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Authors: Mike Ashley
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one who seemed to have any appetite.
“A youth of your age will eat, no matter what the circumstances,” said Antipater with a sigh. He passed his untouched bowl of millet and lentils to me.
“No one will ever convince me that it was the will of Artemis that Chloe should die,” muttered Mnason, staring into space with a blank expression. “Our enemies are behind this, Eutropius. You know whom I mean.”
Eutropius looked not at his friend, but at me. I felt like an intruder.
“If the rest of you don’t mind, I’ll finish this in my room,” I said, picking up my bowl.
“I’ll go with you,” said Antipater.
“No, Teacher – stay. We could use your advice,” said Eutropius. He issued no such request to me, and avoided meeting my eyes. I took my leave.
Alone in my room, once the bowl was empty, I found it impossible to simply sit on the bed. I paced for a while, then took off my shoes and walked quietly down the hallway to the top of the stairs; the conversation from the garden carried quite well to that spot. I stood and listened.
“Everyone knows that Theotimus is completely in the grip of the Roman governor,” Mnason was saying. “He’s determined to bring down all who oppose him – those of us who believe that Ephesus should be free of the Romans.”
“But surely you’re not saying the Megabyzus had something to do with Chloe’s death,” said Antipater.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying!” cried Mnason, with a sob in his voice.
After a long silence, Eutropius spoke. “It does seem to me that his accusation against Anthea was too well-timed to have been spontaneous. As unthinkable as it sounds, I have to wonder if Theotimus played some part in your daughter’s death, and then used it as an excuse to make his foul accusation against Anthea – an accusation that will destroy me as well, if the test goes against her.”
“This test – I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never witnessed it,” said Antipater.
“It’s seldom used, Teacher. I can count on the fingers of one hand the occasions it’s been performed in my lifetime.”
“I seem to recall it involves a cave in the sacred grove of Ortygia,” said Antipater.
“Yes. Until the test takes place, the accused girl is kept by the hierodules, the female acolytes who serve under the Megabyzoi. On the day of the test, they escort the girl to the grove of Ortygia, which is full of wonders and manifestations of divine will. One of the most sacred spots is a cave near the stream where Leto gave birth to Artemis and her twin brother, Apollo. In that cave, hanging by a chain from the ceiling, are some Pan pipes; there’s a story that explains how they came to be there, but I won’t recount it now. Long ago, an iron door was put in place across the opening of the cave, and only the Megabyzoi have the key. This is the test: if a maiden is accused of having lost her virginity, the truth of the matter can be determined by shutting her up in the cave, alone. If she is truly a virgin, the Pan pipes play a melody – whether Pan himself performs on the pipes, or a divine wind blows through them, no one knows – and the door opens of its accord, allowing the virgin to emerge with her reputation for purity intact.”
“And if the girl is not a virgin?”
“Then the pipes are silent, and the girl is never seen again.”
“She dies in the cave?” said Antipater with gasp.
“The door is opened the next day, and the Megabyzoi enter, but no body is ever found. As I said, the girl is simply … never seen again.” Eutropius spoke with a quaver in his voice.
“So the sacred cave is exclusively in the keeping of the Megabyzoi?” said Antipater.
“Of course, as are all the sacred places of Artemis.”
“But if you suspect Theotimus to be capable of murder – indeed, of profaning the very Temple of Artemis with such a crime – then might he not contrive to somehow falsify the virgin test, as well? You must protest, Eutropius. You must
“A youth of your age will eat, no matter what the circumstances,” said Antipater with a sigh. He passed his untouched bowl of millet and lentils to me.
“No one will ever convince me that it was the will of Artemis that Chloe should die,” muttered Mnason, staring into space with a blank expression. “Our enemies are behind this, Eutropius. You know whom I mean.”
Eutropius looked not at his friend, but at me. I felt like an intruder.
“If the rest of you don’t mind, I’ll finish this in my room,” I said, picking up my bowl.
“I’ll go with you,” said Antipater.
“No, Teacher – stay. We could use your advice,” said Eutropius. He issued no such request to me, and avoided meeting my eyes. I took my leave.
Alone in my room, once the bowl was empty, I found it impossible to simply sit on the bed. I paced for a while, then took off my shoes and walked quietly down the hallway to the top of the stairs; the conversation from the garden carried quite well to that spot. I stood and listened.
“Everyone knows that Theotimus is completely in the grip of the Roman governor,” Mnason was saying. “He’s determined to bring down all who oppose him – those of us who believe that Ephesus should be free of the Romans.”
“But surely you’re not saying the Megabyzus had something to do with Chloe’s death,” said Antipater.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying!” cried Mnason, with a sob in his voice.
After a long silence, Eutropius spoke. “It does seem to me that his accusation against Anthea was too well-timed to have been spontaneous. As unthinkable as it sounds, I have to wonder if Theotimus played some part in your daughter’s death, and then used it as an excuse to make his foul accusation against Anthea – an accusation that will destroy me as well, if the test goes against her.”
“This test – I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never witnessed it,” said Antipater.
“It’s seldom used, Teacher. I can count on the fingers of one hand the occasions it’s been performed in my lifetime.”
“I seem to recall it involves a cave in the sacred grove of Ortygia,” said Antipater.
“Yes. Until the test takes place, the accused girl is kept by the hierodules, the female acolytes who serve under the Megabyzoi. On the day of the test, they escort the girl to the grove of Ortygia, which is full of wonders and manifestations of divine will. One of the most sacred spots is a cave near the stream where Leto gave birth to Artemis and her twin brother, Apollo. In that cave, hanging by a chain from the ceiling, are some Pan pipes; there’s a story that explains how they came to be there, but I won’t recount it now. Long ago, an iron door was put in place across the opening of the cave, and only the Megabyzoi have the key. This is the test: if a maiden is accused of having lost her virginity, the truth of the matter can be determined by shutting her up in the cave, alone. If she is truly a virgin, the Pan pipes play a melody – whether Pan himself performs on the pipes, or a divine wind blows through them, no one knows – and the door opens of its accord, allowing the virgin to emerge with her reputation for purity intact.”
“And if the girl is not a virgin?”
“Then the pipes are silent, and the girl is never seen again.”
“She dies in the cave?” said Antipater with gasp.
“The door is opened the next day, and the Megabyzoi enter, but no body is ever found. As I said, the girl is simply … never seen again.” Eutropius spoke with a quaver in his voice.
“So the sacred cave is exclusively in the keeping of the Megabyzoi?” said Antipater.
“Of course, as are all the sacred places of Artemis.”
“But if you suspect Theotimus to be capable of murder – indeed, of profaning the very Temple of Artemis with such a crime – then might he not contrive to somehow falsify the virgin test, as well? You must protest, Eutropius. You must
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