The panicked generals of Thurii, after an emergency consultation with the city council, decided to dispatch an envoy to Croton to beg for forgiveness and offer any and all compensation.

When the news reached Amendolara, Davos and the senators were stunned. In the Greek world, an envoy represented the city-state itself. To kill an envoy was a grave taboo, an act that often meant war.

Amendolara immediately canceled its plans to participate in the Isthmian Games and began to closely monitor the developing situation.

“Father, this is wonderful! The Thurians are finally about to receive their punishment from the gods!” Sostratus exclaimed, running excitedly into the rear courtyard.

Kunogelata, who was lying on a couch and basking in the sun to help his injuries heal, did not share his son’s excitement. The former strategos protos of Thurii wore a grim expression and lamented, “I told them! I told them that Neanthis would be the ruin of Thurii!”

***

By the time the Thurian envoy arrived in Croton on a horse lathered in sweat, the generals of Croton had already received the news via a merchant ship. They listened to the envoy’s pleas with cold indifference, scoffing at Thurii’s offer to “provide any compensation.” They had only one reply: “We can go to Thurii and take what we want for ourselves. As much as we want.”

Croton had tolerated Thurii for long enough. In the century since their victory over Sybaris, Croton’s power had grown steadily, making it one of the most formidable city-states in Magna Graecia. Yet, they had been forced to permit the founding of Thurii due to the might of Athens—a humiliation for a power accustomed to dominating the “instep” of Italy. This incident provided the perfect pretext to settle old scores and new grievances, while also replenishing their depleted treasury. It was a chance to kill two birds with one stone.

On that same day, the citizen assembly of Croton passed a resolution to declare war on Thurii. A general mobilization was called. By the morning of the third day, seven thousand elite citizen-soldiers had been assembled. Croton’s allies, Aspustum and Siritum, sent another three thousand to join them. Terina, having just been weakened by war and now facing the Bruttians directly, sent only thirty cavalrymen. Caulonia also offered to join the war, but Croton politely declined; Caulonia was an essential southern buffer against the Locrian league, a long-standing enemy of Croton, and its security could not be compromised.

Four days later, after offering sacrifices at the Temple of Apollo in Croton and receiving a favorable omen from the divination, Melanthius, one of the Ten Generals, led a grand army of ten thousand men and marched north.

War had finally erupted between Croton and Thurii.

Upon receiving the news of Croton’s advance, Neanthis was consumed by anxiety. At the urging of his colleagues, he proposed an emergency session of the citizen assembly.

At the assembly, he delivered a passionate speech. He began by recounting the failure of the city council’s attempts to secure peace and repeated the arrogant reply of the Crotoniates, which immediately sparked indignation among many citizens. But when they heard that Croton’s army numbered ten thousand men, a long, heavy silence fell over the assembly. Although this force was smaller than the Lucanian tribal coalition, this was an army of true Greek hoplites, and the citizen-soldiers of Croton were renowned throughout Magna Graecia for their combat prowess.

Just then, a vineyard owner named Orphis shouted, “We should send another envoy! We must sue for peace with Croton and agree to all their demands!”

“Their demand is for money and resources,” General Polyxus stood and countered. “But the critical problem is that our treasury is empty! We cannot produce more money unless we levy a special war tax on the citizens.”

At the mention of taxes, the assembly once again fell silent.

In the end, the citizens, scarred by recent conflict and terrified of another war, reached a compromise. They reluctantly agreed to the city hall’s tax proposal in the hopes of averting disaster, but they feared that even this would not be enough to satisfy Croton’s appetite.

“We have to at least try!” Praexinas shouted, raising his arms. “Lost wealth can be earned again, but if we lose our loved ones, it will be too late for regrets!”

The proposal was passed, and Neanthis breathed a temporary sigh of relief.

“Why don’t we go to Tarentum and ask them to mediate with Croton on our behalf?” another citizen stood and suggested. “Tarentum initiated the defensive alliance of Magna Graecia; surely they do not wish to see its member states at war! With Tarentum’s power, Croton will certainly have to show some deference. It would make an armistice much more likely!”

“That is an excellent idea, Enanilous!” Neanthis praised. As the owner of Thurii’s largest shipyard, Enanilous was not a man to be easily offended. Neanthis nodded eagerly. “Thank you for the reminder. We will dispatch a messenger to Tarentum to ask for their aid immediately!”

“Even if an armistice is possible, we must prepare for failure,” another man stood and said. “What will we do if Croton is determined to fight?”

Neanthis looked and saw that it was Anxitanos speaking. Although their relationship had been strained by the Kunogelata affair, he had to admit the man’s advice was sound. “Honored Anxitanos,” Neanthis asked, “do you have any good suggestions?”

“First, we must arm our citizens. The Crotoniates are numerous and powerful; we cannot face them in open battle. Our high walls will help us withstand their assault and wear down their morale.”

Anxitanos’s words found purchase with many of the citizens. “That’s right! Thurii’s defenses are strong! The Lucanians failed to take our city twice, and the Crotoniates will be no different!”

Anxitanos continued, “Second… Amendolara is our ally. We all know how capable their soldiers are in battle. We should request their aid!”

At the mention of Amendolara, Neanthis felt as if he had swallowed a fly. But to his dismay, the attendees voiced their enthusiastic agreement. “Anxitanos is right! We must ask for their help! With them on our side, we can rest easy!”

“I said from the beginning it wasn’t worth ruining our relationship with Amendolara over a few slaves! Now it won’t be so easy to ask for their help!”

Comments like these caused Neanthis’s face to shift from pale to flushed with embarrassment. Forcing himself to remain composed, he said, “That is a fine proposal. Burkos, you will make the trip.”

Burkos, who was usually mild-mannered, flatly refused. “My abilities are insufficient. It would be better to send the more capable Praexinas.”

At the sound of his name, Praexinas looked down and said nothing. He knew that if he went, not only would he fail to secure aid, he would likely be beaten up again.

It was no wonder Burkos was being uncooperative. He had been the one to urge the city hall to honor its promise and free the slaves from the start. When his proposal was ignored and the slave revolt occurred, Burkos, knowing Davos, had argued that Amendolara would certainly refuse to return them. He had contended it would be better to graciously grant the slaves their freedom and, in doing so, curry favor with Amendolara.

Neanthis and the other generals had not only rejected his advice but had also concluded that Burkos’s close relationship with Davos would make it difficult for him to take a hard line in demanding the slaves’ return. That was why they had sent the aggressive Praexinas instead. The words Burkos had just used to refuse the mission were some of the very same words Neanthis had used to deny him the first embassy. Now, Burkos was throwing them right back in his face, and the expression on Neanthis’s face was a sight to behold.

Though he was seething with resentment, Neanthis had no choice but to plead. “Burkos, the very survival of Thurii is at stake! No one but you can accomplish this mission! I implore you, go to Amendolara and ask Davos to send troops to our aid!”

Having made his point and vented his frustration, and with the citizens all urging him on, Burkos gave a curt nod of agreement.

“Amendolara is a small city. The reinforcements they can send will likely not be many. In the end, we must rely on ourselves,” Anxitanos continued. “I propose we mobilize the freemen to fight and promise them citizenship. Of course, we have made such a promise before and failed to honor it. To regain their trust, this time we must grant them citizenship the moment they agree to fight!”

This suggestion was even more unpalatable to Neanthis than the last. It wasn’t just him; based on their own self-interest, almost none of the assembled citizens were willing to agree to it. In the end, the only answer Anxitanos received was, “This requires further discussion…”

***

While the citizen assembly of Thurii was still in session, the army of Croton, after a half-day’s march, arrived outside the city of Crimisa.

Crimisa had originally been a colony of Sybaris. After Sybaris fell, it had become an ally of Croton. The treaty Athens had brokered for the founding of Thurii specifically stipulated that Castellum and Crimisa must remain neutral.

Now, faced with the massive Crotoniate army, Crimisa opened its gates without hesitation and voluntarily sent one thousand of its own men to join the invading force.

***

“Melanthius of Croton is forty-five years old. In his youth, he won the Olympic wrestling competition twice and the Isthmian Games wrestling competition once. He has fought in many battles against the Locrians and the Bruttians and has twice led an army to victory as an independent commander. He is a courageous fighter who often leads the charge from the front. However, he is not well-liked by his soldiers because he tends to take all the credit for their victories. He is said to be tall and handsome, lives a life of luxury, and is very popular with the women of Croton. For this reason, the men are jealous of him and have often intentionally voted against him in the elections for general. His friends often advise him to be more modest and less ostentatious, but he simply replies, ‘Apollo gifted me with a beautiful body and a brilliant mind. If no one were jealous, it would not serve to highlight my excellence!’”