Chapter 47: Bubius and Tolerugo

Chapter 47: Bubius and Tolerugo

Frontinus, who was standing aside, ignored their quarrel. He didn’t really care whether or not these few individuals would be punished. He focused on the center of the gathering, scanning the lively crowd around him. What interested him was the way the rebels sought the opinions of everyone.

Although there were many military laws in the Roman army and military discipline was quite strict, with his years of military career, he knew: in reality, the power of life and death over a legionary soldier was ultimately decided by the legion commander, and ordinary soldiers had no opportunity to appeal. The rebel army did not yet have military laws, yet it seemed to be giving this punitive power to the soldiers. Was this the so-called freedom?

Maximus walked into the center of the camp, followed closely by two young women who looked frightened. They were thin and had swollen eyes, and one of them even had a clear red handprint on her cheek.

The soldiers curiously looked at Maximus standing in the center. In all honesty, many recruits probably didn’t know this young leader of the logistics team just two days ago. But it wasn’t surprising. The new recruits were busy raiding farms every day and had little interaction with Maximus, who always stayed with the logistics team. It was only when they fought against the Roman army and ultimately retreated to the mountains that Maximus stepped forward and pointed out a way to turn defeat into victory, attracting everyone’s attention for the first time. And now, he once again became the focus of everyone’s attention, but this time it was to punish their comrades, which caused mixed feelings among the soldiers.

Maximus didn’t know the soldiers’ conflicting emotions at the moment. His voice was loud and carried a hint of gravity as he introduced the two women to the soldiers and emphasized the hardships they had endured.

Endless labor driven by whips and sticks was the shared ordeal of every slave in the camp. But young female slaves with some beauty had to endure some unspeakable violations and suffering, similar to what Nessia had experienced.

Perhaps Maximus’ narration brought back the terrible memories for the two women, and they couldn’t help but start weeping.

Maximus stopped speaking and raised his voice, saying, “These two women joined our ranks with hope, thinking they had come from hell to paradise. They work tirelessly every day to prepare delicious food for everyone, and now they actively care for the wounded. But their enthusiasm has been met with the shameless violation by these few individuals!”

Maximus’ strong accusation silenced the entire assembly.

Crixus began to feel uneasy but quickly relaxed. He understood his soldiers well. Perhaps they felt guilty now, but Maximus’ continued accusations would only make them support the innocence of those four individuals because that was the only way they could feel innocent themselves.

Maximus looked around and said, “I believe all of you heard what I said in the medical camp. I don’t intend to say much more. I would like to invite two other people to speak to everyone.”

Tolerugo, a gladiator from Gaul, had a good relationship with Crixus and served as a centurion of the Second Cohort. During the battle against the Roman army, the Second Cohort suffered a disastrous defeat. Tolerugo, however, fought to the death and managed to break free from the Roman encirclement, leading his soldiers to escape the pursuit of the Roman cavalry and retreat to the mountain. While the soldiers celebrated their rescue, Tolerugo collapsed to the ground, covered in sword wounds. The blood flowing from his body dyed his armor red. Even Crixus, upon seeing him, believed that his injuries were so severe that he wouldn’t survive for long. He never expected to see Tolerugo appear in the center of the assembly at this moment.

In fact, the majority of the severely wounded in the medical camp were gladiators. Their fierce resilience and experience in the arena allowed them to reach safe zones even with severe injuries. Tolerugo was just one of them.

“These soldiers deserve to die!” Despite his pale and weak appearance, Tolerugo’s angry expression shook the soldiers around him as soon as he spoke.

“I am alive here today because of the careful care of these women! Any bastard who harasses them is an enemy of mine and other wounded soldiers! Anyone who agrees that these bastards should go unpunished, the next time you get injured I will recommend to the medical team to not treat you, and let you fools die wailing in pain!”

Tolerugo’s impassioned words caused even greater turmoil among the soldiers.

Damn, Maximus! Crixus cursed internally. He didn’t know the situation in the other cohorts, but Tolerugo, known for his straightforward nature in the Second Cohort, had considerable influence. After being berated by him like this, there were likely very few people left supporting those soldiers.

Meanwhile, Maximus quietly praised Nessia, saying, “It’s great that Tolerugo stood up to support you. You all did well!”

“All the sisters followed your orders and took care of these severely wounded soldiers with all their hearts and efforts.” Nessia didn’t sound proud; instead, she complained, “They can’t move, and we have to bandage their wounds, clean their bodies, even handle their excrement and urine. It’s not only tiring but also...”

“But it’s all worth it, isn’t it?” Maximus pointed to Tolerugo in the center of the assembly.

At this moment, Tolerugo was carried away, and Spartacus entered the center again. “Now that both sides have presented their reasons, my brothers, I believe you have made your decisions. So, those in favor of punishment, raise your arms!”