Cassandra. Kerry Greenwood

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СКАЧАТЬ surface again. But Telamon had Hesione and wanted her, though he had made no bargain for the king's daughter.

      `In the waters of the bay, the Trojans saw the monster writhing and twisting. It was the length of three ships, as broad in the middle as two, and it roared fearfully, so loud that the guards on the Scaean Gate covered their ears. The Achaeans began to mourn for their hero, wailing and beating their breasts, when the monster gave a convulsive jerk and Heracles the Hero hacked his way out of its belly, so that it spewed its guts and stranded, dying messily in the shallows.

      `Later it took all of our fleet to drag it into the deep water so that the tide could bear it away.

      `Heracles came alive out of the monster and walked, dripping scales and fishy blood, up the steep streets to the palace to demand his promised price. The Achaeans and the Princess Hesione followed him. Laomedon the horse-lover refused him his reward, again breaking solemn oaths sworn by the gods. Standing in the throne room with his sons all about him, he defied the hero and bade him begone with insulting words. Heracles was possessed of battle fury.'

      `What's battle fury?' Eleni interrupted.

      `He lost his mind, all knowledge of himself, and killed everyone standing,' said Hector. `He killed the king and all but one of his sons. His sword moved like a reaping hook, cutting down the youth of Ilium. They ran and he pursued the royal house of Tros, breaking down the walls, pulling stone from stone and killing when he found them, with sword and spear and hands and teeth. Stones bounced off him, spears could not pierce him, swords broke on his invulnerable body. Then the Princess Hesione caught the remaining child - Podarkes swift-foot, who had run for his life - and held him to her breast and defied Heracles to kill him. Heracles, servant of women, could not touch her. He ransomed the child for her gold-embroidered veil, the maiden's veil which girls wore at that time. Thus Hesione's body, freely offered, appeased the hero, and he lay down with her in the rubble among the bodies of her brothers. It is said that although he was mired with blood and stronger than the sea, he did not hurt her as he lay with her. Heracles, goddess-brought, was sworn not to harm women.

      `Hesione ordered that horses should be brought and given to the hero, and gold to Telamon and the men of wall-girt Tiryns. This was done. Hesione gave the child, whom she named Priamos, one who is ransomed, to Lykke the wolf-woman to raise, ordering her to take him into the mountains. She appointed the eldest princess to rule until Priamos returned. That Priamos is our father, the Lord King Priam the old.'

      `What happened to Hesione?' asked Andromache. Hector did not answer immediately, but stroked a living hand down the girl's side and kissed her on the mouth. Behind me Eleni muttered. I turned and kissed him, afraid he would make some unfortunate comment. It was the first time that I did not know for certain what Eleni would do.

      Hector said regretfully, `Telamon kidnapped her. Heracles, possessed by remorse for his murders, re-built the walls, as you see them now. While the hero was hauling stone, Telamon of Tiryns stole Hesione, Princess of Troy and sailed away with her.

      `The princess sent word that we should not pursue her; she had no wish to start a war with the barbarians. Heracles finished the walls and went home. There, possessed of that same fury, he killed his own children and was set twelve labours, the labours that made him a god.'

      `And Hesione?' asked Pariki's voice, stilted as though he spoke though clenched teeth.

      `She lived with Telamon for the rest of her life and had many sons,' said Hector. `It is an old tale, brother.'

      `It is an insult which has not been avenged,' said Pariki. He stalked away. We heard his sandals slap against the stone steps of the palace staircase.

      For some reason Hector would tell no further tales that night. He held us close, as though he feared to lose us.

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