Chapter 142 - 105: The Roman Army is Coming_2
Under the command of Spartacus, the rebel army exerted all its strength, with one team after another launching relentless attacks. The battle raged from dawn until dusk, but countless soldiers perished beneath the city walls without ever breaching the parapet...
"Leader Maximus!" A messenger came galloping, loudly announcing, "Spartacus orders the attack to cease, retreat back to camp!"
Maximus had been waiting for this order and immediately told the bugler, "Sound the retreat horn quickly!"
"Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo!..." The urgent sound of the copper horn rang out.
Maximus breathed a sigh of relief as Quintus’s voice reached his ears: "The order to retreat should have been given long ago. The morale of the Metapontum people is high, and they can keep receiving reinforcements from other towns. Even if we attack several more times, we won’t be able to conquer it."
Maximus detected the dissatisfaction in his words, although he had not supported the decision to attack Metapontum earlier. Still, he defended himself, saying, "We didn’t expect these few southern towns to unite and support Metapontum."
"These southerners, though timid and unwilling to fight in the open field, can still put up a fight with the tall city walls as their shield."
As a former Roman, Quintus held contempt for the Greeks of Southern Italy. Stroking his chin, he added, "I think it must have been Metapontum’s administrative officer who, after killing Enomai, foresaw our potential revenge and persuaded other towns to support them, and prepared their defenses well. With our current strength, it’s impossible to conquer it, and there’s no need to waste our forces here; it’s best to retreat early."
"Yes, you are right." Maximus stopped arguing and changed the topic: "However, this time, even if we didn’t take Metapontum, our Free Italy troops have gained significant training. At first, as you saw, over twenty thousand men were in chaos. Especially the forces of the leaders who joined later, unfamiliar with the orders, they attacked or retreated at will...