Parallel Lives, Theo of Thebes

Part 7, The Theban Exiles

Theo stepped through the inn's worn wooden door, the lively chatter and clinking of dishes enveloping him. There were a few waiters moving about taking people's orders, or carrying plates of hot food and cups of drink. In the back, an unpolished counter housed the innkeeper, who cast a cautious glance at Theo before nodding at Epaminondas. 

The place was packed tight. Catching a few words of a myriad of conversations, it seemed the patrons were all tradesmen—potters, shipbuilders, and the like. In a little nook in the corner, dimly lit as if darkness held sway there, lay a pair of men who stood out from the others.

There was a sort of brooding aura about them as they looked at each other with serious expressions and though Theo could not hear them, their hands did some talking. It seemed like they were planning something out, though that came to a stop when Epaminondas caught their attention and introduced his guests.

"Pelopidas, Gorgidas." Epaminondas gestured at the men one at a time as he spoke. "You remember Nicodemus? And this here is..."

"Theo. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Pelopidas pushed out a spare stool with his foot, and then another, he motioned his head towards them, and Theo and Nicodemus sat.

"We will finish our conversation another time, Pelopidas." Gorgidas spoke.

"Another time then. The issue is not yet settled." Pelopidas replied curtly.

A basket of fruit lay in the middle of the table, and Pelopidas grabbed a persimmon out from it, taking a juicy bite, before kicking his feet up on the table.

"Honoured guests, help yourselves," said Pelopidas. "Dionysus blesses you this day, as our friend Epaminondas is unable to look after his own purse, and were we not sure of his virtue, we may think he was trying to bankrupt us. 

You do realise, Epaminondas, that we need funds to secure support for..." He glanced at Theo and Nicodemus, and his lips curled slightly. "Our efforts." The words were deliberately chosen, as if the man had wanted to be as vague as possible, and Theo felt there was something more to this band, though he did not pry.

Nicodemus, who needed no further encouragement, grabbed the biggest fruit he could find from out of the basket. It was the better half of a watermelon. Just when Theo thought the man was done, the beggar's right arm shot out to grab a small pomegranate.

Theo nodded knowingly. Such an abundance of fresh food, free for the taking, was a rare treat. Nicodemus had seized the opportunity, filling his arms with the choicest fruits. One large watermelon with his good arm, and a tender pomegranate with the other.

Theo's stomach, too, realised the sagacity of the move, and commanded his arm forward to grab a temptingly ripe persimmon. He found it amusing they grew here in Athens, fruit this fresh was surely local, as he had known them to grow in his native Cork as well. Northern climates truly had been brought a good few latitudes lower in his time. 

As for what the modern Athenian climate could achieve... Well, it was good for baking clay. He chuckled at the joke, before catching himself. There was a reality to contend with here. He liked Linus, Nicodemus and even these new three had some appeal to him, but he realised that somewhere down the line, a descendant of theirs would be chased from their home by the burning heat.

He shook his head, banishing his introspection. He had another precious opportunity sitting in front of him, and he'd be remiss not to exploit it. He turned to Epaminondas, and spoke.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Epaminondas, but I am curious. The rest of the patrons here seem to be labourers, craftsmen and the like. They'll have a few drinks or a meal, but you three stand out to me. From what I understand you're all lodging at this inn, and for long enough that Nicodemus here seems to have taken a liking to you. Why might that be?"

Epaminondas raised an eyebrow, regarding Theo suspiciously, before deciding he might answer the question. His arms were still folded, his body language guarded, and he chose to first press Theo a little, to sound him out before giving away any unnecessary information.

"I may tell you, but first I need to know if you'd understand. Where are you from Theo? What is the culture, what are the customs, what form does power take?"

Theo's head leaned back a little, as while he expected the first question and answered it happily, each new one drew him further and further from comfort. He hadn't really thought much on these issues till now. All people had their part to play, and they would play it or be left to perish.

Though they would never come close to the keys of power, as those with power guarded it closely, there was a sort of fairness to it, he supposed. While those who laboured had no input into the machinations of the nation, they would be able to survive. 

He relayed these thoughts to Epaminondas, who nodded along, though Gorgidas and Pelopidas visibly tensed, and exchanged a quick, agitated glance with each other.

"Forget for a moment the fact your country exists, and this one even Theo. Imagine for a moment yourself and Nicodemus arrive at a plot of land and start a farm there. The two of you, knowing each other, may well be able to eke out a fair existence, and perhaps even a fair split of any excess profits from goods gone to market."

"There may be differences between you," Epaminondas continued, "Nicodemus with his injured arm, and you with your inexperience of age, but you could likely tolerate each other. Each of you has input into the farm, a say in what to seed, and in various techniques you could employ and in time it grows to prosper."

"Now imagine..." Pelopidas interjected, "That I came to you both one day, with spear in hand and told you things would be working differently. You'd still work the farm, but I would tell you what is seeded, and how it is done. Better yet, I would take a share of the revenue for my valued contribution. What would your thoughts be on that?"

Theo eyed Pelopidas. The man was a daunting figure, his physique all corded muscle that was practically dripping with strength. His short black hair, messy as if it had been jostled, was the only boyish trait that kept him from being some sort of abstract ideal of a man.

Theo imagined such a man barreling towards him, spear in hand, and gulped nervously. He knew there was no real threat here, but his throat became dry nonetheless, and he began to sweat.

"I've never owned a farm," Theo began. "In fact I've never owned much of anything, all is leased to my people by those in power. To be honest, I don't know what to think of what you've said, as I'm having trouble imagining myself in that position. To own a farm... wouldn't that be something."

"It would be something!" Gorgidas leaned forward, speaking with fervour. "A man could have much pride in such a thing, but if it was taken from him by some... invader... can you not see how that might send a man into a rage?"

"This..." Epaminondas said, making direct eye contact with Theo, and holding it quite deliberately.

 Theo's fingers began to shake a little under the pressure of the man's stare. He placed them flatly on the table to try and mitigate his shaking. 

"In a way, this is what happened to us. We were citizens of Thebes. Honest and proud." The three, though their eyes never met, each shared a nostalgic look, that look reserved for precious things that were now lost.

Gorgidas then spoke, resentment and unsettled grudges clear from his tone alone. He was a soldier who desired nothing more than to fight an enemy, but he had not the means, and that impotence wounded him more than any blade.

"One day a Spartan army marching through the area, through nothing short of gods-damned trickery, waltzed into the city without so much as a declaration of war, and seized the Cadmea. 

They've been garrisoned in there for some time now, and as they raised up a new government of pro-Spartan sycophants to consolidate their position, we had now choice but to flee, and so here we are, trying to curry favour and influence with the locals that we one day may return to Thebes, ready to retake it."