A Meeting of Wizards

by John Hosh

  The gods indicated no by vigorously shaking their heads.

  Slowly and sternly, Zeus said, “I have one last thing. I have taken a liking to the daughter of Chief Arcos of Scythia and . . . to the daughter of King Rheon of Rhodes and . . . to the daughter of Archon Hasdrubal of Tunisia. Let it be known.”

  Chapter 23 : Pandemonium on Sternon

  Early in the morning Zephyrus was blowing a warm breeze over Sternon. The gulls were screeching joyously. Several long, worm-like clouds were crawling over the backs of one another from the northwest to the southeast.

  Out of the orchard, Mentor was walking toward the brook and toward the other wizards. Mentor commanded pleasantly, “Wake up, wizards.” Aegis, Helice and Iphitus were lying in a row on the patch of grass where they had been the night before. Wrapped in their cloaks, they were closer to the orchard than to the brook. Mentor declared, “Let’s go. It’s time to munch! Everybody, look alive.”

  While the children were stirring, Mentor sat beside the brook while facing it. He removed the gold plate from his cloak. He looked into the plate. A cube of white cheese and a hunk of bread materialized on the plate. He put the plate on the ground to his right. Mentor took the cheese and the bread from the plate.

  Aegis, Helice and Iphitus stood. They picked the grit from their eyes. The young wizards adjusted their cloaks. They shuffled toward Mentor’s back.

  Aegis called, “Good morning, Mentor.”

  Over his right shoulder, Mentor responded, “Good morning. Aegis, let Iphitus use your plate, please. Helice, you may use mine.”

  Helice sat to the right of Mentor’s plate. She picked it up. Iphitus sat to the right of Helice. Aegis pulled a gold plate from his cloak and handed the plate to Iphitus. Aegis sat to the right of Iphitus. In no time everyone was eating bread, cheese and grapes or cherries.

  Between chews, Mentor reported, “I visited the house of Marcos again. I flew back and forth over the island. I did not see either Chloë or Jono. Aegis, the commotion on the beach last night was Marcos and his sons. They are guarding two good-sized logs — logs that would make a sturdy boat. It’s possible that Marcos traded Chloë for the logs.”

  Helice blurted, “But she’s his daughter.”

  “It happens,” Mentor responded.

  Iphitus asked, “What are we going to do?”

  Mentor replied, “Aegis, I want you to fly east. See if Chloë or Jono is on one of the nearby islets. If you can’t find them in the vicinity, then go back to Stomakhikos. Don’t spend more than half a day. You should be at school when school begins. We will send a search-party from there. Helice, Iphitus, we will work on invisibility, and then we will say goodbye to Sternon Island.”

  ****

  At mid-morning a white frothy line drew itself from west to east across the sea. The frothy line was at thrice a stone’s throw south of Sternon Island. Suddenly the line and the sea beneath it headed skyward. The sea rose until it was as high as a palm-tree. The towering sea surged swiftly toward Sternon. Sternon was shaking. Its walls and its houses were crumbling. Its beasts and its people were running for their lives.

 

  Chapter 24 : Ixia

  A gull was squawking when Jono awoke. He was in a cave that had its back wall one and one-half spits from its entrance. The cave’s ceiling was not much higher than Jono could reach on tiptoe. The only light in the cave was daylight. Sitting up on a small bed of straw, Jono looked round. His broom, his cloak and his water-skin were not in the cave. He tossed off a sheepskin that covered him from his waist to his boots. He walked toward the cave’s north-facing mouth.

  Jono was on a cup-shaped island. The bottom of the cup — where Jono was — was split into a north side and a south side by an inlet from the sea. The inlet was several times a stone’s throw across.

  The sides of the cup were made of big fingers of rock. The fingers were many and of different heights. The fingers let light pass between them, but they kept much of the island’s south side in shadow. The shadows were reaching to the north-northwest when Jono awoke.

  The island’s north side had several fruit trees among half a score of small vegetable gardens. The island’s south side — where Jono was — was all rock and caves. At the middle of the south side was the biggest cave. This cave had a mouth that was two spear-lengths high and four spear-lengths wide.

  West of the middle cave were four caves. East of the middle cave were four caves. The caves which were farthest from the middle cave were the smallest. In front of all the caves, smooth rock sloped gently to the water.

  From the east side of the middle cave’s mouth, a line of rocks — with wide spaces between the rocks — went northward. From the west side of the middle cave’s mouth, another line of rocks went northward parallel to the first line. Near the cave, the rocks in the lines were half as high as a man. The rocks became smaller until — a few paces from the water — they were no bigger than a cabbage. The two lines of rocks split the south side of the island into an east beach and a west beach.

  Boulders and rocks dotted both the east beach and the west beach. Each beach had a big table that the people had made with rocks. Each beach had some wood racks for drying fish. Each beach had a big rock at the water’s edge. Boats were tied to those rocks. Seaweed ropes kept three long, narrow boats on the west beach. Seaweed ropes kept three short, wide boats on the east beach. One of the narrow boats was the boat that had carried Jono off the island of the spuds.

  All the people were on the south side of the island. Everyone was wearing hemp or seaweed or some combination of the two. Several men were standing waist-deep offshore beside the wide boats. These men were putting fish into small bark-and-twig baskets that they gave to boys who were standing at the water’s edge. The boys were carrying the baskets to the tables. At the tables, women with stone knives were gutting the fish. Several girls were hanging the gutted fish on the racks. One woman on the east beach was tending a clay-pot that sat in a low fire. Infants were chasing each other among the rocks. Close to the most westerly cave, two men, surrounded by young boys, were flaking rocks and making spears. Two girls, who were Jono’s age, were dragging a basket between the lines of rocks toward the middle cave.

  Jono stepped out of the most easterly cave above the east beach. From the east beach, several boys and several girls who were younger than Jono ran to him. They touched his shiny shirt and his black boots. The children tugged on his skirt. They poked him. Sniffing, Jono walked toward the water.

  From near the fire on the east beach, Enneas, a big hairy man wearing a seaweed skirt and Jono’s cloak, strode toward Jono. Enneas called, “You, come!” His right hand beckoned. He turned toward the eastern fire.

  A few children grabbed Jono’s arms. The giggling children pulled Jono toward the fire. Enneas was standing to the west of the woman who was cooking on the east beach. Using a bone to hook a small fish out of the cooking-pot, the woman yanked the fish into a clay bowl. She held the bowl toward Jono, who took it with both hands. Enneas grunted, “Eat.” Enneas turned away from Jono. Enneas walked along the beach westward.

  Watched by the boys and the girls, Jono sat near the water’s edge. He tore the fish apart and wolfed the edible parts down. When he was done, he set the bowl aside and licked his fingers. Rubbing his hands together, he said, “I’m Jono. What is this place?”

  A boy of three more summers than Jono stepped from the west toward Jono. The boy declared, “This is Ixia. I’m Anaxagoras. You will do what I tell you.” Anaxagoras beckoned. “Come,” he ordered.

  Anaxagoras was taller than Jono by the height of Jono’s head. Tanned Anaxagoras had black hair that barely covered the lobes of his ears. He had dark eyes and a straight nose. Wearing a hemp skirt, stocky and strong, Anaxagoras dragged his left foot when he walked.

  Anaxagoras led Jono to the table on the east beach. “Your job,” Anaxagoras told Jono, “is to keep the table clear of guts and bones. You use this bone. Move the offal so it falls into
this basket. When you have as much offal as you can pull, drag the basket up to the middle cave. Dump the offal there. Bring the basket back. Do the same thing again. You are done when there are no more fish. Do you have any questions?”

  Jono shook his head. Anaxagoras grunted. He warned, “And don’t dawdle. If you are too slow, you are going to get a smack.” Anaxagoras walked awkwardly westward toward big hairy Enneas.

  Jono dragged the offal-basket three times between the shore and the middle cave. When the women quit cleaning fish, Jono put the empty offal-basket beside the table that he had kept clean. Rubbing his neck and stretching his arms, he padded toward the water. At the water’s edge he brushed some fish-bits from his clothing. He sat, removed his boots and set them aside. He waded into the sea until his skirt’s hem was barely above the surface. Then he washed his hands and his face.

  Shaking the water from his hands, Jono returned to the beach. He stepped out of the water and picked up his boots. At that instant the water surged upon the beach. The water almost reached Jono’s knees. The men in the water yelled, “Hey!” Children shrieked. The boats grated against the beach. Everyone scrambled away from the water. An instant later the water backed away from the south shore.

  Near the water, standing several strides west of the westerly line of rocks, big hairy Enneas shouted, “Look!” He pointed to the north shore. A small wave was headed for the island’s north side. Enneas proclaimed, “See! The god of the sea is on our side. He drives the sea away from us.”

  Limping Anaxagoras was standing two strides east of Enneas. “I told you the boy was a good omen,” said Anaxagoras.

  Euphrasia was a big woman. She had thick ankles, thick wrists and a double chin. Her unruly black hair was half way to gray. Dressed in a hemp tunic, she was standing barefoot on the west beach. Two paces up the slope from Enneas, Euphrasia remarked, “Perhaps, Anaxagoras, the girl is the bringer of good fortune. Perhaps she is the sign.”

  Anaxagoras quarreled, “It’s the boy. He had the cloak. A cloak protects. Now the god of the sea protects us. See the connection?” Anaxagoras scowled at Euphrasia.

  Enneas wrapped himself in Jono’s cloak. Enneas grumbled, “It doesn’t matter whether the omen is the girl or the boy. The point is that good fortune is with us. The gods are not in a mood to smite us.” Enneas shouted, “The time is ripe! Our day has come! We will attack! Hurry!”

  Well away from the water, Jono sat. He put on his boots. He scanned the west beach.

  With Helios pointing shadows to the northeast, boys and young men were running back and forth between the three narrow boats and the most westerly cave. Some boys or young men were putting stone-tipped spears or cudgels into the boats. Some boys or young men were carrying shields. Other boys or young men were carrying heavy baskets toward the boats.

  From the caves that were above both beaches, women were carrying empty cooking-bowls. The women headed for the narrow boats. While they walked, the women rubbed their fingertips on the blackened outside bottom of the bowls. When the women arrived on the western beach, they found a line of men who were standing still and facing southward. Using the soot from the bowls’ bottoms, the women streaked the men’s faces, chests and arms.

  Three girls who were a little older than Jono were each carrying three necklaces. For the most part, the necklaces were made of shells and leather cord. The girls hung the necklaces over the heads of the men who were standing in front of the narrow boats.

  When Enneas was ready to go, he shouted to the women, “Pray for us!” Enneas shouted to the men, “Let’s go, go, go!” He hoisted Jono’s cloak and waded into the water.

  When the men were in the narrow boats — three men to a boat, some boys untied the mooring-ropes. Older boys pushed the boats away from the shore. The boatmen took up their paddles. The boatmen drove the boats westward. Soon the boats were beyond Ixia.

  Euphrasia barked, “Let’s pray!” She backed away from the water. She backed several paces up the slope toward the western caves. Standing akimbo, she looked toward the east beach. She shouted, “Come along there, you lot! We have to pray.”

  Some girls on the east beach pulled Jono with them toward the west beach. The boys and the several women on the east beach hurried toward the west beach. Soon more than two score of people were gathering. They gathered not far west of the westerly line of rocks.

  Euphrasia scowled. She scolded, “I don’t have all day. Xanthippe, come stand here in front.” Euphrasia stood with her hands clasped. Her daughter, a chubby girl who was one summer younger than Chloë, halted two paces from Euphrasia.

  When the crowd was quiet in front of her, Euphrasia threw back her head. She lifted her hands. She shouted to the sky, “O Great Arës, hear us now. The people of Ixia ask for your help. Help us, O Arës. Help us kill our enemies. Help us smash their stupid little heads. Bring us victory. We promise to make a sacrifice in your honor. We haven’t had time to work out the details, but it will be up to our usual standard. You don’t have to trouble yourself about that! Please, O Great Arës, bestow your kindness upon the good people of Ixia. We have suffered much. We haven’t had a real victory for a long time — a really long time. It’s not fair that other people get to cut our throats all the time. We should be allowed to cut their throats once in a while too. I beg you to help Ixia carry the day. That’s all I want. Could you give us a sign that you have heard us — nothing much — perhaps a winter’s worth of firewood or some new boats — how about some trees? We could really use some trees down here — all kinds of trees. Everything would be better if we had more trees. You should think about putting a stand of tall cedars round the back of the north side! You can’t go wrong with cedar. Cedar would be perfect. Give that some thought.”

  Euphrasia lowered her gaze. She dropped her hands to her sides. The other Ixians were standing silently. They looked upward. After a few moments some Ixians looked round at the others. Some shrugged. A fish-rack toppled on the eastern beach. The Ixians jumped at the clatter. The fallen rack brought a smile to the face of Euphrasia. She shouted to the sky, “That will do. Thanks a heap, O Arës! We’ll get right to work on that sacrifice.”

  Chapter 25 : Jono finds Chloë

  On Ixia the shadows were pointing to the east. An infant wailed. Jono yawned and shuffled out of the most easterly cave. He padded down the slope toward the cooking-pot on the east beach.

  No one was near the cooking-pot. It did not have a fire beneath it. Most of the people were gathered at the water’s edge on the west beach. The Ixians were looking toward where the boats had gone. Some women were shaking their heads. Mothers were clasping their infants.

  Jono walked toward the gathering. He came to a stop beside the westerly line of rocks. “They should have returned,” an old man said. He shook his head.

  Above the west beach, from the cave that was closest to the middle cave, Euphrasia, dressed in hemp, padded down the slope. Xanthippe, in hemp, padded after Euphrasia. Euphrasia halted not far from Jono. Chubby Xanthippe halted on the west side of Euphrasia. Euphrasia announced, “Something’s wrong.”

  Euphrasia was wearing a necklace that was made of seashells. She lifted the necklace over her head. She took the necklace in her left hand. She rattled the necklace.

  Euphrasia looked at Xanthippe. Euphrasia jerked her head toward the old man who had spoken a few moments earlier. Xanthippe stepped close to the old man. She pulled on his sheepskin wrap. The old man looked at Xanthippe. She stepped back from him.

  Euphrasia proclaimed, “Something’s wrong!”

  The old man barked at Euphrasia, “I know that. I’m not a simpleton, you know.”

  “Do you think we should do something?”

  “Of course we should do something. Why would we do nothing?”

  “I’m going to ask the gods for a sign. I’ll try the god of war again.”

  Euphrasia yanked Xanthippe backwards. Euphrasia and Xanthippe backed several steps up the slope. Euphrasia rattled the
necklace. She held her hands toward the sky. She looked up. “O Great Arës! Hear me now, again. The good people of Ixia are worried. We want to know if our men are safe. Do they have victory? Will they be home soon? Should we make supper? What’s going on? Give us a sign; we beg you.”

  Somewhere a gull squawked. Euphrasia joined the other people in looking for the gull. The gull did not show itself.

  Euphrasia stepped toward the old man. Euphrasia asked, “Did you hear the cry of the gull?”

  “Of course I heard it,” the old man bellowed. “I’m not deaf, you know.”

  “What do you think it means?”

  “The gull’s cry is bad news. It is a bad omen. I think the gods want blood.”

  “That’s what I was thinking.” Euphrasia sighed. She backed up the slope several steps. She rattled her necklace; then she put it over her head. She spoke loudly, “Give me your attention, everybody. You there, shut up! Listen to me! Everybody turn this way! Everybody face me! Hurry up!” Muttering, everyone on the beach turned toward Euphrasia and Xanthippe. When the muttering died away, Euphrasia declared, “The men should have returned. It may be that the gods have turned against us. They may be unsatisfied with our prayers. They may want us to do more. I think we have to show how much we adore the gods and the goddesses. I think we need to make a sacrifice. I think we need to give up our slaves. Ixians, I think we must act now while the sacrifice may do some good. Ixians, are you with me?” The people muttered, shrugged and nodded half-heartedly.

  Euphrasia looked at Jono. She pointed her right index finger at him. She commanded, “You, boy, come with me.”

  Euphrasia turned from Jono. She looked toward the west side of the gathering. She pointed westward. She commanded, “You, girl, you come too.” Chloë walked toward Euphrasia.

  Euphrasia demanded, “Xanthippe, go get the instrument.” The chubby girl ran up the western slope toward the first cave that was westward of the middle cave. “Anaxagoras, make sure these two do as they’re told.” Stocky Anaxagoras limped to the north side of Jono. Euphrasia turned. She crossed the westerly line of rocks and walked toward the pile of offal.