"Very good," Athena began. "And now I give you . . ."
"Do I need to be more specific?" He turned to Athena, whispering. "I mean, it's very straightforward, but then again I made the thing. Maybe I need to demonstrate, huh? That's it, I'll demonstrate . . ."
"No," said Athena, rolling her eyes. "She gets it. You get it, right, Pandora?"
"Yes, I do! I do! Oh, thank you, wonderful Hephaestus!" Pandy put the net in her pouch, then impulsively dashed forward to kiss his cheek.
"Oh! Oh! I'm so very, very sorry!" Pandy said, bowing low, mortified.
But Hephaestus, smiling, put a huge hand to his face and blushed seven different shades of pink. He looked at Iole and winked.
"Gaa . . . ack . . . ," Iole stammered.
Alcie was now on her feet, not having the vaguest idea where she was, eyes large as serving platters.
"Ah, decided to awaken, have you? The one who doesn't believe in sharing," said Athena sharply.
Alcie opened her mouth to answer, but Pandy wasn't taking any chances. Leaping up, she covered Alcie's face so quickly that Alcie had no time to make a sound.
"It's my fault, great Athena. She was standing close to the box when everything flew out and she's . . . she's . . . not like this all the time!"
But Athena was now staring directly into Alcie's eyes.
"I don't care if the breath is leaving your body, Alces-tis Artemisia Medusa. When someone less fortunate than you is in need or want, do what you can, do what you must. You are of noble birth so start acting like it, box or no box! Take a lesson from Pandora. You never know when you might be talking to someone who may aid you during this difficult journey . . . like a god!"
Athena turned away, but added, "I might have fixed your feet, you know, if you'd been at all nice. Not now, of course, but maybe later . . . we'll see. Don't want to do too much at one time. Don't want to prick up any ears back home. Now, Pandora, I'm giving you a little something. It's not a big deal like the net, but it might come in handy"
She pulled out of the air a small marble bust of herself about the size of an orange.
"I cannot travel with you," she continued, "but this will speak words of wisdom on my behalf. If you are troubled or in doubt, ask this bust and it will answer. However, it will give the answer only once and the tongue may get stuck a little. Design problems, I'm sorry to say. Marble is tough. Try not to use it too often. And only at night, if you can, or when it's cloudy."
Pandy took her hand away from Alcie's mouth and pinched her arm to indicate that Alcie should remain silent as she accepted the bust.
"Thank you, mighty Athena. Thank you both! You have no idea how much—"
"Oh don't be silly, of course we do," said Athena. "All right then, we must be gone quickly. Oh, by the way, I've filled your food sacks with some fresh provisions and added unlimited flatbread and dried fruit. It's not lamb, but you kids won't starve. Hephaestus?"
"Um . . . on to Delphi!" was all he could think of to say before Athena waved her hand. Then they and the camouflaged tent with all its contents disappeared, and the sky was once again a cloudless blue.
Pandy opened her leather pouch to put the bust inside, thinking that she would have to smash everything else way, way down to make enough room. But surprisingly, the inside of the pouch, even with everything in it, was very roomy, almost as if it were empty. And the outside of the pouch was flat, not bulging with the mass of sacks and sandals and supplies. She could reach inside and touch everything, yet it seemed bottomless.
"Hey, look what I found!" said Iole.
She held up the thin rope Athena, as the old woman, had used to lead the goat.
"This might come in handy, you never know," she said.
Iole started to wrap it into a loop. She wrapped it several times but the rope, trailing off into the bushes, seemed endless.
"Sirens of Tartarus! It wasn't that long before," said Alcie.
Iole, still pulling and wrapping the rope in loops, looked back at the bushes.
"I think I'm just gonna forget it," she finally said to Pandy. "We can't carry something this big . . ."
Suddenly the other end was in her hand and the coil of rope was complete.
"Huh?" Iole said, startled.
"Lemme see that," said Pandy.
Iole handed her the small coil.
"There's no way . . . we all saw it, right?" said Pandy. "And now it's . . . Well, I guess we don't need something this small. Maybe if it were a little bigger, we might be able to make use . . ."
No sooner had she spoken the words than the coil in her hands added several more loops and the rope itself became a little thicker. Pandy thought hard for a moment. "Smaller," she said.
The rope shrunk in diameter and lost several loops in length.
"Smaller still," she added.
Instantly she was holding a tiny coil of hemp string.
"It's great!" said Alcie.
"It's brilliant!" said Iole.
"It's going in the bag!" Pandy said, opening her bottomless pouch again. She looked skyward.
"Thank you, Hephaestus. Thank you, Athena."
Dido gave a short bark to get them moving. The sun was almost directly overhead and Iole calculated that they had about four hours of walking to get to the city gates.
"POMEGRANATES! I didn't get anything to eat! And that cushion was the softest thing I've felt in days," moaned Alcie.
With Alcie in the middle and Dido in the lead, happy and full of his breakfast, the three girls trudged the last few kilometers to Delphi, with Pandy and Iole taking turns popping dried figs into Alcie's mouth. Just to keep her quiet.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Delphi
They were overwhelmed from the moment they entered through the tall city gates. Delphi, while smaller in area than Athens, had at least twice as many people crowding its streets. Pandy tried to keep hold of Dido's scruff, but finally gave up when the pushing and bumping became too much. Everyone seemed to be moving toward the city center, and the girls were swept along by a river of unbathed limbs and dirty togas. A wide array of scents hit them all at once; they walked in and out of pockets of incense, body odor, patchouli, old wine, garbage, heavy perfumes, soap, and spiced roasting smoke. The city seemed to be one giant marketplace. Everywhere vendors were selling all manner of goods for the weary traveler, tourist, or information seeker, all with one thing in common: they had something to do with the Oracle of Apollo.
There were small replicas of the famous temple on a hemp string alongside petrified pieces of sacrificial goat. A perfume vendor sold vials of oil, guaranteeing it was the same used at the great altar. There were soaps, lotions, and body salves containing ashes from the sacrificial fires. Papyrus leaflets told of the high priestess's miracle diet; how she'd lost an amazing amount of weight in only two moons: "Learn Her Special 'Sun' Secret!" Leaflets told of oracle phenomena:
"Ithaca man speaks to high priestess, discovers he's dead!"
"Lycian woman's future told: she'll find true love with oxcart!"
For three drachmas, one could buy a small square of flatbread with the image of Apollo and a certificate of authenticity that the Sun-God had touched the bread himself. Or for ten drachmas, four slaves would hoist someone onto a shabby litter and carry her once around a section of the city "in a style befitting the high priestess!"
The girls were shoved and jostled by peddlers, storytellers, magicians, and women selling things that Iole immediately pronounced as "repugnant." There were palm readers, jugglers, wine merchants, and dozens of taverns. Approaching the city center, they were enticed by fake soothsayers who claimed:
"Oracle accuracy 100 percent guaranteed or your drachmas back!"
"Fortunes! Get your fortunes read here, ladies!"
"Everyone's a winner in the tent of Eos the Magnificent!"
"Warts? Leprosy? Lazy eye? Apollo tells me what to tell you to fix it!"
". . . I'll also guess your weight and your birthday!"
Then she saw the sign on the great temple doors.
"Gone for mid-meal. Back at two."
"Blackberries! I never knew so many people had so many problems!" said Alcie.
"Half of them probably didn't about a month ago," said Pandy. "Come on, let's find someplace where I can think for a moment."
With Dido at their heels, they crossed the square to the nearest tavern and took a small table outside.
"I just realized," said Pandy, "that I have no idea where to look for Jealousy in its purest form. I don't even think I'd know it if I saw it."
"Look into my eyes," said Alcie. "It's the only thing I'm feeling when I see anyone walking normally. Maybe you can get it from me!"
"What will it be, maidens?" asked a stout serving maid, approaching their table.
"Oh, um . . . A goblet of grape juice, please," said Pandy.
"I'd like one as well, thank you," said Iole.
"Wine for me!" said Alcie, folding her arms.
The serving maid, Pandy, and Iole just stared at Alcie. Underneath the table, Dido covered his eyes with his paws.
"What?" Alcie said, glaring back. "Oh, fine . . . grape juice, my good woman!"
"Hey!" Pandy said, as the serving maid walked away. "I'll try asking the bust!"
"Good idea," Iole replied. "You can do it right here."
"Are you kidding? Someone is sure to notice," said Pandy.
Then she looked around the tavern; it was overflowing with unfortunates. People sitting alone, mumbling softly, and glancing at the line to see if it was moving. Couples quarreling. Families trying to keep their children in order, arguing with the serving maid over the size of the bill. One man kept nervously looking at the sky. Another woman just sat at her table and cried. Looking out into the Temple Square, Pandy saw that most people were in some state of desperation and probably wouldn't pay any attention to three girls talking to a statue.
"Well, it's not cloudy or dark. . . but we have no choice," Pandy said.
She casually set her pouch on the table and lifted the flap.
The girls bent forward. To the interested passerby, it looked like they were eating out of a feed bag. Fortunately, no one was interested.
"Great Athena . . . ," she whispered into the pouch.
"Wait!" said Iole. "Pandy, be very careful what you ask it. Remember, it will only answer once."
"I know! I know!" said Pandy. She reached into the bag and brought the bust into the light. "Great Athena, where in Delphi will I find the pure source of Jealousy?"
The eyelids of the little bust flew open. The small irises were the same bright green as Athena's. The tiny mouth was moving awkwardly, as if the tongue were stuck with honey, clicking over some words.
"(Click)-side the temple. Go back to (click). All the way (click)."
The mouth stopped moving as the eyelids closed shut.
"And thank you, grrreat Athena!" Alcie groused.
"Shh," said Pandy.
"Well, Alcie's right, Pandy. Is it inside or outside? And why is it telling us to go back? Go back where?" said Iole.
"What time is it?" asked Pandy, putting the bust back into her pouch.
"Twelve thirty," answered Iole, looking at the tavern sundial.
"We have one and a half rotations on the dial until the line starts moving again," said Pandy. "Come on. We'll drink fast. We have no time to waste."
The serving maid brought their goblets of juice, and Pandy and Iole drank theirs down in one gulp. Alcie was taking her time.
"I prefer to sip mine, letting the flavors roll around on my tongue . . ."
"Alcie, if you don't stop . . . ," said Pandy "Fine!" she said and quickly drank her juice.
Getting up, they each counted a few precious coins for the bill.
"You've got to leave a gratuity, Alcie!" said Iole.
"Figs to you!" she hissed, but pulled out another half drachma coin.
Pandy led the way back into the Temple Square. By now the line of people waiting was so long, Pandy couldn't see the end.
"Five-headed lizards! That's a lot of people," said Alcie.
"It must stretch back to the city gates," she said. "Let's try this way."
She walked away from the long line and around the far side of the temple. There was much less bustle here, far fewer vendors and street trade: all the real activity was in the front. They passed only a few disinterested tourists, and the girls pretended they were on a school field trip, speaking animatedly about the history of the oracle and what a clayhead their teacher was. Reaching the far corner at the back of the temple, they stopped to get their bearings.
There was a stone wall surrounding the main temple that went up about twelve meters. At the corner, just above them, there was a large decorative statue of a Greek youth, his arm extended back to throw a discus.
"We've got to get up there. There has to be a back way in, right?" asked Pandy.
"Well, in all the temple manuals I've ever studied . . . , " said Alcie.
"Quiet, Alcie!" said Iole. "There probably is, especially if there's a terrace up there. The high priestess would need a way of getting out to it without going all the way around the front."
"We can't climb . . . this wall is too high and smooth," said Alcie.
"Ooh, I'm so smart!" said Pandy.
"What?" said Iole.
"The rope!" Pandy said.
The three girls looked at one another for a beat, then Alcie pinched Pandy on the arm.
"Ow!"
"Yeah, doesn't feel so great, huh?" said Alcie. "But that was for being a genius!"
"I hope this works," said Iole.
"It has to. The gods don't give things that aren't useful," said Pandy, pulling the small string from her pouch. She held it in her hands and, with Iole and Alcie blocking her from view, said quietly, "Longer."
Instantly the few slender coils grew into many and the width of the rope increased. Pandy quickly tried looping it at one end, but her knots were the simple kind she used to tie her sandal laces. When she pulled the knot tight, it relaxed again and the girls knew it would come loose with any weight on it. She could think of nothing else to do except say, "Make a loop and a knot."
The rope looped over, then twisted and wove its way into a knot so complicated that they couldn't tell where it began or ended.
"Now that's a knot!" said Alcie.
Pandy was about to throw the rope up as high as she could, trying to catch the discus thrower's arm or leg. But she stopped all of a sudden and looked about.
The back area of the main temple marketplace was still fairly deserted, but a few of the food vendors had left their stalls and had congregated in a group for a midday chat. Worse still, a few police-citizens had joined them. A little farther away, a tour group from Corsica was drawing quick charcoal sketches of the temple, positioning and repositioning their friends to get the framing of the pictures just right.
"This is too risky. We need to get these people out of here," Pandy said.
She thought a moment, then pulled her wolfskin diary from her pouch.
"Dear Diary . . . ," she said, unfolding it.
"Blessed you are among mortals. Good evening, Pandora. What do you have to tell. . . ?" said the wolf head, blinking its eyes. "Yes, well. It's sort of bright for evening, isn't
it?"
"Uh . . . nothing to tell just now. I need your help," she said.
"Well... I don't know what I can—"
"Please listen! I need you to tell Dido to create a diversion long enough for us to get up over this wall . . . if we can," Pandy said.
"Ah, yes . . . and then what is he supposed to do?" said the diary dryly.
"Tell him to keep out of sight. Have him wait for us behind the tavern we went to earlier, but tell him to keep an eye on the front doors of the temple. When he sees me there, it's safe to come out."
"Very good," said the skin.
"Dido! Come here, boy!" called Pandy, and Dido was immediately at her side. She put the wolf head close to his and the three girls tried to talk as casually as possible over the whines and yelps being traded by dog and diary.
"He understands completely," said the diary at last.
Dido looked up at Pandy, who bent down and put her face to his.
"Good boy! Now go!"
Dido licked her face and took off like an arrow. He stopped in front of a roasted meat vendor, stood on his hind legs, barked ferociously, and snatched a slab of beef off the vendor's cart, causing a general uproar. Next he dashed into a silk traders' stall, where he shook the slab from side to side, splattering juice and meaty flecks all over the costly fabrics. Then he headed down a side alley with a growing mob at his heels. Each of the girls said a small prayer for his safety. Pandy thanked the diary and quickly put it back in her pouch. The back area of the temple was now deserted. Pandy threw the rope up as high as she could, but it came nowhere near to catching the statue.
"Let me try!" said Alcie.
She got a little higher, grazing the leg of the statue, but the rope didn't catch.
Pandy took the rope back and said, "Catch . . . and hold!"
She threw it up again and the rope went sailing higher than ever. The loop caught on the foot of the statue and held fast.
"Let's try something really crazy," said Iole, as Pandy started the difficult climb. "Ask it to pull us up."
"Brilliant! 'Rope, pull us up,'" Pandy said, and the rope began lifting her higher into the air. "Grab on!"
Iole and Alcie caught the rope below Pandy.
Pandora Gets Jealous Page 12
