Calliope's Story - Chapter 1

This is the rough draft of the introduction to Calliope's story. She is Greek, so this does not take place in Rome but in Thebes. I am pleased to introduce you to Artemisia's mother as a teenager. :-)

Calliope closed her eyes and tilted her face toward the sun, soaking the afternoon warmth into her skin. Below her balcony, the olive grove flickered green and silver in the breeze. Several slaves moved amongst the trees checking the progress of the crop.

She adjusted her golden arm band and returned to her cushioned seat in the shade. Her mother would make a fuss if she caught her standing in the sun. “Sunlight ruins your complexion and makes you look like a common street trollop,” she always said.

With a sigh, she returned to Homer’s Iliad. The recitation of genealogy was an incredible bore, but her parents expected her to memorize it. Their family could trace its origins to Ajax the Greater, heroic companion of Achilles.

“Calliope.”

She stood at the sound of her younger sister’s voice. “Yes, Echo?”

“It’s time for supper.”

“Thank Demeter! This is so tedious.” She rolled the scroll and hurried for the door.

Echo laughed. “The Iliad isn’t all that bad, Calli. Besides it’s an honor to have such heroic ancestors.”

“Then you memorize it.” Calli thrust the parchment scroll at her sister with a grimace. “I’ll go and tell Father you aren’t hungry.”

“Very funny.”

The sisters linked arms and hurried through the halls. Hunger wasn’t what made them rush, but the fear of being late for supper. Their father did not take much notice of his daughters as a habit, but he was quick to discipline them if they displeased him.

Theodorus was seated at the head of the table. He once had thick, flaxen curls. Now only a small fringe encircled his head, drawing more attention to his ice blue eyes. Deep wrinkles creased his brow and drew lines from the sides of his wide nose to his full mouth. Calliope touched her own golden curls, wishing she didn’t resemble him so much.

Their mother sat at its foot, her brunette hair glistened in the sunlight falling through the open windows. Echo favored her, straight dark hair and emerald eyes, clear alabaster skin. Melaina entered after a few seconds, sweeping her chestnut hair off of her shoulders. Calliope’s eldest sister was followed by the second born of the family, Zoe, with her ever-present dimpled smile and curling raven hair.

“Hello, Father, Mother, dear sisters,” Zoe crooned coming to each of them in turn and kissing their cheeks.

Calliope obediently kissed her in return although she never understood why her sister always greeted them as if they’d been separated for weeks instead of hours. “Hello, Zoe.”

Four of the house slaves were still placing heaping platters of vegetable dishes and roasted meat onto the table. The ladies took their usual seats and waited for Father to bless the meal.

“Demeter, goddess of the harvest and growing things, I ask your blessing on this meal and on my family.” Theodorus reached out and grabbed the nearest dish, filled with couscous and vegetables, and piled some onto his plate. Calli’s mother and sisters took their cue and also began to fill their plates. She waited until her favorites, stuffed grape leaves and lamb kebab, were passed before choosing anything.

They began to eat without speaking, as they always did. It was not proper for a woman to address a man unless he spoke first and her father was a man of very few words. That was why she jumped when he spoke.

“Calliope.” He sprayed pita crumbs and hummus across the table.

“Yes, Father?”

“How old are you now?”

“Fourteen, sir."

“Hmm,” he rubbed his graying beard. “Already?” He looked at her sisters and then back at her. “So, now I have three daughters eating my food who should be in their own homes with husbands and children of their own.”

She looked at her plate and pushed a bite of lamb around with a chunk of pita and said nothing.

“It is time that you were all matched. I have neglected my duty as a father and I cannot afford to keep you here indefinitely. Melaina and Zoe must come first, seeing that they are older, but I will have the three of you married before the end of growing season.”

She exchanged a shocked look with her older sisters. They were to be matched and hurried out of the only home they’d ever known in less than two months! Zoe’s face was ashen and she put down the morsel of meat she’d been about to pop into her mouth. Melaina took a long drink of wine and signaled to one of the attending slaves to refill her cup. Calliope looked to her mother for some sign of help but she averted her eyes and busied herself by piling more food onto her plate. Calli’s stomach roiled. Before she vomited her supper onto the table, she got up and ran.

She made it as far as the hall.