Curia Hostilia, Consulate of Sulpicianus and Metellus, 82 BCE

[Celsius]

Iulus turned a hard eye to the cripple. His single minded drivel was becoming annoying.

"Am I my son, Senator? Do I think with his mind and move with his limbs?"

Cotta scoffed to himself at the words of this man. His sons were practically the same person when he encountered them before Carbo's arrival. Surely they got it honest...

Iulus kept his cold glare upon the intransigent and crippled fool. His proper place was in the comedies, not the Senate.

"And did he not propose a solution? Would you rather we left traitors and tyrants to steal a Roman province and to make it into their own personal kingdom?

If it comes to it, I myself will donate coin to a Spanish Campaign, as would - I hope - every senator who had even an ounce of live for the Republic. "

"If Senators begin paying for Legions out of their own pocket, no matter the reason, they should be branded as traitors. Legions are Rome, and are to be paid for by Rome should they be raised. They're not going to be funded through charity by the men who have the most to give. That's how Legions turn against us. That's how Marius, and Cinna, and even Sulla to an extent, keep their forces. Through coin. If we can not raise them from our own treasury, then we shouldn't have them! We are coming off what is practically a civil war. Hispania is important, yes. But backing such an endeavor through private funds rinks of disloyalty."

"Perhaps the denarii the republic will gain from the proscription of Carbo and his allies can be used to fund the Spanish campaign, or at least a portion of it."

"Hear, here!"

[The Mad Skylord]

"Donating money to the treasury is treasonous? By Jupiter, Cotta, you are a fool. How did you find yourself elected to this august body?

It was not practically a civil war, it was a civil war. It still is a civil war, it has simply changed theatres.

I declare it now to this Senate, if it is required I will donate coin to the treasury to end the Civil war in Spain, and if that is treason, Cotta, then declare me hostus and crucify me. "

[Celsius]

Cotta sighed. The apple had indeed not fallen far from the tree. His sons were a spitting image personality wise of their father. No middle ground, just 0 to 100. But 0 to 100 what? He began to dribble off into thought before coming to. "Come down off of your cross, Iulus. A martyr you are not..." He sighed once more, less heavily than the first "Perhaps if you were more specific in your wording, speculation of where money was going would be squashed. One could assume many things when you said donate to a Spanish campaign, and such assumptions could have been avoided had you put more than 10 seconds of thought into it."

[The Mad Skylord]

"No, Cotta, such foolishness could have been avoided if you had thought before you spoke. I said I would donate to a Spanish campaign, not that I would personally pay each legion."

There was more than a little irritation in Iulus' eyes. The thought of sharing the Consulate with this wretch was disturbing, to say the least.

[Celsius]

"It matters not as the matter is now settled. No doubt those who donate will expect something in return. Not directly of course, but it is quite a lovely piece of leverage to say that you contributed X to the campaign."
He nodded
"Rome shall not be lowered to begging for money or accepting charity. We pay our own way or none at all."

[The Mad Skylord]

Iulus eyed him coldly.

"What right have you to dictate? Donation is the prerogative of individual Senators. You have no power over it."

[Oznerol]

"We must not have our aerarium rellying on the charity of this august body and its members, Iulus"

Said Metellus, arching an eyebrow.

"The proscriptions have yielded benefits, undoubtedly, but Rome also needs to be taken care off, something I will tend to if I am elected censor. Not every denarii must be spent in a war in Spain, not after all this time of violent domestic struggle"

It seemed like Metellus would be elected censor, unopposed, which would be the peak of his career. Well, more could be achieved, but it needed time.

"However, at least three legions, matching Sertorius' one to one, should be sent to Spain, under the command of a responsible, steadfast and trusty individual"

[The Mad Skylord]

"If you say so, Pius.

I would argue that four legions be deployed to Spain, Sertorius' legions are hardened veterans, and we should compensate by sending an extra legion, at least."

[Oznerol]

"Well, a fourth legion could indeed be useful, countering whatever Sertorius could throw at whoever is sent to Hispania"

Said Pius.

"Four legions could be a sufficient force to deal with the matter at hand"

[Pontifex Maximus]

Messalla stifled a laugh. He wondered how Cotta believed the legions that won the war were levied. He decided not to speak on the matter, it would amount to informing a child how babies were produced. "I'm no Quaestor." He said in a joking manner. "But it seems to me that our best strategy going forward would be to keep Metellus' and Pompey's legions in the field and pay them from the public fisc. That is certainly more responsible than raising new legions." He might now be much of a politician, but he knew the ins and outs of military administration.