“This is a gift delivered to me in your name by a young Frakian slave,” Thais said.
“I never sent it, although I do enjoy things with such exceptional workmanship.”
“And these two fighting panthers tell you nothing?”
Ptolemy, sensing Thais’ seriousness, still tried to laugh it off. “Perhaps it was sent by one of your countless admirers.”
“Perhaps. Maybe one who wished me dead.”
Ptolemy jumped up in anger.
Thais continued. “Order this to be taken to the learned physicians of the Museum to determine the nature of the poison from which Boanergos fell. It was because of this that my own life was pushed to the edge of the Tartar. I would have been there a long time ago, had it not been for her,” the Athenian said, pointing at Eris.
“In my name?” Ptolemy roared. His mighty voice resonated through the entire palace. Soldiers ran in, their weapons clanging.
“Do not be angry in vain. Neither Eris nor I suspected you for a moment. But this was sent by a man from your inner circle, there is no doubt about it.”
“It cannot be!”
“Think about it. Look at the panthers, my wise Ptolemy. One more thing: you appointed Berenice’s son as your heir, and not your eldest son, Ptolemy the Lightning. And not my Leontiscus. I thank you for doing that. The boy will not die at the hands of assassins. But Lightning Ptolemy’s mother is now gone to the kingdom of Hades, and I am still alive and ruling.”
“Berenice?” Ptolemy’s voice broke, as if he had received a mortal wound.
“No,” Thais said with certainty, bringing him back to life. She handed him a tablet bearing the name. “Here.”
Ptolemy shrugged.
“Ask Berenice. I think she will recognize the name, although she may not be associated with this ghastly deed.”
Ptolemy left in a rage and returned in a few minutes, dragging the disheveled Berenice, who must have been getting ready for the feast. Her delicate face was deathly pale and twisted with fear, and her black eyes darted between Thais and her husband.
“Do you know him?” Ptolemy snatched the fateful tablet from Thais.
Berenice read it and fell at his feet. “My cousin on my mother’s side. But I swear by the Styx and the gloom of Amenti…”
“Do not swear, Majesty.” Berenice froze, hearing the way Thais uttered the title. “We know of your innocence.”
The Athenian pulled up Berenice and the latter, while taller, suddenly seemed small before the Queen of Memphis.
“I shall order the rascal apprehended at once,” Ptolemy shouted and struck a metal disk.
“You shouldn’t. He was certain to escape as soon as he received word about the failure of his attempt. But you must remember him, Majesty,” Thais said almost menacingly. She stepped away from Berenice, sending away the servants with an imperious gesture. “I am calling off the feast. Today I shall speak alone with my husband.”
Ptolemy did not dare disagree.
They talked till dawn, having settled Eris in one of the adjoining rooms. No one knew of what the king and the queen spoke. At dawn, Thais placed the sacred uraeus before Ptolemy, took off the colorful royal beads and Egyptian garments, and put on her favorite yellow ecsomida and the gryph talon necklace.
A view of the limitless sea, tinged with the rosy gaze of Eos, greeted them from the enormous palace terrace.
Ptolemy himself brought crimson wine from the Cretan vineyards and poured two delicate goblets, carved from mountain crystal during the rule of the first pharaohs of Egypt.
“Geliaine, Majesty! May the gods of Hellas, Egypt and Asia protect you in all your glorious deeds as a builder and collector.” Thais raised her goblet, splashed in the direction of the sea and drank.
“When you say that you are tearing away a portion of my heart,” Ptolemy said. “I am pained to part with you.”
Smiling mischievously, the Athenian tapped the wine vessel, which had been made of the horn of an Indian unicorn beast of fantastic value. “Do you drink only from this one, being afraid of poison?”
Ptolemy blushed slightly and did not answer.
“You have come of age. It is time to choose only one queen. And you have done so. What is there to be sorry about?”
“The glorious past is unforgettable, when I accompanied Alexander. You were with us in Mesopotamia.”
“It is unforgettable but you cannot live in the past. When will the ship be ready?”
“I ordered a sturdy ship to be prepared along with a strong guard. You may sail in two or three days, only tell the navigator where to go.”
“To Cyprus, to Pathos.”
“I thought you were returning to Athens.”
“Conquered by the late Antipatros, with Munikhia locked up by Macedonians, and with the fresh grave of Demosthenes who poisoned himself? No, until you, Cassander, Seleucus and Lysimachus end the war against Antigonus, I am not going there. I am sure you are aware that Cassander’s officer in Argos burned five hundred people alive, and in response Antigonus’ strategist completely decimated the sacred Corinth?”
“Such is war.”
“It is a war of savages. Both soldiers and officers must be barbarians if they allow themselves to do in Hellas what foreign invaders did not dare. If things continue this way, I do not expect anything good for Hellas.”
Ptolemy watched Thais and listened carefully to her.
“You speak the same way as the new philosophers who recently appeared at the Museum. They call themselves stoics.”
“I know of them. They are attempting to find the new kind of morality, originating from the equality of all people. Best of luck to them.”
“There will be no luck! Roman state grows in the west, ready to reduce the entire world to slavery. For some reason they particularly despise the Hebrews. Romans imitate Helenians in the arts, but in their essence they are malevolent. They rely solely on military force and are cruel toward children, women and animals. Instead of theaters they have enormous circuses where they slaughter animals and each other to amuse a roaring mob.”
“Are they skilled at bloody sacrifices?” Thais asked.
“Yes. How did you know?”
“I know of a prophecy. Countries like Hellas, Rome, and Carthage, where people offer bloody sacrifices, placing their gods at the same level as beasts of prey, are headed toward swift demise, the destruction of all they have created, and the complete disappearance of these people.”
“I must tell this to my philosophers. Would you like to meet with them at the Museum?”
“No. I have little time. I would like to see Leontiscus.”
“He is sailing near the shores of Libya, but I had guessed your wish yesterday and sent a fast ship.”
“The advantage of being a king’s son. I thank you once more for your decision to make him a simple sailor and not an heir, an envoy or some other kind of ruler. He is much like me and is not suited for that role.”
“You gave him your Cretan blood and the limitless love of the sea. What do you wish for Irenion?”
“I want her fostered with Pentanassa, a friend of mine from an ancient family, whose names are inscribed on the monuments of Cyprus. I want to make her into a good wife. She possesses your common sense, caution in all matters and, I think, your foresight. The separation of Alexander’s empire and your choice of Egypt still serve as the best examples of your wisdom as a statesman.”
“I chose Egypt for another reason. Here I am a king of a multitude of strange people and create a new state as I see fit, selecting the most suitable people to bring to power. Those whose wellbeing is connected with my rule will serve to protect me at the time of trouble. There will be no more insufferable envy, backstabbing, squabbling or competition between powerful but ignorant people from ancient families, of the kind that kept Hellas from blossoming as it could have, with such great people. Its best citizens were always subject to slander and shame. The nobles expressed their gratitude toward the most outstanding people by executing them, sending them into exile, betraying and imprisoning them. Remember Pericles, Phidias, Socrates, Plato, Themistocles, Demosthenes. One more cup to our farewell.” Ptolemy raised the crystal goblet and suddenly stopped. “I have nothing to reproach you for after all these years, except one thing. Would you like to know what it is?”