The Journey to Ancient Greece - Chapter 3

 . . . Continued from Chapter 2

Mt. Parnassus

     “That is Mount Parnassus,” said Argo pointing to the large mountain they were approaching. The town of Delphi was located along the slopes of the mountain. “The Oracle here is considered the best in the land.”
     The three children entered the city and continued walking towards the large temple in the middle of town. There were market fronts along both sides of the street where people had setup small shops selling food, baskets, pottery, clothing, and linens. The busy foot traffic caused dust to be kicked up into the air forcing Kyla to cover her nose with the long folds of her cloak.

The Temple of Apollo

     “The temple is up ahead,” said Argo.
     The three children climbed up a high series of stone steps to the Temple of Apollo. Zammie had seen pictures of this temple in his text books at school, but it was much more beautiful in person. While the history books showed the Temple of Apollo as just a few gray stone ruins with no real walls or roof left, the building Zammie saw was in immaculate shape with statues and engravings that were freshly painted with bright colors. Sculptures decorated with gold and ivory lined the walls outside. The temple was built overlooking a valley where a large amphitheater could be seen down below while the cliffs of Mt. Parnassas shot towards the blue sky above them.

Painted Greek statue

     There was a group of four soldiers standing outside the main entrance to the temple. They reminded Zammie of Spartan hoplite soldiers because they wore green Thracian helmets that covered most of their faces and each wore a form-fitting metal cuirass that protected their upper body during battle. They were talking to each other and hardly noticed the three children who passed by them into the temple.

Spartan hoplite soldier

     The strong scent of burning incense hit the children upon entrance. It made Zammie think of cinnamon sticks and pine cones being roasted in an oven. He read somewhere that the source of the Oracle’s trances originated from methane gas that leaked from cracks in the temple floor. Methane is both colorless and odorless, but even if Zammie could smell it the strong incense being burnt would have covered it up.
     The floor of the temple was made of alternating black and gray marble that made the interior look like a life size chess board. Kyla was impressed with the large columns and statues of men and women carved into the walls. The statues had also been painted with vibrant colors which inspired Kyla to want to redecorate her room at home. Burning torches were hung along the walls creating an eerie assortment of shadows on the faces of some of the giant statues.
     "This place is kinda creepy, huh?" asked Zammie.
     "Don't be scared, Zammie," said Kyla.
     "I didn't say I was scared."

The Oracle

     The children saw the Pythia, or priestess, on the far side of the main hall in a dark corner of the temple. She was sitting on top of a tall golden chair with thin legs and wearing a gold-colored cloak with a rich purple himation cloth overtop of it. There were two more hoplite soldiers standing a few paces away from the priestess while she listened to a third man who was standing close to her. This third man was dressed as a soldier, but he looked to be of a higher rank than the others. He wore a dark red cloak and his helmet had a bright, white plume on top of it that reminded Zammie of a Mohawk haircut. He was carrying the helmet at his side while talking to the priestess.
     “What do we do now?” asked Kyla.
     “We wait for our turn,” answered Argo.
     A male attendant with a dark beard and wearing a long gray cloak stood next to the priestess. Zammie watched as the priestess stood up and began to whisper into the attendant’s ear. The priestess would shake between whispers, clutching into the air as if trying to catch imaginary flies. She’d lift her hands up to the sky, speak out strange words that no one could understand, and then gather herself again as if she had fallen into a trance. Zammie thought she was on drugs. After each brief session of whispering, the attendant would repeat the Oracle’s advice for all to hear.
     “O ye men who dwell in the streets of broad Lacedaemon!,” he said, “Either your glorious town shall be sacked by the children of Perseus . . . or, in exchange, must all through the whole Laconian country mourn for the loss of a king, descendant of great Heracles.”
     When she was finished offering her advice, the Oracle returned to her perch atop the golden chair.
     The soldier walked away from her and headed towards the temple exit. The other two soldiers who stood nearby followed him and they began talking to each other.
     “You two stay here,” Argo told the two cousins. “I’ll be right back.”
     Argo made his way across the main hall towards the priestess leaving Zammie and Kyla alone near the doorway. When the soldiers walked by the children Zammie overheard one of the men say, “But it is certain death, Leonidas. They have us far outnumbered.”

Statue of King Leonidas in Greece

     This caught Zammie’s ear. Could it really be him? 
     “King Leonidas?” asked Zammie. The group of soldiers stopped and turned around towards Zammie. The man wearing the red cloak stepped to the fore.
     “Yes,” he said in a smooth, baritone voice.
     Zammie was a little intimidated now. “Are you really King Leonidas?” he asked.
     “He is, boy, now what do you want?” asked one of Leonidas’ companions. He was obviously in no mood to talk to children.
     “I…I just wanted to say…I’m a big fan,” said Zammie. “I think you were a great—are a great leader.”
     Leonidas gave the faintest grin. “What’s your name, young man?”
     “Zamuel Pineda, sir.”
     “Where are you from, young Zamuel?”
     “A place far from here.”
     “And how is it you know of me?”
     “Because everyone knows of King Leonidas,” said Zammie. “You are a legend.”
     “A legend?” Leonidas broke into a loud laugh when he heard that.
     “Not in this lifetime, my young friend.”
     Zammie wanted to say, But you will be, until he thought better of it.

     King Leonidas of Sparta was to make his name echo throughout history from the Battle of Thermopylae. That famous battle was fought between an alliance of several Greek city-states (or poleis) and the large Persian army led by Xerxes I (also known as Xerxes the Great) over the course of three days in September of 480 B.C. The Battle of Thermopylae took place during the second Persian invasion of Greece, the first failed invasion having occurred ten years earlier.

Xerxes the Great of Persia

     By 480 B.C., Xerxes had amassed a massive army and navy made up of men from all corners of his empire, and set out to conquer Greece and all of its inhabitants. The Athenian general Themistocles had suggested that the allied Greeks block the advance of the Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae, and simultaneously block the Persian navy at the Straits of Artemisium. Themistocles would lead the Greek navy that had recently been strengthened with new ships called triremes while Leonidas would lead the battle on land. Leonidas had a force of approximately 7,000 men at his disposal while the Persian army probably ranged between 100,000 and 300,000 strong. Although vastly outnumbered, the Greeks were able to stall the Persians for seven days including their three days of intense battle. Eventually the reduced Spartan forces were destroyed in one of history's most remarkable last stands.


     During two full days of fighting, the small force led by King Leonidas blocked the only road by which the colossal Persian army could pass. After the second day of battle, a local resident named Ephialtes betrayed the Greeks by revealing a small path that led over the hills and behind the Greek lines. Aware that his force was being outflanked, Leonidas dismissed most of the Greek army, and remained to guard the rear with just 300 of his fellow Spartans plus 700 Thespians, 400 Thebans and perhaps a few hundred others. Virtually all of these men were killed, but their model of sacrifice and valor in the face of overwhelming odds in defense of their native soil was used as a rallying point for the rest of the Greek army and navy. Soon Themistocles and his navy were able to regroup and defeat their Persian counterparts in several momentum-changing battles with much of the inspiration on the front coming from the example shown at Thermopylae.  

Leonidas

     “We have to be going, young Zamuel, but it was a pleasure to meet you,” said Leonidas.
     “It was nice to meet you, too, your Highness.” Zammie gave a short bow. He had never met a king before so he wasn’t exactly sure how to address him.
     “You see? The youth are not yet a lost cause,” Leonidas said to his companions. Then he turned around and walked out of the temple with the other soldiers following closely.
     “Who was that?” asked Kyla.
     “I can’t believe it,” said Zammie. “I still can’t believe we’re actually here.”  


 At that same moment Argo had approached the priestess and was hoping to quickly get her advice before someone with a larger sacrificial donation arrived and cut in front of him. He put his woolen bag on the floor in front of the priestess and opened the top to show two smaller bags inside. One of the bags was filled with large, green olives and the other was filled with hazel-colored dates. A young maiden stepped out from next to the priestess and inspected the donation. The maiden looked back at the priestess and gave a single nod before returning to her place at the Oracle’s side.

Temple of Apollo ruins

     “I have come seeking advice, wise Oracle,” said Argo. “I want to travel to Patra to find my sister, but I have been commanded to move to Troezen with the rest of the women and children of Athens. What should I do?”
     The priestess stared right through Argo. Her eyes were solid white as if they were covered by a milky film. She sat frozen for a few moments then lifted her youthful face towards the ceiling of the temple.
     The male attendant standing next to the Oracle leaned in close to hear what she had to say. She didn’t stand up or go through all the acting as she had for the soldiers. Argo figured this was because their request was much more important than his and not worth her expending the energy. After whispering her lines into the attendant’s ear, the attendant repeated them for Argo.
     “There are two roads, most distant from each other,” said the attendant. “The one leading to the honorable house of freedom rolls over land . . . the other the house of slavery, which mortals must shun, rolls over water . . . Await not in quiet the coming of the horses, the marching feet, the armed host upon the land . . .Slip away. Turn your back. You will meet in battle anyway.”      
     The priestess lowered her head back down and once again appeared to be staring right through Argo with her lifeless eyes. Argo waited for a moment to see if she would say anything else. When she made no other movement he turned around walked away from the priestess just as Zammie was running up to him.
     “I heard what the guy said. What does that mean?” asked Zammie.
     “She doesn’t want you to go find your sister, does she?”
     “She doesn’t personally care one way or the other what I do. But she said it would be acceptable for me to go,” said Argo. “I believe now I have the approval of the gods to make this trip.”
     The three children continued to talk as they left the temple and walked back out into the sunlight.
     “But she said the house of slavery is what mortals must shun,” said Zammie.
     “Correct. Because slavery is a source of pain,” said Argo. “But she also said not to wait to act. I take that to mean I can go.”
     “Are you sure?” asked Zammie.
     Argo looked at his two companions, “Thank you both for walking with me, but this is something I need to do that will be very dangerous, and I will understand if you choose not to come with me.”
     Zammie and Kyla looked at each other. “I don’t think we can, Argo,” said Zammie. “We need to figure out how to get home.”
     “I understand,” said Argo. “I wish the both of you good luck.”
     “Bye, Argo,” said Kyla.
     Argo smiled and walked off towards the town market.
     “What are we gonna do now, Zammie?”
     “Come with me.” Zammie grabbed Kyla’s hand and the two cousins walked back into the temple.
     “What are you going to do?” she asked again.
     “Maybe she can tell us how to get back home.”
     Zammie slowly drew near the priestess. Her head was tilted down and her eyes were closed as Zammie approached. The male attendant was busy cataloging the inventory of donations they had received so far that day, but he stopped to stand next to the Oracle when he saw Zammie.
     “Excuse me, ma’am,” said Zammie. The priestess’ eyes opened and her head lifted to look at the boy. Zammie took a half-step back when he saw the white, milky gloss where pupils should have been. “Um, I have nothing to offer you because my cousin and I are a long way from home, and we miss our parents very much. But is there anything you can tell us to help us return home? Any advice for us at all?”
     Zammie was surprised at how young she looked. He had always envisioned the Oracle at Delphi as being an old hag or witch, but this woman was probably in her late twenties and she had a very pretty face with long brown hair that hung down over her shoulders.
     The Oracle didn’t move for a few moments but then closed her eyes.
     “The Oracle does not give advice without tribute,” said the male attendant. “You children should run along.”

     Zammie didn’t like the man’s condescending attitude. “I know, but, please, sir, just some help for us to get home—“
     “Be gone!” said the attendant.
     He took a step towards Zammie as if he was going to grab him, but the voice of the Oracle stopped him.
     “Wait,” said the priestess. She had opened her eyes again and they were no longer white. Zammie could see the woman had soft green eyes that looked like glistening emeralds. “Young man. You are not from this time.”
     Zammie’s heart froze in fear. Could she tell he was from the future? Was he going to be in trouble? For a split second Zammie envisioned both he and Kyla being forced to work as temple servants for the rest of their lives because they would be considered trespassing orphans; being bossed around by this terrible attendant. It was an irrational fear, but who would protect them here?
     “You are indeed a very long way from home,” she continued. “Two paths lay before you. One is guided by a friend and one is guided by strangers. Both are open to peril.”
     “Peril? But both paths can lead us back home?” Zammie asked.
     The priestess had a sad look on her face. “I can’t tell. I cannot read your future. You are not from this time. Who are you? Why are you here?”
     Zammie noticed that several more attendants, both men and women, were slowly approaching to get a better look at these children. The Oracle never spoke directly to anyone except the attendants. They were curious why she had decided to speak to these kids.
     Zammie took hold of Kyla’s hand again and began to back away. “Let’s go.”
     “Why? What’s wrong?” asked Kyla.
     “Come on,” said Zammie.
     The priestess watched the two children walk out of the temple. “So far from home,” she whispered to herself.


     Once outside the temple, Zammie stopped for a moment to think about what to do next.
     “What just happened in there?” asked Kyla.
     “I don’t know. I think she could tell we don’t belong here.”
     “Really? But what do we do now? Are we going to be stuck here forever?”
     “No, Kyla. There has to be a way back.”
     “That lady said something about a path guided by a friend,” said Kyla. “Maybe we should try to find Argo again.”
     “Yes. I was just about to say that,” said Zammie. “I think he went this way. He couldn’t have gone far.”
     Zammie and Kyla began walking towards the agora market in hopes they could once again find Argo.

 To be continued in Chapter 4 . . .

TIME TRIP ADVENTURE 4

KILLING FOR COUNTRY  

Available at Amazon.com!

TIME TRIP ADVENTURE 1

THE JOURNEY TO ANCIENT GREECE 

Available at Amazon.com!

TIME TRIP ADVENTURE 2

A RIDE ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

Available at Amazon.com!

TIME TRIP ADVENTURE 3

WITNESS TO THE FIRST THANKSGIVING 

Available at Amazon.com!