“The Third are gone, sir. These men are yours again. They will not forget the chance if you grant it to them.”

Julius stared at Octavian, seeing again how far he had come from the boy Julius had known. The warrior and general before him had outgrown his youth. Julius knew he had been manipulated, but he took an odd pride in seeing it from his own blood.

“They are yours, then, General. Domitius will lead the Tenth.”

Octavian shifted in his saddle. “You are honoring him?” he said.

Julius nodded. “It seems I can still surprise you. It is the only choice now. This ‘new’ legion will fight well for you, as the man who saved them. If I let Domitius command any lesser men than my own Tenth, he will lose face and that will eat at his discipline. This will show I do not hold him to account for the failure.” He paused, thinking. “In fact, I do not. I should have allowed for delays and arranged for a different system of signals. Too late now, but the responsibility is my own as well.”

He saw Octavian relax as he realized his scheme to save the Third would not be overturned. He had presented Julius with the choice of humiliating both Octavian and the Tenth, or making the best of it. The cleverness of it appealed to Julius as it would have to no other Roman commander.

“Have you a name for them?” Julius asked.

Had Octavian thought that far ahead? It seemed he had, as the younger man answered immediately.

“They will be the Fourth Greek legion.”

“There is already one of that name,” Julius replied coldly. “They are the ones we fought last night. Labienus commands them.”

“I know it. When they next meet in battle, they will fight all the harder to earn the right to keep it,” Octavian said.

Despite his experience, he searched Julius’s face for approval and in response Julius reached out and clapped him on the shoulder.

“Very well,” he said, “but if they ever run again, I will crucify them to the last man. I will not save you from their punishment, Octavian. Do you still want to lead them?”

Octavian did not hesitate. “I do, sir,” he said, saluting. He took up his reins and trotted back to the lines, leaving Julius alone.

“My Tenth have brought new honor for you,” Julius said, his voice ringing over them. “If they can see your worth, I will not refuse them this. The Third are no more and their name will be removed from the Senate rolls in Rome on our return. I cannot give you back your history. I can only offer a new start and a new name. You will be the Fourth Greek legion. You know that name from the men we faced last night. We will take it from them, and when we meet in war we will take back our honor with it.”