Zeus turned his gaze back to the arena, silently considering the notion. One of the men had been pinned down by a lion, now ripping into his abdomen. The husband boosted his wife up as she reached for the railing of the arena. The people above her pushed her grasping hands away, shouting insults. She lost her balance and fell to the sandy floor just as a bear reached her husband. The scene was so pitiful that I turned towards my father instead.
“Do you really think this is the right way, Father?” I asked, gesturing to the mayhem below us. “We were once known for tolerance. If we cannot withstand a little competition, perhaps we do not deserve to be in power.”
Zeus’s eyes flashed at that. “This isn’t about competition, Athena! This is about respect. These people deny our divinity, and in our own land! If they are allowed to get away with it, how long do you think we will keep the respect of the other humans? Gods must be feared, in order to be respected.”
I let the disappointment show in my face before I turned back to the arena. Cynoscephalae had shown me that my father would do anything to survive, but this latest conversation revealed that his ambitions had grown beyond that.
As I watched, armed guards cleared the arena for the next round. I realized then that we Olympians had adapted too much. We no longer exhibited the qualities that had made us worthy of worship in the first place: compassion, justice, and guardianship. Those who hunger for power generally do not deserve it.
I’d relied on guilt trips and moralization, while my father had simply acted. It was time for me to pit my will against his and play his game. I even had an inkling of what to do, as Zeus himself had pointed the way.
In 305 AD, Diocletian abdicated for health reasons and his son-in-law, Galerius, took over as Augustus. Galerius was fifty-five years old and did not have a living son, so speculation immediately started on who would eventually succeed him. At that time, three men stood out with strong dynastic claims to the throne: Licinus, Maxentius, and Constantine. The eyes of Rome were upon them.
On the surface, they all seemed similar in nature. All were supremely ambitious, had proven themselves in campaigns, and had the wits to be good leaders. Licinus had the inside track, because he was a close friend of Galerius. Maxentius’s advantage was his impeccable bloodline, and Constantine’s was the natural charm that made him popular with the common people. I watched them navigate through the minefield that was Roman politics, and after a year, I had selected my candidate. Constantine had one distinguishing factor that made him suitable for my purpose: his mother Helena.
Helena was not an asset for a politician on the rise. Far from it. She came from humble origins, and was divorced by Constantine’s father in favor of a better bloodline. There were even rumors that she had been a concubine, casting doubt on Constantine’s legitimacy. She also happened to be a secret Christian. To avoid tainting her son’s prospects at Diocletian’s court, Helena chose to move away, and lived quietly in a modest villa in Nocomedia. She kept her head down and this eventually saved her, because she was nigh invisible by the time Diocletian began hunting Christians.
I followed Constantine on a visit to his mother’s villa. It was plain to me that he was aware of his mother’s religious leanings, although he himself seemed to be a faithful devotee, and regularly made sacrifices to us. He was affectionate towards his mother, and gracefully accepted the Christian blessing that his mother conferred on him before he departed. In the end, it was the respect he showed for his mother’s religious beliefs that convinced me he was the right man for the job. I quietly smoothed his way to success, helping him make his name as I had once done for Alexander. The difference being that nobody, not even Constantine, knew that I was doing it.
I won’t discuss the actions that I took to get Constantine to the top job, as it is laid out in history. It took ten years, nonstop maneuvering, and some lucky escapes to get him into power. Upon my whispered suggestion, he offered his sister in marriage to his biggest rival, Licinus. This key alliance resulted in the elimination of all other rivals, at which point they became co-emperors of the empire.
In 313 AD, Constantine proved his regard for Helena by issuing an edict guaranteeing freedom of worship to all religions, and restoring legal rights to Christians. Zeus tried to influence him into revoking the edict, but even he could not overcome the love of a son for his mother.
Constantine stepped into the purple mantle of kingship with grace. As the emperors before him, he served as the head of Roman priesthood, visibly honoring the gods by wearing the sun-rayed diadem of Apollo. It was a wise move, as most of his subjects and government officials still worshipped us. More importantly, it kept Zeus from targeting him.
It was at this point that I paused. Constantine was busy establishing himself in Rome, so I decided to take a well-deserved break and return home to Athens.
Interlude
Athens had continued to thrive under Rome, and its streets and port were as bustling as ever. The main difference was the number of languages spoken on its streets. The seaport had expanded to accommodate the volume of ships arriving from all over the Mediterranean and beyond. Progress was everywhere, and it was obvious that the city no longer needed my patronage. I felt a quick pang of sorrow, alongside a huge well of pride and relief.
The temples in the city were as busy as ever, and there now existed a temple of Isis right alongside one of Apollo. I slipped into it one day to see, and was surprised to see a Europeanized statue of Isis on display. Her face was Caucasian, her hair bound up and partially hidden under a veil. The body of the statue was swathed in a stola. The effect was interesting, to say the least.
It was quiet in the temple that day, so I approached the statue, touched its hand and quietly called her name. A moment later, Isis stood beside me regarding her statue.
“What do you think?” she asked, nodding towards the statue.
I glanced down at her. She looked much as she ever had, dressed in her traditional Egyptian attire.
“Well, it’s quite a bad likeness, but I suppose your worshippers here would prefer you to look like them.”
Isis grimaced. “Yes, but I will never get used to it.” She turned to face me. “How are things in Rome? The Edict of Milan took me by surprise. This emperor seems like an unusually open-minded fellow.”
“He is,” I replied, a note of pride in my voice. I could never reveal my part in his ascension to anyone, but I did allow myself a little satisfaction in a job well done.
“And how is Zeus taking this sudden equality of religions?” she asked.
“Quite well, actually. He’s taking a wait-and-see approach. We are still the official deities of Rome, and Constantine honors us regularly.”
“So, Constantine is not a Christian? I’ve heard rumors.”
“His mother Helena is one, but not him.”
“It really doesn’t matter to me what he believes in his heart,” Isis said. “I was pleased when the edict came out. We were never actively discriminated against, but I rejoice to know that my worshippers will never be punished for their beliefs.”
I gave her a teasing smile. “It took a while, but we finally learned your lesson, didn’t we, Isis?”
“Younger cultures usually do come around eventually,” she replied smugly.
I enjoyed relaxing on the docks, watching ships come and go. The buzz in the air was the voice of commerce, rendered in a dozen languages. The variety of goods on display was astounding, coming in from as far away as Numidia and Britannia. I was watching a fisherman threaten a predatory sea gull eying his catch when somebody sat down on the bale of wool next to me.
“My coin is on the seagull,” said Loki, leaning close to me. “Want to wager on it?”
“Loki!” I gasped, eyeing him in disbelief. “What are you doing here?
“Trading trip,” he replied, pointing to a dragon-headed ship moored at the far end of the dock. “This is my third time here, actually. I stopped by your temple once, but you weren’t to be found.
”
“Welcome to Athens, my Lord,” I said, finally remembering my manners. “It is good to see you again.”
Loki bowed his head, the gold circlet around his throat flashing in the sun. “It is good to be seen, Lady Athena. Or should I call you Minerva now?”
“Athena is, and always shall be, my preference. The clothes may have changed, but all else remains the same.”
Loki leaned back against another bale and eyed me thoughtfully. “You look well, Athena.”
“You do, as well. What’s kept you occupied?”
“Exploring. I’ve just got back from a land far across the sea. Some of my people are setting up a colony there. It’s a time for expansion for us as well, although not quite on your scale.”
“That’s good to hear. How is your family?”
“I’m sure they’re fine.” At my raised eyebrow, he continued. “We’ve had a falling out. I’m no longer welcome in Valhalla. It’s why I’ve been travelling so much.”
“What happened?”
“One of my jokes went badly wrong, I’m afraid. I’d rather not discuss it.” Loki’s face was bland, but his body radiated tension.
I sat there, thinking hard. His revelation had put me in an awkward position. The rules of hospitality demanded that I return the courtesy that he had shown me when I was in Norseland. Normally, I would have escorted him to Olympus to meet my family. But if he had been ejected by the Norse gods, treating him as an honored guest could antagonize them. I decided to play it safe.
“Would you have a meal with me at my temple tonight?” I asked.
“It would be an honor, Lady,” he replied.
I threw the acolytes at the temple into a frenzy when I asked them to prepare a meal for divine guests. Even my chief priestess Eania was rattled when I mentioned that they would be foreign deities.
I sent my owl Glaukos winging to Isis’s temple, begging her to attend. It may seem ridiculous, but this was not Norseland, and I had to be the circumspect virgin goddess that my people expected. That meant a chaperone.
The three of us had a delightful meal together. Eania did herself (and me) proud. I’m sure Loki was surprised that we weren’t to dine alone, but he didn’t let a flicker of that show on his face. With Isis’s ancient wisdom and Loki’s sharp wit in play, the conversation was both wide-ranging and thought-provoking. Eventually, the topic turned to our respective pantheons. I had already recognized the parallels between the Norse gods and my own family, but it turned out that Isis had equivalents of her own, and we began throwing out names as a sort of game.
“Odin and Zeus are clear parallels, but isn’t Osiris the Lord of the Underworld? Wouldn’t he map to Hades instead?” I queried.
“Osiris did become the Lord of the Underworld, but originally he was the father figure,” argued Isis. “It was only after his murder that he was associated with the Underworld. I think the mapping could stand on that basis.”
“So Osiris would also map to Hades and…” I looked hopefully at Loki.
“Hel. Hel is queen of Helheim, our Underworld,” replied Loki with a twinkle in his eye.
“Isis, you would map to Hera and Frigg as mother figures. Horus would be the son, the same as Thor and Ares. And of course, Thor is essentially the God of War, as is Ares.”
“But you are Goddess of War,” said Isis. “Do you map to Thor, as well?”
Both Loki and I shook our heads with certainty. “I think Athena is my equivalent,” replied Loki in a thoughtful voice, glancing over at me. “Sadly, we don’t have a God of Wisdom. I might be the closest thing, as there is cunning, curiosity, and planning inherent in being the Trickster.”
“The Trickster,” murmured Isis. “That has a negative connotation.”
“A little, but I’m also known for my sense of humor and the ability to see creative solutions to problems.”
“Cunning is one of the qualities that my mother bequeathed to me,” I admitted. “So perhaps you are indeed my twin.”
“Your evil twin,” he intoned. “Trouble incarnate!” Loki tried to turn it into a joke, but there was a hint of sadness in his voice that was apparent to both Isis and me.
“I know that we are safe with you,” said Isis kindly, reaching over to touch his hand. “If you are a scholar and problem solver, Thoth would be your closest equivalent.” She glanced over at me. “And yours too, Athena. Thoth is the Lord of Knowledge, esteemed as the inventor of our hieroglyphics.”
“I wonder just how many pantheons there are in the world,” I mused. “Do we all mirror each other?”
“Very likely,” said Loki. “Humans have the same basic needs regardless of where they live. And the same concerns: survival, children, and love. It would make sense that they would need the same types of support and protection, no matter where they live.”
“But there is a precedent for monotheistic religions. Many centuries ago, one of our pharaohs raised a sun god named Aten to the exclusion of all others. The Christian and Jewish religions are founded on the same principles: a single deity.”
I looked at Isis in sudden suspicion. There was no way that Isis could know what I was about. Was there?
“I’m not familiar with those religions,” said Loki to Isis. “A single deity seems outlandish to me. How could a single god meet all the various needs of humanity?”
Isis shrugged. “The Christians and Jews claim that he does. We had Hebrews in my land for centuries, so I’m quite familiar with them. I have seen with my own eyes that their god has real power. I’ve seen him in action, though I have never seen Jehovah in person. They say that he is everywhere, but never reveals himself in his true form. I suppose he could be here, listening to us converse.”
Loki lifted one shoulder to indicate that he wasn’t impressed.
I had to know. “So what happened to the pharaoh who tried to raise that new god?” I asked in a low voice.
“Akhenaten? In the end, his religion went nowhere and he himself came to a bad end.”
Wonderful. “What do you think he did wrong?” I asked, trying to look innocent.
Isis’s eyebrows shot up. “You mean, apart from antagonizing a large number of ancient and powerful Egyptian gods? He tried to impose change too quickly. The fellahin were faithful, and couldn’t be forced to give us up. Akhenaten tried to push the Aten far too quickly. He may have done better to add Aten into the mix, and let the fellahin adapt in their own time.”
“That wouldn’t have worked in my homeland,” said Loki. “Remember how Odin wouldn’t let you return after your ship left? We guard against foreign influences. It’s us, or no one.”
Isis chuckled at that. “Athena’s father was the same way with me. And yet, he is changing. The new edict in Rome legalizing religious tolerance is proof of that.”
I watched Isis’s face intently. This conversation was a very strange coincidence. Could Isis know? I decided to push things further.
“I have a hypothetical question for you two. What do think would happen if the situation that happened in Egypt happened in Rome today? For instance, if the emperor made another religion the official religion of the empire?”
Both Loki and Isis looked at me shrewdly.
“You think Constantine might be thinking of converting to Christianity, don’t you,” observed Isis. “You believe the rumors are true.”
“I don’t know for certain,” I backtracked. “I just want to be prepared in case that happens. What do you think would happen, Isis?”
“Constantine would die,” she replied. “Your father wouldn’t stand for it. Christianity has been growing, but it is still a minor cult within the empire. It doesn’t have credibility yet, so I think that the story of Akhenaten would repeat.”
“I agree,” said Loki. “I think your family would fight back, and win.”
“Still, I think the attempt would be a good thing in the long run,” Isis added unexpectedly.
“How so?” I asked.
“Please forgive my rud
eness, but you Olympians has grown overconfident and greedy,” replied Isis. “When I first met your family, you served your people, just as much as they served you. It was a healthy partnership. Now, it just seems to be about acquiring more power, more land. More, more, more. When will it be enough?”
The color rose in my face as Isis spoke. Loki looked like he wanted to dematerialize. A deep silence fell as Isis simply looked at me evenly. I took a deep breath to calm myself. I was insulted, though deep down I agreed with her.
“Perhaps there is truth in what you’ve said,” I said carefully. “I will consider it.”
Isis nodded at me. I was getting paranoid by now. Did Isis know, or didn’t she? Was that some kind of encouragement for my plan? I changed the subject, but the party atmosphere had dissipated. Loki made his farewells, kissing my hand elegantly.
“Farewell, twin,” he whispered, making me blush.
“Farewell, evil twin,” I retorted. With a flash of his teeth, he vanished.
As Isis prepared to depart in her turn, she apologized. “Can you forgive my outburst, sister? I’ve been a very poor guest tonight.”
“There is nothing to forgive, Isis,” I responded. “I hope you know that I have always had the greatest respect for you and our friendship. I hope that we will only ever be brutally honest with each other.”
Isis gave me her lovely smile. “I’m glad. We’ve had bad times between us, but I want you to know that I too value your friendship.” She leaned in to kiss my cheek before she shimmered away.
I massaged the sides of my temples as my mind whirled. I needed to think.
It had been three hundred years since I last visited Gaia in our cave. I would have felt badly about it, if I hadn’t known that three hundred years were nothing to her.
“Grandmother, it’s me, Athena,” I said as I knelt and sank my hands into the cool, dark earthen floor. “I need your counsel.”
The familiar thickening of the air, the increased pressure, a phantom hand on my hair as Gaia turned her attention to me. Tension slowly ebbed from my body as I allowed myself to relax in the darkness. As always, Gaia waited for me to speak.
My Life as Athena: The Private Memoirs of a Greek Goddess Page 18