If you cannot win, make the one ahead of you break the record.

Remember these Romans, Hannibal. For the time being, we must ally with them. But the day will come when we will have our vengeance upon them, as we will upon the demons of Harappa. Never forget that.”

The boy's voice was grave. “I'll remember.

Against all the odds, we built a better navy than theirs—from scratch—in two months! We now rule the waves in the Mediterranean Sea—Our Sea! The day will come—it begins today—when Rome will master the world! Alexander will roll in his grave, Atlantis will decay in her decadence, and these demons of Harappa will entertain Hades with their theatrics this very night. But Rome will live on in fame and glory. It starts with our victory today!

Marcus turned his back to her. He feared that if he saw her face, it might weaken his resolve. Love was indeed a madness.

I’d say it was a pleasure rowing with you, only it wasn’t.

Far, far out on the open sea a platform of stone held firm against the tossing waves. At first sight, it appeared as nothing out of the ordinary, other than that it lay in the middle of nowhere.
That was the view on the surface. Beneath the water existed an entirely alien world.