Curia Session VI / 195 BC

[Marcus Decius Bellicus]

The proxy of Decius Bellicus howls in anger at the tirade

“I….hahaha…Conscript Fathers, the good Consul must have vetoed listening today. The motion is clearly for pre-approval…for the next Consular year. I’m sorry for the laughter but…it sounds like Consul Aurelius Cotta wanted to be rewarded for crushing a slave revolt after saying he didn’t want to be rewarded for doing his duty as Consul. I guess this must be one of those new comedies I’ve heard the collegia tell of, where you say you want something by saying you don’t want something!”

[Marcus Aurelius Cotta]

The proxy of Decius Bellicus howls in anger at the tirade

“I….hahaha…Conscript Fathers, the good Consul must have vetoed listening today. The motion is clearly for pre-approval…for the next Consular year. I’m sorry for the laughter but…it sounds like Consul Aurelius Cotta wanted to be rewarded for crushing a slave revolt after saying he didn’t want to be rewarded for doing his duty as Consul. I guess this must be one of those new comedies I’ve heard the collegia tell of, where you say you want something by saying you don’t want something!”

A slave revolt that could have been crushed by the armies of your benefactor, had he not been so lazy and narrowly focused on moving north as quickly as possible.

[Marcus Aurelius Cotta]

Article 1: Rome, having exhausted all reasonable alternatives, declares war on King Nabis of Sparta.

Article 2: Pre-approval of a mobilization of eight legions: two consular, three regular and three socii, as well as 40 currently dry docked warships, come the beginning of the next consular year.

Article 3: Deployment of Consul Aurelius Cotta to Sardinia to put down the barbarian tribes in this Consular year with a consular legion for the purpose of pacifying the province.

Article 4: Marcus Aurelius Cotta shall be granted one regular legion and one socii legion, already pre-authorized in article 2, and a proconsular term of one year in Gallia Cisalpina at the expiry of his current term as Consul.

Article 4: Return of Hispanian forces. Owing to the end of Campaign by Propraetor Domitius Corbulo, his legion and both Socii allies' legions will be recalled to Rome. With the Hispanian legion taking part in Grecian affairs (costs accounted for in Article 2). The Socii allies will be returned home after two years abroad.

Commence Division.

[Marcus Decius Bellicus]

The proxy grows very serious, looking about the crowd

“Those were poor words to choose, Consul. You think it lazy and poor focus to free Roman lands from the predations of the Boii and Insubres? Have you no honor, Consul? No sense of duty to Rome. The Gods are surely watching you now with little favor, Marcus Aurelius Cotta, and the pox upon your house will have been sown by your words and your prideful ambitions.”

[Marcus Decius Bellicus]

By proxy NAY.

The inclusion of blatant ambitions for wealth and grandeur during what should be a time of unity is disgraceful.

[Marcus Silvius Pastor]

The proxy for Senator M. Silvius Pastor stood, visibly confused and irritated by the proceedings.

The discussions earlier in the day could not be clearer. This body agrees that the tyrant, Nabis, has sought to dishonor Rome and disrespect our Graecian allies. Rome is both honorable and a steadfast ally - all in this esteemed body can agree! As such, I vote YEA on Article 1: The Formal Declaration of War on Nabis.

However, the Senate has stated multiple times that it wishes to proceed either following a formal Declaration of War in this Session, or in another session where the Consuls-Elect can present their thoughts on the composition of a Roman expeditionary force to Greece, and its commanders. Seeing as though neither have been addressed in the proposal by the Honorable Consul, I vote NAY to Articles 3-5 (sic).

If the entirety of the Honorable Consul's proposal is to be considered, I vote Nay. Our Republican process has spoken through the debate of this body, and this is not reflective of it.

I, for the fourth time, ask the presiding Consul to call for a vote on the formal Declaration of War alone.

Should such a vote not be called, I move to adjourn this session.

[TerranSteel]

Consul-Elect Furius Pavo rises to cast his vote, his face stern and unmoved.

Consul Aurelius Cotta has completely ignored the needs and necessities of a conflict with Sparta - not even raising a fleet of warships necessary to combat their navy. That alone makes this bill intolerable. Beyond that, without reason, he demands that this body give him Proconsulship with no clear objective and command of legions. Even before any news of Consul Decius Bellicus’ successes have returned from the north. While some ideas proposed have merit, they are laced with poison and tyranny by Consul Aurelius Cotta.

I call upon all Senators to vote down this blatant attempt at self-aggrandizement and putting Rome itself at risk during a coming war with a Greek state.

I vote NAY.

[Proculus Lucius Regulus]

The proxy of Lucius Regulus, noted to be much more attractive than the proxy of V. Marius, rises to his feet, organizing his wax-tablet notes.

In terms of the vote, while I fully and wholeheartedly support a war against Nabis, I cannot in good faith accept the other terms. I vote Nay, pending an alternative proposal, where, as stated by my colleague, the issue of war with Sparta is presented alone. The other terms are simply ridiculous.

[Allectus Fabius Maximus]

Allectus gives a bemused look at other Senators around him.

NAY

[Postumus Caesonius Tacitus]

Caesonius Tacitus would return the bemused look.

Nay.