Aeacus, the old king of the Aeginians, spoke in a voice that echoed through the halls of his palace. To the heroes, it reminded them of a man in deep mourning at the death of his family.
"Cephalus, you have asked where your friends are, the men who gave you their blessing as you left our shores having brought goodwill and hope to all their houses. You need not look any further than the black soil of our forests, for it is their ashes."
Cephalus was stunned. "What has brought such suffering upon your people, good king?"
Aeacus rose from his throne and slowly made his way to the courtyard. As he walked, he began to speak once more.
"Our people claimed descent from Aegina, a lover of Jupiter. Juno, mother of the Olympians, was angered by our refusal to forsake her memory and swore vengeance on all our heads. One day, a farmer came to me with one of his sheep. It had been the pride of its flock, its wool unmatched, its health in the finest of spirits. How then, he asked, did it pass away one night without a cry?"
"Soon many other animals fell victim to the same curse. First the sheep fell in great numbers, then the goats and the pigs. The cattle fought with all the strength in their breasts, but even they succumbed to the same fate. Great rains fell from Iris and flooded the fields. The crops were washed away and the horses were too weak to pull the ploughs or drive the carts. Our markets closed as there was no longer any grain or fruit to sell. Even the meat we carved from the bones of our livestock was too rotten to consume."
Aeacus sat on a large marble bench in the center of the courtyard. The heroes gathered around as he continued his tale.
"We thought we would starve by Juno's hand, but our punishment was not yet complete. One by one, men and women died of a strange and vile plague, their bodies warm, their throats dry and parched. No matter how much water they drank, they were not relieved of their misery. They could not sleep or stand, only lie in pain as Hades claimed their souls. Those who could hung themselves."
"Doctors and healers came from every town and country offering herbs and incense, but they too were infected and wandered the streets as corpses longing for death. Priests seized every animal, only to watch their offerings die before the first prayer. Husbands and fathers died with their hands clasped as they sought salvation for their families."
"Only the young and the old were spared, and they fled their houses without tending to the remains of their mothers or daughters. Great pyres were built to burn the afflicted flesh, for there was no longer any willing to oversee a proper funeral."
Aeacus rose once more and walked over to a great oak tree in the corner of his garden.
"One morning I awoke to find that my kingdom was no more. The farms, the harbors, the temples, and the hearths were deserted. Juno's wrath was fulfilled. The Aeginians were no more."
"For two whole days I laid on my knees before Jupiter's statue, reminding him of my devotion to his glory, pleading for him to undo the curse upon my land. But nothing came to pass. On the night of the second day, I slept on this very floor before this very tree. If Jupiter would not answer my cries, I would share the fate of my people."
"Suddenly, a voice rang in my ears. I remember what it said:
Aeacus, my son. I have not forgotten your respect for Olympus nor the lamentations of the Aeginians. I will honor your wish by giving you people more loyal, more strong, and more pious than any that have ever lived.
"What people? There are no mothers to give birth, not even a single cow."
Awake, my son. Gaze upon the sacred oak before you.
"I did as was asked of me, but saw only ants walking up and down the oak as they gathered food for the coming winter. Then the voice spoke:
You see how hard these ants work? How they carry such heavy loads on their backs without complaint? How they think of nothing but their survival and let no distraction keep them from their duty?
"But they are just ants. How will I lead them when they are much smaller than me?"
Watch.
"Dozens of ants crawled out of the oak as I watched. Those who carried loads dropped them and began to assemble before me as if they were soldiers readying for battle. They formed themselves into two separate groups of many rows, each positioned apart from another. One ant stood in front, which I took to be their queen."
"Then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed several were much bigger than before. Soon all were growing in size and stature."
"As they grew, their features began to change. Their legs vanished until only two remained, their skin was no longer dark, their eyes narrowed, and their antennae and mandibles fell off. Those on the left developed large, muscular limbs and beards while those on the right gained slim figures and gleaming hair. The queen herself became a beautiful woman, almost a perfect reflection of Venus herself."
"The shock of what I had witnessed was too much. As I began to faint, I felt two men grab me from behind. When my eyes opened, a group of women were comforting me, as though I were an Olympian. The voice of Jupiter came once more:
I have remade these ants into men and women. From now until the end of your kingdom, they will serve you.
"I named these creatures Myrmidons, in recognition of their origins. In turn, they took the names of those who had perished and claimed their homes. They began to farm the fields with their own backs, and soon our markets and harbors were filled with those engaging in commerce. I accepted the queen as my wife, and she bore my son, Telamon. Ever since then, Aegina has prospered."
"But let this be a lesson to you all. If you stoke the anger of the gods, you will come to fear them. If you do not respect them, they will have no respect for you. Now let me take my leave. I bid you all a fine day."