{"id":975,"date":"2019-11-15T12:53:16","date_gmt":"2019-11-15T12:53:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/curiosi\/?p=975"},"modified":"2019-12-04T16:01:07","modified_gmt":"2019-12-04T16:01:07","slug":"allen-seaby-leon-of-massalia-chapter-9-one-of-the-ten-thousand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/curiosi\/allen-seaby-leon-of-massalia-chapter-9-one-of-the-ten-thousand\/","title":{"rendered":"Allen Seaby, Leon of Massalia, Chapter 9: One of the \u201cTen Thousand\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

The tall cliffs high above the sea,
\nTheir bases deep in foam.
\nSophokles, Ajax<\/em><\/p>\n

Antikles had promised Leon to take him to a friend who was an engraver of gems. So here they were, in a small room with a single bench running along one side close to the window. On it lay various tools: delicately-made bow drills, bronze implements with points of sapphire, and gravers.<\/p>\n

When the two entered, Sostratos, the gem engraver, was at work on a greenish translucent stone fastened securely in its plaster bed. A sad-faced man of middle age, he showed Leon the gem upon which he was engaged. It was a bezel for a ring to be used as a seal, and the design was in the process of being hollowed out. Leon remarked that the method seemed much like that for making a coin-die.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes\u201d returned Sostratos, \u201cthat is so, but there is one great difference between the two crafts. If a mistake is made in the coin shop, the metal can be melted down and used again. But with gems, if the design goes wrong, the stone must be thrown away or broken up for smaller work.<\/p>\n

\u201cI work by and for myself,\u201d Sostratos continued. \u201cI used to have two good workers. My wife could polish a stone more expertly than I.\u201d He paused then added \u201cshe died several springs back. My other helper was my son. After his mother\u2019s death he was seized with unrest and complained that sitting crouched at a table was no job for a grown man. Last year, hearing that men were wanted overseas in the service of the Persians he begged me to give him the money to buy helmet, shield and spear. One fine morning he marched away with other Athenians. They crossed to Sardis, and then \u2013 silence. No message has come from my son and I fear the worst, for the army was to march into the heights of Pisidia where fierce mountaineers dwell. Rumour says that the real purpose of the expedition was to enable Cyrus the Persian to wreak vengeance on his brother Artaxerxes. Ships from Asiatic ports bear news that Cyrus and the Greek generals have been slain, and their men driven into the mountains to perish. As I sit here I think of my wife and my son.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCheer up Sostratos,\u201d said Antikles. \u201cYour son will doubtless return to you safe and sound a wealthy man. Now, I must go, but my young friend would like to stay and learn about your craft.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leon bent to look more closely at the bezel. He saw it was being engraved with the figure of a flying swan. He praised the work\u2019s delicacy as Sostratos held out a circular lens set in a bronze ring and invited his visitor to look through it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWonderful!\u201d exclaimed Leon. The lens had magnified the image of the swan.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s glass,\u201d said the gem cutter, \u201cfrom Sidon where they alone know the secret of rendering it transparent and colourless without flaws. It enables me to do the most minute work without straining my eyes. We engravers are fortunate in being able to work on small materials which our clients can treasure and hide on their person if needs be. This past decade has been troubled and sculptors have had a hard time. Since fine houses beautified with sculpture attract the attention of informers, the rich have turned to the gem instead. Thus, while the fortunes of Athens declined the gem cutters have retained their prosperity and, if anything, increased and developed their art.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe subjects have always been interesting to engrave. People want tokens of good fortune on their seals \u2014 deities such as Aphrodite, Eros and Heracles, but also victories, athletes, riders and family badges. Nowadays clients are even asking for portraits and themes of daily life, subjects requiring even more delicacy than before.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sudden clatter of a spear and shield hitting the ground outside made them both jump. Then the door burst open and in rushed a young man wearing a grey goatskin.<\/p>\n

\u201cFather!\u201d he said as he knelt at the feet of Sostratos.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy son,\u201d Sostratos exclaimed, as he laid his hand on his son\u2019s shoulder. \u201cRise Hippias and let me see your face. I feared you had passed to the shades.\u201d He introduced his visitor and continued, \u201cYou look thin and tired, tell us of your travels.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow pleasant this place is with its little forge\u201d, replied his son. \u201cWithout the help of that gallant leader, Xenophon, my bones and those of many good fellows might be lying hidden under the snows or left to bleach in the desert. When our generals were treacherously slain, Xenophon, though young and without military experience, quickly showed leadership and was immediately hailed as general. It was decided to march north to the sea. The worst time was when we found ourselves among the mountain passes in bitter weather. The mountains were full of the worst foes we met \u2013 huge men who hid behind rocks, and charged down suddenly, slashing with their knives. It was long, toilsome and dangerous marching, with no tents or other shelter. One day we topped a hill, however, and the cry was let out, \u2018The sea, the sea!\u2019 It was the Euxine.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all thought our troubles over, but the foreigners and the Greeks in that region were hostile and often we had difficulty in obtaining food and lodging. Being close to ten thousand in number, we required much food and so cities shut their gates against us. When we reached Byzantion we were so exasperated that we would have rushed on the city and pillaged it if Xenophon had not run through our midst and restored order.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the men, on reaching Sardis and being rested, volunteered for further service in Asia so that they might make some profit. I, however, felt the pull of home and stole away to the port and got a job as rower in a ship crossing to Athens.\u201d
\nHe went on: \u201cI have, at least, brought something with me which may interest you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Untying a sack, Hippias emptied a quantity of dull-looking pebbles and stones onto the bench.<\/p>\n

\u201cTopaz, garnet, chalcedony \u2013 what a fine lump for a cameo \u2013 and amethyst. This ruby stone and emerald matrix I have rarely seen. But what is this plain little pebble, which sparkles in places?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat,\u201d answered his son, \u201cis called diamond, the hardest of all stones. It was given to me by a Persian whom I had helped. He asserted that our best tools would fail to cut it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, we shall see,\u201d answered his father.<\/p>\n

Sostratos asked a question and passed a coarse file over one of the gems; the heads of father and son bent close together over the table, and Leon slipped quietly from the room. He would return later for some purchases he wished to make.<\/p>\n

\n

To read chapter ten click on this picture.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The tall cliffs high above the sea, Their bases deep in foam. 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