"Asiculodox failed because he led his army to attack Laos without being familiar with the terrain and was ambushed in the mountain paths. That's why it ended in such a disastrous defeat. But if it had been on the plains of Thurii, a direct confrontation against the poorly equipped and loosely organized Lucanian mountain people, how could they possibly stand up to Greek hoplites? Even if we had fewer troops, it wouldn't have been a problem."
"Phrynis, we can't afford to drag this war out. If we retreat into the city and let the enemy trample our farmland again, burn our villages, fisheries, and mines, we'll still have to convene citizen assemblies every month to debate whether to impose wartime taxes just to pay the mercenaries their wages and buy their food."
