“talk of thy doom without a sigh;
for thou art freedom’s now, and fame’s,—
one of the few, the immortal names
that were not born to die.”
fitz-greene halleck.
in compliance with a request from the hero of salamis, no less a person than themistocles himself, zopyrus betook himself to the home of that personage. the two had met frequently at public gatherings, and zopyrus, influenced by the first words he had heard fall from the lips of aeschylus which were tributes of praise to themistocles, had since that time looked upon the actions and utterances of that statesman with approval.
a servant admitted him and led him through the reception room to a doorway which opened into a bright and cheerful solarium. the statist stood with arms folded and head bent in reverie. upon hearing a footfall he turned quickly and greeted zopyrus with outstretched hands.
“welcome, my young friend,” he cried delightedly. “you come at a time when cheerful companionship is much needed. as if the cares of a nation are not enough, the gods are giving me more than my share of personal woe.”
156
zopyrus seated himself in the sun-lit room and surveyed the luxuriant growth of potted tropical plants.
“one ought never to feel sad here,” he remarked, “but tell me what troubles you themistocles.”
“i will first tell you of my political worries, though perhaps you share the opinion of many of my former friends, and can anticipate what i am about to say.”
“i can not know exactly what you wish to say, but i presume it has to do with the turning of popular favor against you.”
“yes, that is at the bottom of my sorrow. once—” here themistocles’ voice broke and he could not continue for a moment, “once i was greatly honored and deservedly, zopyrus. do not think me a braggart to say so—but you will remember the favors that all athens showed me after salamis. i was and am still sincere in my hope for the welfare of this most glorious of cities, but personal enemies have sown the seeds of mistrust, and now former friends pass me with averted faces, and many cast glances of distrust. did i not thwart the over-ambitious sparta? now the populace begins to clamor for a younger man, which is good and natural of course, but this young man favors an alliance with sparta, and even argues that such a compact will be to our advantage. this young man, do you know him?” asked themistocles with fervor.
“i believe you mean cimon, the son of miltiades, do you not?”
“the same,” cried themistocles, “the son of a veritable rascal, so what can one expect!”
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“personally i admire cimon,” said zopyrus quietly. “he is a warrior, every inch of him, and i favor the plan of appointing him successor to aristides as commander of the fleet.”
“then you too are against me!” cried the older man hotly. “i had counted on your friendship as an unswerving reality, but i realize there is no such thing as human constancy.”
zopyrus was deeply moved. “i do not for one moment doubt your sincerity in serving athens, and at the time of salamis your policy was a wise one and saved greece from a sad fate, but conditions have changed since platæa.”
“do you know,” asked the statesman leaning toward his young companion and lowering his tones, “that there were those who doubted me at salamis and were ready to believe that my scheme for compelling the greeks to fight was an act intended to favor the enemy? had the persians been victorious at the time my doom would have been sealed.”
“athens is too severe, too critical,” continued themistocles, his voice rising in excitement. “because such men as miltiades and pausanias become arrogant and selfish after marathon and platæa, they assume that i must do likewise after salamis. this delean league which is proposed by cimon would exclude the thessalians and argives, both as you know friendly to us, and would substitute allies of sparta. the national spirit which made the greeks omnipotent against the millions of darius and xerxes must live again! oh, athens is temporarily blind, blind, and i am powerless to save her now! you are young, zopyrus, will you not fight this confederacy and clear my name of suspicions of intrigue with persia? seek one leobotes, an old enemy of my family, and prevent him from pressing against me the charge of medism. do this, my friend, and anything that is within my power i will do for you.”
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“i will do what i can,” replied zopyrus earnestly. changing the subject he said, “you have heard no doubt, of the fate of pausanias?”
“i can imagine what it is, but i had not heard.”
“i was informed before coming here,” said zopyrus, “that starvation in the temple of poseidon ended his miserable existence. as you know a wall had been built around the temple and armed guards stationed without who watched night and day. just before the end came he was brought forth into the open to die that he might not pollute the temple.”
“alas poor pausanias!” cried themistocles, “how relentless are those who think ill of us! you were guilty of the charge against you, but by the gods i am not!”
zopyrus was deeply impressed by the grief of themistocles. he put his hand into his tunic and tore from his throat a talisman that had hung on a slender chain. thrusting it into the hand of the amazed themistocles he whispered hurriedly, “i hope you may never need it, but should it prove necessary, this will make you welcome at the court of xerxes or his successor either at persepolis or susa.”
as zopyrus finished speaking a light step was heard in the adjoining room, and a moment later ladice entered. upon observing another person, she turned and would have withdrawn had not zopyrus stepped forward with the words: “ladice have you so soon forgotten your rescuer?”
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the girl hesitated a moment, then her features lit up with a pleasant smile of recognition. “i had forgotten your name but i have told themistocles many times of your bravery.”
both men gazed with masculine approval into the smiling gray eyes of the girl that looked out from beneath a halo of sunshine and copper colored hair.
“so zopyrus is your deliverer!” ejaculated themistocles, “and he is a persian!”
“you should use the past tense there, my friend,” said zopyrus with emotion, “for i have been an athenian loyal and staunch ever since the death of my friend masistius.”
at the mention of the persian’s name, ladice turned her head away to hide the tears which filled her eyes. she sat silently while zopyrus related the story of his transformation. when he had finished themistocles placed his hands upon the youth’s shoulders.
“you are worthy of your athenian ancestry. if you can rescue me from a fate as bad in its way as ladice’s threatened to be, you will be in my opinion, second only to zeus himself.”
“i will do all that i can,” said the young man heartily, “and will begin with my friend cimon who has proved too talkative of late.”
after zopyrus’ departure themistocles turned to his young ward and placing a hand upon her bright hair said, “it would greatly please me did you find favor in the eyes of this young zopyrus.”
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ladice blushed in painful confusion as she replied, “for some time i feel that no one can fill the place that my brave persian, masistius held, besides i have heard it rumored that zopyrus is to wed the daughter of pasicles.”
for some moments there was silence between them. suddenly themistocles said fiercely, “as long as cimon stays away from you, i care not to whom your heart may turn, even were it the son of my hated rival aristides!”
“father, for such you have been to me since platæa,” said ladice, her lips trembling with emotion, “i have wondered if cimon’s animosity toward you is not aggravated by my coldness to him. has it not occurred to you that he may consider that you alone are responsible for the failure of his suit? if i were to accept his attentions, is it not likely that he would discontinue his efforts to turn the athenians against you?”
“it is possible, ladice,” said the statesman sadly, “but i would under no consideration allow you to sacrifice your happiness for me. you are young, while i—perhaps it is better so!”
the girl touched the hand of her foster-father with loving tenderness as she said: “but what if i have found that i do love him, but have hesitated to speak before, knowing as i do your justified hatred of him!”
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the hero of salamis placed his hand under the maiden’s chin and lifted her face till he could search the eyes that sought to veil themselves beneath the sweeping lashes. his look seemed to penetrate the innermost recesses of her soul. she struggled to free herself from the gaze that held her, as she cried beseechingly: “only believe me, themistocles. do you not see that i can marry the man i love and free you from the terrible disgrace which threatens you?”
the man’s arms dropped to his sides and his mighty head sank to his breast. ladice stepped away smiling for she knew his attitude was significant of resignation.
