Chapter 247: Ballista

Chapter 247: Ballista

“What are you researching lately?” Davos asked with a smile.

“In addition to helping the Senate in designing the molds and tools for minting silver coins, we are mostly researching pulleys.” Said Metoticles truthfully.

“Pulley?!” When Davos heard it, he became interested.

“Last year, when you defeated Crotone and annexed Thurii, Archytas had come to Amendolara.” Marticoris casually said

Davos did not mind it, and just nodded.

“He saw our new waterwheel and became greatly interested, so he came to discuss its application principle with us, and at the same time, he also mentioned that he recently became interested in mathematical mechanics and began studying the application of pulleys….” Marticoris then said with some embarrassment, “So I….” He took a look at Metoticles, “We…have also started studying pulleys as well….”

Davos understood. Although Archytas is an important figure and mathematical genius of the Pythagorean School, and these two are just ordinary disciples, they, however, are as competitive as anyone in the academic field, especially Marticoris. He has a vigorous energy, great curiosity and inquisitiveness, and now under the condition of a better life, he has a strong desire to learn and improve his shortcomings, and devote all his energy to research in order to compete with Archytas in academics.

“How is your research going?” Davos gently interrupted Marticoris who was stammering. Although Davos had forgotten a lot of the scientific knowledge that he learned from his teacher and school in his previous life, not so much as to not even know what a pulley is, which is just the basics of physics in junior high school.

“We have already created the mathematical formula for why pulleys can reduce the effort needed, and have verified its correctness many times. Naturally, it is thanks to the numerical symbols that you have invented that has saved us a lot of time and effort. Now we are further experimenting with multiple pulley combinations to refine our theory…by then, this discovery will change the whole Mediterranean world! Imagine a person using a pulley to pull up a boulder to more than ten meters high! Imagine a man using a pulley to pull a small boat by himself….” When Marticoris talks about math, his eyes light up and his hands move around.

Instead of being surprised like what they had expected, Davos said while smiling, “I believe that your research and invention will bring great convenience to the life of the union’s people!”

They glanced at each other and were a little depressed. Davos, as the favored of Hades, seemed to have long seen the future development of a mathematical research, so that whenever they stood in front of him, they would always not feel the superiority of being a scholar.

Marticoris had no choice but to complain, “If you hadn’t asked us to assist in the minting of the coins, then our research would have progressed faster!”

“Isn’t it for you to prove your ability to the Pythagorean School through coin minting?” Davos laughed, when he handed over the issue of coin minting to Tritodemos, he did not consider the two disciples of the Pythagorean School. However, the high demand that he requested had made it difficult for Tritodemos. In the end, Tritodemos took the initiative to find Davos and asked Marticoris to help them, because decades ago after Pythagoras was expelled by the Crotonians, he had stayed in Metapontum and designed an elaborate minting mold for Metapontum. which made the coins of this unknown Greek city-states to be very popular in Magna Graecia. Therefore, he thought of asking Marticoris of the Pythagorean School to help them.

“Compared with the era of Pythagoras, the research on the design of coin molds in the school has become more perfect, so-” As soon as Marticoris spoke modestly, Metoticles snorted, “But they do not have a water powered presses, hence why our silver coins are far better than theirs.”

After spending so much time together, Davos basically understood the two young men in front of him. Back then, most people of the Pythagorean School did not want to come to Amendolara, a small remote city, so they forcibly appointed these two unknown foreign disciples, which has given a big blow to these two sensitive Leontinians. But under the long-term intentional guidance of Davos, the two people who have low positions in the school have gradually deviated from and disagreed with some philosophies of the school, and are even willing to compete with their former teachers and classmates.

With a smile, Davos took out a piece of papyrus and said, “I have a drawing here, which is about the use of pulley, I wonder if you can make it?”

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“Let me see! Let me see!” As soon as Davos’ voice fell, Metoticles was unable to hold himself back and snatch it from him.

Metoticles leaned over and looked at the drawing and asked, “What is the name of this instrument?”

“The Syracusans call it a ballista. I heard that it can shoot a stone that weighs 6 kilogram at a distance of several hundred meters. More than ten days ago, the Syracusans used it to repel the reinforcements of Carthage.” Davos looked calm, but his heart was not.

Davos was surprised when Aristias reported the situation of the sea battle of Motya to him. The Theonian catapults are still in its trial stage, and yet the Syracusans ballista and gastraphetes* have appeared in large quantities in Motya, and successfully sank many Carthaginian ships. Its strength and accuracy are not comparable to Theonian’s crude catapult, which shows the gap between Syracuse and Theonia in military technology. This made Davos feel the pressure and he immediately ordered Aristias to get the blueprints of the Syracusans ballista at all costs!

As for Aristias, who hated Syracuse, he could not wait to steal it. So after paying a great price, he got a rough draft of the Syracusans ballista.

Hearing the name “Syracuse”, the two scholars, who had also lost their homes, looked more serious and wished that they could get the blueprints.

“Metoticles.” At this time, Davos asked, “I wonder how is the thing that I had told you last time about attracting and recruiting more of your fellow classmates to Theonia to expand the scale of the research institute and further promote the research of mathematical theory and application is going?”

Metoticles looked away from the drawing with some reluctance and said helplessly, “Archon, since the school has denounced us for violating the rules by giving lectures in public, many students have cut off their communications with us. And only those few foreign students who have good relations with me have listened to my introduction of the good environment in Theonia and are willing to come.”

“As long as they are willing to come, Theonia will fulfill its promise! In addition, if they have any needs, you can immediately tell me and I will try my best to satisfy them! Theonia will do its best to create the best environment and conditions for you to study, discuss and research, and even though there are only a few of you, I believe that you will be able to achieve fruitful results not much less than those over in Taranto!”

Davos showed no reservation in fully supporting the Institute of Mathematics, which not only made Metoticles grateful, but also aroused his ambition. He then solemnly said, “We won’t let you down!”

“How is your discussion about sending teachers to teach at the akademia?” Davos asked once more. 

“Initially, we were hesitant because there were too few people. Now that some of our classmates are coming and after discussing it with Marticoris, I had thought that you were right. Going to lecture at the akademia can help us sort out our own mathematical theory, consolidate our basic knowledge and expand the influence of the research institute. And we might even be able to get new inspiration while communicating with the students…hence why we are willing to send someone, however, we have a requirement.”

“What is it?”

“Once we find a student talented in mathematics in the akademia, we hope to give him special training and for him to join the research institute in the future.” Metoticles somewhat said, because it was his and Marticoris’ personal desire, since they had fallen out with the Pythagorean school in Taranto, they also wanted to develop their own academic groups to compete with the Pythagorean School.

“Of course, it is of no problem. But you need to first ask the students for their consent.” Davos did not hesitate to agree. In fact, he was very happy to see Marticoris and Metoticles consider the problem from their own interests, which showed that they deviate more and more from the Pythagorean School of Taranto in both emotion and action.

“In addition, during peacetime, I also plan to let those engineering technicians from various legions to come to the Institute of Mathematics as your assistants, which can not only solve your shortage of manpower, but to also closely combine theory with practical application.”

“They are naturally welcome to help the Institute!” Metoticles, who was better at handling things than Marticoris, said euphemistically, “But we don’t have enough money to pay their salaries.”

“You will have it soon.” Davos said with a smile, “The watermill designed by you has been tested and improved the efficiency of flour milling by several times, which can save a lot of time and animal power for the people. And I have already ordered people to build watermills in Amendolara, Thurii and Krimisa respectively, so the price of one kilogram of flour has become very low, which is less than one third of an obol, I believe that soon, the people will be willing to use the watermill after they have tried it. In accordance with our agreement, the research institute will receive 20% of the proceeds from the application of the device you have invented, and I think that will be a considerable amount of money that will be entirely at your disposal. And I also hope that you will make good use of this money, especially for the main inventors, and encourage their enthusiasm. Only in this way can more people be inspired to invent better instruments, and your income will also be more.”

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