I relaxed.
The words started to flow and they carried my listeners with them. Through my writing, they joined Thrax and me as we battled hoodlums in a graveyard outside Corinth. They hurtled with us on a ramshackle raft along an underground river in Delphi. They battled the monster Charybdis near the island of Aegina. And I could tell from the silence in the room that they were hanging on to my every word, that I had them in the palm of my hand. I wanted the feeling to last for ever.
As I took my bow at the end of the reading, Socrates, Euripides and Herodotus all rose to their feet and held up their kylix. ‘To Nico, the finest adventure writer in Athens.’
Master Ariston joined them, followed by the rest of audience and my three closest friends – ‘To Nico, the finest adventure writer in the world.’
It was the best moment of my life.
After the summer comes the rain, after joy sadness, and so it was that night. It was time to say goodbye to Thrax. He was leaving for Thrace at dawn. His bag was packed, his passage purchased with the money from Zeno’s payment. He had already taken his leave of Master Ariston and Master Lykos.
Fotini had obtained permission to remain out of the temple after sundown and the four of us walked together to the agora. The last night of the Anthesteria was over and the streets were littered with discarded flowers. The stale smell of their crushed petals mixed with the less intoxicating aroma of thrown-away street food and burnt cooking oil. ‘That was the most exciting Anthesteria ever,’ I said. ‘And the most dangerous. I can’t wait for it to come around again next year.’
Thrax had sent word to Akademus that we wanted to speak to him, and the boy was waiting for us near the fountain of Hera.
‘Akademus, this our friend Fotini,’ said Thrax. ‘You haven’t met her because she has been at the temple this last week, but she is a member of our secret society. The Medusa League.’
‘A secret society? You mean a gang like the one I’m in?’ said Akademus.
‘A little like that,’ said Thrax. ‘But we help to solve crimes and bring criminals to justice.’
‘It doesn’t sound a very exciting society,’ muttered Akademus.
‘But it is,’ replied Thrax. ‘Its members have all sorts of exciting adventures and they help people too.’
‘Like I helped you yesterday,’ said Akademus.
‘Yes, exactly like that,’ I said, taking over from Thrax. ‘General Pericles was very impressed with your contribution. He sent you this.’
I held out a fat purse bulging with coins.
Akademus’s eyes grew wide. ‘Say thank you to the general for me. There’s enough here to feed all the kids in the agora for a month – and some left over for me to buy a petasos. I hate going out in the sun without a hat.’
Fotini pulled a medallion of the Medusa from her bag. ‘Akademus,’ she said, ‘we would like you to become a member of our secret society and help us solve more crimes. Thrax is not going to be with us for a while and we’re going to need the help of some very clever people like you. Would you like that? This is our lucky charm.’
Akademus took the medallion and hung it carefully around his neck. ‘Yes, I would be honoured to join the Medusa League. I will wear the medallion with pride. Thank you.’
His fingers ran along the purse that now hung at his belt. I knew he was itching to start spending some money. ‘We have to go now,’ I said, ‘but we’ll let you know when the Medusa League needs your help.’
‘You can always ask for me at the baker’s in the southern stoa,’ replied Akademus. ‘Have a safe journey, Thrax. Come back and see us soon.’ He turned to walk away, whistling loudly.
We watched him disappear into the thinning crowd. Usually inducting a new member to the Medusa League is a joyous occasion. But tonight we all felt sad. We were about to say goodbye to our most important member.
Thrax’s ship was sailing from Piraeus, the main port in Athens we had often used before. Thrax, Gaia and I walked him all the way there, along a wide road protected from pirates and invaders by high walls. The seagulls wheeled and cawed above us and a stiff breeze blew in from the sea. The morning sky turned a pearly grey, then pink.
It was going to be the perfect day for sailing. We asked for directions and found his ship berthed at the dock. It was a small merchant vessel called the Calliope.
‘Thrax,’ I said before he got on board. ‘Do you remember after our first adventure in Corinth, we released a dove and you said “one day I will be free as that bird”? Well, now you are.’
‘I am,’ he said. ‘And I couldn’t have done it without your help, Nico. Thank you.’ He pulled his purse out of his bag. ‘We earned quite a bit of money to buy my freedom but in the end we didn’t use it. Here, Nico. Take the money.’
I pushed the purse away. ‘Keep it,’ I said. ‘You might need it to buy your mother’s freedom if she was enslaved at the same time as you.’
Thrax smiled. ‘I can’t believe I’m off to look for her at last. I have dreamed of this moment as long as I can remember,’
‘Keep in mind what Selene told you in Delphi,’ I said. ‘Your mother is waiting for you. You will find her.’
‘And then I’ll bring her to Athens to meet you all.’
The ship’s first mate called from the deck. ‘All aboard, please. We’re casting out. All aboard.’
‘If I have found my freedom, Nico, you have found your calling,’ said Thrax. ‘Last night was a big step for you. Your first public reading.’
‘And it all happened because of you.’
‘No, you were always a writer,’ said Thrax. ‘You just needed someone to push you in the right direction.’
The ship’s first mate called again. ‘All aboard now. All aboard. The good ship Calliope is sailing.’
We all hugged Thrax goodbye while other travellers clambered aboard and the sailors offered sacrifice to Poseidon for a safe journey. I’d always wished Thrax would come to this moment but now that it had arrived, I had to admit my heart was breaking. Saying goodbye is much more painful than you think.
In a quick blur of movement, the anchor was lifted, the rowers set to and the Calliope slipped away fromg the quay. Fotini, Gaia and I waved at Thrax till the ship was just a speck on the ocean and we couldn’t see him any more.
‘May Poseidon and Athena go with him and bless him all the way,’ said Gaia.
‘And may Hera reunite him with his mother,’ added Fotini.
‘Yes,’ I said, ‘and may she bring him home safely. I know he’ll be back one day. We’ll have more adventures and more mysteries to solve. The Medusa League will be strong again. Meanwhile I have another story to write, one that might please my new audience even more than the adventures I recounted at my debut. I already have a title for it: Shadow of the Centaurs.’
Bonus Bits!
Greek gods and myths
Thrax and Nico, the main characters in our story, lived in a period of Greek history known as Classical Greece. It lasted from around 510 to 323 BC. The age when myth and history merged was long gone. People still believed in the ancient gods, though. They prayed and sacrificed to them often and referred to them all the time. Here is a list of gods and some mythical characters mentioned in our story.
Aphrodite goddess of love and beauty. Her special symbol was the evening star. She was also associated with the sea and was often depicted in art swimming with dolphins and swans or surrounded by pearls.
Apollo god of music and poetry. A beautiful young man, his symbol was the lyre. When only four days old, Apollo was believed to have killed a serpent-like dragon called the Phyton.
Ares god of war. One of the twelve Olympians, the ancient Greeks considered him dangerous. He drove a war chariot through the skies, accompanied by his children Phobos, the god of fear and Deimos, the god of terror. His symbols included the shield, the spear and the vulture.
Argonauts group of brave sailors and heroes who, according to Greek myth, sailed with Jason to Colchis. They w
ere named after their ship, the Argo. Their journey is meant to have taken place around 1300 BC. Among them were the hero Herakles and his nephew Iolaus.
Argos dog made famous by the ancient Greek author Homer in his masterpiece, The Odyssey. He belonged to the hero Odysseus and waited for him to return home from the Trojan war. He was known for his speed and strength.
Ariadne a princess, daughter of King Minos. She was in charge of the sacrifices offered to Poseidon in the Minotaur’s labyrinth. She helped Theseus kill the Minotaur and then find his way out of the maze. As she was travelling to Athens with the prince, Dionysus fell in love with her and carried her away to Mount Olympus.
Athena goddess of many things, including wisdom, mathematics, war and heroes. She was also the goddess who protected Athens, her city. Her many symbols included the owl, the olive tree, the shield, the spear and a protective amulet with the Medusa’s face on it.
Centaurs mythical creatures, part horse and part human being. To the ancient Greeks, they represented cruelty. At least one of them, however, was considered wise and gentle. His name was Chiron and he was the tutor to the god Asklepios and the heroes Herakles, Achilles and Jason.
Charon ferryman who carried the souls of the dead to Hades, the underworld.
Charybdis mythical sea monster that lived under a rock in the sea. Ancient sailors believed it swallowed colossal amounts of water three times a day, which it spat out to create a deadly whirlpool.
Demeter goddess of the earth, the harvest and fertility. She was also the patron of sacred law. Bakers always sacrificed the first loaf of bread made with new corn to her. Her symbols were the torch, bread, sheaves of wheat and the cornucopia.
Dionysus god of wine, the grape harvest, merrymaking, theatre and ritual madness. Many illustrations of him show him as a well-rounded old man but he is sometimes drawn as a younger person too. He was looked after by magical rain nymphs when he was a child.
Hades god of the underworld, which was called after him. He was also the god of darkness, death, the afterlife and metal. People were often too scared to call him by name, in case he came to fetch them to the underworld.
Hera the mother goddess. She was married to Zeus, the chief god, and was protector of women, marriage and the family. Believed to be a very serious person, she was often depicted on a throne. The peacock, the cow and the lily were some of her many symbols.
Herakles son of Zeus and a famous hero in Greek mythology. When he killed his wife and children by mistake, the god Apollo set him twelve tasks. If he performed them all, not only would he be forgiven but he’d also become a god himself. When the mortal part of him died, Zeus himself sent a chariot to fetch Herakles to Olympus.
Hermes god of thieves, travellers and athletes. Believed to be quick on his feet and able to slip easily from the mortal world into the mystical one, he acted as a messenger for the other gods. He was also honoured as the god of boundaries between countries and worlds.
Jason mythical prince whose father was killed by his own half- brother, King Pelias. When he tried to reclaim his throne, his uncle sent him to fetch the fabled golden fleece from the faraway land of Colchis. King Pelias thought Jason would never return but he did.
Medusa a gorgon, a monster with snakes for hair. If anyone looked into her eyes, they were turned immediately to stone. Medusa had two sisters who were immortal. They could not be killed. The hero Perseus managed to cut off Medusa’s head. He escaped being turne to stone by only looking at the gorgon’s reflection in his shield.
Odysseus a king and one of the heroes of the Trojan War. He had the idea to build a wooden horse in which the Greeks hid until they were taken into Troy. He was known for his wisdom and courage. His journey home after the war was filled with adventures involving storms, monsters and wicked spells.
Pan god of shepherds and hunters. He also protected the forests and the medows. In art, he was always shown as a man with the horns, tail and legs of a goat. He also had a very thick beard and pointy ears. Pan played the pipes, always hidden from the view of mortals. He liked chasing nymphs.
Persephone Demeter’s daughter. When she was kidnapped by Hades, she also became queen of the underworld. Her symbols were the pomegranate, seeds, torches and deer. She was often seen in statues carrying a musical instrument called a systrum. Sometimes she was also shown carrying a sheaf of corn.
Poseidon god of the sea. He was also known as the earth-shaker because he could cause eathquakes. He could create islands and springs by striking rocks with his trident. Sailors prayed to him for protection while fishermen left their tridents in his temple when they retired.
Zeus the chief god on Mount Olympus and ruled over the other gods with a fiery temper. All the other gods rose to their feet when he was present. His special symbols were the oak, the bull and the thunderbolt – which he loved hurling at his enemies. He was married to Hera.
GLOSSARY
Thrax and Nico use many Greek words in their fourth adventure. Here is a list of what they mean.
Agora a meeting place for a town or city. It was also a market place
Amis a chamber pot. It was kept close to or under a bed so people did not have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night
Andron a special room where men relaxed and held parties
Anthesteria an annual festival held in ancient Athens. One of the four festivals, dedicated to the god Dionysus, it took place on the 11th, 12th and 13th of the month known as Anthesterion. That would be in January or February in our calendar
Attica a region in Greece that surrounds the city of Athens
Aulos a musical instrument made with two reed pipes
Bouleuterion a building in ancient Greece where the council met
Chalkoi a Greek coin of small value. Eight chalkoi were worth one obol
Chiton a long tunic, usually made of wool
Chlamys a short woollen cloak
Deme a zone or suburb of a city or region
Discus heavy disc used in sport
Doric a simple form of design in architecture
Epiblema a shawl, usually worn by women, especially if they had sleeveless clothes on
Fibula a brooch or a clasp
Gymnasiarch an athlete who also ran a gym
Gynaikon the part of a Greek house, usually upstairs, reserved for women
Hellenic referring to Hellas which was what the ancient Greeks called their world
Himation a long woollen garment, like a cloak, worn over the left shoulder, usually worn by men
Hoplites Greek citizens who also acted as soldiers
Kalamos a reed pen with a hard tip, used for writing on papyrus or parchment
Keramaikos part of Athens where many potters lived
Kapeleion a bar that served food and drink
Khaire ancient Greek word which meant ‘rejoice’. It was used like our ‘hello’
Klepsydra a famous spring located under the Acropolis in Athens
Kottabos a popular game played during symposiums, where players flung wine at a basin
Koudounias bell-like instruments made of copper. You play them by hitting them with a stick
Krater a large vase used for mixing wine and water
Krotalas wooden clappers, a bit like modern castanets
Kylix a two-handled drinking cup
Lekanis a small flat pot with a lid, sometimes used for storing make-up
Narcissi scented wild flowers with white petals
Nymphs female spirits and minor goddesses of the natural world, who lived in springs, rivers, seas and meadows
Obol a coin. One obol was worth eight chalkoi. In Athens, obols were made of silver
Panoply a suit of armour
Pelike a two-handled jug, usually decorated with beautiful pictures.
Petasos a wide-brimmed sun hat
Petteia a popular board game. The word itself means ‘pebbles’
Phalanx a group of soldiers. They fought holding their shields together to cre
ate a protective wall
Pithoi large storage containers with two handles used for bulk storage of wine and other goods
Polis an ancient city or city-state
Pythia the priestess of the oracle of Delphi
Propylaea the grand entrance to the Acropolis
Sarcophagus a stone coffin, mostly used in ancient Egypt
Stoa a covered walkway, usually in public places
Styx one of the rivers in the underworld
Symposium a party for men only, with music, entertainment and discussions
Tiganites wheat pancakes, usually eaten for breakfast
Tesserae small pieces of stone used to make a mosaic
Tympanums ancient Greek tambourines
Acknowledgments
As always, I have a few people to thank for helping to bring this story to life and into the hands of my readers. Hannah Rolls at Bloomsbury for being so patient, my editor Susila Baybars and my agent Katy Loffman at Paper Lion.
Thanks are also due to the hundreds of Year 5 and 6 students in Leeds and Bradford schools who listened to early drafts of the story and gave advice.
Did you like Shadow of the Centaur or any of the other Ancient Greek Mysteries? Email Saviour and let him know at www.spirotta.com
Look out for the other Ancient Greek Mysteries by Saviour Pirotta, published by Bloomsbury Education.
Mark of the Cyclops
Secret of the Oracle
Pirates of Poseidon
Visit www.bloomsbury.com/education for more information.
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First published in Great Britain, 2018 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
This electronic edition first published in 2018 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Text copyright © Saviour Pirotta, 2018
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