The Gates Of Troy Part 32

Eperitus backed his whinnying horse away from Odysseus's outstretched hand and shook his head.

'No, my lord. You'll be shot down before you get anywhere near them. I can't let you ride to your death.'

'It's an order, Eperitus, not a request!' the king snapped angrily.

Eperitus stared down at him for a moment, then dismounted smartly. But before Odysseus could reach for the reins, he slapped his hand down hard on the mare's flank and sent her galloping towards the gates of Troy.

'The plan has failed, Odysseus,' he said. 'Penelope will have to wait a little longer.'

Odysseus watched the last of the Trojan cavalry crowding back into the city and nodded slowly, a hint of despair in his usually confident eyes.

'You're right, Eperitus,' he sighed. 'But for how much longer?'

As he spoke, the Scaean Gate slammed shut with a heavy thud.

The siege of Troy had begun.

AUTHOR'S NOTE The events that take place in The Gates of Troy are based, for the most part, on original myths. There are several versions of the events that led up to the Trojan War many of them contradictory so I've chosen the accounts I enjoy most or feel contribute best to the story. For example, some have it that Helen was kidnapped by Paris and taken to Troy against her will, while others say she went readily, having fallen in love with the Trojan prince. I've opted for the latter, as there's nothing like love for starting a fight.

The other events in the book that I've taken direct from myth include Odysseus's failed attempt to feign madness and avoid the war, the emba.s.sy to Troy, the gathering of the Greek fleet at Aulis, and the sacrifice of Iphigenia. There was never any question in Greek mythology that Iphigenia was Agamemnon's daughter, but the tales do differ widely on her fate. Aeschylus, for example, makes it clear in the Oresteia that Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter to appease the wrath of Artemis. While Homer is silent on the matter, Euripides in Iphigenia at Aulis has Artemis replace the girl with a deer at the last moment. Unfortunately for Iphigenia, I haven't been quite so merciful in my retelling of the story.

Moving on, according to ancient tales Achilles killed King Tenes after he hurled a rock at the Greek fleet. He then murdered his manservant, Mnemon, for failing to remind him not to kill any son of Apollo! Shortly afterwards, Philoctetes was bitten on the foot by a snake and, because of his constant groaning and the stench of his wound, was then marooned on Lemnos by Odysseus. And Protesilaus was the first man to hit the beach at Troy, and consequently the first casualty of the war.

Eperitus, on the other hand, comes from my imagination. When retelling a series of popular and well-known tales, it's often useful to have an unknown element to skew events a little. I also hope the straightforward and honourable Eperitus acts as a foil to Odysseus's often unscrupulous cunning. Certainly both men will need all these qualities and the strength of their unique friends.h.i.+p if they are to survive the long and b.l.o.o.d.y war with Troy, of which we've seen only the opening skirmish in The Gates of Troy. They have another ten years of fighting ahead of them before Zeus tips his golden scales in favour of one side or the other.

But that's a different story.

Praise for Glyn Iliffe 'King of Ithaca is a great read which embodies the finest elements of war, friends.h.i.+p and betrayal that can be found in Homer's great works . . . This is a must read for those who enjoy good old epic battles, chilling death scenes and the extravagance of ancient Greece'

Lifestyle Magazine 'The world of this novel appears as many scholars see that of Homer: a rich melange of different eras . . . It has suspense, treachery and bone-crunching action . . . It will leave fans of the genre eagerly awaiting the rest of the series'

Harry Sidebottom,

author of the bestselling Warrior of Rome series 'This daring debut is a stirring retelling of cla.s.sic Greek mythology complete with all its adventure, pa.s.sion, battles and, of course, the characters who have remained fascinating over thousands of years. King of Ithaca proves to be a voyage of discovery both for Odysseus and the readers. It's an epic tale told with an academic's eye for history and a born storyteller's feel for credible dialogue and the power of suspense'

Lancas.h.i.+re Evening Post 'The reader does not need to be a cla.s.sicist by any means to enjoy this epic and stirring tale. It makes a great novel and would be an even better film'

Historical Novels Review Glyn Iliffe studied English and Cla.s.sics at Reading University where he developed a pa.s.sion for the ancient stories of Greek history and mythology. Well-travelled, Glyn has visited nearly forty countries, trekked in the Himalayas, spent six weeks. .h.i.tchhiking across North America and had his collarbone broken by a bull in Pamplona.

Also by Glyn Iliffe King of Ithaca The Armour of Achilles FOR ROBIN ILIFFE.

GLOSSARY.

A.

Achilles Myrmidon prince Actoris Penelope's body slave Aeneas Dardanian prince, the son of Anchises Agamemnon king of Mycenae Ajax (greater) king of Salamis Ajax (lesser) prince of Locris Andromache daughter of King Eetion of the Cilicians, allies of Troy Antenor Trojan elder Antinous Ithacan lad, bullying son of Eupeithes Antiphus Ithacan guardsman Apheidas Trojan commander Aphrodite G.o.ddess of love Apollo archer G.o.d, a.s.sociated with music, song and healing Arceisius squire to Eperitus Ares G.o.d of war Artemis virgin moon-G.o.ddess a.s.sociated with childbirth, noted for her vengefulness Athena G.o.ddess of wisdom and warfare Aulis sheltered bay in the Euboean Straits C.

Calchas Trojan priest of Apollo Chelonion flower native to Ithaca Clytaemnestra queen of Mycenae and wife of Agamemnon Ctessipus Ithacan lad, friend of Antinous and son of Polytherses D.

Deiphobus younger brother of Hector and Paris Demeter G.o.ddess of agriculture Diomedes king of Argos and ally of Agamemnon Dulichium Ionian island, forming northernmost part of Odysseus's kingdom E.

Eleusis port town on the Saronic Sea Eperitus captain of Odysseus's guard Eteoneus herald of Menelaus Euboea large island off the east coast of mainland Greece Eupeithes Ithacan n.o.ble and former traitor Eurotas Spartan river Euryalus companion of Diomedes Eurybates Odysseus's squire Eurylochus Ithacan soldier, cousin of Odysseus Exadios Trojan soldier G.

Galatea a priestess of Artemis H.

Hades G.o.d of the Underworld Halitherses former captain of Ithacan royal guard Hecabe Trojan queen, wife of King Priam Hector Trojan prince, oldest son of King Priam Helen queen of Sparta, wife of King Menelaus Hephaistos G.o.d of fire; blacksmith to the Olympians Hera G.o.ddess married to Zeus Hermes messenger of the G.o.ds; his duties also include shepherding the souls of the dead to the Underworld Hesione sister of King Priam, abducted by Telamon Hestia G.o.ddess of the hearth and protectress of the household I.

Ida (Mount) princ.i.p.al mountain in Ilium Idaeus herald to King Priam Idomeneus king of Crete Ilium the region of which Troy was the capital Ionian Sea sea to the west of the Greek mainland Iphigenia eldest daughter of Agamemnon Ithaca island in the Ionian Sea K.

Kerosia Ithacan council meeting L.

Lacedaemon Sparta Laertes Odysseus's father Leothoe daughter of King Altes of the Leleges, allies of Troy Lemnos island in the Aegean Sea Lycomedes king of Scyros M.

Medon Malian commander Melanthius Ithacan lad, brother of Melantho Melantho Ithacan girl, sister of Melanthius Menelaus king of Sparta and younger brother of Agamemnon Menestheus king of Athens Mentor close friend of Odysseus Mnemon servant of Achilles, employed to remind him not to fight any of Apollo's sons Mycenae most powerful city in Greece, situated in north-eastern Peloponnese Myrine Helen's old nursemaid Myrmidons the followers of Achilles N.

Neaera Helen's body slave Neoptolemus son of Achilles and Deidameia Nestor king of Pylos O.

Odysseus king of Ithaca Omeros Ithacan boy Orestes son of Agamemnon P.

Palamedes Nauplian prince Paris Trojan prince, second eldest son of King Priam Parna.s.sus (Mount) mountain in central Greece and home of the Pythian oracle Patroclus cousin of Achilles and captain of the Myrmidons Peisandros Myrmidon spearman Peloponnese southernmost landma.s.s of Greek mainland Penelope queen of Ithaca and wife of Odysseus Pergamos the citadel of Troy Perithous Mycenaean gate guard Persephone G.o.ddess of the Underworld, wife of Hades Philoctetes Malian archer who lit the pyre of Heracles, for which he was awarded the hero's bow and arrows Phronius Ithacan elder Pleisthenes youngest son of Menelaus and Helen Podarces Thessalian leader, brother of Protesilaus Polites Thessalian warrior Polymele Clytaemnestra's body slave Poseidon G.o.d of the sea Priam king of Troy Protesilaus Thessalian leader, brother of Podarces Pyrrha daughter of Lycomedes Pythoness high priestess of the Pythian oracle S.

Samos neighbouring island to Ithaca, also under the rule of Odysseus Saronic Sea body of water between Attica and the Peloponnese Scamander river on the Trojan plain Scyros island east of Euboea Simoeis river on the Trojan plain Sparta city in the south-eastern Peloponnese Sthenelaus companion of Diomedes T.

Talthybius squire to Agamemnon Taphians pirate race from Taphos Tecton friend of Iphigenia Telamon former king of Salamis, father of the greater Ajax Tenedos island off the coast of Ilium Tenes king of Tenedos Teucer famed archer, half-brother and companion to the greater Ajax Thersites Aetolian hunchback Thessaly region of northern Greece Thoosa friend of Iphigenia Troy.

chief city of Ilium, on the eastern seaboard of the Aegean X.

xenia.

the custom of friends.h.i.+p towards strangers Z.

Zacynthos.

southernmost of the Ionian islands under Laertes's rule Zeus.

the king of the G.o.ds.

end.