The Sacred Land

“So it will,” Baukis agreed, sounding as if she really was working hard to give the cook proper credit. Menedemos wondered how long that would last, but was willing, even eager, to enjoy it while it did.

Philodemos looked pleased, too. He’d seemed cheerful ever since he got up, unusually so. Menedemos recalled the creaking bed the night before. “All right, then,” his father said. “I’ve done my duty-I’ve told you about the symposion. Past that, it’s up to you.”

“Thank you for giving me so much sea room.” Menedemos meant it; his father more often preferred to bark orders than to let him make his own choices. Ordering him to Xanthos’ would have gone a bit far, even for Philodemos, but it wouldn’t have been out of the question. Knowing as much, Menedemos tried to be thoughtful, too: “I wish it were the season for cabbage, to help you with your headache tomorrow.”

“The only thing that really helps one of those headaches is a little more wine, if your stomach can stand it,” his father said. But then, as he seldom did, he realized he was turning down kind words from Menedemos, and checked himself. “Thanks,” he added gruffly. “Raw cabbage is better than nothing; I will say that.”

Dressed in his best chiton (but still barefoot, as befit a man who’d spent a good many years at sea himself), Philodemos went off to Xanthos’ house late that afternoon. Menedemos knew he’d come reeling home sometime in the middle of the night, a beribboned wreath on his hand, songs on his lips, and a torchbearer or two lighting his way through the dark streets of Rhodes.

And here I am staying home, Menedemos thought. Which of us, is the old man and which the young? Then he reminded himself where his father was going. He’d used the right word in describing those speeches. More winds lurked in Xanthos’ house than in the oxhide sack King Aiolos had given to Odysseus to help him make his way homeward-and they would all come out tonight, too. Menedemos laughed. Sure enough, he liked his choice better than his father’s.

He was pretty sure he had a better supper than his father’s, too, no matter what Xanthos’ cook turned out. Sikon brought a fine stingray back from the market. He baked it Sicilian style, with cheese and silphium from Kyrene. He’d also baked some light, fluffy bread of wheat flour for sitos. Replete, Menedemos said, “This is luxury the Great Kings of Persia couldn’t top.”

The cook leaned toward him and said, “And your father’s wife didn’t grumble about the fish, either. You ask me, that’s the best luxury of all.”

After supper, with night already fallen, Menedemos went up to his bedroom. But a full belly didn’t make him sleepy, as it often did. He tossed and turned for a while, then put on his chiton again and went back downstairs to the courtyard to wait for his father. He could tease him about how drunk he was and boast of the lovely ray Philodemos had missed.

Everything was dark and cool and quiet. Sikon and the other slaves had long since gone to sleep. Blowing clouds drifted past the moon, hiding it more often than not, though the rain still held off. A nightjar flew past overhead; its croaking call put Menedemos in mind of a frog. An owl hooted in the distance. Even farther off, a dog barked, and then another.

Menedemos yawned. Now that he was out of bed, he felt like getting back into it. Laughing at himself, he started toward the stairs. Then he stopped in surprise, for someone else was coming down to the courtyard.

Seeing his motion, Baukis stopped in surprise, too, right at the foot of the stairway. “Who’s there?” she called quietly, and then, as the moon came out from behind one of those clouds, “Oh. Is that you, Menedemos? I was going to wait for your father.”

“So was I,” he answered. “We can wait together, if you like. We’ll keep each other awake-I was getting sleepy out here by myself.”

“All right.” Baukis walked over to the bench in the courtyard. “Aren’t you cold in just your chiton?” she asked. “I’m chilly, and I’ve got a mantle on.”

“Not me,” he said, sitting down beside her. “You can always spot a sailor in a crowd. He’ll be the barefoot fellow who never bothers with a himation. The only reason I take a mantle aboard the Aphrodite is to use it for a blanket when I sleep aboard ship.”

“Oh,” she said. That owl hooted again. Another cloud slid in front of the moon. She looked toward the entrance. “I wonder how long it will be before Philodemos comes home.”

“Probably a good while yet,” said Menedemos, who had considerable experience of symposia. “Xanthos isn’t the type to order a strong mix to the wine, so people will have to do a lot of drinking before they get properly drunk.”

“And before he brings out the flute-girls and the dancing girls and the acrobats or whoever else he’s hired from the brothelkeeper.” Baukis’ voice stayed quiet, but she couldn’t keep a snarl from it.

“Well, yes.” Menedemos knew he sounded uncomfortable. “That’s what men do at symposia.”

“I know.” Baukis packed the two words with devastating scorn.

Any answer would have been worse than none. Menedemos didn’t even shrug. The moon came out again. Its pale light showed Baukis angrily staring down at the ground between her feet. Something small skittered, over by the andron. Her head swung toward it. So did Menedemos’. “Just a mouse,” he said.

“I suppose so,” she said, and then, hunching her shoulders a little, “I am cold.”

Before he thought, he slipped an arm around her. She sighed and slid closer to him. The next moment, they were kissing, his hands stroking her hair, her hand caressing his cheek, the soft, firm flesh of her breasts pressed maddeningly against him.

And, the moment after that, they flew apart as if each found the other red-hot. “We can’t,” Baukis gasped.

“We don’t dare,” Menedemos agreed. His heart thudded hard in his chest. “But oh, darling, how I want to!”

“So do-” Baukis tossed her head. She wasn’t going to admit that, perhaps not even to herself. She changed course: “I know you do, dear Mene-” She tossed her head again. “I know you do. But we can’t. We mustn’t. The scandal! I’m trying to be-I want to be-a proper wife to your father. And if anyone sees us… If anyone saw us…” She looked around in alarm.

“I know,” Menedemos said grimly. “Oh, by the gods, how I know. And I know it isn’t right, and I know-” He sprang to his feet and ran up the stairs, taking them two and three at a time even in the dark, careless of a stumble. He shut the door to his room and barred it, as if to lock temptation away. But it was there inside with him, inside him, and now that he knew it dwelt in his father’s wife, too…

He lay down again, but he didn’t sleep. Quite a while later, Philodemos came home. Baukis greeted him as if nothing at all were wrong. Menedemos knew he would have to do the same in the morning. It wouldn’t be easy. He also knew that, knew it all too well. From now on, nothing in the world would be easy.