This story is my birthday present to my wonderful friend too_beauty and also a response to her request to write a story in the memory of Hephaistion.
Of Gods and Heroes
Disclaimer: This story is a fruit of my imagination, please treat it as such. I don't own any of the characters and lay no claims on the authenticity of the events described below.
The sun was shinning so brightly that the intensity of the blue sky hurt the eyes. Thais drew the curtains shut and leaned back, resting comfortably on the soft cushions. She closed her eyes hoping that the smooth, even rocking of her palanquin would lull her into sleep. However, instead of sweet dreams came memories and doubts. The things she tried to escape followed her like shadows whenever she went.
Not much changed in Athens since she left it. It was strange as the world of twenty and something years ago didn't exist anymore. She left her city in a company of the exiled Macedonian nobleman because she fell in love with him; she came back to the city because she left that very nobleman who was now the Pharaoh of Egypt. Did she still love him? Sure. He was the father of her three children, he treated her with the utmost respect and they were even married. And yet, she couldn't bear his presence any more.
Was she running from Ptolemy or from herself? Was she running from the glorious ten years when everybody basked in Alexander's glory or from the contemptible ten years when surviving jackals torn his kingdom apart? Did she want to find the answer and was there an answer at all? Was she ready at last to accept the official truth? Or the truth that everybody knew but didn't have the courage or humility to recognize would stay with her forever?
The official truth was that Alexander died on the gloomy rainy day of the early summer in Babylon; the truth that nobody had the guts to recognize was that Alexander died on the cloudless sunny day of the late autumn in Ecbatana.
Today in Athens was exactly the same day, bright sunshine, cloudless sky, and ten years to the day since Hephaistion's death. In the early morning Thais was determined to forget about it, to cross it from her memory, to erase it from her heart; she made a decision to go to the market to buy some beautiful cloth and then to visit her old friends. Yet now, a few hours later, obeying the feeling she wasn't able to describe, she left her house ordering the servants to carry her to the house of Laodice, Hephaistion's sister.
She never met Laodice before but Hephaistion often talked about his sister and Laodice's husband visited Alexander during the campaign in Asia. Thais knew that Laodice lived in Athens but, arriving in the city a few weeks ago, she made a decision not to visit her. She made a decision she knew she wouldn't be able to follow and yet she made it. "I won't stay in Athens for more than a month or so, I can do it," Thais tried to convince herself knowing it was useless.
Visiting Laodice meant bringing back memories she tried to bury. Talking about Hephaistion meant revisiting the past she was trying to forget. The past where she was happy, the past where everything was possible, the past where future seemed brilliant, exciting and assured. The past when Ptolemy was simply a general and her lover was so much better than the present when Ptolemy was a Pharaoh and her husband.
After the servant went inside the house to announce her arrival, Thais pushed the curtains of her palanquin away. She didn't have to wait long. Short time after the door opened and a woman stepped outside. Thais knew immediately it was Laodice, the resemblance to Hephaistion was uncanny though it was difficult to pinpoint exact traits. "Maybe it is the impunity of disregarding the acceptable norms," chuckled Thais surprised that the woman came out to greet her in person instead of relegating that duty to the appropriate servant.
Thais exited her palanquin and went to Laodice. The two women embraced and exchanged formal kisses. It was as if they knew each other for years.
"Sorry to come without any warning," offered Thais following her host inside the house.
"You shouldn't worry about it at all," assured her Laodice, "I am glad you came, especially … today."
"I hoped you wouldn't mind my company," honestly said Thais, "I came as much for my own sake as for yours. I knew you were very close with your brother and I,… I liked him a lot. He was very special."
"Yes," Laodice sighed, "I still mourn Hephaistion's death, I don't think I ever be able to come to terms with it. He was still so young, and you know, I didn't see him since my marriage. I was in the garden when you came, would you like us to go there?"
"Yes, of course, I like to spend time outdoors. I bet you husband made sure you have a beautiful garden."
Laodice smiled, "Not like in Babylon, but still. I enjoy spending time there. I would sit on a bench, listen to the babbling sounds of the fountains and to the birds and let my mind drift. I imagine Hephaistion comes for a visit or that I am visiting him in one of the places that he has been. I wish I could have come with my husband when he answered Alexander's request but I was heavily pregnant then, I wasn't fit for travel. Then Alexander went too far, to distant and wild places, I don't know how I could have survived there. You know, the last letter I got from Hephaistion was when they left Susa after the weddings, he said if I liked, he could have arranged to meet me in Sidon or Damascus, on their way to Arabia. Of course I wanted and I wrote back to him, but the letter arrived too late, to Ecbatana, when he was already dead."
Distressed, Laodice stopped and said in quivering voice, "Why he has to die? Some stupid disease, it is so unfair. I could never understand that."
"Nobody could," sympathising, said Thais. "Here, have a sit. We'll talk. I am not in a hurry anywhere. I'll tell you about Hephaistion. He was a good friend of mine. He…." Thais glance fell on the beautiful vase that was placed on raising moulded after the column's capitel, "I saw that vase somewhere before," exclaimed Thais in surprise, "I saw it in… Persepolis! Did Hephaistion send it to you? It is such a beauty."
Laodice shook her head and said quietly, "It is an exceptional indeed but my brother was not the only one who could appreciate a beautiful thing when he saw one. My husband brought it for me when he came back. It was a gift from Alexander, sort of."
"What do you mean by sort of?"
"My husband didn't like it when Alexander gave the order to burn Persepolis. He came from Athens to bring back the treasures looted from the city by Xerxes, not participate in the act of the same vandalism. He said that destroying any art was an admission of inability to create something of equal value. Luckily for my husband, Alexander was too drunk to realize the insult, he simply told him he can take whatever he wanted for himself. This vase was one of the few things that my husband managed to save. It was a barbaric act, instigated by drunken…." Laodice abruptly stopped and looked apologetically at Thais, "I am so sorry, I didn't mean it. It's just a stupid rumour that everybody repeats. I am sorry," she said again.
Thais face hardened, "You wanted to say, 'instigated by drunken hetaira'? I know that rumour. It is very clever. Very clever. Not true, though."
"I am still sorry; at least for repeating it. Can you tell me what happened? Do you know who started the rumour and why?"
"I guess," Thais shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know if it matters anymore. I don't care. It was all so different when Alexander lived. Now it's all back to… normal. Alexander, and Hephaistion too, they were special because they were not afraid to challenge the rules, to change them, to do what they thought was right, regardless of what others said. Of course the burning of Persepolis was stupid, Alexander regretted it later, but everybody does mistakes.
True, I was present at that celebration. I didn't want to go that night, I had a huge headache but Ptolemy insisted. Very soon everybody was so drunk and loud. I made several attempts to leave but Ptolemy each time motioned me to stay. I found the darkest corner and just wanted to wait until he would be too drunk to notice me leaving. Unfortunately some idiot decided to use the same corner for his carnal pleasures. He spread some girl on the floor right in front of me blocking me from the view. Ptolemy's inebriated friends decided to play a foul trick on him and said it was me under the heaving guy. Ptolemy got mad and tried to come to my rescue or my punishment, I wasn't sure what the case was.
It was all so disgusting. I stood up and said I was leaving, no matter what. Then I pulled a torch from the wall and said to Ptolemy to have a good look at me so that there would be no doubt as to my location and what I was doing. They all just laughed. I left. Ptolemy told me later they all found my indignation hilarious and started to grab torches and wave them and gave speeches, one more stupid than the other. Then they started to throw those torches at one another to better see what they were doing. I guess it is how the conflagration started."
"And they blamed you for what happened? Only because you left and didn't want to take part in their fire spree?"
"No, the rumour didn't start at that point. It started after Alexander died."
"Why? I don't understand," Laodice was confused.
"The rumour started as a revenge, I guess, but because of another party. Only this time it was the most sober party I ever attended. As you know, the day when Alexander was born, many events happened, Philip's horses won the race at Olympics, Herostratus burned the temple of Artemis in Ephesus, Philip himself took Potidaea and Parmenion crashed Illyrians. Ever since it was considered a very lucky and propitious day of the year. So, Alexander's generals, though already at each other throats, decided to party together as if to give honours to the memory of Alexander. It was Macedonians and Greeks party only, no barbarians. Wine flow was unstoppable, the best of food and girls. Everybody tried to get everybody else drunk in order to loose tongues and learn secrets.
The party continued into the night, as usual, but they all stayed sober as a knob job only pretending to be drunk. At some point they started to blame Alexander for not naming a successor and thus creating an unnecessary strife over the throne. I don't know what got into me but I remember being very angry. Angry on the whole world, I think. So, I just accused them all of being vulgar liars. I said it didn't matter whether Alexander named a successor or not before his death, they would never accept anybody. Each one of them eyed the position and each one of them thought themselves suitable. My dear Ptolemy included. I said Alexander knew it and this was why he didn't name anybody.
They all began to shout at me at the same time saying that I didn't know what I was talking about, that I was just a woman and that I couldn't have any understanding or say in politics. I was somewhat drunk and their accusation made me even more mad if it was at all possible. I grabbed a torch. I don't know what it is with me and torches. The room went silent. Behind me hung a huge tapestry connected to others that stretched all around the hall. I brought that torch close the material and asked, "Then tell me, if Hephaistion was still alive, would you unanimously accept him as the Regent of all the Empire and possible future king? Just don't lie to me because if I see a flicker of duplicity in your eyes, I would burn us all alive."
"Oh," exclaimed Laodice in surprise, "you said that? What… how did they respond?"
Thais scoffed. "I doubt that they were really afraid to die in fire but they didn't lie either. They just stayed silent and ogled me with hatred. I put the torch back into the receptacle and left. Next morning Ptolemy ordered me to take children and leave Babylon. He said it was for my own safety. Perhaps he was right."
Laodice lowered her head and quietly said, "Maybe it was for the best that Hephaistion died before Alexander. He wouldn't survive long; they would kill him without mercy."
Thais bitterly laughed, "I wouldn't be so sure. Your brother was no weakling; on the contrary, he was rather ruthless and very politically astute. Officially being a Regent, he would buy some and kill the others. If your brother had inherited Alexander's Empire, the world could have been different. Or maybe I am just dreaming; but I wish your brother lived longer."
There was silence for some time and then Thais resumed the conversation. "When Ptolemy stole Alexander's body and brought it to Egypt, Perdiccas started many false rumours trying to discredit him. Among those rumours was the one that it was my idea to burn Persepolis. Ptolemy only laughed but I was upset."
"I can imagine," agreed Laodice, "Perdiccas twisted the truth. I would be upset too."
"You don't understand. It's not because of the stupid rumour. I liked Perdiccas. I respected him. We had many laughs together. We were always friends. But after Alexander's death everything changed. Then he was killed by Seleucus, Peithon and Antigenes, his own generals! Did you know that Perdiccas saved Seleucus life in India? They all turned on each other. Sometimes I lay at night and can't sleep. I have awful thoughts. I want them all dead. Those who are still alive, I mean. Even Ptolemy. They all fouled everything that Alexander created." Thais stood from the bench and went in the direction of the vase. It was a beautiful silver vessel with animals engraved in gold. What made it so memorable was a handle shaped in the exquisite form of the winged long horned ibex. Thais lovingly traced the animal's contours, lost in her own thoughts.
Then she suddenly turned and came back to the bench where Laodice patiently waited for her. "Sorry to bring all that nonsense to your doorstep. Let's talk about your brother. He was absolutely amazing person. Did you hear the story how once, long time ago, I tried to seduce him?"
"Successfully?" asked Laodice with a smile.
"Of course not," Thais laughed, "But we became friends as a result. You know, Hephaistion was the only man on whom my charms didn't work."
"I definitely want to hear. I hope you have more than one story for me. I am so happy that you came. I hated the idea that I had to spend most of the day alone."
"Your husband and children are not at home?" asked Thais.
"My children are already grown up and have their own families. I even have two grandchildren. My husband is at home but he had to finish the project for the city. He said he wanted to finish it today."
"Couldn't it wait a couple of days? What the urgency?"
"He worked on it for a long time. He is a perfectionist, you know. He promised to show it to me later today. He said I would be first to judge his efforts but I am sure he would be happy to see you."
"I hope so," said Thais and started with her story.
Thais was so absorbed in her conversation with Laodice that she didn't how much time passed when she suddenly heard the booming voice of her host's husband, "Thais, what a surprise, I am so glad to have you at our house!"
"Leochares!" exclaimed the hetaira, "the pleasure is mine." She stood up and exchanged friendly though somewhat formal, embrace and kisses with the sculptor. "I hoped you wouldn't mind my unannounced visit. Your wife told me that you have some sort of official excuse of not joining our company earlier. Otherwise I would scold you for your manners."
"I needed to finish it today," confirmed Leochares. "Come, the light is still good. I want to show it to you."
"Leochares, where are your manners?" gently rebuked him Laodice, "Thais didn't come here, today of all days, to see your project for the city."
"I hope Thais would disagree," the sculptor smiled into his beard.
Intrigued by such announcement, both women follow Leochares into his studio. The sculptor led them inside and stopped at the top of the slightly raised platform from which a number of stairs led further down to the premises. At the bottom of the staircase at the distance of a couch of two stood a sculpture fully covered by cloth.
"Are you ready?" asked Leochares.
"Yes, of course," answered Thais not suspecting anything special.
"Well, then," and Leochares waived to his apprentice to take off the cloth.
Thais gasped and felt rooted to the floor in the shock of admiration. Hephaistion's image, almost unbelievable in its likeness, came alive in all its unsurpassable beauty and glory. The proud turn of the head, the smooth movement of the body, the soft smile touched by the wisp of arrogance, the curly hair elegantly framing the beautiful oval of the face and cascading down his neck, it was as if Hephaistion was resurrected by the masterful hands of Leochares. The details were amazing, from the intricacy of the locks to the smoothness of cloak folds falling down from the shoulders. Thais glance glided down the muscled legs and back to the well defined torso, then to the elegant arms stretched out in the well practiced movement of handling the weapon. The weapon. It couldn't have been Hephaistion's weapon! The project for the city. Of course. The city of Athens didn't order Leochares the statue of Hephaistion. It was the statue of Apollo!
Thais tore her glance from the sculpture and looked at Leochares. He was seemingly calm but hetaira could discern the slight twitching of his lips. Then she noticed Laodice's bewildered look as she turned her head from the sculpture to her husband.
"You can't do it. It's a sacrilege," Laodice murmured. "They will put you in chains and force to drink a hemlock."
"Does it mean that I successfully managed to convey Hephaistion's likeness in bronze?" inquired Leochares.
"Very much so," confirmed Thais.
"I didn't realize that my brother was that beautiful," admitted Laodice. "Why did you do it?"
"When the city asked me for the statue of Apollo, I remembered the promise that I once gave to Alexander."
"What promise?" asked Laodice.
"When your brother died, Alexander sent me a letter asking to carve the bust of Hephaistion. His letter exuded pain and desperation. The only sliver of hope at that time seemed to be the decision of Siwah's Oracle Head Priest to declare Hephaistion a Divine Hero, though I think Alexander was resentful that the love of his life wasn't given the divine honours like him.
I gave Alexander a promise that I would do what Siwah Oracle couldn't or wouldn't – I would make Hephaistion a god."
O O O O O O O O O
A/N: A long one but important for the understanding of the story, so I hope you will read.
I also hope the readers will guess that the Leochares' statue described above is the bronze original of the marble Roman copy known as "Apollo Belvedere". It is my favourite stature the exquisite beauty of which I always admired. Those who read my stories on the regular basis know me for a huge fan of Greek Mythology with Apollo being my favourite deity (though I strongly suspect he was the least favourite deity of Alexander).
I think it would be fair to say that Hephaistion and Apollo had at least one thing in common – very few people were ever able to see past their beauty.
Of course, there are no known records of Hephaistion's siblings, if he ever had any, and Leochares being his brother-in-law is a complete figment of my imagination. I also changed a time line a little, the story takes place in 314 BC but most sources attribute the creation of this statue to 325 BC. I invented Leochares travel to Persepolis on Alexander's bequest to bring looted Athenian treasures back but it is quite possible that Leochares and Hephaistion met in real life. At least we know that Alexander and Leochares met because the sculptor created gold and ivory statues of Alexander, Philip, Olympias, Amyntas III and Eurydice I (paternal grandparents of Alexander) to commemorate the victory of Chaeronea. Some sources also indicate that he worked with Lyssippos on the creation of bronze group for Delphi representing a lion hunt of Alexander and with Scopas on the creation of the friezes for the famous Mausoleum of Halicarnassus (one of the Seven Wonders of the World). Also, there is a marble head of Alexander the Great at the Acropolis museum in Athens that attributed to Leochares.