thrown by Varro, who cried out, “This is ridiculous! That bastard has cut us off from our supplies, brining about the real possibility that this army may starve to death before we have faced the enemy on the field. That is, of course, if we don’t die of thirst first, as the continued attacks on our water bearers make it impossible for us to reach the Aufidus river. And now, you suggest that we divide our forces into two camps.” Varro had the support of most of the officers in the tent, who voiced their agreement, demanding that Paullus and his supporters heed their master’s call to arms.
“That is why we must split our troops, to better protect our foraging parties, so we aren’t forced to withdraw from the field,” Paullus rebuked, sounding calmer than his rival and soon to be father-in-law.
Varro looked tired, as if he hadn’t slept for days. Gaius recognized the signs. The old senator wasn’t accustomed to military service. It had been decades since last Varro had worn armor, no less commanded troops into battle, and even then, never under these circumstances.
“The liability of our sizes has become our weakness,” Paullus added.
“Our size is our strength!” Varro cried, slamming his fist against a nearby table. “To separate, as you have suggested will weaken our position here. Already Hannibal’s cavalry has been emboldened to strike at our forward lines, coming just a few feet from our ramparts. I can’t afford to give him the opportunity to try something even bolder.”
Gaius was conflicted as the two sides continued their argument. He could see the wisdom in both, but he also knew that if the water problem wasn’t solved, starvation wouldn’t be an issue. If the army had to retreat because of supplies, the flank would be exposed to Hannibal’s forces. Weakened men from lack of food and water would die by the hundreds. Suddenly, Gaius wondered if ancient kings such as Xerxes, who brought a million men to Greece hadn’t faced such issues that threatened his invasion.
“Hannibal must be confronted, now!” Varro cried out. “I will take our legions out tomorrow and present ourselves for battle, as it is my right by law!”
“And if he does not stand, as he hadn’t yesterday, then what will be done?” Paullus asked, sensing the worst.
“Then, we shall storm Cannae and take back what is ours,” Varro replied, which brought a roar of approval from many of his supporters.
“Do not be such a fool, Varro!” Paullus yelled as he tried to be heard over those that stood with his opponent. However, years of debating in the Senate taught the old senator how to win the audience to his side.
“We cannot face Hannibal in the open. With the river to one side, the hills to another and a force of this size, we won’t be able to maneuver. We risk being enveloped!” Paullus pleaded as he tried to point out his military experience, but Varro and his supporters weren’t having any of it.
“Encircled! We outnumber the barbarians three to one. He doesn’t have the manpower to envelop our entire line, nor does Hannibal’s barbarian allies have the discipline to stand and fight in a pitched battle. They will buckle under our weight. By dusk, the ground will be littered with the dead of Hannibal’s horde, and Rome will again be safe,” Varro protested.
“Well, there you have it, my father the great general,” Antony commented with a sneer.
“Hannibal may not fight tomorrow, so everyone might be getting all worked up over nothing. The day after, Paullus will command, and he will have to act. Perhaps then a better solution will have presented itself,” Gaius commented.
“Tell me, my friend, if you were Hannibal, a man who probably knows us better than we know ourselves, who would you rather fight — Paullus or my father?” Antony asked.
Gaius sighed as the arguing continued for hours more. Neither side was willing to break from their standpoint, as both Paullus and Varro believed they had the winning strategy that would end the war. Both men knew what was at stake, but Gaius wondered how much the prospect of fame and immortal glory played into either man’s thinking. Win the day and Varro wouldn’t need Paullus and his money to rise higher in the Senate, which for Gaius meant, while distant, there was the possibility that he might not marry Julia to Paullus.
Paullus, on the other hand, already had great power and wealth, but not the support within the Senate. While popular during war, in peace he would be faced with an uphill battle to see any of his measures passed if Varro stood against him. The two families might be at odds for generation, if one man over the other defeated Hannibal in the coming days.
However, the other side to that coin, Hannibal somehow defeating both men, was a future that was more frightful. Both men would lose everything, if they survived, but Rome might be the ultimate victim if these men did not find a way to work together, for the benefit of the Republic, or all might be lost come morning.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Both Gaius and Valerius stood before Antony, who had summoned both men. It was well past nightfall, and the long meeting between Paullus and Varro had come to a conclusion, with no meaningful results.
While Antony did not outrank either man, as son of Varro, co-leader of the vast army sent to crush Hannibal, he carried his father’s authority and had been tasked with issuing his orders. Gaius could see that it troubled his friend, as he sat behind a long desk, surprisingly small before the two veterans.
Antony looked as if he hadn’t slept in days as large droopy bags hung under his eyes, which were blood-shot from having spent too many hours going over paperwork inside the dimly lit tent. Gaius wondered when the last time Antony ate as the man looked ten stones lighter.
Antony cleared his throat as he reached for a rolled-up parchment that sat among a stack of documents and clay tablets.
“My father is reassigning a portion of the Sixth Legion, three cohorts to the town of Canusium. We will be using it as a secondary supply depot and hospital for wounded, after the battle. I expect you and your men to hold the town against any possible Carthaginian counterattack,” Antony said as he handed the orders over to Valerius.
“Understood,” Valerius replied, his words calm and collective, as always. However, Gaius’ mouth hung open, dumbfounded by what Antony had just said.
Valerius nodded without saying another word before he turned on his heels and started to leave. However, Gaius remained fixed at his spot, staring down at Antony, angry by what he had just done.
Valerius said nothing to Gaius, knowing full well what his pupil was going to say. So, he left the two boys alone.
“What are you doing?” Gaius demanded.
“Canusium is important to our efforts. My father needs good men who can be trusted to safeguard the town,” Antony replied, sitting back down in his chair.
“Your father did not issue these orders, did he?” Gaius suddenly realized as he stared down at his friend, who was silent for a long while.
Antony took a deep breath. “The orders to hold Canusium do come from him. However, the decision to send you is my reasoning,” Antony admitted.
“Dammit, Antony! Why do this to me?”
Antony bolted out from his chair and slammed his fists down upon his desk.
“What do you expect me to do?” he cried out. “You were in that meeting. You heard my father speak. Those damn fools will follow him to the gates of Tartarus if he asked them, which is right where he is taking this army.”
Antony took a deep breath before he continued, this time his voice low and calmer.
“They underestimate Hannibal. They all have from the first day of this war, and no one; my father chief among them will listen to reason. He believes that he can win through numbers. I fear, however, that will be our undoing.”
Antony closed his eyes as he placed his hands over his head, holding his face sorrowfully as he sighed deeply.
