Pompey was momentarily speechless.
He had anticipated various scenarios when he arrived. He had prepared responses for Crassus's possible anger, threats, or even pleas. But he had never expected Crassus to say something like this.
"You asked the Senate to grant me a triumph instead of yourself? Why? What's your purpose?"
"To be precise, it was slightly different. I suggested that if anyone deserved a triumph, it would be Pompey, not me. Something along those lines."
"That makes even less sense… Knowing your personality, you should have definitely requested a triumph for yourself. Are you really Marcus Licinius Crassus?"
Pompey had always seen Crassus as someone who never missed an opportunity to benefit himself. Crassus was the personification of greed, a man who clung to any chance to seize advantage and was never satisfied.
Crassus took a leisurely sip from his cup, observing Pompey's incredulous expression. The annoyance he had shown when they first met had faded.
"I understand why you find this hard to believe. But I made this decision after carefully weighing the pros and cons. It seemed to be the most beneficial choice for me."
"Beneficial? What profit could you gain by giving up a triumph?"
A triumph was the highest honor a Roman could achieve. Only generals who had won significant wars were eligible for this honor. The triumphant general would ride a chariot pulled by four horses through the streets of Rome, offering sacrifices to Jupiter. The citizens and soldiers would cheer and praise the commander who had brought them victory. It was also customary to distribute war spoils as gifts, which the citizens welcomed eagerly. The impact of a triumph was profound—it could ensure the general's election as consul for the next year.
Crassus had never had a triumph before. Even Pompey, who had received his first triumph at 25, was eager for his second.
Pompey, distrusting, said, "I have a feeling you're plotting something. I can't trust you."
"Whether you trust me or not is up to you. But I need to negotiate with you as well. I'm not planning to make unreasonable demands of the Senate."
"How can you say that? You could easily request a triumph based on your achievements. Why is that unreasonable?"
"I could request it. With enough manipulation of public opinion, I could force the Senate to grant it. But doing so might create unnecessary enemies, don't you think?"
The explanation was somewhat plausible but not entirely convincing.
Pompey snorted and tilted his head. "You're afraid of antagonizing the Senate? Since when did you become so passive?"
"Of course, if it were just about me, I could disregard the Senate's opinions. But someday, my son will need to enter the Senate too. Considering the future, I don't want to be too confrontational with them."
"Son?"
This was an unexpected topic. When Pompey left Rome five years ago, Crassus's sons were too young to remember. Pompey had always had the impression that Crassus wasn't particularly affectionate.
Pompey's response was instinctive. "You were never a very loving father, were you?"
"I wasn't, would be a more accurate description. But seeing my son grow up to surpass me makes me want to support him with all my might. You'll understand that when your own child grows up."
"Child…"
Paternal love was still an unknown emotion for Pompey. Thus, he couldn't discern whether Crassus's words were genuine or not.
"I'll need to hear your proposal first. Then I can judge if you're lying."
"By all means. Just so you know, I'm only giving up the triumph, not anything else. I still need some form of recognition to save face. And I also plan to run for consul next year."
"That's fine… Anyway, with two consuls to be elected, you and I will surely be among them. Isn't that already a foregone conclusion?"
Crassus and Pompey each commanded tens of thousands of soldiers, most of whom were eligible voters for the next election. Commanders typically promised benefits to their subordinates to secure their votes. Crassus, having met all the strict requirements set by Sulla, was well-positioned for the consulship.
The problem was Pompey. He hadn't met the qualifications for consul, or even for being a senator, strictly speaking. Nonetheless, the Senate, unable to overlook his unparalleled military talent, had granted him the status of a former consul and given him imperium, despite the process being illegal. Pompey regarded his eventual consulship as a certainty.
Crassus felt a twinge of discomfort at Pompey's brazen confidence but kept his composure.
"As long as you use your legion to intimidate them, the Senate won't be able to oppose your candidacy. But what about running the state? The Senate won't be very supportive, will they?"
"…What are you implying?"
"In other words, you need my help to govern effectively."
"That makes even less sense. I'm the one losing out here. Why would you offer to compromise? It doesn't add up. Besides, we both need each other's support."
Pompey was not opposed to a deal with Crassus. He wanted to pass laws beneficial to his soldiers, which required cooperation from both consuls. A single consul's proposal could be vetoed by the other, making an alliance essential for legislative success.
Crassus acknowledged this necessity.
"Fine. Let's agree not to interfere with each other for now. What I want is for you to handle the matters that would annoy the Senate. You have the clout and achievements to disregard their opinions, don't you?"
"Ah… I see now. So you want to wield power without being disliked by the Senate. That's why you're giving up the triumph and want me to take the blame."
Pompey's eyes grew cold.
No matter how it was justified, it revealed Crassus's fear of the Senate. Pompey privately mocked Crassus's weakness. Having never faced defeat, Pompey was unafraid of the Senate. He dismissed their objections as irrelevant if he could overcome them with his skills.
'Has he lost his edge after becoming a father? That's disappointing.'
Compromise and considering others' feelings were not inherently bad, but they revealed the limits of ambition. Pompey, who had built his strength under Sulla, saw no need to placate anyone in Rome after Sulla's death. His accomplishments, such as suppressing Lepidus's revolt and Sertorius's rebellion, proved Rome's need for him.
Pompey did not view someone who was eager to avoid antagonizing the Senate as a worthy rival. He concluded that Crassus's ambition had reached its limit.
"I'll agree to your terms. But in return, you need to ensure that I receive the triumph and run for consul."
"Don't worry. I'm known for keeping my promises more than anyone else in Rome."
"Alright, then. Since we've settled your business, I have something I'm curious about."
"...?"
Crassus was slightly taken aback by the sudden shift in topic but was willing to entertain it.
Pompey continued, "I heard you've developed something that could revolutionize cavalry training…"
"The stirrups?"
"Is that what they're called? I was intrigued and took a look at your cavalry on my way here. Do you… understand the value of what you've created?"
Crassus chuckled at Pompey's inquisitive gaze.
Pompey hadn't yet seen the heavy cavalry, which Marcus had kept hidden to avoid drawing his attention. The heavy cavalry was an elite unit Crassus had funded himself and had not yet been added to the official Roman roster. While they had performed impressively in the recent campaign, their true capabilities weren't well understood from rumors alone. The enemies they had defeated were poorly armed rebels, so their achievements might not have been widely praised.
Pompey, a genius in military strategy, had recognized the potential of the stirrups just by observing the ordinary cavalry using them. His curiosity had been piqued, and the reality of Crassus's innovation exceeded his expectations.
Crassus, sensing Pompey's skepticism, responded with a hint of irritation.
"Did you think I wouldn't grasp such things? Traditional cavalry required years of training to ride effectively. With these stirrups, we can significantly reduce both the time and cost needed for training. As a result, cavalry tactics can be vastly expanded."
"I see…"
Pompey's reaction was less than impressed. He muttered under his breath with a hint of disappointment, "So it wasn't intentional, just a fortunate accident. I suppose I overestimated you. That's quite disappointing."
Pompey's opinion of Crassus remained unchanged.
Pompey drained his cup in one gulp and stood up from his seat, signaling that his business here was done. He had numerous concerns ahead, such as the future political landscape and the reinforcement of the cavalry with the new saddle.
After a brief farewell, he returned to his camp, unaware of the underlying truth.
A lie, to be convincing, must contain elements of truth. That's why Pompey had interpreted and accepted Crassus's words in the way that suited him. Had Crassus lied entirely, Pompey would have been more suspicious, as Marcus had suggested.
Crassus watched Pompey leave with a victorious smile.
※※※※
The Senate was in upheaval upon receiving Pompey's letter. They quickly convened to discuss his demands. Most senators were vehemently opposed.
"He wants a triumph, which is acceptable. But to run for consul? On what basis does Pompey believe he can be a candidate? He hasn't held any office, not even a quaestor or an aedile!"
"That's completely unacceptable! Sulla made the qualifications for the Senate stricter to stabilize the hierarchy. Allowing exceptions for someone with outstanding skills would undermine the rule of the few."
"Exactly. Pompey isn't even old enough to be a praetor, let alone a consul."
Roman law required that one first become a quaestor to be eligible for the Senate, with a minimum age of 30. Anyone younger could not even apply. After serving as quaestor, one could run for praetorship at 39, and only elected praetors were eligible for the consulship.
Pompey had never served as quaestor, as the senators pointed out. Having already received imperium and commanded a legion in his twenties, he felt no need for such traditional roles. This was already an unprecedented exception.
"Even Scipio Africanus, who defeated Hannibal, never demanded such extraordinary privileges. We acknowledge Pompey's achievements, but did he accomplish as much as the great Africanus? No, he did not."
"That's right. Even if we concede a hundred times, the best we could offer is to let him run for praetorship. Allowing someone who has never held any office to become consul immediately? We cannot set such a precedent!"
The senators spoke with conviction, determined to uphold the republican system.
However, Cicero took a different stance. He cautiously stood and suggested a more measured approach.
"Pompey's demands are excessive, I agree. But we lack a clear legal basis to refuse him. The Senate has already appointed him proconsul of Hispania Citerior. By law, a proconsul can run for consulship. Although he would need to wait ten years for re-election, Pompey has never been a consul before, which complicates the matter. If he argues that his proconsul status qualifies him for the consulship, we might face difficulties."
"But his age…"
"The Senate granted him the title of proconsul and imperium despite his youth. To now declare that decision was incorrect would damage the Senate's prestige."
A sigh of resignation filled the room. No one could refute Cicero's argument.
Additionally, although unspoken, everyone felt the weight of Pompey's army looming over them. A Roman general was expected to disband his army and return to private life once his mission was complete. But Pompey had not done this. He remained in place, seemingly waiting to see how the Senate would respond to his demands.
There was a real concern that offending Pompey might provoke him to march on Rome with his forces. This was not an unfounded fear, given the precedents set by Marius and Sulla.
Moreover, Pompey was not alone. Crassus also commanded eight legions with minimal losses. The Senate feared that Crassus would similarly demand a triumph and a consulship, just like Pompey.
Crassus had a legitimate claim to the consulship, so accepting his candidacy would be straightforward. The real issue was the triumph. A triumph was a ceremony reserved for generals who had achieved significant victories. Granting Crassus a triumph would mean officially recognizing slaves as enemies of Rome. Given Rome's pride and the Senate's sense of dignity, they could not easily concede to this.
Some suggested granting Pompey a triumph to recognize his elimination of the remaining rebels, but the situation was far from simple.
The rebels led by Crixus had caused significant damage in southern Italy. Their impact was too substantial to be dismissed as merely a slave revolt.
In contrast, Pompey had displayed a self-serving attitude by inserting himself into others' conflicts to gain fame and accolades. He had also used his military power to pressure the Senate into granting him undeserved privileges.
Crassus's modest demeanor made Pompey's arrogance even more glaring. The situation unfolded exactly as Marcus had predicted. Crassus was not deceiving when he claimed he wished to avoid antagonizing the Senate. Marcus's strategy, however, extended beyond this.
Marcus's real maneuver was to shape the senators' perception of Crassus as the defender of the Republic. To achieve this, Marcus and Crassus had preemptively addressed the Senate's concerns. Crassus had pledged to accept whatever decisions the Senate made regarding his province after his consulship. He had also publicly acknowledged that the Senate deserved much of the credit for the war's success due to their granting him imperium.
By elevating the Senate's dignity, Crassus and Marcus had made the senators feel content and secure.
"We don't need to worry too much about a young upstart like Pompey causing trouble. We have a loyal ally in Crassus. With a little support, he can easily counter Pompey."
"Indeed. I've been losing sleep over this, but now I can finally rest easy."
The Senate was vigilant against any signs of potential dictatorship. Even the revered Scipio had faced impeachment from senators wary of his rising power. Caesar had been assassinated. The only individual to neutralize the Senate effectively was Octavianus, who would become the first emperor.
Marcus had modeled his plan after Octavianus's method. The senators, focused on preserving their own power, were oblivious to the shifting dynamics around them. By the time they recognized the danger, it would be too late to take any effective action.
Marcus's influence was subtly seeping into the Senate, unnoticed by its members.
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