Stealing Athena by Karen Essex

Author:Karen Essex
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

“GOOD LADY, BESEECH your husband to take pity on a poor whore!”

I had not imagined that the prostitutes hanging on Perikles would be delighted to welcome me, but their faces lit up as I approached. Pheidias had joined them. He, of course, was hopeless as a customer. He had come to the party with his lover, Agoracritus, a talented young sculptor and one of his pupils, whom he always suspected of not being in love with him at all, but rather gleaning as many of his techniques as possible before starting his own studio. The younger man was flirting with some of the wives across the courtyard, and Pheidias was watching while pretending to be jocular with the whores.

“You have received an excessive amount of money for your services this evening,” I said to them. I knew, for I had gone over all the expenses with Perikles’ steward myself. “I do not see that you require pity.”

I was eager to be rid of them so that I could tell Perikles the good news.

“But the hand of Perikles takes away even as it gives,” said one of the others.

“How is that so? I see you all siphoning off wine and food for yourselves. What more do you require here?” I asked.

“They are petitioning for a reduction in the taxes they pay on their income,” Perikles said.

“That’s right,” said the prostitute who was older than the other two. “We were present today at the unveiling of the statue of our lady. We heard a gentleman say that Perikles and Pheidias were costuming the Akropolis with these expensive monuments the way men decorate their whores. And I turned around and said to him that it was only fitting, since the taxes from whores are paying for all the fancy things that Perikles is doing up on the hill.”

The other prostitutes howled with laughter at this. Even Perikles cracked a smile. I suppose the whole town had embraced the metaphor.

“Enough of this. Get back to your work,” I said, pointing the whores toward the guests.

“This is the last time we will invite this sort of horde into our home,” Perikles said. “Everyone wishes to mingle with us to further his own purposes, even the whores on the payroll. In the future, we shall have to limit ourselves to those whose loyalty is certain.”

“Is there a reason for exercising caution at this time?” Pheidias asked. “This is our moment of triumph.”

“No better time to be cautious. Triumph gives rise to more enemies than failure, I assure you,” Perikles said. “Are you aware of the ridiculous assertions we were made to suffer today? Elpinike, the former mistress of Polygnotos, has started the rumor that Aspasia sat for you for the face of Athena. And that you painted yourself and me into the goddess’s shield as two warriors.”

“Why, that is true, at least in the case of Aspasia,” said Pheidias. “I did not think anyone would notice. The likeness is not apparent.”

“Explain yourself,” Perikles demanded, not of me, but of Pheidias.

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