1

2

I was there, too! was a series of books published in Greece, during

the 1960s and 1970s, targeted to the youth public of those days. The

author was Georgia Tarsouli, a renowned Greek writer. The series was

distributed as a marketing gift by the company Vianil S.A., through

the sale of boxes of the ROL detergent and its distribution begun in

January 1964. The books were hard covered and contained beautifully

drawn graphic art. Today they are very rare collectors items.

The stories involved the adventures of Alex, the main hero of the

series, who because of experiments of his uncle, an archaeologist and

radiocarbon dating expert, was able to transport himself to the past,

through important historical periods. Following Alexs adventures the

young readers were exposed to information about historical persons

and deeds.

Some of the books of the series were the following:

I was there, too! Egypt, the land of the Pharaohs

I was there, too! Crete, in the times of the Minoans

I was there, too! In the Land of the Aztecs

I was there, too! With Attilas Huns

I was there, too! In Ancient Babylon

I was there, too! Byzantium, In the Years of Heraclitus,

(two parts)

I was there, too! With the Armies of Hannibal

This one, the second book of the series, is translated from Greek to

English by Theodoros Blitsas, tblitsas@gmail.com. If you have

knowledge of Greek, you are welcome to visit my site TTThhheeeooosss BBBaaazzzaaaaaarrr,

to feast on my other works and a showcase of my other hobbies

3

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4

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5

6

7

1

Prologue of the first book of the series

The cause for this whole adventure is my mania for History, for the historical adventures, movies and books.

Many times on Sundays I go out and pass the time visiting

various Museums, loitering in front of a vase or a pot,

which was found on the bottom of a well. Because, I must

say this: Im not interested only in the history of the wars,

the revolutions and the kings succeeding one another. Im

also interested in the common life of the ancient peoples.

Id like to know how they lived and ate, how they worked

and how they enjoyed life, the way they talked and danced

and sung, the jewels and artifacts they made and how they

tried to make their civilizations expand and be known to

their world.

Many times I discussed it with my friends, saying what a

pity it was that the ancients didnt have invented sound

recorders or the cinema. How much more wed knew

about them. How much more we would learn about their

life and their deeds! And not only about our own ancestors,

but also for those of other ancient people: The Egyptians,

the Romans, the Phoenicians, the Arabs, the Byzantines,

the Crusaders.

Once, when we were discussing it with my friends, one

of the older kids laughed and said:

- As for me Alex, I think that itd be best if youd

discovered a time-machine, like that one described by

2

Wells in his adventures, so that you could be travelling as

you wish, to the past and the future. That way youd

observe a lot of things and youd report them to us too.

Everybody laughed and I was sore and didnt answer.

And Ive never talked about it any more with my friends;

else theyd think I was stuck with this notion.

A few months passed and my whole time was taken by

studying as I had difficult work at school. One day, I

learned that my uncle Peter had returned from America.

My uncle Peter is the only brother my mother had and

the one I admire most among all the other uncles I have.

When he graduated from High School he wanted to study

Archaeology, but then he become Chemist and three years

after that he won a scholarship to study Atomic Energy in

America. But he wasnt going to be denied his old love of

archaeology and most of the historic books he had in his

library, he himself was urging me to read them.

The very next day of his arrival I went to welcome him in

his home. He had three years to see me and when he

looked at me he was very surprised.

- Alex, you grown up! he exclaimed. No one would

take you only for fifteen years old. And in two years youll

graduate from high school. What you wish to study

furthermore?

- I dont know yet, I said. Id like to study History.

- Like me who wanted to study archaeology, laughed my

uncle. But you know that now Ive combined the two

3

disciplines, chemistry and archaeology. In the Center for

Nuclear Research I work in experiments on radiocarbon

dating.

- What is that? I inquired.

- Its used to compute the age of archaeological artifacts,

explained laughing my uncle. - Come tomorrow to my lab

to explain it better, he added clapping me affectionately on

the shoulder.

So, next day in the afternoon, as Id finished my studies, I

went to visit my uncles lab. It was huge, all white-walled

and full of long tables, stacked up with strange tools,

bottles, test tubes and various burners, like those we use

for chemistry experiments in school.

My uncle was wearing a white lab coat and plastic gloves

on his hands. He removed his gloves and we sat at his

office.

- Do you remember Alex, that discussion we had the

other day, when you asked me how could we be sure how

old is something we dig out of the ground?

- Of course I remember, I said. And you had told me

that we conclude it more or less by its rhythm, its design,

even by the depth of soil, where it was found buried.

- Ah, very good! Now, perhaps youve heard that another

way has been discovered to make this computation. Its

called Carbon 14, or radiocarbon dating.

4

- We were told something about it in school, I said, - but

I am not sure if I understood it.

- Neither you will, if I explain it in detail. But in simple

terms: Every living organism, either Man, or animal, or

plant, absorbs carbon dioxide.

- Yes, I know that, I said. The plants breathe in carbon

dioxide and exhale oxygen, while Man and the animals

breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.

- I see you remember well all you learned in school, my

uncle said. Anyway, Man and of course all the animals,

but the plants also, they keep inside their body a percentage

of this carbon dioxide. Within this carbon dioxide which

our body assimilates is included, in a very small quantity of

course, a percentage of carbon 14, which is radioactive

carbon. Do you understand?

- I think, I did, I said. That means that you, me, this tree

in the garden, and that bird that flew away, all of us have

inside our body a small quantity of radioactive carbon.

- Well done, Alex. Now then, this percentage has been

counted with the tools we have now available. And it has

been found that every living organism retains always the

same radioactivity, which is kept steady until the time it

dies, when it will stop breathing in and assimilating the

radioactive carbon.

5

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2

- Ah, now I begin to

understand! I said.

- When the man or the

animal dies, when the tree

falls, or the plant withers,

there isnt any more a way

for the radiocarbon to

enter its body. And not

only that, but also the

radiocarbon that remains

inside begins to lessens

and according to the

nuclear laws, every about

5,500 years it cuts in half.

That way, if we count it

and find how much is the

radiocarbon lessened in an

ancient piece of wood, in a

skull or a fossil, then we

can define its age.

I was very curious.

- And how are these

experiments done? I asked.

- With various ways,

answered my uncle and he

took me near one of the

tables, filled with tubes and

tools. Here, he

continued, - this is a quartz

tube where, after we clean

well the sample, we burn it

with oxygen. Its ashes,

completely insulated, we

place in this flask here that

we call an enumerator and

there we count it and we

compute our finds.

In front of the tubes

various little glass boxes

were placed, with labels on

them. My uncle took one

on his hand.

- See here, he told me. -

This is a sample from the

fossils of Pikermi. That

one comes from Knossos.

That third one is from

Egypt, from the Pyramids.

And this one contains

ashes from a wooden pillar

from the Monastery of

Daphne.

- But we do know

exactly when the

Monastery of Daphne was

3

built, I wondered. Why do

you include it?

- To test if our

procedure of radiocarbon

dating is accurate. We do

this frequently with

material we know its age.

I took in my hand the

little box to examine it and

clumsily I let it drop and it

fell on the floor. It didnt

break, but its contents, a

grey thin ash, spread out. I

stooped down and begun

to gather it.

- Leave it, my boy, said

my uncle. - Dont gather it

now, its useless. The

cleaners will scoop it later.

Come, it is no matter; you

go and wash your hands.

He guided me to a small

door. In a closet there was

a wash basin. I turned the

faucet on and I dont

know how it happened,

before I wet my hands, I

tried to taste my finger. Its

a bad habit I have since

being a child and I was

chastised many times

about it. What came over

me? I put in my mouth my

finger, covered as it was

with the radioactive ash

from the woods of

Daphne.

Suddenly I felt dizziness

and my eyes glazed over. I

leaned on the wall to keep

myself from falling. Red,

green and yellow lights

passed in front of me. In a

while my eyesight cleared

and I saw in front of me

the Monastery of Daphne.

But it wasnt as I know it

today. Its walls shone with

colored mosaics and the

many chandeliers and full

candle-holders filled the

place with a sweet

brightness. A respectful

old lord with long beard

and a gold-weaved cloak

was kneeling and kissing

the Holy Bible and behind

4

him a great crowd of

people dressed in old

fashioned clothes, chanted

and crossed themselves.

But where am I? I

thought and made as if to

walk forward. But

suddenly the picture

fainted away and in front

of me I saw again the

white wall of the lab and

heard the water running

from the faucet. I washed

my hands in a hurry and

returned to my uncle.

He was sitting at his

desk, but when I

approached he looked me

with worry.

- You are pale, my boy,

he told me. Are you ill?

- No, I said, - just, a

dizziness came over me

for a moment.

- Go home right now to

rest yourself, he told me

immediately. You stayed

here long enough.

A crazy thought passed

through my mind.

- Uncle, I said. Can you

spare some of these

samples, you dont need?

My uncle laughed.

- What you want with

them? he said. To show

them at school? Here, take

those two boxes over

there. Ive finished with

them. This one is from the

Pyramids of Egypt and the

other from Knossos.

When youll return I will

give you more, if you are

interested in those ashes.

When that night I was at

my bedroom I placed the

two boxes on my desk. I

was thinking what had

happened the afternoon in

my uncles lab. Was it

really a dizziness or

perhaps that dust, infused

5

as it was with such

concentrated radioactivity,

had the power to transport

me to the past? My vision

of the Daphne, had taken

only a minute. But my lips

had just tasted its ash for a

moment.

What would have

happened if I used all the

contents of the box that

had the ashes from the

Pyramids or from

Knossos? If this dust had

miraculous capabilities Id

be transported for hours

or even days, in an era I so

much wanted to visit. If

not at the most it would

cause me some stomach-

ache.

I decided to try the

experiment. For a moment

I was undecided. Where

should I go the first time?

Crete? Egypt? On the wall

in front of me there was a

little painting of the

Pyramids, a friend had

brought me from Egypt. I

came to my decision. I

poured all the dust from

the Pyramids in a glass of

water, stirred it with a

spoon and swallowed it all.

Then I spread on my bed.

I felt dizziness and like the

whole room was heaving

about as if I was on a boat.

Then, everything in front

of me went dark

6

7

Awakening in a Minoan house

- Hes moved! He breathed! I heard a boys

voice over my head. I

heard it very clearly but I

was very dizzy, unable to

open my eyes and see

who was speaking.

- Didnt I tell you,

Perimos, that he wasnt hurt? a mans

deep voice responded near me. He

had only fainted for a while!

- Where did you find him? another

voice asked.

- Just before the bridge, father, replied

the boy. He had fallen by the road and

seemed fainted. Two men from the

port passed by and they helped me lift

him on the oxcart and bring him here.

It was three voices, I listened to. Three unknown voices.

I felt that I was lying on a bed, but it wasnt my own bed.

And those people, talking above my head, were speaking in

a strange accent, like like Cretans.

8

Suddenly, a light flashed

through my mind with this

last word. Yes, I must be

in Crete, but not todays

Crete. I had decided to use

the same method that had

brought me to the Egypt

of the Pharaohs for my

second voyage to the

Minoan Crete.

- By his clothes and his

haircut, he looks like a

Greek, said again the

father. Do you think, hed

be one of those new ones,

the Athenians that arrived

today with the ship?

- Nah! I heard the other

man saying. How did he

find himself alone on the

road? All of them are

escorted up to Knossos.

- Also, father, Perimos

said again earnestly, all the

boys and girls that Athens

sends us and Corinth and

the other islands, they are

chosen to be slender and

small, so that they be

suitable for the

bullfighting. While, this

one looks to be even taller

than me!

-Shh! hes opening his

eyes! said the father. Now

Ill ask him and well find

out how he got here.

Truly, during the last

minutes, I was feeling my

dizziness disappearing and

I was able to stand up, to

sit and look around me. I

was in a small, low-roofed

room and was sitting on a

narrow bed, covered with

a woolen cover. In front of

me were standing the two

men and the boy I listened

to before. Their looks and

their clothes looked to me

like the Minoans I knew

from the wall-paintings of

Knossos, but those before

me were three real, living

people. They were holding

my hands and were

looking me with interest

9

and an ill-covered concern.

All three were very dark,

with fiery black eyes, and

anyone could mistake

them for modern Cretans,

if they didnt wear their

hair long and wavy on

their shoulders, their faces

were completely shaved

and they werent naked

from the waist up. The

little boy was wearing only

a woolen cloth that almost

didnt cover his knees. His

father and the other old

man, who from his

sunburned face looked like

a fisherman or a sailor,

were clad in a more wide

skirt, which reminded me

of the Cretan breeches, as

its two edges passed

between their legs, and

turned in front and

upwards and were held on

the leather belt that

clasped their waists.

- Well, how are we?

asked smiling the boys

father, a man who when

he was young yet he

should be of fair statue but

now he was getting

heavier.

- A little better, I

answered. But it was

nothing. I was tired from

the voyage.

- Ah, you are a traveler

then? put in the older man.

Tell us then, where do you

come from? From the land

of Pelops, or from some

island?

- No, no, I come from

Athens, I said. I am an

Athenian and my name is

Alex.

- Athenian! cried the

young Cretan whom his

father called Perimos.

You mean, you are one of

the seven boys and the

seven girls that the king of

Athens sends us as tribute?

10

- Perimos, let me ask

him, said his father. You

go to your mother and tell

her to prepare a hot tea for

our guest. See, old Kratis, I

was right to suspect it, he

continued turning to the

old sailor.

- But child, tell me, the

old man said to me, - why

did you do this foolishness

to try to escape? Didnt

you know that they would

certainly catch you?

I started to feel a

sneaking fear coming upon

me. Catch me? Why? And

were would they take me?

- But why would they

catch me? I asked. What

did I do?

- You escaped the guards

that would take you to

Knossos. Have you not

said yourself right now

that you are an Athenian

and your name is Alex? So,

you are one of the children

that came ashore here in

Amnissos with the ship,

those that the king of

Athens sends every year as

tribute to king Minos.

In my mind came

everything Ive learned at

school about Theseus and

the Minotaur and the

fourteen boys and girls

who were thrown into the

Labyrinth to be eaten by

that dreadful monster.

- No! I cried. No! I am

not one of those children!

I didnt come here with

any ship!

Right then Perimos came

in. He was holding a

serving disk with a cup

decorated with little

flowers, steaming with a

fragrant beverage.

- Well, drink first this

hot drink and well talk

later, said the father. Thats

diktamos tea and we

gather it from our

11

mountains, where only

wild goats can climb.

- And Ive told my

mother to lay it with two

spoonfuls of honey instead

of one, added Perimos.

I drunk the sweet

steaming beverage and felt

my head clearing. I stood

up. The open window of

the room looked out in a

courtyard full of

blossomed flower pots,

but mixed with the

fragrance of the flowers,

the wind brought in the

smell of the sea. While I

looked out from the

window, I heard loud

voices from the inside of

the house. Then the door

opened and a middle-aged

woman entered, no doubt

Perimoss mother, because

she looked very much like

him. She was very upset

and worried.

She turned and looked at

me with eyes that showed

compassion and fear too.

- Fitios, come out a

moment; she said and

went out again.

Her husband followed

her. Perimos run after

them. I was left alone with

old Kratis.

- I dont think that Fitios

will deliver me, I said, - I

am not a fugitive!

- Being or not, he cant

do anything else, shrugged

old Kratis. - Besides,

whats to fear? Theyll take

you and guide you up to

the royal palace. Youll eat

and drink, have a good

time and youll exercise

with the other kids that

Minos gathers around

from all the lands of his

empire and his vassals.

- Exercise for what? I

said. - I know that the

12

children of Athens are

thrown into the Labyrinth.

Kratis was prevented

from answering me

because at that time the

door burst open, and a

young officer, cocky as a

rooster, stepped in,

escorted by Fitios. He

wasnt much taller than

me, but the bronze helmet

he was wearing on his

head, from where a bushy

ponytail waved up, added

to his height. His neck was

adorned with a necklace

and a rounded leather belt

was tight around his waist.

Following him were two

tall warriors, ebony black,

armed with spears and

small shields. As they saw

me, they laughed, showing

two rows of flashing white

teeth.

But their officer looked

very angry.

- Are you the Athenian

that escaped as the ship

moored in the port and

which we look out for all

morning around the whole

of Amnisos? he barked

out. - Good for you that

you didnt make it too far

away!

- But are you sure he is

one of your kids?

interrupted old Kratis. -

Weve found him passed

out on the bridge and he

himself told us that he

came alone in Crete. And

then, look at him; hes

taller than those sent us

every year from Athens.

The officer looked at me

again. A shadow of doubt

passed through his eyes,

but he chased it away.

13

14

- And what trouble is for

me if hes tall? he said. -

Thats his concern and the

bulls too; he added and

laughed as if hed told

something very funny. -

Besides, I am missing one

and I must fill the number.

So much the worst, if he

isnt the one who escaped.

So that was it! I

happened to be in Crete

the same day that the

children that Athens sent

as tribute to Minos, master

of the seas, arrived. One of

those kids had escaped and

now they would take me in

his place.

- No! I yelled with all my

strength. - You havent any

right to capture me. I am

not one of those you seek.

I will not stand and let you

throw me to the Labyrinth,

to be eaten by the

Minotaur.

Everyone around looked

at me with faces full of

wonder and surprise.

Then, the officer started

cackling with a laugh that

grinded on my nerves.

- By the name of

Enyalios, he said, - I would

never have imagined that

in Athens they believe

those fairy tales. That their

children, which they sent

us here as tribute, we

throw them in a dark maze

and theyre devoured by

the Minotaur, a monster

which is half bull and half

man. Oh, the ladies of the

Palace will laugh a lot

when they hear this. Well,

my young man, he added

reassuringly, - dont worry,

no monster hides in the

Palace of Minos. And the

good life youll find in our

land, you wouldnt know

even after a thousand years

in your home, Athens. So,

you get ready and lets go.

15

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16

The Palaces of Knossos were immense and they stood 4-5 levels up. That

staircase at the left was leading to the third floor. On the right is the

antechamber of the private rooms of Minos. The walls are adorned with

figure-8 shields, typical of the Minoan times.

Listen to that, afraid that

the Minotaur will eat

him he murmured

between his teeth.

Perimoss mother was

standing behind me all this

time and watched silently.

- Either bull, or

Minotaur, she whispered

as if talking to herself. -

The poor children are

doomed, anyway.

I turned around my

head, to ask her what she

meant, but her face had

lost again all expression.

- Whats holding you?

the officer yelled at me. -

The company will start and

we will be late.

He ordered the two

black soldiers to put me

between them, but the old

sailor objected.

- Dont forget, he said

looking evenly the officer

in the eyes, - that this

Athenian is sacred. He was

sent to king Minos by the

king of Athens, and he is

dedicated to the Great

Goddess and the Sacred

Bull. You should not treat

him as if he was a

common prisoner.

17

This wonderful wall-relief

decorated one of the corridors of

the palaces of Knossos. It shows

a young prince, who is adorned

with a crown made of peacock

feathers and walks lightly and

gracefully within a font of lilies

and butterflies.

- Dont mind me, I know

my obligations! snapped

the officer, trying to put

on a smile. - If he wasnt

sacred Id carry him in

Knossos, tied up. But he

too must understand my

part and not try to escape

again, he added turning to

me with calmer face.

I said to myself that I

had sought out this new

adventure and Id live it

through. I didnt respond

to the officer, I bid

farewell to the good

people and shook the hand

of Perimos.

- Ill come to Knossos to

see you; he whispered in

my ear, - I have an uncle

up there, who is a first

cook at the royal palace.

The officer gestured to

the two blacks to follow us

and walked out first.

Around the house door a

crowd had gathered. Most

of them were people from

the port, which it seemed

had heard about the young

Athenian who escaped. As

18

they saw me, they started

muttering.

While passing forward, I

heard one of them

murmuring behind me:

For this one, I wouldnt

bet to loose even my old

hat! Hes so tall; the bull

will gut him at first try!

I remembered what

Fitioss wife had said and

kept my head up, so they

wouldnt know I was

afraid.

The Port of Amnissos

The officer strode quickly, almost running

and soon weve reached

the port. I was barely able

to look around me, at the

crowd that filled the

narrow streets and the

houses, with two and three

storeys up and two or

three windows in every

floor, all painted with

bright colors, sky blue,

deep red and sea blue. But

the people also were

19

dressed in bright colored

clothes and among the

Cretans I saw also

Egyptians, which Id

learned to recognize, with

their black toupees and

their striped skirts and

Phoenicians with rounded

hats and curly hair and

small goatees and Africans

covered only with a belt

around the waist.

Sometimes I saw

patrolling companies. One

officer in front and two or

three blacks behind him.

When two patrols met, the

officers saluted each other,

touching their right fist on

their left shoulder.

20

The port was full of

ships. In one part the

merchant ships were

anchored, most of them

from foreign lands and in

the other the warships of

Crete, long and elegant

crafts, made as if to fly

upon the seas, with red

sails painted with a bulls

head in the middle.

We stopped in front off

one of them, a big one,

whose sailors were trussing

up her sails, while half a

score of them were

working to re-erect the

middle mast. My officer

called to the captain.

- Where are the

Athenians? he asked. - I

managed to capture and to

bring you the fugitive. He

was hiding in a house.

- The Athenians are long

gone! called back the

captain. - One of your

colleagues took them and

escorted them up to

Knossos.

My officer was very

upset.

- And how is he

delivering them with

people missing? How did

he left without my

permission? he cried. - He

must deliver fourteen

people! Dont you know

the bureaucracy in the

palace? If they wont find

them correctly well have

much trouble!

He took the captain by

the arm and walked away,

talking with him

confidentially. The captain

turned around for a

moment and looked at me,

nodding his head. I

gathered they were talking

about me.

I saw the officer

beckoning his men and

they run to him.

21

- Now that were left

behind, well stay a little

here to eat with the captain

and rest a little, he said.

Or, maybe you are not

hungry, Athenian? he

commented with that

irksome laugh of his.

I wasnt hungry but I

couldnt do anything else

but go with them. The

captain started a

conversation with me,

asking my name and how

old I was. From his talk

Ive learned also the name

of my officer. He was

called Perifitis, a name I

despised as much as its

owner.

We entered a tavern,

smelling of cooked fish

and grilled octopus. The

two soldiers stayed out. I

looked curiously around

the roomy place, with walls

painted with dolphins,

swordfish, octopuses and

all kinds of sea food,

clumsily painted of course

but very expressive.

Two rows of stone

benches were around the

walls and a few wooden

tables in front of them.

Down the hall, in a built-in

fireplace. crackled a cozy

fire. In the kitchen a

variety of earthen pots of

various sizes were tended

by a big woman wearing a

tight red bust and a long

shirt while two boys,

almost of my age were

serving the customers.

- Mentis! called the

captain as he entered, -

prepare for us the best

food you have, cause Ive

brought you royal

customers, the like of

which your shop has never

before seen.

The tavernier, a middle

aged man, came running to

greet us and sited us in a

corner table.

22

- Just for you, he said to

the captain, - and for your

friends, Ill bring you fresh

mullet caught right now

out of the sea.

- And wine! cried the

captain. - From that sun-

tempered one, from your

own vineyard. That way

youd also taste Cretan

wine, Alex, he turned to

me. - To see if ours is

better than your own

wines, from Attica.

He smiled at me and my

heart warmed a little. He

seemed a kind man, of

better disposition than my

pretentious officer.

In a while Mentis

himself put in front of us a

jug of wine, three cups and

a plate with olives, white

cheese and fresh onions.

- These are until the fish

get cooked, he said.

I begun to eat and I

realized I was really

hungry. At a table besides

us three middle-aged

Cretans were sitting. They

were eating and having a

lively discussion. Two of

them were sunburned

sailors and the third, fat

and adorned with many

bracelets and rings on his

hands, looked like a rich

merchant. They were

arguing now.

- I think this tax is

wrong! one of the sailors

was saying. To send us

wine, wheat, clothes,

bronze, yes I agree with

that. But to send us their

children, to be murdered

by the bull, me as a father,

I find it very cruel.

The merchant slapped

his fist on the table.

- You mean it was better

back when the pirates

roamed the seas and every

23

while they went out and

plundered their islands and

their towns and took the

children from the lap of

their mothers and

butchered the old men and

women and burned their

homes? Was it better then?

Who ended all this? Cretes

sea power! Who ousted the

pirates from their lairs and

cleaned the seas? The king

of Crete, Minos! So, the

least they can do, the

Athenians and the

islanders and the

Corinthians and all the

rest, is to pay him a small

tribute. And where a

hundred mothers would

cry, let it be only fourteen!

Mentiss fat wife served

each one of us with a plate

with a steaming well

broiled fish and then

turned to the others.

- Dont get fired up, she

said. Its my husbands

fault, serving you with neat

wine and it hits your head

hard.

While she spoke, I heard

suddenly a muffled rumble

and I felt the floor heaving

underneath me.

- Earthquake! I yelled

and crashed to stand up.

But while I was saying it,

the rumble quieted and the

earthquake had stopped.

- What jittery cowards

are you Athenians?

Perifitis commented with

heavy contempt. - This

little tremor was nothing

to be scared off. You

should see the other time,

when half the roof came

down.

But Mentiss wife was

not laughing. She was

standing erect with her

arms straight forward and

the palms turned

downward to the earth and

she seemed to pray.

24

- We must ask the Earth-

Shaker to cease his anger,

she said in a while. Three

times inside a moon we

heard the roar of the

Sacred Bull.

I looked her a little

confused. She noticed me

and came close and patted

me reassuringly on the

shoulder.

- You mainlanders, she

said, give honor to

Poseidon, more as the Sea-

God and less as the Earth-

Shaker. But, us Cretans,

even while being a sea

people, we honor him

more with his second

nature. Because here, in

our land, deep under the

foundations of Minoss

palace lays the infernal

cave of the Sacred Bull.

- The Minotaur! I

exclaimed

- No, said the captain.

This one we talk about is

the Bull of the Earth-

Shaker Poseidon. No man

has seen him. Only his

roar is heard, when he is

angry. And when, with his

horns he strikes the walls

of his cave, then the earth

trembles. In ten

generations of men he has

destroyed three times the

Labyrinth. But the Great

Minos is King born of

Zeus. He yields in his

hands immense power and

wealth, enough to rebuild

his Palace every time. He

sacrifices to the Earth-

Shaker, hurls whole oxen

down the chasms of the

tortured earth and he

appeases him.

- Back in the olden days

they sacrificed people too,

Perifitis commented

lightly. - Who knows now

at whom sacrilegious one

is the Bull angry and if he

wont ask again some

bloody sacrifice.

25

The Road Up to

Knossos

The port of Amnissos was located in a small tight

gulf, deep inside the

wooden hills. King Minos

knew how to choose his

ports, in places protected

from the winds and

invisible from the sea.

After supper, Perifitis, me

and the two soldiers,

started walking up the

steep road passing

between olive groves and

vineyards and orchards. It

was a rich land, well

worked and cared for with

love. We were walking for

about an hour, when I

noticed that the houses

were crowding more and

more and I thought that

we were getting close to

Knossos. These should be

the houses of great lords

or rich merchants, most of

them were surrounded by

gardens, almost identical in

shape, but with different

colors, with two or three

floors and sometimes with

a small hut on the roof.

One or two of them were

so big and looked so rich

that I thought it was the

Palace and asked if weve

arrived. The two black

soldiers laughed

mockingly, flashing their

white teeth, and Perifitis

just looked at me and drew

up his eyebrows without

deigning to answer. So I

didnt ask again. While we

walked on, the people got

more numerous, men and

women, old ones and

children. Most of the men

were naked to the waist,

26

wearing only a small skirt

to the knees, or a short

breech like old Kratis. But

everyone had tucked in his

belt a small dagger, like any

modern Cretan. The old

ones had thrown on their

backs a long cloak and

were wearing stivalia, tall

and pointed boots. Some

had on their heads a round

cover like a coil. When I

looked closely I noticed

that it was their kerchief

they had tied with this

strange way.

The women walked

barefooted and they had

tacked their long skirts up

their belts so that they

would not bother them in

walking. All the women

had long black hair,

elaborately combed and

most of them had a flower

on their ear or pinched on

their hair.

There were many parties

of girls who walked

together, singing and

gossiping, laughing

between them and smiling

around. They talked gaily

to the men who gathered

around them and answered

their teasing with their

own. It was a people

carefree who seemed to

enjoy life and assured of

their place. I remembered

the tremor that had shaken

us a few hours before and

a vague fear clutched at my

heart.

Now the road was

widening up and was

paved with great square

stone plates. Once or twice

we met loaded oxcarts

climbing up and a little

ahead came a sedan chair

carried by two slaves. On

it there was a lady, painted

and preening like a

peacock. As she passed us

she left behind a cloud of

heavy perfumes. Two of

her ladies-in-waiting

27

followed her, dressed in

colorful clothes, carrying

on their heads two tall

baskets. As they passed,

they turned and looked

curiously at me and then

said something between

them and laughed heartily.

I kept on walking up the

road, with my head turned

towards them, until they

were far. I heard Perifitis

coughing and I tried to run

to catch up with him on

the steep road, but as I

turned my eyes were filled

with such an amazing

sight, that I froze in my

place, speechless with

wonder.

Stuck in a lush green

hillside, in front of us,

beyond a valley planted

with olive trees and

cypress, a Palace was

rising, so vast that my eyes

were unable to grasp it

entirely. It stood on the

crest of the hill and spread

almost down to the valley.

It wasnt just one building

only, but ten or twenty, or

thirty great structures,

some of them joined by

one-storey porches and

others separated by roomy

yards and blossomed

gardens. Some of those

buildings had two floors,

others rose at three, four

and even five floors, but

all of them had roofs and

all had a front face

supported by thick

columns, narrow at the

base and widening at the

top, some of them black

painted and other red.

Magnificent staircases were

leading to the top floors

and up to the roofs, which

were crowned all around

with the sacred symbol of

Crete, the Bulls Horns,

sculpted on stone and

painted with gold, so that

they flashed under the

evening sun.

28

I stood gaping.

Ive seen pictures and

representations of

Knossos, but the spectacle

that my eyes were staring

at now far surpassed any

imagination.

Perifitis was clearly

enjoying my dazzlement.

- Well, how do you like

our Palace? he said at last

and it was the very first

time he deigned to speak

to me.

- It is a bit larger than

those other houses weve

seen before, back on the

road, dont you think?

- Thats no palace, I

exclaimed, - thats a whole

city! How many people live

in there?

29

30

- About a hundred

thousand souls, more or

less. As you know,

Athenian, Crete is the

Queen of the

Mediterranean and all the

power of Crete is gathered

in Knossos, the seat of

King Minos. You see those

buildings over there? he

added, pointing to the west

toward a series of two-

storey long-walled

buildings, without any

balconies and with small

windows on the second

floor.

- Yes, I said, - I see

them.

- They are only a part of

the royal storehouses, said

the officer proudly. - On

the ground floor they keep

the royal treasures, gold

and silver in stone boxes

buried underground, oil,

wine, wheat and grains in

huge urns, twice as big as

you, he said reckoning

mockingly my height by

eyesight. - And all these

are not arriving here only

from Crete, he added

straightening proudly up, -

but also from all the Greek

islands and the coastlands

which King Minos

protects with his fleet.

Thousands of measures of

wheat, of oil and wine,

besides the skins and the

textiles and the gold sent

us by Sifnos and Thasos.

So, you see Athenian, to

keep straight all those

accounts of all those riches

gathered here and for their

management, a whole

labor force is needed. This

service is accommodated

on the top floor, that one

with the narrow windows

you see.

And as to emphasize

that he had already talked

to me more than I

deserved, he stepped

forward, barked an order

31

to the two blacks, who

were enjoying my

bafflement, and we started

to walk lively on the road

up to Knossos.

The mystery is solved

The entrance to the royal Palace of Knossos,

doesnt boast any special

resplendence. A square

stone gate is crowned with

the Bulls Horns and at left

and right with two stone

bases, with a huge double

axe propped on them, the

labrys, the most holy of

the Cretan religious

symbols. In front of it,

Perifitis stood at attention,

his torso arched behind

and his right hand

stretched up his brow,

paying thus his respects to

the holy sign. Then he

straightened his helmet,

fixed up his belt on his

narrow waist and with

head up he entered inside,

followed by me and the

soldiers.

Right next to the gate

there was a guard post and

we stopped there for

awhile. Immediately

Perifitis went to the officer

and started a lively

discussion, of which I

couldnt understand any

part. In a while he

returned, very upset, he

gave an order to the

soldiers bad-temperately

and we moved on. Beyond

the post a vast

antechamber opened up,

supported by twelve

gigantic red columns with

black capitals. Then we

entered a narrow corridor,

decorated with wall

paintings. Right and left of

us, in two parallel zones,

the walls were painted with

an endless procession of

darkish Cretans with ring-

narrow waists and long

black hair, holding in their

32

hands painted or adorned

long and short vases. It

was as if the painted

figures were walking with

us, to deliver their presents

to someone beyond. It was

such a beautiful sight that I

halted to admire it up.

- This is not the place to

dawdle, Athenian, Perifitis

shot at me sharply.

I saw that he was bad-

tempered, but I didnt

understand the reason.

The corridor turned in

every corner and the

procession on the walls

turned with us. However,

before the corridor ended,

Perifitis stopped two

Cretan soldiers coming

towards us. He said

something to one of them

and he was guided at a

staircase to the left. It was

a swirling staircase with

light coming from above

and propped on thick

columns. I leaned on one

of them and saw with

wonder that it was made

of wood, cut from some

eternal cypress or pine. We

climbed up and on the

second floor we found

ourselves in front of a

double door, covered with

thick curtains. A guard

kept watch in front of the

entrance and he pulled the

curtains aside and let us in.

We stepped in; down a

great hall, with walls

painted with huge frescoed

shields, behind a sculpted

black table sat a middle-

aged man with a serious

and noble face. Perifitis

saluted him with respect,

hailing with his sword and

the two blacks behind me

froze at attention like two

ebony statues.

- My lord, Perifitis

uttered with great respect,

without showing a bit of

his early cockiness, I

managed to bring you the

33

34

young Athenian who

escaped this morning from

Amnissos, the moment the

ship carrying him and the

other six boys and seven

girls arrived from Athens.

I was just ready to step

forward and deny that I

was the one they were

looking for but I didnt

have the chance. The

curtain opened and

another officer entered,

more mature than Perifitis

and friendlier. He was

accompanied by three

black soldiers and between

them they escorted a boy

about my age. But he was

of thin stature and flaxen

hair and a head shorter

than me. He was shaking

all over with fright and

shed around him desperate

looks. The new officer was

startled when he saw

Perifitis. But without

giving him very much

notice, he stepped on,

saluted the lord, who

looked at him somehow

askance and uttered in a

cold and official manner.

- Lord Diktys, I report to

you that the fugitive that

managed to escape this

morning from the ship

which brought the

fourteen young people

from Athens, was arrested

and I bring him now in

front of you.

Lord Diktys stood up.

His face was flushed with

wonder and anger.

- What is going on here,

pray tell? he asked. - One

boy escaped and you bring

me two? Which one of the

two is the real one and

which you arrested by

mistake?

Both officers stepped

forward, looked at each

other angrily and started to

talk together, but Diktys

35

raised his hand stopping

them.

- Lets have Perifitis,

who came first, to talk

first.

- Lord Diktys, said he

with angry voice, - I found

this boy hiding in the

house of Fitios, in

Amnissos and he already

has confessed that hes an

Athenian and his name is

Alex.

- I did not confess

anything! I cried,

deliberant now to be

heard. - On the contrary,

from the first moment I

said that I am not one of

the boys that were brought

by the royal ship from

Athens. And Fitios was

not hiding me, I added. -

His son found me

unconscious by the road

and he brought me in his

home to treat me.

- But, are you an

Athenian? Diktys inquired,

looking at me closely.

- Yes! I said proudly. -

The City of Pallas is my

home.

I kept looking at the

small frightened boy in

front of me, who was

looking at me with dread

and thought that I should

give him some courage

with my stance.

- This is a fact that in a

way strengthens Perifitis

actions, Diktys said. And

now you, Alkathos.

Whered you fished this

young man?

- I truly fished him out,

my lord, said Alkathos and

a smile brightened his

austere face. - Hed steal a

boat and pushed out to the

sea. But the owner of the

boat, a fisherman, saw the

boat missing, took another

from a friend, captured

36

this young lad here while

he headed for Dia and

brought him to me like a

fresh mullet.

While Alkathos talked,

the boy, unable to hide his

fear and weariness, had

thrown his hands on his

face and was sobbing his

heart out.

Diktys came close and

talked to him kindly.

- Whats your name? he

asked

- Xanthos, said the boy

still sobbing.

- Are you an Athenian?

- Yes, the boy nodded, I

am son of Theagenis from

Kolonos.

- And why did you tried

to escape in the boat?

Diktys asked with a smile.

- I was going to ask for

asylum in the Temple of

the Great Goddess, on

Dia, said the boy, lifting

his blond head. I dont

want to be thrown to the

Labyrinth, to be eaten by

the Minotaur; he said and

burst in sobs again.

- Well, my lord, here is

another one terrified by

those nonsense! quipped

up Perifitis, but a stern

look from Diktys, made

him to shut up.

- Dont be afraid, child,

he reassured the little

Athenian. - None of what

youre afraid is true. Now

you go and find your

companions and rest from

your voyage through the

sea. As for you Alex, he

turned to me, - we must

ask forgiveness for our

mistake which was caused

by the excessive zeal of

our officer. Only, wait a

little, so I write you a

permit for a free passage,

so this wont happen again.

37

He sat again in front of

his desk and took a long

thin sheet, which from afar

looked like paper, but later

when I touched it I saw

that it was papyrus, no

doubt brought from

Egypt. He wrote some

symbols in a language

unknown to me and then

pressed it with his seal

which he had hanging on a

little bracelet, on his arm.

- Here, he said, rolling

the papyrus and giving it

to me. With this you can

go freely anywhere you

want.

- My lord, I said. - May I

ask a favor? Since they

brought me here to the

Palace of Minos, against

my will, as a prisoner,

could I at least make its

rounds, with your

permission as a visitor, to

admire its whole

magnificence?

Perifitis, red-faced and

flushed turned and looked

me with his cocky attitude,

but Diktys laughed good-

heartedly.

- Surely, he said. - We

owe at least this. Give me

back your permit to add a

few more words.

- Alkathos, he said then,

take care that Xanthos is

brought to his

companions, and this

young Athenian be

quartered in a good guest-

house here. You are both

guests of the Labyrinth; he

added looking us with a

strange smile, like hiding a

strange secret.

Alkathos saluted raising

his sword, the ebony

statues of the black

soldiers came alive and

turned around. We started

to walk out. Perifitis made

as if to follow us out.

38

Two great urns from Knossos, painted with lotus and lilies.

- No, you Perifitis will

stay here! I heard the stern

voice of the lord.

Ah! I thought smugly,

now hell have the scolding

he is due to!

But while I was thinking

this, Xanthos came by me.

He took me by the arm

and looked at me

desperately.

- Save me, Alex, save me!

he whispered in my ear. -

Dont let me perish and

die in the Labyrinth!

Before I could answer

him, Alkathos approached

us. He gave an order to his

three soldiers and they

surrounded Xanthos and

took him away to the left.

I waved a hand for

goodbye.

- Dont forget me! he

cried from afar.

- Come with me,

Athenian, Alkathos told

me gently. - Ive learned

that your name is Alex.

39

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40

Low, simple, sculpted from white

stone, the royal throne of Knossos,

was found standing in the same place,

where almost 2400 years before, sat

the last king of Crete.

Ive heard a lot about your

beautiful homeland, but I

havent visited it yet. I

hope youll like our own.

The dove of Ianthi

We started again to pass from corridors, to

climb stairs, to cross yards

and turn corners. I was

almost dizzy. For a

moment it looked as if

Alkathos himself was lost.

He hesitated as if not sure

which direction to take.

Then he walked straight

on and told me:

- You know that the

foreigners, who come for

the first time at the Palace

of Knossos, are unable to

find their way by

themselves, so we always

provide them with an

escort. It resulted that they

would see the Palace of

Minos as a terrible place

where you could be lost

and never find the exit and

so they consigned the

myth of the Labyrinth.

- So, the Labyrinth

doesnt exist? I asked.

Alkathos, looked at me

surprised.

- But this here is the

Labyrinth. Thats how the

Palace of Minos is called,

because it is dedicated to

the Sacred Labrys, the

double axe, the holiest of

41

Over the northern entrance of the palace of Knossos, stands this

magnificent veranda with three red columns. On the back wall there is a

colored fresco, depicting a stormy bull as it attacks.

the Cretan symbols! That

is the meaning of

Labyrinth: the home of

Labrys. Do you

understand, Alex?

At last, we got out, in the

great central yard of the

palace, which opened in

front of us in all its

magnificence.

It was as wide as a city

square and around it arose

great imposing buildings,

with three and four floors,

covered balconies painted

with bright colors and

their stepped rooftops

crowned with the bulls

horns.

Around us, officers with

tall crests and shiny

necklaces, strangers from

Persia, from Phoenicia,

from Egypt, wearing their

homeland dresses, were

coming and going

hurriedly.

Richly dressed ladies,

laden with heavy perfumes

passed by, alone or

42

escorted by their maids,

many of them stopping for

a while to chat with their

acquaintances.

As we moved on, a

strange noise was heard

coming towards us with

music and the sound of a

crowd. The people around

us got excited and started

to clear the way.

In a while half a score of

black soldiers appeared.

But these would be part of

the royal guard because

they were taller than the

others and more richly

dressed. They were

holding shields covered

with the skins of panthers,

were armed with long

spears and walked lively,

opening the way for the

procession that followed

them.

- Here is something

worth to see, said

Alkathos, pushing me in

front of the crowd. - They

are your compatriots,

going to the cleansing

temple to purify

themselves and to be

dedicated to the Great

Goddess. From now on,

no one can touch them,

but also they themselves

are forbidden to leave the

holy grounds of the palace,

on pain of death.

The music was getting

closer. First came up a line

of flouters. Contrary to the

other Minoans, which

were dressed naked to the

waist, they were wearing

long robes, which covered

their legs and their arms.

Then followed a line of

musicians, who were

playing lyres and guitars

and then a line of boys

holding cymbals and

sistrums. And now I saw

behind them coming two

more boys, holding

forward in their arms the

43

double axe, Cretes holy

symbol. But, instead of

made of stone as those

axes Id seen upon the

Palace entrance, these were

of pure gold and flashed

with every movement. A

tall woman was following,

alone, between four other

younger ones around her.

She was dressed as the

Minoan women, except

that she wasnt adorned

with any jewel and was

wearing a short jacket over

her clothes. Her head was

covered with a tall round

hat, with a gold snake

curled tight around it. She

was looking straight

forward and her beautiful

but frozen face, made you

feel respect for her but

awe too.

- Who is she? I

whispered.

- Shhh! cut me Alkathos,

covering my mouth with

his hand. - She is the holy

priestess of the Goddess

of Snakes! Do not speak!

I saw that everyone

around me was saluting,

arching back their body

and touching their right

fist on the brow.

The priestess walked like

a moving statue, straight

and unbending. Behind

her, in quite a distance,

were following two or

three lines of young girls,

most of them not much

older than children,

holding covered baskets

on their hands, big urns

and dishes heaped with

fruits.

In the first line, just in

front of me, a girl was

walking. Her hair was

adorned with a crown of

flowers and she was

carrying a basket whose

cover was half-opening. As

she tried to fix it, it opened

completely and a brightly

44

white pigeon winged out

from inside it and flew

over and sat on my

shoulder!

The crowd around me

held its breath. The young

follower of the priestess

uttered a breathless cry but

she didnt dare to break

the procession.

Before anyone else

around me could

intervene, I grabbed the

dove and stepping

forward, I placed it softly

inside its basket.

The girl thanked me with

her eyes full of happiness

and gratitude. She had big

violet eyes and a rosy color

spread on her face as she

smiled sweetly at me.

- Truly, you are favored

by the Goddess, Alkathos

whispered to me, as soon

as I returned to my place,

45

46

while twenty pairs of eyes

regarded me. - Do you

even know who this girl is?

- How should I know? I

said. - This is the first time

Ive seen her.

- She is Ianthi, the

youngest daughter of

Minos.

I thought that only a

princess would be so

charming and have such a

beautiful name, but right

then came along the boys

and girls who were to be

dedicated to the Goddess.

They were not only the

fourteen children of

Athens. They were many

more. It seemed that at

those days had arrived all

the ships that gathered the

living tribute to the sea-

master king.

I lifted my neck up to

discover Xanthos and

finally managed to see him

among the last ones. He

was walking like a dreamer,

but maybe he felt my eyes,

because he turned around,

saw me and a flash of joy

brightened his face. Save

me! whispered his lips

and then he pressed them

up to keep from crying.

When the procession

passed, followed by a line

of tall Minoans armed with

shields and spears, the

square filled again with its

familiar noises of the

crowds. It was now quite

late in the evening.

- Tonight Ill host you in

my home, Alkathos told

me. It is too late to find

another place for you now.

Besides, I have a son at

your age and I hope youll

be friends.

47

In the house of

Alkathos

I didnt sleep very well during my first night in

Minoan Crete. I was so

tired when we arrived at

the home of Alkathos that

he led me directly to the

quests room and ordered

the old servant who

opened the door, to bring

something for me to eat.

He himself lighted the

light for me, a beautiful

candlestick sculpted from

a gray stone, about a meter

tall and before he bade me

goodnight he advised me

to put it out before I sleep.

- We never let lighted

fires on during the night,

he said. It is very

dangerous in this land,

which is so much troubled

by quakes.

So in a little while I

snuffed my candle and lay

on the bed. I was sleepless

for a long time, staring out

the window at the cypress

waving their tops and the

olive trees shading up the

starry sky. Everything Ive

seen and heard was turning

inside my mind and

prevented me from sleep.

At last, my head dropped

and my eyes closed, but

my sleep was full of

disturbing dreams.

Sometimes I dreamed that

I descended in the bowels

of the earth to fight the

underground bull, whose

roar was heard from afar.

Other times I was

confronted by the fairytale

sight of the little princess.

She smiled sweetly at me

and told me: My name is

Ianthi. What is your name,

to thank you? And as I

was making ready to tell

her, Xanthos appeared and

run to hide behind me,

yelling Save me, Alex,

48

save me! The Minotaur is

going to eat me!

About sunrise I lay

rested and when I opened

my eyes the sunlight filled

the room. Over my head a

dark boy about twelve

years old stood looking at

me curiously. He was

looking so much like

Alkathos, that immediately

I realized he was his son.

I shot up and stood on

my feet.

- Forgive me, I said. - I

was exhausted and slept

too much.

- I know, he smiled at

me. - You slept so deep,

you didnt notice even the

earthquake.

- What, there was

another earthquake? I

yelled with alarm. - When

has it happened?

- Well, it was about

midnight. It wasnt very

strong, but the roar of the

underground bull startled

us all.

So, the roar I heard in

my dream was really the

thunder of the quake.

- My father left early,

because he has duties at

the palace, said the boy

cutting short my thoughts.

- He told me your name is

Alex. My name is Idymos

and for today I shall be

your escort all day.

We went to eat our

breakfast in a covered

veranda with only one side

propped under a wooden

column, painted with the

warm red Minoan color.

All the walls were painted

with military scenes. In

one of them an officer

walked forward, followed

by his black soldiers

running, elsewhere the

same officer, stood at

attention and gave a report

49

to someone superior or a

prince by his dress,

somewhere else half the

soldiers exercised and the

other half watched them.

- Do you like them?

Idymos asked me, flattered

by my interest. - They were

painted for us by one of

the best artificers of the

palace.

- Oh, very much! I

answered. - It is obvious

that this is a soldiers

house. But I dont see

anywhere battle scenes.

- Battles? wondered the

young Cretan. - With

whom to fight? Minos

rules the seas and at the

most, our ships happen to

fight some pirate. As for

the lands beyond the sea,

either they are our vassals

and pay tribute like

Athens, Corinth or

Euboea, or else they are

our friends, like the mighty

Pharaoh, the Assyrian

King and the King of

Babylon. Our army is only

for the shows and to keep

the order. What a shame,

he continued, - that you

mainlanders keep on

fighting each other,

country with country, tribe

on tribe, Attica at Boeotia,

Mycenae with Argos, even

Athens with Megara, he

added, clearly proud for

his knowledge of

geography. - Thats why

the palaces of your kings

are build upon mighty

castles, he concluded,

while our own has around

it only a low wall.

- Which you cant pass

without a special permit, I

said.

- Here is my permit! he

laughed and showed me

his arm, where, like all the

other Minoans he had a

leather band with a seal

made of milky stone. This

50

is like my identification, he

continued. This was a gift

from my father when I

graduated from the school.

It represents a wild goat

standing on a mountain

top.

A maid brought us two

plates of oatmeal laced

with a lot of honey. On

the table there were also

other dishes with bread,

fruits, olives and cheese.

- My mother and my

sister have already left for

the preparations of todays

celebrations, Idymos said,

as if to excuse himself for

being alone in representing

his family. - We celebrate

for the rich crop and all

the girls of the palace will

dance tonight in the sacred

woods of the Goddess.

- Will there be also,

Ianthi, the daughter of

Minos there? I asked with

a secret heart-ache.

How Id like to see again

the young princess!

- Oh, surely! Idymos

laughed. - How do you

know of her? Ah, but of

course, you were the one

who captured her dove!

My sister who was at the

procession told me all

about it. Well, Ill ask my

mother to let us go to the

feast, so that you can see

her again, because she is

the best dancer.

I thanked him and felt

unwillingly the blood

rushing to my head.

I didnt want Idymos to

notice it, so I lowered my

head to my plate.

We ate for a while

silently. But then I saw

Idymoss eyes observing

me. He noticed and smiled

at me.

- My father told me what

you went through

51

52

This wall-painting adorned one of the eastern rooms of the palace and represents a bull-

fighting scene. The bull-rider on the bull is a boy; the other two on the sides are girls.

yesterday, he said. - Only