The Goddess of Buttercups & Daisies

by Martin Millar

  That was more prosaic than he was expecting. If the Goddess Athena ever chose to appear to him, he hadn’t thought it would be to tell him to cheer up.

  ‘So you lost to Eupolis,’ she continued. ‘What of it? You helped bring peace to Greece.’

  Aristophanes’ fear had receded a little, helped by the goddess’s conversational tone. He managed to utter a few words. ‘I know. Peace is good. But…’

  ‘But you can’t stand that you lost? Really, Aristophanes, you shouldn’t worry about it. Eupolis’s play will be forgotten in a few years. So will Leucon’s. Your play won’t be. Two thousand years in the future, people will still be reading Peace.’

  Aristophanes was startled. ‘Two thousand years? Really?’

  ‘Yes. When every other Athenian comic dramatist has long been forgotten, your name will still be remembered. Your plays will be published in languages that haven’t even been invented yet.’

  Aristophanes was staring somewhere around the goddess’s midriff, not wanting to look her in the eyes, which might be disrespectful, and dangerous. He was moved to glance upwards at the phrase languages that haven’t even been invented yet. He liked that.

  ‘Your plays will survive through thousands of years, and be read by people in nations that don’t yet exist. They’ll be staged in a future you can hardly imagine. People will be applauding Trygaeus on his flying beetle when Eupolis is no more than a footnote in a history book.’

  Aristophanes was still struggling to speak. The Goddess Athena didn’t seem to mind. He supposed she would be used to it.

  ‘Does this make you feel better?’ she asked.

  ‘Much better, Goddess.’

  ‘Good. Now I suggest you brighten up, sleep properly, then start writing your next comedy.’

  Athena began to fade from sight, but then, as if changing her mind suddenly, she came sharply into focus again.

  ‘Oh, and Aristophanes…’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Send Bremusa back happy, or there will be trouble.’

  With that, the Goddess Athena disappeared. Aristophanes’ head snapped back and he came fully awake. He leapt from his chair. It had been a startlingly vivid dream. Or vision, perhaps. The Goddess Athena had appeared to him. He hadn’t quite arrived back in reality when he noticed Bremusa standing in the doorway.

  ‘I should take this armour off,’ she said. ‘I’ve been wearing it since I arrived in Athens. Do you have a bathing room? With hot water?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Take me there. I have two days before I’m due back on Mount Olympus.’

  Luxos

  Luxos the poet was more used to the city than the countryside, and toiled as he ascended the steeply rising hills. He had to pick his way carefully through several spiky thickets, and scramble over patches of loose shale and scree. He found it arduous, though it was not quite as hard as it might have been; Luxos had a new pair of sandals, of good quality, his first for some years. Aristophanes had paid him for his help. The payment had been surprisingly generous; in the past few days, the playwright’s mood had dramatically improved. Luxos also had a commission from Theodota to write an ode to her beauty, and several invitations to symposiums held by well-connected citizens, where he would be paid to read and would probably pick up more commissions. His performance in the theatre, and his Hymn to Athena, had been widely praised. Doors were opening all over the city to Luxos, and he was no longer a figure of fun.

  ‘That’s the good thing about Athens,’ he said, to a small sparrow which looked down at him from a branch. ‘If you show you have talent, you can get a chance.’

  He raised his lyre in the direction of the sparrow. ‘Would you like to hear a new poem I’ve been working on about Aphrodite?’

  They clothed her with heavenly garments:

  on her head was a fine, well-wrought crown of gold,

  her earrings were of orichalc and precious gold,

  golden necklaces hung over her soft neck and snow-white breasts,

  The sparrow chirped in appreciation.

  ‘It’s just a first draft,’ explained Luxos. ‘I’ll have to ask Metris if she can find out anything more about Aphrodite for me. You’d like Metris. She’s wonderful. I’m going to see her now.’

  Luxos bade the sparrow a cheery farewell and carried on. After some more arduous scrambling, he finally emerged in an area of green woodland, where the slope was much more gentle.

  This looks like the place, he thought. Metris said she’d meet me here.

  There was no sign of the nymph, though he did think he glimpsed a centaur through the trees. Luxos took a few steps forward and suddenly found Metris right in front of him, smiling. He wasn’t sure if she’d stepped out from a behind a tree, or just materialised out of thin air.

  ‘Luxos.’ Metris threw her arms around him, and they kissed. ‘You found me!’

  ‘I followed your directions.’

  ‘Some people can’t get here, even with directions.’

  She kissed him again.

  ‘It’s so good to see you, Lux,’ she said, using her pet name for the young poet. She took his hand and led him along a path between the trees. Flowers grew along the edges of the path, the richest, most colourful flowers Luxos had ever seen.

  ‘It’s so exciting! My temple’s been repaired!’

  ‘Really?’

  Metris nodded enthusiastically. ‘Workmen arrived saying Hephaistos had sent them because the Goddess Athena asked him to arrange some building work for her. I just moved in with the naiads for a few days and when I came back the temple was all fixed up, it’s really lovely! It’s better than ever, they’ve made it so nice and comfy. Look!’

  They rounded a corner. Metris’s small temple had been completely renovated. More than that, it had been upgraded. Pillars, previously of grey stone, were now gleaming marble, and there was a finely chiselled statue of the Goddess Athena on the portico. Metris waved cheerfully to the statue. Above the door was an inscription.

  TEMPLE OF METRIS

  (JUNIOR) GODDESS OF BUTTERCUPS AND DAISIES

  ‘Isn’t it lovely?’ said Metris. Her youthful face lit up as she surveyed her renovated home. ‘And they made me a goddess. Well, a junior goddess anyway. I expect you just have to wait a while before you get promoted.’

  Inside the temple there were two shrines. The larger, in the middle, featured another statue of Athena.

  ‘So I can talk to her any time I want. Bremusa said they’d be pleased to hear from me whenever I felt like a chat. She was a lot happier the last time I spoke to her.’

  At the back of the main room was a smaller shrine, dedicated to the spirit of nymphs everywhere.

  ‘I thought that was a nice gesture,’ said Metris. ‘It’s time we got the recognition we deserve. And look, they took care of all the details.’ She opened a cabinet door, revealing several large amphoras full of wine.

  ‘Enough for libations, with plenty left over for me.’

  The rear of the temple had been renovated, extended and remodelled into new living quarters. In a very comfortable room, full of quilts and cushions, Luxos and Metris drank a little wine, lay down together and gazed into each other’s eyes.

  Glossary

  Acropolis

  An ancient citadel located on a high rocky outcrop above the city of Athens. Site of the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, and other public buildings. The temples of the Acropolis were destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC, and rebuilt under the leadership of the Athenian statesman Pericles.

  Agora

  Open space in Greek city, used for both commerce and public meetings. In Athens the agora was surrounded by important buildings, including temples and the law courts.

  Amazon

  Mythical race of female warriors.

  Amphora

  Large ceramic jar, commonly used for storing wine.

  Athmonon

  Attica, the region of Greece ruled by Athens, was divided into administrative units called Deme
s. Athmonon, a rural area, was one of those demes.

  Chiton

  Athenian garment. A rectangular piece of linen or wool draped over the wearer, held in place at the shoulders by brooches and at the waist by a belt. Worn knee length by Athenian men, and ankle length by women.

  Choregos

  A wealthy Athenian citizen who was assigned the task of financing a play at the festival. This was regarded as an honour, though it could be a serious drain on the citizen’s resources.

  Cottabus

  A game played at dinner parties. The objective was to throw the dregs of wine from your drinking cup towards a small statue on top of a bronze stand. To win, you had to knock the statue off its plinth, making it fall into a container below. Participants reclined on their couches while playing.

  Delium

  City, north of Athens. Site of the Battle of Delium between the Athenians and the Boeotians, in which Athens was defeated. In Plato’s Symposium, Alcibiades talks to Aristophanes about Socrates’ bravery in the aftermath of this battle.

  Delphi

  Location of the Delphic Oracle, best-known and most authoritative of the ancient oracles.

  Deme

  Administrative sub-division of Athens and the surrounding region.

  Dionysia

  An Important Athenian festival. The book is set in the City Dionysia. (There was also a Rural Dionysia.) It took place in the month of Elaphebolion which today would be March or April.

  Drachma

  Athenian coin, equal to six obols.

  Ephor

  Important officials in Sparta, sharing power with the Spartan joint Kings.

  Gymnastae

  One of the various classes of officials responsible for both the physical and moral training of youths at the gymnasium.

  Hesiod

  Poet, from Boeotia in central Greece, active round 700 BC and roughly contemporary with Homer. He was highly regarded by the ancient Greeks. Some of his work was mythological in nature but some of it dealt with the harsh realities of life as a farmer.

  Hetairai

  The highest class of courtesans in Athens. As well their beauty, hetairai were valued as good companions because of their education and intelligence. They could also be skilled musicians and singers. They were not native Athenian citizens, usually coming from other Greek cities. Unlike most women in Athens at the time, hetairai could legally control their own financial affairs.

  Hoplite

  Athenian foot soldier. Well-equipped, with bronze armour and bronze-covered shield. They carried a long spear and a sword. Trained to fight in formation, in the phalanx.Luxos would have been too poor to afford his own armour, and probably would have served in the light troops who supported the hoplites.

  Krater

  Large vessel used for diluting wine with water. Usually ceramic, occasionally made of metal.

  Laurium

  The silver mines at Laurium, south-east of Athens, were an important source of income for the city-state. The Athenians used the wealth to build up their navy, a major part of their military power. The silver was also used for Athenian coinage, which was valued all over the ancient Greek world.

  Lyceum

  Named for its Patron Apollo Lyceus (Apollo in the form of a wolf) the Lyceum was originally an open-air meeting place. By the time of Aristophanes there was a gymnasium for wrestling and athletics. The grounds were also used for military training. Later the Lyceum became associated with Aristotle, who founded his school there.

  Lysistrata

  Comedy, performed in Athens in 411 BC.

  Medea

  Play by Euripides, produced in Athens in 431 BC. At the end of the play, Medea travels to ‘the land of Erechtheus,’ meaning Athens.

  Melos

  The inhabitants of the Island of Melos were virtually wiped out in 415 BC by an Athenian military expedition.

  Muse

  The Muses were goddesses who provided the inspiration for literature, science and the arts. According to Hesiod’s Theogony, (7th century BC) there were nine muses, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne.

  Olympus, Mount

  The highest mountain in Greece. In Greek mythology, Mount Olympus was the home of the Gods.

  Pandionis

  In the 5th century BC, Athenian citizens were organised into ten tribes, of which Pandionis was one. Each tribe contained members from the city itself, and from the surrounding region of Attica. The Pandionis tribe was named after Pandion, a legendary king of Athens.

  Parthenon

  A temple on the Acropolis, famed in ancient and modern times. The Parthenon was dedicated to the Goddess Athena. It was part of the rebuilding project carried out by Pericles after the destruction caused by the Persian invasion in 480 BC. The Parthenon housed a huge ivory and gold statue of Athena, regarded as one of the wonders of the ancient world, sculpted by Phidias. The Parthenon also served as a treasury.

  Piraeus

  Port, harbour and shipyard, south-west of Athens, and the base of its powerful fleet. The corridor of land between Athens and Piraeus was enclosed and protected by the Long Walls, constructed by order of Pericles in the mid 5th century BC.

  Pnyx

  A hill in Athens. Citizens gathered on the Pnyx to hold their democratic assemblies.

  Salamis

  An island about a mile from the coast at Piraeus. In 480 BC, around 60 years before events in this book, the combined navy of the Greek city-states, led by Athens, destroyed the Persian fleet in the narrow strait between Salamis and the mainland. The Persian King, Xerxes, immediately fled. His invading army, which had occupied Athens, was soon annihilated.

  Scythian Archers

  The Scythian Archers were slaves, owned by the state, who acted as guards or watchmen in Athens, making up some sort of police force. Historians today know very little about them.

  Sparta

  Greek city-state, Athens’ main rival for supremacy in Greece during the 5th century BC. Famed for their military training, the Spartan army was regarded as unbeatable at this time. Athens was the dominant naval force, but they were unable to match Sparta on land, and were forced to withdraw behind their walls when the Spartans ventured into Attica. Shortly before the time of this book, Athens had scored an unexpected victory over a Spartan force at Pylos, and taken Spartan prisoners. These prisoners gave Athens a powerful bargaining chip in negotiations.

  Symposiarch

  The Symposiarch acted as master of ceremonies at the symposium. His main duty was to regulate drinking. Athenians always diluted their wine with water. (Wine in ancient Greece may have been stronger than it is today.) The symposiarch was responsible for deciding by how much the wine should be diluted, and how often drinks were passed round. It was bad form for a symposium to descend into a drunken rabble, and the symposiarch was supposed to prevent this from happening. Despite this, it was known to occur.

  Symposium

  A drinking party. Usually associated with the educated gentlemen of Athens. Activities could vary, from serious philosophical and political discussions, to heavy drinking and carousing with flute-girls.

  Tetradrachm

  Athenian silver coin, equal to four drachma. Widely used in the ancient Greek world.

  Troy

  City in Anatolia, now part of modern Turkey. Site of the famous Trojan war, as recounted by Homer. While Homer’s epic contains many mythical elements, many modern scholars believe that there was a war between Greeks and Trojans, probably around 1200 BC.

  Afterword

  I admire the ancient Athenians for many reasons. I like their architecture, their statues, their pottery and their writing. They had good armour too. I admire their bravery. They were responsible for repelling two huge invasions from the east, defeating the Persian Kings, Darius and Xerxes. Other Greek states helped in the wars but, in my not-to-be-relied-upon historical opinion, the Greek successes were mainly down to the Athenians.

  Mostly I admire them for inventing democracy. It was a ne
w idea that all citizens should have a say in the running of their nation. It was a brilliant innovation, and a step forward for the world. It’s true that Athenian democracy did not extend to the universal franchise we’d expect today, but they made more progress in a generation than most other countries would manage in the next 2000 years.

  Not everything about Athens was good. They spent a lot of time fighting and arguing with other Greek city-states. They made some disastrous foreign policy decisions, and the continual warfare led to their eventual downfall. Nonetheless, the great city-state of Athens, at its peak in the fifth century BC, left a huge mark on the world.

  I’ve tried setting a novel in ancient Athens before, but it never really worked, and I abandoned these earlier efforts. It wasn’t until I decided to make it revolve around Aristophanes that my book started to make sense. Aristophanes’ riotous comedies helped to set the tone. If the Goddess of Buttercups and Daisies isn’t exactly historical, containing as it does visits from nymphs and Amazons, well, Aristophanes laid the groundwork for this long ago, with his combination of real-life Athenians, Gods, and mythical creatures, all coming together in outlandish and improbable encounters. I’m very keen on Aristophanes. Despite the often-farcical nature of his plays, there is no-one better for telling you what life was actually like in the ancient city. These comedies might lack the grandeur of the great tragic writers, but they’re the best place to learn about the sausage sellers, jurymen, farmers, and squabbling politicians who actually lived there.