Ivan Yefremov - Thais of Athens

The little ship was expected in Herculea, since they had correctly calculated the length of their trip. Thais saw Egesikhora, surrounded by a group of soldiers, her mighty stature noticeable from afar. She waited for Thais on board the same ship that had taken her away from Athens. They departed for a three day voyage to Gitius, not far from the delta of the river Eurot. Gitius was in the heart of the Laconian harbor, where Spartan ships were constructed and equipped. Had Euriclidion continued to push them on, the journey could have been as short as two days, but southeast winds were not steady this time of year.

Egesikhora’s friend was in Gitius, assembling his big detachment. His hecatontarchus, squadron leader, was in charge of the ship. Thais didn’t like him because of his overt ogling. He was constantly trying to see through her himation. Egesikhora ordered the soldier around as she wished, not at all bothered by the sincere adoration of smaller commanders, simple spear-bearers who also served as rowers, or of the old one-eyed helmsman, whose only eye — round like that of a Cyclops — noticed everything around him. The man seemed to be everywhere. The slightest imperfection in the strike of an oar, a delay in the turn of the tiller causing a slight loss in their speed, everything caused an abrupt shout from the one-eyed helmsman, followed by a sarcastic joke. The soldiers nicknamed the man a Finikian for his wicked temper, but treated him with respect.

The waters of the Laconian gulf, smooth as the blue mirror Aphrodite had given the Swan’s daughter [11] Helen of Troy. According to the legend, Helen’s mother Leda was seduced by Zeus who came to her in the shape of a swan. pier. The scuffed logs of its edge hovered just over Thais’ and Egesikhora’s heads as they stood at the stern. , seemed to slow the ship as if it were sailing through thick wine. Halfway through their journey, across the Cyprus Cape, the sea turned grassy green in color. Waters of Eurot fell into the sea not far from there. It was a large river housing Sparta, the capital of Lacedemonia, at its origins, two hundred and forty stadiums from the harbor. Rocky and menacing Tyget ridge loomed on the left, a spot famous in the Hellas. This was where the Spartan elders sent newborn children in whom they found imperfections of body and health.

Thais’ ship approached the delta of Smenos with its Las pier, filled with numerous small ships. The ship passed around the wide cape, behind Gitius, the main harbor of Lacedemonia. They docked at the sound end of the harbor where the steep slope of the cape veered to the north, locking in the inner part of the harbor. Deep waters were as still as a dark mirror, even though Not, the south wind carrying rain clouds, came down in gusts and crashed against the opposite edge of the gulf. The ship’s deck ended up about four elbows lower than the

Both hetaerae were noticed instantly, dressed as they were in stunning chitons. Thais wore one that glowed yellow, and the Spartan wore black, setting off the incredible golden redness of her hair. Several soldiers ran toward them shouting, “Eleleu! Eleleu!”, led by the bearded giant Eositeus, who held out his massive arms to Egesikhora. She declined Eositeus’ assistance and pointed at the bow of the ship where four horses waited impatiently under a reed tent. The Spartans were obviously delighted when solders and two stablemen carefully led the stallions forward. The shaft pair was of that rare, snow white color called leukophaes by the Athenians, while the outrunners were leukopyrrian or reddish gold to match their mistress. All the powerful beasts rolled their eyes and twitched their ears. The combination of white and gold was considered particularly lucky since the ancient Cretans had initiated the art of making chryselephantine (gold and ivory) statues of gods.

The gangway was lowered from the pier. The first stallion in line refused to step on the bowing wood, choosing instead to leap straight across to the pier. The ship tilted from the powerful push and the second white stallion, who had tried to follow his brother, had failed to complete the jump off the deck. He was now stuck, reared up, with his front hooves hooked on the edge of the pier.

The ship began pushing away from the pier so that the gap between the pier and the side of the ship widened. In the stallion’s desperate effort to hang on, all of his muscles strained, and a large vein swelled on the side of his belly. The Spartan flew to her horse, but was beaten to it by a soldier who jumped down from the pier. When he landed on the deck, the ship tilted again and the horse’s hooves started slipping off the log, but the warrior shoved the stallion from behind with incredible courage and force, literally tossing the animal to the pier. He moved away, but couldn’t avoid the hind hooves and stumbled back to the unsteady deck. Fortunately, he rose immediately, unharmed.

“Hurray for Menedem!” the leader of Spartan’s shouted, and Egesikhora rewarded the hero with a deep kiss.

“Ha, ha! Look out Eositeus, or you might lose your chrisocoma!”

“No, that is not to be.” The leader of Lacedemonians jumped down to the deck, grabbed Egesikhora and was back on the pier with her in an instant.

The gold colored stallions were taken up the gangway and Thais remained on the deck, laughing at her friend’s attempts to free herself from the powerful arms of her lover. Menedem froze before Thais in admiration, struck by the black-haired Athenian. Her coppery tan and gray eyes were set off perfectly by her yellow chiton. The Spartan youth was dressed only in an epoxida, a short chiton fastened over one shoulder. The only sign that he was a soldier was his wide belt.

During his struggle with the horse, the chiton had fallen off Menedem’s shoulder, leaving the Spartan nude to the waist. Thais admired him openly, recalling the statue of a Spear-bearer by Polycleitus, who had also used a Lacedemonian youth as a model. Menedem’s torso, neck and legs were equally powerful as those of the famous statue. Over his extremely broad, conves chest rested solid slabs of chest muscles, barely missing the perfect arch at the edge of his ribcage. His stomach muscles were so thick that instead of narrowing at his waist, they overhung his thighs. His thigh and calf muscles bulged above and below the knees. The narrowest part of his body was at the top of his hips. Such muscular armor had easily withstood the impact of the hind hooves of the panicked horse, suffering no damage.

Thais looked into the embarrassed athlete’s face. He blushed so hotly that his small ears and childishly round cheeks turned into one crimson spot.

“Well, Menedem,” Egesikhora teased from the dock. “I doubt you can lift Thais. She is pantashilioboyon, worth five thousand bull,” she said, hinting at the price set by Philopatros on the Ceramic wall. The ancient Athenian silver coins, originally minted by Theseus, carried an image of a bull. Each coin used to equal the cost of a bull and was also called a bull. A bride in the ancient farming Athens was always paid for in bulls, which was why a daughter in the family was called “bull-bringing”. The largest ransom was one hundred bulls, hekatonboyon, approximately two minas, which was why the monstrous size of Thais’ “ransom” caused a series of surprised exclamations in the group of soldiers.

Even Menedem took a step back, and Thais burst out laughing. “Catch!” she shouted.

Instinctively, the soldier lifted his arms and the girl jumped off the stern. He caught her deftly, and she settled comfortably against his broad shoulder. But Hesiona ran after her, clutching at her leg. “Do not leave me alone with the soldiers, Mistress!”

“Take her too, Menedem,” Thais said. This was accompanied by general laughter. The athlete shrugged, then effortlessly carried both women to the pier.