Men of Athens 0395067278, 9780395067277

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OLIVIA COOLIDGE Illustrated

by Milton Johnson

$3.50 12

Men

up

Athens

of

OLIVIA COOLIDGE Illustrated by

Milton Johnson

Once again, Olivia Coolidge puts flesh and blood on the bones of history. In these short stories that frame the Golden Age of Athens she spreads before the reader a dramatic, highly colored pano-

rama

of the times

and men who made Golden Age.

the glory of Athens'

Here

the barbaric splendor of the

is

Persian court at Sardis; a stirring view of is Themisambassador from Athens, cleverly outmaneuvering the smug and

the battle of Salamis; here

tocles,

the

simple Spartans; Criton, the athlete, de-

fending the honor of his

city

at

the

Olympic games; the bustle of the marketplace where even a potter strives for an excellence worthy of his

city.

Finally, after the flashing brilliance of

Athens

at its height of

power, there

moving account of the day is condemned to death, a

is

a

that Socrates

verdict that

seems to spell the death of Athens itself. As with the author's Roman People,

which Library

Journal

lutely essential," the

called

book makes

"absoexcel-

lent reading just as a collection of fine

and exciting will

make

reality

same time it Athenian century a living

stories; at the

the

and give the reader a sense of Golden Age.

participation in the

Men

of

Athens

Men

of

Athens

Olivia Coolidge

Illustrated

19

by Milton Johnson

6 2

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY BOSTON THE RIVERSIDE PRESS CAMBRIDGE

Books by Olivia Coolidge

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of

Two World Wars

War

Athens

COPYRIGHT

©

1962 BY OLIVIA

E.

COOLIDGE

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO REPRODUCE THIS BOOK OR PARTS THEREOF IN

ANY FORM.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGUE CARD NUMBER 62- 1 2249

PRINTED IN THE

U.S.A.

Introduction

Prelude to the Golden Age

Remember The Birth

the Athenians of a Lion

7

18

At the Gates of Sardis

25

A Legend

32

of Salamis

Themistocles in Sparta

46

Athenians of the Golden Age

The Athenian

63

The Two

83

Painters

The Day He Was Athens

102

After-Dinner Stories

131

The Adventure

154

The Death

of the Merchant's Son

of the Golden Age

Out of Date

187

The Head

206

The Old Juryman

221

Men of Athens

Introduction

The golden fifty

years

age of Athens

a period of almost exactly

is

which was preceded by twenty

years of in-

and brought

termittent conflict with Persia

to

an end

by a thirty-year war and defeat by the Peloponnesians. This whole space between 500 and 400 of Athens.

Its

b.c. is

the century

flowering of genius produced three of the

world's greatest poets and a sculptor of equal rank, besides

two other

would be

of the

sculptors

who

first class.

in

The

any other company

architects of the Par-

thenon and Propylaea rank with historian of the Peloponnesian

the greatest of historians. This

and the early manhood

we have nothing

left

the great frescoes of

War, is

of Plato.

these. is

Thucydides,

in his

own way

the century of Socrates

Of Athenian

painting

but her incomparable vases.

All

which the Athenians themselves

thought so highly have perished. Indeed, the richness

INTRODUCTION

and

variety of the

Athenian accomplishment must be

considered not only from the fragments

from the

amount we know

vast

we have

left,

but

Aeschylus,

existed.

Sophocles, and Euripides were not the only successful

Aristophanes was not the only comedian.

tragedians.

Other

writers,

known

to us only

are

philosophers,

unknown.

compared

to

nothing in recorded history, except perhaps

And

mense contributions

to learning city

and

art, it

was

monument to human aspiration. differs from our own

took

farmer or

The

government had part

public

in

aristocrat,

choruses, put

it

on

the

little

place

in that rep-

in

Every

it.

directly,

affairs

is

whether

poor fisherman or rich merchant.

chief advantage of

able to spend

left to

by a constitution which

Athenian democracy

citizen

made im-

while the Florentines

Athenians to crown their

resentative

are

artists

Such a wealth of achievement can be

to that of Florence.

in itself a

and

teachers,

by passing references. Some doubtless

money was

that

lavishly for the state.

its

owner was

He might

train

plays, outfit warships, preside at festivals.

His fellow countrymen rewarded him with praise for

what he did

money

well, but the fact that

in the public service

poor man,

too, did his part

was taken

he expended his for granted.

and frequently gave

to glorify his city; for the exuberance of the

made them This

The

his life

Athenians

aggressive.

atmosphere

in

Athens resulted

from a

rare

balance bestowed on the city by history and chance.

Democracy was young, and the

fine traditions of the old

were

aristocracy ity

were

lowed sort of

respected.

still

Corruption and vulgar-

come, but for the time being the people

to

fol-

their noblest statesman out of admiration for the

man

During the

he was.

democracy was truly

great,

it

fifty

years

when

the

the spirits of the

lifted

Athenians. Their private houses were small and mean;

compared

their lives,

to ours,

were poverty-stricken. But

they poured out their blood for the city like water; they

made her

beautiful in marble

and bronze,

and in deathless poetry.

in festivals,

that the Athenians

Critics said sourly

were born never

selves or to leave other people alone.

to

a

model

a great war,

it

is

fell

way

As

it

and greed. Sheer desperation

its

was dragged down

spiritually

train.

The Athenian democracy till

her famous

men were

at odds with her. Finally Plato, perhaps the greatest

Athenian of

all,

rejected politics out of disgust. Yet even

in her degenerate days,

those of her enemies.

commercial and traditions of city

lasted long.

slowly from power while her noble imto bluster

brought cruelty in

all

by which they

somewhat doubtful

whether so exalted an age could have

pulses gave

quiet them-

for the world.

Even without was, Athens

sit

But the Athenians

called themselves the school of Greece,

meant

in paintings,

Athens was a greater

city

intellectual center of her world.

democracy

for the ages, the Fifth

the century of Athens.

The

persisted, but the spirit of the

had changed. There were glorious moments

come; but

than

Presently she rose again to be the

Century

still

still

to

remains

Prelude to the Golden Age 500-480

The Struggle with the Persians

b.c.

Remember Persia 499

It

was

the Athenians

b.c,

in the twenty-second year of the reign of the

Great King Darius that the Greek Asia Minor rose in revolt. the course of the following

King's messengers tal,

who was

who had

his

coast of

Some months

thereafter in

summer, one

of the Great

out on the royal road to the capi-

governor in Sardis of Asia Minor and

jurisdiction over the

Greek

cities

of that coast.

messenger's news was of the utmost gravity, as well

he knew; but even had

it

not been

so,

he

galloped where he could and spared no ever

on the

bearing tidings from Artaphernes, brother of the

king,

The

set

cities

stayed

the

king's

postriders,

still

would have

effort.

neither

Nothing

snow,

nor

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

storm, nor flood.

lands

let

Even the brigands who haunted the up-

them go

by, for the

power

King

of the Great

Darius was feared in the remotest parts of his dominions.

The

royal road,

which had

in part been constructed

and was altogether maintained by the Persian king, ran northeast

from

This was by no means the short-

Sardis.

est route to the capital at Susa,

the Black Sea

with

it

but the postriders from

and the Hellespont used

it

too, joining

To

not far before the crossing of the Halys.

messenger from Artaphernes the river Halys was a long

way

off,

but

though he had not

it

was

This royal road was a good one, and wheeled forced to turn out of the

as yet

noticeable that he sped as

go and did not spare

far to

way

for one

who

his horse. traffic

way

stations to be set

change horses

at need; but

on

up where

trusted

mount through

on

had

men might

this occasion rather

risk unforeseen delay, Artaphernes's

own

his

was

traveled

the king's business. Every fifteen miles or so Darius

caused

the

than

messenger kept his

several stages.

He was mak-

ing good speed, though he was climbing into the uplands

where Phrygia and Lydia came together and

where herdsmen pastured great little

flocks of sheep,

where

market places took the trade instead of towns, and

where most

villages

were a huddle around one

street.

All day he rode; and as the dusk came on, he reached a

way

station

where a horse stood bridled and ready.

the messenger got

man who

down and handed

his tablets to the

waited for them. Untying his horse,

ond messenger vanished

Stiffly

this sec-

into the gathering dark, while

Remember the

first

the Athenians

9

one took food from his saddlebag and called for

wine. All night the second

man

rode, letting his horse pick

was no moon. In the morning

the way, since there the second day he

handed over the

who

tireless trot

took up the

tablets to a third

down

the narrow road cut

in rock, scraped in sand, trampled into of shifting pebbles

down

uously traveled

him news

mud,

rivers flooded

Thus day and night

spring season.

bearing

where the

of

man,

or a mass it

in the

these tablets contin-

the Great King's road to Susa,

of the disaster

which had

lately befallen

his city of Sardis.

Early in the morning of the third day,

who

messenger Halys.

it

was the

fifth

took the tablets in the ferry over the

There was a guard

station

here to

mark

the

boundary between the old Lydian kingdom and Cappadocia. Every so often

it

was well

for the Great

King

to

know who moved along his road. In Cappadocia, the messengers rode in streaming rain

from drenching thunderstorms, and one limping into the way station lost a shoe.

and made

But the next

off,

from a farther

late

of

them came

with a horse which had

man was

roused in an instant

though he had but a few hours returned station.

In Cilicia the river Carmelus ran in flood, and there

was no crossing

for three hours

till it

went down. Even

then the messenger must have a rope rigged across the

stream in case the current should sweep him and his precious burden

away

as

he went over.

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

10

On

Sardis crossed the Euphrates very high up, near

the

from

the evening of the sixth day the message

Armenians

started

down

where

the swift current to Baby-

lon in round skin boats with a cargo of wine and a don-

key to carry the folded boat back home up the bank with

masters trudging beside

its

it.

From

the Euphrates

the dry and rolling plain, treeless and scrubby, stretched

many

miles through scattered settlements to the head-

waters of the Tigris. East of the Tigris, the messengers

turned due south, keeping the river on their right and the hills on their left as they passed through Media,

where the men wore long linen robes and where the date palms took the place of the

olive, the vine,

and the

fig of

Asia Minor. Thus passing through Media, hand to hand

and never stopping, the Great King's Persia at last not far

and

from the head

letter

of the

came

into

Red Sea Gulf

arrived in Susa in the hands of the twenty-fifth

man

on the thirteenth day, having traveled with a speed un-

known

to

any other thing which moved on the surface

of the earth.

The

twenty-fifth

man came

to Susa in the

before the sun

was high; and he spoke

of the palace,

who

let

him

morning

to the guardians

through. But in the court

within the wall the palace attendant whose business

was

to

announce such

the king

was hunting

men

it

informed him that Darius

in the hills near

where the

evil-

smelling spring of petroleum gushed forth. There was

nothing for

it

but to ride out after the king, which the

messenger did in some trepidation.

In the palace he

Remember

the Athenians

11

need not have come into the

terrible presence at all.

shook in his shoes, but he galloped out of Susa,

lest

He any-

one report that he had lingered. Darius the king had ridden back from hunting to

where

gorgeous tents were pitched, round which his

his

cooks and stewards and grooms and guards and kennel

men

in furious bustle

removing from it

was

late

were preparing for the

his sight all traces of the hunt,

King Darius was

over.

feast or else

middle age with a

now that man of

a square, heavy

thick, iron-gray beard

and a nor-

mal expression of considerable good humor. Even the power of Darius a in

no

and death over

life

taste for cruelty.

all

men had

not given

His brother Artaphernes was

fear of losing his life for negligence at Sardis.

was the

between

rivalry

his

eldest

Nor

son and his heir

Xerxes, born of Atossa his chief queen, allowed to give rise to the

murderous intrigues of other

princes.

young men were with him now, one on each of

them reined

and

stiffly

side.

Both Both

in their horses while Darius got slowly

down, and while the cupbearer held out

a

goblet of wine cooled with fresh snow.

Darius neither accepted nor rejected nesslike

little

eyes were

this.

His

busi-

on the messenger, who threw

himself to the ground and touched his forehead to the earth.

Not condescending

to turn his head,

Darius sim-

ply beckoned over his shoulder with one finger. His secretary

came darting forward

man.

"Whose

letter?"

in a flash to question the

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

12

"From Artaphernes,

O

King

of Kings," said the

man,

his face to the earth.

Even the the tablets.

who

slave,

him

He

was too great

a personage to take

merely nodded in his turn to a

lesser

relieved the messenger of his burden, leaving

he could.

free to wriggle himself out of sight as best

"Let "I

secretary

him be given meat and drink," Darius said.

thank the King of Kings," the poor

man

stam-

mered. Darius turned from him, leaving him to discover

when he dared

raise his eyes a trifle that the

was over and he could get up and had broken open the

secretary

audience

Meanwhile, the

go.

seals of the tablet

and was

perusing the contents with a look of consternation.

was not

It

that the fate of Sardis troubled him, but that his

duty was to read aloud to the Great King. All had fallen

back except the two princes and the cupbearer, not yet dismissed.

But might not Darius consider even

this

small audience too public for the hearing of unpleasant

news?

It

was the duty of the

secretary to

know, and he

did not know.

A The

little

frown creased Darius's broad brown forehead.

secretary quivered.

the trained ones.

Slaves were expendable, even

In a voice which trembled slightly he

read aloud the formal greetings from Artaphernes to the

King of Kings and embarked on the Darius listened grimly.

news

"If

letter.

we must

needs hear such

in public," said he in a voice of displeasure, "let us

at least

have our audience in proper earshot."

He

spoke

Remember softly;

the Athenians

and

13

might have been supposed

it

the princes, the cupbearer,

him.

which

and the

some

Nevertheless, by

none but

that

secretary could hear

peculiar process

through

became law, the

his lightest expression instantly

and cousins and brothers-in-law who had

king's brothers

been hunting with him moved into ranks behind him while the choking secretary began once more to read the letter.

Darius listened for a moment, flushing with anger.

His

great,

broad hand clenched into a

at the front of his

fist

was gripping

embroidered tunic where

it

showed

beneath his beard; but his passion for exact information betrayed "It

itself

was

notwithstanding.

and

just the Milesians, then,

from Greece with twenty men. Perhaps

six

ships

thousand in

.

.

all,

rations for a quick raid inland.

.

these Athenians

about two thousand

and with a few

They beached

days'

their ships

near Ephesus, you said?"

"Even

so,

Darius

Great King," the secretary agreed.

considered,

knowledge of

his

brother's letter. valley

of the

bringing

dominions

his

to bear

vast

and

detailed

on the gaps

in his

"They must have struck inland up the Cayster and round the foothills of the

mountain of Tmolus. The banks of the Cayster

are set-

tled by Greeks, while in the uplands the shepherd folk

would be too frightened

to send Sardis

warning ahead.

Very possibly they did not have much time. These Greeks move rapidly, even on a summer's day and in full

armor.

I

have seen them."

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

14

"They came on have marched

all

Sardis in the early

night," the secretary ventured.

Darius nodded. "Well, read on

The Greeks had were opening the

the city.

.

moment when

all

Persians with him,

where he had been

had safe

which were

his forces,

on the

city

the sleepy guards

They had swarmed through

gates.

who stood in Artaphernes, who had a down

."

.

fallen like a thunderbolt

of Sardis at the very

them, cut

dawn and must

way, and taken

their

considerable force of

fled for refuge to the citadel,

enough

until

summon

he could

scattered in garrisons

through the

countryside. Sardis

was the

chief city of the

was very wealthy. The

Lydian people, and

river Pactolus,

which ran

through the market place, brought gold-dust

and

traders

who

always

knew how

right

down from

Tmolus. The Lydians, moreoever, were famous sters

it

huck-

as

to get on.

The

Greeks scattered in high excitement through the town, disregarding

Artaphernes

and

his

guards;

and

they

started to plunder.

The houses were

little

of the Lydians, like those of the Greeks,

and mean, most people preferring

their days in the

and or

thatch, all

shops.

open

air.

They were

to

crowded together, encumbered by booths

They were dotted everywhere with work-

rooms where iron and bronze were heated, pottery loaves baked,

and

spend

generally wattle

where hearths and furnaces were

fired,

alight

in the confusion started to blaze. Pretty soon in the

suburbs of the town there had been

fires

which nobody

Remember

had

the Athenians

leisure

put

to

15

out,

all

spreading

and

running

together in a delightful breeze which had fanned the

Athenians and the Milesians on their night march.

The

people of Sardis came swarming out of their

houses like bees and took refuge from the flames in the

open market place and on the banks of the Pactolus. As a people the Lydians

were by no means warlike men;

but they were angry, and every head of a house had

weapons and armor which hung somewhere on

many

Besides,

town were

Persians

What with

riors all.

who had

among them; and

also

his wall.

been caught in the these

men were

war-

the crowds, therefore, and the in-

creasing resistance, the fires surrounding them, and the

menace of the

citadel, the

Greeks thought

it

wiser to

They withdrew,

draw

off

ingly,

from the burning town without much plunder and

started

while they

still

could.

accord-

back again the way they had come.

Artaphernes, the Persian, meanwhile had not been

He had

idle.

forces scattered in garrisons through the

and he had immediately

country,

Not many hours

after the

strong reinforcements

sent out messengers.

Greeks had started homeward,

came pouring

in, their

pace con-

and

siderably quickened by the glare of burning Sardis

the

smoke

of

it,

which was

drifting across the uplands

into Phrygia. Artaphernes wasted after the Greeks,

no time.

He

set

who, being disappointed with the way

the thing

had turned out and rather weary from

exertions,

saw no need

them

out

to

their

hurry. Artaphernes caught

outside the walls of Ephesus, forced

them

to battle,

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

16

and slew them

immense numbers. Then the Athe-

in

— those of them that were — took their twenty ships and

nians

completely

left,

lusioned

fled

disil-

home. Arta-

phernes imagined that they would not be so eager in the future to send help to the king's rebellious slaves in hope of plunder.

This was

very well for Artaphernes to say, but

all

The king

Sardis lay in ashes notwithstanding.

refrained

from comment and stood brooding. The princes on one another in

Persians looked

them knew

From

the Persian ruled.

dismay. All of

silent

one of the richest

Sardis,

of the

cities

over which

the district of Sardis, Arta-

phernes sent five hundred silver talents in tribute to the

king

at

Susa yearly.

"The Milesians "They these

upon

my

are

Athenians his

know," the Great King

I

slaves, .

.

kinsmen.

and

I

said at last.

punish them

shall

.

.

.

but

He turned and stared around "Who are the Athenians?" the Great ."

King demanded. Once more

a silent bustle

There was a certain Greek policy

whom

King out

of

to Susa

and seemed

to

This man, though ruler by rights of Miletus, was

no rank

trail after his

to

hunt with

for,

him now

hundred

but on the spot

it

He

Persians.

lord with half a

ing unless sent fetched

in the background.

the Great

had brought back with him

favor.

of

went on

if

would be hard

others, not appear-

ever wanted.

to say, but

trated himself in the dust before the

formation.

must, however,

Who

he pros-

king and gave

in-

"

Remember

the Athenians

"The Athenians,"

17

said he, "are a little Grecian people

with a territory of a thousand square miles which mostly

Their single

infertile.

men and

fighting

has thirty thousand

city

They claim kinship

their dependents.

with the Milesians and some of the others of your

who

is

slaves,

long ago were colonized from Athens."

"I see," the Great

King

"Then

replied.

me my

give

bow."

They brought

it,

a mighty

bow made

of

two curved

horns, with a quiverful of reed arrows.

The Great King high up into the

fitted

air,

an arrow

to his

"God grant me,"

my

the king to the distant sky, "to have

down

raised

it

the

shot

it

a black streak flying and curving,

falling across the path of the sun.

threw

bow and

bow and

cried

revenge."

He

took the cup of wine, but as he

to his lips another thought came.

He

said to

the cupbearer, "Slave!"

"Great King!" "Lest

I

The man fell down at his feet.

forget this paltry people, you shall remind me.

Three times

at every feast

shall lean over

and say

as

member the Athenians!' The young Xerxes at the

when you hand my

cup, you

me,

'Sire, re-

you give

the lesser wife and said, "This

King

of Kings.

member the Then the

I,

too,

to

king's right hand, ever eager

to assert his rights as the heir,

the

it

nodded is

a

to his brother

good saying and

when my

by

befits

turn comes, shall re-

Athenians." elder brother scowled

tered sourly, "It

is

on the heir and mut-

easy to remember. Vengeance

is

hard."

The Birth

of a Lion

Athens 495

B.C.

Agariste had been in labor

morning when the wrapped

six hours,

girl slave

in a cloth to lay

it

and

it

was nearly

came down with

on the earthen

the child

floor at the feet

of Xanthippos.

He lest

looked

it

the hot oil

one in

all

over, holding the fall

on the

It

was a boy and a

respects well formed, except

he said sharply to the It

child.

smoking lamp with care

girl.

.

.

.

fine

"The head!"

"What says the midwife ?"

was a strange-looking head, the crown unusually

;

The

Birth of a Lion

19

The

high and almost pointed.

enough

great

to be called a malformation, but in such a

very young child

"She

says

alarmed.

"It

was hardly

peculiarity

was an

it

change,

will

it

was a

oddity.

The

master."

difficult labor,

but he

was

girl

a healthy

is

child."

Xanthippos smiled in

relief.

Apart from

this

man

blemish, the child was as beautiful a one as a desire

— and a son.

Of

course he

out of pity either, but out of pride. carefully in

infant up.

its

"I

would

He

rear

set

one

it,

little

could

and not

lamp down

the

niche in the wall and stooped to take the

do acknowledge him, and he

shall be

my

Take him, bathe and swaddle him, and put him

son.

to

sleep."

He

gave the child back to the beaming maidservant.

"Is Agariste

"She

is

Agariste

is

content?"

tired

but happy, master.

says

very strong."

"She has borne

me

a fine son," Xanthippos said, "and

well performed her duty." until she

The midwife

was

purified,

He would

not see Agariste

which could not be

for

some days

but his heart and hers would beat with the same elation.

He

felt closer to

did

when

her in her absence

now

than he often

she sat with her spinning in the open

off the court.

He

let

room

the maidservant go back upstairs

with her precious burden while he took the garland of olive

which had been

laid

above the door himself.

ready and went out to fasten

Had

it

been a

girl,

it

he would

have waked the porter and bade him hang the white

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

20

woolen bands

to tell the neighbors.

But

it

was a

son.

Xanthippos finished hanging the garland and walked

away down strain

the

and lack

His nerves were on edge from

street.

of sleep. In the bustle about the child he

was not wanted, while public

life

for the jostling

he was not ready.

He

and shouting of

needed to be alone, to

think of his triumph.

There was a

was

faint light in the eastern sky; but

yet stirring, save the country folk trudging in with

who

market produce or those farmers city setting out to

till

early to

lived inside the

their lots. Pretty soon the fish

would open, and

ket

no one

better people

mar-

would be getting up

buy before the sun and the dust got into the

booths. Xanthippos, walking quite steadily as though he

had long made up

up

the Acropolis rock

steps cut in the stone

mind where he was

his

on the western

marked

side,

going, went

where rough

the ascent.

There was nothing magnificent about the Acropolis

Even the

yet, save its position in the heart of the city.

new

stone temple, these twenty years abuilding,

finished.

Scattered around this were a

number

was not of

mud-

brick shrines, washed dingy white within and housing peculiar statues of great age

Out

in the

Athena standing one

stiff

and smoke-blackened

altars.

open stood a more recent image or two, a stone straight

hand and a

set

with robe drawn sideways in

smile on her face. Similar objects

were dotted about here and there

as fancy

Athenians from time to time, by no means

had taken the all

of

them

in

very good repair and none particularly improved by the

The

Birth of a Lion

21

droppings of birds or the

bits of

the altars until they were

more

thrown anywhere. Yet such

as

thigh bones burned on

or it

was, the Acropolis was

very holy and at this hour deserted. fice

was not

and then

charred,

less

The time

for sacri-

so pressing as the time for business.

Xanthippos halted near the base of a naked Apollo

who

stood planted on both feet with one set slightly for-

ward, the conventional smile on his lean, taut features.

There was something akin in this

to Xanthippos's

male deity with the painted eyes and

dark-blue hair.

He

own mood and the

lips

looked up at Apollo, and the god

looked straight over his head, while the sun peeped over the mountains

and shone on the

Xanthippos turned.

He had

sea.

been waiting for

this

mo-

Spread out behind him lay the mountains with

ment.

Pentelicon, a sharp

and graceful

triangle, in the midst,

framed by Hymettus and the great mass of Mount Parnes, scored by ravines. Before him, four miles

off, lay

the narrow sea, all ripples, with the island of Aegina full in the center, as sharply peaked as lay Athens, a tile,

Pentelicon.

brown, irregular huddle of

mud

Below

brick

and

Athens the greatly loved. Xanthippos thought of with conscious love than with

city less

yet

was

it

calmed him

to see

how

still

that setting of mountain, island,

existence

"The "Those

were

as simple

and

his

real exasperation,

she lay in the center of

and

sea, as

though her

eternal a fact as their

own.

eyesore of Athens, eh?" said a voice in his ear. pirates in

Aegina!"

Xanthippos jumped.

He

did not like to be surprised

22

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

mood, and most

in this thoughtful

sharp upstart fellow Themistocles, for.

"What from

far

The

by that

especially

whom

he did not care

brings you here?" he asked with an emphasis

polite.

fellow smiled. "I followed you, hoping for a pri-

vate talk.

For

think

I

public affairs

is

left

we two to

agree that

the conduct of

if

we

your noble kinsmen,

shortly find ourselves slaves of the king of Persia. will be

an end

to our

This was of

tocles,

the one Xanthippos least de-

For he did in

with Themis-

fact agree

but to ally himself with that ambitious nobody

was not to

There

democracy then."

all subjects

sired to discuss.

shall

to be thought of.

As

prominence adventurers

in the country, he

He

having.

stared

for democracy,

like these

if it

with no

was by no means sure moodily across the sea

it

brought

real stake

was worth Aegina and

at

said nothing.

"The

Persian will not be content with less than burn-

ing the city and

"They

insisted.

making

slaves of us all," Themistocles

say his servants

remind him

daily of Sar-

dis."

"All Asia

"Men "But sire

I

to

is

say

in a turmoil with his preparations." I

am

ambitious," Themistocles remarked.

have told nobody the extent of

become the

greatest

man

my

ambition.

I

de-

in the first city of all

Greece."

Xanthippos shrugged his shoulders. Athens was not the

first city

any claim

in Greece, nor

to

greatness.

had Themistocles in

Such

vast conceit

his eyes

he merely

"

The

Birth of a Lion

To

found annoying. "But

would

I

.

.

.

must, to defend our city from the

would

my

leave

ambitions to

my

chil-

would you, Xanthippos."

think,

I

be sure, the fellow was clever

die, if I

Persian king and dren. So,

23

In spite of himself, Xanthippos was impressed.

The

very selfishness with which he credited Themistocles increased this feeling.

more

newborn

of his

And

he had been reminded once

son.

"Themistocles," he asked on

an impulse, "do you believe that dreams

foretell the fu-

ture?"

"Who

He

does not?"

"But to interpret dreams

"That

spread his hands with a smile.

is

My

you something.

will tell

was brought

seldom easy."

Xanthippos agreed. "But

is so,"

my

turn

And on the next and bore me a son.

lion.

night she was brought to bed indeed I

in

wife Agariste dreamed she

bed and bore a

to

I

have been wondering what such a dream might mean." "I

wish

it

had been

"who dreamed

that

my

wife," Themistocles exclaimed,

dream!

What

will you call such a

son?"

"She

is

of better blood than

the house of Alcmaeon.

means 'Great

Glory.'

I

Her

I,"

Xanthippos

brother

think to

is

said, "of

Megacles, which

call this child Pericles,

'Exceeding Glory.' "Pericles

smiled.

... a good name

"When

I

for a lion."

have made Athens the foremost

Greece and have been rewarded by after the

manner

Themistocles

of this people

exile

— well, then

city in

and disgrace let

your Peri-

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

24 cles

prove himself a

he earns

lion.

I

shall

not grudge

him

glory

if

it."

"There answered.

is

the Persian to be dealt with

first,"

Xanthippos

At the Gates

of Sardis

Asia Minor 480

B.C.

The Great King Xerxes the

feasted in Sardis.

governor's palace had been

for the occasion

and covered with

hall of

hung with

tapestries

The

princes of

carpets.

from beakers

the Persians were drinking

The

of gold, while

the very vessels for mixing wine and the flickering lamps

on stands down the long room were of hammered

Nor was

this

silver.

fabulous treasure merely imported in the

train of Xerxes himself or

borrowed for the occasion from

the governor's private store. the king as a gift

from

All had been presented to

his

subjects.

Indeed, should

Xerxes decide to feast again, a similar quantity of gold-

embroidered cloth and pearls and precious metals, not to

mention wine and perfumes, must be to

him once more. Small wonder

were present

at

the

feast

in

collected to present

that the Sardians,

who

inconspicuous numbers,

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

26

laughed loudly, but without mirth, and joined in the shouting with an anxiousness to please which could be In

detected.

had belonged

all

that splendid array nothing whatever

to

Xerxes before that night, save his gold

and purple garments, the ivory throne on which he and the

special vessels in

which

his

own

sat,

water was mixed

with the wine. For the king of Persia drank no water save

from

This was carried with him

his native stream.

its

own

floor

were

wherever he went in his baggage train with bowls and beakers. All the rich carpets on the a present

others

from Sardis

— and

on which the king had entered the

He

traveled by chariot or Utter,

be covered for

him when he

The king

hall.

upon ground except

of Persia never set foot

land.

not only these carpets, but

in his native

and the earth must

descended.

In appearance, the Great King Xerxes was a smaller

man

than his father had been.

He was

derly and looked less impressive. this reason that his state

ring on his a Greek

so

much

more

slen-

was perhaps for greater.

The

seal

finger tonight was a huge emerald carved by

artist

whom

he ever make a broidered

was

It

built

the king thereafter

killed, lest

Jewels were sewed into his em-

better.

garments.

had

Priceless

perfumes

scented

his

hunting and more parading.

beard.

King Xerxes did

When

he traveled about his vast dominions, he never

less

rode horseback. All this was not to say that Xerxes was not ambitious. Indeed, vigor.

when he saw

cause,

The aging Darius had thought

it

he acted with

good enough

to

send two of his generals to punish the Athenians. These,

At the Gates

of Sardis

27

however, after landing on the coast had fought a battle

with the Athenians and had been driven they had fled to their ships after losing

off.

In fact,

many men. King

Darius perceived that he had underestimated these Athenians.

He had

been

ill,

however; and in a year or two

he had died, leaving his revenge to his son Xerxes. It

had not been easy

for Xerxes to consolidate his

over the vastness of the Persian empire. Yet for love of display, he

had shown

son of a great ruler.

New

positions, but older

men had

New

sat

his attention to the

all his

worthy of the

people had been raised to high

family alliances had

few years Xerxes

qualities

power

been handled with

filled the king's

care.

harem. In

a

firmly on his throne and could turn

one thing which

still

was

lacking.

All the princes of his house had been great warriors, and

much

Xerxes thirsted

as

he thought

of wielding a spear in the front rank of

less

the horsemen and

ground,

this

was

had become too

more

as the rest for military glory.

If

of giving directions in the back-

partly because the Persian operations

vast to be

handled in the manner of

his

grandfather or his uncle, the conqueror of Egypt. Since therefore Xerxes had an appetite for war,

it

was

both his pleasure and his duty to avenge the defeats of his father by the Athenians. But a victory over so ple could bring

paved the way.

It

him

scant credit.

would be

little

a peo-

Darius had already

for Xerxes to achieve the con-

quest of the whole of Greece.

He had

undertaken his task with the thoroughness

characteristic of his great father,

and with an extrava-

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

28

gance and sense of display

own. Every part of

all his

his

empire must contribute warriors. There were Ethiopians in leopard skins carrying Stone

Age weapons. There

were Indians in cotton clothes with bows and arrows of

There were nomad Scythians, Caspians, long-

cane.

robed Arabians. There were

men

wooden

in

helmets, in

leather skullcaps, plaited headdresses, foxskin hats, in the scalps of horses

with mane and ears

on them. There

left

were

men

men

painted with chalk and vermilion.

in chain mail, leather,

padded

linen, bronze,

There were

hook-nosed Easterners with olive complexions, brown

men. They

car-

ried bows, spears, clubs, swords, scimitars, slings,

and

men, black men,

even iots

lassos.

red-haired, blue-eyed

men on horseback, men in men on camels. Every nation,

There were

drawn by

asses,

had

useful or useless in war,

camp around

Sardis

was

strong, not counting the ants, or the

a

sent

its

contingent.

char-

be

it

The

hundred and eighty thousand

baggage with

concubines of the great

trains of attend-

its

men

in their

litters,

or the personal servants which every wealthy warrior

took with him.

The

heart of

King Xerxes

rejoiced in his splendor, yet

no great value on the primi-

his practical

good sense

tive peoples

who made up much

bone of

his host

man on

The

Persians,

back-

and

in

band of ten thousand who were

as the Immortals.

died, the next

of his army.

were the Medes and the

particular that picked

known

laid

the

The

instant that any

list filled

they were always ten thousand.

up

With

Immortal

the ranks, so that

the Immortals and

At

the Gates of Sardis

29

his other disciplined troops,

would use the

rest for forays, for garrison troops, or for

overrunning and burning where he would not Xerxes had

trained army.

host and bade

men

for the

He

Xerxes would conquer.

set

them mark out camp

march

rested content

some

in

and spent

scatter his

Persian captains over the sites

and muster

sort of order.

With

their

this

he

his last evening in Sardis feast-

ing with his friends, not only Persians, for he was in little

ways a more

There was a all

liberal

man

man than Darius. who was

called Pythios

wealthiest of

the Lydians. Indeed, except for the Persian,

have been hard to discover a richer

man

would

it

throughout the

world. This Pythios had already feasted the king and his

whole army and silver

and gold

delighted,

also

had offered

for the king's

though even

war

his entire treasure in

Xerxes had been

chest.

his magnificent

ways could not

spend the money that King Darius had laid up in gold

and

silver ingots.

So

fast

did the tribute flow in from

over the world that even the mighty

all

army which Xerxes

had brought together could not exhaust it.

Not needing money,

therefore, Xerxes

be magnificent. Instead of accepting the

he further enriched him and

was pleased

to

gift of Pythios,

swore friendship.

Indeed

he persuaded him to come with the army as far as Sardis, for Pythios

was

and could hardly endure the

elderly

strain of traveling farther.

To

Sardis, therefore, Pythios

meat with the king and and

his

came; and he

his Persians.

now

sat at

Xerxes was jovial

kinsmen triumphant. The very

vastness of the

30

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

army they commanded had overwhelmed

judg-

their

ment. Moreover, like King Xerxes, they thought the Persians invincible.

There were many

boasting and laughter. Only Pythios,

older

man and who knew

king glanced really

might have

Xerxes as the slaves and attendants did, he

felt

Even

was merry,

But

alarmed.

if it

this

pleased

him

might be passed

he was a gray-

after all,

was the king's sworn

to be grave

when

the king

over.

nearly was passed over; but as Xerxes retired to his

It

apartments, he little

summoned

nods he used for

marked

believe

Pythios with one of those curt his

slaves.

"My

friend,"

the king in a displeased tone, "you

Can

joice.

it

be you do not wish

me

well ?

I

do not

am

I

re-

it."

"how should I mine? You know my

your glory by any wish of tion.

re-

loath to

"Great King," old Pythios replied,

I

The

or twice; and had Pythios

beard, too old for fighting; and he friend.

who was an

Greeks, said nothing.

him once

at

known

and

toasts, therefore,

much

was

silent

because

desired but feared to

"Make

it,"

had

I

make

a parting request

lessen

devo-

which

to the king."

King Xerxes

ordered. "It

granted

is

al-

ready." "I

am

an old man,

O

King," Pythios

said,

trading interests stretch far and wide, so that is

a

but

my

my

business

five sons to assist

me,

O

of them march in your army. Grant

me

therefore

burden all

"and

to

me.

I

have

just one, the eldest one.

the others go with you to

Let

him remain

win you

glory."

to help

me

King;

while

At the Gates

Then of your

of Sardis

31

him

the king looked at

own

insolent slave

!

my

not of

Is it

"So

stony-faced.

it

was

you thought and not of mine! You

affairs

mercy that you yourself do

How

not hobble to Greece with your wife in attendance ?

when none

dare you ask to keep back your son

kinsmen are exempted from

war?

this

Is this

of

my

your devo-

tion?"

Even the old man saw

his

danger now, and he flung

himself at the feet of the king. "Grant

King

of Kings, because

All that

foolishly.

given,

and what

I

I

free.

his

have

which

and

my

tongue babbles

what he has

all beside."

down on him.

"I

swore you

my oath shall protect you. Go whom you cherish — one half of

and even now

shall be fixed

my

old

your pardon,

the king's, both

is

coldly

But the eldest son

body

am

have offered him, and

The king looked friendship,

I

me

troops

on

either side of the gate

march out from

go through the host and

tell

Sardis.

them why

through

Let the this

criers

thing

is

done."

There was a

silent bustle as

out without being

named

to

some do

of the attendants

his bidding.

And

at the

king's feet old Pythios, thinking of the four sons

were

left,

murmured, "The king's

will

is

law."

went

who

A Legend of Salamis Salamis 480

B.C.

—462

(As Recalled in Athens

I

was brought up on

B.C.)

stories of Salamis.

All our fathers

and even a few older brothers had fought in that

By

the time

names of sides

I

was eight

years old

the Athenian ships

and

I

could have recited the

all

of their captains, be-

the size of the contingents of the various other

Greeks and himself

I

their battle stations.

had heard

little.

But about Themistocles

There was a scandal con-

nected with his name, some plot discovered of in Sparta.

To

spite of

all places

be sure, the Spartans had hated Themis-

tocles for reasons of their

him.

battle.

own; but then

the Athenians in

what they owed him had not completely

Themistocles had

deadly rancor by

many

fled,

trusted

and being pursued with

enemies, he had taken refuge in

A

Legend

of Salamis

Adding

Persia.

33

insult to injury,

King by

favor with the Great tried to betray the

he had actually found

boldly claiming he had

Greeks in the Salamis

Athenians, though they themselves had forced

never forgave

exile,

him

into

Actually, they could hardly

this.

deny him the glory of

The

battle.

his victory; but they spoke of

it

seldom, always adding that he was a traitor to Greece.

Thus

it

happened that

discovered exactly

him. Nor

am

until

I

certain that

I

was nearly twelve

never

I

what he had done and what we owed I

should ever have known,

had not our schoolmaster interrupted our

studies that

day

to tell us his story.

We

had gone

with our

tablets

to school as usual, our slaves following

and making sure we neither

strayed nor

We

stopped to indulge in any childish game. unwillingly, of course. the long hours sitting

Our master means

We

We

on benches and learning by

Sicinnos was a good old

as free

drawings on the

had

to

man and

heart.

by no

with the rod as might have been proper.

fidgeted under his eye, and

hastily

went

disliked not the poets, but

wax

we

make

used to

which we

of our writing tablets

smooth out

if

always counting the hours

he were coming.

till

afternoon

run and wrestle naked and talk

idle

We

when we

were could

men to our trainers Those who were older

like

while we scraped off dust and oil. among us counted even the days that they still had left to go to school. As for Sicinnos, we never thought of him as a person. at

He was

one time been

a foreigner, a Thespian;

rich.

Now

in his old age he

and he had

had sunk

to

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

34

we

the level of keeping school,

He was

why.

did not trouble ourselves

our natural enemy and

we

his.

But he

might have been worse.

He was

sitting in the

schoolroom that day in the black

garments of mourning and with his hair cut

we

This was indecent, not

inflict his

holiday

if

to

me

Our

thought. Surely a mourner need

sorrow on others.

man

the stingy old

My

money.

while

We

ought

to

have had a

could have spared the

neighbor on the bench whispered as

we

sat

close.

down.

much

pinched him, and he jumped.

I

slaves settled themselves against the wall

usually dozed through the lessons.

where they

Today they were mut-

tering in their beards, while old Sicinnos looked at us

without moving. Usually he would bustle about to each one a task.

The

everybody learning his

babble of the schoolroom with lines

out loud would have arisen.

Then he would have walked about ears

open for anyone

Such was the

set

for a while, keeping

who faltered in his learning.

first

hour in school, but on

this occasion

Sicinnos merely watched us take our places, after which

he said to is

us, "I

wear

this

mourning

for a great

man who

dead."

He

clasped his hands on his lap and looked at us in

silence.

We were awestricken and

nos had no patron that

many

for

whom

yet curious.

we knew, and

a stranger

would mourn

there

Old

Sicin-

were not

in black. Pole-

mon, the eldest of us, put himself forward. "Is

it

Cimon, master?"

"Is

it

Pericles?" asked Nicias, for the son of Xanthippos

A

Legend

of Salamis

was beginning

He

35

to be talked about at that time.

"An

shook his head.

way

long

exile a very

off.

man

even greater It is

has died in

Themistocles.

once was

I

his servant."

We

had not known

had been

that Sicinnos

did not matter to us particularly, for slavery tune, not a disgrace.

name

about the all

him

was

man

for the first time as a

I

eyes,

think

I

beholding

was

It

son and even then a out

flatly

with what the

thought. "Themistocles was a black traitor to

rest of us

Greece.

who came

alive.

still

round

with a history.

the leather merchant's

loud-mouthed fellow,

It

a misfor-

But the scandal which lingered

of Themistocles

of us stared at our master with

Ariston,

a slave.

is

am glad he is dead."

Sicinnos shifted his eyes to where the slaves sat watching.

I

have since realized that these old

on him

much

as

as

on

us.

was

It

and

to report if

wasting any of our time he was

us, realizing that

at their

by

mercy.

arousing envy by sheer brilliance. Besides,

him, and

I

him down. Yet

know what he

was eighteen

born. Shall

We

Sicin-

gift of

they had hunted

battle

theirs to see

are always slandered, and Themistocles

he made an enemy of the Spartans, til

was

men

"Great

had the

It

he did not. Therefore

nos spoke rather to them than to

spies

duty to teach us to

his

read and write and learn the poets. that he did so

men were

I tell

it

was

never rested unat

Salamis with

did there for Greece.

years ago

you about

who I

when none

of you

That were

?"

chorused yes as a matter of course, only delighted

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

36 to

waste a

"You

little

all

school time in hearing a story.

know

the bay of Salamis, shut in by the

land with a narrow

strait at either

how

the sun goes

Our

ships lay at that western

in the sun. Since

down behind

end.

know

their sterns

ready, so that the

dry bread on the rowers' benches and

passed their skins of water and wine from

Now

you

the hills of the Megarid.

end of the bay,

morning we had been

men had munched

And

is-

hand

to hand.

they leaned against their oars and dozed, hunched

forward, awaiting the signal to beach their ships and go ashore to spend the night.

"While the men drowsed the

watchmen

stood

muster, four miles

their

the whole afternoon

size, so that

coming

in the

twice our numbers and had

with them and merchant

also transports

and

poops to gaze at the Persian

away and gleaming black or red

They were

declining sun.

their

on

at their oars, the captains

vessels of every

had been needed

into their stations in the bay. Seeing us

ready, they did not back water into the shallows

for lie

and go

ashore.

"The two

fleets,

then, lay looking at each other, while

the Athenian captains,

laying wagers about to the battle.

who made up

what they would do when

They had watched

sians cut

down

They had

seen the pall of

Such

fugitives as

half our force, were it

came

the armies of the Per-

their olive trees to feed their campfires.

made

smoke which hung over Athens.

their

way

to us spoke of a destruc-

tion so complete that scarcely a stone lay piled

on

stone.

A

Legend

of Salamis

37

The Athenians had much

to

avenge and very

little

to

lose.

"Not

so the captains of the Southerners. All

army had been moving south

the Persian

and into the Megarid

of Eleusis

like a

day long

across the plain

column

of ants.

All the captains of the Peloponnesian states were look-

ing over their shoulders at the army as often as they

looked at the

and

fleet

ship, but boats

ahead.

Little

was

said

between ship

were plying and meetings were being

held of this group or that. Meanwhile, Themistocles

paced uneasily up and down, watching went, and guessing what was

more

and

at last

left

or

He could bear no He was a wonderful

said.

us himself.

no matter how

talker; but

who came

brilliantly

he spoke, he could

not be as persuasive as the sight of that dark column

moving

south.

"When

was very low, we went

the sun

captains called a meeting. their campfires in

The rowers

two groups with

their friends all together, the

men were move

off

south without giving is

nowhere

and the

clustered about

the Athenians and

Southerners apart.

despondent, for the rumor was that

"There this,' I

ashore,

we

Our

should

battle.

else so

convenient for a fight as

heard one argue. 'Here they cannot deploy their

superior numbers.' " 'Themistocles already told

"Another tans

know

man

them

spat in disgust.

that.'

'What can

those Spar-

about ships with their miserable sixteen and

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

38

oarsmen ?

their lubberly

chief

command

our Themistocles were in the

If

.' .

.

"'If the Great King's fleet

were dispersed, he would

never adventure into the south of Greece with his army alone.'

"'If

we

once refuse a

Those Southerners

fleet will

"I could bear to hear

them

that.'

no more. The

longer

it

lasted, the stronger

changing our plan.

I

left

body

I

was

"He was

I

was nearly dark.

the campfire, round

his secretary

servant, so that after the

myself in case

it

must be the vote

my way

had no business lingering, and made tocles's tent.

fate of all of us

which must have been

the meeting of captains,

going on for an hour or more, since

The

break up.

will never stick together.'

" 'Themistocles already told

hung on

our

fight,

and

to

meeting

to

which

I

Themis-

some extent I

for

his

must present

were needed.

already there, or rather

entrance to his tent.

He

I

ran into

put his hand on

my No

said very quietly, his lips almost at

him

at the

my arm

ear.

and

'Sicinnos?

noise!' He Good. Come outside, man. Quick! me down towards the shore, avoiding the lights. " 'They'll vote for

moving

south,'

low mutter. 'We are delaying

it,

led

he said in the same

but that's

how

they'll

vote.'

" 'So

we

are

lost,

master,'

I

said in

might imagine that being a Persian

slave

was not

different from being a slave here in Athens, but better.

You

blank despair.

I

far

knew

A

Legend

"He

of Salamis

39

tightened his hand on

my

he told me. 'Why do you think

made "

'I

preparations.

am

your

Now,

arm. 'I'm not defeated,' the ship early

I left

Sicinnos,

am

I

slave, master,' I told

turning to you.'

him. In truth

mired Themistocles and served him as well

He "

me

shook

my

'Not

make you

a

I've

?

as

I

I

ad-

could.

little.

slave,'

a free

he muttered, unseen in the dark.

man, and make you a

'I'll

rich one, too,

if

you will save Greece.'

was sure he was not mad,

"I

what he

desired.

anything to gain

'I'll

yet said.

I

could not imagine

I I

would have done

beached round the

coaster,

little

Take

for you.

it,'

my freedom.

" 'There's a boat

pered. 'A

do

it

one of

my

point,'

he whis-

own. They're waiting

straight across the bay

and ask for the

admiral of the Persians. Don't give your message to any-

one

or they'll not believe you. They'll have captives

less,

who'll recognize you as

him

Tell

my

Themistocles, the Athenian commander, seeks

whose

the favor of the Great King, to

him

Tell

that therefore he sends

retreat south before

force

us,

Tell

him

"I

dawn. But

if

round the island of Salamis

hind

See the admiral.

attendant.

he will

word

side

he

inclines.

the Greeks will

the admiral will send a to block the strait be-

have us in a trap and may destroy us

all.

that.'

looked on

him with awe, wishing

darkness whether his

I

could see in the

mischievous smile was on

'You gamble for great

stakes,

my

master.

If

his face.

we

beaten enclosed within the bay, not one will escape.'

are

40

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE "

'We should be no less ruined,' Themistocles said, 'if we were to retreat south. But here we shall win. We Athens and in the end

shall free

gone before I

say ".

off.

I

am

I

must be

missed at the meeting of captains. Did

we are delaying the taking of votes ?' .

.

So

that's

what Themistocles

how

"That's

Not many people

of such a trick or

my

But Themistocles,

it.

did." Sicinnos broke

he saved Greece.

would have thought risk

free Greece.

had the nerve

children,

to

was a man of

boundless daring."

There was a

which seemed very blank. Sud-

silence

denly the story was over before

begun.

it

had well

We were not ready to go back to our lessons.

"But didn't you get asked.

we thought

"My

father

to see the Persian

king?" Ariston

saw him in the distance on

his throne

overlooking the bay where he sat next day to look at the sea battle."

Sicinnos smiled. "No,

I

never saw the king, except in

the distance just as your father did.

who was

the admiral of the

fleet,

square beard in a tunic of purple

with gold; but

my

corner of

I

I

saw

a very

and

tall

his brother,

man

with a

glittering all over

dared not look at him, save out of the

eye, since

it is

not the custom for humble

folk to stare at Persian princes."

"But didn't you watch the disappointed. said that

"My

father

battle next

was master of the

when they knew they were set up a great cheering."

Athenians

day?"

I

asked,

Thetis.

surrounded,

all

He the

A

Legend

"My

of Salamis

41

was in the Calypso'' Nicias

father

"My

said.

un-

me that when our battle line started over the men were all singing that old song, 'Row, Odys-

cle told

bay, our " seus.'

rammed

"Thetis

three ships,"

I said.

one amidships and cut her almost in the second. Then, though her

"She took the

first

She beached

half.

own ram was broken and

half her oars besides, she tackled a third one head on.

My

father led the boarding party while the ships were

He

locked together.

room

men

to

said if the Persians

had had more

maneuver, nothing could have saved

fought like demons, he

said.

We

had more

for than those Egyptians or the Asian Greeks

My father told me

slaves of the Persian.

Sicinnos shook his head at

me

But our

us.

.

.

to fight

who were

."

gently. "It

would hardly

be fitting that

I

should waste your time in telling you

what

I

did myself or of what your fathers have

stories of

described to you better than the back of the fight with ports of the Persians.

put

off to sea."

He

all

I still felt

tocles did.

little

shrugged.

coaster

"We

we

at

trans-

dared,

we

were thinking en-

we were

not armed.

We

part."

very blank. "So that trick was

It

was

merchantmen and

Besides, as soon as

tirely of saving ourselves, since

had done our

Our

I.

the

was

clever of him, but

been in the Thetis with

my

father

I

would

all

Themis-

rather have

and boarded the en-

emy." Sicinnos smiled.

"You mean

that

it is

better to fight

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

42

than to deceive. Perhaps well.

can

I

ant, Sosias. I

.

.

.

your

own

attend-

twisted around on the bench to stare at Sosias.

course

had known he was a captive taken on

I

somehow

that the view

Now

from

or other his side

my amazement

to

down

I

it

saw that

him

at

home

if I

was

Sosias

"Our were

must have

that as well because his voice trembled a

and he spoke staring ship

still

was

at

little

me hard.

in the third rank," old Sosias said.

maneuvering

the Egyptian

to

would

I

had been wasting

the precious school hours telling stories. Sosias

known

setting

way and preparing

revealed that he

to

interest, too.

could only remember what a beating

I

Of

that glori-

had never occurred

might be of

his staff in his deliberate

speak.

get

but Themistocles fought as

tell you who saw him He was with the Persians."

ous day; but

me

it is,

"We

to get sufficient space, yelling at

who was

creeping

up on our

right

hand

and crowding our oarsmen. Over the shouting and the creaking of the leather in the oarlocks, the the waves, the clanking of armor, and

sounds of a ship

at sea,

we

across the bay in

dently racing to see

who

all

of

the other

could hear the singing, or

rather the yelling of the Greeks

They charged

bumping

as they

two

came

closer.

irregular lines, evi-

could close with us

first.

Per-

haps half a dozen of the swiftest drew out ahead, while

too;

Our front rank was in motion, but we behind them had hardly time to get under

way

before they were on us. There was a series of thun-

the rest straggled after.

derous crashes as ships met, some brazen beak-to-beak,

A

Legend

of Salamis

43

some sheering through the

down one

oars all

side

and

tumbling the rowers from the benches into heaps, some

Our

crashing through the timbers.

which

front rank,

had been moving more slowly than the Greeks, now

came

drifting back

upon

locked in combat.

us,

Egyptian in a flurry ran into our

we

actually fought with our

ing madly to get into the

own

battle.

cursing and shov-

side,

The

The

For many minutes

oars.

Greeks, meanwhile,

came up as each one could and charged us headlong, disregarding the danger of

ramming one another

as they

attempted to penetrate to the second rank or the third,

which

still

lay motionless

roar of the battle rose

all

and would be easy

around

us,

until they could scarcely hear the frantically given.

half crippled;

More

prey.

commands which were

ships drifted against us,

and soon the

press

The

deafening our rowers

some

around us was greater

than ever.

"We won

free at last, hoarse

with

yelling,

running with

sweat, with some oars broken and some rowers injured,

although as yet

and by a

we had

A

not fought.

frantic, well-timed effort

gap had opened;

we had

under way. In a few minutes we had

maneuver and could choose whether

got our

actually

again.

It

to

plunge

into the hurly-burly, hoping to rescue

hard-pressed

friend

without

being

nian head on.

rendered

some

helpless

we dug hard with water to ram the Athe-

goes without saying that

our oars and rushed across the

to

to attack a crippled

Athenian which was circling the huddle or once more

men

room

44

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

"She had not been badly damaged. Her ram was

and there was

intact,

a cluster of

still

armed men on her poop.

But quite a number of her rear oars were dangling use-

Thus slowed,

the water.

less in

she should be easy prey;

but she showed no disposition to avoid our charge for

all

Instead of dodging behind a pair of fighting

of that.

ships, she steered right at us in

for the battle

Mad

lumbering defiance.

now, we disdained maneuver and

trusted to

our superior speed to break her up.

"We

should have destroyed her, but before

gether, a trumpet signal rang out that, the trailing oars

with the

which had deceived us

Before

rest.

we

we came

rose smartly

could take in what had hap-

pened, the Athenian veered far more swiftly than

given her credit great

for.

to-

from her poop. With

She took us a

ram crashing through our

little

to

one

we had

side,

her

timbers below the water-

while ours cut useless sea."

line,

was Themistocles," Sicinnos

"It

men

said,

"who taught

his

that trick."

Old

Sosias

nodded.

"It

was Themistocles who

led the

boarders across to cut us down, though the ship was sink-

ing beneath him. fighter.

but

I

No

sea. I

threw

He was a yelling devil in war, a terrible away my weapon and jumped into the

prisoners

were taken in the heat of that

clung to a piece of wreckage and drifted onto the

island.

There

I

was taken and enslaved."

Sicinnos smiled at us.

warrior at need. of

battle,

what happened

Let

"You

me

tell

see,

Themistocles was a

you one

after the battle.

When

last

little

the victory

tale

had

A

Legend

been

of Salamis

45

won and King

were divided. At to decide

this

Xerxes had

fled

homewards,

spoils

time the chieftains held a meeting

which one among them had shown the most

merit in the war.

Then

every ship's captain voted for

himself, since every man's honor

he had done

best.

Themistocles."

demanded

But for the second

that he say

prize, they

named

Themistocles in Sparta

Sparta 478

b.c.

In the season following the expelled the Persians

last

great battle

which had

from Greece, the Ephors

of the

Spartans were sitting in their council house in conference.

was

It

floor of

a dingy building, dark

and wooden, with a

trodden earth and sparsely furnished with back-

less seats

on which the old men

sat.

Nothing

in their ap-

pearance denoted their position as chief magistrates of the most powerful people in Greece. plain, shabby,

were shaggy,

and not too their

horny

clean.

feet dirty

held their heads high and spoke,

dom,

at least

with an

Their cloaks were

Their hair and beards

if

and

bare.

But they

not always with wis-

air of quiet arrogance.

"This plan of the Corinthians the oldest remarked.

is

ingenious,

I

think,"

His tone suggested that ingenuity

Themistocles in Sparta

was

a quality

47

he despised, even while he found

The second Ephor nodded ing

the

it

useful.

grave approval. "Consider-

which the Persian wrought

destruction

in

Athens," he pointed out, "one might have imagined that

would have been kept busy

the Athenians

Why,

the temple of Athene,

city walls

down

so

in heaps of rubble.

were destroyed. Tombstones and shrines

were uprooted. Only such houses

as

quarters of Persian generals were trees

years.

which they have been

long in building, was thrown

The

for

had been the headOlive

standing.

left

and vines were cut for fuel and the land turned

into a desert."

"New

vineyards," the third reminded him, "will not

bear for four years,

new

olives not for twenty.

meanwhile, the Athenians have ruined men, "It

who are greedy for plunder."

would never have been

"to send our

youth it

is

matter

own army

fitting," objected the fourth,

north.

Even

as

infected with foreign customs. if

In the

and many

their ships

it is,

our Spartan

And what

the Persian rules in the North.

We

does

do not

trade."

"Neither was

it

fitting," the

youngest leaned forward

urgently, "for the Athenians to go

quests without us.

Have we

and make

these con-

not always been the leaders

of Greece?"

The of

oldest nodded.

Athens now," he

"Then

let

"Even the Corinthians

said.

"They

are jealous

fear her trade."

the Corinthians themselves send envoys to

Athens and forbid them

to fortify their city again.

Why

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

48

should

we

fear

what the Athenians do ?

We are the Spar-

tans."

"We

fear nobody," said the oldest solemnly.

take the lead.

It is

"But

we

for us to propose to the Athenians that

instead of rebuilding their wall they should join in forc-

ing

all cities

How

own.

north of the Peloponnese to tear

down

their

can the Corinthians put forward such a plan,

But

seeing that they themselves have fortifications?

Spartans who, as

all

we

the world knows, protect ourselves

men ... we

only by the stout shields of our

make

can

the suggestion."

"Give the order," corrected the second Ephor

The if

oldest smiled

they refuse us

we

and stroked will send

his beard.

flatly.

"To be

an army. But open and

defenseless as they are, they will not dare refuse.

therefore order?

demand a

The

Corinthians suggest

decent appearance.

sure,

We may

we

Why

give our

say that

if

the

Persian returns, he must not be able to use the northern

towns as strongholds.

may

all

of

And when

them migrate

to the Peloponnese."

"Unwalled, the Athenians will ever," the third

Ephor

he does come, they

said

with

lie

at

relish.

our mercy

"For

for-

all their

boasting about the sea battle at Salamis, they never could

meet us in war." "Very clever!" The tone of the youngest Ephor tainly suggested that cleverness

cer-

was not much admired.

"These Corinthians pride themselves on being

clever,"

sneered the third.

"The Corinthians grow

rich

and corrupt through

Themistocles in Sparta

49

"But they look to

trade," the eldest agreed.

Athenians ought to do

so, too.

make this proposition." The second laughed.

We

"There'll

us.

The

will send envoys to

be

long

faces

in

Athens." All five nodded, and looking upon one another, they smiled.

The Spartan message was indeed

Many were

with consternation.

tween the leaders of

received at Athens

the secret discussions be-

Unfortified as they at present

state.

were, they dared not defy the Spartans. build a wall

meant never

nians temporized.

They

Yet never to

The AtheSpartan envoys home

to be independent.

sent the

with compliments and proposed to dispatch an embassy of their

own

to discuss the matter

and

arrive at

some

agreement.

The Spartan envoys soon

returned

home and

reported

to the Ephors. Spartan training in simplicity did not ever

tend to

make them

However,

particularly trustful of other people.

seemed

all

satisfactory, since

hardly had the

Spartan envoys had time to reach their homes before

Themistocles

set

out in person to discuss the problem

with Sparta.

He

traveled in state,

and he took

his time.

Even the

Corinthians, through whose territory he passed, were

aware that Themistocles was the

real savior of Greece.

They could not but honor him when he envoy with his all his

slaves, his tents, his

traveled as

an

baggage wagons, and

splendor and parade. They did not like him; and

50

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

yet

he was so smooth, so deaf

to snubs, so determinedly

pleasant that they were put on their mettle

be gracious.

to

They

tocles enjoyed himself so well that

no hurry;

in

he lingered.

said,

on urgent

He was

were detained in

for his fellow ambassadors

Athens, as he

and forced

him, and Themis-

entertained

business.

In this fashion

Themistocles passed slowly through the Peloponnese and

came

to Sparta.

He see

pitched his tents on the Spartan plain and went to

the Ephors unattended and dressed in the Dorian

fashion like the Spartans, though

somewhat fresher and

"Do

the truth be told

if

cleaner.

the Athenians agree or don't they agree to leave

unwalled?" the Ephors demanded.

their city

manners were purposely abrupt, and a

was

Spartan

certain rudeness

called simplicity there. Themistocles smiled.

"You make

the

whole matter too

question of Thebes and other

which

The Athenians have much

fortified.

much

cities

easy.

to discuss, but until

my

ished their business at home,

The Athenian mission to

I

to

There

is

the

at present are

propose and

two colleagues have

fin-

dare not treat with you.

people have by no means granted

settle their policies alone.

too jealous to endure that any one

me

per-

Our democracy

man

is

should have such

power." "If

you

"To

can't discuss

see Sparta!"

celebrated unwalled

man, then why did you come?"

it,

He

flung out a hand.

town dedicated

simple virtue! Here each

"Here

is

the

to the practice of

lives like the rest!

Here money

Themistocles in Sparta

When

buys nothing!

why

place,

should

I

come on

leagues

51

was appointed envoy

I

to such a

delay to set out thither ? Let

soon as they can.

as

I

my

want

col-

to see

Sparta."

The

the

of

oldest

friendly suspicion.

man

had imitated walls

it

must admire

way

so far.

was supposed

of

pect your colleagues ?" the

"Seven days, ten days,

Sparta.

Moreover, Themisto-

clever

and not by any means

"How

Ephor asked

soon do you ex-

sourly.

who knows? To

If

tell

the truth,

the Athenians so greatly trust,

abroad. Abronichos, the other ambassador, fever.

Everybody

matter of the Athenian

to get settled.

had the name of being

whom

him with un-

though strangely no one

life,

Still, this

straightforward in his methods.

Aristides,

at

stood to reason no doubt that a

like Themistocles

envied the Spartan

cles

It

Ephors looked

is

still

fell sick

of a

he does not recover before Aristides returns,

they will send someone else."

The Ephor nodded. At

least the

Athenians would be

forced to act in good faith as long as Themistocles himself

was

greatest

was It

in Spartan hands.

man

They would not

to Spartan wrath.

All the same, the delay

a nuisance.

appeared Themistocles had a favor to ask.

wanted

with one of the communal messes

to eat

real Spartan.

He had come

the five

pounds of cheese, two and

few

relishes.

He

like a

ready with his rations for

month — a

a

sacrifice their

bushel of barley, eight pitchers of wine,

He wanted

a half

pounds of

figs,

and

to taste the Spartan black

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

52

broth, so widely

one was said

famous for

to like

it

revolting qualities that

its

who had

not bathed from youth in

the river Eurotas. But Themistocles

or so he claimed.

He

no

managed

to enjoy

it,

praised abstemiousness, barked

he walked home in the dark with-

his shins cheerfully as

out a torch, as Spartans did to improve their night vision.

He

picked up a bundle of Spartan money, which was

nothing more than iron rods, too heavy to carry about

and therefore of ised to

little

recommend

He

use.

laughed gaily and prom-

currency to the Athenians.

this

In

the mess hall, he did not talk about himself, nor yet en-

dure the foolish conversation that was usual. Instead, he

drew to

his fellows out, professing, for instance, a curiosity

know what

sent out

it felt

like to be

by the Ephors

to police the serfs

among them by sudden

ror

one of the picked youths

and spread

assassinations.

woman

ter-

What was

one had never

it

like,

he asked, to marry a

visit

her only by stealth and in the dark ... in fact

never to see her until the

first

child

seen, to

was born ? To every

such question he wanted answers; and no matter what they were, he lifted hands in admiration. Even dirty, barefoot, half-starved

the mess as

and

when

a

boy was caught stealing from

brutally flogged, Themistocles said nothing

he watched the child take the blows without a

cry.

When they let him go limping off, the men guffawed. "Disgraceful!" one of

them

said.

"He'll

do

better next

time." "I

thought he looked hungry," remarked Themistocles

mildly.

Themistocles in Sparta

53

The Spartan messmates had

lost their

by now, and they treated him

tocles

awe

of Themis-

as a rather dull pupil

They grinned.

in Spartan customs.

"Hungry! Of course

he's

We

hungry.

keep our boys

hungry. Teaches them to forage for themselves like real campaigners."

"Yet you beat him."

"He to

got caught, didn't he ? That beating was nothing

what

from

he'll get

he was stealing to

Youth Leader. Don't imagine

his

fill

He'll be lucky

orders.

his

he

if

own eats

belly.

today at

He was

under

all after

such a

performance."

There was a "I

there

silence.

had heard a

two," Themistocles said. "But

tale or

nothing like seeing with one's

is

own

eyes.

You

are

an extraordinary people."

The Spartan swaggered. "We're brought up right." "Indeed

The

I

see

you

are,"

Themistocles agreed.

very next day the Ephors sent for

rumor the Corinthians had passed on were hard

at

him about

a

that the Athenians

work building a wall.

"Impossible!" Themistocles protested. "If

you play

bluntly,

"it'll

fast

cost

and

loose with us," said the

you your

"But of course!"

He

shrugged his shoulders.

have had a message. Aristides

is

Then nothing need

coming

to settle this problem. In the

how you

"I too

due in Athens in a day

or two.

like to see

Ephor

life."

prevent

my

colleagues

meantime,

train your children.

I

I

from

would

have a son of

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

54

my own who is, I fear, spoiled. Athenians, my wife commands me, mands my wife. You may imagine Indeed

this causes!

methods."

He was

the Ephors

knew

if

much

have

I

laughing

as

would

After

the

and the boy comthe embarrassment

from Spartan

he spoke, and none of

he meant what he

No

would not dare deceive them.

command

to learn

the matter of the Athenian walls

mistocles,

I

said.

Yet

as far as

was concerned, he

one, least of

all

The-

sacrifice his life.

much of his time studywho were taken from their

Themistocles spent

this,

ing the education of the boys,

parents at the age of seven years and put in barracks. inspected these buildings,

He

watched the boys

wretched, he feet,

and

said,

which were bare and

drilling.

They looked

with their close-cropped

single garment.

He

bleak.

thin

and

hair, bare

They were toughened by not

being allowed baths, by sleeping on pallets of reeds

which they pulled with Eurotas. Their slightest

proval. "I It

their bare

hands from the

Youth Leaders beat them savagely while

offense,

the

elders

would be

at the

this

But though he laughed himself,

who were

nei-

looking

remark funny.

Themistocles

watch the

said,

thousand times over than

ther the Youth Leaders nor the elders

on thought

who had

Spartan contempt for death.

far better to die a

to live such a life."

now

watched with ap-

Themistocles quoted the Sybarite

no longer wonder

river

for the

girls,

left

the boys alone after that and

taking with

him

his guards.

It

went

to

had by

occurred to the Ephors that he might plan to

slip

Themistocles in Sparta

55

away. Once more the Corinthians had sent a message to

man, woman, and

say that the Athenians, toiling

ous.

build

to

shrugged

were

child,

Once more Themistocles had

walls.

this assertion off.

The

Corinthians were

jeal-

they could create bad blood between the Athe-

If

nians and the Spartans, they Aristides

would not

do

scruple to

it.

had been delayed by contrary winds, but soon

the embassy of the Athenians

would give

The Ephors then compromised by

satisfaction.

setting guards,

whom

Themistocles treated as though they were guards of honor. As for escaping, nothing seemed further from his

mind.

He

tunics,

running, jumping, even wrestling. "Our daugh-

ters are it

too

watched the

much

girls drilling in their little short

up

shut

at

home," he

said.

"We

think

shocking that they should not be timid and shy, and

yet

we

sometimes

Then

forget they ought to be healthy."

he called over the

girl

who had won

in the footrace

and

asked her name. "Doris."

The

girl

looked

means embarrassed by dress, yet like all

him

full in the eye,

by no

his curious gaze or her scanty

Spartans unwilling to waste a

word

in

giving an answer. "Tell me, Doris, then, sports of girls

"They "Oh,

?

what

is

the purpose of

all

these

You do not go to war."

train us to bear healthy sons for the state."

sons.

Would you

not rather bear a daughter,

see-

ing that boys are taken from you so young, while girls stay

with their mother?"

Doris frowned. "The state needs men."

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

56

"And mothers

men." But

of

this

was too

difficult for

Doris, especially with the Spartan guards looking on.

She took refuge in rudeness.

"None

you

of

understand

foreigners

You're

us.

too soft."

Themistocles

good-humoredly and told

smiled

women made wonderful had one for his own children.

his

guards that Spartan

nurses

and he wished he

Since,

however, nursing was a guards did not take told

him

that he

slavish, low-class profession, the

this as

was

a compliment. They roundly

sent for to the Ephors.

There was a

message once more about the walls of the Athenians. "Impossible!" said Themistocles again, but he went.

The Ephors were very angry. "You dare repent

"But

deceive us!" they greeted him.

"You

will

it." I

do not

dare.

How could

I

?" asked Themistocles

mildly.

"The Corinthians

." .

.

"Are accusing us out of mere malice,

as I already told

you."

"The Corinthians," the

Ephor pointed

eldest

hate the Athenians, but they are sible

allies

of ours.

out,

"may

What

motive could they have for offending us by

pos-

false in-

formation?" Themistocles shrugged his shoulders. "If you don't believe

me,

at least

Spartans whose look.

I'll

you should

see for yourselves.

word you may

wait here gladly.

I

respect,

want

Choose

and send them to

to see the festival of

Themistocles in Sparta

57

Artemis in which you whip boys in front of the wooden

image

to see

ing out.

how much

My

guards, "that

pain they can take without cry-

friends here I'll

tell

me," he nodded

never understand Sparta until

sight. It's magnificent,

at the see that

I

they say."

The Ephor nodded. Themistocles talked so plausible that he hardly knew what

so

was

boys," he agreed, "are trained to endure.

much and "Our

to say.

We

are proud

of them." "Is not that

wooden image," Themistocles

asked, "re-

puted to be the one which Iphigenia, Agamemnon's daughter, brought from Tauris?

image

for

whip boys

which we make the same claim, in front of

it.

Our

we have an but we do not

Strangely,

little girls

between

ten dance a bear dance, a sort of game, in honor of

The Ephor had not been

listening to this.

show

the custom of the Spartans to people's ways, girls.

He had

lousness to see

most

especially in the

It

five

and

it."

was not

interest in other

games of

their little

taken advantage of Themistocles's garru-

make up

his

what the Athenians

mind. "We'll send two envoys to are doing. If they're building,

it

will be the worse for you, Themistocles."

He

laughed without a care in the world.

"I

am

in

your hands."

The

festival of

Artemis came and went. By

now

the

envoys which the Spartans had dispatched should have returned, but they lingered tocles said,

.

.

.

doubtless, as

Themis-

intending to hurry Aristides and Abronichos

by waiting for them. When, however, these two ambas-

58

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

sadors at last appeared, the Spartans were not with them.

They came

pitched tents by Themistocles and very naturally to consult

with him before meeting the Ephors.

done," Aristides told him. "Not finished, but de-

"It's

We

fensible.

used the stones of the temple, tombs, in-

images of the

scriptions, all the rubble except the actual

We

gods. wall,

worked day and

when

the Ephors

squeamish, Aristides.

If a

cuted for good reason,

two

do not

call

myself

be tortured or exe-

look on.

But they beat boys

them

to death.

I

watched them

at the altar of Artemis, just trying to see if they

make them

could

I

man must

I'll

here, they actually beat

strong."

they hear," Themistocles

"These horrible people!

said.

not a handsome

It's

made with such materials, but it's

"Watch

kill

night.

cry out.

.

.

.

Ah,

well,

you admire

them." "They're honest."

"And

stupid.

Give

me a man who can think."

Aristides laughed. "It "It

"and

was easy so

I

to

was lucky they did

make

fools of

not."

them," Themistocles

said,

despise them."

He made no

effort to disguise this feeling

when

the en-

voys were received, not merely by the Ephors but by the

Council of Elders. his fellows,

Constituting himself spokesman for

he threw

off all pretense

and spoke with

de-

fiance.

"The Athenian people their city

is

now

fortified.

instruct us to

inform you that

Henceforward

if

the Spartans

put forward proposals, they should do so well under-

Themistocles in Sparta

59

making up

standing that the Athenians are capable of

own minds

their

with the Spartans that

tation

to the Persian

so

doing

free

without advice.

we

was not

and betook ourselves

saved Greece.

and equal

means

It

In

allies.

after consul-

we abandoned

We

our homes

to our ships.

Athenians are

common

fairness

we

Yet by

now

your

claim the

of defense as well as you."

There was a great hubbub when he had finished speaking. All of the elders were in a rage at having been

deceived by his barefaced eldest of the

Ephors

lies.

was

left,

however, to the

you think

to retort, "Themistocles,

we who deceive us."

Spartans have a short

yourself very clever, but

deal with people

It

way

Themistocles laughed outright at that, and he

"Remember your

whom

you sent

envoys,

those

them

until

I

return,

Be sure the Athe-

and anything you

may do to us will be done to them." Then the Spartans saw that they had been outwitted, and there to vent their

"You

anger in

was nothing

said,

two noble Spartans

to see for themselves!

nians will keep

to

left for

completely

them

to

do but

threats.

are too pleased with yourself, Themistocles," the

we Spartans are the strongest state in Greece. We have also many allies. The time will come when we shall hunt you down and drive Ephor

told him.

"Do

you out of Athens and

not forget that

all

Greece."

Themistocles looked around on his enemies.

He knew

men who would

never for-

them

to be hard,

give him.

determined

He was

used to making enemies, however, and

60

PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN AGE

The

to taking risks.

end, or they might not do

so.

erful.

do.

O

are

that the Persians have been defeated, you are

you always will

be.

— the same as you were, the We

Athenians,

whom

and amateurs, are a new people.

the greatest host that is

"You

said,

not begun to see what the Athenians can

the same as before

traders

He

Spartans, and you think yourselves all-pow-

You have

Now

in the

Meanwhile, he would not

even attempt to win their forgiveness. warlike,

him

Spartans might destroy

nothing

we

man

ever saw.

cannot achieve

if

we

have made Athens the queen of the

same

as

you despise

as

We

have beaten

Now we know there desire to. seas,

When we

the school of

all

Greece, the envy of nations, then, Spartans, pull us

down if you still have the power." "You

but deeds count more than talk," the

boast,

Spartan answered.

"So they do, and so they Athenians.

Our

I,

"The man shrugged. life is

We

eyes

on the

Athenians will lead the

Themistocles, shall lead the Athenians."

is

a

"Let

drunken

him go

fool

and no more." The Ephor

for the present, since

worth two Spartans.

when the

Keep your

victory against the Persians will yet look

small beside the future.

world; and

will.

We

will

time comes to be avenged."

no man's

remember

this

day

Athenians of the Golden Age 480-431

b.c.

The Athenian Athens 470-458

It

was not

games

for

allowed

until

he

won

prize in the

to

dream

games

were given the

and

discus.

which were the

boys, that Criton's ambition

of a silver cup at

of Eleusis.

black-figured jars of oil

at the

at the Thesea,

young men and

him

won

b.c.

He

Marathon or

dared not aspire to the

from the sacred

olive trees

victors at Athene's contests.

which

Criton had

long jump and in the throwing of the javelin

But he had not

the footrace he

won

had not placed

rules of the youths' pentathlon

at the wrestling,

at all.

and

in

In fact, had not the

been laxer than the men's,

he would never have qualified to compete in the

He

a

finals.

took his reward, therefore, with becoming modesty

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

64

and blushed when spoken

had won the footrace

at

to

who

by Pancleon himself,

Olympia and was famous

throughout Greece.

"You

with your

lost that race

severely.

start,"

"You should swing your arms

Pancleon told him so!"

Criton shuffled with embarrassment as he promised that he

would

The

practice the swing.

race with feet placed side by side

start of the foot-

was very awkward,

and much depended on the leap with which the fell into his stride.

Yet Criton's trouble lay

athlete

less in tech-

nique than in a simple lack of speed. In the actual presence of the great man, he dared not admit

come and put you

"I'll

hope of qualifying

at

right,"

this.

"No

Pancleon told him.

Marathon with such a

disgraceful

performance."

He walked

off,

leaving Criton so

much

terrified at the

thought of displaying his shortcomings that even the praise of his friends, the delight of his father,

and the

very compliment of being noticed by Pancleon at

all

did

not elate him.

Only

three days after the Thesea, Pancleon appeared

at the

gymnasium,

shreds,

and made him

end.

He his

whole performance to

practice his start for

an hour on

shouted at him, borrowed the trainer's stick and

poked, and finally

when

tore Criton's

timing

lost

still

unpleasant, and so

patience

and slashed

was awkward. All

was the running

in

this

at

him

was very

armor which

Pancleon then prescribed to strengthen his muscles. By the time he

was dismissed, he could only stagger panting

The Athenian to the portico

65

and

flop

down

off the effort of scraping off

to get his breath, putting

and

dust, of

but three.

In the

sweat and

oil

bathing and massage.

men had gone

All of the young

which had taken up the

course of their military training,

two

last

who had

friends

group had formed of hard-and-fast

years, this

kept together on the march, shared

around campfires and talked

their fatigues, or sat

grew pale

the stars

Criton and began to revive

until

They had waited

in the sky.

him with

sips of

for

wine and

Presently Alcias took the scraper and began to

water.

work on

his back,

about what the great

"Did Pancleon

whereat they started to press him

man had said.

tell

you

to enter for

Marathon next

spring?" Theocritos asked him.

The flush which had just been dying in came up again. "Well, after a fashion

Criton's cheeks .

.

He

."

bent

over, rubbing at his legs to hide his confusion.

"Exactly what did he say?" ing. "It hardly

ment,

I

.

.

Alcias laugh-

at this distance like a compli-

can assure you."

"Oh, .

sounded

demanded

it

but

I

wasn't," agreed Criton in haste.

don't suppose he

meant

"Excepting

that anyway.

Indeed,

he could not have." "I

am

losing

ing himself.

my

patience," Hippias drawled, stretch-

"Presently

I

shall

throw you in the dust

again and

make you

clean yourself over."

Criton,

who was

half a head taller than Hippias

broader as well, grinned at him. "Oh, have

it

and

your way.

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

66 I'll tell

you exactly what Pancleon

He was

swearing at

me

you clodhopper, you!

said

mostly

.

.

if I .

can remember.

'You blockhead,

Can't you pick your feet up?'

Then he said, 'You think the discus and the javelin and the jump will give you a victory, don't you ? Well, they're not good enough

if

you

me some more and

swore at

Then he

in the footrace.'

fail

you

said, 'If

win

can't

the

how do you imagwhen you get to Olympia ?'

footrace at Athenian games, you fool, ine you're going to place at all

Olympia! Then he

hit

me

a crack with that stick because

my

timing was wrong, and he swore at

But

that's

what he

There was a

me some

more.

said."

silence.

"Olympia!" Hippias breathed. take the trouble to

come and look

"I

knew he would

at

you for nothing. Not

not

Pancleon."

"There hasn't been an Athenian

to

win

at

Olympia

own time," said Theocritos quietly. me if I say I envy you, Criton." agreed Hippias, who was to give his life for

since Pancleon's

"Don't misunderstand

"And

I,"

Athens in the victory of the Eurymedon two years

"To

later.

be an Athenian and then to win at the games!

not grudge Criton the glory

— why

should

I

I

do

do that?

But the achievement!"

"To show

the world," Alcias said, "that

nians ... oh, that

was

later to

we

are

what we

are

.

.

we

Athe-

."

Alcias

produce the plays of Euripides three times

and score one win. "I don't believe

Pancleon meant

it,"

Criton protested,

The Athenian

67

alarmed by the responsibility glorifying the fairest city

on

runner, and he as good as told footrace,

I'll

on

laid

earth.

me

his shoulders of

But

so.

make

never

"I'll

a

in the

if I fail

not win."

"You'll not

fail,"

Hippias told him. "Pancleon will see

And don't you remember how we used to tell ourselves we were going to make Athens the envy to that.

of Greece?"

They had thought

of themselves as caught

up

in a tor-

rent of achievement, not as bestowing any glory by their

singlehanded afraid, but all

does.

Criton

efforts.

felt

he said was, "Ah, we'll

no

rather imagine he'll waste

I

was

the difference and see

what Pancleon

effort

on me. Mere

words mean nothing."

Next day Pancleon was back, and the next day after.

Without

had

settled that

it

precisely discussing the matter, he soon

Criton should be worked half to death,

and woe betide him pleaded

illness.

there-

if

he came a few minutes

Pancleon demanded

his

late or

whole time and

was soon interfering with how he dined and where he spent

his

to Sicily

by

evenings.

That

his father,

summer

who had

Alcias

was

sent

business interests there.

Hippias and Theocritos spent more time in the porticoes discussing the

new

learning than in watching athletics

or taking part therein. Criton,

They were always glad

and they cheered him

at

Marathon next

where he did not win. Pancleon was angry and he would have to practice harder. to

He had

to see year,

said that

not the leisure

sharpen his wits with his friends; and in the year

fol-

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

68

lowing, Hippias went abroad with the

and died

at

and he won

at

fleet

Eurymedon.

won

Criton

at

Marathon

that year,

Eleusis. In the year following,

great

games

won

of Athene, he

in all five events.

first

which was the year

He

coming

the pentathlon,

Next he went

Pythian games at Delphi.

of the

into training for the

missed Delphi through an

accident to his foot at the long jump, and had to

mark

time for two years while he was waiting for the sacred

Olympian

year.

district drafted

Meanwhile, however, the people of

him

which was seeking

his

to serve against the island of Thasos,

to

withdraw from the Athenian

al-

liance.

Criton went on the campaign as though on holiday.

The

relief

from the monotony of dust and sweat and sun

and physical action was greater because of the

sea

and because there was blockading rather than

He

sat

around campfires,

as

voyage

fighting.

he used to do in his younger

days before the glory of Athens had descended like a

weight on his broad shoulders. For a month or so he was deliriously happy,

though the

people had changed.

knew

was

different,

They were much

the choruses of that

talked

talk

young

and the

wittier.

They

poet, Sophocles.

They

about physical science and theories of matter,

which they

said

were being discussed in

Sicily.

They did

not ask Criton his opinion, but assumed he had none,

which was subjects

He

in fact the case.

When

he put his word in on

which he knew, they sometimes looked bored.

soon found

it

better to

sit

quiet

and drink things

in.

The Athenian

He became

69

fascinated, confused, excited,

At the end

and very

summer, he was glad

of the

to get

lonely.

back to

good old routine with Pancleon saying he must make up by practicing harder.

for lost time

The

months of

it

the candidates

had

Even Pancleon conceded

rules.

for

was announced

sacred year

now

Who

into panic. letes of

supreme

that his

was he

test

and

for ten

under

special

in July,

to train

worked hard,

that Criton

was drawing

near, he fell

to challenge the greatest ath-

every state in Greece?

Not even Pancleon could

turn him into a runner of that class, and both of them knew it. Would it not be better for his city's fame that he

should not go at

Of

all ?

course he went. Indeed,

came round, he had no brother had put

all

when

the eleventh

alternative.

month

His father and

accompany him. His

business aside to

uncle and cousins would be following in the sacred

month

to see the games.

Nor was he

nian party there was Callias, for

the chariot race;

alone. In the Athe-

who had

and there was

entered his horses his

jockey; and

Glaucon entered for the wrestling match alone; Diodes for the

running in armor; and a

brute called

Molon

for the boxing,

surly,

broken-nosed

who was

expected to

win. There were two or three for the boys' sports besides, so that

what with

were over

fifty;

all

and

of

them and

their attendants they

their setting out

from Athens was

very public. Almost as festive was their progress through the towns that lay in their way, the Callias

was a

rich

more

particularly as

man and made great parade.

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

70

The

month

settling for a first

was grim

arrival at Elis

reality again, as

of training routine. But

now

Greece. His heart sank like stone. In the javelin

jump he

throwing, to be sure, and in the discus and

was one

of three. But in the footrace there

who were

were eight or

than he; and Pancleon had told him

faster

he were not in the

if

for the

time Criton really measured himself against the ath-

letes of

ten

was the

six,

first

Peison of Corinth,

to enter the other events at all.

had won the pentathlon

he would not qualify

in the last

Olympiad, was

to stand

month

all

hands

Criton perceived in ten days; and for the

of his training at Elis, try everything that he

would, he gained no ground. Rather he wondered

were not slipping sistent

as

with him day

if

he

Pancleon grew louder and more

in-

after day.

That month went by too procession;

which was thither,

the

fast.

at

making

led

Olympia. sacrifices

Two and

days they took to get singing,

winding slowly

bank of the Alpheus River, appearing

among

from

city

watch the games.

the athletes rose to fever pitch,

excited by the frenzied roar of the people

the hucksters

finally in

which had come from every

in the time of the sacred truce to

the tension

the festal

them out

Elis to the sacred precinct of Zeus,

sight of the vast throng

Now

They formed

and the judges of the games

from the township of

up

as

an even chance.

much

This

he was agreed on

fav-

jump

ored for the footrace and perhaps for the long well, while in the wrestling

who

their booths.

The

and the

plain

was

yells of

seething,

The Athenian

71

overflowing from the colonnades to tents or huts and thence to the bare grass, where hordes of people spent the

night on the ground and feasted frugally on bread they

had brought with them, buying figs,

or

wilted onions, and a measure of wine well

little

Men

diluted with Alpheus water.

The

the sacred way. states

had

down

as

ter

sent to

were massed

tents of the embassies

along

all

which the

Olympian Zeus were almost thrown

people surged around them, pushing to get a bet-

view of the procession. This went into the precinct of

Zeus, so

a handful of nuts, dried

where the dazzling temple of the Olympian

new

that

its

stood,

sculpture — by an Athenian hand — was

not yet finished. Dotted around stood statues preserving for all time the

names

fied their native city.

of victors

whose deeds had

glori-

Of many competing, how few

in

every year achieved such honor!

The

Criton looked pale, even green. at

tedious walking

an almost dawdling pace was physical idleness and

torture to his high-strung nerves.

Tomorrow

there

would

be the oath-taking and the long-drawn-out procedures of

formal entry.

men were

Then

in the afternoon, his father

offering sacrifice.

and

kins-

There would be an endless

wait for their turn at an altar.

There was. That minable.

games. marvels. ings.

It

day of the

in fact the

Jugglers

and

of learning

feast

appeared inter-

day of the market, not of the

acrobats

Peddlers cried

Men

speeches.

was

first

new

appeared,

notions.

Poets gave read-

expounded new ideas

Sudden meetings with

performing

in eloquent

long-lost friends

made

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

72

swirls of excitement

little

Everybody was his

among

the jam-packed crowds.

noisy, hot, exultant.

head and boasted with the

which consumed the meat of

Even Pancleon

rest at the little

lost

banquet

Criton's sacrifice.

It

was

fortunate that the rules did not permit the competitors to eat at this time of day, or else the morsels

have stuck in Criton's throat. ache, sick with nerves. stiff

first

with smiling.

The

He was

would

surely

dizzy with head-

very muscles of his face were

He would

be beaten tomorrow in the

heat of the footrace, and his friends would

fall si-

lent.

He

got

up

to slip away.

There were other

little

ban-

quets for other competitors dotted everywhere in tents

and booths, those of the Athenians being naturally nearest

the

embassy of Athens.

He might

just

possibly

be thought to have gone somewhere else to offer good wishes.

He bumped

into

someone

as

he went out and was

stopped with a hand on his arm.

know me

He I

felt

Don't you

the sudden surprise of real pleasure.

never thought you would come. "I

"Criton!

with this beard ?"

broke

my

We

"Alcias!

don't meet now."

leg in Sicily," Alcias said, "and as you see,

I'm lame. As for you, you're bigger than ever. You've

changed

besides."

Criton thought pity

it

he did not say

trouble."

was Alcias who had changed, but so.

"It

was good of you

in

to take the

The Athenian

73

"For myself,

"You

I'd

not have done

we've grown apart. But

see,

it,"

Alcias admitted.

promised Hippias."

I

"Hippias!" Criton had hardly thought of Hippias for

two

years, or

perhaps more, though once he had cared for

him more deeply than

the others.

when he saw you were dropping out," Alcias explained. "He thought that for the sake of our city you were missing something. So he made us promise that when your time came to win, we'd at least "Hippias was sorry

go and

see.

But then Theocritos

— his

father's captain-

ing a warship this year, and Theocritos can't be spared.

So

I

came

"It

was

alone."

was good of you,

really

ing finer shades of feeling "It

He

Alcias," Criton said again.

moved, but he had become unused

was good of Hippias,

among men

too.

to express-

like Pancleon.

But you might have saved

yourself the trouble of coming. I'm not going to win."

"Hippias dreamed you would win," said Alcias, "and

he dreamed he could not get there, no matter

he

tried.

Criton

why he was anxious He knew you would win."

That's

promise to go. felt a

strange sensation.

ternoon they had told vorable.

were

But then

not, they

that the

A

the sacrifice this af-

omens were very

could be bribed; and

would be anxious

courage everybody. years

him

priests

At

that

how hard we should

at a

if

fa-

they

time like this to en-

dream, and from Hippias, four

dead, meant something more.

The

color

came

flooding back into his cheeks, just in the same fashion

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

74

that

used to do

it

when he

an Athenian and then to win Alcias

And

?

member.

games! Remember,

at the

."

you said

"To show

.

.

we Athenians

the world that

.

Fm

not so long ago, and

It's

"To be

blushed; and he said,

.

.

Yes,

I

re-

glad to have

come." Criton

knew he would win

drawn next day

more

a half-dozen heat,

soon as the

as

for the footrace.

of the best runners

which meant not only

that they

were

so

much

as

running

was

started

soon

too

with no necessity for

the field, he thought there

discus.

after

win

and was

place.

This was

at the javelin after that,

having

decisive.

could

still

sur-

It

won

One

disqualified.

Peison beat him by a bare inch

therefore, in

the footrace.

It

which Criton did not

sufficient.

and then at the

It

was

at the

long jump,

was the wrestling,

excel,

which must be

was not that either need win the wrestling

bouts, but that in the course of other.

who

Criton for his part ran as never be-

and took third

easy to

As

his day.

slipped at the turn. fore

all.

Some, however, were winded and panting.

pass him.

One

run

the time for the finals

were seven or possibly eight of them

it

to

than four of

heat,

came up and he could measure

Besides,

less

When

first

full out.

were

in the last

qualify to run in the finals at

he drew the

for himself,

all

would have

twice in quick succession, but that no

them would never

lots

Peison of Corinth and

them one must

Luckily they were matched

the older and far more powerful

first,

defeat the

since Peison as

man would

surely out-

last

him. Peison wrestled by the Argive school in which

Criton had also been trained, and which he had practiced quite openly at Elis.

provided a Sicilian

new

year in the

expert,

who was

of any grip he

fall

who had

instructed

him

science of offering one's

for the past

opponent holds

undoing. This was a risky way to treat an Argive

to his

were

In secret, however, Pancleon had

now

and

better

fast

and hard enough

was given.

ice-cool.

He had

the

judgment

suffer two, letting Peison,

man,

see victory only

motion that booed.

and Peison went

it

advantage

to score

who knew

one single

Criton offered a wrist, appeared to the other arm,

to take

Criton's nerves, however,

slip,

flying.

fall

one

himself the

away. Then

turned, threw

up

So sudden was the

seemed mere accident, and the crowd

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

76

Peison was picious

up

in a

moment,

surprised, but warier, sus-

by training and conscious that another mistake

would be

his ruin.

They came

at each other, heads butt-

Criton offered a chance for a body grip, but Peison

ing.

refused

it.

This time he would choose his

and would make

own method

certain.

Greatly daring, Criton slipped in the sand again and

dropped

his

hands

as

Like a striking

to regain balance.

if

snake, Peison lunged out for the grip on his neck.

He

missed because in the foolhardiest movement seen at

Olympia

in living

memory, Criton had thrown himself

right under Peison's guard to reach for his leg.

thereby exposed himself to such a variety of

falls

He that

wiser people would spend the next ten years reminding

him

of them.

In

fact, it

was a

boy's trick, carried out

with hard precision and successful because

it

defied every

regular rule. Peison staggered, caught vainly at Criton's

and went

hair,

won

flat

over. After that

to

crown him with

olive cut

sickle.

When

did not matter

They would crown

the wrestling finals.

They were going golden

it

bind a

fillet

around

Criton.

his hair

from the sacred

who

tree

and

to

with a

the trumpets called for silence, they

would announce him Criton, the Athenian!

as

winner of the pentathlon.

The

cheers of the vast concourse

would make the horizon ring with "The Athenian!"

The

last

three days of the feast passed in delirium.

Criton was feted and wondered at and extolled until his

head Elis

reeled. After that

and back through

he was cheered from Olympia to

all

the

cities

of Greece past

which

;

The Athenian

77

he had come. The very magistrates of Athens came out

welcome him home. The people

of the city to

him

to the temples

escorted

and gave thanks. They granted him

a prize in money, a seat of honor at festivals, the right of joining in the banquet daily offered the leaders of

state.

Theodotus, the poet, wrote a hymn. Myron, the sculptor,

made

who

a statue entitled "Criton the son of Critias,

won

the pentathlon in the

add,

"The Athenian," and Criton never missed

many

games

Olympia."

at

It

did not it.

So

had been showered on him saying simply,

praises

"Criton."

He

thought that the

and he took

had not gone

man

I

want

to

to his

head

going to Pancleon and

credit to himself for

saying, completely as

notions that

flattery

man,

"I've got

to try in training.

some new

You know

I

was

favored by the gods in the footrace this year. That won't

happen again." So the old round started again, and some of his notions

improved

his technique.

the sacred year pia.

He won

at Delphi;

came round once more, he won

But whereas the

first

When

at

Olym-

time the very skies had echoed

now was

"Athenian," what rang in his ears "Criton."

and when

simply,

he returned to Athens, he and Pan-

cleon seemed to dwarf

all

other

men

by the greatness of

their glory.

He with

started its five

Few had

to train

events

ever

won

again, although the pentathlon

was considered a young man's game. it

three times.

The

effort to

up most of his waking hours, while time

stood

do

still.

so took

78

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

Time had

stood

many

still

years

him, while

for

time in Athens rushed by on the wings of the wind. Already at Thasos the

Now

hind.

these

new young men had were planning,

creating, city

dizzying greatness, undertaking so

many

younger

whole world marveled.

men had

opportunities

arisen,

dawned and

possible in that glorious age

No its

tasks at once

In recent years even

more

still

fighting,

climbed up to

dying for Athens, as the imperial

that the

Criton be-

left

eager, while dazzling

limitless

power

do the im-

to

seemed granted.

one could have lived in such an era without feeling

challenge after a fashion. Even Criton found leisure

now and

then to

make

himself useful.

He

Council, acted informally as consul for the

served on the

men

of Elis at

Athens, and lent the prestige of his international fame to various embassies sent out to other

was

in

cities.

But his brother

Egypt commanding a warship in the

Persian.

He was

sailing

never come down.

up

One

the broad Nile

of

Criton's

and would

cousins

Theocritos had perished in a second

Cyprus.

fleet

from the

the Athenians had sent to free that country

died in

fleet

with

which the Athenians had beaten the Corinthians and their allies off the coasts of the Peloponnese.

Aegina broke uncle,

though

sea battle. fleet

to

out in the self-same year. fifty years

His

eldest

besiege

of age,

who

It

War

was

with

Criton's

died in that glorious

nephew had been landed from

that

Aegina, as Criton himself had been

landed on Thasos very nearly ten years ago, which in

The Athenian

79

the onrushing sweep of history at Athens

was two gener-

ations back.

In

extraordinary

that

year

zen between eighteen and

when

nearly

years old

fifty

abroad, Criton had not gone. Neither his

every

citi-

was serving

district,

which

could have drafted him, nor he himself had thought All

duty.

his

his third

were conscious that

order

in

it

win

to

crown, he must waste not a moment. In the

gymnasium he paraded

amid the lame and

his strength

the old, or the very young.

Now

the Corinthians, though beaten off the sea,

a final effort. Gathering their

they

allies,

made

moved by land

into the Megarid, calculating that by mastering

Megara

they would open a door through which they could at

march

will

on Athens.

straight left to

abandon the

siege of

just possibly

Thus thought

the Athenians

send against them, they must either

had no force

might

Since

Aegina or

lose

Megara; and they

by the gods' favor do both.

the Corinthians, underestimating the in-

vincible spirit of Athens.

For, gathering together the

youths over sixteen and the

men

over

out against the army of Corinth.

fifty,

she sent

them

This time, towering

over the half-grown boys in the ranks, Criton marched

with them. It

was a grimly determined army, relying on

take the place of strength.

of

exalted, the

Perhaps he of

Criton was them worried most about what he might

old resigned to die. all

The young were neither.

spirit to

lose.

An

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

80

unlucky spear-thrust might not be the end of him, but

would

it

He was

surely finish his chance at the games.

not ready to be reduced, like Pancleon, to training others.

Though

a motley group, they

who, perceiving

that

had a good commander

Megara would hold out

if

help were

coming, had the sense to spare his men. They marched without undue haste and camped in the Megarid, while

Megara alone and came

che Corinthians left

them.

The Athenians threw up no

gage with them. Each bore

five days' rations,

was water nearby. The weather, of year,

was

and

clear

selves in their cloaks

dry.

The

and went

More

sat

and

and there

as always at this time

wrapped them-

veterans

to sleep, their shields

other equipment neatly beside them.

did likewise.

meet

to

having no bag-

tents,

A

and

few of the boys

talked, too excited for fatigue.

Criton would willingly have done the same, but he

thought

it

better

down and

lie

said, half

set

— being of course an example. Half

worrying over his

a

marked man

listening to

own

— to

what was

private thoughts,

he

dozed for a while.

Somebody giggled and woke him. For a moment he did not

know where he

was.

back again in those days of friends.

He

tions out,

while somebody

Then he thought he was

his military training

lay there blinking

"Psst! You'll

wake

and sorting

stir if

these sensa-

said sharply:

the great man."

"That ox!" cried a high, disdainful not

with his

voice.

"He'd

you kicked him."

"He won

at

Olympia," protested someone

else, object-

The Athenian

81

ing more to the tone than to what had been

said.

"There was a time," the scornful voice answered,

"when men went

Olympia and won

to

their

crowns for

the honor of the city. But in betweenwhiles, they found

more

to

do

for her than learning to

Nor would

or run a bit faster.

jump an

they give themselves insuf-

ferable airs over such silly achievements.

thick-headed Criton might look or Melos, or some

Here

great.

you

"Oh,

laughing. cles

when

all

comes

tell

you, this

very well in Ithome

." .

Pisander,"

again,

"We it

.

all

I

where no one ever grows

spot

little

Athens

in

extra inch

know

somebody

interrupted

you're going to outshine Peri-

Go

to

want

to

to your turn to lead the state.

sleep."

"If

spend

I'm going to die," Pisander retorted, "then

my

of you I

want

go

last

may to

hours thinking over the glories that the

see.

If,

on the other hand,

remember the night before

I live,

my

rest

why, then

first battle.

You

to sleep."

Apparently the

rest

wished

Criton lay and stared at the

to, for

stars.

nobody answered.

They were an age

ahead of him now, these very young men.

had Hippias

had flung do.

I

Was

said, "I

his it

own

envy you, Criton!"

At

all

events,

Olympic crown, he would behind the cheering.

young men

simply

future away, as this Pisander might

through deaths such

had changed?

How

Then Hippias

if

as these that the

Criton

see only the

won

world

his third

mocking

smiles

In another Rve years, would the

say his very statue

was a piece of

foolishness ?

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

82

Would

they take

it

down ?

Strangely enough, in spite of

the bitterness of these thoughts, Criton was not unhappy.

He

merely had the feeling that he was glad to be fighting

next day in his

first battle.

never feel easy in this future

was not

Let her

new

If

he survived

it,

he would

world, or yet in the old. His

a very great thing to give the beloved city.

make what

she could of that

and of his

past.

In the year that Criton died to save the Megarid, the ten

tribes

to those

up each a memorial

of Athens put

who had

died for

them

in

Aegina and the Peloponnese, in the Aegean,

and

in the Megarid.

tors or

on

They

young men with a

said nothing of

future.

epitaphs, thinking such a

ther

list

distinguishing

whose

gift

was the

greater.

Olympic

vic-

They wasted no words

of Pisander

how much

in Boeotia,

of efforts needed

comment. In the midst of one of

came together the names

stone

Cyprus and Egypt, in

these

no

lists

fur-

there

and Criton without

each one had sacrificed or

The Two Painters Athens About 470

The shop

of Euphronios in the potters' quarter

smallish, dingy,

In a tiny

B.C.

room

mixing clay in

and not remarkable off the street a

a trough in

was

for hustle or bustle.

Scythian

one corner.

handyman was

He

used for the

purpose a wooden paddle or his hands and was steeped to the elbows in brownish clay

some three shades darker

than the flaming, unkempt mass of his beard and hair.

His working tunic, which he wore

girt

round the waist

and pinned on one shoulder, had long ago taken on the

84

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

same

and upper arms, he might quite

baked

A

indelible color.

lighter shade clung to his chest

so that in the half-light easily

terra-cottas

from the

street

have passed for one of those un-

which were stamped out

of

molds and

dried for the very cheapest of household gods or toys or

funeral trinkets.

"More

clay, Xanthias," the potter

muttered.

Xanthias scooped out a dollop of clay with his paddle

The

and brought

it

over.

hands until

it

broke and regarded

potter twisted

between

it

his

glumly. "More

it

water, fool!"

Xanthias grunted, picked up the water pitcher, and

went

off

down

the street to

potter slapped his

He

pinched

two

off a bit

fill it

at the fountain.

pieces together

and dropped

and twisted

on the

it

floor,

was already brown with the trodden dust of cards.

He

started the

wheel with

The

again.

which

earlier dis-

and went on

his foot

kneading. Presently he threw the lump with hairbreadth accuracy onto the center of his wheel.

hands in a basin of water and spun fingers, the clay rose like

He

faster.

a living thing.

dabbled his

Between

his

He mashed

it

down and watched it rise again. Someone into the

strolled in

damp,

from the

street,

bringing with

him

fusty air of the shop a strong smell of per-

fume. Even in the

half-light, this

was

an exquisite

clearly

young man, his woolen tunic white not with

fuller's earth

but with glossy newness, his cloak depending from one shoulder by a golden brooch and carefully weighted with pellets at the corners.

His dark

hair,

cropped

fairly short

The Two

Painters

85

and naturally wavy, was arranged about

figure athletic,

He

affected.

and

his

manner, though assured, was not

stood watching the potter, whose clay mi-

raculously

was taking on the shape

bowl.

was not

It

his face in elabo-

His complexion, however, was brown, his

rate curls.

the

until

of a wide, shallow

was complete

operation

enough

for the potter to sheer off the lip with his knife

that the

young man spoke. "Well, Manes, did Euphronios

paint

me another?"

Manes nodded without looking the wheel to dry

and was using a

on a

He had

these, stooping until his

stopped

pair of lifters to set his

shelf containing other similar

row stems with rounded "Your

up.

drying.

feet, all

He examined

nose almost touched the

cup's in the furnace."

He

bowl

bowls or nar-

spared a

shelf.

moment

to

gesture in the direction of the court, where Euphronios's

furnace shared the open space with his hens, his house-

and even

some extent with

womenfolk,

hold

altar,

who

sometimes did their spinning in the small roofed

to

his

colonnade on the north wall.

"Anything very

special

Manes shrugged a gers, flattened

today?"

pair of

bony shoulders.

only been drawing so

far.

to a half -dried bowl.

He's

still

"Why

"He's

behind."

"He's always behind," remarked the young indignation.

fin-

by his trade and almost double- jointed,

were busy joining handles

know. Can't he

His

man

anyone puts up with him,

I

train another artist ?"

"Who wants another artist?" asked Manes sourly.

with don't

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

86

"By Zeus, not

young man

the

I,"

"Yet Eu-

protested.

phronios should train someone while he can. They say his eyes

.

.

."

"Eyes, bah!" retorted

Manes

"People gossip.

rudely.

The drawing's a strain for him, though. He's done so many designs and every one of them a masterpiece. Now mine, you see, are all the same." He took down a cup already

scraper poised larities of

and

he raised

it

moodily

staring

the surface.

the scraper for a tiently

stem and spun

fitted to its

With

slowly, holding his at the slight irregu-

delicate precision,

moment, then took his

it

and scowled

eyes

young man. "Come back tomorrow,

he applied

away.

at the

Impawaiting

Philip."

"You'll be opening your furnace soon," objected Philip.

"Why

should

I

not stay

till

you do. I'm

tired of

coming."

Manes merely narrowed his eyes as he turned to peer sharply at the dazzling sunlight framed by the street door. "That idle Xanthias!"

frame

to

hobble over to his

He

straightened his twisted

He

shelf.

took up a cup or

two and inspected them, turning his back. Philip

shrugged and

where he looked

at the

strolled

into

the

inner court,

furnace and peered at the two

dampers, one for oxidizing the clay to orange-red, the other for blackening the pigment. at a hen,

which

fled

He

kicked carelessly

squawking, and ogled a female

fig-

ure, which retired out of sight in a hurry. Having thus

exhausted the resources of the place, he turned to enter the

room

in

which Euphronios did

his painting.

This too was very small and rather gloomy. Euphro-

The Two

Painters

87

good

nios needed a

light, to

Thus he and

his paint.

sheltered corners, while the

amounts

when

at

work chose

pigment was mixed

in small

time and carefully covered. At the present

at a

moment,

be sure, but he feared dust in

his assistant

was

the assistant

at

work on

borders, partly

using a stencil and a flexible ruler, partly drawing free-

hand

outlines with a fine brush

ground

to be filled in later

unbaked

state

and leaving the back-

on with the paint, which in

was merely a wash

its

of the red-brown clay

moistened with vinegar and mixed with potash.

Eu-

phronios himself was drawing on the inside of one of

Manes's finished cups with a blunt instrument which

made eyes

a

little

mark on

were screwed up, and

desperate frown. as

the half-dried clay. His tired, red

though

thing at

As

to himself,

all.

Just

"Don't talk to me. Don't say any-

go away!"

"What's the matter with

it

— but Manes

is

in

me. As for you,

for

keep

all

of you today, Euphronios?"

demanded. "Here's your furnace

Philip felt it

his forehead contracted into a

Philip entered, the artist muttered

telling

without

me

it, I'll

it's

one of I've

his

cold, because

I

moods and won't open

waited thirty days; and you

done, or will be done.

If I sail

home

not pay."

Euphronios dipped his finger in water and rubbed a line out.

"Eh, what? Can't you see I'm busy drawing?

Go away!" "So

I

shall," retorted Philip.

"And

let

me

tell

you, Eu-

phronios, that you are not the only good vase painter in

Athens. There's Meidias, for instance; and he's younger.

00

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

Everyone knows that you are by no means what you were."

The

down

painter threw

force that

it

me

away under

rolled

work,

only

let

rest;

but you come in here

I'd

"A

line

on

to take

.

.

me

a cup," the

young man

own hand

per-

"None

and cheap borders. You promised

it

me

back to Thessaly."

his fingers to be fired

it

Manes not

doing something. "Is

wet and wasted

anew and even

better.

to lay a

I

fired

hand on

my

me

last

my

labor?

soothed

fault that It's

drawn

he'd dared open that

him

for

what he would

my neighbor."

Philip raised his well-marked brows.

informed

it

if it

myself and ordered

it

If

it.

furnace for you, I'd have sold fetch to that fool,

just

the

without a

at the assistant.

Euphronios tugged angrily at his beard as

Manes

all

."

masterpiece from your

of your stencils

would

his stool. "If fools

from him," he nodded

it

with such

outshine Meidias as easily as

"Because you promised sisted.

his instrument

time

I

was here

"I

thought you

that your neighbor

had

man

the

died. You sounded pleased."

Euphronios cackled. father.

May Hades

"Oh, the old

endure him.

I

couldn't.

died,

He made

cheap pots." "I should not

have imagined his competition would

have troubled you, then."

"No

competition troubles me," Euphronios told

am Euphronios. But he gave the trade And to make it worse, he was an Athenian."

shortly. "I

name.

him

a bad

The Two

Painters

89

who was

Philip,

already acquainted with the peculiar

madness of Athenians about themselves and did not pursue rid of

him

"Well, a son, all

this.

He

shrugged

their city,

his shoulders. "You're

at least."

yes, in a

way." Euphronios frowned.

young Onesimos, who thinks

my

do, even

"He

They

he's a painter.

lad in the corner here.

left

takes practice,

It

not conceit, and also a talent which the gods give where

These boys might as

they will.

know it."

king's sons; but they don't

He

born

easily aspire to be

grinned to himself, regarding his design with his

head on one

His right hand

side.

felt

absently for his in-

strument; and Philip, perceiving that in another

moment

he would be forgotten, put in quickly, "Will you open the furnace for me, Euphronios

"Eh, what?" "Just a

The

moment."

?

It's

cold, as

I

leave

warn

you,

if I

in peace,

open the furnace his tired eyes

idea.

insisted, "or will

go away once more,

I'll

go

to

young Onesimos, your neighbor."

such luck!" But Euphronios

me

had an

He bent down to grope on the floor.

Meidias, or even to

"No

just told you."

painter seemed to have

"Will you open the furnace," Philip

you not?

I

I

know you

if I

"You'll never

well. All right, then.

must and

and pushed back

raised his voice to a shout.

sat up.

let

you go."

He

I'll

rubbed

his stool to get up.

He

"You, Xanthias!"

"Master!" Xanthias appeared in the court, looking just as

much

clay-color in the sun as he

had

in the half-dark,

except for his eyes, which blazed bright blue.

"The

furnace,

Xanthias!"

Euphronios

himself

ad-

90

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

who

vanced into the court, closely followed by Philip, did not omit to

let his

wander

eyes

in the direction of the

colonnade on the north wall. Xanthias was picking away with a pointed instrument

which was beehive

at the furnace,

bricks plastered with clay to keep

necessary for

him

in shape

them

and

built of

in place.

It

was

to break a hole in the side to get at the

him to do because one portion of it had been sealed up with fresh clay which had cracked in drying and now flaked easily off. From oven,

which was the

behind

this,

Xanthias

easier for

lifted

out bricks, exposing ashes.

"No one

"Just rake off the oven," Euphronios ordered. lays a

hand on

today but myself.

it

Then

there's

no

stu-

pid error."

Xanthias nodded.

He had

piled the loosened bricks to

one side and was cleaning

off the

ferring smears to himself

and

his

oven with a rake, trans-

garment

like a half-finished black-figure painting.

was

he looked

The oven

itself

a great, pot-bellied piece of blackened earthenware

with a heavy

lid

getting dirty. tiently

aside

which

it

was not

possible to

and without waiting

the rim with both hands.

wards, the

lid

"There you

mouth

lift

without

Euphronios, however, put Xanthias impafor the ashes to be

cleared out of his way, put his head in

Both

till

He

and got a grip on

heaved and emerged back-

coming with him. are,"

abruptly.

he

said.

A moment

Euphronios

"There

.

.

."

He

shut his

of absolute silence followed.

and Xanthias appeared completely

frozen, the one clasping the blackened lid to himself, the

The Two

Painters

91

other kneeling with one

rake in

"Let

hand

outstretched and the

still

it.

me

have a look for myself." Philip put Euphro-

and carefully inserted

nios aside

his

head into the

hole,

holding back his spotless garments from contact with the

He

edge.

blinked for a moment, unable to see anything

after the brilliance of the sunlight in the court.

"Impossible!" muttered Euphronios behind his back.

wood and

both with the green

"I fired these myself,

the

dry."

The oven swam ments of cups,

slowly into focus, littered with fragof

all

which had burst

apart.

backed slowly and stood upright, shrugging ders.

"A

"I see I

must go

Philip

his shoul-

to Meidias after all," he remarked.

pity."

Euphronios came suddenly to

oven

lid

of his

life.

and pounced on Xanthias,

hand and

the handle.

starting to beat

"You did

it,

you

He

him about

villain

!

dropped the

seizing the rake out

the head with

Confess!"

Xanthias put up his arms and twisted away from the blows.

"I never laid

touched them but you. out of range

and

the furnace.

"May

if I

hands on them, master. Nobody

Nobody

"It's

He

backed away

on the other

lightning from Zeus strike

touched one of them.

ple drink

at all."

then sought safety

May

the gods of

side of

me

my own

dead peo-

my blood. May I shrivel and die!"

witchcraft!"

Manes had hobbled

to the door of

the shop and stood there blinking in the sun.

put a curse on our furnace

!"

"Someone

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

92

"Man and

boy," Euphronios retorted, "I've been firing

same furnace for

that

witched.

know my

I

Don't

fifty years.

me

tell

trade better than that.

it's

be-

Those cups

were wetted." "I'd never

do such a thing

ice," protested

"And you

so

it's

villain.

bare.

worked

after thirty years of serv-

"You know

nervously.

I

wouldn't."

Xanthias," Euphronios agreed. "Confess,

I'll

sell

I'll

Manes

have you beaten

you to the

in chains.

till

silver

your bones are laid

mines and have you

Admit you did it!"

"That's a very pretty girl indeed," remarked Philip sud-

"now

denly,

that

get a good view of her. She's trying

I

to listen."

Euphronios swung round with a

Exposing yourself in the court

dare you? girl

!

that at

Go up

to your

mother and

And

you were married.

me.

"Gorgo!

jerk.

An

older

man

like

tell

like

her from

any

How slave

me it's

time

don't shrug your shoulders

Eudoros

is

exactly

what you

need to keep you in order." "She wanted to hear what went on," said Philip, whose

comment had been ners.

Little

started to

open the furnace. In

in the colonnade

Such

inspired by curiosity, not bad

Gorgo had been peeping

interest

when

fact,

Philip

man-

ever since they

had

she had been lurking

first

entered the court.

in the circumstances seemed

suspicious.

"Gorgo hears altogether too much!" shouted Euphronios, too

and two mother

angry to follow Philip's reasoning or put two together.

spoils her.

"She She'll

sees

too

do what

much

as well.

Her

she's told for once,

The Two

Painters

however.

93

deal with her mother,

I'll

He

look after her.

and Eudoros

ought to beat her." This seemed to

remind him of what he was about. Xanthias

.

.

moved,

thias

."

he moved around

too,

will

"As

you,

for

the furnace, and Xan-

keeping it between them.

"No, master! No, master!" Xanthias put up

his

hands

in an imploring gesture. "I didn't touch them." "Just wait until

They

circled

I

touch you," Euphronios threatened.

the

furnace

again.

who had

Philip,

wasted his morning, and a number of other mornings also

on Euphronios, decided that a cup from the master's

hand was becoming more trouble than did not care whether Xanthias or

himself was really at fault.

was somewhat grew more

for culture.

there

tired of dealing

difficult

Philip's circle

Even

was worth.

it

Gorgo

He

or Euphronios

Philip's

good nature

man who

with an old

every week. Thessalian aristocrats of

were anxious

The name

to prove that they

of Euphronios

and had a standing which

had a

taste

was known up

that of Meidias did not.

But there might be something in discovering another painter

and

and

setting a fashion. Philip

shrugged to himself at a

hen

protesting,

and

Euphronios swearing

strolled off, leaving

which had tripped him up, Xanthias

Manes adding his querulous voice

to the clamor.

"Xanthias hasn't the brains to play such

was

tricks,"

insisting sourly, "or the craft to carry

This was

skillfully

Philip left

them

out.

done."

them arguing and walked through

shop and into the

Manes

street,

the outer

where a young man rushed out

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

94

of the next

doorway

him by

to grab

the arm.

man

have your c-cup," cried the young

"I

"Th-the cup you ordered from me.

finished at last."

It is

Philip stared at him, genuinely startled.

stoop-shouldered young

tallish, thinnish,

anxiously.

This was a

man

in a

work-

ing tunic which was spattered untidily with clay and potash.

His manner was nervous, and

his fingers positively

trembled on Philip's arm. "I ordered

no cup from you," Philip

ing himself.

The

slaves in this

town was not very

tomed

familiarity

Though

to.

of

ise

That

it.

you will

you are

is,

like

it.

"Why,

I

I

I

potter; pots.

shop ten

I

I

p-prom-

ever painted."

him up and

reputation have you as a

should seek you out ?"

am

Onesimos, air.

sir,"

and our

now

were

artists

that

I

retorted the

young man,

"Surely you remember. A-and

have not painted much.

But

you not?

Philip, looking

And what

assuming an injured so far

I

Philip, are

"And who," demanded

my

him

was w-waiting for you to

the best thing

It is

down, "are you? painter that

to prevent

"Y-your slave came into

off.

days ago and ordered ... fetch

him

of

accus-

good-natured

tolerant,

man as a rule, he felt annoyed. The young man dodged in front from moving

become

easy to

was a

Philip

said coldly, releas-

tradesmen and even

My father,

all slaves.

am my own

you

We

see,

was a

made cheap

master, your slave com-

ing to us was the greatest piece of luck that ever befell me.

Only

let

me show

Philip stared at

you

him

." .

.

in silence for a

moment. His

wits

The Two

were

at

Painters

95

work putting two and two

had not entrusted

tainly

him

sion or even sent

any errand. Besides,

an

of

He

together.

cer-

his slave

with any such commis-

off to the

shop of Euphronios on

young Onesimos was nothing

this

His stammer and his nervousness gave him

actor.

away. The whole thing was a fraud. "People told

me

should find the ways of your democ-

I

"And

racy strange," said Philip reflectively. I

For

do.

must say

I

should have thought there was work for

I

all

without your conspiring to ruin another man's trade,

and he a painter renowned throughout all Greece." Onesimos went

mean

scarlet,

but he put

up a

fight.

"If

you

old Euphronios, why, he's a tyrant so crabbed that

there's

no bearing with him. We've been neighbors

our

lives, yet

his

workshop

"I don't

when my as

him

father asked

an apprentice, he said

want

.

know what he

to

."

.

said," cried Philip,

"Are the dealings of you petty

really impatient.

all

might enter

if I

trades-

men my affair?" "N-no, of course not,

humble. "But

sir,"

agreed Onesimos, suddenly

cup — your

my

cup

—

I

have

it

here in-

side."

Philip hesitated and

him

and more

work, while other

mixed,

set

which was as busy.

pots

to

visible

lost.

which was

inside his shop,

that of Euphronios at

was

Onesimos almost tugged larger

slaves fetched

dry.

and cleaner than

Three

active.

and

The room

for

potters

were

carried, swept,

the painting,

through an open door, seemed nearly

Onesimos, however, led the way into

his court,

96

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

where the furnaces had been opened and finished pots all sizes

of

and shapes were stacked under a canopy. Philip

looked around him.

No

dicate that this

yard served nothing but the work-

Across

shop.

trance onto

little

hens and no

rose the house,

it

some other

women's quarters

seemed to

and a yard of

street

The lower

in-

no doubt with an en-

in the upper floor

ing in this direction.

altar

its

own. The

had windows look-

floor

was blank, except

for a door.

"This way," Onesimos

said,

Philip disengaged himself. sight

following the direction of

He tugged at Philip's cloak.

Philip's glance uneasily.

was exceptionally keen.

It

happened that

Besides,

his eye-

he saw no reason

embarrassment of Onesimos, to

to consider the

whom

presumably he owed the destruction of a vase by the master painter.

"Gorgo malice.

visits

your

sister, I

and

Onesimos blushed mother."

He

see, is

he remarked with

stammered

again.

"M-my

appeared to think he ought to explain and

hastily added,

since

perceive,"

"Or is it your wife ?"

"There

Gorgo was

is

little,

a

way

across the roofs,

she has been

Euphronios does not

like her in

and ever

much with us. You his own court, which

not private. B-but you will not concern yourself with

our

affairs, as

"Naturally

you

just said."

not,"

imagine Gorgo

is

phronios means to

agreed Philip calmly.

"Besides,

I

merely telling your mother that Eu-

make her marry. To

be sure, you

may

The Two

Painters

97

miss her after such long intimacy, especially as Eu-

phronios has been so careless about

He had

it."

succeeded in silencing the young

making him angry. Onesimos glared pression

which

a tradesman

him with an

would only dare

ex-

assume

to

where vulgar folk gave themselves

in the city of Athens, airs.

at

man and

Philip promised himself that

low attacked him, he would break

the wretched

if

his skinny neck.

fel-

But

he was not forced to these extremes. Onesimos turned

up a

sullenly away, picked

hand. "Well, there

and

cup,

thrust

it

into his

The

circular

it is."

Philip glanced at

and

it

painting on the nearly

flat

felt

inside

surprise.

was a

portrait of Philip,

recognizable enough with his regular features and for-

mally arranged hair.

He had

partly concealed

him and by

sized the design.

With

ing forward to pick

body

this

taken up a shield, which its

on

round shape empha-

his left

up a helmet,

arm, he was bend-

so that the curve of his

fitted naturally into the circular

The

frame.

perfect

gracefulness of this quite simple design had led the painter to idealize Philip's squarish figure,

making him

slenderer and younger than he was. The drawing was

not

but round

signed,

the

edge of

it

was written:

Philippos Kalos, Philip the Fair. Philip looked at this a long time, studying the simple perfection of

Onesimos.

its

lines

He had

and revising

talent of

his opinion of

young

no common kind, and old

Euphronios had been a fool to have missed

it.

He

should

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

98

have taken

this

young man

into his studio

him

to himself

ist's

business to see something

by marrying him

to

Gorgo.

more

nervousness and a shambling figure. nios had never so

man had

much

and bound

was an

art-

Onesimos than

in

Probably Euphro-

as glanced at

what

the

young

painted.

"Can you paint any more

manded

It

to

match

this?" he de-

abruptly.

Onesimos

fidgeted, with that

same gesture that Eu-

phronios had of playing with his chin. He, too, must be

doing something with his long, nervous hands. "I'm not quite certain.

The back is not as good."

Philip turned the cup over.

There on the outer

side

The Two

was a

Painters

99

ther.

his

On

was taking

his head,

Behind him stood

arm.

his horse,

leave of his fa-

head bent to nuzzle

the other side of the cup he

back from hunting, dog

at heels

a spear across his shoulder.

it

was coming

Neither had the distinction

was the work

the cup over to study

again.

Great

art

be oxidized red, then blackened

it

wood and

He

turned

was needed must

in

first

over by the use of

all

Then

the adjustment of dampers.

must be oxidized again

But

a subject.

of a master.

the firing of such designs, for the clay surface

green

at

and game dangling from

which Euphronios would have given such the circular design

and

Philip, dressed for a journey

pair of pictures.

with a wide hat on

finally

just sufficiently to turn the

un-

painted figure red, leaving the black glaze on the back-

ground and the slightest

Even the

mistake in one of these processes might result in

a blurring;

and

"How much

it

often did

do you want

intended to have ster

fine lines of the drawing.

it,

but the

so.

But

this

cup was

perfect.

for it?" Philip inquired.

work

of an

He

unknown young-

ought to be cheap.

Onesimos fumbled with

want you look at

my

to

show

to Euphronios.

it

work. So

his chin again.

we

thought, that

"I-I

chiefly

He-he won't even is, I

thought

." .

.

"And Gorgo thought," prompted Philip, almost laughing. The girl still peeped from the window, spying on them

for a

few seconds

"Yes, well, and

at a time,

then drawing away.

Gorgo thought

.

.

."

Onesimos swal-

lowed, "that her grandfather would be curious about a

cup which had been made

for you,

sir.

It is

not signed,

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

100

you

as

— nothing to annoy him before he takes in the

see

design."

"Euphronios

minded him, thing.

If

is

so

"that

you

I

mad

with anger now," Philip

wanted

really

re-

hardly suppose he will look at anyto

work under him,

could

I

imagine better methods of making yourself agreeable than breaking his cups."

"But

we

didn't!"

hastily at the

mean

to.

Onesimos exclaimed.

window and

W-we

added, "That

myself with the design. I

glanced

is,

we

up

didn't

planned to be ready before Euphronios

was. He's always behind. B-but then

—

He

I

worked

at

I

could not satisfy

it

these thirty days

need experience. So Gorgo said she would delay the

firing

somehow. That's

all

meant

she

to do,

I

promise

you." Philip caught another glimpse of

dow. She was that he

He ter.

would

certainly pretty, but

win-

mind

did not think either of them would ever be her masIndeed,

have given

if

Philip could have condescended to interest

this

"I

folk

whom

he might

affairs,

fated to be

wonder," he remarked aloud,

must have trifle freer,

just

possibly

young man a warning. But what was

him whether Onesimos were

no?

to

at the

did cross his

rather not be her grandfather or husband.

himself in tradesmen's

to

Gorgo

it

it

henpecked or

"if all

the

women-

you Athenians keep so carefully secluded

their

own

and there

way. In Thessaly, our customs are a is

give

and

take.

This would seem

me wiser." Onesimos appeared not

to interest himself in these ran-

The Two

dom

Painters

thoughts.

nios,"

he

101

"If

persisted,

you will but show

this to

Euphro-

"why, then Gorgo can smooth

his

anger down. She manages him." "I

do not doubt she does," replied Philip

shall certainly

happy "I

life

show him your

I

politely.

"I

wish you a

with him and Gorgo."

thank you," replied the young man, surprised, "for

your condescension

moment's thought, alien gang. It

cup, and

was

same way

.

.

"is

.

Euphronios," he added after a

an Athenian, not one of that

And so am I. We shall get on."

Philip's turn to be surprised. "All !

Perhaps you will."

mad

in the

The Day He Was Athens Athens 454

B.C.

"He's a good provider," Phano remarked. She threw the spindle out in front of her with an expert twirl,

thread twist for just the right jerked to bring as

it

it

adding thoughtfully, "Some "Don't

know

I

it,"

"Excellent!

"Isthmias

is

the distaff,

aren't."

"Poor Isthmias!"

little

honey cakes and

bit into

My dear, your girl's a treasure." fond of her man, or so they

"More

fool she."

"Well,

I

don't know."

She watched

of time, then

more wool from

Melissa agreed.

She reached for one of the it.

the

back to her hand, rolling up the thread

She pulled out

came.

amount

let

it

doesn't beat her."

Phano threw

come back

say."

the spindle again.

to her hand.

"At

least

he

The Day He Was Athens

103

"That poor Plangon with her two black eyes!" Melissa

Til

shook her head. riage

is

a lottery, that's

tell

what

you something, Phano. Marit is.

A lottery."

much struck by the "You're right, Melissa. And you drew a white Phano

nodded,

Melissa helped herself again.

"I really oughtn't, but

Then

der yourself a pair of shoes,' he says.

He

has his dinner on time

And

isn't often.

as

when he

pop

if I

you instead of coming straight home,

him.

one."

Yes, dear, he's easygoing. 'Go out and or-

just this once.

see

comparison.

one

all

it's

in to

dines in,

to

which

long as he's comfortable, he doesn't

grumble." "Well, Leon never grumbles either exactly. doesn't like

"Gadding about!" Melissa haven't seen you outside your of the Thesmophoria.

don't

anyone.

visit

Only he

my gadding about, you see, Melissa." lifted

own

That was

And when

I

indignant hands. "I

house since the six

festival

months back. You

looked for you at the

Dionysia in the theater two months ago, you just weren't there."

"That was the time hardly think son,

who was

it

little

to look at

Conon had

him now." Phano smiled

dragging his two-wheeled cart

round the yard, shouting

at her

full of stones

'gee-up!' to himself

the ground like a horse. "I thought really did.

You'd

a fever.

and pawing

we might

lose

him,

I

We were frantic, Leon and I."

"It didn't

keep Leon from the

Phano smiled and shrugged "I daresay,

Phano.

theater," snorted Melissa.

this off.

But you're

"Oh

just

well, a

making

man!"

excuses.

104

The

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE truth

you're too easy,

is,

good nature.

and Leon

Phano's round face looked distressed. five years

married and was barely twenty

thirty-five.

pected.

"I

on your

trades

Nag him a little."

It

was always

She had been yet.

Leon was

do what Leon

easier to

wonder how Leon would

like

it if I

ex-

nagged

him," she timidly inquired. "Like

He's not meant to like

it?

him comfortable

it.

And

these delicious cakes, for instance

...

I

make None of

don't

unless he's reasonable, dear.

must have an-

other." "I

don't think

really

I

dare nag Leon," Phano

re-

marked. Melissa looked at her indignantly, but seeming to real-

must make the

ize that she

best of poor material, she

countered briskly, "Question him, then."

him ? What about ?"

"Question

"About what he step.

If

bound

does, of course. That's always the first

you know half the things he does himself,

to let

Leon never

you have a

tells

little

more freedom.

you anything. Did he

tell

I'll

he's

wager

you, for in-

stance, that he's a candidate for the Council next year,

and the drawing's today?" Phano's hands actually stopped their rhythmic motions for a

moment. "No! He never

did.

Are you

sure,

Me-

lissa?"

"My

Gylon's a candidate, too," Melissa

second time.

The

tribe

put him up

no luck with the drawing."

said.

last year,

"For the

but he had

The Day He Was Athens

105

"The Council!" "I tell

you one thing, Phano," Melissa urged.

Leon

"If

you make him give you a few ornaments. You're

gets in,

getting shabby.

twice in

man's only on the Council

Besides, a

He'll be excited.

life.

That's the time to look

after yourself."

"The Council! Well I never!"

"He may not have luck with the lot." "Leon always has luck when it comes said

to

drawing

Phano calmly.

"All the better for you."

Melissa shook her finger.

"You remember ... a new brooch and ribbons very

lots,"

least.

It's

the Panathenaea next month.

in the procession,

at the

You'll be

shouldn't wonder."

I

"Oh, no!"

"Why

not, then,

Phano? You're decently born, and

though Leon does work still, if

he's

on the Council

at the .

.

cabinetmaking himself,

."

"I couldn't expect it."

"Just one more, last of

the

little

and then

I

mouth when Phano gave

Thratta!

early."

in a hurry, hiding the

my

to her

little

cake under

Never here when

she's

Wasting her time gossiping with your

girl!

her cloak.

wanted.

up

it

a startled cry. "Great Mother

Demeter! Leon's come home Melissa got

must go." Melissa took the

cakes and was actually holding

"Where's

Thratta!

Now

girl?

remember what

You need a new yourself. You ought

I

say

... a

And

brooch and ribbons.

dress, dear.

you stand up for

to be able to put

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

106

now and

your nose out of doors

We

then.

all

need a

change."

came

Thratta

running.

Melissa

scolded

were

dies

her

and

where the

bustled her out of the alcove off the court

la-

Leon, meanwhile, had halted beside

sitting.

the altar of Zeus, politely unwilling to notice another

man's wife, yet not refraining from conveying displeasure to Phano by his expression.

man,

and

a decent tradesman

but not

fitted to

make much

He was

at large.

Leon was

a very

a conscientious husband,

of an impression

on people

not wealthy enough to be asked to train

a chorus, outfit a ship, produce a play, or perform

the other services by

for

not clever enough to be a social

had never happened

any

ground, his the only

On

office.

to

have been chosen by

lot

military service or in the exercise

was against him. Actually Phano was

size

human

any of

which men made themselves impor-

He was

tant to their city. success,

little

being

who

looked up to

him with any

reverence or awe, and his strictness with her was not un-

kindly meant.

merely gave him satisfaction to

It

assert

himself with someone.

"That

woman

again!" he said to Melissa's retreating

back. "I thought

I

told

you

I

did not wish you to waste

your time in idle gossip." Phano's eyes

Leon, and

on with

made

I

my

filled

with

tears.

"She

— she comes here,

don't like to send her away.

spinning, b-but she ate

for dessert!"

all

I

did try to go

the c-cakes

w-we

The Day He Was Athens Leon,

was not

who had

of

a sweet tooth,

a badhearted

that the visit

107

Phano. "I'm sure you did I

don't like the

But he

at this.

man, and he could not help seeing

was not Phano's

good news and wanted

that

frowned

fault.

I

that

he was

He

to be cheerful. all

woman.

Besides,

you should.

full

patted just

It's

expect you don't either."

"Oh, no," agreed Phano, readily convinced. "But you see, I've

always

known her."

"Never mind her,"

said

Leon, impatient for congratu-

"You'll never imagine

lations.

what

it is

I've

been doing

today."

"Oh, Leon!" cried Phano, too excited for

discretion.

knew you would have

luck.

Leon, the wind completely taken out of his

sails,

"You've done

then!

it

I

You're on the Council!"

frowned again. "There you

woman

are,

you

see.

I

knew

that

gossiped."

"And your new

cloak not ready to send to the fuller

"We might wash

for bleaching," babbled Phano.

old one perhaps

.

.

.

but your tunic!

Oh, Leon!

the

How

important you will be! Think of Conon with his father

on the Council!"

"He won't know what at his son,

into the

"He

who was

mouth

of a

will soon.

it all

trying to

fit

means

yet."

the pebbles

Leon smiled from

his cart

little jar.

He's getting so big.

Do

you think we

ought to crown him with a garland for the Anthesteria this year?

He's really old enough."

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

108

"Time enough

to see

about the Council

"Oh

.

.

when

winter comes.

Now

you must,

yes, the Council.

must, Leon,

me

tell

But now,

."

about everything.

all

you

yes,

I

really

want

to

and

to

know."

Leon allowed himself sit

to be led into the alcove

had been quite wrong

in Melissa's seat. Melissa

when

she supposed that

Leon

triumphs had hitherto been

wife.

But since most of

in his

workshop and most of

cial life, it

his

his failures in public or so-

was only natural that most of what he

concerned his business. started today

.

.

.

It

in fact

did not confide in his

was with

how when

the

said

had he

his business that

officials

of the tribe

had

approached him to be a candidate for Council and had

made such

a point of

workshop doing trained, as

he

it,

so well

now

was,

free himself for public

some while the time

to

he had considered that with the

and the it

life.

slave

might be

He had

foreman properly

possible for felt

Leon

to

himself fitted for

do such a thing, but the opportunity and

had not been

ripe.

"No, indeed." Phano's education and her experience

might be

small, but Leon's business

as her household. slaves

it

as familiar to

her

knew

the

keenly,

all

by name, though she seldom saw them, and could

recite the orders last

She followed

was

year

slaves, it

when

Leon

received as well as he.

"Why, even

old Cerdon died and you bought

two new

would not have been prudent."

"Just so."

Leon was relaxing and expanding. He could

count upon Phano to agree with whatever he

said,

and

The Day He Was Athens really her

109

comments seemed

quite intelligent to him, con-

sidering her sex.

"Why, even ern the

Phano

city,

Pericles

not the

and the generals don't

way

really gov-

the Council does," pursued

happily.

This was too

much

He

even for Leon.

perceived that

Phano's political education was fragmentary, and he proceeded in his systematic

way

what with

magnify the importance of the

his desire to

But

to give her a lecture.

Council and what with Phano's eagerness to exaggerate

what he

"Well,

if

he made no progress.

said,

the Assembly can't so

much

any

as discuss

measure

till it's

been passed by the Council, even Pericles

has to go

first to

you, doesn't he ?"

"Well, yes."

"And now

that

on the Council, you could,

you're

Leon, propose anything you liked as well

Leon thought

there

but he did not say

"And

might be a

slight difference in fact,

so.

the monies of the state are in your hands, oh,

and the examination of

and the tivals.

as he."

cavalry,

It's

the

all

buildings,

New

Panathenaea in the

Phano, thinking wistfully for a

moment

words about the procession. "You'll be

Leon smiled

and the

those accounts,

and the public

indulgently.

fleet,

and the

fes-

Year,"

said

of Melissa's

so important!"

He had

his

qualms, and

Phano's enthusiasm was exactly what he needed. "Don't forget," five

he reminded her

hundred."

gaily, "after all,

I'll

be one of

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

110

"Five hundred!" Phano's tone

made

of this fig-

little

ure. "Besides, for a tenth of the year, there's the

Committee. You'll be one of

"And

if I

fifty

then."

have luck with the drawing of

pointed out, "mind you, only

Standing

if I

lots,"

have luck,

I

Leon

might be

President for a night and a day."

"You

will have luck,

Why,

dent!

that's like

Leon laughed and

I

.

.

feel sure of

told her she

was

when he

be the Presi-

foolish,

same next day he bought her a ribbon. brooch

To

it.

being Athens!"

.

He

but

all

the

bought her a

passed the scrutiny of the outgoing coun-

proving to them that he was of free-born descent,

cil,

was not a

state debtor,

had honored

after his family tombs. lissa

popped

in once

He

more

his father,

even said nothing to say that

and looked

when Me-

Gylon had been a

lucky man, too, and that her nephew would escort herself

and Phano

"You lissa

as well to the

can't expect the

explained.

with his

own

Panathenaea.

men

to think of us, dear,"

"Why, Gylon's puffed up importance!

like a bullfrog

Thinks himself

wouldn't wonder. As for the detail of

Me-

how

Pericles,

I

I'm to watch

the festival without him, he can't be bothered with that.

Your Leon's no

better."

Actually Leon for once was grateful to Melissa for solv-

ing a tiresome small problem. Besides, he was indulgent

towards Phano, partly because she had entered into his feelings

with perfect sympathy, and partly because

importance for the serted.

He would

moment

did not require to be

his as-

be walking in the procession himself,

The Day He Was Athens

111

watching the games and the contests from honor.

seat of

month

as the

Indeed,

won

his tribe

if

his special

the very

Standing Committee, he would in

The

presiding on the occasion.

with nervous awe. This gorgeous every four years, had

become the

be

him

prospect affected

occurring only

festival,

celebration

and the sym-

bol in recent times of Athenian greatness. All the bers of the

first

effect

mem-

Athenian League sent delegates. The proces-

sion conveying her

new and

glorious robe to the image of

Athene was made up of the noblest and city of

Athens could

walk.

He

find.

fairest that the

company Leon would

In such

might even be President on that particular

day, though he trembled at the notion.

Leon need not have dreams. July.

troubled

with

himself

The Panathenaea came with

New

the

such

Year in

His turn on the Standing Committee was fixed for

the following June, at the end of the year the business and

all

when most

the great festivals were

of

safely past.

In the meanwhile, though the Council met most days,

Leon discovered

that one

as important as

he

may

man amid

five

hundred

think he will be

is

not

when he

is

chosen.

Councils selected by

lot

from the

be imagined to be year after year

how

or other, this

was never the

citizen

much

the same.

Some-

case at Athens.

There

always proved to be a core of people

The Council of thrusting,

of Leon's year

body might

who

set

the tone.

was dominated by a clique

expansionist merchantmen who were

same time ready

to support Pericles in a bid for

at the

power

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

112

within Greece, while backing his opponents in vigorously

pursuing the war against Persia. In this year, therefore, the Athenians sent a squadron of fifty ships to reinforce

the expedition

which they had already dispatched

the Egyptians in their revolt against Persia.

sist

having but few warships

army

to restore the

Next,

home, they scraped up an

left at

who was

king of Thessaly,

friendly to Athenian power.

to as-

personally

Such measures, though de-

creed by the Assembly, were debated hotly in Council

Leon

first.

He

listened.

voted.

He

even discussed his

opinion in private with Phano as though

Men

like

than Leon and

taller

it

mattered.

— who was head and shoulders with a bull-like voice — found

Gylon, however

it

easy to assert themselves

amid the

petty hucksters

and

who made up the Council's bulk. Leon could He was never selected for one of the adminiscommittees. He was never near the center of those

farmers not do trative

so.

groups

informal

which

thrashed out business.

On

met

between

sessions

the rare occasions

and

when he

voiced an opinion, he could not deceive himself into

thinking

The

it

had any weight.

year

which Leon had entered with such high

hopes was turning out unsatisfactorily. Even his business

was not going quite tion.

it

ought, for lack of atten-

Frustrated in every other way,

self at

his

as well as

home

Leon

house with her talk about Gylon and

cronies ran the Council. It fate,

asserted

him-

to the point of forbidding Melissa to enter

but he had no other.

how he

with his

was an unworthy revenge on

The Day He Was Athens

113

Summer had worn into winter and winter The dramatic performances of the Dionysia

to spring.

in

March

brought about another meeting between Melissa and Phano. "You look pale," Melissa Leon's a

failure, that's

what he

"and no wonder.

said,

and he takes

is;

it

out on

you."

"He's on the next Standing Committee but one," said

Phano

stoudy.

Melissa snorted. "Well, he has to be on

Lucky

doesn't he?

it'll

be a quiet month,

when

Gylon's President in three days played.

I

wish women could

see

it

if

some time,

you ask me.

the comedies are

them."

"Leon will be President in time," Phano assured "Don't count your lissa.

lot before it is

"Fourteen of them draw

likely to

do

so as not. Best thing

Why,

he's utterly feeble.

asked

him

Gylon

to stand,

men away in

and burst into

me

know how

little

I

he should. Gylon says

if

the tribe

would never have

says, if there

weren't so

many

about Leon like that," said Phano

tears.

"Well, he forbade a

drawn," retorted Me-

a blank, and Leon's as

Egypt."

"Don't talk to

lissa felt

her.

me

the house, didn't he?" But

ashamed of

run on.

cry here. They're

I

didn't

coming on

Phano wiped her

herself.

mean

"There, Phano! it.

Besides,

the long winter,

You

you can't

the stage!"

eyes with the corner of her cloak, but

though the prologue of the tragedy began, her flowing quietly.

Me-

Truth was, she

felt

dragged

tears

kept

down by

which had been an anxious one. Conon

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

114

was

rising four

and

spoiled.

He was

having tantrums.

Both Leon and Phano wanted another baby, and the delay in

its

coming was a disappointment. As

for the

excitement of Leon's being on the Council, that very

soon faded away. said she

He

never told her what went on, but

would not understand. She had understood

per-

when he talked about his business, but even that now was apt to annoy him. Leon was fretful, and he seemed to find fault more often than he used to. As

fectly

subject

the tragedy unfolded on the stage, Phano's tears dried

up

moment came

to

when

sheer excitement, but

in

weep

the

for the death of the hero, she

them flow again

found

so profusely that Melissa

natural to let

it

rebuked her.

"You're making a spectacle of yourself, dear.

It's

only

a play." "I don't really think

feel very well."

must be the sun,"

"It first

I

warm day

said Melissa

with alarm. "The

Have something

of spring.

to drink,

dear."

Phano accepted the

pitcher of water

and wine very

meekly. There were two more tragedies to

and in

fact she

was longing

to see them.

sit

The

through, brilliant

costumes, the painted masks, the music and dancing, the poetry, the very

crowd of

spectators in the theater

such a contrast to her quiet domestic ute

life

that every

made min-

was charged with almost unbearable excitement. In

spite of the

lowness of her

spirits,

home and Leon had

already faded into a vague background where they did

not for the

moment

greatly matter. She sat through the

The Day He Was Athens rest of the

115

morning dreaming

of the loves

and deaths of

long-dead heroes, and she was too rapt to cry again.

When

Melissa challenged her at the end to declare which play

was

could only sigh contentedly as she came out

best, she

of her daze

and answer,

"Don't you ever

"I'll

ask Leon."

make up your own mind?"

Melissa

snorted.

"Not where Leon knows

The

stir

calm

and the tragedy onstage had

as after a

good

cry.

Phano

best," replied left

"Of course he

simply.

her feeling as

me what

tells

I

should think about important things because he's a man."

Perhaps Leon too had been because he

lifted

not only obligingly told Phano what to

think, but praised her cooking

Lydia was

above petty troubles,

all

and remarked that old

very well as a baby's nurse, but that

was getting beyond her and he would have proper help. This was

all

the

Conon

to see about

more generous

of

Leon

be-

cause he really was worried about the effect on his business of his being

on the Standing Committee

month. The Council already took a

fair

for over a

proportion of

The Standing Committee would take it all and him frequently to sleep in the Round House at

his time.

force

night, to

go

end.

where the holy out.

No

He would

doubt about

fire of

the city

was never allowed

have to neglect the shop for days on it,

a foreman,

however well

trained,

does not equal the master.

Phano was fussing about

the Standing Committee, too.

She had Leon's new cloak fresh-washed and had been

weaving a tunic for him

as well,

which was

just ready.

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

116

She had needed a dress for wait

the end of the year,

till

but that could easily

herself,

when

old Lydia were to

if

have more time on her hands, she could help with the

When

spinning.

it

came Leon's turn

to be President,

he

talk in this way, but

he

must look handsome.

Leon wished did not like to

he had

lost

she tell

would not her

His year had gone badly, and

so.

confidence in his luck.

The Standing Com-

mittee had thirty-six days, and there were it.

fifty

people in

Almost a third of them would draw a blank.

They held

the drawing

on

their first

Committee. One of the pushing to stand

as a

Standing

was quickly chosen

sort

by an urn and draw out names in the order in

which they should over the the

day

office,

preside.

group.

little

There was a mild tension

Not everybody thought much

which was indeed without power.

was dignity

Still,

of

there

in being head of state, in keeping the Seal,

the keys of the treasury and archives, in presiding over

Council and Assembly. There were four Assemblies this

month

in the regular way,

important.

The

and only two

business of the year

was

festivals,

neither

practically over,

and much of the time of the Council would be spent examining incoming

officials,

a simple routine.

in

There

were, in other words, no particular prizes of special days to be

won.

It

would

be, as Melissa

had

said,

a quiet

month. There was, Leon told himself, no sensible

man

should covet

why any He would have to

real reason

this office.

The Day

He Was

Athens

117

be on hand for twenty-four hours, and there would be little

All the same, he

to be done.

in hearing his perfectly blank

name

him and one

the twentieth day

The

gray before

to the west,

and make

came

of these

first

dawn

satisfaction

called out for the twentieth day, a

one as far as he could

however, that two ships were already east of

some

felt

at a

it

happened,

It

tell.

one to the

at sea,

which would put

in

on

eventful.

into the port of Piraeus in the

moment when

who had

Leon,

taken over the keys the previous night, was asleep in the

Round House with

his best cloak carefully folded over

the Seal, while a third of the

him.

Committee snored beside

There was nothing remarkable about

this

boat,

which was a simple, round-bellied trading ship with twenty

oars,

not even Athenian.

It

hailed

from Lemnos

and had been puttering around the eastern early

March, buying,

way about

the Piraeus

ern shore, where the

selling, or

swapping.

It

slips

and

arsenals for the

Making

knew

its

started to nose

Athenian loading up with

war

fleet

for the eastern side

where the porticoes were and the warehouses it

since

and did not bother with the west-

were very nearly empty.

ception of goods,

seas

its

way between an

jars of oil for the

and a Syracusan discharging a cargo

for the re-

of hides,

Black Sea

which un-

fortunately stank.

"Hey you!"

cried a voice

from the

latter.

"Look out

with your oars!" It

might be imagined that the crew of a battered old

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

118

The

trading ship would have been handier.

Piraeus,

however, was very crowded just now; and besides, the

Lemnian had worked on a cargo of

rare

his

rowers

all

woods which the

Athens would be hungering for

if

tance his rivals in the same trade.

night, having skillful

come

craftsmen of

he could only outdis-

At

all events,

an oar of

the newcomer's caught one of the steering poles of the

Syracusan, which was trailing in the water. There was a crack.

"You

lubberly sons of jackasses, you!" called the Syra-

cusan angrily.

"Can't you so

much

wharf without smashing into someone

own

draw up

as

else?

to a

Think you

the Piraeus?"

"Trailing your steering oar!" retorted the

poop ready

master, climbing on the

Lemnian

to

throw

his rope

around a bollard. "You lazy apes, you

filthy,

stinking

hawkers of that in

?

carrion. Didn't

Serve you right

The Syracusan

an unflattering account of

which he saw

The Athenian and

awakened by the

that their masters, supercargoes,

their billets in the

fit

to describe in

other ships in earshot,

din, perceived that

or purchasers of goods

to take

we smashed it."

retorted by

the Lemnian's ancestry, vivid detail.

if

anyone ever warn you

it

was dawn and

owners of consignments,

would soon be gathering from

town. They joined with alacrity in the

slanging match which was already going on, by no

means confining

their repartees to

The shouting ran up and down

one

side or the other.

the wharfs, while the

He Was

The Day

Athens

Lemnian owner

119

of the

incoming ship jumped ashore

He

without ever running the usual gantlet of questions.

was not

sorry, for

he had foreseen delay, though he had

no news. was

It

much

still

very early in the morning, but there was

to be done.

The

usual procedure, after paying the

proper harbor dues, was to land a sample of goods for display in the public porticoes or warehouses established for that business.

Much, however, depended on showing

one's wares to the right people.

The Lemnian master

could safely leave the ship and the unloading to his

sec-

ond-in-command, but the all-important question of

sell-

ing he handled himself. porticoes,

which were

down an

alley

just

Cutting, therefore,

beginning

where the barbers

to

around the

up, he

fill

dodged

plied their trade

and

purveyed news. Ships being what they were,

it

stood to reason that a

mariner coming ashore would need a trim. moreover, was a leisurely trade which

Thus

sip. tle

clubs

where people waiting

knew

rich,

energy for gos-

the barbershops of the Piraeus had

were joined by those ber

left

Barbering,

become

for a haircut or a shave

who wanted

business.

A

everything that went on in town:

who was

poor,

whose

lit-

credit

clever bar-

who was

was shaky, the

state of

the market for onions or fish, and even the prospect of

getting a of

rare

good

price for

something

special like a cargo

woods express from Cyprus.

Whatever you

wanted, the barber could pass you on to someone useful.

120

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

He would

not, however,

do any such thing before he had

trimmed you and picked you clean was never

With

of news.

The

barber

in a hurry.

these considerations in

went

tered the shop he usually

mind, the Lemnian ento,

which was an alcove

overflowing into the street and at present occupied by the barber himself, a

man whom

he was shaving, a

slave

tending water pots and sweeping hair, and two early loungers. These latter said

though

good day,

moment without

for the

looking round. As for

the victim of the shave, he kept his

ber had

him by

straight razor

cold water to

as did the barber,

mouth

and was sawing

the ear

shut.

bar-

A

when used with Nobody expected him

a ticklish instrument

is

and without any

soap.

move a muscle or speak, and he did not do "You

The

at his cheek.

so.

in last night?" asked one of the lounging

men.

"You're early stirring." "

'Smorning," said the Lemnian

to lean against the wall.

briefly,

moving over

"Got a valuable cargo."

"Where from?"

The Lemnian I've

no news

day told

"Ah, "If

at

hesitated.

all.

me all I know.

fact,

we left together." Lemnian

what the Persian

around

trusted us Athenians.

them when we win in Egypt."

"Of course

said.

will do."

barber, razor poised, turned briefly

"The Cyprians never

yester-

Cyprus ?"

call it quiet," the

they're worried about

The

In

well. All quiet in

you can

"Well, actually Cyprus, but

That Samian who got in here

to say,

We'll show

The Day He Was Athens

The Lemnian sucked little

121

in his breath

gasp. "I'd not have believed

and

let it

though

it,

out with a

always said

I

you were an extraordinary people."

"Not have believed what?" The barber

transferred his

grip to his victim's nose and advanced his razor, smiling a

He was

little.

used to the notion that foreigners marveled

at the Athenians, but

he

still

liked to be told so.

"You ask what?" repeated

the Lemnian.

you could ever have taken so great a

Two lost,

hundred and

"Why,

men. All

Fifty thousand

fifty ships.

and you merely say 'when we win in Egypt.'

"Fifty thou sliced a great flesh

.

.

."

With

a sudden

start,

neck and over

his tunic.

The

had

the barber

He

pour

seemed

zen, while the victim himself neither

The blood dripped on

to

barber neither

nose nor reached for cobwebs.

lost,

"

gash in his victim's cheek, so deep that the

gaped open and the blood began

"All

that

disaster so calmly.

down

his

go the

let

to stand fro-

moved nor

spoke.

the floor.

did you say?"

The

barber had a queer

little

whispering voice as though there were something stuck in his throat.

"Did you say

lost?"

whitish-green and there were his

His color was a strange

hand away from the other man's

face

what

it is.

They

can't be

ploring eyes on the Lemnian,

lost!' He who had gone .

.

.

took

and stood up,

shaking his head. "You've heard some rumor. that's

He

tears in his eyes.

A

rumor,

fixed im-

almost as

white.

"But the Samian, the warship!" cried the Lemnian loudly.

"There were

six ships

which turned and

fled,

he

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

122

and escaped with

said,

did

He

"A

Where

is

one Samian came

this

left

and with two hundred

so,

oars!

but

coast,

into Cyprus with the news. I

All the rest of these

their lives.

went down the African

there the

morning

Two

hundred

oars.

he?"

Samian," said the barber with a groan.

"He went

to

Samos, no doubt, leaving us Athenians to be told by some chance comer looking for a

.

.

.

barber."

This was too true to be disputed. The Samians were almost the only ally which

sent a contingent to

still

fight beside the Athenians instead of supplying their

chest with

money.

No

doubt

Samian ought

this

war have

to

reported to Athens, but probably he had not dared after

running away. The barber had dropped

The

buried his face in his hands.

injured

fingers to his face, looked at the blood,

mop basin

himself, while the slave

man

and

and

put his

started to

came over with water

and with cobwebs. "Oh,

the loungers to himself. "Oh,

his razor

in a

my son!" muttered one of my son Diodotos, my only

son!"

The Lemnian, who had

forgotten the

glanced around. Only the one was

had already slipped out down the In the distance, a

mourning

note.

The

and pulled himself "This

is

news

Samian and doubt.

If

woman

began

to

there.

The

with the

other

tidings.

keen on a

shrill,

barber took his head from his hands

together.

for the Council,"

his crew.

you

still

street

two loungers,

stay here

he

said.

"You saw

You spoke with them,

I

that

have no

even a few minutes more, you'll

The Day He Was Athens be mobbed.

"But

my

cargo of

123

Come on! We're going to Athens." The Lemnian

cargo!"

protested.

"I've got a

."

.

.

"Fool!" cried the barber. "D'you think there'll be buy-

ing and selling in the port on a day like this ? Fifty thou-

sand

There's not a man, be he Athenian born or foreign

!

but has a relative or a dear friend gone to Egypt.

either,

Two

hundred and

empty, or nearly say,

so, as

The

man!

ships,

fifty

you must have seen for

dockyard's yourself.

I

come on!"

It is

more than an

Athens, even

hour's walk

when men

the barber, as one

who

from the Piraeus

are in a special hurry.

to

Besides,

dealt in favors, could not help

stopping on the road to unburden the news to a few special clients.

Thus by

the time the

was already preparing

Lemnian

to preside at

meetings of the Council. Everything into a turmoil. Slaves

went scurrying

one of the regular at

once was thrown

to call the Standing

Some members

Committee together

early.

came

rumor was spreading

in at once, for

of the Council in

Athens with

the swiftness of a sudden plague. Questioned, the

nian

left

no room

for

Athens.

Lem-

any hope. The original expedition

had been blockaded on an situation,

Leon

arrived,

island in the Nile,

where

though awkward, had not seemed desperate

The

Persian, however,

had succeeded

its

to

in drain-

ing one channel and crossing dry-shod with a vast army.

He had

put the Greeks to the sword. Thereafter, the

lief expedition, sailing just too late into the Nile,

re-

had

been attacked from the land side by the victorious Per-

124

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

sians

and from seaward by three hundred Phoenician

ships

which they

also

had with them. Only

and a very few others had escaped. Such were the

together.

statesmen; and in face of a felt panic.

If

had not been

they had not decided to throw

If

and men away

ships

not waited

They were not

so unexpected, they

crisis

the expedition to Thessaly

undertaken as well ...

more

till

Samian

this

utter disaster.

which met the anxious Counci-

tidings

came hurrying

they

lors as

was

It

in

Egypt ...

when

this spring

it

If

was too

they had

...

late

If

the people had never been deluded into the Egyptian

adventure at

all

.

.

Even Gylon and

.

friends

had

other.

Others simply

lost their

his

loud-mouthed

heads and were blaming one an-

wrung

dred Phoenician ships on the

their hands. sea,

and no

Three hunfleet

ready!

Many were

struggling with the shock of private grief

and spoke

random.

Leon

at

let

them

clamor. His

talk, or rather

were as confused as

theirs,

him more. Things ought

own

feelings

but reponsibility weighed on

to be done. Since, however, his

Standing Committee was of no use in maintaining order,

Leon had no

alternative but to wait while shaping some-

thing desperate in his

Leon saw silence.

He

his

mind which he wanted to say.

chance at

obtained a sudden hush.

anxious to have someone

and

tell it

what

for

The Council was to do.

Men

looked

listened.

"We must the

and got up, gesturing

last

arts

of

get a fleet

public

on the

sea."

Leon had forgotten

speaking altogether.

"Ships

cost

The Day He Was Athens

He

money."

made

125

heard himself speaking into a silence which

his voice

sound strange in

a rich man, but

I

will sell half

his

what

own I

am

"I

ears.

have and give

not it

to

the state."

He

down,

sat

would

his

He was

matter.

some lean

was

what

as great as

it

He and Phano

years, but this did not

own mind. The

convinced in his

the Council might do silence

hands trembling.

struggle through

rest of

would. For a moment,

former clamor had been.

its

its

No

one spoke. "I will outfit a ship at

my own

Gylon sud-

cost," cried

denly.

"And "And

I." I."

There was an outcry as

all

of

them

like sheep followed

their leader.

"Here

Pericles," called

is

someone.

"He

desires the

President's permission to speak to the Council."

Leon roused himself to reply, "He has it."

The as

eyes of the Councilors followed Pericles dubiously

he walked forward.

This expedition to Egypt had

been none of his making. They knew him to reproach them for their folly. "This

is

no moment

was taking devices by

his cue

and a time

for

and

for casting blame."

from Leon.

He was

which he played on the

conspicuously absent.

it,

all

expected

Pericles also

abrupt,

hearts of

and the

men were

"There will be a time for blame

mourning

later. I will

gift to the cost of outfitting

one

make up

ship, since

he

is

Leon's

a brave

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

126

man who

has

us

set

an example. In

all

will outfit a second ship.

done before call the

a

name,

Send the heralds through the

this.

city to

remove the

pass a measure to

Treasury of our League from the island of Delos, where lies

exposed to a raid.

He

I

to be

Assembly together. Only the people can vote us

Only they can

fleet.

my own

However, there are things

We must bring

down, and there was

sat

the allied Greeks for the

war

a

it

it

to Athens."

hum. The

treasury of

had been

against Persia

lo-

cated at Delos for the express purpose of preventing

Athenians

the

were

from controlling

it

would become something very

was often

protested, since the danger

was

The next hours

in debate.

sembly time by passing through

it

It

But none

was the custom

market place

notice.

Today

at

As-

with a rope dipped in

red ruddle so that loiterers might have a

would

this,

patent.

were going through the town.

all

it

passed like a feverish dream. Soon the

for the public slaves to clear the

which

If

All saw

like tribute.

for the use of these funds

criers

completely.

the contributions of the other allies

transferred,

mark on them

the market

was already

deserted, while the people flocked to the place of their

meeting, silent and grim. Leon was awaiting them in the President's

seat,

his

feelings

struggling

between

the

weight of disaster and a sense of unreality. This day was as lovely as

any other summer day. The outlines of the

mountains rose sharply in the

was on

still

flashing

crystalline air.

The sun

on the gilded spear of the great Athene

the Acropolis. Yet far

away men were dead, had been

The Day He Was Athens

127

dead yesterday, dead days before

grown up

Men Leon had

that.

with, loved or quarreled with. Rich men, poor

men, young men. There had been nothing special

day on which they died.

like this one,

when

tops of the waves

little

all

chantmen had come

It

sparkles of light

into port

the

day

had caught the

when

over the bay,

mark

a bright

to

had been

battered mer-

from the ends

of the earth,

bringing news with their cargo. All the business and tumult of this Assembly was but

accompaniment

haps as a consequence, these hours

memory

in

men's minds. Per-

to such thoughts in

later.

Leon never was

in that terrible day

it

came

ness of being President

each other

certain at

what point

to his attention that the busi-

was not

ple voting their measures.

slid into

On

to be this

ended by the peo-

day of

all

days, bar-

barian envoys had arrived unannounced from the West.

Other persons might go home to be alone with row.

It

would be Leon's duty

their sor-

to receive these strangers,

lodge them well, and entertain them. After a

series of ar-

rangements which he hardly knew he made, he even

found himself presiding

at a banquet.

which he would have performed on any other day, but on to be self-conscious. his

this

This was a task

in embarrassed silence

one he was too preoccupied

Forgetting his diminutive size and

unready tongue, he found himself calmly looking

these

men

over.

There were three of the barbarians, bearded men and sunburned, draped in long, white garments with a purple stripe

running

down

them. By the look of their hands,

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

128

own

they farmed their

with

fair fluency

land.

and interpreted

"We saw men weeping marked.

"Is

One

of

them spoke Greek

for the others.

in the streets," this

man

re-

somebody dead?"

"An army

of ours has been defeated," replied

Leon

stiffly.

"We do

This was interpreted and frowned over. consider

fitting to

it

terpreter said.

mourn

defeats in public," the in-

"We prefer to avenge them."

"Indeed!" Leon's tone was barely ject

dropped.

else to say,

of their

not

It

was now up

to

polite,

Leon

and he made an inquiry

and the

to find

into the

sub-

something

government

little city.

"We are a republic now," the interpreter told him. "We used to have kings."

"We,

too,

Leon more

had kings many affably, waiting

peated in their barbarian tongue. favor, for the oldest

"We

centuries back," agreed

while his remark was It

re-

appeared not to find

shook his head and frowned.

choose two presidents of our republic," the inter-

preter pursued.

"We

choose one." Leon

made a

little

bow. "But the

Spartans have two equal kings."

Once again the

Leon almost tion

eldest

sighed.

It

shook his head over the kings.

was hard work making conversa-

with one's thoughts elsewhere. His

seemed

to fall very flat

once more. "Every

none

city

like the other."

little

politenesses

with these solemn men. has

its

own

institutions

He

tried

and laws,

The Day He Was Athens

The

older

129

man nodded

and

at that

said quite intelli-

gibly, "Solon!"

"Why,

yes,"

of our Solon

?

agreed Leon, surprised. "You have heard

He was

lawgiver, but that

many

a very wise

man and

our greatest

We

have passed

was a long time ago.

laws since."

"We

have been sent here," the interpreter

"to

said,

study the laws of this Solon."

Leon looked

men

at the three

Theirs was an unusual mission,

with a new

interest.

only because Solon's

if

laws were so old-fashioned. Nonetheless, they had been the foundation of Athenian justice. If these rustic people

had conceived an

interest in Solon,

notion of justice

among

This was not

themselves.

barbarians,

why, they had some

who were

savages

either

common Leon

Scythians in the North or slaves of the Persian.

wondered what he

felt

was

setting,

over.

He

Solon.

sort of people these

too weary

and despondent

and very presently

his

the

like

Westerners were, yet to inquire.

day of

office

The

sun

would be

took refuge in a polite gesture and drank to

The

three barbarians drank, too, with grave ap-

proval.

There were not many minutes about the wisdom of Solon. terpreted line by line, and it

it

left.

It

Leon began

a story

went very slowly

seemed

in-

to lack point.

Still,

... a

ritual

passed time.

The sun

dipped. Leon

which he must perform derstand.

He was

made

his excuses

at sunset

.

.

.

They must un-

impatient for the long day to be over,

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

130

too tired to consider whether he had done well or

was

a small

man

done nothing formality. little

of

no

an

special in

He wanted

particular importance office

which was

and confusion remember

He

raise

theirs

slowly

raised his

and

and

cup

said,

clearly

Athens and Rome."

its

after all a

in his fatigue

name. Suddenly

it

came

to

as a signal that they, too, should

"To our two to

He

drink the health of their obscure

to

town before he went, but he could not

him.

ill.

and had

make them

cities."

He

added,

understand,

"To

After-Dinner Stories

Athens About 450

Our company had ing to the good

finished dessert

spirit.

and brought rosewater

ment

of

B.C.

and poured an

offer-

Slave girls had changed the tables for our hands. This

which Aspasia was fond,

for

was a

refine-

by such touches she

reminded us that we were dining with a woman. Respectable

wives

were banned from Athenian dinner

parties,

but there were pretty young foreign

Aspasia

whom

ners were parties

one could

little

hire.

more than

Some

of these

men

like

mixed din-

disgraceful orgies.

were simple gatherings of

girls

Aspasia's

friends, refined

by

her presence, spiced by the unexpected, softened in manner.

Aspasia was well read. She had studied the poets.

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

132

She thought over questions of our day. She had wit

Not

well as grace, accomplishments as well as beauty.

Aspasia were the

trivial

games

after-dinner

as

for

of tossing

dregs from cups of wine at a mark, while betting on our

She had brought in a

skill.

flute player to

accompany our and

after-dinner offerings to the gods, to the heroes,

Zeus.

But for the whole evening she would not

music

either, unless Pericles

I

glanced at Pericles,

who

domed head supported on

when

even

lay next Aspasia, his great

He was

that Pericles

He must

troubled.

was

smiling at

considerate,

needs have been uneasy

that day because his enemies, despairing of attacking directly,

had

Anaxagoras private

the sun

and

his

his

The charge was impiety and might

cost

life,

since

had informed

his sister Artemis.

its

it

was

true

own, but

enough

that he in

his friends that by his calculations

and the moon were not the

red-hot mass and the of

The

moon

sun,

chariots of Apollo

Anaxagoras

said,

was a

a cold, dark one with no light

reflecting the sun. It

would be easy

to stir

common people to avenge this insult to the twin mortals. Had not Apollo brought a pestilence on the

Greeks before Troy for a far

lesser

a thin, sharp-faced

man

touched with gray.

On

ness of his position

had

imthe

wrong ?

Anaxagoras himself looked stubborn tonight.

refraining

him

Anaxagoras,

laid information against

intimate friend.

to

on

tired.

his hand.

which meant merely

her,

looked

rely

with a bald head and a

He was

full

beard

this special occasion, the serious-

so far impressed

from speech. His

him

that he

lined, lean face,

was

however,

Ajter-Dinner Stories

133

conveyed the feeling that he altered no opinion and

would not pretend agoras was of

all

He was

to.

men

watching Aspasia. Anax-

charms of

least susceptible to the

women, but he admired

Aspasia's wit

and was able

to

her as though she were merely one of his promising

treat

pupils.

Aspasia's dark eyes measured her audience almost with

an

air of challenge.

mood

privilege,

She was not accustomed to

company dominate her evening.

of the

moreover, to

the

the subject of after-dinner

set

game

conversation or introduce some

would delegate

occasions she

let

was her

It

On

rare

someone

else,

of wits.

this task to

but not tonight. She looked as though she were plotting a surprise, yet to spring lips

it

was not

on

us.

certain

Her

face

whether she actually dared

was

but on her

serious,

full

quivered the beginning of a smile, faint and be-

witching, as though she was inwardly gay and could not

help

it.

Our ceremonies came brought to retired.

us.

"My

The

to

an end.

flute player at

it

a nod from Aspasia

friends," she addressed us

be merry, not solemn; and yet you

Our wine was

all,

all sit

met

to

glum. Then

is

"we

are

not better to talk of what weighs on our minds?

task

I

shall set

you

is

that each one shall tell us a story or

give an opinion about impiety.

She looked

Now, who

will begin?"

at us, lips parted, eyes sparkling,

face aglow. In the state of public feeling, she

find herself

on

The

trial if

news

brown

might well

of this discussion leaked out.

Aspasia was not respectable; she was foreign; and Peri-

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

134

coast

and was thought

Persia

and

She came from Miletus on the Asian

loved her.

cles

on

to urge

and development

Thus

of trade.

social prejudice

The

hatred endangered her position.

political

super-

ignorant could destroy her.

stitious fears of the

whim and who all

like Aspasia to risk her life for a

was

It

to put all of

us into the power of her slaves,

There was a moment of

with

Pericles a peace

adored her.

Then Anaxagoras threw

silence.

back his head and laughed aloud.

"We

and

are kindred spirits, Aspasia, you

rabble roar.

impious of

this present

company.

warned

"Better not,"

people

pouted. "So

"That

I

are

am

discreet,"

"Leave talk

Aspasia

.

.

."

She

protested.

I."

take leave to doubt." But Pericles smiled.

hang on

discretion,

never had any. But the

then

am

in the

I

doubt

fully occupied in

am

tell

I

have

will be-

in any case, since

to

hold his tongue,

if

estate, as

you know, on the plain

he goes there twice a year, being

Athens with

politics

and love and the

conversation of impious fellows like me. this year there

lost.

my

to.

"Well, Pericles has an of Eleusis.

I

going to

town

Lampon, hardly knows how

even should he desire

"If

real indifference.

why

tale I

come common knowledge that fool,

story."

rumor got abroad

Anaxagoras shrugged with life is to

you a

I'll tell

Pericles low-voiced.

to others. If the very slightest

"My

Let the

I.

claim the right to begin, being judged most

I

grew a ram with one horn

On

his

farm

in the middle

After-Dinner Stories

of

135

forehead. Such strange prodigies, as you

its

thought to have some meaning for men's very naturally there was a great

had reared ask

stir

among

Presently Pericles's steward

it.

what should be done with the

for very often

ever,

when

single

the

horn

rumor

ram

exaggerates.

arrived,

it

are

so that

who

the slaves

came here

to

creature.

"Pericles desired to see for himself, I,

know,

lives,

and

so in fact did

In this case,

how-

proved indeed to have one

— a heavy, ridged horn proper to a ram and

curved as they usually are, but growing exactly in the

middle of by

my

its

advice

forehead.

Pericles naturally

— showed

it

with most reputation here in it

as

we had done

sult his

— and

indeed

Lampon as the prophet Athens. Lampon examined

to

and, greatly excited, retired to con-

books of prophecy.

"He returned today, full of pomp, and proudly told us with much detail culled from his curious learning that the gods made clear by the single horn that of the two great parties that are struggling to control our state, one

should prevail and one vanish. Since, moreover, the

was

Pericles's

ram

ram, the gods also intended to show that

his should be the victorious party.

"Thus prophesied Lampon, stroking

his beard in great

complacence because he had discovered

had allowed some ewe ture.

But

I,

begging the beast from Pericles for

experiment, killed

showed

why

Pericles

it

how

the gods

to bring forth this strange crea-

and

split

the brain

open the head.

my own Then

I

was malformed and had

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

136

concentrated in a

And

that horn.

grown out

as

it

space like an egg at the base of

little

for that reason, the single

did."

"This was no impiety to point out "Indeed,

protested.

horn had

I

fact,"

Pericles

thought you had the better of

Lampon." Anaxagoras grinned. "Lampon was angry because he

we all hope, you will be and guide the state. Then Lampon may he prophesied a truth which I denied. What is

looked the fool he victorious

boast that

In time, as

is.

my impiety but exposure of men's superstitions?" Pheidias the sculptor passed a nervous hand over his

thinning hair and joined in the argument in the diffident

way he had amid men of quicker mind. "Did you really intend to prove Lampon wrong? I cannot see you did so.

For

if

ture, they

culiar

the gods

might

meant

still

that beast to

have made

it

show us

the fu-

with a brain of a pe-

kind which produced one horn."

Anaxagoras shrugged. strange, uneasy respect

axagoras despised the sculptor

He

regarded Pheidias with a other.

An-

and in matters of

logic

which he paid

illogical beliefs,

was very soon out

to

no

of his depth.

no one could view the miraculous beauty images of the gods and doubt his

faith.

Moreover,

of Pheidias's

Yet though An-

axagoras took great satisfaction in showing up other as fools, us,

he usually

left

Pheidias alone. Like the rest of

he was awe-stricken by the very majesty of the

conceptions.

Besides,

men

having greatness of a

he recognized that quality in

others.

artist's

sort himself,

After-Dinner Stories

Pheidias

He

again.

137

cleared

found

and smoothed

throat

his

hair

himself and would

difficult to express

it

his

puzzle over a problem as though words were strange to

him and

real ideas could only be properly clothed in

bronze or marble. Anaxagoras had

and undoubtedly

times,

temper.

He had

his

little

patience at

had sharpened

peril

Now

spared Pheidias once.

all

his

he lay wait-

ing with a cold, withdrawn expression which meant that

he was pondering one of his of rudeness

bitter retorts, his quiet pieces

which people found

they could think of no answer. I,

who

An

it

hard to forgive because

The

poet Sophocles and

both loved Pheidias, exchanged dubious glances.

might merely provoke Anaxagoras

interruption

to

more annoyance. Aspasia leaned

spoken well, but

me

tell

you,

forward,

Timon

"Anaxagoras has

smiling.

so far has not said a word.

Timon, one needs

to put

on a bold

these philosophers, or they will talk all night.

our experiences as well as they, and

we must

Let

face with

We

have

not with-

hold them."

She glanced

at

Anaxagoras,

who nodded

have spoken too long, I'm done.

Let

curtly.

Timon

"If

I

entertain

you." "If

it is

to be

matter over, lief,

my

"I'll

I

agreed, trying to smooth the

put you a question about a popular be-

and Anaxagoras may comment

may remember

that

Acharnae. Unlike I

turn,"

am

I

too

own

Pericles, I

if

he chooses.

You

a farm, in the district of

am my own

manager; and

always out there for the plowing and the vine or

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

138

olive harvests,

and often in between.

bor was a very rustic

who

little

My

nearest neigh-

elderly fellow called

Polemon,

wasn't above working his tiny fields with one slave

when

or even hiring himself out to help with our harvest

own was gathered in. In fact, one would have hardly known Polemon from a slave, were it not that sometimes he would pluck me by the cloak and breathe his garlic in my face while we chatted of the weather, his wife's bad his

leg, his

lucky amulet, or the cock he sacrificed to the god

of health,

and how such meat on

change, though

it

his free-born status

by confiding his

who

fashion of simple folk

talking about themselves. of

my

feast

was seldom he had

it.

affairs to

Having done

a kindly fellow, got

an equal with his

who

him

slave,

Polemon over

a foot or

steal ;

two

full of

favor

after the

to

work

much

in

but

my

if

of

the years.

his wife, lived almost as

and was

as honest as

any farmer is

to say,

our boundary line could be moved

direction,

simple piety and

he

may have done

it.

luck. If a cat crossed

Polemon's path, he had to stop and

toss three stones.

he heard an owl hoot, he must

on Athene

Every snake of the sacred

Poor

as

sort

call

on

He

recipes for extracting

little

from the gods or avoiding bad

shrine.

it,

He

on with

has a hard time making ends meet. That

he did not

was

me

rest.

learned a good deal about

was

a

so in full sight

"In this casual way, without thinking I

made

understand conversation as

people, he felt his dignity permitted

with the

days

Thus he proved

his land

If

at once.

must have

its

he was, there was always a skin of wine

After-Dinner Stories

139

who must

or a flask of oil kept for the diviner, his

with the gods and going to prosper.

Polemon up, he was had a great

much

positive virtues

share, since

may

he

state;

but

if

there

three years ago at the time of the

ing, as this

Polemon worked

The

by lightning.

weapon and very cide, a notorious

his

that their victim

must be

and

air,

god, but hits at

"In

is

shall

we

like these, or did the

say with Anaxagoras

is

Pericles smiled, "but of

For

if

the thunderbolt

then the god in a rage or a drunken

If,

that the lightning has nothing to

I

fit

for sport or missed his

suggest such a thing of Zeus?

state is still

in the

not directed by the

hardly a question of whether Polemon

are so ourselves.

man

Must

random?"

fact, it is

harmless

sort.

an explosion caused by the heat

that the lightning

was an impious man,"

we

a parri-

breaker of a very solemn oath, or an of-

mark? Or

that the thunder

killed

on a human being. One

Polemon with wicked men

god miss

was

thunderbolts of Zeus are a terrible

fender against the gods of some other serious

upper

was harm

autumn plow-

in his fields, he

rarely used

would have imagined

class

not have

never found any.

I

"Now

sum

he was too poor to contribute

time or thought to the

in him,

In short, to

inoffensive, cheerful, hard-working,

Of

anxious to please.

we

explain

dreams and reassure him that he was on good terms

whether

was of Zeus,

must have mark.

however,

we

slain a

Dare we conclude

do with the god, our

worse."

nodded, appreciating the way that the politician in

140

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

him had avoided

a dangerous opinion

and had

at the

"We

same time spared Anaxagoras from giving any.

moment we

cease to be truly pious the

on

to bear

bring our minds

problem."

this

"Th-the gods are not to be understood in

He made

protested Pheidias. as

though he were

"They

are

.

.

literally

they are

.

this

way,"

a gesture with both hands

shaping his thought in the

air.

felt."

"Just so," Pericles agreed. "Yet these questions

must be

asked."

"Sophocles asks them," Aspasia put full of

poet nodded his it is

rational, it

that

I

Samos which

impiety

handsome head. "And

agree with Pheidias.

yet the

The gods

are not

nor are their ways understandable to reason.

were not too long,

in

"His plays are

them. Are they not, Sophocles ?"

The end of

in.

is

.

.

.

I

would

should

I

you a story

once heard

I

some questions about what

illustrates

but

tell

If

tire

you."

"No story from Sophocles tires," "And if it really is long, I daresay

Aspasia assured him. Pericles

and

possibly

Pheidias, too, will surrender their turns." "I'll is

do

it

gladly," Pheidias agreed.

the teller of magical stories, just as

we

the sharpest in argument — and who

smiled gently at Anaxagoras, say,

"In spite of

all,

"We is

know who know who is

all

also

the dullest."

who nodded

to

we two have something

him

in

as

He if

to

common."

"I could listen to Sophocles all night," said Pericles.

"You his

flatter

me."

hand fingering

But Sophocles spoke abstractedly, his beard as

he plainly considered

Ajter-Dinner Stories

what the

details of his story

when

"In the days there

lived

Samos, so

were and how

Polycrates

man on

a

Now

Ariston.

141

that

so that

men

still

began.

was ruling

in Samos,

whose name was

island

was

the time of Polycrates

much

it

a great one for

look back to that glori-

ous age. Ariston, therefore, was lucky in the place of his birth

and lucky

When

also in that he

was born

to great wealth.

he grew to manhood, he was lucky again, since

him

father married

to a

woman

of great beauty

his

whom

he

loved dearly. Therewith, his luck ran out, for he had no sons.

"He waited Then he took

for five years with

growing impatience.

temple

his wife to the

thence to other famous shrines where for children.

years

No

had gone

friends

offerings availed;

woman was

by, the

had long ago advised him

at

Ephesus and

women go

and still

to pray

after five

more

barren. Ariston's

to put her

away and

take another wife, yet so far he had resisted because he

loved her.

At last

after ten years

"The woman wept very

he spoke of divorce.

bitterly, for she too

loved her

husband; but she saw that his mind was made up. She

begged him, however, priestess

of

Apollo

Ariston, parting

to

if

go

at least to

Delphi and ask the

nothing could be done. Then

from her with great sorrow, did her

ding and sailed away to Delphi, bearing with him a

bid-

glori-

ous golden cup to offer to the god.

"He waited some weeks himself,

sacrificed

Apollo's favor.

at

oxen, and

Delphi while he purified did

all

possible

to

win

But when the seventh day of the month

142

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

came round and the holy

took her seat on the

priestess

sacred tripod to give the answers of the god, she told

him

thus:

He who

asks

what he does not have should consider

Whether he is

better off

with what he has now.

"This saying angered Ariston, for he did not understand

Did the god intend

it.

wife would be worse than the

would be

that he

he had

still

no

would have

him

Or

first ?

that a second

did Apollo

better off without a son?

certainty

a child.

and begged them

to tell

In any case,

what he should do or whether he

Finally Ariston

to let

him

went

to the priests

ask his question again. This

they consented to do; and a

month

later

when

the holy

day arrived, he once more attended. This time the ess

was

mean

priest-

in a frenzied state, so that she shrieked

and

rocked herself on the tripod as the power of the god took hold.

The words

meant nothing

she uttered,

if

they were words at

But the

to Ariston.

priests,

all,

who were

skilled at such things, interpreted her sayings as:

Rash

man

to

demand

of Apollo a second time an answer.

Go home, and you shall learn the power of the god. "Sadly then Ariston sailed home, not having received

any answer

to the question

ing troubled in his the god. filled

But when he came

with rejoicing, for

and was now herself to

with which he came and be-

mind about

the threat of the

to his house, his heart

his wife

in her fourth

power

had conceived

of

was

at last

month. She would not show

him, however, but sent word she had dreamed

Ajter-Dinner Stories

that

if

143

she did so before the child

In his gladness, Ariston

made

was born,

little

it

of that.

would

He

die.

busied

himself in sending great gifts to Apollo, counting the

days

till

his son should be

the favor of the god

"The time

would bring him a boy. went

of waiting

livered of a fine

born and never doubting that

and the

by,

and healthy son

woman was

who was named

de-

Apollo-

doros because Ariston said the child was a gift of Apollo.

"Now

at last Ariston

was happy, and he was even more

triumphant when within a very few months his wife

He

conceived again.

laughed, but she wept; and

when

her second son was laid beside her, she implored that this child, too, should

have the honor of being called given

by a god. Ariston was in a she pleased. feast for still

He

him,

called the

less

mood

to grant her

whatever

baby Theodotos and made a

than he had done for his

first-born, yet

a great one.

"Thus Ariston

attained his desire;

and with two

fine

sons less than a year apart, he thought himself happy.

But Apollodoros and

his brother

mity before they could walk or theirs

Theodotos were talk.

at en-

For a few years

seemed babyish jealousy which would wear

out,

but presently their naughtiness increased as they grew

and divided the whole household. Ariston favored eldest-born, while the

husband and wife,

mother spoiled the younger. Thus

who had

began to quarrel. Next, took

sides.

The house

happy one, was

filled

his

as

is

loved each other so long,

always the way, the slaves

of Ariston,

with jealousy,

which had been bitterness,

and

a

in-

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

144

The woman, who had been such

trigue.

a great beauty,

her looks and grew thin and shrewish.

lost

Ariston, since he

was unhappy

at

As

for

home, he went adven-

turing in the galleys of Polycrates, which preyed on mer-

chantmen of Syria and Phoenicia and Asia Minor.

"Time went by men,

in this

way

The woman

hating each other.

still

the very same month, Ariston

young

the boys became

till

was

leaving possessions

which had been

his years of piracy.

There was in

died;

and in

killed in a sea fight,

greatly increased by

fact

to divide, yet Apollodoros conspired

more than enough

with the head stew-

ard to cheat his brother. Theodotos for his part took a

solemn oath that his mother on her deathbed had confessed that Apollodoros

had

was not her

band because he had threatened

was

child, but that she

taken the baby of one of her slaves to deceive her husdivorce.

Whether

this

so or not could not be established, since all the parties

were dead. Nor was scious at the last or

certain that the

it

had spoken

great deal of talk in Samos,

the other.

mother was con-

to her son.

There was a

some taking one

side,

some

In the end, Theodotos announced that he

would appeal

to

Apollo

at Delphi.

"This brought opinion round to the side of Theodotos, since

it

was reckoned

peal to the ever,

as

that he

would not have dared

god unless he spoke

was

later

discovered,

truth.

had

to ap-

Theodotos, how-

actually

lied.

mother had died without confirming or denying the picion

which he had

Thus when he ventured

His sus-

long held against Apollodoros. to

go

to Delphi for the truth,

he

Ajter-Dinner Stories

was

145

afraid of the god's answer, not that he suspected

Apollodoros to be his brother, but that he had already taken a false oath.

"Theodotos, therefore, arrived at Delphi in good time, as his father

had done. But instead of haunting the tem-

ple with sacrifices

and

one of the younger

would allow him

to

his

and offered him a fortune

meet with the holy

some say by a further on

prayers, he conferred secretly with

priests

won

looks, he

no

over the priestess

true son of Ariston.

way Theodotos drove

"In this

Then,

by trading

bribe, while others say

youth and good

to declare Apollodoros

priestess.

he

if

Apollodoros in fear and rage

his brother out;

left

and

the country, lest he

be adjudged to be the born slave of his brother.

It

was

his

intention to enter the service of the Great King; but

while he was traveling between Ephesus and Sardis, he fell

among

robbers,

who

killed

him

for the

money he had

his

father's

on him. "Theodotos

none

now

to say that

he had not

not

much enjoyment

was

visited

out

of

his

possessed

full right to

wealth with

it.

But he had

therefrom, since time and again he

with agonizing boils which drove him almost

mind with

famous doctor

of Croton,

Even Democedes,

pain.

whom

to his court, could not relieve

him.

Theodotos went

where the temple

god

of healing

is.

to Epidaurus,

the

Polycrates had attracted

In despair at

There he did not dare give

his

last,

of the

name

to

the priests; but he mingled with the poor and the sick

who

slept in the precinct nightly,

praying for

visions.

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

146

Many

nights Theodotos slept there; but though other

people were comforted and healed by their dreams, he himself was neglected.

"At

priests his

the

he could bear no more, but confessed

last

name

name and

the place

of his father.

him

night and bade save Apollo,

Then

to the

from whence he came and god spoke

the

to

him

in the

be gone, for none could heal

him

who had laid this sickness on him.

"Theodotos went away in fear and pain. Returning to Samos, he took half the wealth he had from his father

and with

it

made

Thus bearing offered,

a gift such as

he went to Delphi

"There was a new visited the old

When

this

and foam

at the

few private men had ever

to ask

mercy of Apollo.

priestess this year, for

Apollo had

one with a frenzy in which she died.

woman saw

Cursed be he

gold for the temple of the god.

vessels of

Theodotos, she began to scream

mouth and

who

spit at

swore a

him, crying:

false

oath to another man's

ruin.

Cursed be he

Then

who bribed the servants of Apollo.

she threw herself from the tripod and lay like one

dead.

"The

priests

dragged Theodotos away from the holy

place, but they dared not thrust

precinct while he called

would Theodotos

him

outside the temple

on the name of Apollo. Nor

leave, but

he vowed he would die where

he was and pollute the temple. For a month he lay there,

After-Dinner Stories

tended by the

priests,

must be caused by turn

away

147

who

feared the defilement

his death, but yet

a suppliant, however guilty.

that another

man was

which

were unwilling

The end

induced to ask the

of

to

was

it

how

priestess

Theodotos might be healed and what should be done. "This time Apollo answered that Theodotos might find healing at the touch of any

more

now had

after,

he

vowing

in the house of Apollo. There-

back to Samos and sold

sailed

half of

and half

himself carried out of the temple,

was worse

for his disease

it

to

he

all

should cure him.

Then he

messengers throughout Greece, inviting any

man

and heal him. Meanwhile, he himself made

what

discover

sort of

the gods than his

"Some easier,

said

to

sent

come

inquiries to

crime might seem more offensive to

own.

one thing, and some said another.

them. Either such

men were

was

It

however, to think of crimes than to discover

who had done

had,

still

Apollo when he should be healed,

man who

to the

sinned

gods than he.

terribly against the

"Theodotos

man who had

men

dead or out-

lawed, or they were unwilling to expose their guilt at

Even

all.

where notorious wrongs had been com-

in cases

mitted, the guilty hesitated to lay their hands on Theodotos, lest by so

no excuse. At offered,

no

all events,

and in

less evil

doing they admit their wickedness had in spite of the

spite of the fact that

money Theodotos

men

of that age

were

than now, few came forward to try their pow-

ers of healing,

and

all

failed.

At

last

Theodotos was

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

148

forced to set out on his travels again and,

ill

as

he was, to

drag himself through the length and breadth of Greece.

"Some

on

years he spent in this way, traveling either

foot or by ship, or with bearers, according as his sickness

waxed

or waned. In every city he

out people

wherever a not admit

came

who were suspected man had committed a

it,

and more

laid

he would seek

to,

of wrongdoing.

great crime, he dared

hands on Theodotos

their innocence than to earn a

But

reward

to prove

at the price of con-

fessing their guilt. Despairing, therefore,

Theodotos

still

dragged himself from town to town, unable to give up the search, or to die, or to be cured.

"He was

being carried through the

not far from Delphi

His

bearers,

down and to jostle ions,

his

him

when he

fell

Thessaly,

among

robbers.

nothing but hired men, put him

The outlaws

ran away.

fell

on him and began

about, snatching at his cloak

and

his cush-

bag of provisions, and everything that lay

around him.

on him

itself,

who were

hills of

And

at once,

he

suddenly, as they

felt

all

had

their

hands

himself healed.

"Theodotos sprang up with a great

cry, so frightening

what they had taken up

the robbers that they dropped

and ran away. The more Theodotos besought them stop, the

the

first

oldest,

more they panicked. Theodotos, however, came up with

flush of his restored strength

who was

the slowest of foot,

he induced him to they approached

summon

him somewhat

in

the

and grappled with

him. Then partly by persuasion and partly by the

to

rest.

threats,

Presently,

timorously, he told

when them

After-Dinner Stories

149

that to one or other of

them he owed a

great

sum

money.

of

"They did not "

'He

is

"'He

a spy

believe him.

come

to

hunt us down,' cried one.

delaying us here while his friends surround

is

J

us.

" 'Kill him!' "

demanded

the third.

Take me with you wherever you wish/ cried Theo'And when you think yourselves safe, let me ques-

dotos.

For

tion you.

must pay

to

one of you

I

owe

half

what

I

own, and

I

it.'

"They took him

at last to a little cave in the hills

where

they lived, trapping small game, gathering berries, and

robbing passers-by whenever they dared. Here they in their miserable rags

and

stared at Theodotos, each

keeping his knotted club by his

whether

it

would not be

sat

side, as

though uncertain

better to kill

him and

divide

what he had on him. " 'Tell

me

now,' said Theodotos to them, 'since

you are outlaws and have nothing your crimes, what

is it

to lose

you have done ? For

I owe my money.' "Then said the first, '1 killed my father.' "Said the second, 'I robbed my master.' "The third said, 'I dragged my enemy

all

of

by confessing to

him

whom

the gods have cursed,

precinct

and

from the sacred

killed him.'

"The fourth

said,

'I

betrayed

my native city.'

"Theodotos thought for a moment, wondering whether

under

their

uncut hair and tangles of beard he could pos-

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

150

him whom

sibly trace out the features of

cursed.

your "

Then he

said to the

'Tell

first,

the gods

me how

you

killed

father.'

'A madness seized on him,' said the man,

caught up an axe and ran slay

me. Then

ing,

dashed his brains

at

'so that

out.'

his eyes,

which were

terribly red-

dened and inflamed from the smoke in the after a

'I

was

me how you robbed

But

to the

your master.'

a priest in a great temple,' said he, 'and I stole

which was of beaten

pieces of the robe of the image,

"Theodotos nodded and said your enemy, and

"The man were

cave.

minute he turned away from him and said

second, Tell

he

me, crying that he would

struck at the axe with a stick and, miss-

I

"Theodotos stared into

"

had

to the third one,

'Who was

why did you kill him?'

said,

had

'I

a friend

whom

This

far closer than brothers.

and therefore

gold.'

I

loved,

and we

man murdered

him,

killed him.'

I

"Then Theodotos

said to the fourth,

'Why

did you be-

tray your native city?' " to

'Our enemies captured

make me betray a

secret

me

and put

me

to the torture

path up the ramparts.'

"Theodotos thought once again, and he looked from one to

the

miseries.

hung the

other,

finding

These

together,

god had

men went

and

laid

to

little

choose

between

their

barefoot, their rags scarcely

their limbs

on him the

were skin and bone. Yet

task of discovering

which

one was truly most wretched. So for the third time he questioned

them and

said to the first one,

'If

the death of

After-Dinner Stories

151

your father was by accident, could you not have purged yourself of blood-guilt, dreadful " 'This

was not granted me,'

my

potion which sent

An

old witch gave

marry

a

father

me

it

man,

said the

mad was

to persuade

'because the

my

of

him

providing.

that

I

should

woman whom I loved.'

"Then Theodotos turned him,

though your deed was?'

'How

one and asked

dared you despoil the very image of the god?'

" 'Because

our shrine was a place of

man, 'and once pilgrims.

to the second

Then

I

sold

a false

answer to one of the I

grew

his oracle alike

were

sharply, but so pinched

were

since nothing

bolder, thinking that the

oracles,' said the

happened

god and

to

me,

only a sham.'

"Theodotos peered his features

at

by want, so

to the priest at

him

filthy

was he

Delphi remained,

that

no resemblance

indeed this was the

if

man. " 'If

man,

your enemy was a murderer,' said he to the third 'could

you not have

left

him

to the city, or to the

god?' "

'He was condemned

men were

to die,' the robber said, 'and

him

outside the city to the place of ex-

ecution. But he broke

from the hands of those who held

leading

him and ran

to the temple of Hera.

He had no

time to

open the gates of the precinct because we were hard on his heels, but

he took hold of the handles of the doors and

name of the goddess. drag him away, but could

clung to them, crying out on the

Then

the executioners tried to

not do so and were perhaps afraid to try very hard. So

I

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

152

took out

my

sword and hacked

and leaving

wrists;

dragged

hands

his

off at the

these to clutch the temple door, I

my enemy to execution/

"Then Theodotos

man,

said to the last

enemies do to your native

city

What

did your

?'

" 'They killed the men,' said he with tears in his eyes.

women and plundered the Then they sent colonists of their own to live in it.' 'They enslaved the

"Theodotos looked at them first to

the

the gods

Then

last.

all

again in turn from the

man whom

quietly he turned to the

had cursed and

said,

'I

temples.

will pay

you the money.'

"

Sophocles lay back on his cushions, and there was a silence for a

moment

because the ending had taken us by

surprise.

"Oh, Sophocles," protested Aspasia, laughing, "you never heard that story in Samos, no matter what you pre-

tend to spare our praises. guess

who was

accursed."

"If

you will

tell

with twinkling

And now

me who

you have

left

us to

he was," retorted Sophocles

But

eyes, "I could finish the story.

my

in-

formant in Samos did not know."

"Must

it

he did not sending

not be the

first

kill his father

him mad.

by

I

asked. "It

intent, but

is

true that

he was guilty of

Besides, the gods judge

men

not the motive as

man?"

do. Surely parricide

is

by the deed, in their eyes

the most shocking of crimes." "I

hardly

think

"Zeus killed his

so,"

own

No, the gods care

remarked Anaxagoras

sourly.

father Cronos, as our legends say.

little

about crimes

if

popular

tales

have

After-Dinner Stories

153

any truth in them. In

fact, if

the gods are really such as

people think them, then the thieving priest must be the guilty one.

The gods

more

are

jealous of anything

which

concerns themselves than they are of crimes against mere mortals."

"That may be

so," Pheidias admitted.

man committed

third

"Yet

think the

I

a crime against both gods and men.

To cut off a suppliant's hands!" Aspasia nodded her head. "It very nature of the gods.

show

"You bow.

are all

not

wrong." Pericles

and gave way under

and

may

brothers,

steps of their

suppose a

The gods

right.

lifted

himself on his

el-

man, though he was not a criminal For he betrayed

torture.

and

sold his

robbed the images of the gods.

on the

is

and must therefore shudder

so, Pericles ?"

"It is the fourth

father

an offense against the

Pheidias

pity to every suppliant

at cruelty. Is it

is

own

altars.

slavery. He He slew the suppliants And the city, which we

mother into

fair one, or at all events fair to

destroyed and resettled.

It

death his

to

would have been

him, was better for

man if he had killed himself or if he had never been born. What are we but citizens ? What are our lives apart from the city for which we work, through which we win that

glory,

and

Aspasia

put

he

it

for

which we

lifted the

die ?"

garland she wore on her head and

gently on the head of Pericles.

said, "I

persuade

did not

know

me of anything.

As

for Sophocles,

the answer, but our Pericles can It

was the fourth man."

The Adventure

of the Merchant's

Athens and Byzantium 431

My

Son

B.C.

father Philemon was a corn merchant in a small

way, having risen in tion.

I

this business

have often wondered what

ancestry

which caused the gods

my

on the head by a

which blew

state of destitu-

may have been

to visit us

each generation. For tile

from a

with

in our

ill-luck in

grandfather Philo, being struck off his roof in a great

storm, died some weeks too early to be killed in the sea

Thus Philemon, unlike most orphans was not made a ward of the state. Mean-

battle off Salamis.

of that time,

while, the Persian pulled Philo, cut his olive trees,

After the battle,

the roof

which had

and plundered

when Athens was

mother was forced

To

down

killed

his possessions.

resettled,

Philemon's

to desperate straits to support herself.

be frank, she had for

many

years a

stall

in the public

I

The Adventure

of the Merchant's

Son

155

market where she sold ribbons. Philemon put a stop

to

when he was old enough, but the disgrace of it clung about him to his dying day and gave him a reluctance to this

show himself Piraeus, tle,

ing

I

my

remember

my

all

mother

lived in the

grandmother

stout old lady, hoarse-voiced

She ruled us

He

in the city of Athens.

where

well, a

and quick of temper.

by the virulence of her tongue, often to clap shocked

lit-

hands

forc-

to her ears

and run

way amid

the low-

away.

Philemon, being brought up in est class of porter,

took service in the as

fleet to better

an oarsman several

pilot

and get promotion, eventually

and master. Thence he passed

ulation in goods returning to Athens,

times had opportunity to pick profits in a part share in a

and

after a

After serving

himself.

he had the good fortune to

years,

attract his captain's notice

becoming a

this

cloak snatcher, beggar, or hawker, soon

which he some-

up cheap.

merchant

to spec-

Investing his

he prospered

ship,

He

while bought the ship and the oarsmen.

never, as far as

I

know, owned

would borrow money

his cargo completely, but

to finance every trip,

paid from the return cargo.

He had

which he

re-

come

to

gradually

concentrate on the corn trade with the Bosporos and the

Black Sea. This trade was large and profits

rowed lations.

were modest, but at

much more

Money

The

could be bor-

reasonable rates than for big specu-

Besides, the corn trade

Philemon had and

certain.

vital to the state.

his contacts at

at all the ports of the

was a profession

in

itself.

Byzantium on the Bosporos

Black Sea as far east as Sinope.

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

156

Likewise in the Piraeus he had his banker and his backers,

armor or wine or

his favorite grain dealers, his suppliers of olive oil

and similar exports, depending on the season, the

chances of war, and other local issues

was

up north which

Philemon's trade was small,

his profession to discover.

but his reputation was better by far than that of the

dent aliens

who formed

it

large companies for trading

resi-

from

the Piraeus.

Such was the business of Philemon. little

of

it,

for

was

it

my

the prosperous farming class of

My mother was my

to school

where

and I

my

My

had

I

might,

early been sent to

my

father said,

all

go

the riffraff of

uncle was comparatively well-to-do, and

have since concluded that

sources to have

knew

grandfather Philo.

with decent people instead of

the Piraeus. I

of this class,

uncle's in Athens,

myself

I

ambition to restore us to

father's

me

my

father strained his re-

brought up on equality with

my

cou-

sins.

In this

way

for

many

years

I

saw

little

of

my

parents.

My father was often away and very seldom when he came into port

went up

to Athens.

quite occupied with her

ing up

my

As

for

and was not encouraged by

my

schooldays were over,

was

military training.

I

my

so,

cousins were

I

bring-

point of view, the

Piraeus was within an easy walk; but

When my

mother, she was

woman's work and with

From my own

sister.

my

I

had

elders to

little

go

leisure

thither.

must of course do

my

outfitted for the cavalry because

although as

I

later heard, Phile-

The Adventure

mon's

of the Merchant's

losses at this

The beginning

time

Son

157

made the expense

a burden.

was caused

of Philemon's misfortunes

by a shipwreck which he brought on himself by venturing too early on the seas before the winter's storms were

A

over.

recent quarrel between

of Thrace

Byzantium and the king

had put a premium on arms and armor. One

of Philemon's friends

who owned

owing

Piraeus had recently died; and,

between

bles

a shield factory in the to various squab-

the shields were going cheap.

his heirs,

Tempted thus by a cargo which would command price, particularly at the

mon

took a risk and

disaster

he could

borrowed on the

came

as well,

which he had

lost

both ship and cargo.

To

afford.

shields

safe to port.

own

his

ill

a

good

beginning of the season, Phile-

be sure, the

It

was

a

money he had

was not repayable unless

his ship

However, he had ventured money of while the ship was almost a

built at his

own

cost.

He was

new one

not able to

oarsmen and

afford another ship, but he rented out his

himself took passage with another merchant as super-

cargo and part owner of a consignment of goods. for a

few seasons he traded on a reduced

hoping that some lucky coup would

My own

tired,

in

had been riding

but the servant

all

my

began

out near

military train-

day and were sweaty and

whom my

common was grooming

affairs

we were camping

the Boeotian border close to the end of

We

always

restore his fortunes.

involvement with Philemon's

with a chance conversation as

ing.

scale,

Thus

tent mates

and

I

owned

our horses. Our tent was

al-

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

158

We ate and

ready pitched, and supper was ready. idly picturing ourselves as free to

when our

training

and

do whatever we pleased

over.

marry," Antiphon declared.

"I shall it,

was

relaxed,

his cousin has a

"My

father wishes

daughter of suitable age. She's

said to be pretty."

"With a "Of

suitable

dowry,

hope," remarked Agoratos.

I

course."

Agoratos shrugged. "Well,

want

to settle

down

yet.

I

shan't

There's too

marry

early. I don't

much going on."

and talk?"

"Parties

"Certainly talk."

Agoratos grinned.

"I'm going to

take lessons in public speaking. That's a necessity for success in politics

nowadays. Then

there'll

be some chorus

and a campaign

to produce, a ship to outfit,

Life's too interesting to tie oneself

to serve on.

down with some

girl

hardly out of her childhood."

"I'm going to write plays," Aristophanes volunteered.

He was

only seventeen and just beginning his service, but

we had adopted him because he was "What makes you think you're

a cousin of Agoratos.

the

new

Euripides,

eh?" jeered Agoratos.

"Comic the

new

plays, not tragic ones,

Pericles,

I'll

my

friend.

When

you're

skin you alive onstage before the

whole Athenian people." "I

wouldn't be surprised

if

he did, too," agreed Anti-

phon, "with that sharp tongue."

"But what about Philo?" Agoratos turned around on

me. "You're very

silent."

,

The Adventure I

of the Merchant's Son

159

leaned back on the grass and looked at the sky, in

which the

first star

had

just

come

out.

"I

wish

knew.

I

I'm worried." "If

it's

the

money

I

lent you,"

Agoratos

said, "forget

it.

I'm not

I'm tiding you over while your father's away. in a hurry." I

considered. "No,

ward not

getting any.

anything about exactly

it isn't

my

where he

is

It's

the money, though just

.

.

.

father's business. at this time.

well, I

don't

I

awk-

it's

don't even

He's been away

know know

all

sum-

mer."

"Has he?" protested Agoratos, you

said

surprised.

"I

thought

." .

.

"Perhaps he did come into port and go again without

me know. His ways never bothered me now ... I can't live with my uncle after I'm

letting

but

Besides, he's

"Why

gone with the embassy

before,

grown.

to Corcyra."

don't you ask for leave?" Aristophanes sug-

"Go home for a few days. At least you can when your father will be due and why no one

gested.

cover

swered your message.

If

dis-

an-

you had the reputation of being

a terrible, wild fellow, Philo, they'd not dare treat you

so.

You're too good-natured." I I

shrugged

off this

remark, but

I

thought

was

true.

stages.

The

it

was getting annoyed by slow, imperceptible

nuisance of hot and dusty travel from the frontier and finding stabling for certain of

my way

my

my

horse increased this to anger.

welcome, puzzled, truculent,

I

Un-

shouldered

through the crowds of the Piraeus, came at

last

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

160

to

my father's door, and found it ajar. I could hardly believe my eyes. We women

for display, but to protect the

had a

porter, not

my

father's ab-

in

His lodge was empty. There had been across the

sences.

passage an office where

my

father transacted business be-

cause his acquaintances were sometimes rough and he

did not wish to bring them through the open court to the men's apartment.

my

Surely

furniture.

I

looked inside, and

Three

strides

nothing in

it

bird cage,

no

toys of

for

my

my

altar.

no bedding spread

sister's,

mother's spinning, no signs of

even habitation.

I

his

There was

into the court.

but rubbish and the small central

no basket

of

me!

tell

me

brought

was bare

would not have moved

father

house without bothering to

it

glanced in the alcove

.

.

.

No

to air,

work

or

and there

my grandmother stood, looking silently at me. She had been dead ten

my

I

moment with

but for a

years,

eyes dazzled by the sun,

thought she was a

Then as I blinked and gulped, the figure

vision.

spoke.

"So you've come," she said sourly. "At

last.

I

suppose

you want more money."

The ter! I

I

voice brought

me

my

to

didn't recognize you at

senses.

first.

"Aglaia!

How

My

sis-

you've grown!"

peered at her crossly, by no means pleased at what

Her dumpy

saw.

both

figure

and square, heavy-set jaw were

my grandmother to the

"Why, ing a

life,

as

was her

we'll have to be thinking of a

Aglaia,"

I

said

with the

little sister

after

I

bitter tongue.

dowry

for you,

false gaiety appropriate for greet-

two

years

and finding her grown

The Adventure

up

— though

Son

of the Merchant's

than

less attractive

161

I

Aglaia

liked to say.

did not smile.

"There

any money," she

isn't

now. As

will be

I

demanded roughly,

anxieties,

my

my

"Mind your manners,

for a

my

resentments,

modest

there never

for you, you've spent your last copper."

"What's going on here?"

tone.

"And

said.

girl

all

my

hot journey sharpening the

way

to speak to her elder brother?

I'm

my

ashamed of you. Where's

Aglaia.

Is this

And

mother?

where's

my

father?"

She thrust out that determined chin the way Grand-

mother

"Mother's asleep and not to be wakened.

did.

Father ..."

saw her

I

lips

tremble a

"Father's

little.

dead."

"He's

what?"

"Why wasn't I

She shrugged

We

could hardly believe

I

my own

ears.

told?"

—a

are sure Philemon's dead.

he ran away with a

"Nothing

mulish gesture.

lot of

But they

money and

to

say — they

tell.

say

disappeared. He'd

never do that." I

did not

tion in

know Philemon

my

uncle's eyes

had never questioned tion

well, but

was

this

that of

I

knew

an honest man.

and did not now.

was immediate and prompt.

his reputa-

"Who

My

tells

I

indigna-

these lies

about him?"

She considered a moment.

"Well, there's Glaucon,

from whose ship he vanished. And

Sosias.

It's

Sosias's

money." Sosias

was a

slave

name.

It

was not Philemon's habit

to

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

162

borrow from the

aliens

He

Aglaia told

this,

not be choosers.

"With an

did a great

knew But when I

said those people all

each other too well and skinned you

commented on

who

and freedmen

part of the Piraeus's trade.

me

alive.

that beggars could

spendthrift son never

idle,

earning a penny, what was Philemon to do? Oh, we've

gone hungry, but you must have enough for

your

all

pleasures."

"Why

didn't he

"If you'd

been

tell

me ?"

home

once in the

just

two

last

years,

you'd have seen for yourself." It

was

true enough, but

how

my

was

knowing when ters

when

Besides,

should at

he never came to

which he

see

in the win-

travel at

its

worst?

my

me

proper sphere.

Aglaia thought luxury were the commonplaces of

living in

my

uncle's house, while

my

was excuse

for

me, but

I

would not

sister

had no time

I

knew. There

The

say so to Aglaia.

disappearance of Philemon and the

mother and

extravagances had

men

been modest beside those of young

I

have come, never

me, did not welcome

was not

said

I

home, save

was on garrison duty and

I

in the Piraeus,

What

father

straits to

which

my

seemed reduced were so appalling that

to spare for clearing

"What happened

to

him?"

up misunderstandings.

I said.

"Leave

our misfortunes and come to Philemon.

my part in When and

where did he vanish?"

"He

sailed for

Glaucon. oil

—those

He was

Byzantium," she

said,

"with

this

man

carrying a thousand jars of perfumed

very small ones.

There are fashions in

per-

The Adventure

Son

of the Merchant's

163

fume, and one of the dealers up there wished to corner

Philemon had trouble

a market.

he expected a good

in finding so

profit because the corn dealers

Byzantium were overstocked from

in

the

new

harvest in

all

up

while

year,

last

was reported

the Black Sea lands

Wishing, therefore,

to be bountiful.

much, but

up most

to take

of

Glaucon's ship, Philemon added for the outward voyage

Chian wine which he merely hoped

skins of

of at cost because last season

"Why, you

talk like a clerk,"

I said,

She scowled. "Philemon liked

What harm was

to explain

He had no

there?

"Who

wondering.

business ?"

taught you to understand men's

ten.

to dispose

."

.

.

and

to

I

lis-

son to confide

in."

"His

what It

fault,

my

not mine,"

I

told her sharply,

mother had been about

would be a problem

to

wondering

to permit such folly.

marry any

girl of? after

such an

upbringing.

"Well,Aglaia?"

"He needed

a large loan, but

willing to trust a

man whom

these last years.

It is their

chant's luck.

vanced

none of the bankers were

misfortune had dogged for

business to estimate a mer-

But the freedman Sosias in the end ad-

it."

"And then?" "Then Philemon sold his cargo,

banker's draft.

"Knocked on

sailed to

and was paid

Byzantium with Glaucon, it

seems in

silver,

not by

Then he vanished." the head

and thrown in the harbor ?"

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

164

"So

suppose, but they say

I

woman

with

whom

appeared with him.

"Who "I'll

make him

they say there was a

.

don't believe

Glaucon?"

me, brows

I

asked indignantly.

it

slightly raised.

safe,

Philemon

came and plundered us

says.

The Dolphin

re-

and therefore the money which owing.

is still

It

was

Sosias

who

and furniture and what

of slaves

Philemon had

silver

little

"He'd break

matter greatly what Glaucon

will not bring our father back again.

turned to harbor Sosias loaned

dis-

it."

eat it."

at

you in two. Nor does It

.

he always lodged, and that she I

told this story?

She looked

.

in the house for our ex-

left

penses."

"Then mother

.

I'll

Meanwhile, you and

see Sosias first.

.

She stuck her chin out again.

den a

"I'll

manage.

do

as you're told,"

woman. Mind

my

your business."

mother must go

would take them

in

if I

to

I

had hid-

said roughly.

"You're a

was obvious

that Aglaia

It

my

ordered

The steward do so. As for the

uncle's.

him

to

hoard which Aglaia had saved from our tended to use

The

first

it

which

creditors, I in-

myself for several things.

of these

was a

without any trouble tico

I

little."

"You'll

and

my

."

talk

with

Sosias,

whom

I

found

sitting at a banker's table in the por-

faces onto the docks at the Piraeus.

He was

a swarthy, hook-nosed fellow whose slave origin had

given

and

him

a fawning manner.

flattery as

He was

long as he thought

I

all

smoothness

was a wealthy young

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

166

man I

with money to change, but when he discovered

who

was, he altered his tune.

"Two talents of silver, d'you hear! Two talents of silHe shook his finger under my nose. "I want my money, and I'm a bad man to cross. Don't walk the ver!"

Piraeus alone on a dark night.

"You might

No

nantly.

I

own

find your

give you fair warning."

nose

one had ever threatened

slit,"

me

fore;

and that such a person, not even

abuse

me so was very galling.

He

gave a

said indig-

I

with

bullies be-

a Greek, should

nod, and two enormous brawny slaves

little

lounged forward round his

table.

"We've a short way with

thieves,"

he

"We

said.

throw

'em in the harbor." It

was time

me

for

to

back down.

depth and also very young.

when

I

looked to

my

raise

it

haven't got

I

from your uncle

me up and down from my "And

"I'll see

of

my

if

it."

you want

to."

He

sandals of fine leather

cavalry cloak, almost new,

haircut.

was out

pay you the money

"I'll

where it's gone.

find out

"You can

I

and

my

fashionable

you'd better."

what

can do

I

when he comes home."

I

backed

away, uneasy, ashamed of myself, and seething inwardly. If Sosias

knew

Byzantium, or

the if

names

thought his

with wringing

as

my

father's customers in

he had any suspicion of what might

have happened there, clearly

of

I

should not hear

should not have gone to

of

it

him

from him.

He

and was only concerned

silver lost

much

it

as

in

he could out of me.

my

good

I

clothes, or per-

The Adventure haps not

at all.

It

Son

167

would have been wiser

man who talked

older I

of the Merchant's

some

to send

his language.

wandered up and down the bankers'

tables, trying to

who had dealt with Philemon and Many did so, no doubt; but my confi-

chance on someone

knew him

well.

dence was shaken.

out of place and conspicuous.

felt

I

My

manner was awkward, and

No

doubt that the scandal of Philemon's disappearance

all

soon

knew who

had gone up and down the porticoes and been the

That some were

the port.

could

it I

was.

talk of

see,

and

undoubtedly was that Philemon's

yet the general opinion

were desperate enough for him to consider

affairs

ting

skeptical of

I

up

me was

in another

that

name

no friend of

had been a dour,

way

off.

surprised

;

He had

to his fellows

considered himself

and had held

had married above him and begotten a

whom

tleman for a son with

What

came forward but Philemon

his

man.

close

somewhat superior

a long

set-

fine

aloof.

He

young gen-

no mariner or businessman

felt confidential.

The

result was, after a fruitless day, I

my

abate

pride and ask Aglaia

and what

friends

answers, even

whom

connections.

his

down

to

father's

knew

the

Byzantium with

Philemon mainly traded. She did not know, how-

which

not.

She suggested that

alone.

Aglaia

to the dealers in

ever,

bribe

was forced

who were my

of the sea captains

would inform me. I

tried to catch

my

were in town and which

father's barber for a suitable

It

took days to get this barber

him

very late or very early, only

to find a lounger standing

by

all ears.

In

my

inexperi-

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

168

ence,

had not the wits

I

who knew

barber,

thought that

I

to

my money

show

who

very well

had none. At

may have

I

was,

it

was done

events,

all

me

The

barber's opinion,

was

that Glaucon, the master of the Dolphin,

silver

which

and had paid some bully

"You'll not bring

"Glaucon's careful.

it

interested

to kill

home

and the

early;

at last.

very much,

had the

Philemon for it.

to him," the barber said.

up

He'll lay

the

money

he

until

has a voyage which could account for sudden wealth. But

he might be careful in other ways, to be

back in port before long.

move

yourself to Athens."

I

was getting used

ond

to the Piraeus

threat did not disturb

done.

I

"A

to Athens," I said. little

they have

left.

me

as

"I'm taking

considered.

cart's

my

uncle

might be

safer to re-

by now, and

much

my

this sec-

as Sosias

mother and

coming tomorrow

Could you put

with them? Maybe

They expect him

too.

It

it

about that

when he

He

my haircut. Can you make it

I've

Better not be seen

known.

I'll

clear.

I

it

tipped

I

don't

stain, too.

Lucky

might pluck your eyebrows.

on the waterfront where you're already

give you a birthmark."

"How soon will the brown wash off on a sea He thought a little over that and told me I new

gone

less elaborate ?"

winked. "I can give you a brown

your complexion's so

for the

returns will pay

our debt, and maybe he won't. In the meanwhile, quite like

had sister

voyage?" could re-

Lemnos and Imbros when I went ashore. I him heavily, and he even knew a person who at

would warn me when

this

Glaucon came

to

town and

The Adventure

of the Merchant's

me

would introduce

who was

his uncle,

me

name

with the

169

young man seeking passage

as a

to

He provided who might

a trader in Byzantium.

of a Byzantine merchant

prove a suitable uncle. This I tried

Son

last

was

a favor

beyond

price.

thank him.

to

"You've a

Philemon," he said unexpectedly.

"I liked

look of him, too." I

was rather taken aback. Philemon had no

that

Philemon

The

as

I

friends.

to the conclusion

This barber, always in the

transformed

stain

my

appearance,

at least to a casual glance.

They had, however, an

we had

not foreseen.

intensified

father.

"Luckily,"

bearded. But

I

never

lie

I'll

barber

the all

my

said,

have a

no

new name and

my was

"Philemon

the same. Glaucon's

insisted. "I

effect

likeness to

fool."

a con-

I'm sailing with the Dolphin to Byzan-

vincing story. tium, and

They

a risk

it's

"I'm going,"

much

likely to appeal

knew him.

and the

haircut

had come

had not seemed

center of idle chat, to

I

see

what

find out there.

I

My

quiet in his grave, wheresoever

would

father

it

be, if

I

did

less."

He

clapped

old block after I

all.

I

the shoulder. "You're a chip off the

never would have thought

would not have thought

sities

were bringing out

prised me.

should big

me on

I

it."

myself, but strange neces-

sides to

my

had not imagined,

thrill to

sail filled,

it

nature which sur-

for

instance,

the creaking of the stays as the

or

how

contentedly

I

how

I

Dolphins

should watch the

oar blades bite with the unhurried motion that the slaves

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

170

could keep up hour after hour.

was decked, and flash

saw the golden helmet of Athene

I

goodbye to us from the Acropolis. The wind, unby

restricted

Dolphin out

was sweeping the

building,

hill or dale or

to sea like a scattered leaf.

was the wind, not the sun or the changing water,

It

me

which made

What

sea.

aware that

my

folly of

my

Ah

his trade!

life

father's to

gentleman instead of taking

me

on the poop, which

I sat

well,

it

me

must be spent on the

me

have

with him and teaching

was only too

should end up where Philemon was now. the look of

The

brought up a

likely that I

I

did not like

Glaucon or the gaze he bent on me.

captain of the Dolphin was a huge

man,

so large

that his size

was an inconvenience on shipboard. He had

the habit of

hunching himself together

man who

These

my

ticed

likeness to

bustle of departure

Cape Sunium, he quire into

was

my

As

I

my

who had

sat

alien

down I

had

beside

my

me

me

to

Byzantium

to in-

how my

father

small factory in

a

sons,

late

he had de-

as apprentice to

recently been bereft of his

my

as the

set fair for

and began

story pat,

who owned

somewhat purer than

and even the

As soon

father at once.

plausible tale accounted for cent,

quite stupid, yet he no-

was the youngest of three

termined to send uncle,

about slowly,

was over and our course

affairs.

resident

a

Athens.

to apol-

has learned caution by bruising himself.

made him appear

tricks

though

much room. He moved

ogize for taking so like a

as

own

heir.

modest means,

my

This

my

ac-

the dialects of the Piraeus,

age at which

I

was

sent off to

become

The Adventure

Son

of the Merchant's

an apprentice. Glaucon listened said,

"Have you no

must

tell

color

laughed and said

and he I

sea captain

you

me

Philemon."

come up. To cover directly,

that

his

my

confusion,

Was that not voyage? Was there

"Philemon?

on your

lost

some mystery about pered to

it ofT,

Athenian born?

relatives that are

man named

my

felt

as I rattled

you that you have a great look of an old friend

of mine, a I

171

last

I

the

not

People whis-

disappearance?

you were a dangerous fellow; but

I

carry

no

"You're as safe as Philemon always was," Glaucon

re-

imagined that

was

I

safe to sail

with you, since

I

silver."

saw him

torted. "I never

Ask my people

if

after

he got his goods on shore.

he came back to the ship

if

you don't

believe me."

"Oh, being

I

do,"

slaves,

said

I

with perfect truth. Glaucon's rowers,

could be examined by torture.

reasonable to suppose that he to give

would put

me

again with what

ening look, but he merely grunted.

risk

would make

real uncle

board. it,

was hardly

power

him away.

Glaucon eyed

my

it

It

in their

I

came

but that

I

inquiries

to the conclusion that I

I

thought a threat-

wondered whether if I

were

lost over-

Glaucon dared not

should need to be careful ashore in

Lem-

nos and Imbros.

Uneasy though good

result.

I

this conversation

made me,

it

had one

could talk of Philemon to the crew and ask

them laughingly

if I

was

like

him.

My

purpose in mak-

ing this voyage on the Dolphin was to pick up scraps of

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

172

information. This could not be done in privacy on shipboard, where everyone rubs shoulders with his fellows.

By making

a jest of the matter, however,

that they all

a useful

self

knew Philemon

man

in a storm

against the rocks of

They

liked him, therefore,

who had

it

He had

bespoken

it

He

gain.

sent porters to the ship

on

its ar-

to clinch the bar-

all

that

I

had learned when we reached Lem-

beached the ship there for the purpose of land-

ing and cooking a meal.

Glaucon, like

connections in every port.

He went

slaves

not needed

never returned.

This was

We

his

Byzantium because the merchant

Philemon had dined with him

rival.

nos.

for sale in

early last season.

and had been aware that

cargo was exceedingly valuable.

to display

proved him-

which had nearly dashed

Mount Athos

them

last

He had

well.

discovered

I

all sailors,

into the town.

had

The

remained on the beach, glad to be able to stretch

their limbs as they pleased

aging marauders.

company

I

and by

their presence discour-

stayed with them, preferring their

to that of Glaucon, but

I

did not learn any

more. The fact was, these were simple fellows, not encouraged to think and not enterprising enough to earn their

freedom by deserting, which they surely could have

done in the wilder regions of the Black Sea lands or Thrace. Perhaps in their dull

way

they were in love with

the sea, so blue, so purple, pale green, or sulky gray, or

shimmering with had been cliffs

stirred

of islands

light.

Perhaps inarticulate feelings

by the wind and the

which seemed

stars,

to float

the rose-red

on the water,

The Adventure

Son

of the Merchant's

173

schools of dolphins at play around the prow, the sucking

Even more

and slapping of water endlessly moving. probably they simply liked the fare,

cramped

life

— hard

work, poor

quarters, but peaceful nights rocked in the

helmsman on watch

swell with the

or round campfires

There was informality between captain and

ashore.

crew, while

my

good seaman

to

father

Philemon had been merely a

them and

as such

an equal. They had

accepted him, but did not regret him. Sailors were often

shipwrecked, drowned, stabbed in the back in a foreign port.

men, here

Sailors absconded, being restless, roving

today and gone tomorrow.

had shrugged

their

The crew

of the

Dolphin

shoulders over Philemon's where-

abouts. It did not concern them. I I

switched

my

attention to

probed as nearly as

He

I

dared,

Glaucon again, but though I

could not

He

was, as the barber said, careful.

tions

make him

answered ques-

with a grunt and kept his mouth closed. Though

watched him, Dolphin.

I

from stem tion at

wore an amulet which

to stern to look for

all,

my

had he

yet

it.

father

had brought

it

— or so

gave up at

marks a rocks

we

pilot

I

last

this in

a

the ship

Glaucon paid no

atten-

actually concealed his treasure

somewhere, he must have watched close to

I

did not think he had the silver on the

I

home many years ago for me, and I dropped chink among the cargo. Then I rummaged

I

out.

me when

I

searched

thought.

and concentrated on learning the land-

must know, the bays we went

into, the

avoided, the manipulation of the two big steer-

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

174

ing oars, in short the alphabet of the trade which should

my

have been mine. The flood of

amuse Glaucon, but he answered

questions appeared to readily

though

briefly,

relaxing his guard. I

on

my amulet after He took a look

retrieved

my

neck.

sufficient fuss

at

it

and

and hung

it

said in his slow

way, "Egyptian?" I

He

nodded, pleased that he himself had started a nodded,

too,

more slowly

in

subject.

agreement. "Thought

Theophilos used to deal in those long ago.

He

so.

likes a

rarity." I

my

felt

heart leap.

who had bought my Already

silver.

Theophilos was the merchant

father's

perfumes and paid him in

had wondered

I

this

if

some understanding with Glaucon. I

said, trying to

merchant had

"Theophilos, eh?"

be casual. "Who's he ?"

Glaucon grunted.

"Wait a minute!" Surely friend

.

.

.

Was

pretended to think. "Theophilos?

I

not Theophilos the

Philemon sold

man

his cargo for a great

to

whom

your

sum ?"

Glaucon grunted. I

was not

to be put off. "Is this Theophilos of

utation? If not,

good

rep-

would have imagined he might have

I

questions to answer

if

ever

Philemon had friends

to

make

inquiries."

He

unlocked his

There was a

lips

silence.

added, "dealing in

very briefly. "He's well known."

"He

rarities."

does take risks," Glaucon

The Adventure

"You mean great

Son

of the Merchant's

he's a gambler,"

I

175

pressed.

"Win

had

value,

or lose a

sum?"

Glaucon grunted. Apart from

this conversation, if

it

I

learned

nothing more through the whole of the five-day voyage. I

continued to keep up the pretense of being nephew to

the Byzantine

he grunted

at

and plied Glaucon with questions which and

put a stop to by remarking that

finally

my

he would have imagined that

me some to be

things before

unmasked

set out.

I

father I

desisted, not caring

He

me, for one thing.

Besides,

I

could hardly

intended to go

them

to the magistrates and, being Athenian, force

make

inquiries.

My

conspiracy, such as

traces.

It

to

poor friends the rowers, and some

of the servants of Theophilos

A

told

but determined to introduce

at present,

myself to Theophilos as Philemon's son. refuse to see

would have

I

might be put

suspected now,

was not probable

Glaucon had risked the

to the torture.

would

leave

its

that either Theophilos or

killing in person.

There would

be a desperado hired for that deed. I

went ashore with

an hour was quite impressive a

man

at a loss.

than

house, for one thing,

common

these thoughts in mind,

I

Theophilos himself was more

had expected

to find

him. His

was luxurious beyond the range

living in Athens.

It

coes, its floors of marble,

decorated with fres-

and a fountain in

convenience which

I

of

rather ressembled the Asi-

atics in its love of display, its walls

this last a

and within

had never seen

its

court

—

in a private

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

176

household.

It

ering from

murder Philemon

him two

talents of silver.

Theophilos welcomed

"You

with such

for the sake of recov-

me

with open

ing that Philemon had only spoken to ter.

man

seemed incredible that a

resources should

surprise, explain-

him

of a daugh-

carry your origin in your face, however," he

smiled very easily and with no sign of dismay. likeness

is

hardly

I

"The

striking."

knew how

to proceed.

I

had been offered

freshment and was pressed to stay and dine.

I

excuses with a certain clumsiness, preferring as

re-

made my said to

I

waste no time in laying information before the authorities

that a crime

He

smiled again and doubted

this.

made my own

"I

Philemon was a friend of mine.

inquiries, for

there

had been committed.

was a rumor

not been met with after he dined with me. this.

There

is,

Besides,

— which proved untrue — that he had too,

I

disappearance

the

can disprove of

the

.

.

.

woman."

"Who was this woman ?" "A

lodging-house keeper of a low

friends with

Philemon for many

information; he bought partnership.

You

it.

years,

for a

think. She sold

realize a trader needs eyes

he does not talk about

hood

I

She had been

They were, one might

every port, and sometimes he finds

events, such a

class.

woman

them

in places

ears in

which

when he comes home. At does not leave house and

whim. She might be tempted by

tune as two talents of

and

say, in

silver."

all

liveli-

so large a for-

The Adventure

of the Merchant's

Son

177

If

Theophilos

efficient.

Could the

considered this proposition bleakly.

I

had made

he would be

inquiries,

magistrates do

more ? They would have

bered suddenly a question

to try.

had wanted

I

did you not pay Philemon by banker's draft as

He

could have exchanged

and never have needed

it

I

remem-

"Why

to ask.

usual?

is

came

for the corn he

buy

to

to carry the silver himself, a

temptation to robbers."

He

smiled that ready smile and shook his head.

paid Philemon silver because he asked for

why, but that was not

said

of

his

way.

I

it.

He

"I

never

thought nothing

it."

This was the most probable answer.

my

leave.

got

up

to take

"You'll not be able to lay your information at

this hour,"

he pointed

they

you

rise,

I

may

"The

out.

courts are sitting.

find the magistrates in the

When Town

House." I

thanked him and said

I

would spend the time mak-

ing inquiries on the waterfront, where Philemon must

have been well known.

do worse, and

yet

He

smiled again.

you might do

better.

"You might

My own

people

have combed the waterfront already, discovering nothing save that a trader put out at

has not reappeared.

neighbor of that her go

down

dawn

A man

woman

I

who

called Lycon, however, a

spoke

the street with

next day, a Cretan

of,

someone

claims to have seen late that night.

He

picked up an amulet which her companion dropped in the dark I

— the mate of yours."

was suddenly

excited.

"Our tokens were

a pair, save

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

178

had

that Philemon's

a

little

nick in the edge

I'd recog-

Either this Lycon has himself murdered Phile-

nize.

mon, or

He

else

he knows

who did."

shook his head

at that.

Lycon should come forward

"I

if

know no

he were

why

reason

guilty.

He must

have been aware that some suspicion would be bound to rest

on him, the more

old-clothes

with cloak

so because

he

by profession an

is

man. Such people always have connections Their reputation

stealers.

Lycon even suspected crime, he would

is

Had

shady.

in prudence have

held his tongue."

"You might have

me

told

me

stead of pressing

at

once about this Lycon

with you and put

to dine

off

in-

my

inquiries."

He was you the

very smooth. "Indeed

truth, I

in a strange town. well,

I

might have; but

to tell

did not wish to involve you in a scrape It's

broad daylight to be sure, but

He

you are so young!"

smiled at

me

again.

— "I

men such as Lycon are He might deny the whole

could send a slave with you, but suspicious of being pressed. story." I

would have been glad

of the escort,

son that Glaucon had followed

had every right

like the

do

so

if

if

only for the rea-

through the town.

he had business of

his

me

to appeal for help.

way Theophilos had

smiled too often. "Tell Lycon

I

I

However,

smiled over

my

I

He

own

but the thought of his waiting outside

this direction,

most induced

to

me

in al-

did not

youth.

He

said nothing.

sent you," Theophilos continued after a

The Adventure

of the Merchant's

pause. "I paid

him

he

sees

Don't

money

let

him

in

see

Son

179

well for this

tale,

and

him

five

drachmas, no more.

Offer

it.

he'll repeat

it if

how much you carry."

took

my

leave of Theophilos, promising to report

progress,

and

I

I

gone.

went out

into the street.

Glaucon was

could not be mistaken, for this was a mere

I

alley,

faced by the blank, windowless walls of private houses

and frequented only by people who used on

way from

their

market. In such

made him threaded

must

traffic,

Theophilos had

knew

at least

Relieved,

said, I

been

likely that the

solved.

For

thought

induced

I

needs his

Notwithstanding what it

probable that Lycon

to

make

In fact, had inquiries,

it

mystery would have been already

this interview, therefore,

wits about

I

where Lycon practiced

to think over.

seemed

my

would have

towards the market, which

the murderer of Philemon.

magistrates

keep

as a short cut

to the public

too conspicuous to be missed.

my way

had plenty

I

it

town

the size of Glaucon

cross to be at the district

trade.

the

the gate of the

me and

I

would need

to

not be tempted off the street

into any building. I

did not need to take any such risk. Byzantium

fair city,

though not

so fair as Athens, nor so large.

being at one and the same time city and port, quarters are filthier and far as possible

of

is

Byzantium wind

a

But

working

more haphazard, crowded

round the harbor. At

thanks to Pericles,

its

is

as

least the Piraeus,

laid out in straight lines.

The

lanes

in extraordinary zigzags, narrow-

ing in one place to a width in which two can scarcely

180

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

then suddenly widening into what might have been

pass,

a tiny square, had not every inch of

mud

booths of

and each serving

as

owner, and often for a

its

been taken up by

or wattle, clinging crookedly to the outer

walls of houses, place for

it

of children as well.

It

was

shop and dwelling

woman and

in one of these booths that

found Lycon, a mere open alcove on the

I

street corner,

furnished chiefly with a dusty pot or two, a chest,

a horde

stool,

and a

presumably containing Lycon's better wares. The

chief part of his stock-in-trade, ragged cloaks

and well-

worn

by an

hung from pegs

tunics,

across the back

ar-

rangement which prevented them being snatched by passers-by.

gry-looking

As

for

man

had not mended had twisted

his

Lycon

himself, he

was

a sallow, hun-

with a leg which had been broken and well.

was

It

shorter than the other

body sideways.

He

peered up at me, his

neck crooked, and began a singsong chant.

money, good money

I

had

five

Good

for your old clothes.

Good money, good money

for sale cheap.

drachmas

ready in

and

my

.

.

"Good clothes

."

hand.

The

rest of

my money was in a bag about my waist beneath my tunic. "Theophilos sent me to you." I halted in the opening. "About the merchant Philemon." It

was

he had not

Philemon was suspected

to be dead,

known

earlier that

at least

he knew now.

the Athenian,"

He

I

glared at

Piraeus, but

man

If

startling to see the

I

clinched

cringe.

it

for him.

"Philemon

told him.

me

in a surly way.

"Trades from the

no more Athenian than you or

I."

The Adventure

of the Merchant's

"He was Athenian," his only son If

by the

looks could

He knew

181

"and

I said,

he would have murdered

an Athenian would not be suffered

without more inquiries

However, he

it,

being

me

then.

can prove

I

of Cratippos."

sister

kill,

Son

if

to vanish

his kindred chose to press

tried to carry things off.

"Makes no

them. differ-

ence to me."

"Why money

should it?"

for a token

give you

agreed.

I

which

come but

to offer

you

my

father's.

I'll

said to be

is

two drachmas."

"Ten," he said mechanically. I

"I

chose to misunderstand

"How

this.

did you get here?"

"I shipped

with Glau-

con. Well, three drachmas, then."

With Glaucon,

"Nine, nine!

that

dog

!

Beware of him.

Well, eight then." give you four, but that's

"I'll

Glaucon, he's not in I'll tell

my

the magistrates

my

last

As

word.

for

confidence, and nor are you.

what

know and what

I

guess. I

a cripple," he whined.

"Seven,

I

say, four!"

"I'm a poor

man and

eh, for pity's sake!"

"Five for the token and your story as well.

have to repeat it's

to the magistrates in

any

case.

will

Be sure

the truth."

He I

it

You

spat.

let

the

"Then

money

six."

jingle in

my

hand, pleased with

my

mastery of the situation. "I say five"

He

gave

the chest."

way

sulkily.

"Then look

for yourself.

It's

in

ATHENIANS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

182

had promised myself not

I

any building, but

to enter

booth was only a few feet deep. As

this

I

stood in the en-

me in the street. Even prume to advance a couple of

trance, passers actually jostled

dence could hardly forbid steps. I lifted the lid.

This chest was

full of old clothes, as I

had surmised;

but in one corner was a bag which seemed to contain the

Lycon had picked up

various trinkets his profession.

As

did

I

so,

I

in the practice of

bent forward to put out

Lycon

fell

me from

on

my

hand

for

it.

behind, his hands at

my throat. was quickly,

It

skillfully

Men

done.

walking two yards away down the open

were actually street.

Lycon's

only protection for a second or two was the darkness of

shadow was

a

after the dazzling sun.

little

bled with his

recess

me

out of sight.

my

dizzily back to

and somebody

ened;

the back of his alcove

behind the clothes into which he tumI felt

thumbs found the point

came

At

at

a roaring in

A

to press.

senses.

the

The

fingers

entrance

my

ears as

second later

had

I

slack-

was inquiring,

"Where has he gone ?" I

tried to call out, but

The man was

still

I

put up

ture

which by the favor

met

his

like a

I

would not obey me. was too bemused

my hand

of the goddess Fortune herself

to shoulder for

forced out of

newborn

my

baby's.

to

in a pushing ges-

already descending with a knife.

scored from elbow

wound

voice

on me, and

thrash about. Feebly

arm

my

my

I

was

pains, but the

tortured throat a

mewling

cry

In another instant, someone else

The Adventure

was on top

of the Merchant's

commotion,

clouted

me on

want him

several

as

in a tangled

was conscious

I

Someone

people called out.

the head and said, "Let go, you fool.

We

alive."

scratchy but appeared to

at

Glaucon.

work more

or

My

less.

was

voice

"He

tried to

me."

kill

Glaucon grunted go

Vaguely

floor.

gasped and looked up

I

183

and we were struggling

of us;

mass of old clothes on the of

Son

way.

in his usual

"Why

didn't you

to the magistrates at once ?" ."

"Theophilos said

.

"This fellow will

.

tell

us about Theophilos," Glaucon

remarked. "I suppose he needed the money more than

we

thought.

I

told

you that he was a gambler."

"You mean Theophilos?"

"He

knew Philemon had

never

"Thought he'd

stifle

inquiries.

myself, being under suspicion.

dence he'd have turned up for a

I

a son," Glaucon said.

make 'em

didn't dare

No knowing what evismall bribe. When .

.

.

you came straight to him, informing him, doubtless,

who you were, he saw his chance. Not easy to trust his own slaves and doorman, but this Lycon must kill you for his own sake. As you saw, he that

I

did not suspect

had the

skill."

"An expert," I agreed. I was feeling my throat. "Go to the magistrates," said Glaucon. "I and good fellows

will look after

Lycon

for you."

mop at my wounded arm. "Make him tell you where my father lies.

I

these

got to

my

feet, starting to

I'll

throw a

184

ATHENIANS OF THF GOLDEN AGE

handful of dust into the harbor and say a prayer. let

I'll

not

Philemon wander up and down the banks of Styx

with the unburied dead.

I

wish

I

had known him."

Glaucon grunted. "Fools to murder an Athenian," did not

know he

in this trade,

really

was one. They

and no doubt many

"Perhaps they

I said.

are mostly aliens

boast.

And

for

two

tal-

ents?"

"Who

told

you

was only two

it

"Your father borrowed he intended

to

make

that

talents?"

sum from

Glaucon

Sosias,

his fortune this time.

but

He was

I

said.

think

telling

me your sister needed a dowry." "She'll

myself.

have to wait for that,"

It

will be

I

said, "until I

more modest than

my

earn

it

father intended,

perhaps, but yet sufficient to marry her to a decent trades-

man

or a merchant."

Glaucon grunted.

The Death

of the Golden

Age

The Peloponnesian War 430-399 B.C.

Out

of

Date

Athens 430

"You're getting old, Pericles.

nephew

You're out of date," his

crossing his legs in a lounging fashion

said,

which would not have been

tolerated in a

few years ago. But in whatever he

handsome

so

now

did, Alcibiades looked

that people forgave his insolent ways.

Pericles half smiled as

by

young man a

Even

he fingered his beard, which was

white.

"You think tes teaches

you're clever, Alcibiades, don't you

you the

art of puzzling people

?

Socra-

with inno-

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

188

cent-looking questions.

let

me

tell

as smart as you,

"Oh,

mock It

when we were young, we were

and

.

was

"How

your smartest

distressed.

you

out.

teacher

I .

wish .

.

"No,

You run

had known you when

I

long ago!"

last

with a crown of

You

virtue.

who

that

I

may

say,

your

dis-

is

you meant

it."

uncle,

let

did,

I

must render if I

yawned.

"I

beg your pardon.

spent

efforts in

all, I'd

be

last

About midnight, we took the

jugglers

and the

streets to liven

cos

night

when we

a party

fifty.

at

till al-

Lyco-

and the into the

chanced old Hipponi-

people.

It

— very

staid

You

trouped in!

have the courage to

flute girls

and poured out singing

up other

was giving

no one under

rest

you

Alcibiades

most cock-crow. There was a party which began phron's.

much

as a joke, but

was up

I

to the peo-

my

you."

assure I

When

a scandal.

might pass

me

I

parties,

wriggling out of presenting accounts at better off. This sort of thing

make him

Yet your noisy

you openly commented that

if

cannot

claims to be a

summer and came home,

valor.

was busy over the accounts

behave as

yet Pericles

shared a tent with

play, your temper, your insolence

"Oh,

and

seriously, Alcibiades, I

after Socrates,

and a lover of

on campaign

ple,

clasped his hands in

really impossible not to laugh,

was

just

."

.

The young man

Pericles!"

at

to ridicule con-

it

you,

enthusiasm.

you were

like to use

and pretend you have none of your own.

ventional beliefs

But

You

and grave indeed,

should have seen his expression

Lycophron bet

strike

me

I

would not

Hipponicos and teach him not

Out

Date

of

189

You wouldn't have me

to look sour.

uncle, even as the first

Pericles

though Hipponicos

husband of

.

.

is

refuse a dare,

hope,

I

a connection of yours

well, your first wife."

.

was indeed getting

old.

he had

If

been

younger, he might have perceived that Alcibiades was

by no means

inexcusable behavior.

man

and that he had dragged

at his ease

unhappy marriage

old,

from

to divert attention

was unheard

It

own

young

of for a

man

not yet in his twenties to insult a

in this

his

over sixty,

let

alone strike him. Such things were never done. Literally too shocked for speech, Pericles took refuge in a digni-

and ominous

fied

make

silence

which he had the power

imposing. Indeed, his nephew,

jected to this treatment before, lighter

By

moments

just sitting

was apt

was

that Pericles

to

who had been subcomplain in

to

entirely too like Zeus.

and frowning, he could make one shake

in his sandals. "I

went

saying,

to

Hipponicos

"and apologized

could beat

this

to

morning," he heard himself

him humbly,

"And Hipponicos?" "Oh, he forgave

Pericles

me

freely.

His confession over, the young "I've a

again.

with "I

him he

telling

me if he chose, for I had deserved it."

way with me,

was

still

very grim.

We're excellent

man

uncle.

friends."

reverted to flippancy

No

one

angry

stays

me for very long, unless it be you." feel

"After

all

responsible

for

you,"

you were of

my

bringing up."

Pericles

said

He

heavily.

sighed.

"I

am not successful, it seems, at educating young men." "Oh, Xanthippos and Paralos are

fools," said the

young

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

190

man

"You did

hotly.

nothing of

and

it,

Men

uncle.

how you

all

that

was

Think

best.

have had stupid sons before

Did you know Xanthippos complains

will again.

about

them

for

spend your time

.

.

.

you,

who

never

dine out and think of nothing but the public business?

Xanthippos

is

telling

everybody you wasted a whole day

when Epitimos

with his teacher Protagoras at the time

was

killed

by accident in the games

You argued

ing.

all

day,

games were

point, but your

making a Pericles

Xanthippos

man who threw

whether the javelin or the of the

so

at the javelin

really responsible.

Xanthippos

is

It

it

says,

throwas

to

or the judges

actually

is

a nice

how

too dense to see

he's

fool of himself."

shook his head

Part of the attraction

sadly.

own two

about Alcibiades was his genuine warmth. His older sons were cold

was simply the

and

fact that

selfish.

Their quarrel with him

he would not increase their

al-

make a Athenian people. The

lowances, never having stooped to take a bribe or

penny out of pity of

it

was

his services to the

that his youngest son, Aspasia's child,

was

not an Athenian because of his foreign mother.

"You

are right,

I

suppose, Alcibiades," he agreed sadly.

"I

am

as

you do now, and

least,

old

and

at a loss. I

Long ago we daresay

we

criticized

our elders

puzzled them.

We

at

we ourselves You are satisfied with making older men You believe in nothing."

however, were concerned with what

believed in.

look

silly.

Alcibiades uncrossed his legs and smoothed his tunic,

which was another source

of scandal in

itself.

Woolen

Out

Date

of

191

materials were not good

enough

for Alcibiades,

who must

and too transparent

wear

fine linen, elaborately pleated

to be

thought decent. The Athenians, though they exer-

cised quite naked,

"You

see,"

down the too many

he ran his finger

You

uncle.

this,

were actually shocked.

believed in

pleats, "it's like

things

.

.

De-

.

mocracy, Freedom, Honesty, Intellectual Truth, even the

You've used them

gods.

Take democracy, spend our

lives

have done ? Are friends

on

up and

all

we going

nothing for

to the ignorant herd as

to allow

frivolous charges,

men

Those crude old

Medea

Euripides's

stories!

feel as

you

to prosecute our

like

Anaxagoras and

Everyone accepts bribes nowadays but

gods?

to

them

Pheidias, or one day perhaps even Socrates? esty.

us.

D'you think we want

for instance.

kowtowing

left

Take hon-

Pericles.

The

Can anyone who saw

you used

to feel about the he-

roes?"

"Sophocles can."

"Oh, Sophocles,

yes.

He's your age.

He makes

the

gods and heroes plausible by sheer poetic magic. Frankly,

when his spell wears off, "Times change

so fast!"

old.

Even

they

sat,

hair

had receded from

ing

it

selves

there's

nothing in them."

Pericles

was indeed looking

in the quiet half-light of the cool

room where

there were sagging lines under his eyes; that vast, impressive

more top-heavy than were

as

ever.

calm and compelling

and the

dome, mak-

But the eyes themas they

had always

been, giving the impression of an inner strength not to

be

worn out. "Well, what do you

believe in ?"

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

192

man

"This present war," said the young

"Our war with the Peloponnesians and "I

.

.

.

Sparta."

don't understand," said the older

"War's not a

zled.

surprisingly.

belief.

was bound to come — prepared for

it.

I

If

you mean that

have foreseen

it

Athens and Sparta are

and cannot rule the Greek world later a struggle

man, puz-

must have come.

this

for years.

have

at opposite poles

Sooner or

as equals.

moment

chose the

I

I

war

when I was not too old to give it direction." "You should have

left it alone."

Alcibiades leaned for-

ward. "I believe in a war, but not your war.

win

shall cle,

it,

Oh

yes,

we

but not by your methods. Forgive me, un-

but you have no genius for war. You're too cautious."

"And

you're too rash." Pericles smiled. "Nothing like

command to teach a man prudence." we sit here inside our walls, defending

experience of

"And

so

Athens,

the Piraeus, and the roads between, while the Peloponnesians are wrecking our farmland

buildings almost in plain sight.

We

and burning our

can actually see the

smoke rising, and we do nothing." "They have ber.

sixty

thousand men, and

we

half the

num-

Our strength is on the sea, in our wealth and our They have not the resources to face a long war,

trade.

nor the mobility to wage one where they please.

We shall

wear them down." Alcibiades merely shrugged. "Is that worth doing sim-

ply that

we may go on

you taken a look

at

in the

way we went

before

?

Have

your sovereign people, uncle, since

they have gathered perforce inside our walls.

Have you

Out

Date

of

193

noticed these sweaty

whose

little

farmers breathing

superstitions our very grandfathers

had grown out

Have you taken a walk and masters camped in makeshift shacks along

the

Have you smelled

the

to the Piraeus to see your

of? lords

walls on either side of the road? stink of

them and seen

their flies?

Why,

are finding their quarters too noisome

in droves.

even the

what

I

men

believe in."

mind about

"You'll change your

off

to master

should beget change, bring the best

to the top. That's

rats

and are dying

For such people do you intend

War

Greece?

the people," Pericles

"You're bound to change."

insisted.

"You think "I

men

garlic,

hope

my character's not formed yet?"

it isn't."

Their eyes met in humorous understanding.

Both

The little wrinkles at the corners of Pericles's him an expression less lofty, more worldly wise than was usual with him. As for Alcibiades, he looked

laughed.

eyes gave

like the

young god of

love in a mischievous

mood.

"I should like to imagine," Pericles said, "that you'll

grow out of your

antics.

one day

Don't disillusion me."

"I'm young enough for a few more," Alcibiades "Let

torted.

re-

me see, what shall I do next?"

"Spare me,

I

beg."

They both laughed

again.

Alcibi-

ades got up. "I'll

be gone then, and leave you in suspense. Till our

next meeting

.

.

."

He

strolled out, whistling in

an im-

proper way, and informed his familiars that the old cut

up

quite rough about Hipponicos, but

was

man easily

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

194

smoothed down

on

his

mind

if

how

one knew

to be bothered

to

do

it.

he can avoid

if

He knows

ried about criticism of the war.

"Too much it.

He's wor-

misman-

it's

aged."

meanwhile, in his deliberate way went out to

Pericles,

was the hour

which people were

to be

found in the market place or shops adjacent.

The

pay

calls.

It

at

Painted Portico, adorned with glowing frescoes of the Battle of

Marathon and the Sack of Troy, was crowded

with people ciety, all

who amounted

to

something in Athenian

so-

gossiping, bargaining, buying, or doing busi-

ness.

Among

ings.

Unable so much

these, Pericles

moved, exchanging

from

as to stir

his

greet-

house without

being noticed or to speak to a friend without being suspected of a political motive, Pericles yet understood to reach his objectives

ingly, however,

there betrayed

nesians,

"A tit

his

steps.

Surpris-

word here and

a glance

mind. News went buz-

the Painted Portico and through the

naval expedition to pay out those Pelopon-

for tat. He'll lead

with angry fish

this occasion a

what was on

down

zing up and market.

on

by none-too-obvious

how

satisfaction, for

market a

selective

it

himself." People

nodded

even in the depths of the

nose could occasionally identify a

whiff of smoke amid the racy smells the place afforded.

Smoke might have come in fact from kiln or smithy; but at the moment it brought to mind burning olive, blazing patches of wheat, falling buildings, and the good Attic

when

the Pelo-

ponnesians had done their worst and retired,

men had

land

all

blackened and bare. Last year

Out

Date

of

gone out

195

farms and had wept. All the

to their ruined

same, they had toiled to rebuild cottages, replant their vegetable plots, and

plow

Some were

desired revenge,

cause this

A

savage,

some

the second

men were beyond

year of devastation had come, and

weeping.

Now

their land.

Most

still

Pericles

be-

despairing.

and only a few blamed

war had come upon them.

certain Charicles, a noisy, low-class fellow, too lazy

had

to replant his farm, too old for military service,

drifted into

town

last

year and had scraped a living by

hiring out his slave as porter in the market, acting as

juryman, sponging on

relations,

and other more dubious

means, while gaining a reputation

mouthed democrat began

and

as a loud-

as

he did

so,

he

foul-

This Charicles

of the extreme sort.

to follow Pericles at a distance

and

through the crowd,

lifted his voice in

an insolent song

which one of the comic poets had written concerning the outbreak of war. lived

which was rented had

It

Megara long

in

started, the

to

who had

chanced that Aspasia, ago,

still

owned

one of her freed

a house there

slaves.

Megarians had taken over

broken up the establishment.

From

this

When war

this place

and

incident, the

poet had constructed a ribald song, explaining the cause of the

garians

war

as Pericles's

when drunk had

resentment because some Mecarried off slaves of his wife.

This song Charicles began to bellow now. joined him, but nobody on the other stop him.

Athenian manners were

jected to the

way

a fellow citizen

Nobody

hand attempted

free.

If Pericles

amused

to

ob-

himself, let

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

196

Pericles see to

Some worthy

it.

citizens

even grinned

quite openly at the situation.

For

all

the notice Pericles took, he might not have

Not

heard.

so the Athenians,

who began

to

nudge one

another and laugh, emboldening Charicles to imitate Pericles's

walk and

witty asides of his

to enliven the verses of his

own

or by extra verses of a very lewd

description contributed by Pericles

or

two

began

some tavern wag. Friends of

to bite their lips

as opportunity offered

but without

effect.

He

song by

and look annoyed. One

murmured

in Pericles's ear,

continued obstinately deaf and

Out

Date

of

bland.

It

Charicles

197

was not easy

for

anyone

else to intervene, since

was soon surrounded by

liked the fun

way

his

and a

trail

who

group

little

and perhaps enjoyed seeing

Without any hurry or

made

a

Pericles reviled.

fuss, Pericles left the portico

to the City Hall, followed

of sightseers.

He

and

by Charicles

disappeared inside and was

thought to have gone to earth rather neatly. The meetings of the Council were public,

spoke

at

them

is

it

true; but

and

uninvited, save Pericles himself

colleagues, the generals.

He might

none his

have had business

with the Standing Committee about the arrangements

He might

for this proposed expedition.

merely be taking

refuge in the City Hall from insult. In any case,

it

was

not likely that he would emerge before Charicles had

grown

tired of his jest

"Little does

dience.

he

and gone away.

know me,"

"You wait and

Charicles boasted to his au-

see!"

But the audience had business of

its

own.

It

melted

away, even while Charicles was folding his arms on his chest

and

heroically

vowing

Business in the market that even Charicles

to wait

was more or

till

less

dark

if

need

was considering changing

his

mind

and slinking away when, quite unhurriedly and alone he had gone

in, Pericles

The chance was

who had

too

be.

over by noon, so

as

emerged.

good

to be missed;

and

Charicles,

not been afraid to raise his voice in the crowded

market, was not deterred by an almost empty square.

He

fell

into line

and

started again

to discover that people

came

with

full voice, pleased

to the doors of their shops

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

198

windows which

or popped heads out of upstairs

looked the

Many

street.

over-

Some laughed; some even applauded.

followed to see what Pericles would do.

more, nobody interfered with a free

citizen's

Once

harmless

pursuit.

Pericles trailed latest sensation

halfway across town, by which time the

was known

through the

all

When

city.

he disappeared once more into the house of a fellow general,

tion

Athens buzzed with the

was

story that the

new

expedi-

to be discussed. In actual fact, Callipos, the gen-

eral in question,

was protesting

some confusion.

in

had heard rumors, but being a man of

them

small information, he had thought

month you

down

desired us to put

fixed ideas

garbled.

He and

"Last

the revolt in the

North before we troubled ourselves with the Peloponnesians."

"Unless discontent swelled dangerously in the

"Ah

be sure

yes, to

There was interrogation

"My nephew that the

"That cize,

.

city."

that fellow in the street?"

in the tone

if

not the words.

Alcibiades informed

rascal!" Callippos

me

this

morning

and

usual.

was surprised enough Pericles

was twenty

to criti-

years his

in his eyes almost godlike, yet he found him-

self saying, "I

or cared

.

war is being mismanaged."

which was not

senior

.

should not have supposed Alcibiades

knew

what the people thought."

"He imagines he

does not."

biades follows fashion. cisely agree

When

Pericles

smiled. "Alci-

fashionable opinions pre-

with those of the ignorant, then

let

poli-

Out

of

Date

199

warning. Luckily

ticians take

me

lowed

my

with abuse

comings and goings.

that

many may

feel

this

vulgar fellow has

fol-

day, attracting great attention to

all

have

I

set

rumors buzzing

more content with

so

the prospect of

action."

wringing

"Here your friends have been

laughed.

Callippos

their

hands over

this

open

you in the

insult to

public streets, while you have been using the fellow for

your

own

won, even when

was

knew how

plained that you

"It

Who

purposes.

it,

"And

looked serious.

which

Melesias."

me,

his

Pericles

namesake,

was with me yesterday about

spreading in the Piraeus.

is

visited Hippocrates, as

ides told

though you had

to look as

that reminds

the younger Thucydides,

interest in

who com-

defeated ?"

was Thucydides, the son of

the sickness

Pericles,

He

has

you may know, and shows much

medical science.

I

did not like what Thucyd-

me."

"The gods bring

Callippos shrugged.

then they take

it

and

sickness,

away. There are always diseases in the

Piraeus brought by sailors. purification perhaps,

An

extra sacrifice or two, a

and they fade out again

after

some

weeks."

"Did you know there were ten people found house,

all

spreading

dead or dying ? Did you in

the

refugee farmers?

have caught

it

and

know

that plague

crowded shacks and

Did you know lived

?

that

So Thucydides

"There should be a public

in one

tents

no one tells

is

of

was our

said to

me."

sacrifice to reassure the peo-

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

200

Callippos

pie."

was only concerned with the

fects of a sickness

to

him

as a serious

"I shall arrange

which

his imagination did not present

menace.

His old

Pericles felt tired.

it."

managing people seemed

to have deserted him.

which he might make

the methods by

political ef-

his

skill at

He knew colleague

think that a notion was his own, but the process seemed tedious.

Besides,

or to

him

tell

what use

that

it

to

open

his

mind

was not the complaints

and the abuse of Charicles that had him.

It

was the knowledge

that, in

sources of Athens for this war, he

a plague.

to Callippos

of Alcibiades

chiefly

disturbed

weighing the

was not the discontent today, but the

It

thought of what might follow in thousands.

It

was

the people began to die

if

implanted by

Pericles's conviction,

Anaxagoras long ago, that mere processions and fices

would not

He

sighed.

use to worry Callippos, whose religion

Why

talented enough, but

middle-aged

for solution?

Had

was

it

that the very

would follow no

left

all

their

leader,

problems

generation?

and now war or plague would

kill

"I shall

go

to

whereas Pericles

So many had died, more.

across his high, bald forehead in a

ture, foreign to

young were

the fierce energy of Athens drained

off the vitality of that

hand

sacri-

avail to heal a sickness.

No

was conventional.

the

re-

had never counted on

He

passed a

fumbling

ges-

him.

to the Acropolis,"

he

said,

"and speak

to

the priests of Athene. Sacrifices will reassure the people for a time."

Out

Date

of

201

Callippos

so,"

"Just

Apollo likewise, and

special offering to

showing

into details,

"There

agreed.

far

be

should .

.

."

a

he went

more animation over

religion

than he had over his duties as a general. Pericles listened

with the special courtesy he reserved for the enthusiasms of other people, but his interest did not extend to the

making

point of sion.

more

Rather

suggestions or prolonging the discus-

when

cautiously

Callippos ran out of ideas, he once

unburdened himself.

"Do you remember died?

I

that

it

was a year ago

that Pheidias

blame myself for not having sent him a warn-

ing."

There had been a

special friendship

between Pericles

and the great sculptor which Callippos had not shared. Indeed,

the truth were told, he thought of Pheidias as

if

a very good sort of fellow, a superior workman.

This

opinion, however, did not interfere in the least with his

admiration for the wonderful works of art Pheidias created. Polite, therefore, in his turn, loss.

he deplored the

city's

"Six years Pheidias had lived in Elis, had he not?

He had made them no image Athene.

the gold and ivory Zeus with

the world

in

Who

would put him

which

can compare, save our

would have imagined

that

the

own

Eleans

to death for no better reason than being

Athenian?" "I should

would be

have thought of

it

myself.

I

knew

this

war

bitter."

"He would

not have believed you."

Pericles looked at

him, surprised

at

such chance per-

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

202

"You

ception.

Pheidias was of

and the

all

men

I

ever

knew

will look at our

I

portrait of himself

the largest-minded

which Pheidias made

him

he

as

said.

He

me

set

Alas,

any other thing brought Pheidias's

possessed

on the very

beside

him

could not do

I

it."

more than

exile about.

To

shield of the goddess!

answer

He

colleague.

got

up

carve

What

the intimate secrets of

to confide to

remarking that

must be getting

tired of waiting.

might hope that Charicles had

manner was

perfectly easy

say

left

him, but

and unconcerned. open

If it

street,

he

chanced, was busy partaking of the

re-

to his burdens to be insulted in the

would not

any mere

to take his leave,

his follower in the street

Privately he

this, for

were too precious

his friendship

added

see the

him?"

Pericles did not

his

must go

in the midst of

Callippos frowned. "That piece of sacrilege

living people

I

Athene again and

the battle scene on her shield. there, to protect

not have.

Well, since

least suspicious of others.

to the temple,

He would

are right, Callippos.

so.

Charicles, as

it

wards of enterprise in the nearest tavern. Several cronies of the extreme radical sort

were dispensing drinks and

sharpening their wits with lewd suggestions. They had posted a boy in the street to watch for Pericles, but were

unwilling to leave their wine half drunk and their song unfinished.

Thus by

the time they

was already ascending the

came up with him, he

steps of the beautiful entrance

porch to the Acropolis, which he himself had caused to be constructed. There was nothing for

it

but to wait

till

Out

Date

of

203

he came down, since the Acropolis was far too holy a place for their ribald behavior. It

was

late afternoon.

ment with

Callippos,

Pericles,

who had

would dine

His wants were

late.

In the meantime, he went into the Parthenon,

simple.

feeling as he always felt beneath the

on

the statues selves

taken refresh-

though the gods them-

that building as

overhead.

sat

mind who

He had

undying beauty of

often questioned in his

the gods were and whether their natures, their

names, and their legends were really of the kind

men

thought they were. Yet the poetry and the art of that great age told

which he had known how

him with one

voice not to inquire.

harmonize

to It

all

did not matter.

For not by name and by legend, but by greatness of spirit

alone

was

the

Socrates, Euripides,

godhead understood.

Alas,

to

and the young men, such noble sim-

They must

plicity

was out of

in the

hope of finding what lurked behind. Only too

ten they ended Pericles

date.

up with nothing to

tear the

gods to pieces of-

believe in.

went through the entrance room and

into the

heart of the temple where the great Athene stood, her

splendor contrasting with the bare white walls of that perfect,

simple structure.

gold, one ivory

For Athene was white and

arm extended

to support a Victory in her

open palm, one loose by her

and

shield.

side, just

Her complexion was

touching spear

ivory, too, lips painted,

eyes set with colored stones, cheeks delicate white finely carved. All her

armor was gold, her

and

triple-crested

helmet, her breastplate with the Gorgon's head, her

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

204 shield

and

Her long flowing

spear.

and bright enamel. There were

robe

pictures

was gold

on her

shield,

her breastplate, helmet, even on the rims of her sandals;

much

yet the effect of so

Though majestic.

richness

was not confusion.

gorgeous, Athene was simple; though elaborate,

One

could gaze at her by the hour and never

tire.

There was a quality about profoundly

reassuring.

this

masterpiece of Pheidias

plague, death, even defeat,

war,

skepticism,

Bitterness,

what did they matter once

Pheidias had seen eternal beauty? Sophocles had

known

the same vision, and the sovereign people, despite their

turbulence

and ambition, had comprehended

come what would, Athens had

Let

it.

Such

seen a golden age.

thoughts did not occur specifically to Pericles, whose eyes as a statesman

were

still

fixed

out thinking them out, he

them. There was an

must needs

fluence this age of his

government, of

on things ahead. Yet with-

felt

above

religion,

all

exert

to pass

generation or two.

The heavy burden

which had oppressed go quietly about

Something

which would not vanish

Pericles

was

of anxiety

lifted

now.

in a

and age

He

could

his business, speak to the guardians of

the temple, talk of the

omens and the anger

say something consoling to a farmer his

on the future of

of Athens.

undying had come

in-

way, and above

all

radiate that

who

of Apollo,

put himself in

calm and tempered

optimism with which he had faced war. The imperial city,

with her

was

fitted

to

flexibility,

govern.

her wealth, her modern ways,

The Peloponnesians were

not.

Out

of

Date

205

Athens must and would win, no matter

how

the battles

went. Pericles

came down from the Acropolis

dark; and he his

tail,

more

made

his

way homeward with

more drunken and

the

street.

"There

own house, He summoned his slave.

is

on getting home

leaving Charicles in

a citizen outside," said Pericles quietly,

me

a long way,

and

it

him home through

would not wish him

to suffer

is

an Athenian."

"who

grows dark. Take

your torch and light

account, for he

and

no torchbearer with him. He

into his

has come with

on

Charicles

Yet Pericles walked at

his usual pace, intent apparently only

went calmly

grew

it

abusive, far less witty,

offensive even than before.

before dark, since he had

as

the streets.

an inconvenience on

I

my

The Head Macedonia 406

King Archelaos moods. spring,

in the

of

B.C.

Macedonia was in one of

These occasions came round

as

his

Greek

surely as the

when he migrated from his snowbound fortress hills to his new Greek capital in the low-lying

The Head

207

lands by a navigable river. sailing in,

Up

Greek ships came

this,

and King Archelaos flew into

a passion

him by

of his attendant chieftains disgraced

if

any

displaying

lack of culture. These were uncomfortable times for the

court of Archelaos.

was not

It

men minded

that

his

temper or the bursts of savagery in which he indulged

now and

then

when he

They

himself fretted.

felt

re-

spected violence in their prince, but they liked his jollity

and

his

deep carousing very

much

better than his deter-

mination to be a Greek and a civilized

They

man

of the world.

despised his architects, his artisans, and his traders

as people of

no family

at all

who

earned their living by

work, did not care for hunting, used coined money, and bored them every day with long discussions. These opinions they laos

were forced

to

keep to themselves, for Arche-

had a short way with anyone

who

displeased him,

while the increase in wealth and trade was undoubtedly giving

him more

arbitrary

Such being the

was

for the

power than

moment

so, since

He had

in his pursuit of culture, he

deniable coup. poet, but all,

the

Archelaos

impeccably Greek; and the king

himself was in high good humor.

be

his predecessors.

state of affairs, the court of

He had

got a poet.

an Athenian, in

awe and wonder

every right to

had scored an un-

Nor was

fact the greatest

of the

this just

any

Athenian of

whole world in which

Greek was spoken. Less than ten years

earlier, the

Athe-

nians had suffered their greatest disaster of the Peloponnesian

War, which was

after twenty-five

years.

at this

Few

time

still

dragging on

of their soldiers

had

re-

208

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

home from

turned

had been given

so

that campaign,

freedom

their

and those

that did

at the price of teaching

their captors the latest songs of Euripides.

Of

Euripides,

not of Sophocles, the poet of

Of

Euripides,

the poet of love, of agony reason, of all the

human

classic beauty.

and

had followed the golden age of Olympian Euripides that

this

King Archelaos,

had enticed and wrapped in a

spider,

romance and

despair, of

aspirations or failures glory.

It

was

provident

a

like

which

careful cocoon

and

stowed in his larder.

To

be sure, this poet was old and rather

man, hunched together and moving

little

a

feebly, sub-

mainly on goats' milk and disconcertingly apt to

sisting

His hair had van-

asleep in the midst of a banquet.

fall

He was

ill.

ished except for a fine, silky rim round the edge of his baldness.

no

His beard straggled and was snow-white. For

reason, tears

would run down the

side of his nose

and

He mumbled oddly because he had One could scarcely understand him.

drip into this beard. lost all his teeth.

None

whose idea of con-

of this mattered to Archelaos,

versation

was mainly

to hear himself

poet was Euripides himself, wasn't he ? to say

much

as long as

he could

still

This old

talk.

No

need for him

write.

Why,

this

play he had written was as good as ever he wrote. Every-

body that

whom

it

was

"You

Archelaos had admitted to rehearsals agreed

so.

like

my

theater,

hey?" the king was saying in

his thick, accented Greek.

only

"Stone

wood in Athens, aren't they ?"

seats,

hey?

They're

The Head

209

The slow

tears started

down

the old man's cheek at the

He made no

thought of that beloved wooden theater.

answer, but the king's questions were merely rhetorical.

Archelaos was shifting himself on his fine cushioned chair with impatience, turning often to peer at the audi-

ence

filing in, or

still

summoning

had everything they wanted.

that the actors

"Those garlands," he

Had

yet.

show you

The mask king.

It

"Vines not leafed out

fussed.

Bacchus has gold

to use ivy.

his

attendants to be sure

leaf.

Did they

mask?" god Bacchus had not pleased the

of the

had had

des had seen to

to be altered.

all

Time was when

Euripi-

such things himself, had personally

instructed the trainer in his music,

let

no

rehearsal take

place without his presence, guided the producer in choice of costumes or

demanding felt

too

minor

actors, in fact

perfection.

too

ill,

had worn himself out

Here he had not done

unhappy

in this exile.

so.

The king

He

fussed

him. The Greek that was spoken in these parts grated

on

his ear.

He

had been thankful

to let Archelaos

import

The king had added the functions number of his own activities. Archelaos was always restless when not occupied, and the moments of waiting between his own entry a professional trainer.

of producer to the already incredible

into the theater

and the appearance of the procession

were being considerably prolonged by

his messages of

interference.

"Just like the festival of Dionysus at Athens," the king said.

"Same

day, too.

Only one

play, though.

A

special

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

210

A

festival for Euripides's latest play.

compliment, hey?"

Once more the old man did not answer. He could far too clearly the dear, familiar scene at

preliminaries

first

— the

from the

entation of tribute

when

sacrifices,

see

— the

Athens

the procession, presthe touching occasion

allies,

the orphan wards of the state were given their

weapons. All

knowing

nerves, perhaps

through with quivering

sit

that Sophocles

were rumored

that his plays

works.

he would

this

to

was aggravation of the

It

Athens that

this

was on

first

be the greatest of

and

all his

poet's sick longing for

performance took place on the very

same day, and that he must remember what would be going on there. King Archelaos was highly pleased with the coincidence

which he had

contrived.

He

repeated

himself.

"Same day

as the festival in Athens,

got Euripides this time.

But we're

all

A

bit cold

hardy up north.

hey ? They've not

here in March, hey?

Should be warmer in

Athens."

A

messenger came to say that

all

was ready, but was

forced to stand on one side while Archelaos boasted of the play to his other neighbor, a chieftain from Thrace

named Tereus, who was a cousin. "Out

of

compliment

to us," the

king

god Bacchus.

He came

through

way

and

women were mad

to Greece,

worship.

all

our

"About the

said.

Macedonia

on

his

for the

new

They went dancing and singing on

tains, possessed

by the god. They hunted

the

moun-

beasts

with

The Head

211

This legend's laid in Thebes, but

their bare hands.

the

same

You'll see

thing.

how

Pentheus, the king,

believed in the god, tried to imprison him, put

Theban women they

"No

came

.

him

thinking

revels, till

dis-

him

to

Bacchus in vengeance had him torn to pieces by

death.

the

it's

.

mad

.

a beast.

to their senses.

of course

Not

and out on

seeing he

Sad and

their

was a man

terrible."

use in tearing beasts to pieces," Tereus replied.

"That's no kind of hunting. Ruins the game."

At any other time

this

uncultured remark might have

caused trouble, but luckily the king was not listening at

He had caught the messenger's eye. "Well, well. What are they waiting for ? Why

all.

up ? Where's

the flutes started

The came

flutes

began

filing in

round the

altar

to play,

and presently the procession

through the left-hand side of the entry,

which stood

dancing place, and out

in the middle of the circular

at the right.

one drama, the procession was not reason

why

Archelaos had

Since there was but large,

which was the

not chosen

to

through the town. However, he had swelled landed oxen for

heaped with lets for

flat

sacrifice led

cakes,

which the

hills

little

which was

by

slaves, girls

parade it

it

by gar-

carrying trays

children with baskets of vio-

had been scoured, vast pitchers of

wine moving on wheels, public feast

haven't

that procession ?"

in fact the ingredients of a great to follow.

Furthermore, he had

lengthened the program by introducing a traditional war

dance performed by groups of young

men and

a crude

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

212

acrobatic exhibition

by a troupe dressed in goatskins and

grotesque masks, representing the half-savage satyrs, the followers of Bacchus.

Between these minor performers paraded the persons of the

drama

the First Actor, clothed in the gor-

itself,

geous purple and gold robes of the god Bacchus riding

head in a chariot drawn by

at their

asses

and guided by

garlands of ivy held by dancing attendants.

mask

Bacchus

under

a

high,

He wore

the

headdress

tiara-like

wreathed in gold. The face was youthful, highly colored,

and had

its

red lips open in a great shout of joy so that

the words of the actor might ring out through

and unmuffled.

He was

rode so that

this vivid

the topmost

row

them

countenance might be

visible to

who might

not have

of his audience,

seen his uncovered face so clearly.

Behind him walked

an attendant, displaying the mask and cloak of aged prophet

role, the

warn King Pentheus

Tiresias,

his

mask and flowing

him

cloak

broidered with figures in black and

and

dress of black

scarlet.

minor

whose function was

in vain. After

to

stalked the Sec-

ond Actor, King Pentheus himself with dark, frowning

clear

turning from side to side as he

of

distorted,

saffron

em-

worn over an under-

His second

part, carried be-

hind him, was the king's mother, Agave, a wild woman, frenzied by the ivy

garland,

Agave

.

.

power

mouth

of the god, with flowing hair distorted

and

shrieking.

and

Behind

.

"Who's that?" asked Euripides

involuntarily.

The

next comer was neither masked nor robed, though there

The Head

213

was a garland of

ivy

on

his head.

He was

carrying noth-

ing and seemed white with panic at finding himself

where he was. His eyes went though, had he dared ter

from

rolling

side to side as

he would have dashed for

to,

shel-

somewhere and hidden himself.

"Hey, what?" inquired King Archelaos,

on the Bacchus. "What did you say?

gaze

still

Who?" He

ap-

his

peared quite suddenly to take in the question. "Oh, ah, yes. Scenery,

hey?"

"What's a scene sisted, "in

doing up there," Euripides per-

shifter

the middle of the actors ?"

This time the king turned to glance

with a curiously dubious

companion

at his

"Must have got out of

eye.

place."

Euripides opened his it

He

again.

the king's

felt

rages.

fections today.

too old Better

He knew

quite interminable of cakes

mouth

to say

and

not

ill

call

that the

more, but he shut to

attention

to

imper-

war dances would be

and that refreshments in the form

and wine would be pressed on him which

stomach would revolt

at.

in question today,

his

Already he was dizzy with the

familiar strain before a performance.

came

endure one of

and

No

competition

yet the anticipation of see-

ing his poetry clothed in flesh and blood was

agony. This Bacchae had caused

him more

still

ecstasy

an

and

pain than any of his plays, except one heartbroken one

which he did not care

to think of.

Luckily, almost at once the king's attention

was

ab-

sorbed by Third Actor in the gorgeous garments of his

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

214

major

Cadmos, the king's wise grandfather,

old

part,

counseling restraint. His other two parts were

herdsman and

in the hills,

the death of the king at his

and the

latter describing

own mother's hands.

"My

"That's a Macedonian," Archelaos was saying.

own

discovery.

chooses,

and

disgraced

I

me

a

a messenger, each bearing stories of the

women

revels of the

rustics,

He

told

when he

can speak clear Greek

him

I'd flog the skin off his

by dialect today.

Oh

yes, I've a

back

if

good ear

he for

accents." It

was not necessary

now

to reply, for

were piping for the chorus, boys dressed comparable to those mutes of Bacchus.

who

my

lion

Should have thought of

on it."

as wild

women,

pranced around the car

The king was muttering

have brought

the flute players

here.

to himself,

Why

He had

Why

not?

set his

"Could not?

heart on add-

ing a mountain lion to the procession of Bacchus, but the asses of the god's chariot

had panicked

at

Besides, the

it.

wild beasts which frolicked in the god's train were supposed to run

no answer It

free.

to

Even King Archelaos had thought

that,

but frustration

still

galled

would have gingered the procession up, he

felt.

of

him.

Noth-

ing like a sensation! After

the

chorus came the trainers

and

assistants,

crowned with golden garlands and draped in heavy cloaks with brilliant borders.

On

the whole,

Euripides

thought, the exuberant fancy of the king had suited the richness

and wildness of

had spared no

this particular play.

effort or expense.

The

Archelaos

scarlet,

saffron,

The Head blue,

215

and gold of the costumes were

Even the

oriental.

beribboned with

garish, barbaric,

which he had complained was

ivy of

entwined with

silver,

and gay with anemones

The

artificial grapes,

very goatskins

herdsmen were snow-white, and the messenger's

tume with

was

a flaming disregard for realism

the

of

cos-

scarlet

and green. Unfortunately,

seemed

when

less brilliant

the play started, the performance

than the costumes. First Actor, an

old professional hired for the purpose,

was adequate, and

Second Actor might well prove passable, though ing voice was rough.

with his

illiterate

The Macedonian was agony

The chorus was

worse.

It

danced

and had been painstakingly trained in

the complex music

fashioned

to hear

brogue not quite covered up by over-

conscious refinement. well, to be sure,

his sing-

which Euripides preferred

chanting.

to the old-

Their enunciation, however, was

poor; and the lovely poetry on which he had spent him-

was more than half

self

spair

and

lost.

He

closed his eyes in de-

tried to let the lines sing in his head.

He

had

not been able to refuse the king's offer of wine during the

war dancing; and

he had foreseen, he

as

dull pain in his stomach

the time seat,

was growing

attempting to ease

First

acute. it

felt

ill.

The

which tormented him most

He

of

twisted himself in his

by change of position.

and Second Actors brought him

to himself.

The

triumphant, careless god and the puritan king were creating an atmosphere for themselves, an interplay of ideas,

a dramatic tension which was carrying the play, despite

216

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

the chorus and the deplorable figure of old

There was a hush in the Euripides

let his

mind

stands,

Cadmus.

which had been

half-wander, carried

restless.

away by

his

much — so

own words which meant to him so very much more than people could imagine. How far could strangers comprehend ? Were they surprised as the story twisted and turned with the development of the contrast

between the moralist king and the amoral god?

Had

they expected Euripides to take an old legend, as he so often

had done, and hold

ing: "If these be gods of them."

Were

it

up

who do

to mockery, in effect say-

such things,

I

care for

none

they disappointed that neither Bacchus

nor the king was right or wrong?

one in the stands so subtle as

Would

there be any-

understand

to

why? For

both of these parts were Euripides himself. Their conflict

was

his

own.

wrecked him. sick

It

It

had torn him

had

cast

in pieces. It

him up on

had

ship-

this foreign shore,

and dizzy with longing for home.

It is

hard for a

sensitive

man

to be

brought up in a

golden age, not remembering the contrast between these days and the harsher past.

Euripides had never been

complacent. His understanding of his time was deep, but critical.

His deathless poetry came

to be loved or re-

sented with almost equal passion by the city which he

held dear. Worst of

all,

the golden age issued in a long,

grinding war during which a civilized people descended

by degrees

to the level of their neighbors.

Too

late the

poet discovered that the golden age was his own, that the ideals at

which he had unthinkingly whittled away were

The Head

217

The

his as well. at

war.

The

poet and the moralist in

him were now

and the anger of the

inspiration of the one

other had destroyed him. It

was

Athenian people, begin-

in the year 416 that the

ning to be desperate, looked around for further

who might

by paying them tribute increase

Taking advantage

sources for war.

allies

their re-

of their supremacy at

sea, they began to put pressure on the

little

island of

Melos, which had no importance, wealth, or trade, but

awkward

perhaps by mere example showed an pendence.

The Athenians demanded

of Melos refused.

ened and

Then

civilized

tribute.

inde-

The men

the Athenians, the most enlight-

people the world had known, de-

scended on Melos, enslaved the

women and

and slaughtered the men. Such were the and war and the death of

children,

effects of

plague

But in the following

Pericles.

spring at the Great Dionysia, nine years ago this day, the

poet Euripides reproached his countrymen in a play

which he had written with It

was the

story of

how

tears

and passionate anger.

the Greeks took Troy, mercilessly

slaughtered the men, and

made

women

the

their slaves.

Ever since those burning verses of his a deep resentment

had been growing between the poet and If

only he could have kept

god would have It

had come

let

If

silent!

no

critics.

only the inspired

him alone!

to exile at last as the

war grew grimmer

and harder. Athens fought for her very ford

his beloved city.

Even the poet

for

other place in the world seemed an

life

whom

and could there

af-

was no

enemy now. All

this

218

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

had been in Euripides's mind

ment

to

King Archelaos

dling, moralist

He was

bees, the cave

he wrote in compli-

wild drama about a med-

this

king and an inspired god. a

lost in

had wandered

as

dream

thyme and the murmur

to the smell of

he used to

His mind

of his far country.

sit in,

of

listening to water splash-

ing as he worked. King Archelaos nudged him. "Sleeping,

You

hey?

now.

sleep

can't

comes dancing back from the

The

king's mother

with the chorus,

hills

carrying the head of a wild beast in her arms. the frenzy fades out, she recognizes the head of

eh?"

son. Sensational,

It

was obvious

Then as her own

that in his pride as

producer, the king had forgotten the author's share. His

tone was condescending.

Euripides blinked and looked up, trying to straighten

himself at the cost of a pang which almost

made him

"I'm listening," he protested.

sometimes

groan.

hear better

if I

"You ought

Long ago

don't look at

it."

to see this."

the poet had

fectly useless to

made up

his

mind

it

argue with King Archelaos.

provoked him to said resignedly, "I

The music

"I can

insist.

Much

easier to give

was

It

per-

merely

way.

He

know. I'm looking."

of the flutes

was very wild. The

king's

mother Agave was entering with her horde of maddened

women. She had cradling

it

the fatal head in her

in gloating ecstasy.

arms and was

Euripides noticed with a

certain disgust that the king's sense of realism

beyond the bounds of

taste.

had gone

Agave's dappled fawnskin,

The Head

219

her girt-up clothes, even her arms were stained with red dye, as a a

man

woman's might be

after

Loud and

clear

to pieces.

mask came

helping her

sisters tear

through the shrieking

the voice of Second Actor, uplifted in a harsh

song of triumph as she rocked and dandled the head.

Behind her, the flowers

from

women

arms into the

tossed

them

their garlands, tore

air,

plucked

into fragments,

threw them wildly, unmeaningly, expressing by

frantic,

purposeless motion the madness brought by the god.

With

a fierce, inarticulate cry,

by the hair and held real!

it

up

Agave

for

all

seized the head to

see.

was

It

Euripides gave a gasp that was almost a groan as

something twisted ach.

it

It

was

drip.

far-off!

a

Oh

itself

inside like a knife in his stom-

man's head and Athens,

the

fresh-killed.

glorious,

The king nudged him.

the

He

could see

civilized,

"Sensation, hey?"

the

King

Archelaos grinned in triumph. "Told you that rustic in the procession

was

scenery, didn't

I,

hey? Thought

I'd

surprise you."

Twisting again in his

seat,

Euripides looked at the

king, his features writhing.

"Hey, alarmed.

what's

the

matter?"

Even

Turning from Agave, who had

lifted

bloodstained thing to her lips and was kissing stared full at the poet, face.

slumped in

was

Archelaos

his seat

it,

the

he

with ghastly

Archelaos shook him.

"He was

only a criminal condemned to death. What's

the matter?"

Euripides did not answer.

Actually he did not even

220

hear.

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

He was

beside himself with pain, lost in a red

mist; but there

was a murmuring in

his ears

which

might have been the sound of water beating endlessly on rocks.

He was dreaming

tant Salamis

and

let

that

the pain

knew he was dreaming; and he need never wake.

he lay in his cave in

dis-

wash through him. He

yet

if

the pain

had

its

way,

The Old Juryman Athens 399

The moon had

B.C.

set,

but though the sky was faintly gray

with dawn, the land was dark. Old Alexis used his to feel his

way down

the public highway,

merely a dried-up stream bed arrangement,

filled

staff

which was

with loose rock. This

though inconvenient enough in winter

and spring when the water was running, made sense for the farmers

on

either side,

who had

practical

carefully

terraced the banks as close to the edge as they dared, protecting their

rock.

Alexis

could reel off

hard-won gardens from flood by walls of

knew their the number

boundaries to the inch. of olives every farmer

had

He re-

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

222

planted since the war and was proud to be consulted

about the stumps of sacred olive

trees,

when

ponnesians had by no means spared

These

astated the land.

be grubbed up were a

To make

precious.

Pelo-

they dev-

stumps which must not

useless

trial to

which the

farmers where land was so

things worse,

many owners were no

longer sure which they were. Nearly

all

these plots

had

changed hands or had descended a generation or two while the war forbade cultivation.

A

little

owl hooted,

earlier the night

flying

home

to bed.

Some hours

had been noisy with them, but by now

was almost time

for the cock.

Alexis hobbled as fast as

he dared, considering the nature of the ground and

He might

bad

leg.

ing

home from

quite possibly beg a ride part

the charcoal burners,

asses in heavy-laden, but

good-humor

would

He

if

who

way

his

go-

drove their

sometimes returned in mellow

they had a profitable day.

sleep outdoors

it

If not, well,

somewhere, wrapped in

he

his cloak.

could be certain he would not be missed by his son-

who had no work

in-law Cleophon, harvest.

Vine and

gods, and a

little

him

except at

with the aid of the good

olive ripened

plowing

for

sufficed for the grain-

and veg-

etable-growing. Life

when Alexis was young. His own had been many years a burden; but in those

had been

old father

easier

days the olives on his farm had been in maturity, heavy

with help,

fruit.

The

three children

and there had been

had been

slaves.

early trained to

All this was

now

gone.

The Old Juryman

The

22Z

elder of his sons

ond year

of the war.

had died of the plague in the

The younger had taken

service

sec-

with

the fleet and had survived there until the last defeat of

when a

Spartans had massacred

the

man. By

was

that time, Alexis

prisoners

their

skilled labor

was

little

was performed everywhere by

for a destitute old

burned-out land for what

it

to

past looking after him-

Bred a farmer, he had no particular

self.

all,

man

would

to

trade.

do but

fetch

Un-

There

slaves.

to sell his

and beg

a lodg-

ing from Cleophon, his son-in-law and neighbor.

Sparrows were beginning to cheep as Alexis came

down from

the uplands, emerging onto a genuine road

with actual cart tracks cut into the rock or rutted deep into the hard earth.

way

into the city.

Other people were already on

Behind Alexis, a

man

their

with a moving

load of furze whose massive outline must somewhere un-

der

it

conceal a donkey was disputing with a citizen bent

under a load of strong-smelling goat cheese. "His

"And

trial's

if I

today,

had

my

I tell

you," the furze cutter insisted.

way, there'd be less fuss about letting

bygones alone and more about seeing that good democrats

were protected from such people."

"Ah, that was a bad time carrier

shook his head.

war!" The cheese

"Everybody was a

Besides, the Spartans

then.

after the

little

would have nothing

with a democracy in Athens. Not," he added "that

I

was

for the

crazy to

do

in haste,

government of the Thirty. I'm a good

democrat and always was.

Ask anyone.

I

spit

on the

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

224

memory

of Critias."

He

suited the action to the word.

"But our democracy has been restored under the agree-

ment is

that these past grudges be forgotten.

And

Critias

dead." "It

out,

was

this Socrates,

"who

the gods

they say," the furze cutter pointed

him

corrupted Critias by teaching

and the

Socrates has ruined

laws.

men. His favorite pupil was Alcibiades, no

to despise

many young

less."

"Our

"Curse Alcibiades," the cheese vendor agreed.

was mainly owing

defeat

done.

Look out,

"Dogs

there, old

him when

to

man!

all's

said

and

My dog'll snap."

me," replied Alexis calmly, letting the crea-

like

hand

ture sniff his

he

as

fell

back to join the others.

"There then! Good dog! Did you know that Socrates

was ordered by the Thirty

when

Critias

and

ting wealthy

men

tes

If

to arrest a citizen at the time

his friends

to death

were getting money by put-

on charges of treason ? Socra-

and four other men were ordered

to

make an

arrest.

such instructions had been given to you by the Thirty,

what would you have done ?" "By Zeus, what hitched against

up

I

had been

his basket.

"It

told!"

The

cheese vendor

would have been

some other man's. That's why

I

my

life

say the past

ought to be forgotten." "So thought the four other men," Alexis agreed. "But Socrates

went

matter what

"And

it

quietly

home, preferring

to disobey,

no

cost."

well he might," exclaimed the furze cutter, "see-

The Old Juryman

ll'S

ing that Critias was such a friend of his

were and

Plato,

still

that

man they What

nephews, Adeimantos and that young

Critias's

nickname risk did

— seeing

are his disciples.

he run?"

know nothing of that. of the wife of the man who was taken was a of Cleophon, who married my daughter.

Alexis shrugged in his turn. "I

The

cousin

connection

Leon was

his

"You on

name."

the jury

list

?" the furze cutter inquired.

"Pay

Alexis nodded.

these times are hard for old

into the city with

my

much when you

isn't

bad

men.

leg!

If

If

only

I

get

it,

but

lived nearer

when

I'm not lucky

the

open and

try again to-

morrow. There's a cousin who sometimes

spares a bite,

lots are

drawn,

I'll

sleep in the

but not too often."

"Hold on by

the load

He

sympathetically.

if

you

jerked

like," the furze cutter said

at

the

donkey.

"Whoa

there!"

Alexis

wound

his

bundles were

tied.

sharp stick by

its

get at

its

hand

into the withes with

which the

The donkey was prodded with

owner,

who seemed

to

know how

a to

hide; and the group proceeded.

"What's the

size of the jury for Socrates's trial

today?"

inquired the cheese vendor.

"Five hundred."

What

of the donkey, Alexis

own

stick

and the help

was getting along

pretty well.

with his

"There'll be other juries needed for other

know how many."

trials.

I

don't

226

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

"You know

Socrates?"

"Seen him.

I

was

can't miss a

man

you

"That great "It's

tones.

flat

in the city for as

most of the war, and

ugly as that."

nose and thick

A hideous fellow!"

lips!

a warning," the furze cutter proclaimed in solemn "Socrates ought to have been exposed at birth.

never pays to bring up a misshapen baby.

warning from the gods that such curse.

and

say,

I

it's

It

a

a child will bring a

This Socrates's father was a decent stonemason,

his son

was bred

But

to the trade.

it

was no use bring-

ing up such a boy as an honest tradesman.

ought to have

His father

known better, mark my words."

"Heard Socrates talk?" Alexis shook his head.

"How

should

He

I ?

spends his

day lounging about the exercise ground or the market, talking to people

who

their hands. I've got "I

are rich

my work

enough

to

have time on

cut out to scratch a living."

heard him once," the cheese vendor

on campaign, and there he was.

It

was very

.

went

"I

said. .

beau-

.

tiful."

"What about?" This seemed a scratched

difficult question.

head and hitched

his

The his

cheese vendor

load

again

glanced at the horizon, which was gray with early "We-ell, in a sort of

and light.

way he talked about courage."

"How d'you mean, 'in a sort of way' ?" "We-ell, he

courage at

The

was saying how courage

in

war

isn't really

all."

furze cutter snorted.

"That's just

what

I

mean

The Old Juryman

harm he

about the

and

battles;

227 does.

not at

"It wasn't like that,

"Only

tested.

Here you were,

sent out to fight

so Socrates starts speaking against courage." all,"

the cheese vendor pro-

didn't understand very well,

I

long ago. He's seventy now.

He made

was

wasn't what

a glorious thing, but

was.

I

do remember

is

and

all feel

it

was

courage

we thought

it

that."

"That's just what

"Courage

it

us

mean," the furze cutter repeated.

I

courage.

a perfectly simple quality that

It's

everyone understands; but Socrates tried to persuade you it

was something

else.

"He fought very remember him in

No wonder we lost the war!"

well," the cheese vendor protested. "I

the retreat striding along at his

pace with his head in the pressing

a run,

throwing away their

get

away

who

fast.

rallied

thought

it

quite coolly surveying the

air,

enemy

from behind. People were breaking

Socrates

shields,

would not

around him came

own into

urging each other to

panic,

and

a

few of us

off safe because the

enemy

Why, you might

almost

best to leave us alone.

say he preserved our lives."

"And

own,

his

him

curse

him,"

"Far better for the

pointed out. cut

too,

off.

Athens when

How

the

furze

city if the

cutter

enemy had

can you expect the gods to favor

disbelievers like Socrates

blaspheme?"

"Well, that's to be decided today," Alexis pointed out.

"He

is

accused of impiety, disbelief in the gods, and cor-

rupting our youth. of Socrates

him."

If

and may

they prove their case, we'll be rid see then

how we

get

on without

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

228

"Mind you "I

may

vote for death, old man."

not be drawn on the jury," Alexis reminded

him.

"And if you "Why, he'll

are so?"

wait to see what Socrates says," the cheese

man ?" Alexis hesitated. These younger men could never perfectly understand how times had changed since he and

vendor snapped. "Won't you, old

Socrates were in their prime.

them about

it.

One

could not talk to

In addition, he prided himself on his up-

and depend-

right conduct as a juryman. Old, penniless,

ent as he was, this office

become him if

impiety were

Socrates

one,

his sole dignity.

to judge a case before

mised by saying, if

was

is

among

he had heard

the accusations.

did not it,

even

He

compro-

fix

a penalty

not for us jurymen to

"It is

condemned.

It

His accusers will propose

and Socrates must suggest an

alternative.

We merely

vote between them."

"Have

it

your

own

way," the furze cutter snapped, an-

noyed. "Don't come round and ask to ride

home if you don't get rid of him for us." "You'll see what I mean when you hear his defense," the cheese

They were moving

vendor

my

donkey

Socrates

make

insisted.

across the plain

by now, and the

sun rising behind the eastern ridge had turned the sky

from gray

as a wall, a gate, clear air.

were

astir.

Athens was

visible

ahead

and the Acropolis sharply etched

in the

to a colorless blue.

In the adjacent farmlands, goats and people

By

various pathways, other rustics were join-

The Old Juryman ing the road.

229

Some,

earned a pittance sitting on to

men who

were older

like Alexis,

More brought honey

juries.

The

a hare or two, goatskins, or other produce.

sell,

furze cutter,

who

by nature of

Athens, greeted them wife was

sick,

all,

seeming

whose son was

came

his trade

lazy,

often to

remember whose

to

whose daughter was

shortly to be married off to a suitable neighbor.

and repartee arose on the cheese vendor,

who had

which the

in the midst of

air,

Chatter

trudged by Alexis in silence for

half a mile, said suddenly to him, "I've a brother-in-law

among

man.

the charcoal burners, old

homewards and

humor

he's out of

the furze cutter's back, "I could

...

if

the trial goes well."

.

.

he nodded

do something

Alexis thanked him, really pleased.

at

you

for

rustics,

Owing

to the great

not come his way; but

minor favors gave him a delightful Already these

you need a ride

."

He winked.

size of the juries, actual bribes did

portance.

If

sense of his

own

who had no

im-

personal

connection with Socrates's case, were soliciting his vote.

He

grasped his

staff

more firmly

in his

hand

as

he

limped along, recalling a charm which he always said to himself before drawing

The

trial

lots to

was assigned

bring

him

luck.

to the red court,

lucky in drawing a red acorn. the accusers and their friends

As he

and Alexis was

arrived,

drawn up

he found

outside.

If

Soc-

rates had possessed any sort of good sense, he would have

been there also with his wife and sons in their shabbiest clothes,

imploring the jurymen to save them

almost insulting, in

fact, that

all.

It

was

he was not. Even Socrates's

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

230 friends

on the jury seemed embarrassed. "Socrates

like other

men,"

said

nocent, he will not ask favors give

him

not

is

one of these to Alexis. "Being

in-

which he knows we must

of right."

"That's

all

very well," replied Alexis, annoyed, "but

he might show good manners and proper respect for the court."

"He doesn't feel respect," put in a all know who his friends have been." "That's

to

be forgotten,"

the

sour old man.

man

first

"There are good democrats among

"We

protested.

Socrates's friends as

well."

"Such "If

as Alcibiades?"

he was taken in by that

"Hallo, Alexis!

bad

leg!

Sit

traitor, so

were we

So you got into town in

all."

spite of

your

by me."

"Hallo, Alexis!" Alexis exchanged greetings, found a good

seat,

and

ac-

cepted a handful of nuts in the happy consciousness that his

pay would allow him

to stand

modest

treat later on.

His leg throbbed painfully; but he was enjoying himself

with friends of his

the city as he

caught "There's

own

age,

whom lived in On jury duty, he

many

of

had done during the war.

up with

Demo," he pointed

out.

be waked up to give his verdict his tribesmen never took

and

gossip

their

him off

A

relived

"Demo

past.

always has to

scandal,

the jury

the

I

call

it,

that

list."

"He's well connected."

The two

old

men

looked

at

each other and wagged

The Old Juryman their beards in

whom

on like

it

231

gloomy agreement. "Everything depends

you

know

used to be

to crack

with

"None

.

my old

of us

Good

.

.

"Not

these days," Alexis sighed. nuts, these,

Dinon, but hard

teeth."

growing younger, eh? Look

at

Simon,

They

too blind to see and far too deaf to hear.

say he

always votes for condemnation."

"He won't this

time. Socrates

is

his wife's cousin."

"Really?" "Yes, indeed he

And they say

is.

.

."

.

"There's Socrates now!"

"Where?" Alexis craned dressed

up

Dinon brought

wear a simple

his gnarled

in an impatient gesture.

on

"I hardly

and with sandals on

in a cloak

Socrates always used to

ter,

to look.

!

know him

Even

in win-

tunic."

hand down on

his thigh

"Everybody but Socrates puts

his oldest clothes at his trial to look

wretched and

implore our mercy. Socrates makes himself neat as say he doesn't care for our verdict.

Look

at

him! We'll

"D'you

like this

see

He's laughing,

if

to to

too.

about that."

Anytos

who

put up the accusation?

Wasn't too well thought of in the

city

towards the end of

the war."

Dinon pursed democrat like

since.

his lips.

He

"He's shown himself a good

speaks sense at the Assembly.

most of these new men. Respects the

They watched Anytos, who was took their

word

seats,

Not

court, too."

circulating as the jury

greeting friends and saying a persuasive

or two. Anytos

was a

fine,

upstanding figure of a

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

232

man; and

his

not regard

him with favor. He frowned.

manner was

Somehow,

hearty.

"Young whippersnapper hardly out That Meletos who

his

how

it

was young. Everything was

used to be

when

different as long as

Alexis had been thirty-nine

Pericles lived."

forties!

going round with him looks hardly

is

grown. They'll not remember Socrates

of

Alexis did

when

Peri-

cles died; and, rustic

though he was, the golden age had

meant something

him

what.

He

to

— unhappily

he did not

know

could only shake his head, reflecting that Any-

have been bathed in the

brilliant light

of those times, unless in childhood.

How

should young

Meletos understand the

Socrates?

tos could never

Alexis

felt

life

a

of

Vaguely

uneasy; but he was not accustomed to compli-

cated thinking

and merely was conscious that men of

generation ought to stick together.

his

"Young whipper-

snapper!" he repeated, seeking to convey his meaning

merely by raising his

voice.

Communicated

in such an

imperfect fashion, however, his feelings obtained no sympathy.

"Anytos

is

old enough to

know

very well

why

went wrong. Meletos has

listened to Socrates,

more than you

wager, Alexis.

ever did,

rates teach other

religion, too. It

I'll

young men

was

a

to

laugh

at

He

the

war

which

is

heard Soc-

morality and at

game with Socrates to make fun of them in arguments until they

older people by tangling

got confused.

He never respected

.

.

."

His other neighbor nudged Dinon sharply for

silence.

The water clock which timed the speeches had been

The Old Juryman filled.

The

233

various supporters of accusers or accused had

taken their places.

The

clerk of the court

had

his pile of

Nothing was wanting but

papers beside him.

that the

jury should subside and the opening ceremonies of the

He

should begin. Alexis duly tried to attend.

trial

felt,

however, as though he had been interrupted in discuss-

He

ing a point which was all-important.

what

this was,

his accusers

did not

know

but he hoped uneasily that Socrates or

would explain

it.

Several hours later, Alexis

had almost forgotten

his

doubt. If Socrates had indeed defended the golden age,

manner

or even himself, his

had been un-

of doing so

usual.

Anytos, as a politician should, spoke good horse

sense.

His colleague Meletos was frankly emotional. As

— well,

for Socrates

what he

One could not had come to confuse

actually said hardly

an impression.

pin

Alexis

the

him down. manner

as the indignant jury agreed,

The

able.

shameless

man had

of Socrates's

And

speech with what he had been saying.

manner,

told

oracle

them with

intoler-

He had horse. He

cracked jokes.

a twinkle in his eye that Apollo's

had pronounced him the wisest

He had

Socrates's

had been

likened the Democracy to a brave, but stupid

had

made

Insensibly

man

in Greece.

not begged for mercy, as was the custom, or in-

troduced his young children to do so for him. Blandly, obstinately,

he maintained that he was extremely good

for the state. for acquittal,

The

Even

his friends

on the

jury,

though voting

showed chagrin.

jury condemned.

The charge had been

treated

234

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

as a perfectly frivolous affair,

while

been almost openly laughed

own

its

authority had

"Teach him

at.

to grin at

muttered Dinon, wagging his beard. Alexis had to

us,"

So obvious, in

agree.

that Anytos

At

fact,

was the indignation of the jury

was emboldened

to ask the penalty of death.

this Alexis hesitated again,

Socrates added fuel to his wrath

though the answer of

and did not provide him

man

with an acceptable alternative. The outrageous old

was

actually suggesting that he be given free meals, after

who had

the traditional fashion of rewarding those

served the

state.

Even

his friends

and plucked him by the

cloak.

had

about him with protesting gestures. still

to

make

to

pay a tiny

had

clustered

The water

clock had

measuring solemnly the time he had

a proper proposal. fine,

which

left

Finally Socrates had offered

at the insistence of his friends

he had raised to a sum they could exile, or

well

at this

There had been a scene

in court while the supporters of Socrates

dripped on,

up

started

Prison,

easily afford.

any serious punishment would, he pointed

deprive the state of his essential services in future.

more, shamelessly, he smiled as he said

out,

Once

this.

"Well!" Dinon muttered to his friend. "Did you ever hear the like of that?"

None

of

them ever had. There was nothing whatever

the jury could do but

make

a

or sentence the obstinate old

not

felt so

mockery

man

of

its

own

to death.

Alexis had

angry since the news had come of the Spartan

massacre of their prisoners after Aegospotami. case he

verdict

had raged against the

inevitable.

At

In each

that time,

The Old Juryman the Spartans

235

had cut Athens

On

and rendered her powerless.

would have

from her food

off

supplies

occasion, Alexis

this

uphold the authority

to vote for death to

with which he had been entrusted. "He'll escape," he said, trying to find consolation.

"To be

Dinon

sure he will,"

agreed. "D'you think the

Eleven will keep close guard on the old fellow?

What

way, his rich friends will bribe them. ter as

long as the city

"That's right."

himself

rid of

is

But Alexis wondered

thought of

still

him once and

dead. This Socrates had

Pericles,

Socrates seemed glad to die.

He was happy

ture to put

an end

mat-

for all ?"

if

man

but

so long

ago

any

who was

He

said that death

company

meant

of the illustrious

with either alternative, though the

city for its reputation's sake

have taken long.

Anyit

known him.

either eternal night or the

dead.

does

to

might have waited

him. At

his age, this

Presently the guards led

for na-

would not

him away,

while the jury betook themselves to the places where they got their pay. Thence they scattered,

homeward

or to the modest

men like Alexis bought their a friend

had

listened to the trial.

on the

arguing, either

where houseless

dinner.

All was over, and yet not over.

had

still

taverns

jury, or

Everybody in Athens

had heard Socrates

The names

of Critias

talk, or

and Alci-

biades, the tyrannies of the Thirty, the loss of the war,

the value of education

—

all

were bandied about across

the tavern tables with coarse wit, bitterness, or laughter.

Few

actually disputed the verdict because the friends of

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

236

Socrates were

among

and the

Socrates's defense

great deal of mockery,

painful because

all

irritation of his

from the days

like echoes

ought not

to

Out

a

recalled

it

and

demeanor, many sounded

of glory.

my

difficulty,

rise to

of their context

do anything common or

Or: "The

ger."

dilemma gave

jury's

things that Socrates had said.

without the

But the manner of

the well-to-do.

thought that

"I

mean when

friends,

I

in dan-

not to avoid

is

death, but to avoid unrighteousness; for that runs faster

than death." Or: "To discourse daily about virtue greatest

bear to

listen.

He

come

he wondered

man

the

lingered with his modest measure of

watered wine, thinking dully that his nearly

is

good of man." Alexis could neither leave nor

died, be

to find out

why anyone it

own

what death was

like.

troubled himself

time was Stupidly

when an

old

some other way. Alexis

naturally or in

know how to cope with his emotions. In fact, he knew he had them. He had never concerned him-

did not

hardly

self particularly

with virtue before, never exhorted him-

self how to behave, never many were dying — except

cared

who

for Pericles

perished

and

his

when so own sons.

His tavern friends thought mistakenly that he was ting drunk,

The ject,

talk

there

cence,

and they

left

him

alone.

went on and on. Given was no end

no word

left

to

Athenian

am, you

a

good enough sub-

talk,

no decent

Proud of

unspoken.

someone quoted with laughter, I

get-

"If

will injure yourselves

you

kill

his

reti-

memory,

such a one as

more than you

injure

The Old Juryman

237

me." Alexis stumbled abruptly to his

and limped

feet

out.

The

him

night air recalled

wondered

He had

if

He

to his senses.

the wine could really have gone to his head.

merely earned his dinner and had eaten

morrow,

if

almost

he were lucky in the

lot,

To-

it.

he would do so again.

Meanwhile, the time had gone by for getting a ride

would have been

home.

It

fields

and

safer to

go out

earlier into the

sleep there, since even a poor old

man wore

cloak or sandals which might be considered worth

In his strange mood, Alexis had not thought about

ing.

the

steal-

coming

He went ing his

of dark.

stumbling

way with

down

his staff, since often people

when

of rubbish out at times

For a

alert to protest.

an elderly

the pitch-black street, feel-

citizen

little

while, he

who was

however, soon took

him

Hill

night under the

to follow

out of his way.

mind

He

This,

turned into

a deserted corner of

where he had previously spent a

When

stars.

of these narrow alleys, he

Someone bumped rarily

managed

being lighted home.

the blackness again, having in

the Assembly

threw heaps

the neighbors were not

he came out of the shadow

would

feel safer

him

savagely.

into

winded, gave a strangled gasp and

twisted beneath him.

He

assailant kicked, doubtless

ing on his shoulder.

because

.

.

.

Alexis, tempofell,

his

bad leg

clutched at his cloak, but his

aiming for

his head, but land-

Alexis groaned.

His cloak was

torn from his feeble grasp, and running footsteps pat-

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

238

tered

down

made

the alley as the thief

off

with his booty.

Alexis groaned and tried to get up. His clutching fingers groped

on the ground about him

knee was agony, and the night without a cloak.

He

he could batter

at

for his staff.

could not hobble very

some door, but

staff to feel

He

be better to crawl up under one

light

his staff, a

came through

Somewhere

in

it,

woman was

what she

said,

took

him

till

lay.

It

to his

might

pain subsided.

door creaked slightly

ajar.

No

but sounds were audible within.

scolding.

guarded

Alexis could not hear

but the shrewish tones were unmistakable,

was the length of her It

which he

the recesses of this carelessly

house, a

as

welcome

began to thrust about with

the walls between

Prodded by

Perhaps

far.

dirty beggars half

clothed and covered with dust were never folk already in bed.

His

air already struck cool

tirade.

Nobody answered.

a long time to get the door open and work

The Old Juryman his

way down

239

a passage, partly sliding himself against

the wall and partly hopping, aided by his trusty this

time the

woman went

and never apparently pausing once

The husband never answered of neglect

All

staff.

ranting on, speaking very fast to catch her breath.

a word,

though accusations

and self-indulgence poured over

his

head in a

continuous wave. Presently Alexis found himself at the entrance to a small court; and looking across

open alcove on the other

man

There was not one

them held

slave beside

come

in.

There were

he saw a

side,

it

to the

light.

standing mute, but two.

a torch as

though they had

lately

stools in the alcove, but neither

used them. They watched the

woman, who was

had

striding

up and down, now turning on them, now wheeling boy — or was

gesture at a the

two boys who crouched

to

in

shadow together ?

"Never thought of these years

.

."

.

to her black hair

so that

the

it

A

it

the

woman

screamed, raising her hand

which she had already torn

straggled

torchlight

his family once, never once in all

down

woman,

her neck. She was a

showed,

cruelly

partly loose

devoid

of

as

glamour.

Strongly built and clumsy of movement, she was dressed in the plainest of heavy of a dirty gray

wool

tunics girt

up

carelessly

which suggested poverty or

and

a complete

disregard for her appearance.

Far otherwise were the

two brothers who watched her

— the

broad

one.

Both

were

beautifully

dressed, while the slave they

of

snowy white

tall

one and the

and

meticulously

had with them wore a tunic

like the slave of a rich

man.

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

240

moment,

Alexis took this in for a self

The woman was "Never worked

again. .

.

what

he's

Never earned us a penny

.

.

now.

.

mind

We

fine friends.

very late at night and off again early. See

now

brought us to

him

told

doesn't

to in-

repeating herself again and

Lounging, talking, drinking with his

.

Coming home I

how

against the wall, while he hesitated about

terrupt.

.

supporting him-

still

.

.

have

still

my

'Mark

Why

dying.

with

words,'

I

talk of virtue.

said

.

.

But he

.

should he? He's an old

lives to live,

So he concerns himself

all his

to die

but

we

man

never mattered.

with dignity while his poor

children starve. We'll do better without him. Yes, better

without him,

we

care.

I say.

Why

him throw

Let

we

should

think of

away

his life

for all

him when he never

thought of us once?"

She had come

full circle

again and was standing in

working

the glare of the torchlight, her features

plucked

One

at the disordered folds

of the boys in the

before he could so

him.

"Your

them stand

as stand up, the

himself,

and say nothing!

Alexis thrust out his

staff

Why

he has.

yes,

and

him

now?

Couldn't they

should he desert us?"

tried to take a step for-

the assistance of the wall.

ever, refused to support self

woman was on

fine friends of his will help us

there

have stopped him? Oh, oh!

ward without

breasts.

shadow made a movement, but

destroyed

father's

D'you think these See

much

on her

as she

at all.

He

His

leg,

how-

only saved him-

by falling back again with an agonized groan.

"Who's there?" In

spite of the noise she

was making,

The Old Juryman

woman

the

241

seemed

She swiveled around and

ears.

all

stopped speaking, so that a great silence seemed to

The

servant raised the light of his torch to shine

it

fall.

on old

Alexis, leaning against the farther wall, his eyes half

and tunic and beard

closed, his face

all

gray with dust.

"Get out of here, old man!" '"Get out at once.

This

we have

out before

young men advanced on an object whereon to

boy

oldest

seemed about

no place

Alexis,

relieve their

"Old man, you had

The

is

overcharged feelings.

better be off.

— there

My

mother's

were three of them

He

sixteen.

Get

The two

seeming to find in him

ill."

after all

—

spoke with grave calmness,

excited by his mother's frantic

less

for strangers.

the servant throw you."

mood

than the two

young men. Alexis,

down

whose good

leg

against the wall and

was giving way weakly, sat,

sick

slid

and dizzy, not much

caring whether he attracted pity or no, as long as nobody laid a

hand on

his

"Get up!" The his

arm. "Get up,

bad tall I

leg.

young man bent down

to jerk at

say!"

Alexis groaned.

"Don't be It

was the

over Alexis.

dropped

let

Adeimantos. The old man's hurt." thrust the others aside

Ah,

"Shine the light on him.

to her knees

hand down stir.

foolish,

woman who

yes!"

She

and ran a heavy, work-roughened

his leg so very gently that

"Hold him firm by

him move." She

and bent

he did not even

the shoulders

seized his foot

...

and gave

so! it

Don't a great

242

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

jerk.

Alexis screamed.

thing

fell

agony and

There was a

He

into place.

felt

tried to gather his

on

leg needs heat

it,"

the

swimming

woman

She lurched ungracefully

pain."

and some-

click,

an exquisite

from

relief

senses.

"That

away

said, "to take

to her feet.

"I'll

the boil

some water." She was gone, her manner sober and completely practical,

except for a shuddering sigh that she gave as she

went. Hardly had her broad back disappeared into the

women's rooms when the boy way,

said in his grave, quiet

my

my

mother's

name

for

father in his prison.

Now

she

must thank you in

"Sirs, I

being messengers from

has recovered her senses, there

is

nothing that your

kindness can do for us this night. Perhaps tomorrow she will be recovered

Adeimantos

enough

to speak of the future."

hesitated, looking uneasily at the

boy and

between them on the ground. There was

at Alexis lying

a silence.

"Old man,"

said his broad-shouldered brother, lean-

ing over Alexis, "we must not trouble the wife of Socrates

on

this

He

night of sorrow.

Can you

offered Alexis his arm,

struggle to get his

good

leg

get to your feet ?"

and the old

man began

to

under him again. The boy

protested.

"My mother

has a gift for healing, and

it

does her

man with us." Alexis was recovering his wits. He shook his head. help me out." He glanced around des"I'll not stay

good

to use

Leave the old

it.

.

.

.

The Old Juryman

243

gone before the

perately, in a panic to be

back with bandages and hot water. His

woman came

staff

was

still

on

the ground out of his reach. "It

not fitting," Adeimantos said, but he spoke dubi-

is

ously.

not

"I'll

stay

here,"

cried

loudly, "with the wife of Socrates.

was ...

I

more

protesting

Alexis,

I

was on

the jury."

Even the square-shouldered one gave while the boy, his

who had

hands before

children,

wailing

his face

been so calm and

and burst into

who had moved

to stand

sensible,

put

other

behind him, began

also.

men's apartments."

manner brusque.

we need

in,

longer.

The

tears.

own couch moved The woman came bustling

have had Socrates's

"I

him

a gasp at that,

"If

Adeimantos or Plato

not detain them over our

into

the

back, her

will

carry

affairs

any

He must not yet walk."

"He ... he

is

expected at home," Adeimantos stam-

mered.

"Nonsense! Send your

man

to his

home with

a mes-

sage." "I shall go!

I

shall go!" cried Alexis

even more wildly.

The boy lifted his tear-stained face from his hands and said, "He was on the jury." He began to sob again in the midst of a dead

"What was self.

He

silence.

the jury to do?" cried Alexis, beside him-

turned on Plato,

who

still

had him by the arm.

244

THE DEATH OF THE GOLDEN AGE

"Socrates insulted the court.

By laughing

We

at

our

justice,

had

to

condemn

were you

to

condemn

he defied the whole democracy. him."

"Who

Plato removed his arm.

such a

What

man

is

What do you know

he?

as

about justice?

your democracy but as great a tyranny as that of

the Thirty?

Why, even

mad dog though

Critias,

he be-

came, was an enemy worth having. This poor rustic fool takes a man's

and

life

sulted the court.'

If

apologizes, saying, 'Socrates in-

Socrates

had

you should have

not,

condemned him for pretending to virtue." "Leave the poor old

hand on

tested, his

mind you word

Adeimantos pro-

"Must

of Critias

may

I

re-

never utter a

against democracy?"

"I'll

say

what

I

tonight," Plato retorted.

please

looked scornfully at Alexis.

might

"I

Democracy's dead, and Justice with her."

the pitiful old thing! as well

tell

I've

"Or very nearly dead,

done with both of them. You

Protos to hand us over his torch and

carry this old democrat out. left

alone,"

his brother's shoulder.

nephews

that the

don't care.

He

man

I

like to

imagine that

if

we

him here, Xanthippe might kill him."

"There was not anything Alexis protested.

else

we

could do,

I tell

you,"

Greek Myths "By

skillful choice, spirited retelling

convenient grouping of the

and

stories,

the

author provides a happy introduction to

New

mythology."

classical

York Times

Legends of the North

"The book

a distinguished addition to

is

Norse legendary literature both in text and format." Chicago Tribune

The Trojan War "Using stories from the Iliad, Odyssey, and mythology, Mrs. Coolidge has woven a consecutive, unified narrative, which has great appeal for young people and ** Library Journal

also for adults."

Egyptian Adventures "This collection of as if

it

makes Egypt

stories

New Kingdom

at the time of the

as vivid

Saturday Review

were today."

Cromwell's Head ".

.

.

an unusual picture of the danger-

ous confusion in the months before the

New

Yorker

"Fascinating stories of

Romans

Revolution."

Roman People walks of

life,

fictional stories

in various

with Mrs.

Coolidge's scholarly and authentic back-

Winston-Salem Journal-

grounds." Sentinel

Winston Churchill and Two World Wars ".

.

.

this

is

the Stoiy

a strong account of

of

one of

the world's greatest men, ably handled

throughout."

Christian Science

Monitor Caesar's Gallic

War

"Mrs. Coolidge's idea

provide not a

'to

companion to and the amount of

translation but perhaps a

Caesar'

is

excellent

information she imparts

New

is

astounding."

York Herald Tribune

!

~>;