Page 60 of Axios
“You are too modest,” he said after a brief calm of nothing but the sounds of our feet traveling on the path. But then he stopped and turned to me. “Pardon my ignorance. You must be fatigued after your drills, and ambling through the trees must be the last thing you wish to do. Shall I leave you to return to your quarters? You will not offend me by saying yes.”
Eryx would be waiting for me once I returned to the barracks, and I was not yet prepared to continue our discussion from earlier. Time away would be beneficial. Perhaps once I’d had space from him and the opportunity to calm my anger, we could have a civilized conversation without me desiring to slam my fist into his face.
“Actually, I’m quite enjoying your company,” I said, succeeding that time at giving him a real smile. “Let us continue.”
And so we did.
As we moved deeper into the woods, the sun had trouble reaching us through the thick branches and leaves. We were cloaked in shadow. The reprieve from the heat did wonders for my body, which had been aching and wanting to rest; however, I felt better. Reinvigorated.
The interesting conversation might have played a part in that as well.
King Agesipolis spoke freely of his life.
Talk with other men sometimes became stiff and forced, but with him, it carried effortlessly and did not falter with long, awkward pauses. When one topic came to a close, another surfaced and discussion continued.
I let go of the questions as to why he bothered himself with me and relaxed, even speaking of my own life as well. He and I were a lot alike, and I took comfort in the fact.
“Tell me of your time in theagoge,” he requested as we stopped beside a tall tree and leaned against the thick trunk. “I am sure you know this, but sons of the royal households are not required to participate, so although I know the details of what it entails, I am not familiar with the reality of it. Is it as brutal as they say?”
Instead of answering right away like I had been, I decided to think on my response before voicing it. If I verified the brutality of training, would I be seen as weak in his eyes? Denying the hardships I’d faced would be lying, though.
I decided to speak the truth.
“Theagogenot only tests a man’s strength and resolve, but it also challenges our beliefs of right and wrong,” I said, pushing away from the tree and following him as he resumed walking. “I suppose, depending on whom you ask, you will receive a different answer. Some men excel and meet every expectation… while others struggle with the teachings.”
“If I may be so bold to ask, which type of man are you?” He veered off the path and slipped past several trees.
Soon, we came to a stream, and he did not hesitate to kneel beside it and cup water into his hands, casting a look my way as he awaited my reply. His brown eyes were expectant, yet filled with warmth.
I trusted him.
“One who struggled more than most. The toughening process took me years to grow accustomed to,” I spoke, bending down and using the water to clean the dried blood from my chest. Bruises were the worst of it, and I only had a few scrapes that had bled. “In the beginning, the pain was all I knew. Pain, misery, suffering. I yearned for death, if only to escape the severity of life. I killed my first man at age ten and my second at age sixteen. Since then, I’ve slain many more, all of them helots and only because I was ordered to.”
After I was cleaned, we continued on our way and came across a field. We moved through the knee-high grass toward a home that wasn’t extravagant, but still not as simple as other Spartan dwellings. One fit for royalty.
Agesipolis nodded. “Taking a life never becomes easier, I’m afraid,” he said in a reflective tone. “Even when you’re in battle and it is either you or them. I do it because I must, but the men I’ve slain had lives of their own. A vast majority might have even resented the war and only fought because duty asked it of them.”
I found it fascinating that he was a man who’d been to war. He’d led armies into battle and raided enemy territory, killing countless men. However, he did not allow that experience to change him. He held onto his reserved nature, regardless of what others spoke of it. It was admirable.
“From their perspective,weare the enemy,” I spoke, delighted that I’d found another man who shared my beliefs.
Eryx only understood duty and abiding by Spartan principles. When I mentioned my thoughts on the matter, he listened and offered counsel, but he’d always told me:I know you sympathize with them, but you must put those notions aside.
“Every man is justified in his own mind,” he added.
Approaching the home, I was astounded at seeing the stunning courtyard of the property.
Most Spartan houses contained courtyards, but the one ahead was of great magnificence. A garden with dozens of different types of flowers was to the left and it seemed almost majestic with its small marble fountains that glistened under the setting sun.
Fruit trees were scattered within an orchard, lush and ripe for the picking. A fig tree was amongst them, one of my favorite delicacies, and my mouth watered upon seeing it.
“Would you like one?” Agesipolis asked, following my line of sight.
As much as I wanted to accept, I shook my head. “I mustn’t.”
He walked to the tree, running his hand along the white bark before taking one of the figs in his hand and plucking it. With a grin in place, he returned to his spot at my side and reached forward with the fruit, gently touching it to my lips.
“I will not tell, if you won’t,” he whispered. His face was close to mine as he waited for me to act. “It can be our little secret.”
