Chapter 11
Plants and animals and microorganisms, all life, develops through a process of variation and natural selection. Basically, as a result of recombination in DNA (see section on DNA) or mutation (errors in copying) in DNA all life has variations in its qualities. You know this. You aren’t just like your parents or your siblings. Similar, but different. Variation. Some variations may be beneficial in terms of reproductive success and over time become more common in the gene pool (see sections on genes and gene pool), over long periods of time this can lead to remarkable changes in life forms and functions. A much larger book on this subject can be found in the library, once written (Library note: book never written or subsequently lost).
Book of Questionable Facts - 1082
Tros passed by a few weeks later (he came as often as he could), and he came to visit me in the vineyard.
“Come with me I want to show you something.” I said.
The overseers were always a little lax when I was with Tros.
He shrugged and followed.
I led him to a certain vine and dug up my little stash of coins
I was so proud to hand him the two coins I owed him. He was stunned and even more so when I handed him the other small coins I had earned. I wanted my freedom so badly, but I couldn’t bear to think of Cilo sold off (to a brothel!) and I had decided to dedicate my earnings to Tros and his family first.
We passed a quiet moment together and he handed me a skin of wine and we drank for a few minutes before he hugged me and left for the olive orchard. But, I saw the tears in his eyes.
Melite was watching us. She had no idea what was happening, but she saw me hand Tros my money. She was distracted and cut her hand on the little bronze knife she used to cut tougher weeds. She called out and I ran to her. The cut was deep and bleeding profusely. She wrapped it with her filthy dress and tried to stop the bleeding. Horus came to see what the problem was and told her to go see Lanthe an old woman who supposedly knew about herbs and served as the farm’s cook and healer.
“I’ll go with her.” I looked at him and saw him give a small nod.
We walked as quickly as we could to the small covered area that served as the kitchen and found Lanthe working on the evening’s gruel. She took Melite’s hand. The cut was bleeding less now. She examined it, made some tsk sounds and wrapped it back up in Melite’s dress. “Wait here, I’ll get you something.”
She returned a few minutes later with a small wooden bowl filled with a foul-smelling black goo and some less filthy strips of cloth. She dipped her hand in the goo and moved to take Melite’s hand.
“What is that stuff?”
“It’s my ointment for cuts and wounds. Mostly pig shit and chicken blood, mixed with my special blend of healing herbs. My own invention. It will help her heal.”
“What?! That’s crazy! She needs some kind of antiseptic, antibiotic, iodine, alcohol or something!” I shouted, mixing English and Greek words and them not understanding me in either language. I knocked the bowl to the ground and Lanthe jumped back and spat at me in anger. I grabbed the cloth strips and Melite and took her off a little way.
We moved to a nearby fire and I put some water in a pot to boil. Once the water was boiling I put the strips of cloth in the boiling water and once they were sterile fished them out with a stick and cleaned her cut. Then put the bloody strips back in to boil again and finally took them out, wrung out the water and used the now clean bandages to cover her wound. During this process I was muttering to myself and bemoaning the lack of basic medical services.
I knew that in ancient times small cuts could become deadly if infected. I used to think the reason we never worried about that in modern times was antibiotics, but that can’t be true. I never took antibiotics when I cut myself. The difference was basic cleanliness. Soap and water. Everything here was filthy! No soap, no clean water, no iodine, no antiseptics!
Then suddenly as I was washing her hand a final time with clean warm water I had the idea I had been looking for all these months!
It was like a bolt of lightning! Like Archimedes (was he alive now? Already dead? Not born yet?), I shouted “Eureka!”
“What? What have you found?”
“No! Not yet! I need to find Tros!”
Once Melite was patched up to the best of my ability, I set her to rest, gave Lanthe a nasty look which she returned and ran to find Tros.
He was still in the orchards with Belos. When they saw me Belos said “What the hades are you doing out of the vineyard?”
“Melite cut her hand and I took her to Lanthe and stopped her from putting some horrible goo on her hand and I fixed her up and now I need to talk to Tros!” I said breathlessly.
Belos raised his whip “You need to get back to the vineyards! I’ve been too lenient with you if you think you can just wander the farm because you want to talk to your friend. By Zeus if you don’t get back to work I’ll make the beating Ampelios gave you look like lovemaking!”
He didn’t have to tell me twice. I’d forgotten myself and I felt the fear flooding back. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m on my way back right now!”
“I’ll find you at dinner” Tros yelled at my back.
And I ran off to the vineyards thankful to have avoided the whip.
I worked the rest of the day like the devil. I didn’t want Zeuxis to say anything to Belos or, god forbid, Belos to see me slacking in anyway. I worked hard enough to make up for my absence and Melite’s too. I was a bug killing machine, because I was afraid, but also because I had hope for the first time in months. I finally had an idea that could save me! And Tros! And his family! Cilo! And Melite! Now I just needed to talk to Tros.
I could hardly wait and the day passed at a crawl.
Finally Zeuxis called us in. I almost ran to the dinner area and looked desperately for Tros. He was nowhere to be found! Cilo and Gelo were with Melite and she looked pale but Ok. I undid her bandage and checked her cut. No infection yet. “You need to keep it clean and cover it daily with boiled bandages.”
“I can’t do that! I’ve got to work!” I could see and feel her fear. Belos was more or less understanding of injuries, but he had a (short) limit for non-workers.
“We’ll find the time do it at night and do our best.”
“Why can’t I just let Lanthe put her salve on? I’ve used it before with no problem and I’ve seen her use it on many other people.”
“And how many of them got completely better?”
“A lot. Maybe most…”
“What happened to the others?”
“Well… Some died…One guy lost a foot and was sold to the mines…Ok. We’ll do it your way. My doctor.” She checked that none of the overseers were watching and gave me a quick hug.
We ate with the kids and I got ready to tell my evening story (The Invisible Man). There were 5 citizens who, apparently, had come from the city just to hear me and I hopped to add a little to my earnings.
Finally just as I was about to begin I saw Tros and Eleni walking hand in hand in from the fields. I suppressed a smile and ran over to meet them.
“Tros! I need to see Megakreon!”
“What?”
“I need to see Megakreon! I have an idea that will make him richer than even he can imagine! Set us all” I waved my hand to indicate Tros, Eleni and me as well as the kids and Melite “FREE!”
Eleni grabbed his arm. I could see her excitement.
“What’s this great idea?” he asked.
I shook my head “No. Tell him I need to see him! He’s seen my clothes and my cell. He knows my people can do amazing things. Tell him I can do something amazing here and we’ll all be fabulously wealthy! But he needs to come here to talk to me. It’ll be worth his while!”
Tros looked skeptical. “Ok. I’ll ask him. But I can’t promise anything.”
“I know. Just tell him and do your best. Everything is at stake, so don’t take no for an answer!”
“OK. I’
ll try.”
I hugged him and kissed a surprised Eleni on the cheek and ran off to tell my story. It was a big success and I did earn a few coins and even after Belos took his cut I had two left to give to Tros.
That night I could hardly sleep for excitement. I tossed and turned and planned and woke exhausted but eager!
I saw Tros again at breakfast and passed him the coins.
“Robert, I can’t take all your money. You’ve more than paid me back and I never really expected that. Keep your own money for your own freedom.”
I shook my head. “No. First you and Eleni and Cilo. Until then, every oblo is yours. But it doesn’t matter! Bring Megakreon to me and we’ll all be free before the end of the year! And Lanthe and even Belos! I’ll free the whole damn farm!”
He shook his head and laughed and put the coins in his pouch. “Ok. Ok. I’ll do my best. Either way I should be back within the month.”
He put out his hand and I hugged him. “Is this hugging going to become habit?”
“I think it is. Get used to it.”
“Ok, but keep your kisses on Eleni’s cheek or we’ll have a problem!” He laughed and walked off.
I ran to get some food and check on Melite’s hand before heading to the vineyard. There was still no sign of infection and it seemed to be healing ok. She was going to work today with her good hand and we agreed to switch jobs, since bug killing was an easier one-handed job than weed pulling.
As we worked I was bursting to tell her everything. I had to stop myself constantly. I didn’t want to raise her hopes until I talked to Megakreon. Until I was sure.
“So… Eleni tells me that you have some kind of idea to free us all. What is it? Is it a new kind of story?”
“Damn! I should have told her to keep it a secret! Listen Melite, I don’t want to talk about it just yet. But I do have an idea and if I can talk to Megakreon I am going to save us all!”
“Who? Megakreon? The guy who sold you to Cleon?”
“Yes! Megakreon! The guy who sold me to Cleon! He’s our best hope! He’s vain and boastful and maybe not too smart! But he’s greedy and he’s not afraid to take a risk and he’s our best chance!”
“Doesn’t sound like much of a chance.” She looked doubtful.
The whip fell on my back where the cloth covered me and I could tell it was a light blow but it still hurt and I jumped and shouted. “Sorry! We’re working! We’re working!”
Zeuxis turned away without a word.
We worked all day and at night I told my story and afterwards Melite came up to me and I could see the excitement in her eyes. “I know you can do it.” She said quietly.
It was exactly what I was hoping to avoid. I couldn’t talk as fear of disappointing her clogged my throat and brought tears to my eyes.
Still, the next day we talked excitedly (but quietly) about the possibility of a future as free people. Silly flights of fantasy about freeing our friends and buying a farm and working for our own benefit rather than an owner. She thought they were just flights of fantasy, but I knew I finally had the idea I was looking for, now I just needed to convince Megakreon!
Chapter 12
Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to cells in the body, hemoglobin is an iron containing protein in the blood that carries the oxygen, it changes color depending on if it has an oxygen atom attached or not, which is why blood moving away from the lungs is bright red and blood moving towards the lungs is darker.
Book of Questionable Facts - 1866
Time drags when you are waiting for an important moment and I’d never had a moment more important and so the day literally seemed to last forever.
Again I could hardly sleep and the next day I was exhausted. But working! Working hard! Avoiding the whip! But Melite couldn’t stop talking about what we could do when we were free. We only keep quiet when Cilo and Gelo were near. I certainly didn’t want Gelo talking to his father and making things more difficult.
Melite and I were working together and whispering nonsense when a shadow suddenly fell over me. “We’re working! We’re working!” I shouted. And turned with my arm raised to ward off the whip and saw Tros. And Megakreon! And Belos…
“More work than you ever did for me!” laughed Megakreon.
I jumped to my feet! “Megakreon! You came!”
“I never forget a friend. Belos, please leave us. Cleon gave me free reign with this slave for the day. Thank you for your assistance.” And he dismissed Belos with a wave.
Belos stalked off, clearly unhappy.
“Come walk with us.”
I looked at Melite, and she smiled and nodded for me to go.
We walked a little way from the field. “I can’t believe you came so quickly!”
Tros shrugged. “You said it was important.”
Once we were away from anyone who could overhear us Megakreon turned to me. “You asked for Megakreon and Megakreon is here! So, tell me how you are going to make me a rich man! Well, richer than I already am.”
So I explained my plan to both Megakreon and Tros. Tros’ face ran the gamut of expressions from excitement to disappointment to incredulity and finally settled on confusion.
Megakreon asked a lot of detailed questions, which I answered as best I could. I was beginning to think that his lack of intelligence might have been an act. He really seemed to have a good handle on markets, costs, profits and risks.
Finally he shook his head. “I see what you’re saying. And I guess there would be a market. There always is for a superior product. I know that! I sell only the finest olive oil and fabric! People come to Megakreon for quality! Still, how do I know you can deliver?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but he continued “I know you’re smart. They are talking about you in the city. ‘Cleon’s Barbarian Bard’ they call you! People ask me about you and I tell them the only stories you ever told me were lies about trading fabulous fabrics! Your friends still haven’t come back I see.” He looked at me sharply. “Still, I know your people can do wonderful things! And I made a nice profit on your kell and your fabric and, of course, you as well! Yes, Megakreon always comes out alright! But Megakreon always comes out alright because Megakreon isn’t a fool. It would be foolish to pour money into your scheme with no idea if there is a market and no way to see a sample product.”
“No.” He said finally “It’s too risky. I have a son and a household to think about.”
My whole body deflated! He wasn’t going to help me! I was out of hope! He turned away. Tros looked at me with sympathy and turned to follow his master. I wanted to run after them, to throw myself on him and grab his legs and stop him from leaving. I wanted to cry. But I was too shocked to do anything.
This was the worst moment of my life. Worse than the time I was beaten with the staff, worse than the time Ampelios nearly killed me. This was the death of hope.
I stumbled numbly back to the vineyard. Melite knew as soon as she saw me and I could see her wanting to run to me and hold me and comfort me, but, of course, she did nothing. She just gave me a small squeeze on my hand out of sight under a vine and whispered. “Never mind. We’ll find something else.”
I was too empty to even squeeze back and I turned to the vine and pulled some weeds. We worked in silence under my cloud of gloom for about an hour and a half until I heard Gelo “Robert! Robert!” He shouted “Belos wants you in the compound right away!”
I had thought I was numb, but the old fear came back. Of course, how could I have been so stupid! Belos knew I wanted to get away! I was making him money and he wasn’t going to let me even think about leaving!
I got to my feet slowly and followed Gelo, like a man to his execution. Which it probably would be.
“Come on! Hurry! Belos is waiting!”
Even though I knew he would be furious if I delayed, I couldn’t make myself walk any faster.
We reached the compound and Belos was furious. He slapped Gelo on the side of his head (not hard, but it was the
first time I’d seen him hit his son). “When I tell you to get someone I mean NOW!” He looked at me “Come.”
He walked to the small house reserved for visiting citizens. Maybe he didn’t want anyone to see him beat me. He rarely beat the slaves himself.
We entered the small house and immediately Megakreon jumped up and shook my hand! “We’re going to do it! I’ve decided! I’ve already agreed with Cleon on your price! We’ll leave tomorrow!”
I was shocked! “What! Why did you change your mind?”
“Sometimes it takes a little thinking to see that value in a trade. I’ve just got a feeling that you can do it!”
He handed Belos a scrap of papyrus. “Cleon has sold me this slave. Here is his seal. We’ll take him with us when we leave tomorrow.”
Belos was red with anger but he couldn’t say anything to Megakreon. Tros whispered something to Megakreon who shook his head no. Tros whispered again and finally Megakreon said, “OK. You’re worse than a wife!”
He reached into his pouch and pulled out some coins. Larger than any I had ever seen and handed them to Belos, who brightened immediately!
When Belos had left, Megakreon looked at me, “That’s another 20 drachmas you’ll need to make me!” Then he laughed and passed around a wineskin. We drank and planned until the sun saw setting.
“What about Eleni and Cilo and Melite?” I asked
“No. No. You’re expensive enough. I can’t buy all your slave friends. We’ll split all the profits 50/50. So make me money and you can buy them yourself. I just paid 1000 drachmas for you. Plus the 20, I gave Belos. I’ll set you free as soon as you make me 3000 drachmas, profit mind you, then you’ll have 3000 of your own and you can buy anyone you want! Now tell me what else you need.”
I shook my head. “Tros gets a cut too!”
“What! No, forget it!”
“Come on, without him, we wouldn’t be sitting here.”
“Ok, a finder’s fee. 5%. 2.5% from you and 2.5% from me.”
“No. A full 1/3 partnership!”
But Tros said no and we finally settled on a 10% share for him.
A New York Lawyer in the Court of Pericles Page 8