CHAPTER 192: CHAPTER 192: THE DIONIAN RUGBY FOUR-CITY TOURNAMENT PART 1

Leaving the marketplace, Tios saw rows of stables already set up by the roadside. They were no longer as shabby and dirty as when he first saw them, with manure scattered everywhere.

Tios had a good impression of the old coachman and wanted to ride his cart again, so he began to shout loudly:"Sorikos! Sorikos! ..."

"He’s rich now and doesn’t drive the cart himself anymore. Ride with me instead!" someone called out.

"Don’t talk nonsense, or I’ll beat you up!" Sorikos, who came out upon hearing the shout, laughed and cursed.

Tios climbed onto his cart and told him his destination.

"Oh, you’re also going to look at that land for rent, huh? Lately, many people have been going to check it out!" Sorikos immediately said.

Tios nodded and smiled: "I heard you’ve made a fortune?"

"They’re exaggerating. I just finished paying off the loan and interest for this cart. Then I took out another loan to buy a new one and rented it out to a freedman to drive. I’m confident I’ll soon pay off that loan as well! After that, I’ll buy another cart..." Sorikos said with confidence.

"Congratulations!" Tios praised. "At this rate, within a year you’ll be a proper cart merchant."

Sorikos laughed heartily.

"I remember you’re a Dionian citizen, right? The Alliance should’ve given you a land allotment. If you’re out here earning money as a coachman, what about your land? I heard the Alliance has agricultural officers who specifically oversee citizens’ land use." Tios asked curiously.

"I rented it out to a freedman to farm. No problem there," Sorikos replied.

He drove the cart onto the Thurii–Amendolara Avenue, which stretched across the Sybaris plain. Along both sides of the avenue, with fields spreading in all directions, many houses had already been built.

Soon villages would surely spring up! Tios thought to himself: New Thurii is developing rapidly, gradually regaining its former prosperity, yet in a way vastly different from before, perhaps even surpassing the great Greek power it once was!

After crossing a wooden bridge over the Sybaris River, they passed vineyards and wineries. This area was a famous wine-producing region in Magna Graecia.

Past the Saraceno River, they entered Amendolara’s territory. The land for lease lay right beside the avenue, already divided into plots by wooden stakes. The location was excellent: close to the road for transportation, close to the river for water supply to workshops, and near the forest for timber (though the Dionian Alliance had strict rules about tree cutting). Moreover, one could build both a workshop and a residence on the land, providing a place to rest while doing business in Dionia. With the sea in front, the forest behind, the river to the side, and the avenue nearby, it was also an ideal residential spot! Any foreign merchant renting here would certainly think of building both a workshop and a home. Twenty years was enough time to double their investment—assuming the Dionian Alliance endured.

After picking out a few desirable plots, Tios decided to find an inn, since the "auction" would only be held tomorrow.

At that moment, Sorikos suggested:"You came just in time. The arena in Thurii was completed only yesterday. To celebrate, Lord Consul Davos announced that today and tomorrow there will be a Four-City Rugby Tournament at the arena! If you’re free this afternoon, you should go. They say it’s spectacular, even livelier than the Olympic Games!"

"Rugby match?" Tios asked curiously, puzzled.

"It’s a game invented by Lord Davos—said to be inspired by the god of the underworld!" Sorikos whispered mysteriously.

"It’s... it’s... two teams fighting over a ball made of cowhide shaped like an olive... then they score points... ah, I can’t explain it clearly. Anyway, everyone who’s seen it says it’s extremely exciting and fun! You’ll understand once you watch."

"All right, I’ll go see it." Sorikos’s strong recommendation piqued Tios’s interest.

"Go early in the afternoon. There’ll be a lot of people. If you’re late, you won’t get in!" Sorikos kindly reminded him.

The arena stood on the eastern side of Thurii’s northern district, near the harbor but far from the main city center, so as not to disturb the citizens’ daily lives.

Normally, city guards were strict about checks, but today they were more relaxed. As long as people carried no weapons and didn’t exceed the allowed number, they were let in.

Tios, arriving early, was lucky enough to enter. While queuing, he met Dikpolis, a Cretan merchant in the olive oil trade. He was also there to watch the rugby games and had already seen one in the morning, becoming obsessed. As he put it: "This is the greatest gift Hades has given the Greeks! No other sport can compare!"

This only heightened Tios’s excitement.

At the arena gates, long lines had already formed, but soldiers kept order.

Dikpolis asked Tios to hold their place while he went to a nearby shop marked "Beer," returning with two jugs of beer and two bags of dried fruit, giving half to Tios.

Embarrassed, Tios repeatedly thanked him and asked: "How much?"

Dikpolis replied:"Meeting you here and watching rugby together is the arrangement of the goddess of fate! If you pay me, it means you don’t want to be friends with us Cretans!"

Tios had no choice but to accept. He found Dikpolis’s bold and cheerful manner very likable. He also noticed many others buying beer, drinks, and snacks.

Dikpolis explained:"The games are long. Sitting under the sun, you’ll get thirsty and hungry. Also, with so many people inside, if you need to pee, it’s hard to find a spot. But this—" He held up his jug and laughed mischievously. "Once it’s empty, it makes a fine urinal!"

The guards allowed groups of spectators inside in batches. When it was their turn, the arena was not yet full. The guards pointed them to the right-hand passage for common spectators. The left passage was strictly for the VIP section, as in most arenas.

The Thurii Arena wasn’t very large. Its circular stone benches could seat about 4,000 people, but today over 4,500 had crowded in, half of them freedmen and foreigners. Like other arenas, it had a track running around the field. Inside the track lay a flat rectangular sand court, divided into zones by white lines.

Dikpolis patiently explained the rules to Tios and why it was called the Four-City Rugby Tournament:"The four cities are Amendolara, Thurii, Niutum, and Laos. My Dionian friends told me this game was first created by Consul Davos as a form of military training, played by the mercenaries who became Amendolara’s citizens. Later, when Thurii and Amendolara formed the Alliance and began military training for Thurii’s citizens and candidates, they naturally learned it too. Then they captured Niutum, and the Lucanians there picked it up from the earliest batch of Lucanian soldiers. As for Laos, since they sent many laborers to build roads under Dionian supervision, the supervisors taught them the game during rest breaks, to keep them from slacking off due to exhaustion.

"Laos only started playing recently, so they’re not very skilled and their teamwork isn’t smooth. That’s why, in this morning’s match against Thurii, they lost easily. This afternoon it’s Amendolara versus Niutum—the two are evenly matched, so it should be much more exciting!"

"You know so much!" Tios exclaimed.

"I’ve grown interested, so naturally I wanted to learn," Dikpolis said proudly. "I’ve been here a while and made friends with several Dionian citizens. One of them is even a squad leader in their so-called legion. He told me all this."

"Why isn’t Castlón included?" a voice suddenly asked nearby.

Dikpolis turned and saw that a small crowd had gathered around them.

"Perhaps because they’ve had little contact with Dionian citizens, so they haven’t had the chance to learn," Dikpolis shrugged. "But this morning I saw some Castlón people in the audience. I believe after this Four-City Tournament, the next one might become a Five-City Tournament."

"Cretan, you’re right! Next year Castlón will definitely participate!" someone in the crowd shouted.

"Yes! We’ll suggest it to the council as soon as we return!" another added.

Dikpolis winked at Tios and whispered: "See? I wasn’t wrong."

At that moment, the brass horns blared—the players were entering the field.

By now, the athletes’ equipment was no longer as crude as in the early days when rugby was played in army camps. They wore soft leather helmets covering their heads and necks, padded protective gear woven from wool and flax, dyed red or blue for distinction, with strange symbols stitched on their backs (actually Arabic numerals—since Greek numerals were too complex and impractical). This allowed referees to identify the players.

As the players entered, powerful, rhythmic drumming resounded.

The red team quickly formed a neat square formation. In time with the drums, they performed a vigorous war dance praising Ares, as they would after victory in battle...

The entire arena erupted in thunderous cheers.