have already cursed them and declared war on them long before they did," replied Caesar, no longer able to keep calm.
"Have you requested the Druid35 priests of our Gallic legions to make curses and perform mysterious sacrifices to try to protect us?" asked Labienus.
"I have done everything necessary to overcome and defeat them, General Labienus, which may include having legionaries as good as you are and many other things," replied Caesar.
"It is evil and forbidden to use priests to torment Roman citizens or friends with divine intervention. Only the enemies of Rome can be killed legitimately by the priests and gods of Hades, without incurring the revenge of the Roman gods," replied Labienus who, like many Roman legionaries, was respectful of the precepts of the religion of Rome.
"This time you are wrong General Labienus. I was also Pontefix Massimum36 and I know very well what our priests are secretly doing not far from here, inside Mons Jovis37 just beyond the Rubicon. I can tell you that even there they order the killing of enemies of the state, first with divine rituals, then if this is not enough, with much more," replied Caesar.
"And why then, instead of setting ourselves against the curses of our priests and Ancestors, don't we seek to make a peace agreement with them?" said General Labienus who had no desire to go to war against Rome.
"Because they have become enemies of the state, because of the crimes committed against the citizens and our popular representatives and they will have neither the Gods nor our Ancestors on their side. But I don't intend to defeat them with magical rituals," concluded Caesar.
"Instead it seems that that is what they intend to do, Caesar," replied Curio.
Explain this better."
"From what I have heard, they intend to draw another red line on the second line of defense and make it sacred and impassable," added Curio.
"They want to draw another red line? The one on the Rubicon is no longer enough for them..." Caesar burst out laughing, then added, "... and where would they like to draw this other red line?"
"Right behind the front line of the Prissatellum."
"I understand. So in case that fails, it will be enough for them to retreat behind that line, and they think no armed Roman soldier would dare cross it. But this also means they don't have many legionaries lined up on the Rubicon and they are trying to stop us using fear of the Gods."
Then he added, "Order the annihilation of our legionnaires fears immediately, using counter sacrifices performed by the Druids and Celtic priests of our Gallic legions," ordered Caesar.
"This may work with the Gallic legionaries, since they have more belief in their Druids than in the Gods of Rome, but our Roman legionaries believe in the Flamini and we, as you know, have no Flamini priests following us," replied Curio.
"I know, the Flamini Priests are in the service of the Senate and cannot put themselves in the service of a legion without authorization from Rome. However, I intend to ensure that our legionaries are no longer afraid of subgestitis et superstitis38 inculcated by the enemies," replied Caesar.
Curio said to Caesar, "But there could also be another problem besides that of the Flamini."
"Explain!"
"They also intend to influence our Gallic legions on the front line of the prissatellum."
"In what way?"
"There is a very powerful Gorgon Witch39 recognized by the common people who lives near the sources of the Urgon40 on the mountains above us, who Pompey's men intend to use against the beliefs and fears of our Gallic legionaries," replied Curio, for a moment freezing the attention of all present.
"Mortatibus sibi!41 Explain this last thing to me right away," exclaimed Caesar.
The Urgon witch
There is the source of a river on the Romagna Apennines, which is still called Urgon today.
Many believe that the Rubicon originates there, since in the Romagna dialect that word could mean Rubicon, but to tell the truth this is not certain since, in the Romagna dialect, it should be Rubgon or at least Urbgon as well, if you use the Romagna pronunciation as it is fairly closed.
Instead, no one has ever noticed that the word Urgon in ancient Etruscan meant Gorgon, which is a kind of horrible and terrifying witch similar to the legendary Medusa and that where the Urgon rose, there was a place that today is still called Strigara.42
Also, a little way after these springs, there is another place that many still consider mysterious, named Gorgoscuro.43
But let's return to Curio as he begins to explain the witch of Urgon to everyone.
"This witch lives and casts spells in the mountains near the headwaters of the river."
"She is also said to have access to the underworld, to be able to see the past, present and future, and to resurrect the bodies of the dead, forcing souls to re-enter to create spells and magical hexes."
"And so? Even if it were true, she is not a Goddess, but only an intermedium44 between people, the underworld and the Gods. What could she possibly do against us?" replied the commander Mark Anthony.
"Even the Flamini priests are not divinities but only intermediaries between people and the Gods of Rome," answered Curio.
"That's not true, this is blasphemy. The Flamini and our other Roman priests speak with the mouths of the Gods of Rome and are their vicars on earth," replied General Labienus.
"For this reason, it is said that even the Witches speak with the mouth of the underworld and the afterlife," Curio replied.
"Yes, but they are inferior to the Flamini. Flaminis super stitiius striges, sed sub stantias Deis,"45 replied Labienus who fervently observed the Roman religion of the time.
"That's not the point. They are trying to influence us so we won't fight. We've seen many similar things used against us during the Gaul campaigns and the Roman legionaries have little fear of barbarian deities, but the Gallic might be held back and frightened by these things. Tell us, Curio, what else do you know about this Gorgon witch," interrupted Caesar to stop the discussion.
"Just before the springs, there is an embankment where an artificial lake has formed, used to regulate the flow of the waters from the Prissatellum River, which separates us from Pompey's legions."
"Informants have also told me they intend to use the Gorgon to curse that water and release it into the river as soon as they see we are preparing to attack them."
"Of course they'll spread the story that anyone who crosses that water will soon die so as to try to stop us from crossing the river."
"Then they will fill the banks of the prissatellum with Gorgon heads and masks tied to poles set into the ground as a limit and border to bring bad luck to those who cross. In this way our legionaries will be affected and filled with fear of crossing that river,"46 Curio ended his explanation.
"I'm a little superstitious myself, but if that's the only problem, let's leave all the countermeasures and protections
