightly lit auditorium , secretly and quickly delivered the core content of the resolution and handed it over to Fulivia's hands.

"Our entire family has been tricked by our mortal enemy Cicero." Fulivia said, tearing the letter with trembling hands.

"Confiscate property? No, we can't just capture Fulivia. Even if the property is confiscated, our personal safety cannot be violated, otherwise it will cause a burden to Marco on the front line." After hearing the news, Claudia made a quick decision , "Let's go, there is still a place for us to stay in Rome."

Before the third sentry at night, Fulvia and Claudia, who were dressed in mourning clothes, and Anthony's mother Julia, did not dare to sit in the sedan chair, but came barefoot, carrying only some jewelry and valuables, accompanied by several armed slaves (the rest of the slaves were temporarily dismissed), and knocked on the door for help.

The sound alarmed all the people, including the women, Marcus, Lepidus's adoptive father, and Princia, Botti and Corinna, and the newlywed Vivia and her hairdressing maid, all gathered in the courtyard, where Kelly was waiting for orders with dozens of door slaves.

"They are begging for Prima's help, Master Marcus, with just one word from you, I will decide whether to accept these women or drive them away and let the Senate deal with them." Kelly folded his hands and asked.

Marcos hummed and hawed a few times, not knowing what to do. To be honest, he really hated Claudia, but now it was another woman who asked for shelter, and Marcos himself was a very kind person, so he hesitated, but Princia kept instigating the latter.

In the end, Marcos could only focus on Boti's mother and daughter and Corinna, meaning to let them decide.

"I want to let them in. No matter what, Leo is still in Anthony's army." Vivia couldn't help but spoke first.

At this time, Boti, who heard Vivia's attitude, looked at her daughter twice, then nodded slightly, and asked Kelly, Fulvia had helped us mother and daughter before, and now that we are in trouble, how can we do something that completely disregards the old relationship? (To be continued...)