"i was there, too! at crete, in the times of the minoans"
Post on 01-Apr-2016
224 Views
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
-
1
-
2
I was there, too! was a series of books published in Greece, during
the 1960s and 1970s, targeted to the youth public of those days. The
author was Georgia Tarsouli, a renowned Greek writer. The series was
distributed as a marketing gift by the company Vianil S.A., through
the sale of boxes of the ROL detergent and its distribution begun in
January 1964. The books were hard covered and contained beautifully
drawn graphic art. Today they are very rare collectors items.
The stories involved the adventures of Alex, the main hero of the
series, who because of experiments of his uncle, an archaeologist and
radiocarbon dating expert, was able to transport himself to the past,
through important historical periods. Following Alexs adventures the
young readers were exposed to information about historical persons
and deeds.
Some of the books of the series were the following:
I was there, too! Egypt, the land of the Pharaohs
I was there, too! Crete, in the times of the Minoans
I was there, too! In the Land of the Aztecs
I was there, too! With Attilas Huns
I was there, too! In Ancient Babylon
I was there, too! Byzantium, In the Years of Heraclitus,
(two parts)
I was there, too! With the Armies of Hannibal
This one, the second book of the series, is translated from Greek to
English by Theodoros Blitsas, tblitsas@gmail.com. If you have
knowledge of Greek, you are welcome to visit my site TTThhheeeooosss BBBaaazzzaaaaaarrr,
to feast on my other works and a showcase of my other hobbies
-
3
PPrreeffaaccee
TThhiiss iiss tthhee sseeccoonndd bbooookk ooff tthhee
sseerriieess II hhaavvee bbeeeenn tthheerree,, ttoooo!! aanndd
iitt ttrraannssppoorrttss uuss ttoo CCrreettee,, iinn tthhee
ttiimmeess ooff tthhee MMiinnooaannss..
AAss yyoouu kknnooww,, iinn tthhaatt bbeeaauuttiiffuull
ggrreeaatt iissllaanndd,, ffrroomm aarroouunndd 33000000 BBCC
uunnttiill 11440000 BBCC fflloouurriisshheedd aa
mmaarrvveelloouuss cciivviilliizzaattiioonn,, ooff wwhhiicchh
oonnllyy aa ffaaiinntt rreemmeemmbbrraannccee wwaass
ssaavveedd iinn tthhee mmyytthh ooff TThheesseeuuss wwhhiillee iitt rreemmaaiinneedd ccoommpplleetteellyy
uunnkknnoowwnn ttoo uuss.. OOnnllyy 6600 yyeeaarrss bbeeffoorree oouurr ttiimmeess aa ggrreeaatt EEnngglliisshh
aarrcchhaaeeoollooggiisstt,, SSiirr AArrtthhuurr EEvvaannss,, bbeegguunn ssyysstteemmaattiicc eexxccaavvaattiioonnss aatt
KKnnoossssooss,, nneeaarr HHeerraakklliioonn aanndd ddiissccoovveerreedd tthhee ffaabbuulloouuss MMiinnooaann
PPaallaacceess wwiitthh tthheeiirr uunniiqquuee aarrcchhiitteeccttuurree,, tthheeiirr bbeeaauuttiiffuull wwaallll
ppaaiinnttiinnggss aanndd aallll tthheeiirr ttrreeaassuurreess,, ddiissppllaayyiinngg tthhee wweeaalltthh aanndd
aaddvvaanncceemmeenntt ooff tthhee MMiinnooaann ppeeooppllee aanndd tthhee ttrruutthh bbeehhiinndd tthhee
mmyytthh aabboouutt tthhee mmiigghhttyy sseeaa ppoowweerr ooff tthheeiirr iissllaanndd..
IInn tthhiiss KKnnoossssooss,, jjuusstt bbeeffoorree iittss ttrraaggiicc ddeessttrruuccttiioonn,, wwhhiicchh iitt sseeeemmss
wwaass ccaauusseedd bbyy aann eeaarrtthhqquuaakkee aanndd aa ffiirree,, oouurr ffrriieenndd AAlleexx,, wwiillll
ffiinndd hhiimmsseellff ffoorr aa sshhoorrtt ttiimmee.. II hhooppee tthhaatt yyoouu wwiillll ffoollllooww hhiiss
aaddvveennttuurreess iinn CCrreettee wwiitthh tthhee ssaammee iinntteerreesstt tthhaatt yyoouu wwaattcchheedd hhiiss
ttrriipp ttoo EEggyypptt..
GGeeoorrggiiaa TTaarrssoouullii
-
4
TTThhheeeooosss BBBaaazzzaaaaaarrr AAAnnnccciiieeennnttt HHHooommmeee CCCooommmpppuuuttteeerrrsss,,, GGGaaammmeee MMMaaaccchhhiiinnneeesss,,, OOOrrriiigggiiinnnaaalll NNNiiinnnttteeennndddooo GGGaaammmeee &&& WWWaaatttccchhh aaannnddd ooottthhheeerrr VVVFFFDDD,,,
LLLCCCDDD,,, LLLEEEDDD aaannnddd eeellleeeccctttrrrooommmeeeccchhhaaannniiicccaaalll hhhaaannndddhhheeellldddsss,,, tttaaapppeeesss,,, cccaaarrrtttrrriiidddgggeeesss,,, cccdddrrrooommmsss,,, jjjoooyyyssstttiiiccckkksss aaannnddd pppeeerrriiippphhheeerrraaalll
dddeeevvviiiccceeesss,,, aaalllsssooo mmmaaannnyyy ooottthhheeerrr cccooolllllleeeccctttooorrr sss iiittteeemmmsss fffrrrooommm ttthhheee DDDaaawwwnnn ooofff ttthhheee TTTeeeccchhhnnnooolllooogggiiicccaaalll AAAgggeee...
FFFooorrr iiinnnfffooorrrmmmaaatttiiiooonnn aaabbbooouuuttt CCCuuurrrrrreeennntttlllyyy AAAvvvaaaiii lllaaabbbllleee IIIttteeemmmsss ssseeennnttt eeemmmaaaiii lll aaattt tttbbbllliiitttsssaaasss@@@gggmmmaaaiii lll...cccooommm IInn tteerr nnaa tt ii oonnaa ll bbuuyyeerrss pp ll eeaassee nn oottee :: II aamm bbaasseedd ii nn AAtthheennss ,, GGrreeeeccee aanndd ccaann pp ooss tt ss oo ll dd ii tteemmss
aannyywwhheerr ee .. RReeccee ii pp tt ooff ppaayymmeenn tt ccaann bbee bbyy mmoonneeyy tt rraa nnss ffee rr tthh rroouu gghh WWeess ttee rrnn UUnn ii oonn ,, PP aayyppaa ll oorr
NNaatt ii oo nnaa ll BBaa nnkk oo ff GGrreeee ccee ,, aa tt sseennddeerr ss ccooss tt .. PPooss ttaaggee ooff ss oo ll dd ii tteemmss ww ii ll ll bbee bbyy EELLTTAA ((HHee ll ll ee nn ii cc PP ooss tt ))
rreegg ii ss tteerr eedd ll ee tttt eerr ,, bbuuyyeerr ppaayyss ccooss tt oo ff pp ooss ttaaggee..
-
5
-
6
-
7
-
1
Prologue of the first book of the series
The cause for this whole adventure is my mania for History, for the historical adventures, movies and books.
Many times on Sundays I go out and pass the time visiting
various Museums, loitering in front of a vase or a pot,
which was found on the bottom of a well. Because, I must
say this: Im not interested only in the history of the wars,
the revolutions and the kings succeeding one another. Im
also interested in the common life of the ancient peoples.
Id like to know how they lived and ate, how they worked
and how they enjoyed life, the way they talked and danced
and sung, the jewels and artifacts they made and how they
tried to make their civilizations expand and be known to
their world.
Many times I discussed it with my friends, saying what a
pity it was that the ancients didnt have invented sound
recorders or the cinema. How much more wed knew
about them. How much more we would learn about their
life and their deeds! And not only about our own ancestors,
but also for those of other ancient people: The Egyptians,
the Romans, the Phoenicians, the Arabs, the Byzantines,
the Crusaders.
Once, when we were discussing it with my friends, one
of the older kids laughed and said:
- As for me Alex, I think that itd be best if youd
discovered a time-machine, like that one described by
-
2
Wells in his adventures, so that you could be travelling as
you wish, to the past and the future. That way youd
observe a lot of things and youd report them to us too.
Everybody laughed and I was sore and didnt answer.
And Ive never talked about it any more with my friends;
else theyd think I was stuck with this notion.
A few months passed and my whole time was taken by
studying as I had difficult work at school. One day, I
learned that my uncle Peter had returned from America.
My uncle Peter is the only brother my mother had and
the one I admire most among all the other uncles I have.
When he graduated from High School he wanted to study
Archaeology, but then he become Chemist and three years
after that he won a scholarship to study Atomic Energy in
America. But he wasnt going to be denied his old love of
archaeology and most of the historic books he had in his
library, he himself was urging me to read them.
The very next day of his arrival I went to welcome him in
his home. He had three years to see me and when he
looked at me he was very surprised.
- Alex, you grown up! he exclaimed. No one would
take you only for fifteen years old. And in two years youll
graduate from high school. What you wish to study
furthermore?
- I dont know yet, I said. Id like to study History.
- Like me who wanted to study archaeology, laughed my
uncle. But you know that now Ive combined the two
-
3
disciplines, chemistry and archaeology. In the Center for
Nuclear Research I work in experiments on radiocarbon
dating.
- What is that? I inquired.
- Its used to compute the age of archaeological artifacts,
explained laughing my uncle. - Come tomorrow to my lab
to explain it better, he added clapping me affectionately on
the shoulder.
So, next day in the afternoon, as Id finished my studies, I
went to visit my uncles lab. It was huge, all white-walled
and full of long tables, stacked up with strange tools,
bottles, test tubes and various burners, like those we use
for chemistry experiments in school.
My uncle was wearing a white lab coat and plastic gloves
on his hands. He removed his gloves and we sat at his
office.
- Do you remember Alex, that discussion we had the
other day, when you asked me how could we be sure how
old is something we dig out of the ground?
- Of course I remember, I said. And you had told me
that we conclude it more or less by its rhythm, its design,
even by the depth of soil, where it was found buried.
- Ah, very good! Now, perhaps youve heard that another
way has been discovered to make this computation. Its
called Carbon 14, or radiocarbon dating.
-
4
- We were told something about it in school, I said, - but
I am not sure if I understood it.
- Neither you will, if I explain it in detail. But in simple
terms: Every living organism, either Man, or animal, or
plant, absorbs carbon dioxide.
- Yes, I know that, I said. The plants breathe in carbon
dioxide and exhale oxygen, while Man and the animals
breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.
- I see you remember well all you learned in school, my
uncle said. Anyway, Man and of course all the animals,
but the plants also, they keep inside their body a percentage
of this carbon dioxide. Within this carbon dioxide which
our body assimilates is included, in a very small quantity of
course, a percentage of carbon 14, which is radioactive
carbon. Do you understand?
- I think, I did, I said. That means that you, me, this tree
in the garden, and that bird that flew away, all of us have
inside our body a small quantity of radioactive carbon.
- Well done, Alex. Now then, this percentage has been
counted with the tools we have now available. And it has
been found that every living organism retains always the
same radioactivity, which is kept steady until the time it
dies, when it will stop breathing in and assimilating the
radioactive carbon.
-
5
Our Library Used Books, Magazines & Comics,
pocket & paperbacks, English language,
(price 5-10 ea. - minimum purchase 20)
FFOORR TTHHEE CCOOMMPPLLEETTEE LLIISSTT SSEENNTT EEMMAAIILL TTOO:: ttbblliittssaass@@ggmmaaiill..ccoomm
Isaac Asimov: Buy Jupiter, Earth Is Room
Enough, Foundation, Pirates Of The
Asteroids, The Bicentennial Man,
Arthur Clarke: 2010 Odyssey Two,
The Lion Of Comarre, The Other
Side Of The Sky, The Sands Of
Mars. Robert A. Heinlein: Red
Planet, Revolt In 2100, Starship
Troopers, The Day After
Tomorrow, The Glory Road, The
Green Hills Of Earth, The Moon Is A
Harsh Mistress. Frank Herbert:
Chapter House Dune, Children Of Dune,
Dune, Dune Messiah, Eye, God Emperor Of Dune,
Heretics Of Dune, The Santaroga Barrier. Perry
Rhodan: The Rebels Of Tuglan, Saboteur In A1 +
The Psycho Duel, Venus In Danger. Star Trek:
Star Trek 2, 5, 8, Star Trek II Distress Call , Log
Five, Strangers From The Sky, The Motion Picture,
The New Voyages 2, Web Of The Romulans, World
Without End. Doctor Who: The Destiny Of The
Daleks, The Dinosaur Invasion, The Ice Warriors,
The Tenth Planet, The Witch Hunters, Divided
Loyalties, Dominion,Warriors Of The Deep Alan
Dean Foster: Aliens, Splinters Of The Minds Eye
Ben Bova: Empire Builders, Moon Rise Robert
Silverberg: Murasaki, Project Pendulum, Those
Who Watch, To Open The Sky, Tower Of Glass, Up
The Line. Van Vogt: Moonbeast, Planets For Sale,
The Undercover Aliens, The War Against The Rull.
Larry Niven: Dream Park, Fallen
Angels, Footfall, Inferno, Lucifers
Hammer, Protector, Ringwold, The
Mote In God's Eye. Paul
Anderson: Agent Of The Terran
Empire, Ensign Flandry, The High Crusade.
Jerry Pournelle: Go Tell The Spartans,
High Justice, Sauron Dominion, The
Burning Eye. Ufology: Ufo Anatomy
Of A Phenomenon, Ufos And The
Psychic Solution, Ufos And Their
Mission Impossible, Strange
Creatures Of Time And Space, The
Humanoids. Historic Fantasy :
Agent Of Byzantium, Aztec, The
Journeyer, Clan Of The Cave Bear,
Creation, Shogun , Gai-Jin, Taipan, Jason,
Manchu, Sloop Of War, The Bell Of Gold, The
Mogul, The Third World War, Ss Gb, The Goddess,
The Iron Dream, Daughter Of The Empire. Mary
Renault: Fire From Heaven, Funeral Games, The
Bull From The Sea, The King Must Die, The Last Of
The Wine, The Lion In The Gateway, The Mask Of
Apollo, The Praise Singer. Clif. Simak: So Bright
The Vision, Time Is The Simplest Thing Douglas
Adams: Life, The Universe And Everything,
Mostly Harmless Gordon R. Dickson: Dorsai
L.Ron Hubbard: Battlefield Earth, The Invaders
Plan Tolkien: The Return Of The King, The Two
Towers Vernor Vinge: A Deepness In The Sky, A
Fire Upon The Deep. Space & Astronautics:
Space Weapons Space War, Count Down The
Story Of Cape Canaveral. Heroic Fantasy:
Dragondrums, Legend, Guardians Of The Flame 4
The Heir Apparent. Conan the Barbarian: Conan
Of The Isles, Conan Of Cimmeria , Conan The
Conqueror , Conan Lord of The
Black River, Conan The Freelance,
Conan The Guardian. Adventure:
Atlantis Found, The Lost World,
Free Flight, Prophecy, Winter
-
6
Hawk, Jurassic Park. Adam Hall: Quiller
Barracunda, The 9th Directive, The Tango Briefing.
Tom Clancy: Debt Of Honour, Red Storm Rising,
The Sum Of All Fears. Various Science Fiction
books (price 5 ea.): Mutiny In Space, The Stars
My Destination, Bug-Eyed Monsters, The Airs Of
Earth, Red Tide, Night Of The Dragonstar,
Hammers Slammers, Lords Of Creation, In The
Wrong Hands, The Third Planet From Altair, The
Breeds Of Man, Young Rissa, A Pail Of Air, Heart
Of The Comet, Wonderland - Harlan Ellison,
Enigma From Tantalus (The Repairmen Of
Cyclops), A Case Of Conscience, A Life For The
Stars, Inherit The Stars, The Dream Millenium, The
Making Of Kubricks 2001, Willow - Joe Duffy
Comics, The Dramaturges Of Yan, Moon Zero Two,
Where No Stars Guide, Babylon 5 Book 9 To
Dream In The City Of Sorrows, S.F 25, S.F 26 -
Kenneth Bulmer, Three Times Infinity, Aquarius
Mission, Enterprise The First Adventure, The Alien
Earth, The Venus Belt, Last And First Men,
Invasion Mars, Stargate, The Gates Of Creation,
Blade Runner, Games Psyborgs Play, Untouched
By Human Hands, Starflight 3000, The Martian
Chronicles, The Flight Of The Dragonfly, The
Cosmozoids, Universe 1, More Than Human,
Gravitys Rainbow, Tekwar, Robot City Book 3
Cyborg.
Analog Science Fiction and Fact
magazine (18 issues package, price 50):
Apr 70, Dec 71, Feb 74, Jul 74, Feb 75, Mar 75,
Oct 81, Sept 81, July 82, Sept 82, Dec 82, Jul
83, Apr 84, Feb 85, Jan 89, Dec 89, May 90,
Jun 90. Asimov's Science Fiction
magazine (14 iss. pack., price 40): Sept
78, Sept 79, Jan 80, Apr 82, Jan 90, Feb 90,
Mar 90, Apr 90, May 90, Jul 90, Aug 90, Oct
90, Noe 97, Dec 97. Fantasy & Science
Fiction magazine (5 iss. pack., price
25): Dec 84, Febr 86, March 86, June 86, Feb
87. Various Sci-Fi magazines (5 iss.
pack, price 25): Galaxy Science Fiction
March 73, Aug 74, May 77, Amazing Science-
Fiction Aug 78, Magazine Of Science &
Science Fiction Nov 62. Fantasy & Science
Fiction Magazines (23 iss. pack, price
15): Star trek V The Final Frontier The
official movie magazine, Fantazia, iss. 15,
Fantasy, iss. No 1 Oct, Final Frontier, iss. 11,
Star Trek The Next Generation The Official
Poster Magazine, iss. 57. Starburst: No. 110
Oct 87, 121 Sep 88, 122 Oct 88, 123 Nov 88,
124 Dec 88, 125 Jan 89, 126 Feb 89, 130 Jun
89, Summer Special 89, 132 Aug 89, 133 Oct
89, 135 Nov 89,138 Feb 90, Summer Special
90 ,143 Jul 90, 144 Aug 90, 147 Nov 90
Home PC computers magazines
(18 iss. pack, price 70):
Your Computer 15 issues
(ay 1984 Apr 1987,
Personal Computer News 3
issues (Nov 1983 July
1984)
Your Sinclair
(28 iss. pack, price 80):
(1986: Feb,
Jun, Oct, Noe,
Dec., 1987:
Mar-Dec,
1988: Jan-Dec
(no March),
1989: Jun,
1990: May)
Ghostly Tales
No.86. June 1971, price:
20
-
2
- Ah, now I begin to
understand! I said.
- When the man or the
animal dies, when the tree
falls, or the plant withers,
there isnt any more a way
for the radiocarbon to
enter its body. And not
only that, but also the
radiocarbon that remains
inside begins to lessens
and according to the
nuclear laws, every about
5,500 years it cuts in half.
That way, if we count it
and find how much is the
radiocarbon lessened in an
ancient piece of wood, in a
skull or a fossil, then we
can define its age.
I was very curious.
- And how are these
experiments done? I asked.
- With various ways,
answered my uncle and he
took me near one of the
tables, filled with tubes and
tools. Here, he
continued, - this is a quartz
tube where, after we clean
well the sample, we burn it
with oxygen. Its ashes,
completely insulated, we
place in this flask here that
we call an enumerator and
there we count it and we
compute our finds.
In front of the tubes
various little glass boxes
were placed, with labels on
them. My uncle took one
on his hand.
- See here, he told me. -
This is a sample from the
fossils of Pikermi. That
one comes from Knossos.
That third one is from
Egypt, from the Pyramids.
And this one contains
ashes from a wooden pillar
from the Monastery of
Daphne.
- But we do know
exactly when the
Monastery of Daphne was
-
3
built, I wondered. Why do
you include it?
- To test if our
procedure of radiocarbon
dating is accurate. We do
this frequently with
material we know its age.
I took in my hand the
little box to examine it and
clumsily I let it drop and it
fell on the floor. It didnt
break, but its contents, a
grey thin ash, spread out. I
stooped down and begun
to gather it.
- Leave it, my boy, said
my uncle. - Dont gather it
now, its useless. The
cleaners will scoop it later.
Come, it is no matter; you
go and wash your hands.
He guided me to a small
door. In a closet there was
a wash basin. I turned the
faucet on and I dont
know how it happened,
before I wet my hands, I
tried to taste my finger. Its
a bad habit I have since
being a child and I was
chastised many times
about it. What came over
me? I put in my mouth my
finger, covered as it was
with the radioactive ash
from the woods of
Daphne.
Suddenly I felt dizziness
and my eyes glazed over. I
leaned on the wall to keep
myself from falling. Red,
green and yellow lights
passed in front of me. In a
while my eyesight cleared
and I saw in front of me
the Monastery of Daphne.
But it wasnt as I know it
today. Its walls shone with
colored mosaics and the
many chandeliers and full
candle-holders filled the
place with a sweet
brightness. A respectful
old lord with long beard
and a gold-weaved cloak
was kneeling and kissing
the Holy Bible and behind
-
4
him a great crowd of
people dressed in old
fashioned clothes, chanted
and crossed themselves.
But where am I? I
thought and made as if to
walk forward. But
suddenly the picture
fainted away and in front
of me I saw again the
white wall of the lab and
heard the water running
from the faucet. I washed
my hands in a hurry and
returned to my uncle.
He was sitting at his
desk, but when I
approached he looked me
with worry.
- You are pale, my boy,
he told me. Are you ill?
- No, I said, - just, a
dizziness came over me
for a moment.
- Go home right now to
rest yourself, he told me
immediately. You stayed
here long enough.
A crazy thought passed
through my mind.
- Uncle, I said. Can you
spare some of these
samples, you dont need?
My uncle laughed.
- What you want with
them? he said. To show
them at school? Here, take
those two boxes over
there. Ive finished with
them. This one is from the
Pyramids of Egypt and the
other from Knossos.
When youll return I will
give you more, if you are
interested in those ashes.
When that night I was at
my bedroom I placed the
two boxes on my desk. I
was thinking what had
happened the afternoon in
my uncles lab. Was it
really a dizziness or
perhaps that dust, infused
-
5
as it was with such
concentrated radioactivity,
had the power to transport
me to the past? My vision
of the Daphne, had taken
only a minute. But my lips
had just tasted its ash for a
moment.
What would have
happened if I used all the
contents of the box that
had the ashes from the
Pyramids or from
Knossos? If this dust had
miraculous capabilities Id
be transported for hours
or even days, in an era I so
much wanted to visit. If
not at the most it would
cause me some stomach-
ache.
I decided to try the
experiment. For a moment
I was undecided. Where
should I go the first time?
Crete? Egypt? On the wall
in front of me there was a
little painting of the
Pyramids, a friend had
brought me from Egypt. I
came to my decision. I
poured all the dust from
the Pyramids in a glass of
water, stirred it with a
spoon and swallowed it all.
Then I spread on my bed.
I felt dizziness and like the
whole room was heaving
about as if I was on a boat.
Then, everything in front
of me went dark
-
6
-
7
Awakening in a Minoan house
- Hes moved! He breathed! I heard a boys
voice over my head. I
heard it very clearly but I
was very dizzy, unable to
open my eyes and see
who was speaking.
- Didnt I tell you,
Perimos, that he wasnt hurt? a mans
deep voice responded near me. He
had only fainted for a while!
- Where did you find him? another
voice asked.
- Just before the bridge, father, replied
the boy. He had fallen by the road and
seemed fainted. Two men from the
port passed by and they helped me lift
him on the oxcart and bring him here.
It was three voices, I listened to. Three unknown voices.
I felt that I was lying on a bed, but it wasnt my own bed.
And those people, talking above my head, were speaking in
a strange accent, like like Cretans.
-
8
Suddenly, a light flashed
through my mind with this
last word. Yes, I must be
in Crete, but not todays
Crete. I had decided to use
the same method that had
brought me to the Egypt
of the Pharaohs for my
second voyage to the
Minoan Crete.
- By his clothes and his
haircut, he looks like a
Greek, said again the
father. Do you think, hed
be one of those new ones,
the Athenians that arrived
today with the ship?
- Nah! I heard the other
man saying. How did he
find himself alone on the
road? All of them are
escorted up to Knossos.
- Also, father, Perimos
said again earnestly, all the
boys and girls that Athens
sends us and Corinth and
the other islands, they are
chosen to be slender and
small, so that they be
suitable for the
bullfighting. While, this
one looks to be even taller
than me!
-Shh! hes opening his
eyes! said the father. Now
Ill ask him and well find
out how he got here.
Truly, during the last
minutes, I was feeling my
dizziness disappearing and
I was able to stand up, to
sit and look around me. I
was in a small, low-roofed
room and was sitting on a
narrow bed, covered with
a woolen cover. In front of
me were standing the two
men and the boy I listened
to before. Their looks and
their clothes looked to me
like the Minoans I knew
from the wall-paintings of
Knossos, but those before
me were three real, living
people. They were holding
my hands and were
looking me with interest
-
9
and an ill-covered concern.
All three were very dark,
with fiery black eyes, and
anyone could mistake
them for modern Cretans,
if they didnt wear their
hair long and wavy on
their shoulders, their faces
were completely shaved
and they werent naked
from the waist up. The
little boy was wearing only
a woolen cloth that almost
didnt cover his knees. His
father and the other old
man, who from his
sunburned face looked like
a fisherman or a sailor,
were clad in a more wide
skirt, which reminded me
of the Cretan breeches, as
its two edges passed
between their legs, and
turned in front and
upwards and were held on
the leather belt that
clasped their waists.
- Well, how are we?
asked smiling the boys
father, a man who when
he was young yet he
should be of fair statue but
now he was getting
heavier.
- A little better, I
answered. But it was
nothing. I was tired from
the voyage.
- Ah, you are a traveler
then? put in the older man.
Tell us then, where do you
come from? From the land
of Pelops, or from some
island?
- No, no, I come from
Athens, I said. I am an
Athenian and my name is
Alex.
- Athenian! cried the
young Cretan whom his
father called Perimos.
You mean, you are one of
the seven boys and the
seven girls that the king of
Athens sends us as tribute?
-
10
- Perimos, let me ask
him, said his father. You
go to your mother and tell
her to prepare a hot tea for
our guest. See, old Kratis, I
was right to suspect it, he
continued turning to the
old sailor.
- But child, tell me, the
old man said to me, - why
did you do this foolishness
to try to escape? Didnt
you know that they would
certainly catch you?
I started to feel a
sneaking fear coming upon
me. Catch me? Why? And
were would they take me?
- But why would they
catch me? I asked. What
did I do?
- You escaped the guards
that would take you to
Knossos. Have you not
said yourself right now
that you are an Athenian
and your name is Alex? So,
you are one of the children
that came ashore here in
Amnissos with the ship,
those that the king of
Athens sends every year as
tribute to king Minos.
In my mind came
everything Ive learned at
school about Theseus and
the Minotaur and the
fourteen boys and girls
who were thrown into the
Labyrinth to be eaten by
that dreadful monster.
- No! I cried. No! I am
not one of those children!
I didnt come here with
any ship!
Right then Perimos came
in. He was holding a
serving disk with a cup
decorated with little
flowers, steaming with a
fragrant beverage.
- Well, drink first this
hot drink and well talk
later, said the father. Thats
diktamos tea and we
gather it from our
-
11
mountains, where only
wild goats can climb.
- And Ive told my
mother to lay it with two
spoonfuls of honey instead
of one, added Perimos.
I drunk the sweet
steaming beverage and felt
my head clearing. I stood
up. The open window of
the room looked out in a
courtyard full of
blossomed flower pots,
but mixed with the
fragrance of the flowers,
the wind brought in the
smell of the sea. While I
looked out from the
window, I heard loud
voices from the inside of
the house. Then the door
opened and a middle-aged
woman entered, no doubt
Perimoss mother, because
she looked very much like
him. She was very upset
and worried.
She turned and looked at
me with eyes that showed
compassion and fear too.
- Fitios, come out a
moment; she said and
went out again.
Her husband followed
her. Perimos run after
them. I was left alone with
old Kratis.
- I dont think that Fitios
will deliver me, I said, - I
am not a fugitive!
- Being or not, he cant
do anything else, shrugged
old Kratis. - Besides,
whats to fear? Theyll take
you and guide you up to
the royal palace. Youll eat
and drink, have a good
time and youll exercise
with the other kids that
Minos gathers around
from all the lands of his
empire and his vassals.
- Exercise for what? I
said. - I know that the
-
12
children of Athens are
thrown into the Labyrinth.
Kratis was prevented
from answering me
because at that time the
door burst open, and a
young officer, cocky as a
rooster, stepped in,
escorted by Fitios. He
wasnt much taller than
me, but the bronze helmet
he was wearing on his
head, from where a bushy
ponytail waved up, added
to his height. His neck was
adorned with a necklace
and a rounded leather belt
was tight around his waist.
Following him were two
tall warriors, ebony black,
armed with spears and
small shields. As they saw
me, they laughed, showing
two rows of flashing white
teeth.
But their officer looked
very angry.
- Are you the Athenian
that escaped as the ship
moored in the port and
which we look out for all
morning around the whole
of Amnisos? he barked
out. - Good for you that
you didnt make it too far
away!
- But are you sure he is
one of your kids?
interrupted old Kratis. -
Weve found him passed
out on the bridge and he
himself told us that he
came alone in Crete. And
then, look at him; hes
taller than those sent us
every year from Athens.
The officer looked at me
again. A shadow of doubt
passed through his eyes,
but he chased it away.
-
13
-
14
- And what trouble is for
me if hes tall? he said. -
Thats his concern and the
bulls too; he added and
laughed as if hed told
something very funny. -
Besides, I am missing one
and I must fill the number.
So much the worst, if he
isnt the one who escaped.
So that was it! I
happened to be in Crete
the same day that the
children that Athens sent
as tribute to Minos, master
of the seas, arrived. One of
those kids had escaped and
now they would take me in
his place.
- No! I yelled with all my
strength. - You havent any
right to capture me. I am
not one of those you seek.
I will not stand and let you
throw me to the Labyrinth,
to be eaten by the
Minotaur.
Everyone around looked
at me with faces full of
wonder and surprise.
Then, the officer started
cackling with a laugh that
grinded on my nerves.
- By the name of
Enyalios, he said, - I would
never have imagined that
in Athens they believe
those fairy tales. That their
children, which they sent
us here as tribute, we
throw them in a dark maze
and theyre devoured by
the Minotaur, a monster
which is half bull and half
man. Oh, the ladies of the
Palace will laugh a lot
when they hear this. Well,
my young man, he added
reassuringly, - dont worry,
no monster hides in the
Palace of Minos. And the
good life youll find in our
land, you wouldnt know
even after a thousand years
in your home, Athens. So,
you get ready and lets go.
-
15
PPhhiilliippss CCDD--ii
FFFooouuurrr OOOrrriiigggiiinnnaaalll GGGaaammmeeesss package, price 50: DD rr aa gg oo nn '' ss LL aa ii rr ,, KK ii nn gg dd oo mm TT hh ee
FF aa rr RR ee aa cc hh ee ss ,, SS cc oo tt ll aa nn dd YY aa rr dd ,, II DD VV
AA dd vv ee rr tt ii ss ii nn gg SS hh oo ww rr ee ee ll 11 99 99 33 .
AAmmiiggaa CCDD3322 Original titles 20 ea. : CC hh aa mm bb ee rr ss oo ff
SS hh aa oo ll ii nn ,, LL ii bb ee rr aa tt ii oo nn ,, MM oo rr pp hh ,, Amiga Format CD magazine iss. 22, 26, 27
package, price 15
DDrreeaammccaasstt Original titles 10 ea. : OOffffiicciiaall SSeeggaa DDrreeaammccaasstt MMaaggaazziinnee DDeecc 22000000 vvooll..99,,
PPllaanneett RRiinngg,, DDrreeaammoonn vvooll 1155,, vvooll 1166..
SSeeggaa SSaattuurrnn Original titles 20 ea. : DDeeffccoonn 55,, GGhheenn WWaarr,, FFIIFFAA RRooaadd ttoo WWoorrllddccaapp
9988,, NNBBAA LLiivvee 9977..
OOrriiggiinnaall PPCC ttiittlleess ffoorr DDOOSS// WWiinnddoowwss
PPaannzzaa KKiicckkbbooxxiinngg (with box, manual & 5,25 discs)price: 15
PPllaann 99 ffrroomm OOuutteerr SSppaaccee
(with box, manual, 5,25 discs & movie VHS) price: 15
RRAAMMAA
Win 95 adventure CD (complete with box etc.) price: 20
MS DOS 6 Upgrade
Original (box, manual, disks) price: 30 HHaarrppoooonn CCllaassssiicc (original CD in box of Fast Attack
game) Win 95 strategy simulation, price: 20
-
16
The Palaces of Knossos were immense and they stood 4-5 levels up. That
staircase at the left was leading to the third floor. On the right is the
antechamber of the private rooms of Minos. The walls are adorned with
figure-8 shields, typical of the Minoan times.
Listen to that, afraid that
the Minotaur will eat
him he murmured
between his teeth.
Perimoss mother was
standing behind me all this
time and watched silently.
- Either bull, or
Minotaur, she whispered
as if talking to herself. -
The poor children are
doomed, anyway.
I turned around my
head, to ask her what she
meant, but her face had
lost again all expression.
- Whats holding you?
the officer yelled at me. -
The company will start and
we will be late.
He ordered the two
black soldiers to put me
between them, but the old
sailor objected.
- Dont forget, he said
looking evenly the officer
in the eyes, - that this
Athenian is sacred. He was
sent to king Minos by the
king of Athens, and he is
dedicated to the Great
Goddess and the Sacred
Bull. You should not treat
him as if he was a
common prisoner.
-
17
This wonderful wall-relief
decorated one of the corridors of
the palaces of Knossos. It shows
a young prince, who is adorned
with a crown made of peacock
feathers and walks lightly and
gracefully within a font of lilies
and butterflies.
- Dont mind me, I know
my obligations! snapped
the officer, trying to put
on a smile. - If he wasnt
sacred Id carry him in
Knossos, tied up. But he
too must understand my
part and not try to escape
again, he added turning to
me with calmer face.
I said to myself that I
had sought out this new
adventure and Id live it
through. I didnt respond
to the officer, I bid
farewell to the good
people and shook the hand
of Perimos.
- Ill come to Knossos to
see you; he whispered in
my ear, - I have an uncle
up there, who is a first
cook at the royal palace.
The officer gestured to
the two blacks to follow us
and walked out first.
Around the house door a
crowd had gathered. Most
of them were people from
the port, which it seemed
had heard about the young
Athenian who escaped. As
-
18
they saw me, they started
muttering.
While passing forward, I
heard one of them
murmuring behind me:
For this one, I wouldnt
bet to loose even my old
hat! Hes so tall; the bull
will gut him at first try!
I remembered what
Fitioss wife had said and
kept my head up, so they
wouldnt know I was
afraid.
The Port of Amnissos
The officer strode quickly, almost running
and soon weve reached
the port. I was barely able
to look around me, at the
crowd that filled the
narrow streets and the
houses, with two and three
storeys up and two or
three windows in every
floor, all painted with
bright colors, sky blue,
deep red and sea blue. But
the people also were
-
19
dressed in bright colored
clothes and among the
Cretans I saw also
Egyptians, which Id
learned to recognize, with
their black toupees and
their striped skirts and
Phoenicians with rounded
hats and curly hair and
small goatees and Africans
covered only with a belt
around the waist.
Sometimes I saw
patrolling companies. One
officer in front and two or
three blacks behind him.
When two patrols met, the
officers saluted each other,
touching their right fist on
their left shoulder.
-
20
The port was full of
ships. In one part the
merchant ships were
anchored, most of them
from foreign lands and in
the other the warships of
Crete, long and elegant
crafts, made as if to fly
upon the seas, with red
sails painted with a bulls
head in the middle.
We stopped in front off
one of them, a big one,
whose sailors were trussing
up her sails, while half a
score of them were
working to re-erect the
middle mast. My officer
called to the captain.
- Where are the
Athenians? he asked. - I
managed to capture and to
bring you the fugitive. He
was hiding in a house.
- The Athenians are long
gone! called back the
captain. - One of your
colleagues took them and
escorted them up to
Knossos.
My officer was very
upset.
- And how is he
delivering them with
people missing? How did
he left without my
permission? he cried. - He
must deliver fourteen
people! Dont you know
the bureaucracy in the
palace? If they wont find
them correctly well have
much trouble!
He took the captain by
the arm and walked away,
talking with him
confidentially. The captain
turned around for a
moment and looked at me,
nodding his head. I
gathered they were talking
about me.
I saw the officer
beckoning his men and
they run to him.
-
21
- Now that were left
behind, well stay a little
here to eat with the captain
and rest a little, he said.
Or, maybe you are not
hungry, Athenian? he
commented with that
irksome laugh of his.
I wasnt hungry but I
couldnt do anything else
but go with them. The
captain started a
conversation with me,
asking my name and how
old I was. From his talk
Ive learned also the name
of my officer. He was
called Perifitis, a name I
despised as much as its
owner.
We entered a tavern,
smelling of cooked fish
and grilled octopus. The
two soldiers stayed out. I
looked curiously around
the roomy place, with walls
painted with dolphins,
swordfish, octopuses and
all kinds of sea food,
clumsily painted of course
but very expressive.
Two rows of stone
benches were around the
walls and a few wooden
tables in front of them.
Down the hall, in a built-in
fireplace. crackled a cozy
fire. In the kitchen a
variety of earthen pots of
various sizes were tended
by a big woman wearing a
tight red bust and a long
shirt while two boys,
almost of my age were
serving the customers.
- Mentis! called the
captain as he entered, -
prepare for us the best
food you have, cause Ive
brought you royal
customers, the like of
which your shop has never
before seen.
The tavernier, a middle
aged man, came running to
greet us and sited us in a
corner table.
-
22
- Just for you, he said to
the captain, - and for your
friends, Ill bring you fresh
mullet caught right now
out of the sea.
- And wine! cried the
captain. - From that sun-
tempered one, from your
own vineyard. That way
youd also taste Cretan
wine, Alex, he turned to
me. - To see if ours is
better than your own
wines, from Attica.
He smiled at me and my
heart warmed a little. He
seemed a kind man, of
better disposition than my
pretentious officer.
In a while Mentis
himself put in front of us a
jug of wine, three cups and
a plate with olives, white
cheese and fresh onions.
- These are until the fish
get cooked, he said.
I begun to eat and I
realized I was really
hungry. At a table besides
us three middle-aged
Cretans were sitting. They
were eating and having a
lively discussion. Two of
them were sunburned
sailors and the third, fat
and adorned with many
bracelets and rings on his
hands, looked like a rich
merchant. They were
arguing now.
- I think this tax is
wrong! one of the sailors
was saying. To send us
wine, wheat, clothes,
bronze, yes I agree with
that. But to send us their
children, to be murdered
by the bull, me as a father,
I find it very cruel.
The merchant slapped
his fist on the table.
- You mean it was better
back when the pirates
roamed the seas and every
-
23
while they went out and
plundered their islands and
their towns and took the
children from the lap of
their mothers and
butchered the old men and
women and burned their
homes? Was it better then?
Who ended all this? Cretes
sea power! Who ousted the
pirates from their lairs and
cleaned the seas? The king
of Crete, Minos! So, the
least they can do, the
Athenians and the
islanders and the
Corinthians and all the
rest, is to pay him a small
tribute. And where a
hundred mothers would
cry, let it be only fourteen!
Mentiss fat wife served
each one of us with a plate
with a steaming well
broiled fish and then
turned to the others.
- Dont get fired up, she
said. Its my husbands
fault, serving you with neat
wine and it hits your head
hard.
While she spoke, I heard
suddenly a muffled rumble
and I felt the floor heaving
underneath me.
- Earthquake! I yelled
and crashed to stand up.
But while I was saying it,
the rumble quieted and the
earthquake had stopped.
- What jittery cowards
are you Athenians?
Perifitis commented with
heavy contempt. - This
little tremor was nothing
to be scared off. You
should see the other time,
when half the roof came
down.
But Mentiss wife was
not laughing. She was
standing erect with her
arms straight forward and
the palms turned
downward to the earth and
she seemed to pray.
-
24
- We must ask the Earth-
Shaker to cease his anger,
she said in a while. Three
times inside a moon we
heard the roar of the
Sacred Bull.
I looked her a little
confused. She noticed me
and came close and patted
me reassuringly on the
shoulder.
- You mainlanders, she
said, give honor to
Poseidon, more as the Sea-
God and less as the Earth-
Shaker. But, us Cretans,
even while being a sea
people, we honor him
more with his second
nature. Because here, in
our land, deep under the
foundations of Minoss
palace lays the infernal
cave of the Sacred Bull.
- The Minotaur! I
exclaimed
- No, said the captain.
This one we talk about is
the Bull of the Earth-
Shaker Poseidon. No man
has seen him. Only his
roar is heard, when he is
angry. And when, with his
horns he strikes the walls
of his cave, then the earth
trembles. In ten
generations of men he has
destroyed three times the
Labyrinth. But the Great
Minos is King born of
Zeus. He yields in his
hands immense power and
wealth, enough to rebuild
his Palace every time. He
sacrifices to the Earth-
Shaker, hurls whole oxen
down the chasms of the
tortured earth and he
appeases him.
- Back in the olden days
they sacrificed people too,
Perifitis commented
lightly. - Who knows now
at whom sacrilegious one
is the Bull angry and if he
wont ask again some
bloody sacrifice.
-
25
The Road Up to
Knossos
The port of Amnissos was located in a small tight
gulf, deep inside the
wooden hills. King Minos
knew how to choose his
ports, in places protected
from the winds and
invisible from the sea.
After supper, Perifitis, me
and the two soldiers,
started walking up the
steep road passing
between olive groves and
vineyards and orchards. It
was a rich land, well
worked and cared for with
love. We were walking for
about an hour, when I
noticed that the houses
were crowding more and
more and I thought that
we were getting close to
Knossos. These should be
the houses of great lords
or rich merchants, most of
them were surrounded by
gardens, almost identical in
shape, but with different
colors, with two or three
floors and sometimes with
a small hut on the roof.
One or two of them were
so big and looked so rich
that I thought it was the
Palace and asked if weve
arrived. The two black
soldiers laughed
mockingly, flashing their
white teeth, and Perifitis
just looked at me and drew
up his eyebrows without
deigning to answer. So I
didnt ask again. While we
walked on, the people got
more numerous, men and
women, old ones and
children. Most of the men
were naked to the waist,
-
26
wearing only a small skirt
to the knees, or a short
breech like old Kratis. But
everyone had tucked in his
belt a small dagger, like any
modern Cretan. The old
ones had thrown on their
backs a long cloak and
were wearing stivalia, tall
and pointed boots. Some
had on their heads a round
cover like a coil. When I
looked closely I noticed
that it was their kerchief
they had tied with this
strange way.
The women walked
barefooted and they had
tacked their long skirts up
their belts so that they
would not bother them in
walking. All the women
had long black hair,
elaborately combed and
most of them had a flower
on their ear or pinched on
their hair.
There were many parties
of girls who walked
together, singing and
gossiping, laughing
between them and smiling
around. They talked gaily
to the men who gathered
around them and answered
their teasing with their
own. It was a people
carefree who seemed to
enjoy life and assured of
their place. I remembered
the tremor that had shaken
us a few hours before and
a vague fear clutched at my
heart.
Now the road was
widening up and was
paved with great square
stone plates. Once or twice
we met loaded oxcarts
climbing up and a little
ahead came a sedan chair
carried by two slaves. On
it there was a lady, painted
and preening like a
peacock. As she passed us
she left behind a cloud of
heavy perfumes. Two of
her ladies-in-waiting
-
27
followed her, dressed in
colorful clothes, carrying
on their heads two tall
baskets. As they passed,
they turned and looked
curiously at me and then
said something between
them and laughed heartily.
I kept on walking up the
road, with my head turned
towards them, until they
were far. I heard Perifitis
coughing and I tried to run
to catch up with him on
the steep road, but as I
turned my eyes were filled
with such an amazing
sight, that I froze in my
place, speechless with
wonder.
Stuck in a lush green
hillside, in front of us,
beyond a valley planted
with olive trees and
cypress, a Palace was
rising, so vast that my eyes
were unable to grasp it
entirely. It stood on the
crest of the hill and spread
almost down to the valley.
It wasnt just one building
only, but ten or twenty, or
thirty great structures,
some of them joined by
one-storey porches and
others separated by roomy
yards and blossomed
gardens. Some of those
buildings had two floors,
others rose at three, four
and even five floors, but
all of them had roofs and
all had a front face
supported by thick
columns, narrow at the
base and widening at the
top, some of them black
painted and other red.
Magnificent staircases were
leading to the top floors
and up to the roofs, which
were crowned all around
with the sacred symbol of
Crete, the Bulls Horns,
sculpted on stone and
painted with gold, so that
they flashed under the
evening sun.
-
28
I stood gaping.
Ive seen pictures and
representations of
Knossos, but the spectacle
that my eyes were staring
at now far surpassed any
imagination.
Perifitis was clearly
enjoying my dazzlement.
- Well, how do you like
our Palace? he said at last
and it was the very first
time he deigned to speak
to me.
- It is a bit larger than
those other houses weve
seen before, back on the
road, dont you think?
- Thats no palace, I
exclaimed, - thats a whole
city! How many people live
in there?
-
29
-
30
- About a hundred
thousand souls, more or
less. As you know,
Athenian, Crete is the
Queen of the
Mediterranean and all the
power of Crete is gathered
in Knossos, the seat of
King Minos. You see those
buildings over there? he
added, pointing to the west
toward a series of two-
storey long-walled
buildings, without any
balconies and with small
windows on the second
floor.
- Yes, I said, - I see
them.
- They are only a part of
the royal storehouses, said
the officer proudly. - On
the ground floor they keep
the royal treasures, gold
and silver in stone boxes
buried underground, oil,
wine, wheat and grains in
huge urns, twice as big as
you, he said reckoning
mockingly my height by
eyesight. - And all these
are not arriving here only
from Crete, he added
straightening proudly up, -
but also from all the Greek
islands and the coastlands
which King Minos
protects with his fleet.
Thousands of measures of
wheat, of oil and wine,
besides the skins and the
textiles and the gold sent
us by Sifnos and Thasos.
So, you see Athenian, to
keep straight all those
accounts of all those riches
gathered here and for their
management, a whole
labor force is needed. This
service is accommodated
on the top floor, that one
with the narrow windows
you see.
And as to emphasize
that he had already talked
to me more than I
deserved, he stepped
forward, barked an order
-
31
to the two blacks, who
were enjoying my
bafflement, and we started
to walk lively on the road
up to Knossos.
The mystery is solved
The entrance to the royal Palace of Knossos,
doesnt boast any special
resplendence. A square
stone gate is crowned with
the Bulls Horns and at left
and right with two stone
bases, with a huge double
axe propped on them, the
labrys, the most holy of
the Cretan religious
symbols. In front of it,
Perifitis stood at attention,
his torso arched behind
and his right hand
stretched up his brow,
paying thus his respects to
the holy sign. Then he
straightened his helmet,
fixed up his belt on his
narrow waist and with
head up he entered inside,
followed by me and the
soldiers.
Right next to the gate
there was a guard post and
we stopped there for
awhile. Immediately
Perifitis went to the officer
and started a lively
discussion, of which I
couldnt understand any
part. In a while he
returned, very upset, he
gave an order to the
soldiers bad-temperately
and we moved on. Beyond
the post a vast
antechamber opened up,
supported by twelve
gigantic red columns with
black capitals. Then we
entered a narrow corridor,
decorated with wall
paintings. Right and left of
us, in two parallel zones,
the walls were painted with
an endless procession of
darkish Cretans with ring-
narrow waists and long
black hair, holding in their
-
32
hands painted or adorned
long and short vases. It
was as if the painted
figures were walking with
us, to deliver their presents
to someone beyond. It was
such a beautiful sight that I
halted to admire it up.
- This is not the place to
dawdle, Athenian, Perifitis
shot at me sharply.
I saw that he was bad-
tempered, but I didnt
understand the reason.
The corridor turned in
every corner and the
procession on the walls
turned with us. However,
before the corridor ended,
Perifitis stopped two
Cretan soldiers coming
towards us. He said
something to one of them
and he was guided at a
staircase to the left. It was
a swirling staircase with
light coming from above
and propped on thick
columns. I leaned on one
of them and saw with
wonder that it was made
of wood, cut from some
eternal cypress or pine. We
climbed up and on the
second floor we found
ourselves in front of a
double door, covered with
thick curtains. A guard
kept watch in front of the
entrance and he pulled the
curtains aside and let us in.
We stepped in; down a
great hall, with walls
painted with huge frescoed
shields, behind a sculpted
black table sat a middle-
aged man with a serious
and noble face. Perifitis
saluted him with respect,
hailing with his sword and
the two blacks behind me
froze at attention like two
ebony statues.
- My lord, Perifitis
uttered with great respect,
without showing a bit of
his early cockiness, I
managed to bring you the
-
33
-
34
young Athenian who
escaped this morning from
Amnissos, the moment the
ship carrying him and the
other six boys and seven
girls arrived from Athens.
I was just ready to step
forward and deny that I
was the one they were
looking for but I didnt
have the chance. The
curtain opened and
another officer entered,
more mature than Perifitis
and friendlier. He was
accompanied by three
black soldiers and between
them they escorted a boy
about my age. But he was
of thin stature and flaxen
hair and a head shorter
than me. He was shaking
all over with fright and
shed around him desperate
looks. The new officer was
startled when he saw
Perifitis. But without
giving him very much
notice, he stepped on,
saluted the lord, who
looked at him somehow
askance and uttered in a
cold and official manner.
- Lord Diktys, I report to
you that the fugitive that
managed to escape this
morning from the ship
which brought the
fourteen young people
from Athens, was arrested
and I bring him now in
front of you.
Lord Diktys stood up.
His face was flushed with
wonder and anger.
- What is going on here,
pray tell? he asked. - One
boy escaped and you bring
me two? Which one of the
two is the real one and
which you arrested by
mistake?
Both officers stepped
forward, looked at each
other angrily and started to
talk together, but Diktys
-
35
raised his hand stopping
them.
- Lets have Perifitis,
who came first, to talk
first.
- Lord Diktys, said he
with angry voice, - I found
this boy hiding in the
house of Fitios, in
Amnissos and he already
has confessed that hes an
Athenian and his name is
Alex.
- I did not confess
anything! I cried,
deliberant now to be
heard. - On the contrary,
from the first moment I
said that I am not one of
the boys that were brought
by the royal ship from
Athens. And Fitios was
not hiding me, I added. -
His son found me
unconscious by the road
and he brought me in his
home to treat me.
- But, are you an
Athenian? Diktys inquired,
looking at me closely.
- Yes! I said proudly. -
The City of Pallas is my
home.
I kept looking at the
small frightened boy in
front of me, who was
looking at me with dread
and thought that I should
give him some courage
with my stance.
- This is a fact that in a
way strengthens Perifitis
actions, Diktys said. And
now you, Alkathos.
Whered you fished this
young man?
- I truly fished him out,
my lord, said Alkathos and
a smile brightened his
austere face. - Hed steal a
boat and pushed out to the
sea. But the owner of the
boat, a fisherman, saw the
boat missing, took another
from a friend, captured
-
36
this young lad here while
he headed for Dia and
brought him to me like a
fresh mullet.
While Alkathos talked,
the boy, unable to hide his
fear and weariness, had
thrown his hands on his
face and was sobbing his
heart out.
Diktys came close and
talked to him kindly.
- Whats your name? he
asked
- Xanthos, said the boy
still sobbing.
- Are you an Athenian?
- Yes, the boy nodded, I
am son of Theagenis from
Kolonos.
- And why did you tried
to escape in the boat?
Diktys asked with a smile.
- I was going to ask for
asylum in the Temple of
the Great Goddess, on
Dia, said the boy, lifting
his blond head. I dont
want to be thrown to the
Labyrinth, to be eaten by
the Minotaur; he said and
burst in sobs again.
- Well, my lord, here is
another one terrified by
those nonsense! quipped
up Perifitis, but a stern
look from Diktys, made
him to shut up.
- Dont be afraid, child,
he reassured the little
Athenian. - None of what
youre afraid is true. Now
you go and find your
companions and rest from
your voyage through the
sea. As for you Alex, he
turned to me, - we must
ask forgiveness for our
mistake which was caused
by the excessive zeal of
our officer. Only, wait a
little, so I write you a
permit for a free passage,
so this wont happen again.
-
37
He sat again in front of
his desk and took a long
thin sheet, which from afar
looked like paper, but later
when I touched it I saw
that it was papyrus, no
doubt brought from
Egypt. He wrote some
symbols in a language
unknown to me and then
pressed it with his seal
which he had hanging on a
little bracelet, on his arm.
- Here, he said, rolling
the papyrus and giving it
to me. With this you can
go freely anywhere you
want.
- My lord, I said. - May I
ask a favor? Since they
brought me here to the
Palace of Minos, against
my will, as a prisoner,
could I at least make its
rounds, with your
permission as a visitor, to
admire its whole
magnificence?
Perifitis, red-faced and
flushed turned and looked
me with his cocky attitude,
but Diktys laughed good-
heartedly.
- Surely, he said. - We
owe at least this. Give me
back your permit to add a
few more words.
- Alkathos, he said then,
take care that Xanthos is
brought to his
companions, and this
young Athenian be
quartered in a good guest-
house here. You are both
guests of the Labyrinth; he
added looking us with a
strange smile, like hiding a
strange secret.
Alkathos saluted raising
his sword, the ebony
statues of the black
soldiers came alive and
turned around. We started
to walk out. Perifitis made
as if to follow us out.
-
38
Two great urns from Knossos, painted with lotus and lilies.
- No, you Perifitis will
stay here! I heard the stern
voice of the lord.
Ah! I thought smugly,
now hell have the scolding
he is due to!
But while I was thinking
this, Xanthos came by me.
He took me by the arm
and looked at me
desperately.
- Save me, Alex, save me!
he whispered in my ear. -
Dont let me perish and
die in the Labyrinth!
Before I could answer
him, Alkathos approached
us. He gave an order to his
three soldiers and they
surrounded Xanthos and
took him away to the left.
I waved a hand for
goodbye.
- Dont forget me! he
cried from afar.
- Come with me,
Athenian, Alkathos told
me gently. - Ive learned
that your name is Alex.
-
39
Greek drachmas (pre-euro) banknotes various packages, price: 10 ea. (i.e. package with: 50 drachmas 1939, 500 drachmas 1939, 1000 drachmas 1926, 1000 drachmas 1939, 5000 drachmas 1932, 100 drachmas 1967) Greek (pre-euro) 50-drachmas banknotes, date 1978, condition UNC & continuous numbering various packages (i.e. 3 note packet, price: 10) Greek (pre-euro) 100-drachmas banknotes, date 1978, condition UNC & continuous numbering various packages (i.e. 7 note packet, price: 15) Greek (pre-euro) 500-drachmas banknotes, date 1983, condition UNC & continuous numbering 2 note packet, price: 10
Greek (pre-euro) 1000-drachmas banknotes, date 1987, continuous numbering 2 note packet, price: 12 Greek (pre-euro) 100-drachmas coins, commemorative circulation 1998. 5 coin packet, various faces, price: 10 Greek (pre-euro) drachmas coins, various packages, price: 10 ea. (i.e. package with: 20 drachmas 88, 10 drachmas 88, 5 drachmas 88, 2 drachmas 88, 1 drachmas 88, 50 lepta 76, 20 lepta 73, 10 lepta 71.) Bulgaria (pre-euro) leva coins, price: 10 (package with: 1 ctot 1962, 1 ctot 1974 (x2), 2 ctot 1962, 2 stot 1974, 5 ctot
1962, 10 ctot 1962, 20 ctot 1962, 20 ctot 1974 (x2), 2 leva 1969 commemorative issue Liberation from the Turks)
Spain (pre-euro) peseta coins, price: 15 (package with: 100 ptas 1983, 1985, 1986, 25 ptas 1975, 1995, 1 pta
1966, 1975 (x2), 1980, 1986, 5 ptas 1957 (x2), 1975, 1980, 1983, 1989 (x2), 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1 cent 1989,
1994, diez cents 1945, 50 cents 1966.)
France (pre-euro) francs coins, price: 20 (package with: 1 franc 1960, 1 franc 1976, 1 franc 1978, 2 francs 1996, 5
francs 1971, 10 francs 1991, franc 1966, 20 centimes 1971, 10 centimes 1963, 5 centimes 1978.)
West Germany (pre-euro) mark coins, price: 15 (package with: 2 marks 1969, 1 mark 1950, 50 pfennig 1976 &
1972, 10 pfennig 1949 & 1950 & 1979, 5 pfennig 1971 & 1979.)
England (pre-euro) coins, price: 15 (package with: Two shillings 1962, 5 newpence 1968, 20 pence 1982, 2 newpence
1971, 1 penny 1986, 1 penny 1987 (x2), 1 newpenny 1971, 1 newpenny 1976(x2), 1 newpenny 1978, 1 newpenny 1975 (x2).)
Various (pre-euro) coins, price: 10 (package with: Italy 200 lire 1978, Denmark 50 ore 1989, Yugoslavia 1 dinar
1965, Austria 1 shilling 1986, Holland 25 cents 1977, Turkey 100 lira 1987, 50 lira 1986, Brazil 20 centavos 1987.)
Australia dollar coins, various packages, price: 6-30 ea. (i.e. package with: 2 dollars 1988, 5 cents 1987, 20 cents
1977, 20 cents 1974. price: 10 )
Soviet Union ruble coins, price: 10 (package with: 1 ruble 1970, 20 kopek 1979, 15 kopek 1982, 10 kopek
1974, 3 kopek 1977, 3 kopek 1975, 2 kopek 1969, 1980, 1 kopek 1979, 1983.)
USA dollar coins, price: 10 (package with: Quarter dollar 1965, 5 cents 1982, 5 cents 1964 (x2), 1 cent 1971, 1 cent 1974,
One dime 1985.)
First Day Covers
package of 13 Greek FDCs, commemorative issues for : 10 Years of the Republic 12-10-84,
National Resistance 08-11-82 (2 FDCs), Ten Year Anniversary of the Turkish Invasion at Cyprus
10-07-84, A Hundred Years Anniversary of the International Postal Union 14-09-74, A Hundred
Years Anniversary of the National Polytechnic School 30-03-73, Hellenic Mythology Part C 25-06-
74, Stamp Day 15-11-72, Stamp Day 15-11-74, Christmas Day 15-11-74, Memory of the
Polytechnic Uprising 17-11-83, Hellenic Popular Architecture 26-06-75 (2 FDCs). package price: 40
Olympic Games of Athens 2004 Two unused-intact tickets for the Archery Event, on August 15th, 2004. Package includes: Ticket Pre-
ordering Catalogue, Official Stadium Guide and other memorabilia, price: 30
-
40
Low, simple, sculpted from white
stone, the royal throne of Knossos,
was found standing in the same place,
where almost 2400 years before, sat
the last king of Crete.
Ive heard a lot about your
beautiful homeland, but I
havent visited it yet. I
hope youll like our own.
The dove of Ianthi
We started again to pass from corridors, to
climb stairs, to cross yards
and turn corners. I was
almost dizzy. For a
moment it looked as if
Alkathos himself was lost.
He hesitated as if not sure
which direction to take.
Then he walked straight
on and told me:
- You know that the
foreigners, who come for
the first time at the Palace
of Knossos, are unable to
find their way by
themselves, so we always
provide them with an
escort. It resulted that they
would see the Palace of
Minos as a terrible place
where you could be lost
and never find the exit and
so they consigned the
myth of the Labyrinth.
- So, the Labyrinth
doesnt exist? I asked.
Alkathos, looked at me
surprised.
- But this here is the
Labyrinth. Thats how the
Palace of Minos is called,
because it is dedicated to
the Sacred Labrys, the
double axe, the holiest of
-
41
Over the northern entrance of the palace of Knossos, stands this
magnificent veranda with three red columns. On the back wall there is a
colored fresco, depicting a stormy bull as it attacks.
the Cretan symbols! That
is the meaning of
Labyrinth: the home of
Labrys. Do you
understand, Alex?
At last, we got out, in the
great central yard of the
palace, which opened in
front of us in all its
magnificence.
It was as wide as a city
square and around it arose
great imposing buildings,
with three and four floors,
covered balconies painted
with bright colors and
their stepped rooftops
crowned with the bulls
horns.
Around us, officers with
tall crests and shiny
necklaces, strangers from
Persia, from Phoenicia,
from Egypt, wearing their
homeland dresses, were
coming and going
hurriedly.
Richly dressed ladies,
laden with heavy perfumes
passed by, alone or
-
42
escorted by their maids,
many of them stopping for
a while to chat with their
acquaintances.
As we moved on, a
strange noise was heard
coming towards us with
music and the sound of a
crowd. The people around
us got excited and started
to clear the way.
In a while half a score of
black soldiers appeared.
But these would be part of
the royal guard because
they were taller than the
others and more richly
dressed. They were
holding shields covered
with the skins of panthers,
were armed with long
spears and walked lively,
opening the way for the
procession that followed
them.
- Here is something
worth to see, said
Alkathos, pushing me in
front of the crowd. - They
are your compatriots,
going to the cleansing
temple to purify
themselves and to be
dedicated to the Great
Goddess. From now on,
no one can touch them,
but also they themselves
are forbidden to leave the
holy grounds of the palace,
on pain of death.
The music was getting
closer. First came up a line
of flouters. Contrary to the
other Minoans, which
were dressed naked to the
waist, they were wearing
long robes, which covered
their legs and their arms.
Then followed a line of
musicians, who were
playing lyres and guitars
and then a line of boys
holding cymbals and
sistrums. And now I saw
behind them coming two
more boys, holding
forward in their arms the
-
43
double axe, Cretes holy
symbol. But, instead of
made of stone as those
axes Id seen upon the
Palace entrance, these were
of pure gold and flashed
with every movement. A
tall woman was following,
alone, between four other
younger ones around her.
She was dressed as the
Minoan women, except
that she wasnt adorned
with any jewel and was
wearing a short jacket over
her clothes. Her head was
covered with a tall round
hat, with a gold snake
curled tight around it. She
was looking straight
forward and her beautiful
but frozen face, made you
feel respect for her but
awe too.
- Who is she? I
whispered.
- Shhh! cut me Alkathos,
covering my mouth with
his hand. - She is the holy
priestess of the Goddess
of Snakes! Do not speak!
I saw that everyone
around me was saluting,
arching back their body
and touching their right
fist on the brow.
The priestess walked like
a moving statue, straight
and unbending. Behind
her, in quite a distance,
were following two or
three lines of young girls,
most of them not much
older than children,
holding covered baskets
on their hands, big urns
and dishes heaped with
fruits.
In the first line, just in
front of me, a girl was
walking. Her hair was
adorned with a crown of
flowers and she was
carrying a basket whose
cover was half-opening. As
she tried to fix it, it opened
completely and a brightly
-
44
white pigeon winged out
from inside it and flew
over and sat on my
shoulder!
The crowd around me
held its breath. The young
follower of the priestess
uttered a breathless cry but
she didnt dare to break
the procession.
Before anyone else
around me could
intervene, I grabbed the
dove and stepping
forward, I placed it softly
inside its basket.
The girl thanked me with
her eyes full of happiness
and gratitude. She had big
violet eyes and a rosy color
spread on her face as she
smiled sweetly at me.
- Truly, you are favored
by the Goddess, Alkathos
whispered to me, as soon
as I returned to my place,
-
45
-
46
while twenty pairs of eyes
regarded me. - Do you
even know who this girl is?
- How should I know? I
said. - This is the first time
Ive seen her.
- She is Ianthi, the
youngest daughter of
Minos.
I thought that only a
princess would be so
charming and have such a
beautiful name, but right
then came along the boys
and girls who were to be
dedicated to the Goddess.
They were not only the
fourteen children of
Athens. They were many
more. It seemed that at
those days had arrived all
the ships that gathered the
living tribute to the sea-
master king.
I lifted my neck up to
discover Xanthos and
finally managed to see him
among the last ones. He
was walking like a dreamer,
but maybe he felt my eyes,
because he turned around,
saw me and a flash of joy
brightened his face. Save
me! whispered his lips
and then he pressed them
up to keep from crying.
When the procession
passed, followed by a line
of tall Minoans armed with
shields and spears, the
square filled again with its
familiar noises of the
crowds. It was now quite
late in the evening.
- Tonight Ill host you in
my home, Alkathos told
me. It is too late to find
another place for you now.
Besides, I have a son at
your age and I hope youll
be friends.
-
47
In the house of
Alkathos
I didnt sleep very well during my first night in
Minoan Crete. I was so
tired when we arrived at
the home of Alkathos that
he led me directly to the
quests room and ordered
the old servant who
opened the door, to bring
something for me to eat.
He himself lighted the
light for me, a beautiful
candlestick sculpted from
a gray stone, about a meter
tall and before he bade me
goodnight he advised me
to put it out before I sleep.
- We never let lighted
fires on during the night,
he said. It is very
dangerous in this land,
which is so much troubled
by quakes.
So in a little while I
snuffed my candle and lay
on the bed. I was sleepless
for a long time, staring out
the window at the cypress
waving their tops and the
olive trees shading up the
starry sky. Everything Ive
seen and heard was turning
inside my mind and
prevented me from sleep.
At last, my head dropped
and my eyes closed, but
my sleep was full of
disturbing dreams.
Sometimes I dreamed that
I descended in the bowels
of the earth to fight the
underground bull, whose
roar was heard from afar.
Other times I was
confronted by the fairytale
sight of the little princess.
She smiled sweetly at me
and told me: My name is
Ianthi. What is your name,
to thank you? And as I
was making ready to tell
her, Xanthos appeared and
run to hide behind me,
yelling Save me, Alex,
-
48
save me! The Minotaur is
going to eat me!
About sunrise I lay
rested and when I opened
my eyes the sunlight filled
the room. Over my head a
dark boy about twelve
years old stood looking at
me curiously. He was
looking so much like
Alkathos, that immediately
I realized he was his son.
I shot up and stood on
my feet.
- Forgive me, I said. - I
was exhausted and slept
too much.
- I know, he smiled at
me. - You slept so deep,
you didnt notice even the
earthquake.
- What, there was
another earthquake? I
yelled with alarm. - When
has it happened?
- Well, it was about
midnight. It wasnt very
strong, but the roar of the
underground bull startled
us all.
So, the roar I heard in
my dream was really the
thunder of the quake.
- My father left early,
because he has duties at
the palace, said the boy
cutting short my thoughts.
- He told me your name is
Alex. My name is Idymos
and for today I shall be
your escort all day.
We went to eat our
breakfast in a covered
veranda with only one side
propped under a wooden
column, painted with the
warm red Minoan color.
All the walls were painted
with military scenes. In
one of them an officer
walked forward, followed
by his black soldiers
running, elsewhere the
same officer, stood at
attention and gave a report
-
49
to someone superior or a
prince by his dress,
somewhere else half the
soldiers exercised and the
other half watched them.
- Do you like them?
Idymos asked me, flattered
by my interest. - They were
painted for us by one of
the best artificers of the
palace.
- Oh, very much! I
answered. - It is obvious
that this is a soldiers
house. But I dont see
anywhere battle scenes.
- Battles? wondered the
young Cretan. - With
whom to fight? Minos
rules the seas and at the
most, our ships happen to
fight some pirate. As for
the lands beyond the sea,
either they are our vassals
and pay tribute like
Athens, Corinth or
Euboea, or else they are
our friends, like the mighty
Pharaoh, the Assyrian
King and the King of
Babylon. Our army is only
for the shows and to keep
the order. What a shame,
he continued, - that you
mainlanders keep on
fighting each other,
country with country, tribe
on tribe, Attica at Boeotia,
Mycenae with Argos, even
Athens with Megara, he
added, clearly proud for
his knowledge of
geography. - Thats why
the palaces of your kings
are build upon mighty
castles, he concluded,
while our own has around
it only a low wall.
- Which you cant pass
without a special permit, I
said.
- Here is my permit! he
laughed and showed me
his arm, where, like all the
other Minoans he had a
leather band with a seal
made of milky stone. This
-
50
is like my identification, he
continued. This was a gift
from my father when I
graduated from the school.
It represents a wild goat
standing on a mountain
top.
A maid brought us two
plates of oatmeal laced
with a lot of honey. On
the table there were also
other dishes with bread,
fruits, olives and cheese.
- My mother and my
sister have already left for
the preparations of todays
celebrations, Idymos said,
as if to excuse himself for
being alone in representing
his family. - We celebrate
for the rich crop and all
the girls of the palace will
dance tonight in the sacred
woods of the Goddess.
- Will there be also,
Ianthi, the daughter of
Minos there? I asked with
a secret heart-ache.
How Id like to see again
the young princess!
- Oh, surely! Idymos
laughed. - How do you
know of her? Ah, but of
course, you were the one
who captured her dove!
My sister who was at the
procession told me all
about it. Well, Ill ask my
mother to let us go to the
feast, so that you can see
her again, because she is
the best dancer.
I thanked him and felt
unwillingly the blood
rushing to my head.
I didnt want Idymos to
notice it, so I lowered my
head to my plate.
We ate for a while
silently. But then I saw
Idymoss eyes observing
me. He noticed and smiled
at me.
- My father told me what
you went through
-
51
-
52
This wall-painting adorned one of the eastern rooms of the palace and represents a bull-
fighting scene. The bull-rider on the bull is a boy; the other two on the sides are girls.
yesterday, he said. - Only
top related