'But I'm a Hellene myself, master.'
'I was considering the men. The woman are better, perhaps, yet wanton.'
'You only say that because you saw them in Kalleos's house, mostly. Do you remember her? Or Phye? Or Zoe, or any of the others?'
I shook my head. 'I only know how these Hellenes have seemed to me.' I sought to take the sting from my words. 'Their children are beautiful and very kind.'
She smiled. 'I'm the only one you've had much to do with. But maybe you're right anyway about the men and women. What do you know about the People from Parsa?'
'It was they who commanded the soldiers who brought us into this city; but though I feel sure I've seen them before, I can't remember where.'
'I saw them back in Hill. They don't talk like we do, and they keep their women out of sight even more than the people do in Thought. And I saw one on the wall yesterday. That was how I knew how to get Drakaina into Sestos.'
I asked whether Drakaina was the woman in the purple gown, and Io nodded.
'She wanted to get inside so she could talk to the People from Parsa for the regent, but she didn't know how. Only yesterday, you and she and Pasicrates walked around looking at the towers on wheels, and I saw a man from Parsa on the wall watching her. The jewels on his cap and in his rings caught the light, so I knew he must be an important man, and from the way he looked at Drakaina I knew that if she ever came near the wall he'd have soldiers come out and get her. Then you fought with Pasicrates and ran away, and I thought I ought to go in with her, so that maybe I could get him to help you. The Rope Makers will probably kill you if they ever catch us again.'
'Who's Pasicrates?' I asked, not liking to hear that I had run from him.
'He's the head Rope Maker out there,' Io told me. 'Or he was. I'll tell you about him if you want, then you can read about him in your book. We're going to have plenty of time, I suppose.'
Io had no sooner spoken than the door swung wide. I expected to see soldiers like those who had brought us here, perhaps with an officer from Parsa; but these were all barbarians with long trousers and cloth-draped heads. I found I knew already what sorts of faces they would have and how they would be armed. Yet because I did not know I would recall those things until I saw them, I will write something of them here.
Their hands and faces are the only parts of their bodies they do not cover; and sometimes they cover even their faces, pulling up the cloth that conceals the neck to keep dust from the nose and mouth. Instead of sandals they wear shoes (which I think must be very uncomfortable) so that no part of the foot can be seen. Among the Hellenes bright colors are worn often, but garments are all of one hue save perhaps for a band at the edge. The People from Parsa have half a dozen different colors in the same cloth. Even soldiers like those who came for us do not wear much armor.
Their spears are no taller than the men who bear them. Instead of a pointed grounding iron that can serve as a second spear head if the shaft breaks, they have a round weight at the butt. It is wise of them to make them that way, I think, because so short a spear would be useless after the shaft had broken; but the weight should permit the soldier to reverse his broken spear and use it as a mace. This weight shifts the point of balance to the rear, just as the grounding iron does.
The men of Parsa always have their bows and bowcases. I think they must be fonder of the bow than any other race; surely no race could be fonder than they. Their bows are of wood and horn bound with sinew, and they bend backward when unstrung. Their arrows are hardly longer than a man's forearm and have iron points. Some have blue feathers, some gray. They are carried in the bowcase with the bow.
Their swords are short and straight, with tapering blades sharpened on both sides. Those of the soldiers who came for us have bronze lions' heads on their pommels, and that of Artayctes, to whom they brought us, has a golden lion's head. It is very beautiful, but the truth is that all these swords are hardly more than long daggers- good for thrusting but for nothing else. Some of the men from Parsa do not even carry swords. They have long- hafted axes instead, and that is what I would choose myself in preference to such a sword. The men who bear these axes wear a knife at the belt.
Artayctes is of graying beard, with eyes even harder and darker than is common among his countrymen. Because he wears a jeweled cap and many rings, I decided it was he whom Io saw upon the wall. The woman Io had called Drakaina sat at his right hand, not cross-legged as he himself sat, but with her fine legs to one side and bent at the knee to show their grace. When we came, she drew the end of a many-colored scarf across her nose and mouth.
He addressed her in a language I did not know, and she bowed her head. 'Once my lord has spoken, the thing is done.'
As the Hellenes speak, he said, 'Your tongue is more supple than mine, in this speech particularly. They do not comprehend ours?'
'No, my lord.'
'Then explain to them why they have been brought into my presence.'
Drakaina turned so it appeared that she looked from the window of Artayctes's audience chamber, yet I saw her eyes were on me. 'I told my lord what you did to Pasicrates and said you could no doubt kill three ordinary men. He has a guard of Sestians beside his own soldiers, and three have volunteered to fight you. Not with spears, but with hands bare, as contestants fight in the pancratium. Do you know that event? Only weapons are barred.'
I was about to ask what I had done to Pasicrates (whom Io had told me I had fled) when Artayctes clapped his hands and a sentry ushered in the three. All were as tall as I am, well-muscled men at the height of their strength.
Io protested, 'This isn't fair!'
Drakaina nodded agreement. 'You're right, but the men of Parsa don't like boasting. I'd forgotten that. When they hear a boast, it's a point of honor with them to make the man perform accordingly, even when it was spoken by another. I believe my lord thinks too that Latro has been my lover, though we both know it is not so.'
Io said bitterly, 'By no fault of yours.'
I was watching the three. If the leader could be killed, it would take the heart from the others. Often a leader stands between his followers, but in battle the place of honor is the right flank. As I took off my sword belt I muttered, 'Maiden, aid me now.'
At once the door of Artayctes's audience chamber opened again, and two more men entered, both as naked as the first three. Neither was large, but the first was so handsome and well shaped in every limb that every other man must have seemed deformed in his presence. The other was older, yet strong still, sun-browned and grizzled, with cunning eyes. Neither made any move to help me, each standing motionless beside the door, his arms at his sides. The three who faced me did not so much as look at them.
Artayctes said, 'You are three set at one. Kill him and return to your duties.'
The Sestians to my right and left stepped forward so that with the third they might enclose me. I knew that was death and edged to the left, so that the man there would have to fight me alone, if only for a moment.
He grappled, and I struck him with my fist below the navel and in the face with the crown of my head. He reeled and fell backward, his nose gushing blood.
At once the older man flung himself upon him, face to face as lover kisses lover. Until then I had not been certain the rest could not see the two who had come last, but when I saw them I knew. I circled and feinted, sure delay would favor me.
Nor was I wrong. The grizzled man rose, his mouth crimson with blood, and seized one of my opponents from behind. Still the man did not see him, yet his movements were slower.
'I am Odysseus, son of Laertes and King of Ithaka,' the grizzled man whispered. 'We need more blood, for Peleus's son.'
'I doubt it,' I told him, for I had seen that the remaining Sestian watched my eyes and not my hands.
When the fight was over, Drakaina smiled-I could see her lips through the thin stuff of the scarf. 'My lord Artayctes feels the news I've brought is too important to remain caged here. Furthermore, there isn't food enough in the city for it to resist much longer-the people are boiling the straps from their beds.'
Artayctes spoke some angry word, but Drakaina did not look chastened.
'He hoped for relief before this. It hasn't come; so he will go, taking his own people and those from the far
