“Make it known that any deserters will be killed in front of the rest. I will remind them of their duty with the blood of those men.”

“I thought we might question them first, sir, and—”

“No. Kill them at dawn as a lesson to the others.” He hesitated, anger struggling against the need to send the man away and tend his pain. “I will grant the truce, Labienus. I have no choice if my Dictatorship is to be renewed. The Senate families must be kept from harm.”

“And the city, sir? If we let him go without resistance, he will have the supplies to keep him in the field for three months at least. We must attack when the Senate families are safe.”

“And how long do you think it would be before every common soldier knows I broke my word? You see the choice he has left me?” Pompey said.

“This is a chance to end it, sir,” Labienus said softly.

Pompey glared at him, wanting him gone. His eyes strayed to a pestle and mortar that contained a little of the gruel from an hour before. He could hardly bear to have Labienus continue a moment longer in his presence. He remembered a time when his oath had made him who he was.

“Get out, General. Caesar has offered a good price for three days of truce. After that, we will be free to take the war to him again. No more now.”

Labienus saluted stiffly. “I will tell the messenger what you have ordered, sir,” he said.

Alone at last, Pompey called for his physician and closed his eyes against the pain that consumed him.

Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

Julius sighed with pleasure as he finished his meal. Every cart with his legions groaned under the weight of the provisions they had taken from the city. For the first time since coming to Greece, the men were able to eat well. Their new confidence could be seen as they marched, and even the cold did not seem to bite with such ferocity.

In the command tent, his generals were in a jovial mood as they sampled good wine and tore into meat and fresh bread made from Greek grain. The fact that it had come from Pompey’s supplies seemed to give it all a special flavor.

Julius looked around at the seven men he had gathered in this place, proud of them all. He knew there would be harder days to come, but why should they not laugh and joke amongst themselves? They had fooled Pompey in the field and then forced him to accept a truce in exchange for a city. That was a move they applauded more than the legionaries, who felt cheated of their usual spoils. Even then, they had such a belief in Julius that the grumbling was muted. As soldiers, they rejoiced in stratagems that humbled their enemy without a major battle.