CHAPTER IV.
A COUNCIL.
The house of Hippocles was on a smaller scale than might have seemedsuitable to his vast wealth. The fact was that both he and his daughterhad simple tastes. They had a special dislike to the enormousestablishments of slaves which it was the fashion for rich Athenians,whether of native or of foreign birth, to maintain. In each division ofthe house--for, it was divided after the usual Greek fashion, into two"apartments," to use that word in its proper sense, belongingrespectively to the men and the women[12]--there were but three or fourinmates besides the master and mistress. Hippocles had his house stewardand his personal attendant, both older than himself, long sinceemancipated, who had accompanied him from his Italian home, and a lad ofseventeen, who was still a slave, but who, if he conducted himself well,would certainly earn his freedom by the time that he had reached the ageof thirty. Hermione's establishment, on the other hand, consisted of alady who had just exchanged the post of governess, now no longernecessary, for that of companion or duenna, a housekeeper, and twodomestics who may be described by the modern terms of lady's-maid andhouse-maid. Stephanion, the companion, was of pure Athenian descent. Shebelonged to one of the many families which had been reduced to povertyby the war, and she had been glad to take employment in the house of thewealthy alien. She had more education than was commonly given toAthenian ladies, but this is not to say much, and Hermione would havefared but ill for teaching, according at least to our standard if herfather had not always found time even in his busiest days, to supplementher education. The housekeeper was a Laconian woman. She, too, had foundher way into the family through circumstances connected with the war.She had been nurse in a wealthy Athenian household. Before the war ithad been the fashion, my readers should know, for the upper classes atAthens to get their nurses from Sparta. A true Spartan, a daughter thatis, of the military aristocracy that ruled Laconia and its dependencies,it was, of course, impossible to obtain, but girls from the farmer classthat cultivated the lands of their soldier masters often soughtsituations in other countries. This was the case with Milanion, who asthe youngest of the five daughters of a Laconian farmer, had beendelighted to find a place with an Athenian lady, Melissa, wife ofDemochares, at a salary which almost equalled her father's income. Thiswas just before the commencement of the long war. She had been nurse toMelissa's five children when the disastrous expedition to Sicily broughtirretrievable ruin upon her employer's family. Demochares was one of thearmy that surrendered with Nicias, was thrown with his comrades intothat most dreadful of prisons, the stone-quarries of Syracuse, and diedof a fever before the end of the year. His property had consisted, forthe most part, of farms in the island of Chios, and when Chios revoltedfrom Athens, the widow and her children were reduced to something verylike poverty. Nothing was left to them but a small farm at Marathon, andas it so happened, the rent of the house which Hippocles unable, as hasbeen said, to own real property in Attica, had been accustomed to hire.The establishment had to be broken up, the slaves being sold and thefree persons looking for employment elsewhere. Milanion was about toreturn, much against her will, to Laconia, where her long residence atAthens would have rendered her an object of suspicion and dislike, whenan opening suddenly presented itself in the family of Hippocles.Pontia's long illness had come to a fatal end, and the widower waslooking for an experienced woman to take charge of the young Hermione.Milanion seemed to him exactly the person that he wanted, and she, onthe other hand, was delighted to come to him. As her charge grew older,her duties as nurse gradually changed into the duties of a housekeeper.She had come to her new situation accompanied by a middle-aged woman, aMarian by birth, Manto by name, whom Hippocles had bought, at hersuggestion, at the sale of Demochares' slaves. Manto had steadilyrefused the emancipation which her master had several times offered toher.
"No, sir," she said, "I thank you very much, but I am better as I am. Idesire nothing more than to live in your house, and, when my time comes,to die in it."
"What if I should die first," suggested the merchant.
"The gods know, my master, the gods know," cried the poor woman in anagony. "But it is impossible; the gods would not do anything so cruel,so unjust. But, if you wish, you may put what you please into your will.As long as you live you are my master, and I am your slave." So mattersstood when my story opens. Perhaps it may be added that Manto'scondition did not prevent her tongue from being truthful; butaffectionate, faithful, and honest, she allowed herself and wasallowed--no unusual circumstance, yet she was under a system ofslavery--a liberty of speech which in one free born would certainly havebeen impossible. Finally, to complete my account of the household,Hermione had for her maid a girl about a year older than herself. Shetoo had come into the family along with Milanion and Manto. Demochareshad bought her at the sale of the prisoners taken by the Athenians whena little Sicilian town was captured. She was then a singularly prettychild about seven years old, and Demochares had meant her to be aplayfellow or plaything, as the case might be, of a daughter of his ownof about the same age. She was of mixed race; her mother was a Sicanian,that is, one of the so-called aboriginal inhabitants of Sicily, herfather a Carthaginian trader. She was now grown up into a handsomemaiden, who with her raven-black hair, dark piercing eyes, and deepbrunette complexion, made a remarkable contrast to the fair beauty ofher mistress.
When Callias reached the house the hour was late, later than etiquetteallowed for a visit, except from an intimate friend, or on a matter ofurgent business. His business, however, was urgent, and he did nothesitate to knock, that is to strike the door sharply with a brass ringwhich was attached to it by a staple. The day-porter had gone home forthe night, and the door was opened by the young slave mentioned above.He explained that his master was just about to sit down to his eveningmeal. "Take him my name," said Callias, "and say that I come from themagistrates on an important matter of business." The lad invited him toenter, and to take a seat in a small chamber which looked upon thecentral court of the andronitis, a grass plot, bordered on all sides bymyrtle and orange. In a few minutes he returned, and invited the visitorto follow him. Callias crossed the court and passed through the doorwhich led into the women's apartment. Hippocles, it should be said, wasaccustomed to see visitors on business in the front or men's portion ofthe dwelling, but spent his leisure time in the rooms assigned to hisdaughter. The two had just taken their places at the table, Hippoclesreclining on a couch, Hermione sitting on a chair by his right hand, sothat his face was turned towards her.[13] The steward had placed thefirst dish on the table, and was standing in front, with Hippocles'personal attendant behind him. The latter at a sign from his master,prepared a place for the new-comer.
Hippocles saluted his guest in a most friendly fashion, and Hermionegave him her hand with a charming smile, though the moment afterwardstears gathered in her eyes, when she remembered the last occasion onwhich they had met.
Plan of a large Grecian House, probably more pretentiousthan the House of Hippocles.
1. Main Door. 2. Entrance Passage. 3. Central Court of the Men's part of the house (_Andronitis_). 4. 4. 4. Various Rooms of the _Andronitis_. 5. Passage connecting the _Andronitis_ with the _Gynaeconitis_ (Women's Apartments). 6. Court of the _Gynaeconitis_. 7. 7. 7. Various rooms of the _Gynaeconitis_. 8. The Prostas--a hall opening from 6. 9. 9. Apartments probably used as a family bedroom and sitting room. 10. 10. Rooms for looms and woolen manufacture.]
"If the business will wait for half-an-hour," said the host, "postponeit for so long. I have had a long day's work, and shall be scarcelymyself till I have eaten. And you--doubtless you have dined before this;but you will take a cup with us."
As a matter of fact Callias had not dined, though in the excitement ofthe day's business he had almost forgotten food. A hasty meal snatchedon board the trireme which had brought him to Athens had been his onlyrefreshment since the morning.
"Nay, sir, but I have not dined; unless you call some five or six driedanchovies an
d a hunk of barley bread, washed down with some very sharpHymettus, a dinner; and that was rather before noon than after it."
The meal was simple. It consisted of some fresh anchovies, a piece ofroast pork, a hare brought from Euboea, for Attica swept as it hadbeen again and again by hostile armies, had almost ceased to supply thisfavorite food, and a pudding of wheat flour, seasoned with spices. Thislast had been made by Hermione herself. The rest of the dinner had beencooked by a man who came in daily for the purpose. When the viands hadbeen cleared away, Hippocles proposed the usual toast, "To our GoodFortune," the toast not being drank, but honored by pouring some dropsfrom the goblet. A second libation followed, this time to "Athene theKeeper of the City." The host then pledged his guest in a cup of Chianwine. His daughter followed the rule of the best Grecian families, anddrank no wine.
"We can dispense, I think, with these," he said, when the steward wasabout to put some apples, nuts and olives on the table.
"Just so," replied his guest, "and this excellent cup of Chian will beall the wine that I shall want."
"Now then for business," said Hippocles. "Let us hope that the city willpardon us for postponing it so long. But we must eat. Shall my daughterleave us? For my part, I find her a very Athene for counsel."
"As you will, sir," replied Callias, "I have nothing to say but what allmay know, and indeed will know before a day is past."
The young man then proceeded to tell the story with which my readers arealready acquainted. The question was briefly this: How was Conon to betold that relief was coming?
"I see," said Hippocles, "that he must be told. He is a brave fellow,and a good general, too, though perhaps a little rash. But he must maketerms for himself and his men, unless he has a project of relief. Hewould not be doing his duty to the state if he did not. But if hecapitulates before the relief comes--how many ships has he?"
"Forty," said Callias.
"And we can have a hundred, or possibly, a hundred and ten here, bystraining every nerve. The Spartans have a hundred and forty, I think."
"A few may have been disabled in the battle; but it would not be safe toreckon on less, for very likely others have been dropping in sincethen."
"Then Conon's party will turn the scale, and they will be better manned,I take it, than any that we shall be able to send out from here. Theymust not be lost to us. If they are, we shall do better not to send outthe fleet at all, but to stand on our defence."
"Is the _Skylark_ in harbor now?" asked Callias.
My readers must know that the _Skylark_ was Hippocles' fast sailingyacht.
"Yes," was the reply, "she is in harbor and very much at the service ofthe state."
"Trust me with her," said Callias, "and I will run the blockade."
"I don't think it is possible," answered Hippocles. "I gathered fromwhat you said that the Spartans are inside the harbor. Now you may givethe slip to a blockading squadron when it is watching a harbor from theoutside. They always keep close to the mouth you see; and a really goodcraft, smartly handled, that can sail in the eye of the wind, and doesnot draw much water, has always a good chance. I'll warrant the_Skylark_ to do it, if it is to be done. But with the blockade _inside_the harbor, the case is different, and I must own that I don't see myway."
"May I speak, father?" said Hermione.
"Since when have you begun to ask leave to use your tongue, my darling?"replied her father with a smile. "You should hear her lecturing me whenwe are alone," he went on, turning to his guest. "But our counsellor isnot used to speaking in an assembly."
"Would it be of any use," said the girl, "to disguise the _Skylark_, bypainting her another color and altering the cut of her rigging?"
"A good thought, my darling," replied her father, "and one that I shallcertainly make use of. Now let me think; just for the present, things donot seem to piece themselves together."
He rose from the couch on which he had been reclining, and paced up anddown the room in profound thought. Fully half an hour had passed when hesuddenly stopped short in his walk, and turned to his daughter.
"My darling," he said, "I see that you are getting sleepy."
"Sleepy, father?" cried the girl, who indeed was as wide awake aspossible, "sleepy? what can you mean? how could I possibly feel sleepy,when we are talking about such things?"
"Nevertheless your father says it," replied Hippocles, "and fathers arenever mistaken." And he laid his hand upon her shoulder.
Without another word Hermione rose from her chair, kissed her father,held out her hand again to Callias, and left the room.
Hippocles waited for a few minutes, and then sat down on the couch byCallias' side.
"You will have guessed," he said, "that I wanted the girl away. I wishthat I had never let her stay; now she will suspect something; but itcannot be helped. Now, listen. What the girl said about disguising the_Skylark_ set me thinking. That will be useful another time; indeed Ishall do it now. But it won't do all that we want. Disguised or notdisguised, I don't see how she is to get past the Spartan ships inMitylene harbor. Now we must try a bolder play. I shall disguise myself,and go."
"You, sir," cried Callias in astonishment. "But think of the danger."
"Well," replied Hippocles, "we cannot expect to get anything reallyvaluable without danger. And I am something of a fatalist. What will bewill be. Now listen: I shall disguise myself as a trader of Cos. I am aDorian by birth, you know, and I can use the broad vowels and the lispsto perfection I flatter myself. I say Cos,[14] because I happen to beparticularly well acquainted with its dialect. I shall go toCallicratidas[15] and tell him my story--what the story shall be I havenot yet made up my mind, but it is not hard to impose upon a Spartan.However leave all that to me. Go and tell the magistrates that Iundertake to tell Conon that he will be relieved. And, mind--not a wordto my daughter. I shall tell her that I am called away on importantbusiness. Very likely she will guess something of the truth; but itwould only trouble her to tell her more."
"And the magistrates, sir?" asked Callias, "how much are they to know?"
"Nothing more, I think, than what I said, that Hippocles the Alienundertakes to communicate with Conon. I don't doubt the good faith anddiscretion of our friends; but the fewer there are in the secret of sucha plan, the better. Keep a thing in your own mind, I say. If you whispera secret even unto the earth, when the reed grows up it will repeatit.[16] You will say simply that it is a matter which it is well forthe state to conceal. If I succeed, I justify myself; if not--well, Itake it, no man's anger here will concern me much. And now farewell!Don't vex yourself about me. All will turn out well; and if not--how cana man die better than in saving Athens. All my affairs are arranged, ifI should not return. My patron Melesippus will, of course, be myexecutor, and I have ventured to join your name with his in the trust?Have I your permission?"
Callias pressed his hand in silence.
"That is well, and now my mind is easy. And now," he went on in acheerful tone, "farewell again; but before you go, we must have alibation to Hermione who for the next ten days must be my specialpatron. If I come back safe, I will regild this temple from roof tobasement."
The libation was duly poured, and the vow repeated as the drops fellupon the ground.
FOOTNOTES:
[12] The Andronitis and Gynaekonitis, as they were called.
[13] A Greek at table, after it became the fashion to recline instead ofsit (as had been the practice in the heroic ages) lay on his left side,supporting his head by his left arm, the other arm being left free tohelp himself from the dishes when they were placed before him. Women andchildren always sat at table.
[14] Cos was one of the cities belonging to the Dorian Pentapolis.
[15] Callicratidas was the admiral In command of the Spartan fleet.
[16] Hippocles is alluding to a well known story. Midas deciding infavor of Pan as a better musician than Apollo was punished by beinggiven the long ears of an ass. He hid them under his Thurgian cap fromall men except th
e barber who cut his hair. This man, oppressed with thesecret, dug a hole in the earth, whispered into it, "King Midas hasasses' ears," and filling it up again, so found relief from his burden.But a reed grew from the spot, and as it was moved by the wind whisperedthe secret to the world.