Sensing that the time was right, Tiberius Gallus rose to his feet, making eye contact with the Princeps Senatus as he did so. Once recognized by Hortensius, Gallus began his address.

“Conscript Fathers. Gnaeus Cosconius Flavillus has done us a great service by so aptly describing this growing menace upon Our Sea. While we await those detailed figures on enemy numbers, let me remind this House of all of the other locations which have reported incidents of piracy…for there are many of them!”

Gallus proceeded to name the regions suffering from pirate raids, ticking each one off with a finger as he did so. “Sardinia et Corsica. Gallia Transalpina. Hispania Ulterior. Africa. Illyricum!” Murmurs rippled back and forth throughout the House as senators began to grasp the magnitude of the problem.

“Gnaeus Cosconius is indeed correct to liken these pirates to parasites. A wolf can easily survive the annoyance of a tick…or two. But if the wolf is covered in ticks, infested with ticks, the wolf will soon grow anemic…weak…soon it will no longer be strong enough to lead the pack, and eventually it may even weaken to the point where a more healthy beast will drag it down and kill it!”

The murmurings had now been joined by clapping and the stamping of feet. Biding his time, Gallus waited for the din to subside, then continued. “Like you, I rejoice in the fact that Brutus has shown us that these pirates can be defeated, driven off. We can take further comfort in the fact that even now, our ships are being refitted with the corvus device which will bestow upon them a far greater lethality when engaged in naval combat. So there is indeed some encouraging news to balance out the bad!

“Now, Conscript Fathers, there remains the task of developing an overall strategy for purging Our Sea of the pirates, and appointing commanders fit for the task. I have devoted some thought to this problem,” he said, winking to his colleagues on the Tribunician Bench, “and wouldn’t you know…I just happen to have a little proposal here!” With that, he reached into the sinus of his toga. The drama of the moment was diminished just a little as he fumbled past his hand kerchief, still damp as a result of his encounter with the leopard earlier in the day. After what seemed to Gallus an excruciatingly long delay, he produced a document which he proceeded to give to the Consul.

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Senatus Consultum Nostrum Mare Purgatio

I. Recognizing the grave threat posed to the Republic by rampant piracy interfering with commerce upon Our Sea, the Senate and People of Rome do hereby authorize the following:

II. That the Roman Fleet, currently undergoing construction and refit in Ostia, embark immediately upon a vigorous and accelerated training program to master the use of the corvus in ship-to-ship combat. This training program will be administered by Tiberius Gallus Augur, who will serve as interim Fleet Commander. He shall report to the Senate when the Fleet is ready for battle.

III. That the Roman Fleet, once pronounced ready for combat, shall embark on a series of actions designed to purge Our Sea of pirate activity. The sequence of engagements shall be as follows:

i. Sardinia et Corsica.

ii. Africa.

iii. Illyricum.

iv. Hispania Ulterior.

v. Gallia Transalpina.

IV. That command for the first two campaigns be given to Tiberius Gallus Augur. Following the cleansing of the waters of Africa, he shall then assume his post as Quaestor of Africa.

V. That command for the third campaign be given to Lucius Vipsanius Agrippa. Following the cleansing of the waters of the Adriaticus, he shall then continue his Quaestorship.

VI. That command for the remaining two campaigns be given as designated by the governors of the two provinces so affected.

VII. That the fleet remain ready to support major campaigns against any enemies of Rome as designated by the Senate, suspending the efforts against the pirates until such time as the matter of higher priority has been resolved.