The valley opened out on the Anatolian plain, a wide, brown, gently rolling expanse, cut here and there by steep-sided valleys through which small swift rivers flow. Patches of melting snow lay everywhere. There were few trees and little sign of life, except for fowl flying overhead, occasional flocks of sheep, and once a herd of wild asses in the distance.
We reached Tyana the second day after our capture. So crippled were we that we staggered along with our arms about the necks of our Kappadokian guards. One of our three remaining slaves escaped on a mule, so Arivarates made all the menservants of the hipparchia, too, dismount and walk.
Arivarates let us rest in Tyana; it was either that or carrying us. After a day and a half we went on. The wind rose and whipped at us, so that we had to reel along leaning against it.
Now and then one of King Arivarates' messengers would gallop past, spattering us with mud; or a troop of armored cavalry would clatter up, exchange some words with Prince Arivarates, and ride on. King Arivarates was evidently getting ready for a summer of hard fighting.
Between his duties, Prince Arivarates rode beside one or another of us and conversed in Greek or Persian, asking sharp questions. As I had spoken but the truth when I pleaded that this was a scientific expedition, I saw no reason not to be frank.
On the second day from Tyana, we came into a wide flat land of frozen marshes. In the distance a tremendous mountain rose over the horizon, rearing a snow-covered cone above a ring of forested foothills. Arivarates said to me:
"That is the holy mountain of Ma, which the Hellenes call Mount Argaios. Legend says a fire-breathing dragon sleeps beneath it. When he stirs, the earth trembles, and someday he will come forth to burn up the entire land. Ea!" he cried to Pyrron in front of us. "Watch your step, man. If you stray off the road into these bogs, you will sink from sight in a trice."
He turned back to me. "That man has convinced me that he is a veritable philosopher. No ordinary man could be so awkward and absent-minded. But I will lay no wagers that he will so convince my father, who is not overwhelmed by love of Hellenes."
"From your speech," I said, "I had said you had some Greek education yourself."
"True. I have spent a year in Athens. We admire Hellenic culture, but we should esteem it even more if we could get rid of all the Hellenes." He grinned.
"You are making a good start," I said, indicating the column.
"Not bad. My father thought me mad to raid so far south with only a company of foot. But I told him my sturdy hillmen could take care of themselves. And behold! I have taken the cream of Alexander's men, with a monster and a chest full of money."
"Thank you for the flattery. But what will you do with the elephant? This land is too cold for these beasts, and he'll eat you out of house and home."
"That is for my father to decide. If all else fail, he should give us plenty of steaks."
Two days thereafter we reached Mazaka. This city clung to a low spur of Mount Argaios, surrounded by vineyards, orchards, and sheep-folds in the midst of an otherwise wild and barren land. The houses were made of timber from the forests of Mount Argaios and slabs of stone from a quarry on the banks of the Melas. The Mazakans looked at us curiously but did not run and point and shout as had most other folk.
We were herded into a stockade. They let us have our tents, though of course no weapons or edged tools. As soon as they left us, I called the men together and said:
"Lads, some may think all's over but the slave block. But that may no come to pass after all. We dinna ken whether this king will slay us, sell us, or turn us loose. So there shall be no letting down of discipline—"
"So say you!" said Geres of Lapathos. "As for me, I've had all the soldiering I want for the now. Any wight who wants me to obey maun make me!"
The only answer was to spin Geres around and deal him a buffet that stretched him in the dirt. Howsomever, Geres got up and came for me like a wild bull. He was as heavy as I and a puckle taller, so I had my hands full. We were slugging away, and I was bleeding at the lip and wondering if I had not taken on more than I could cope with, when, as I pressed my foe backwards with a rush, I saw a foot shoot out and trip Geres. Down he went. Nobody noticed that he had been tripped, for the yelling crowd pressed in upon us from all sides.
Ere he could rise, I sent him a good swing to the side of his jaw. This time he stayed down. Later Inaudos the Kordian caught my eye, winked, and wiggled his foot.
Thereafter there was no more argument about discipline. I made Klonios of Skotoussa, the double-pay trooper, flank guard in Thyestes' place, after warning him to cast no more lovelorn looks upon Nirouphar. Though too slow and easygoing to make a first-class officer, Klonios was well liked and altogether the best choice open to me.
King Arivarates lived in a palace of rough stone, like unto the other houses in Mazaka but larger. The royal standard, a gilded eagle with two heads, stood on a pole before the entrance. We were marched in under heavy guard, after having been taken to the bathhouse to make ourselves presentable.
The king, a massive graybeard, sat on a throne of carven black stone, from the back of which rose a golden two-headed eagle. On one side stood Prince Arivarates; on the other, a brawny soldier with Kanadas' two-handed sword.
I gave a Persian bow and said: "Rejoice, O King!" When I snapped my fingers and hissed at the others, they did likewise.
King Arivarates chewed his mustache. "So," he rumbled. "What shall I do with you, Hellene?" He spoke Greek with a much stronger accent than his son's.
"Send us on our way to Athens, King," I said.
"Ha! We shall see. My son tells me you claims to be a what-you-call scientific expedition, eh?"
"True, O King."
"With tame philosophers yet?"
"Aye. Behold the wise Pyrron of Elis!"
"Ha!" The king chewed the other end of his mustache. "I have read lots of Greek books. Wonderful thought you Hellenes have. Have beginnings of a good little royal libraries here. But"—and he fixed Pyrron with a glare—"no books by any Pyrron of Elis. What have you written, if you are so wise?"
Pyrron looked shamed. "Well—ah—King," he said, "the truth is that I've never written a real book. I have a multitude of treatises planned. I keep reading and taking notes. But there's always so much to observe, and so many interesting things to do and talk about, that somehow I never get around to serious composition. When I do sit down to write, I always discover I'm out of papyrus, or I've mislaid my notes, or I need a reference book that's in Athens."
"Ha." The king pulled his beard. "You know somethings? This is all a clever little scheme by Harpalos to get reinforcements to Antigonos. I suppose Harpalos will next try to send soldiers through my country dressed as dancing girls. Those branded rascals will not let me alone. I writes nice letter to King Alexander, saying I will be friends with him. What happen? Every year Antigonos invades my country and I have to drive him out again." The king smote the arm of his throne. "So you think you fool old King Arivarates, eh? I have a little surprises for you. Come forward, you so-called philosopher."
Pyrron stepped forward. A lackey brought a stool. The guard with Kanadas' sword also advanced and placed himself behind Pyrron.
"Put the behind on the seats," said King Arivarates. "Comfortably, eh? You better be. We will see who is a philosopher. Honorable calling, philosophy, and it make me angrily to see some how-you-say ignoramus pretending to be real philosopher.
"So. My son has prepared a list of questions. You answer them all right, I let you go, with all your specimens and property except your slaves and money. Those I need, for damages done to my kingdom by Antigonos. But if you do not, off goes your head, and all the rest will be sold into slavery. You understand, eh?"