The Mad Tycoon of Rome

Chapter 45: For the Republic

 ──────────────── 

Cicero’s mansion was located on the Palatine Hill, just like Crassus’s.

Of course, he didn’t live here from the beginning.

When he came to Rome from the provinces, he first lived in a house that his family had provided for him.

But he couldn’t stay there forever, as he had earned the reputation of being the best lawyer in Rome.

Not long after the Verres trial, he fulfilled his wish of acquiring a house on the Palatine Hill.

He had incurred a huge debt, but thanks to Marcus who lent him money without interest, he didn’t feel burdened.

“Heh, I didn’t expect you to lend me money without any interest at all…”

“It’s the least I can do for you. Don’t worry about it.”

Cicero was touched by this kindness once again and praised Marcus whenever he had a chance.

Cicero’s house was crowded with people every day.

Clients who wanted his advice, young intellectuals who admired him, petitioners who came to complain about their grievances, and so on.

Cicero listened to everyone who came to him.

But today, the gate of his mansion that was always open did not admit any outsiders.

It was because Cicero was hosting a gathering of young intellectuals.

The participants were impressive.

Most of them were children of noble families who were well-known in Rome.

There were also some senators of Cicero’s age among them.

They were all eager to accept Cicero’s invitation, even though they had failed in their careers.

That’s how great Cicero’s fame was in Rome at the moment.

The young men scattered around the spacious mansion, chatting and enjoying their meals.

Among them, Cicero paid special attention to some promising ones and invited them to a separate banquet in the inner hall.

Marcus was naturally one of them.

The food was all fresh and of good quality, but not as lavish as Cicero’s reputation.

This was not because Cicero was stingy or lacked taste.

He deliberately excluded extravagant dishes to suit the preferences of the nobles who attended the meeting.

His strategy worked perfectly.

Many of the young people in this room were followers of the Stoic school.

This was not a coincidence.

Among the young nobles who were fascinated by republicanism, there were many who were drawn to Stoicism.

Those who followed Stoic philosophy tended to despise hedonism and pursue a restrained and frugal life.

Cicero was not a Stoic himself, but he was close to the New Academy school that was influenced by it.

Maybe that’s why he maintained a good relationship with the Stoic philosophers.

Of course, he didn’t really like them from the bottom of his heart, as he was a commoner and they were noble-born.

Even if they were fellow senators, they didn’t regard commoner senators as equal partners.

Cicero felt bitter inside, but he tried to keep up a good appearance.

If it weren’t for his efforts, he wouldn’t have had enough influence to host such an event.

One of the reasons why Cicero kept a close relationship with Marcus was this.

A commoner with a weak political base needed a strong supporter.

Marcus was an ideal partner for Cicero.

‘He has a solid character and is devoted to republicanism. There’s no ideological conflict between us.’

Cicero acted as Marcus’s ideological mentor and introduced him to various nobles.

Marcus also followed Cicero’s lead, as he didn’t have much contact with his peers yet.

“You must have heard a lot of rumors about the eldest son of Crassus. He’s been so busy that he couldn’t attend such gatherings often, but finally he’s here.”

“Cicero invited me personally. Of course I had to drop everything and come.”

“Hahaha, you flatter me. Well, let me introduce you to some others. This is Decimus Brutus. He’s an intelligent and decisive young man.”

A young man who looked one or two years younger than Marcus extended his arm politely.

“I’m Decimus Brutus. I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s nice to meet you.”

Marcus smiled warmly and shook Decimus’s hand.

“Nice to meet you too.”

Information about Decimus Brutus popped up in Marcus’s head.

Decimus Brutus was known as a competent legion commander who fought in the Gallic War under Caesar.

He was a different person from Brutus who led Caesar’s assassination, although they shared the same name.

Of course, he didn’t lead it, but he also participated in Caesar’s assassination.

He was a distant relative of Caesar and rose to prominence under Caesar’s influence. Yet he joined in Caesar’s assassination and was denounced as a traitor and eventually fell miserably.

Anyway, he was one of those who participated in Caesar’s assassination, so he must have been a basic supporter of the republican system.

It wasn’t strange that he attended this meeting.

The next person Cicero brought was someone Marcus knew very well.

He didn’t wait for the introduction and came up with a friendly smile, putting his hand on Marcus’s shoulder.

“Long time no see. How have you been?”

“Cassius, how many years has it been? I heard you went to study in Greece. Did you just come back?”

“I studied in Rhodes until a year ago. When I came back to Rome, I heard a lot of rumors about you.”

Cassius Longinus was one of the friends he had hung out with often since childhood.

He had accompanied him when they went down to Capua to capture Spartacus.

He used to enjoy a dissolute and decadent life when he was young, but he looked completely different now that they met again after a long time.

He was completely immersed in Greek philosophy and became an ardent republican.

‘Come to think of it, he was also one of the main conspirators of Caesar’s assassination.’

Cassius was not from a very distinguished family, but he had outstanding abilities.

The fact that he was invited to this place by Cicero meant that his reputation among his peers was quite good.

The two old friends went to a quiet place and talked.

Cassius poured diluted wine into Marcus’s cup himself.

“I’m really glad to see you again. And more than anything, I’m glad that neither you nor I are as immature as we used to be.”

“We were young then.”

“Looking back, it was a pathetic time. But I’m glad I opened my eyes late. From now on, I’m going to use all my abilities to protect the values of the republic. What about you? Being here means you think the same as us, right?”

A smile that was hard to guess his true intentions appeared on Marcus’s lips.

He took the cup in his hand and drank it all at once, then put down the cup confidently.

“I don’t want to talk about this and that. It’s enough to show it with actions.”

“As expected, you’ve always been bold. Actually, being close with Cicero is enough to say it all. I was short-sighted.”

“What about you? How are you related to Cicero?”

“He’s someone I respect. To be honest, I had a bit of an inferiority complex because of my not-so-great family background. But he came this far with his own abilities alone, even though he’s not a noble.”

Cassius’s eyes were full of envy and admiration as he talked about Cicero.

He clenched his fist and spoke with conviction.

“And isn’t it enough to explain the greatness of this republican system that someone like Cicero can succeed? If Rome were still a monarchy, commoners like Cicero or mediocre nobles like me wouldn’t have dreamed of rising up.”

“Well…that’s true.”

Marcus didn’t deny the advantages of republicanism either.

In fact, Rome’s extreme republicans were divided into two categories.

The first were those who were born in the upper class from the beginning, noble families with illustrious names.

They were among the faction called Optimates, and they were considered moderates.

And the second were newcomers who had no ancestors who held high offices, like Cicero. They were commonly called novus homo, or new men. There were surprisingly many staunch republicans among this class, which consisted mostly of commoners.

The reason was simple.

Those who had reached the upper class of society with their own abilities had to love the system that gave them the opportunity.

It was not uncommon for self-made rich people to have conservative tendencies in modern times as well.

To these republicans, dictators would seem like devils who tried to destroy their precious territory.

Cassius filled Marcus’s empty cup and asked in a low voice.

“By the way, have you thought about getting married? Usually by now, I hear some news from everyone, but you’re the only one who doesn’t have any rumors.”

“I should. I’m thinking carefully right now.”

“It must be hard for you to choose, since you must have a lot of families offering you marriage proposals. Oh, by the way, is that Thracian girl you saw before also a candidate? She must have become a beautiful woman by now.”

“Well…”

Even if a freed slave became a free citizen, it was rare for them to marry a noble family.

There were some cases like that, but they were very exceptional.

“Some other nobles might frown upon it, but I don’t think it’s something to be condemned. Actually, someone I admire also has a great-grandmother who was a freed slave.”

“She doesn’t want to marry me anyway. To be precise, she thinks she shouldn’t.”

“I see… You have to be more careful in choosing your bride, considering your position. If she’s smart, she’ll understand your situation.”

Marcus nodded slightly with an awkward expression.

He was actually thinking seriously about getting married soon.

He had already talked to Danae about this issue.

She had already shed her girlishness and started to show the charm of a mature woman.

There were quite a few people in the knight class who wanted to marry her.

Even his brother Publius had tried to touch her once.

Marcus also felt awkward when he received her bath service.

To be honest, he was attracted to her. Quite a lot.

And his possessiveness became stronger with his brother’s incident.

Danae, who met Marcus’s eyes while serving him in the bath, guessed his feelings.

She was smart enough not to hope for monopolizing him from the beginning. She knew it was impossible in the first place.

She felt a sense of crisis from Publius’s incident and confessed her honest feelings.

“I know I can’t be your wife. But I wish you could be my first one. Can’t you?”

Who could say no to such a request?

Marcus granted Danae’s wish.

The next thing was so intense that it was a bit difficult to recall it in front of Cassius.

He snapped out of his thoughts and deliberately changed the subject.

“By the way, wasn’t your wife from a pretty prestigious family?”

“Junia? Yes. She changed my life. Oh, speaking of which, there was someone I wanted to introduce you to. He’s coming over there.”

Cassius got up from his seat and waved his hand at a young man who was passing by nearby.

“Nephew, come here!”

The young man who was called nephew by Cassius was a handsome man with noble features.

He wasn’t wearing very fancy clothes, but the quality of the fabric itself was very good.

He looked like a young master of a noble family at a glance.

“Marcus, you were here.”

The young man smiled brightly and greeted him.

He had a kind face that made him likable, as well as a dignified tone.

Cassius brought another cup and handed it to the young man.

“I told you before, right? This guy is the eldest son of Crassus. Come to think of it, his name is also Marcus.”

“I know. I was watching the Verres trial closely.”

The young man turned his gaze to Marcus and extended his arm.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Marcus Junius Brutus. I was very impressed by your testimony at the Verres trial. It’s an honor to meet you like this.”

It was a polite and courteous greeting. His high class showed through his way of speaking.

But Marcus was more interested in the young man’s name than anything else.

Marcus Junius Brutus.

It was a name that caught his eye when he received the invitation from Septimius.

He couldn’t help it.

He was one of the key figures who would lead Caesar’s assassination in the future.

Although Cassius also conspired with him, Brutus’s name was much more famous in later generations.

Caesar’s last words, “Brutus, you too,” were known even in modern times.

Actually, there was a strong argument that Caesar didn’t say such words, but it was true that Caesar cared for Brutus.

He was the son of Servilia, who received the most affection from Caesar among his lovers.

But Brutus didn’t appreciate Caesar’s favor very much.

He had to suffer from rumors that he was Caesar’s bastard all his life.

Brutus’s family was the Junii family, which was praised as one of the best noble families even at the end of the republic.

The blood of Lucius Junius Brutus, who overthrew the monarchy of Rome and founded the republic, flowed in his body.

Brutus had a great pride in his lineage, and this led him to the path of an ardent republican, according to legend.

Marcus looked at Brutus and Cassius alternately and chuckled inwardly.

‘Decimus, Cassius, and Brutus. This is a total gathering of assassins.’

Indeed, the gathering of young republicans was different from the start.

It felt a bit creepy to see them together like this.

Anyway, considering what would happen in the future, he had to maintain a good relationship with them as much as possible.

Marcus shook Brutus’s hand and smiled back at him.

“It’s an honor for me to meet the successor of the Junii family, the root of republicanism.”

“An honor? I haven’t achieved anything yet. I should be scolded for not living up to my great ancestors.”

Brutus called Marcus Crassus. Probably because his name was also Marcus.

“You’re too humble. You must have a talent that matches your family name, since Cicero invited you.”

“I’m grateful to Cicero for looking kindly on me. I intend to work hard not to disappoint his expectations.”

“Have you known Cicero for a long time?”

“Yes. We have a personal friendship. But he’s a bit awkward with my uncle… I’m wondering if I can mediate between them.”

Marcus knew who Brutus’s uncle was.

It was Marcus Porcius Cato, otherwise known as Cato Minor or Cato the Younger.

Cato Minor was also one of the people Marcus was keeping an eye on.

The reason he was called Cato Minor was because his name was exactly the same as his ancestor, Marcus Porcius Cato.

So the ancestor was called Cato Major, and the descendant was called Cato Minor.

Cato Major was the famous orator who challenged Scipio Africanus.

He lived to be 80 years old, and in his later years he freed his slave Salonia and remarried her.

The line that continued from Salonia was Cato Minor.

Suddenly, Marcus remembered what Cassius had said earlier.

‘Cassius must have meant Cato when he said someone he admired.’

Cato Minor was also a person who had a strong belief in preserving the republic, like his ancestor.

He was so thorough a republican that he even gave a harsh evaluation to Sulla, who had strengthened the republic by dictatorship.

“It’s a pity that Cicero and Cato have the same belief in the republic, but they are awkward with each other. It’s a shame.”

“Yes. I think there’s a subtle clash of pride between them.”

“Hmm… But they both have the same sincere intention for the republic, so they will cooperate with each other later.”

“Yes. I hope so too.”

The more he talked, the more Brutus’s image differed from what Marcus had imagined.

He was much more humble than he thought, and he was a young man with a good character.

He could see why he was highly regarded in Rome, where military merit was valued, even though he had little military talent.

It was hard to believe that such a sincere young man would choose the worst means of assassination without understanding the reality in the future.

But on second thought, that’s what ideology is.

Killing one person for ideological differences is nothing compared to the conflicts in human history.

Humanity will still wage wars over ideological differences even 2,000 years later, and millions of people will die.

It was bitter, but it was reality.

Marcus, Cassius, and Brutus continued to talk for a long time on various topics.

Among them, the most talked-about topic was the pirate problem that was plaguing Rome right now.

Cassius sighed heavily and lamented.

“Pirates have even appeared in the Appian Way recently. Of course, they were beheaded right away, but it’s easy to see how arrogant they are.”

“As you say, nephew. And the biggest problem right now is that there is no sign of their momentum decreasing. I’m not sure if there will be enough wheat coming into Rome next year. Even around me, people are buying wheat as much as they can, no matter how expensive it is.”

Marcus pretended not to know and gulped down his wine.

“But fortunately, it seems that we’re not lacking yet.”

“We’re barely holding on for now. But I can’t help but feel anxious when I think about the future.”

Most of the nobles in Rome were thinking like Brutus. Even if wheat was very expensive in the market, they opened their pockets to prepare for any possible situation.

Thanks to that, even if Tadius increased the supply of wheat little by little, the price remained unchanged.

At this rate, he might be able to sell all his wheat before next year came.

Cassius and Brutus, who didn’t know anything about this situation, were just anxious about the current reality.

“It’s all because Lucullus couldn’t finish off Mithridates.”

“That’s right. How could he win so many battles but have his subordinates go on strike? How did he treat them normally?”

“Lucullus should finish off Mithridates and calm down these pirates…”

It was a public secret that everyone knew that these pirates were supported by Mithridates.

If they defeated Mithridates and cut off their money source, things would surely get better than now.

But it wouldn’t be a complete solution unless they eradicated the root cause.

Marcus pointed out that point.

“Cassius, even if Mithridates dies, the ships and sailors that pirates have already prepared won’t disappear. So it would be better to sweep them away first.”

“But how can we do that? The pirates have established bases all over the Mediterranean. How can we get rid of them from all directions?”

“Well… I don’t know the specific means. But we all know who can come up with those means.”

Cassius’s eyebrows twitched up.

“Could it be…?”

“Yes. We have no choice but to rely on one hero again. Pompey Magnus, the great strategist.”

Brutus and Cassius’s faces were filled with dismay. But they couldn’t say a word of objection.

Even if they tried to prevent one person’s monopoly, reality didn’t allow it.

The wind of the times was blowing towards Pompey again.

TL note:
Thank you for your support Sebastian.