Pompeius tried to say something reflexively, but he was speechless.
When he came here, he was thinking about the number of cases.
All the words were ready to respond to Crassus' wild anger, intimidation, or even pleading.
But he swore he didn't expect Crassus to come out this way.
"Are you asking the Senate to make triumphus to me? Why? For what purpose?"
"To be precise, it is a little different. If they really need to hold a triumphus, Pompeius would be more suitable than me. Well, it was close to saying something like this."
"That's what I don't understand anymore...… If it's your personality, you should have asked for a triumphus yourself. Isn't that real Marcus Licinius Crassus?"
Crassus, whom Pompeius has seen so far, was not the type to give up the benefits he could get.
If there is even the slightest possibility, he will bite hard and hang on to it until the end.
An incarnation of insatiable greed.
Crassus, whom Pompeius recognized, was just such a person.
Crassus leisurely raised his goblet in front of Pompeius, who had an expression of disbelief on his face. When they first met, the annoyed look in his eyes disappeared before he knew it.
"It's no wonder you don't believe it. But I came to a conclusion after thoroughly considering it reasonably. I thought this would be the most profitable."
"Profit? What's the profit of giving up the triumphus?"
It is no exaggeration to say that the triumphus is the highest honor that a Roman can enjoy.
The only people who deserved this honor were the generals who led the meaningful war to victory.
The triumphant general rides a chariot driven by four horses and parades through the city of Rome, offering sacrifices to the god Jupiter.
In this process, citizens and soldiers praise and cheer for the commander who gave Rome a great victory.
It was one of the customs of the triumphus to scatter spoils obtained from the war as gifts to citizens.
Naturally, the citizens enthusiastically welcomed it. In other words, the general who led the war to victory also gave financial benefits to the citizens.
For this reason, the ripple effect of the triumphus was almost absolute.
It is not an exaggeration to say that once the triumphus was held, it reserved the position of consul for the next year.
Besides, Crassus had yet to experience a triumphus.
Even Pompeius, who had a triumphus at the age of 25, was anxious to hold another triumphus.
Furthermore, there is no way Crassus, who is about to have his first triumphus in his life, can give up.
Pompeius continued with a face full of distrust.
"It gives off the feeling that you are plotting something bad. I can't believe it."
"Believe it or not, it's up to you, but we have something to negotiate with you, so let's be honest for now. I don't intend to make unreasonable demands on the Senate."
"If it's your merit this time, you'll be able to ask for a triumphus, right? Why is that an unreasonable request?"
"I can ask for it. If public opinion is properly created, it may make the Senate unable to ignore it. However, if you push the Senate so hard, wouldn't there be a risk of creating only useless enemies? "
It was a reason that made sense. Pompeius laughed and tilted his head.
"Are you afraid to be with the Senate? Is that Crassus? Since when did you become so passive?"
"Of course, if you look at me alone, I can ignore whatever the Senate is talking about. But one day, my son will have to enter the Senate too. If you think about the future, you shouldn't set up too much confrontation with the Senate.
"Son?"
This is another unexpected topic.
When Pompeius left Rome five years ago, Crassus' sons were too young to remember their faces.
Still, there was a certain impression that Crassus was not an extremely devoted parent.
Naturally, a counterargument popped out of Pompeius's mouth.
"I bet you weren't such a fatherly father."
"No, it's an accurate expression. But seeing a child who is better than himself grow up, I feel like I want to do my best to support him. You, too, will know it naturally when your children grow up, right?"
"A child...."
For Pompeius, fatherhood was still an unknown emotion. So it was difficult to tell for sure whether Crassus' words were true or false.
"First of all, I need to hear that it's a negotiation proposal. That way, I can judge whether your words are false or not.
"Anytime. For your information, I only give up the improvement ceremony, but I don't want to give up other things. I have to do at least an abbreviated ovation to save face. And I plan to take the position of consul next year."
"That's nothing...… The consul has two seats anyway, so you and I will be elected. Isn't that a foregone conclusion already?"
Crassus and Pompeius already have tens of thousands of troops each. Almost all of them were voters who would vote in the next election.
The commanders in command of the army usually promised to pass the law which would benefit their subordinates and was given the vote.
Crassus meets all the strict regulations set by Sulla, so it is fine to be nominated as a consul.
He had already served as a praetor, so running for the Consul position was a natural process. The problem was Pompeius.
He has yet to go through any career to become a consul. Even, strictly speaking, he was not even qualified to be a member of the Senate, let alone a consul.
However, the problem was that no one in Rome had a military talent comparable to him.
The Senate racked its brains and granted Pompeii the status of a proconsul, giving him the Imperium.
Of course, this whole process was illegal.
Nevertheless, Pompeius considers it a foregone fact that he will be consul in the next election.
Crassus was twisted by such unfathomable confidence, but he did not express it.
"Once you make a show of force with your legion, the Senate will not be able to oppose your registration as a candidate. But what about the administration of state affairs? The Senate won't have good feelings for you, will it?"
"...what do you want to say?"
"In other words, my help is essential if you want to stably carry out your consul position."
"Then I don't understand more. Why would you give in when it's on my side? It doesn't add up. In addition, it will be the same for each other that needs assistance."
Pompeius was not unwilling to compromise with Crassus either.
This is because cooperation between two consuls is essential to pass a bill in favor of his subordinates anyway.
No matter how much the consul proposes the bill, he will reject the bill if another consul exercises his veto.
As Crassus also wanted to pass the law he wanted, a strategic alliance between the two was essential.
Crassus didn't deny it, either.
"Yeah. It can be said that there is a consensus that we should not disturb each other for now. All I want is for you to take care of things that will irritate the Senate. Don't you have the guts and track record that you don't have to look at the Senate?"
"Oh, I see it now. So you want to take power, but you don't want to be hated by the Senate? That's why you'll give up everything like the triumphus, so you wants me to take on the hated role."
Pompeii's gaze sank coldly.
This means that even if you put up an excuse for one thing or another, the Senate is scary in the end.
He laughed inwardly at Crassus' fragility.
Pompeius, who was still young and had never failed in his life, was not afraid of the Senate.
No matter how much the old raccoons in the Senate bark, they can only suppress it with their skills.
'Did he become a father while raising his child, and his old venom died? I'm a little disappointed.'
It's not bad to compromise or to be wary of the other person.
If you don't think you can win, it's better not to provoke as much as possible.
Pompeius also grew his strength under Sulla when he was a kid.
However, the size of the bowl is also revealed in choosing the person to compromise with.
After Sulla's death, Pompeius never felt the need to notify anyone in Rome.
This was not arrogance.
Without Pompeius, they would not have so easily suppressed Lepidus' rebellion and Sertorius' rebellion.
The present Rome needs Pompeius. This was an absolute and unchanging fact.
Only the Senate and those who roll their heads around because they don't want to pretend they're not considered rivals.
Pompeius concluded that Crassus' bowl would end up here.
"I'll do as you wish. Instead, you should definitely support the triumphus and my candidacy for consul."
"Don't worry, I'm the one who keeps the contract more firmly than anyone else in Rome."
"Okay. Then your business is over, so I'll ask you one thing I was curious about.
"...?"
He was a little surprised by the unexpected situation, but now it's all sorted out. Pompeius brought up the real reason for coming here.
"I heard that you made something that would drastically change the military's cavalry training...…."
"You mean the stirrups?"
"Do you call it stirrup? I was wondering what it was, so I looked around the cavalry on my way here. Did you understand the value of the object exactly and make it?"
Crassus snorted at Pompeius's suspicious gaze.
Pompeius had yet to see heavy cavalry.
This is because Marcus hid them all from Pompeius.
Heavy cavalry is more like a type of soldier raised by the Crassus family at their own expense. He had yet to incorporate it into the formal organization of the Roman army.
Although he performed well in the last round, it is difficult to know the exact reality based on rumors alone.
The opponent trampled by the cavalry is also a rebel with poor armament, so only a few people will appreciate it that much.
However, Pompeius was a person who was not a waste of the modifier "genius" militarily. He saw the value right through only ordinary cavalry equipped with stirrups.
He thought it would be a great object, so he saw it in person, and it popped out more than he imagined.
He couldn't believe Crassus had made such an object.
Crassus seemed to be able to see Pompeius's heart clearly.
He really didn't like the look in his eyes that looked down on his military talent.
"Did you think I didn't even know that? Existing cavalry require considerable time and effort to master horsemanship from childhood. But using this product can dramatically reduce that time and cost. If the cavalry is maximized, the range of tactics that can be taken will be incomparably wider."
"As expected, is it that much...…."
Pompeius's expression was sour, although he lined up answers close to the textbook.
He murmured softly with a completely dissatisfied expression on his face.
"...I thought you made it with intentions. It must have been a mere coincidence. As expected, I overestimated it too much. It can't be."
The evaluation of Crassus did not need to be revised.
Pompeius emptied the glass in front of him at once and got up from his seat.
Now, the business is over here.
A plan to reinforce cavalry power using future political situations and stirrups.
There were a lot of things to take care of.
He gave a rough greeting and returned to his post.
But Pompeius didn't know.
Originally, he must mix a lie with a bit of truth to be persuasive.
That's why Pompeius interpreted and believed Crassus' words in his own way.
Pompeius would certainly have suspected it if it had been consistent with lies from beginning to end.
That's what Marcus said exactly.
A smile hung around Crassus' mouth, looking at Pompeius returning.
It was a triumphant smile.
* * *
The Senate, which received Pompeius's letter, was turned upside down.
They immediately convened the Senate to review the issue demanded by Pompeius.
Of course, the majority of senators have lashed out at Pompeius.
"It's okay to ask for a triumphus. But does he want us to allow him to register as a consul candidate? I mean, in what capacity would Pompeius be a consul candidate? He has never served as a praetor or even a quaestor, let alone an aedile!"
"Never! What is the reason why Sulla decided on the Senate's qualifications more strictly? Wasn't it to reorganize the shaky seniority? If we allow special cases just because they have excellent skills, we cannot establish a minority leadership system."
"That's right. Pompeius was not even old enough to be a praetor, let alone a consul."
In current Roman law, to be a senator, you must first become a quaestor. The age of eligibility is 30 years or older. If you're younger than him, you can't even run. After that, at the age of 39, only those elected as praetors will be eligible to be consul candidates.
But Pompeius, as senators pointed out, had never even served as a quaestor.
Because he had already been granted Imperium in his 20s and commanded the legions, he did not need it.
It was already a non-sense exception from this.
"Even Scipio Africanus, who defeated Hannibal, never demanded such ridiculous privileges. I admit that Pompeius did the credit. But did he do as much credit as the great Africanus? Isn't that right?"
"That's right. Even if you concede a hundred times, you have to compromise on registering as a candidate for the praetor. A person who has never served in a government office immediately serves as a consul. There should be no precedent like this!"
Members raised their necks and raised their voices with a determination to defend this republican system.
But Cicero was a little different. He cautiously stood up from his seat and suggested caution.
"It is true that Pompeius's demands are excessive. But it's also true that he doesn't deserve a reason to refuse. Hasn't the Senate already sent him to Hispania in his capacity as a proconsul? By law, a proconsul can, of course, be a consul candidate. It takes 10 years to get re-elected, but Pompeius has never actually served as consul. In other words, re-election rules won't stop him from running. It could be a problem if you think about why he doesn't accept himself as a candidate, a proconsul."
"No, no matter how old he is...."
"It was the Senate that awarded the proconsul's business card and imperium to a person under that age. If you say that it was a wrong judgment now, it will damage the prestige of the Senate."
"Oh, my..."
No one has made a proper counterargument to Cicero's words. Moreover, not everyone spoke out, but the army led by Pompeius also came under enormous pressure.
If you are a Roman general, you should disband the army and return as a citizen as soon as your mission is over.
But Pompeius did not do so.
Instead, he camped out and waited to see how the Senate handled his request.
If they went against Pompeius's nerves here, there was a possibility that he would lead an army into Rome.
Marius and Sulla were never too worried because they already had a precedent.
Moreover, Pompeius is one of many leading the army.
Crassus was also leading eight legions with little loss.
It convinced the Senate that Crassus, like Pompeius, would stage a show of force and demand a triumphus and a run for consul.
In the case of Crassus, since he had qualifications as a consul, they were willing to register him as a candidate. However, this was a triumphus issue.
The triumphus is an event to commemorate the general who has won a great victory.
Allowing Crassus to have a triumphus meant recognizing slaves as Roman enemies.
Considering the pride of Rome and the face of the Senate, it should never have been allowed.
Since Pompeius finished the remnants of the rebels, some suggested that Pompeius should have a one-time triumphus by driving the army.
But things were more complex.
The rebels led by Crixus inflicted great damage on the southern part of the Italian peninsula.
Things had grown too big to be dismissed as mere slave rebellion.
Some of the southern alliance poems even praised Crassus as a hero.
If Crassus demanded a triumphus on the back of public opinion, the Senate had no justification for opposing it.
Surprisingly, it resolved the Senate's concerns neatly as soon as Crassus' letter arrived.
Consul Lucius read the report sent by Crassus with a flushed look.
"...so, Crassus doesn't want to undermine the dignity of the Senate, so he says he will give up the triumphus himself. He says he'll be satisfied if he just registers as a consul candidate. He also added that he would keep Pompeius in check so that he wouldn't become a wild consul."
"Oh! Is that true?"
"That's right. If Pompeius advances to Rome, he also tells us not to worry too much because he will stop him. But he is saying that it's better to listen to Pompeius's opinion because civil war shouldn't happen. Anyway, if Pompeius overdoes it, he promises to veto it himself. The army swore in the name of Jupiter that he would disband himself as soon as Pompeius was dissolved."
"I never imagined that Crassus would be so understanding of the Senate."
An old member of the Senate said with a satisfied laugh.
"Crassus is a senator who has followed Sulla's honorable career more faithfully than anyone else. It's not comparable to Pompeius, who is only looking for preferential treatment. He is simply the son of a true republic."
"What Crassus really wants is to register as a consul candidate? It's so simple that it makes me question it."
"Huh, rather, wasn't this attitude a virtue that a senator should have? It's been crazy so far, and Crassus is perfectly normal."
At Publicola's point, all the members nodded their heads in unison.
It is natural for an honorable Roman citizen to take this action. Naturally, in their heads, the perception that Pompeius is a strange person became stronger.
Even though he made enough contributions to the triumphus, Crassus gave up it considering the prestige of Rome.
On the other hand, what about Pompeius?
He only showed a narrow-minded appearance of intervening in other people's wars for his honor and credit.
In addition, he pressured the Senate with force and even demanded preferential treatment that should not exist.
In contrast to Pompeius's arrogant appearance, Crassus' humble attitude was even more prominent.
Things smoothly went, just as Marcus had said.
Crassus certainly wasn't lying when he said he didn't want to fight with the Senate.
But that wasn't all Marcus was after.
The real aim was to instill in senators the perception that Crassus was the guardian of the Republic.
For that, Marcus and Crassus solved all the problems that the Senate was worried about.
Crassus declared that he would follow the Senate's decision on all the provinces he would assume after completing his consulship.
Primarily, he officially said that the contribution of this war was largely attributed to the Senate for granting the Imperium.
Members cannot help but be satisfied with the face of the Senate.
"Don't worry too much about a kid like Pompeius running wild. We have faithful colleagues like Crassus, don't we? If we give a little strength, we will be able to keep Pompeius in check."
"Of course. Hahaha, I haven't been able to sleep well recently because of worries, but now I can sleep well."
The Senate thoroughly checks anyone who shows signs of becoming a dictator at all costs.
Even the hero Scipio was impeached by senators who feared his growing influence.
Caesar is also assassinated.
The only person who successfully neutralized the Senate was the future first emperor Octavianus.
Marcus made the plan by referring to this Octavianus method.
The wolf pack in the mountains, who only look at the prey to avoid losing power, does not know the meaning of the clouds surrounding the sky.
When they feel something strange, they will already be in a situation where they can't write numbers.
Marcus' shadow was creeping into the corner of the Senate without anyone knowing it.