Lion of Macedon

Epaminondas chuckled, but there was little humour in the sound. He stood and walked to the window, opening the shutters. 'Look up there,' he said, pointing to the citadel upon the hill. 'There is the Cadmea. It is garrisoned by Spartans like yourself; there are no Thebans there.'

'I am no Spartan,' replied Parmenion. 'I was despised as a mix-blood, part Macedonian, but were I a Theban I would be seeking a way to… persuade the Spartans to leave.'

'Would you now?' responded the Theban, a red flush spreading across his thin, pockmarked cheeks but his voice remaining cold. 'There are few men who would attempt such an action. For myself, as I said, I am a private citizen and have little interest now in matters martial.'

'Then I shall trouble you no further, sir,' said Par-menion. Leaving the letter from Xenophon on the desk, he bowed and walked to the door.

'Wait, man!' called Epaminondas, not wishing his unwelcome visitor to see his other guests as they left. 'You are a stranger in the city, and you can stay in my home until we can find suitable lodging for you. I will have a servant prepare you a room.'

That will not be necessary. I have no wish to remain where the welcome is so grudging.'

'I see you are a plain speaker, so let me be equally frank. I have no great love for Spartans, be they friends of Xenophon or no. But you are a stranger in a strange city. Finding good lodgings will take time. I urge you to reconsider — and,' he added, forcing a smile, 'I will even apologize for my crusty behaviour.'

At the smile Parmenion appeared to relax. 'I too must apologize. I am out of place here, and I feel awkward.'

'We shall start again, then, Parmenion. Come, sit and take some wine while I read this letter.'

Returning to his couch, the Theban unrolled the parchment and read of the duel with Nestus and the need for Parmenion to seek his fortune in another city. 'Why did you fight this man — or is it a private matter?' he asked at last.

'He was betrothed to a girl. I too was in love with her.'

'I see. What happened to her?'

'She was sacrificed as Cassandra's victim.'

'What a barbarous people we are,' said Epaminondas. 'It amazes me how easily we criticize the peoples of other races, calling them barbarians, while still we practise obscene blood sacrifices.'

'The gods require them,' Parmenion said.

'There are no gods,' responded the Theban. 'It is all a grand nonsense — yet they have their uses.'

'How can something that does not exist have a use?' asked the younger man.

The Theban smiled. 'There are two doors leading from this room, Parmenion. If I told you that one door was guarded by a lion and that the other leads to a paradise, which door would you open?'

'The paradise door.'

'Exactly. The lion does not exist — but it helps me to make sure you open the door I require. It is very simple. Soldiers tend to believe in gods and oracles, but in my experience any prophecy can be turned to advantage.'

Parmenion felt uneasy with this casual blasphemy and changed the subject. 'Xenophon told me you once fought alongside the Spartan army.'

'Three years ago. I was twenty-five then, and a lot more naive. Thebes and Sparta were allies against the Arcadians. I was given ten gold pieces by Agisaleus, who told me I fought well — for a Theban.'

'The line broke,' said Parmenion, 'but you and Pelopidas locked shields and stopped their advance.

When Pelopidas was struck down, wounded in seven places, you stood over his body and protected it until the Spartans came up to support you.'

'You know a great deal about me,' said Epaminondas, 'while I know little about you. Was Xenophon your lover?'

'No, friends only. Is it important?'

Epaminondas spread his hands. 'Only in so far as I must trust his judgement. He says you are a gifted strategos. Is he right?'

'Yes.'

'Excellent, no false modesty. I cannot abide a man who cloaks his talents.' The Theban rose. 'If you are not tired from your long ride, we will walk around the city and become acquainted with your new home.'

Epaminondas led Parmenion through to the front of the house and out on to the wide main street heading south to Electra's Gates. Parmenion had ridden through these gates only an hour before, but now he stopped to examine the reliefs carved in the stone gateway. The figure of a man, hugely muscled, was shown attacking a beast with many heads. 'Heracles' battle with the Hydra,' said the Theban. 'It was carved by Alcamenes. There is more of his work to the north-west.'

Together the two men walked around the walls of Thebes, through the market-places, passing houses built of white marble and other smaller dwellings of sun-dried clay bricks, painted white.

Everywhere there were people, and Parmenion was struck by the variety of colour in the clothing and in the decoration upon house walls. The streets also were paved and decorated with mosaics, unlike the hard-packed earth of Sparta's roads. Parmenion stopped and stared at a woman sitting on a low wall. She wore a dress of red, edged with gold, and silver pendants hung from her ears. Her lips were impossibly red, her hair a gold he had never seen.

She saw him and rose smoothly. 'A gift for the goddess?' she enquired.

'What gift?' asked Parmenion. She giggled and Epaminondas stepped in.

'He is a stranger to Thebes, doubtless he will give the gift on another day.' Taking Parmenion's arm, he steered the young man away from the girl.

'What gift did she desire?'

'She is a priestess of the Temple of Aphrodite and she wanted to bed you. It would have cost forty obols. One obol goes to the temple, the rest to the priestess."

'Incredible!' whispered Parmenion.

They walked on and made their way slowly through the crowds thronging the market stalls. 'I have never seen so much waiting to be sold — so many trinkets and items of little value,' remarked Parmenion.

'Little value?' replied Epaminondas. 'They are pleasing to look at, or to wear. There is value in that, surely? But then I am forgetting you are a Spartan; you like to live in rooms with one chair made of sharp sticks and a bed with a mattress of thorns.'

'Not quite,' responded Parmenion, smiling. 'We occasionally allow ourselves the treat of sleeping naked on a cold stone floor!'

'A Spartan with a sense of humour — no wonder you were unpopular with your fellows.'

At last they came to the twin statues of Heracles and Athena, standing at the southern base of the Cadmea. They were shaped from white marble, and were over twenty feet high. 'Alcamenes' greatest achievement,' said the Theban. 'When you and I are dust, and forgotten by history, men will marvel at his workmanship.'

'They are so real, like frozen giants,' said Parmenion, lowering his voice.

'If Athena did exist, I would think she would be pleased with his creation. It is said that the model was a priestess of Aphrodite, but then with a body like that it is hardly surprising.'

'I wish you wouldn't blaspheme,' said Parmenion. 'Have you ever considered the possibility that you might be wrong? The Spartans are very religious, and they have never lost a land battle where the foe had equal numbers.'

'I like you, Parmenion, and I ask you to consider this: Sparta is the only city to retain a regular army, magnificently trained, superbly disciplined. Could that be the reason they win battles?'

'Perhaps it is both.'

'Spoken like an ambassador,' said the Theban, with a broad smile. He led Parmenion to an open square where seats and tables had been placed beneath canvas awnings to block the sun. They sat at an empty table and a young boy wandered over and bowed.

'Bring us some water and a few honeycakes,' ordered Epaminondas. As they ate, he questioned Parmenion about his life in Sparta and the full story behind his departure. He listened in silence as the Spartan talked of his life and of his love for Derae.