Chapter 11 Kara (Part 1)
"In her world, there are only four kinds of beauty: soldiers on the battlefield, monks on the altar, beautiful women on the bed and thieves on the gallows..[].]" - Clavier commented on Isabella of Spain pull
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
When the whole army slowly came down from the high ground, Scipio counted and learned that: the two legions together had killed 900 people, 500 people were missing and fled, and there were about 3,000 people injured, and 70 people were injured. Half of the legion's centurions were killed or wounded, and the Thracian prince Sarada was taken away instead of being handed back.
"Retreat to the other side of the Ariacmon River and rest for two market days." Finally, Scipio gave this order dejectedly. When he and the soldiers walked into the baggage camp, he couldn't help but complain that Apis was unwilling to take action to save him, but Apis seemed even more dejected. This guy, who had always been extremely stubborn in Scipio's eyes, was actually wrapped in a woolen blanket. Looking at his thin body, he breathed dreamily into the cold air. Then he saw Scipio, and then pointed to the soldiers' backpacks and luggage on the ground of the camp, and said, "This is your belief." With Pillars, you have become slaves to standards.”
Scipio didn't know what he was expressing, and he didn't care. He just asked him to replenish and train the team in the future, and a large amount of food, wine and coins would be sent from Delphi soon. "Stay like this until the rest period is over." After that, I will reward all these to my subordinates, and then go out to fight again. The merit of defeating Caesar still belongs to me. "
In Caesar's Mountain Camp at the Siege of Corcula. Behind the palisades and walls of the fortress, soldiers gathered around, and the scale officer brought lunch meals. When the steaming food was piled on the soldiers' plates, they realized that it was just barley porridge mixed with lentils and chickpeas.
But the soldiers didn't say anything. Caesar's men liked to cause trouble in their free time, but in this situation, they had shared the joys and sorrows with their commander many times in the previous wars between Gaul and Spain. I have long been accustomed to it, and I also understand that complaining is an extremely shameful behavior, because everyone believes it. Their dictator, Julius Caesar, must have been eating the same food.
It's just that the beans are too hard, and the barley porridge is very thin. Many soldiers haven't even had a day after finishing their meals. They began to line up in the trench under the wall. Thunder poured down inside, "We have to find a way to get some wheat bread." Calenus kept saying to the scale officer during his inspection, and then when he saw Caesar's personal confidential slave, he also took the other person's arm, Again, this topic is highlighted.
"There is everything here, except for wheat flour, and of course there is no bread. Just like there can be no eggs without chickens. However, the dictator has just spoken. A large amount of fresh meat has been bought from the cities of Illyria, and soon Finally, the soldiers can wield the barbecue spit, which can make up for the lack of bread. It can warm the stomach anyway, and the effect of the meat is obviously better," said Caesar's confidential slave.
Calenus shrugged his shoulders and said that only low-level people continued to eat meat. If it continued like this, it would damage the soldiers' sense of honor. Then he saw a group of soldiers, humming and carrying wooden stakes, walking toward the other side of the valley. So the lieutenant called to the centurion who was leading the group, and the other party replied in an imposing manner, " Since Pompey’s army has told us that we are short of food, we will make him cut off water.”
It turns out that almost all the rivers flowing through the city of Cocula have the mountain streams occupied by Caesar's army as their upper reaches. "Water-cutting attack" has become the greatest fun of Caesar's troops when there is no battle. When they encounter shallower streams, they will Use pickaxes and shovels to open it up and let the water drain into the ground. If you encounter a larger river, you will first drive wooden stakes into the ground, and use stones to build a small dam similar to a gate in the middle to force them to change. flow direction.
Rabinus's four legions began to suffer from severe water shortage. A large number of pack animals died, and their bodies were thrown everywhere, emitting a highly toxic smell. Rabinus sent men and horses to dig wells in front of the blockade. But in the severe cold of winter, this was an extremely difficult and ineffective task, and there was also the risk of being attacked by Caesar's cavalry. A funny and cruel scene appeared. On the two blockades, Pompey's soldiers ate toast and various flour cakes in front of Caesar's soldiers; in turn, Caesar's soldiers had to eat bread even if they were hungry. Holding the kettle, he drank heavily in front of the other party.
But in the black market established secretly by soldiers from both sides, the pieces of meat that have not yet spoiled, whether from mules or cattle, as well as a small amount of water that is exchanged for money, are sold at very high prices. Every curfew Later, brave soldiers would sneak out from their respective camps and exchange these things in the ditch in the center.
Until one day, a novel food was placed in front of Caesar's eyes, "What is this?"
As a result, the dictator's slaves waved their hands and said that they had never seen this thing before, but that soldiers would buy this thing from the locals when they were short of food, because the fruits of this plant can be harvested in August and can be kept. Long lasting without being bad. Caesar picked up these small curved flaky fruits, then put them into his mouth and chewed them. Then he nodded and said to the officers and slaves, "There are no shortcomings except that they are not bread."
"Yes, I once asked the soldiers who eat this thing. They all call it "Kara". Now when eating roasted meat and barley beans, the soldiers will mix this thing together. It is said to be very beneficial to the stomach. In addition, the camp prostitutes also said that after they eat Kara, even their dysmenorrhea is much better." Kalenus described the function of this food, but when he talked about "dysmenorrhea", he obviously felt that he had said something wrong, because it was taboo to mention these things in the military camp, and it was considered unlucky.
However, Caesar seemed not to have heard this. He put down the "Kara" in a somewhat uneasy manner, and then said: "I remember that I heard Varro, the naturalist, say that this thing is actually caraway seeds in the forest. Now my people have to eat these things to survive... But I still hope that everyone can persevere, and strengthen the protection of water sources. Labinus will not sit idly by."
Caesar guessed correctly. At this moment, in the camp of Cocula, Labinus summoned all the commanders of the three legions, "I need to select a battalion from each legion, and then attack the hill in the east to destroy the fortifications and dams that Caesar used to block the river, because the water shortage problem is getting more and more serious. I don't think there will be any rain this winter."
In addition, Labinus also sent all the auxiliary archers of the army, mainly Thracians carrying bows and javelins, a total of 2,000 people, to accompany the three battalions. All the soldiers set out at the second sentry time, following the dark mountain road and approaching the barrier under Caesar's blockade line. "Let's harass them first to see if they are strong or weak." The centurion in charge whispered this order to the troops behind him. (To be continued...)