"No feeling is more central to our being than the desire for freedom. From people that are most organized to those that are most barbarian, all are penetrated by it; because, as we are born without chains, we demand to live without constraint. It is this spirit of independence and pride which produced so many great men in the world, and gave rise to republican governments, which establish a type of equality among men, and bring them closer to a natural state."
~ Frederick the Great, Anti-Machiavel, 1740The wind blew chills across the isle of Elba, whistling by a cove near the sleepy shore town of Portoferraio, within where a well-dressed man in a black cloak sat on a cropping of rock, drawing liberally from a long and slender hashpipe. I approached in apprehension, unsure of my eyes, which have deceived me before. Approaching closer, after some hesitation, I called out. "I for one am astonished to see you alive, Cardinal. Most of Rome believes you are dead."
"It's better that way." He waved me over and took a long drag of the pipe, smoke billowing out to the wind. "There are fewer attempts on a dead man's life." I came to the wall against which he sat, and he stood to greet me.
"I understand the college decided on Barbarossa," he said. "I'm surprised Cardinal Micelus did not win."
I nodded. "Cicero's supporters took fight to the Vatican. Rome burned for a night. The Pope wants him declared
homo sacer, but as a Consul..."
"Ignore the whole matter. These are but the pangs of freedom, the stumblings of a people whose burden is suddenly lifted. The difference between the rule of law and the rule of force is in how these delicate times are handled. Will we leave behind us a free society, or shall we have traded one tyranny for another? I have made my effort, and now it's your turn to proceed."
I gave a long look at the Cardinal's grinning face. "You believe we should allow the Papal guards and the militias to have at each other's throats?"
"Our involvement will just worsen the bloodshed and turn them both against the people's government. It's best if we instead try to negotiate a commonly beneficial solution. Let them expel their fire and it will burn out; try to fight them and you will stoke the flames."
"And in the meantime, the Vatican could be destroyed. You would have us stand idle before plunder?"
"Everything of value will be moved. The Archives will be sealed. The powers of Rome have moved beyond the Vatican, Consul, and the Church has learned well from the last time she was assaulted. We require the love of the people, and it cannot be won by violence. Buildings can be rebuilt, but if you destroy the people, who will rebuild for you?"
"By stopping the violent, one doesn't need to rebuild. And think not I know nothing of violence. To hear word of a thousand dead means little to you, paintings of battle an understood caricature. To witness even a single real corpse is a brand on the soul. How does one explain the horror of war to one that has never seen it? The crushing weight of tyranny to those who've never carried it? One may well ask a carnal virgin to paint his first coitus."
"I will press no further. We will all act as seen fit. What say you of the Ottoman matter?"
"The armies are still reorganizing. It will be weeks before we are ready to deploy, and that's if the crowds settle down."
"Take your time, Consul." The Cardinal sat down on the sand once again and lifted his pipe. "I will be moving to Germany for a time. Rome will need allies for such a maneuver. Cicero cannot veto your decision while he is in hiding, so we mustn't delay for long. The Roman people hunger for war, and should rally to your cause. Fill the ranks. Wait until the German envoy arrives next month. If he tells you we are to be friends, make your move henceforth."
From the Diary of Gaspare Fornari, Second Consul of RomeFebruary 1, 1853
The German messenger arrived with an offer of friendship and recognition in exchange for perpetual shipping rites through Roman waters. The Cardinal.
Demonstrations against the new Pope, the Republican government, the Church itself, all continue unabated, though the rage and violence has dulled to a simmer. I only hope a common enemy will unite our people in spirit as as well as law.
February 14
And so begins the first war of our Republic. With German support we have enough comfort for this.
As expected, the Austrians have abandoned the Turks to their own defenses. Delightedly, the Russians followed suit, canceling their own alliance and ensuring German troops are on hand to confront a French intervention. A good start to this fight.
(note: I'm not running the AHD expansion yet, but I hear it makes changes to alliance-based diplomacy... looking forward to that.)
In other news, word reaches us from South America that Brazil has conquered Bolivia and boasts an impressive stretch of land. At this rate, there's little stopping them from taking dominion of their continent.
March 2
An Ottoman clipper fleet was intercepted in the Sea of Marmara. Wherever the transports were going, we're glad they won't be arriving there.
The strait is now blockaded, and so we've stopped about sixty thousand troops from crossing into Anatolia. Roman advancement on Libya proceeds with haste.
March 17
"Railroads," as they're called, are a wonderful invention found throughout Italia - outside of Rome, that is. This is about to change as the Senate has ratified law allowing the pursuit and construction of rails and train cars within the Republic, overturning an old ban by the former Holy Father, rest his tired soul.
April 3
One day you're signing off on construction earmarks and the next day you're in a room surrounded by wealthy businessmen offering to subsidize your war in exchange for favorable legislation. Refusal would mean a disadvantage on the war front, but acceptance means bowing before these profiteers. A simpler day it must have been, when His Holiness could order such jackals tossed to the sea!
But ending the war quickly is worth some pride. I've agreed to their offers.
May 15
Today the Ottoman army revealed just how outdated it has become. An occupation force of about thirty thousand was sent fleeing from Roman Tripoli by the Pontifical Army and their new rifles. The surviving Turks were chased down and they surrendered south of Misrata.
Further resistance in Libya is expected to be minimal. The land is sparsely inhabited and a great swath of unfriendly desert, but this was never about land. This is about cementing Roman authority and taking the respect of the other powers.
December 27
The flu comes down on us like a biblical plague! The sick are quarantined but this was done too late to stop the spread of the disease. Those discontent with the current rulership are laying the blame on the Roman uprising and the new Pope. These are the same people, of course, who think we are keeping the head of Pope Gregory alive with machinery. I wish we lived in saner times but I'm reading it right off this newspaper. Free press indeed.
Or have we invoked the wrath of the Lord's revelation? Was it Pestilence that followed War?
February 26, 1854
Dear Lord, I pray that after such a fever I may never fall ill again.
Consul Pirro directed his troops to a small nation near the Gold Coast of Africa. Apparently their government ejected a group of Roman tourists who were held and nearly auctioned as slaves. Fighting for the freedom of people is granted by our Constitution - Pirro wasted no time in drafting an army and sending Garibaldi off to Africa. I applaud him - gain a foothold in Africa and get rid of Garibaldi in one order.
March 8
Here come the Ottomans. The Russians were happy to give their troops marching access through Crimea and now there are thousands of Turks converging on the Levant. Roman reserves are mobilized and en route to Gaza - the next few months will be decide the war.
March 10
Either Fate is with us or she holds a hatred of the Ottoman Empire. Their armies give all their ground. This war is won.
March 11
We have accepted the surrender of Libya. The Treaty of Venice calls for the Ottoman transfer of the Libyan coast to Roman control.
Let them think twice before violating our borders again! Next time it will be Thrace.
May 22
The Ottoman problem dealt with, public attention has turned to the dire economy. The Senate is working out a new monetary system to supplement our staggered finances. We needn't grow a massive debt so young in our years.
July 14
Oh, I see Tuscany. It isn't enough to be free of the Pope's kingdom? A divided republic is a defeated one.
I cannot allow these ruffians to continue. It's time to send in the Guard.
July 19
Greece is calling for our aid. Egypt presses on Crete and it's unlikely the Greeks can resist them for very long.
They await our response.
July 20
Let the Acquisition of Dumyat commence!
July 22
Alaska ho! Let us embark on that wondrous Winterland and see what secrets we can uncover.
Eighteen-thousand Tuscans were granted amnesty for their treason. Lucky curs.
July 26
As expected, Garibaldi achieved complete victory in Africa. The brutish Aro Confederacy has been vanquished and three puppet states were established in the region. They've all granted us military access, which will be useful should we ever need to sail around the southern continent.
On the advice of my superiors I am refraining from cracking down on the Maghreb gangs challenging Roman rule of Benghazi. I've sent troops there, not to engage the resistors, but to discourage their militancy.
Januaru 1, 1855
We
tried to be reasonable! This war should have ended the moment they realized their armies were outmatched. Why do they continue to fight on? Do they hope we lack the will to continue the fight until all resistance is ended? We are the heirs of Ancient Roma, the pioneers of liberty. We will not give up. But this is not my first time in Egypt, and I'm anxious to shorten the stay.
February 15, 1855
Germany continues war against the Turks. Ottoman troops are massing in Poland... I don't understand their thinking. If they couldn't fight off an inferior number of Roman conscripts, what hope have they got of besting the German army on their own soil?
March 21
I'm feeling a bit sorry for Denmark right about now. Still, at the very least they'd probably prefer being part of Sweden over Germany, forcing a choice.
April 28
And so the Germans come to control the most lucrative Opium state in the Mediterranean. I don't expect the Ottomans will ever bother us again.
July 7
The Acquisition of Dumyat is off to an excellent start and I'm about to head to Egypt to congratulate our troops on their fine work.
September 6
Oho? Italy thinks they'll be grabbing a piece, do they? Whatever they want, we'll be demanding in turn.
January 1, 1856
The climate in Cairo is quite bearable these days. As our troops move deeper into Egypt, the force fleeing before them shrinks to lesser and lesser numbers. I have a wonderful feeling about this year!
January 6
Fare thee well, Denmark! Swedish dominance of Scandinavia is nearly uncontested. They hadn't a chance of fighting off Russia, but with proper aid they might try.
On a happier note, improvements to our Steam Engines have tremendously boosted our domestic output. This is a fine development, as our "tax-low / spend-high" policy was starting to unravel our budget.
Let not the marches of adversity affect you, men. The attrition of the desert is fierce, but we must hold out. This war is almost won.
March 28
I'd thought that Egypt might see the light eventually. Too late for them to keep Dumyat, though.
May 5
The war is won! Egypt accepted a truce in exchange for the majority of their northern coastline. The only way this day could be better would be if those Bedouin rebels hadn't risen up this morning.
July 5
Hah. Italy fears to move their troops from their soil now that our men have returned. Wise of them, I say.
July 15
Dear me, Spain is seizing ecclesiastic property. I'm not certain on whether the Cardinal will react to this with anger or joy.
August 8
The French army is growing to a terrifying size. I wonder if they'll seek to match Germany in a fight? If they can best the might of Germany then I fear our gains may be short-lived. Perhaps a conflict between Britain and France can be somehow arranged?
Here we are again. It seems like just yesterday we were putting down a rebellion in Ghadamis and now the locals are ready to rise up again. It's tiresome work, this job.
October 14
The end of my term is approaching. It's been a good two years for Rome and I'm happy to have served the Republic in more ways than one, but three years of this enough for anyone.
We've expanded Rome's domain at the cost of many men, but their blood has bought our security and freedom. By now there is nary a nation in the civilized world that has not recognized the Republic as the successor to the Papal States.
However, we mustn't grow complacent. We're not alone in our expansion. Even our ally Germany now stands in the way of our control of the Mediterranean.
We must improve our finances and build an even greater army if we are to survive in this changing world. With Italy in the French sphere, and the constant Italian threat to reclaim her lands, it's only a matter of time before war breaks out across Europe.
It's a good thing Germany's got our back.
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Topic: Let's Play Victoria 2: Origin of Nations! - Dio e Popolo! (Ch. VII) (Read 62837 times)