Letter 125

To my Brother. How sad that we have only bad news to share when we write. The enemy has occupied Battia, attacked Aprosylis, burned the threshing floors, ravaged the fields, and sold the women into slavery. As for the men — no quarter was given. They used to take the boys alive, but now, I suppose, they do not have enough people to guard prisoners and fight at the same time. Yet none of us shows any outrage. We sit helpless in our homes, waiting for soldiers to defend us — and a sorry help they are. Even so, all we do is complain about the pay we give them and the privileges they enjoy in peacetime, as though now were the time to put them on trial rather than to drive back the barbarians. When will we stop this useless chatter? When will we act? Let us gather our peasants, our farmers, and march against the enemy — to defend our wives, our children, our country, and yes, our soldiers too. It will be a fine thing in peacetime to say that we protected the troops and saved them. I am dictating this letter practically from horseback. I have enrolled companies and officers with whatever resources I had. I am assembling a considerable force of Asusamas as well, and I have sent word to the Dioestae to meet me at Cleopatra. Once we are on the march and the news spreads that a young army has gathered around me, I hope many more will join voluntarily — the best men drawn by the glory of the cause, and the worthless by the prospect of plunder.

Letter 125: Building an Army [1] To his Brother How sad it is to have only bad news to send when we write to each other, for, behold, the enemy has occupied Battia, he has attacked Aprosylis, he has burnt the threshing-floors, ravaged the fields, sold the women into slavery; and as to the men, there was no quarter given. Formerly they used to take away the little boys alive, but now, I suppose, they do not consider themselves sufficient in number to guard the booty, and at the same time to meet all the necessities of war, in case any one should attack them. [2] However, none of us shows any indignation. We remain helpless in our homes. We always wait for our soldiers to defend us, and a sorry help they are! And, in spite of this, we are never done talking about the pay we give them and the privileges which they enjoy in time of peace, as if this were the moment to impeach then, and not the moment to hurl back the barbarians . [3] When shall we have done with our useless chatter? When shall we act seriously? Let us collect our peasants, the tillers of the soil, to advance upon the enemy, to assure the safety of our wives, of our children, of our country, and also, I may add, of our soldiers. It will be a fine thing in time of peace to go about saying that we took care of the troops, and that we saved them. [4] I am dictating this letter almost from my horse. I myself enrolled companies and officers with the resources I had at my disposal. I am collecting a very considerable body of Asusamas also, and I have given the Dioestae word to meet me at Cleopatra. Once we are on the march, and when it is announced that a young army has collected round me, I hope that many more will join us of their own free will. They will come from every side, the best men to associate themselves with our glorious undertaking, and the worthless to get booty.