Sparks of Conflict

Pompeius and his 60,000-strong army were an enormous pressure just to exist.

After landing in Brundisium, Pompeius threw a simple banquet to relieve the fatigue of his men.

The Senate watched Pompeius' every move with a keen eye.

Sulla enacted strict laws to prevent anyone from overthrowing Rome by force, as he had done.

The commander of a legion must disband his army at the Rubicon when returning to Rome from the north and at Brundisium when returning from the south.

In addition, the commander was not allowed into the walls of Rome until the day of the triumphus.

The problem was that the Senate had no power to enforce the law.

It wasn't as if Pompeius could march into the capital and impose a dictatorship like Sulla if he wanted to.

All the Senate could do was pass laws that would be popular with citizens and raise their approval ratings.

The idea was that once the Senate's popularity was established, even Pompeius could not act rashly.

Marcus was watching with interest to see what Pompeius would choose.

It has already been said that the Senate will only be looking at the opportunity to keep Pompeius in check.

He didn't heed the advice at the time, but now it's been a year.

Pompeius might have changed his mind.

'It would be easier for me if he at least insisted on a minor key arrangement.'

So many variables can arise from Pompeius' choices that it's impossible to prepare for all of them.

Fortunately or unfortunately, a letter arrived in Marcus' personal folder.

It was a letter written before Pompeius departed from the East.

Marcus, who read the middle part, smirked without realizing it.

This is because it's so easy to imagine how Pompeius felt when he wrote the letter.

Marcus went on to read a letter full of pride.

"Ha, Pompeius.... I was telling you that."

Marcus lamented as he put the letter down. Hearing his sigh, Julia approached, shaking her head.

Her eyes flicked quickly over the letter Marcus had handed her, and they were in disbelief.

"Is he actually going to just disband the army, without getting any promises from the Senate?"

"I knew it, which is why I told him to get a promise, even if it's just for a quick draft, but I guess that didn't work."

"Hmmm.... That's never going to go over well with the Senate, but from the looks of Pompeius' letter, my dad is really.... As his daughter, I can only apologize to Mr. Pompeius."

"As far as I can tell, my father-in-law didn't have much to do with Mr. Pompeius' wife. You know, he was, um.... likes quiet people, don't you?"

"Hah.... That's not comforting at all."

Julia shook her head in frustration.

As much as she loved and respected her father, she didn't want to take sides when it came to women's issues.

Marcus kept his mouth shut so as not to provoke Julia further.

In fact, he wasn't even laid back enough to care about Caesar's personal life.

The good news is that Pompeius kindly wrote to explain that he was disbanding the army.

This gave him a better idea of how things were going to play out.

'Now I'm going to have to make some adjustments to make sure I don't get too far from the actual history.'

He tried to make things happen in history with Catilina, and it went completely off the rails, and this time he tried to make changes and failed to change Pompeius' stubbornness.

The problem is that the situation in the Senate today is a little different from its original history.

Having successfully put down Catilina's rebellion, which had caused even greater ripples than the original, they were on a high momentum.

They may have lost Pulcher's trial, but they didn't see it as anything more than a minor setback.

If Pompeius shows any signs of weakness here, the Senate will not miss the opportunity.

It's possible that they're taking out all their frustrations on Pompeius that have been neglected so far.

This shouldn't be the case.

Whether Pompeius is defeated this early or, conversely, has a secret agreement with the Senate, Marcus's plans are severely disrupted.

'I guess it's up to me to fix things after all, and Pompeius will know of my labors.'

Those who cause problems, both East and West, do not know the feelings of those who fix them.

With a weary sigh, Marcus made his way to Crassus' room to discuss what happened next.

* * *

Pompeius, who hadn't suffered a single failure, assumed this would be no different.

The thought of being overconfident and getting in trouble was not in his head.

He immediately disbanded the army, as he stated in his letter.

Accompanied only by a handful of legionaries and praetors, he marched north to Rome along the Appian Way.

Pompeius' return procession was as lavish as his fame.

A great general is known in the East as the Second Coming of Alexandros.

He was greeted with enthusiastic cheers from the citizens who flocked to the streets to catch a glimpse of his face.

Pompeius deliberately slowed his pace, reveling in his obvious popularity.

Surrounded by welcoming crowds, he didn't arrive in Rome until a month after the turn of the year.

Pompeius stayed outside the city walls for now and formally stated his demands.

"The Senate grants permission for me, Pompeius Magnus, to recognize the work I have done and to hold a Triumphus, and demands that I be allowed to stand as a candidate for the election of consul for the following year. Finally, I ask that you approve the plan I have drawn up for the reorganization of the eastern provinces and distribute land to the soldiers who have served under me."

Even if evaluated coldly, Pompeius's demand was never excessive.

Considering what he had accomplished in the East, it could be considered rather modest.

This is where Pompeius extends a conciliatory hand to the Senate.

But the Senate had no intention of doing as Pompeius wished.

After disbanding his army, Pompeius was no longer feared.

In addition, public support for the Senate was quite high, thanks to the passage of a series of reform bills.

The Senate decided this was a golden opportunity to tame Pompeius.

Hardliners like Cato suggested ignoring all demands for anything but triumphus.

Some even said that it would be better to reduce the size of the triumphus.

"Pompeius has had too much privilege up to this point, so why not let him experience a little setback for a change? It will make him stronger in the future."

"Hahaha, what iron is Pompeius, the harder you hit him, the harder he gets."

"Given Pompeius' personality, I think he'd be livid that it was an insult to him."

"What's the point of him getting angry, he's already disbanded his army."

The voices of the senators were filled with mockery.

The meeting was already being held on the premise of rejecting Pompeius's proposal.

Watching the scene from the corner of the room, Marcus clicked his tongue.

Originally, the next time he could sit in on a Senate meeting was the year after his term as Quaestor ended.

However, Catilina's rebellion had left the Senate with more seats vacant than was currently expected.

This allowed the Quaestors, who were also granted automatic seats, to enter the Senate a year early.

Like a new senator, Marcus has quietly listened to opinions without making any remarks.

But as the sentiment against Pompeius grew, waiting and seeing was no longer enough.

He cautiously raised his hand and asked to speak.

"Honorable Senators, I'm only a newbie, but I'd like to make a presumptuous statement."

"Oh, Marcus, now that you are a senator, speak without hesitation."

Many senators, including Cicero, were not at all uncomfortable with the comments of the still-young Marcus.

It was a spectacular view of how much the Senate favored Marcus.

But technically, it was more of a cheer than support.

If you get it wrong, public opinion will turn on you like the flip of a palm.

Marcus went on, paying close attention.

"I think we can all agree that Pompeius has been given too much privilege in the past, but it's also true that there was no one else at the time who could have done the job, and I think he deserves to be commended for the incalculable benefit he has brought to Rome."

"By the way, Pompeius has shown too much disrespect for the Senate so far. You've never been in the Senate, so you don't realize it."

"Yes. I, too, believe that Pompeius should have been more considerate of the Senate, and I realize that if we give in to all of his demands this time, the Senate will not have another chance to take the lead."

Cicero affirmed Marcus's words and added another word.

"And it will give Pompeius confidence that he can bend the Senate to his will. I am close to him, but the political balance demands that the Senate win this time."

"Of course, of course we should, but we shouldn't completely ignore the heroes who have done so much for Rome. It would set a bad precedent for the future if a hero of Pompeius's stature couldn't even be honored with a proper triumphus. Besides, those who don't understand the complexities of the current political situation would certainly think the Senate had done a shady job."

"Is it necessary to listen to each of those ignorant people?"

"When the ignorant crowd starts clamoring, there's a risk that if you get it wrong, public opinion will be shaped. Of course, the support of the Senate is solid at the moment. But you must consider that Mr. Pompeius also has support from a vast class of citizens."

"I don't think we'd lose much if it became a popularity contest at this point... If anything, it would be to our disadvantage because Pompeius would be more popular if he had a fancy triumphus."

"It's the opposite. On the contrary, a man of Pompeius's stature who can't even get a proper triumphus will win the sympathy of the citizens. A war hero who has done great things but is oppressed by the vested interests. That's the kind of impression that would win the sympathy of the citizens."

There were a few nods of agreement that it made sense.

Cato groaned in annoyance and shook his head.

"So you're saying that we should allow some kind of triumphus."

"Yes. And you're right to open it with as much splendor as possible, on a scale unprecedented in history. Crowds are obsessed with visible form. All we need to do is give the perception that the Senate has recognized Pompeius's merit and given him the glory he deserves, and we can drag out the rest of the matter with all the right excuses and not give the impression that the Senate is being ungrateful."

"That's a good idea, but the Senate would have to be prepared for a lot of bloodshed if they wanted to fully crush Pompeius.... It would be more efficient to let him dry up slowly, and the Senate's honor would not be tarnished."

Following Cato, Cicero also expressed a desire to spare Pompeius' honor.

But it was clear that he should not be given any real power.

"The most important thing is to make sure that Pompeius doesn't run for consul, because no matter how hard you try to push his demands, if he becomes consul, he's going to take matters into his own hands, so the first thing you have to do is find a way to stop him from running."

Once they had a clear direction, concrete plans began to flow like water.

Caesar, sitting next to Marcus, snorted.

He was supposed to be the governor of Hispania but was stalled by the protests of his creditors.

However, he worked out a deal with his biggest creditor, Marcus, who guaranteed he'd be able to leave next month.

He whispered to Marcus in a low voice.

"Do you think the day will ever come when that wise men will put the national interest above the checks and balances of politics?"

"Shouldn't we make them come?"

"Well.... I don't think any kind of shock therapy is going to work. What we're watching is a discussion of how to nicely break the bridge of the nose of a man who has worked his ass off for the glory of Rome."

There was an unmistakable note of disgust in Caesar's voice.

Marcus's feelings were not much different.

Of course, regardless of how the two felt, the meeting proceeded steadily.

The Senate concluded to grant only the first part of Pompeius' request: to hold a triumphus.

The Senate decided to honor Pompeius with one of the most spectacular triumphus in history.

They decided to delay the land allocation and organizing of provinces with the excuse that they needed time.

Caesar sighed openly in this part as if he could not believe it.

"Aside from potentially staining Pompeius's credibility, I think the Eastern provincials need to be dealt with one way or another, and the longer we drag this out, the more it's going to hurt Rome's hand."

Naturally, no senators listened to Caesar.

The Senate was busy praising each other, calling the scheme they had come up with a trick.

Certainly, it was a clever move in the sense of humiliating Pompeius.

If Pompeius delays the distribution of land that he's already promised to his men, he'll lose his credentials with them.

The longer he delays in organizing the eastern provinces, the less prestige he will have left behind in the conquest.

Now all that's left is to stop Pompeius from running for the consulship.

Lucullus came up with a brilliant idea here.

He had been humiliated by Pompeius when he was removed as commander of the East.

That's why they went about the task of disgracing Pompeius almost like a fish out of water.

"As everyone knows, candidacy for the consulship must be completed before the summer when the elections are held, and in principle the candidate himself must come to Capitoline Hill. But the general for the triumphudcannot come within the walls until the day of the triumphus, which means that if we schedule the triumphus after the consulship elections are over, Pompeius will not even be able to appear as a candidate for the consulship."

"Oh, that's great, but what if he makes a formal request to be allowed to run in absentia?"

Cicero smiled and immediately gave an answer.

"Nomination in absentia is, in principle, the method used when a candidate is unable to come to Rome. Pompeius, however, is not within the city walls, he is simply in Rome, and there is nothing legally wrong with the Senate rejecting him."

"What are the chances, then, that Pompeius will abandon the triumphus and run for the consulship?"

"That doesn't make any sense. You're giving up the most spectacular triumphus in the history of Rome? Pompeius is a person of great stature who thinks he can become consul if he waits a year. He would rather choose the triumphus, even if it meant waiting a year."

In order for the Senate to maintain its oligarchy in the future, it must hold Pompeius's leash here.

Neither Cicero, Cato nor any of the other central figures saw their actions as unjustified repression.

This is all the nation's determination to defend the Republic's future.

It's not just self-deception, but the majority of senators really thought this.

In the end, the date of Pompeius's triumphus was decided to be a day earlier than the last day of September.

It was none other than Pompeius' birthday.

This was another brilliant excuse the Senate came up with.

It was an honor for the Romans to hold a triumphus on their birthday.

This was followed by the statement that the great Roman hero Pompeius deserved special treatment.

Caesar, who watched the whole process, just smiled as if he had no energy to get angry.

"It's a good thing I'm not going to see that, that I'm going to be governor of a province. But it must be quite a headache for you to have to stay in Rome."

"That's right. Still, I think I can take a breather just because the Senate did not push Pompeius to a dead end."

"Do the masters not realize that Pompeius has only disbanded his army, and that those soldiers are still in Italy? I find it hard to believe that no one harbors the uneasy suspicion that if Pompeius were so inclined, he might muster an army and push into Rome."

"Disbanding the army reinforced the perception that Pompeius was different from Sulla, and once that perception is established, it's hard to think of anything else."

"Well.... Actually, I don't think Pompeius would do what Sulla did. Maybe if he thought his life was in danger. Sulla could do it casually because he didn't give a damn what anyone thought of him, but Pompeius is different. And that's what makes him so humanly appealing, but also so politically unsuccessful."

Marcus nodded as if he sympathized.

While they were talking, an official statement from the Senate to Pompeius was passed by an overwhelming majority.

Caesar frowned and continued.

"Still, Pompeius has one chance. He'll have a chance to address the citizens in public before the triumphus, and if he prepares well, he might be able to turn the tide of public opinion. Of course, given Pompeius's oratorical skills, the odds are less than ten percent."

"10 percent is high. It'll be about five percent."

"By the way, isn't Pompeius quite friendly with you? I suppose it's possible that he might seek your wisdom."

Marcus grinned and asked back.

"Do you really think so, Mr. Pompeius?"

"That's right, of course.... Ah, no, that won't happen, at least not for a while. He ignored your advice, disbanded his army, and now that he's seen what happened, he's going to try to take matters into his own hands. His pride won't allow him to call for help right away."

"Yes. I'm probably going to have to suffer quite a bit for a while, and of course I've got quite a headache myself, considering the whole eastern province thing..., but it's not like there's nothing I can do about it, and as much as I've got a headache, I think Pompeius should have a headache too, so it's only fair."

"Hahaha, okay, so I take it then that you have no intention of contacting Pompeius for the time being."

Marcus's gaze fell to the south side of the Servian Wall, where Pompeius would be by now.

"I won't have to reach out to them, they'll find me first when the time comes."

Leaving the Curia Hostilia, Marcus whistled a low tune to the sky.

The sound of the wind, which sounded more serene and strange, was flowing through the clouds into the southern sky, out of keeping with the current situation.