Carthaginian Empire - The Complete Series by David Bowman

Author:David Bowman [Bowman, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bluewood Publishing
Published: 2015-08-19T07:00:00+00:00

* * * *

“Sire, this cannot go on.”

Alexander knew that the next few moments would make or break his career in the military of his adopted country.

“Go on, young man.”

The startled whispers started up again and then as quickly died away as the courtiers realised that their king was prepared to listen to this Macedonian upstart.

“Thirty-one years ago, my adopted father stopped a Persian inspired and financed rebellion in my home town of Pella. Eleven years ago, he captured this Egyptian port city from Persia. Four years later, he captured Tyre and destroyed an entire Persian army on the Issus where he died from his wounds. In Hanno’s memory, why are we not openly at war with the Persians?”

Alexander was just getting into his stride.

“We fight now from the far north along the Danube down to the south and east of here. We fight a war of a thousand cuts, nay a way of a thousand pinpricks whilst that mangy dog, Darius, sits in his far off palaces and laughs at us.

“Sire, it is time, aye, and past time, that we stop this playacting with them. It is time we stopped shadow boxing with them. It is time we marched on them. In the deserts north of Tyre we have advanced, what, a hundred leagues in seven years? We rule the True Sea, but their pirates still raid the coasts of my homeland and south into Greece. We fight as far as the Bosporus but cannot penetrate into the sea they dare to call the Persian lake!

“Our troops are bogged down along the northern rivers. It will take a generation to beat down the tribes there and find a route through. Let us land on the Anatolian coast and drive for the heart of the decadent empire. Let us loose and we will capture Darius himself. For the glory of Carthage and the memory of Hanno!”

The Carthaginian emperor nodded slowly and smiled at the young man standing before him.

“You are no longer the boy your adopted father brought to see me when you were only so high.”

He gestured vaguely his hand about three feet from the ground.

“Nor are you the young man who volunteered to fight at your father’s side in the campaigns here. But as a grown man, you have not yet learnt the patience that turned your adopted father from a good man and a good leader of men into a great one. Patience you must learn.”

The nod of dismissal was unmistakable and Alexander bowed low and left the august presence of his monarch.

Dusk found him deep in his cups and staring morosely at the walls of the room his liege lord had assigned to him. Finally, he sank into an exhausted and drunken stupor only to be shaken awake by a nervous steward apparently a few moments later.

“Lord, please, wake up, Lord.”

His battlefield reflexes were still finely honed and he was sitting upright his sword in his hand before he was fully awake.

“Lord, there is no need for weapons.

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