After the war with Sextus Pompey, the triumvirs Octavian and Lepidus disputed over who would claim Sicily which led to Lepidus' dismissal, and we know the rest is history.
Now, an anecdote tells that during the standoff, the future Augustus attempted to pull a Napoleon in Hundred Days by leaving his army and sneaking into Lepidus' camp with only a small retinue to induce his soldiers to defect.
The ploy worked, and Lepidus was none the wiser as his army began trickling out of the camp. When he finally did wise up Lepidus exchanged words with Octavian, and a fight broke out where one of Octavian's armor bearers was killed and Octavian was struck on the breastplate. Octavian fled the camp afterwards and was pursued by Lepidus' horse guards. Nonetheless Octavian escaped and the damage was done. By nightfall Lepidus' legions struck their standards to join Octavian and Lepidus himself was left without a pot to piss in (but at least he still had Pontifex Maximus)
Simple POD, what if his attacker had aimed higher and Octavian had been struck instead on the neck, expiring soon afterwards. What is the Republic going to do now?
Now, an anecdote tells that during the standoff, the future Augustus attempted to pull a Napoleon in Hundred Days by leaving his army and sneaking into Lepidus' camp with only a small retinue to induce his soldiers to defect.
The ploy worked, and Lepidus was none the wiser as his army began trickling out of the camp. When he finally did wise up Lepidus exchanged words with Octavian, and a fight broke out where one of Octavian's armor bearers was killed and Octavian was struck on the breastplate. Octavian fled the camp afterwards and was pursued by Lepidus' horse guards. Nonetheless Octavian escaped and the damage was done. By nightfall Lepidus' legions struck their standards to join Octavian and Lepidus himself was left without a pot to piss in (but at least he still had Pontifex Maximus)
Simple POD, what if his attacker had aimed higher and Octavian had been struck instead on the neck, expiring soon afterwards. What is the Republic going to do now?