Callias: A Tale of the Fall of Athens, Page 3

  CHAPTER III.

  HIPPOCLES THE ALIEN.

  Hippocles has been described as an alien. An "alien," then at Athens, asin the other Greek cities, was a resident foreigner. He might be anenfranchised slave, he might be a barbarian (as all persons not Greekwere described), or he might be a Greek of the purest descent, but if hehad not the rights of Athenian citizenship, he was an "alien." He couldnot hold any landed or house property: he was obliged to appear in anylaw suit in which he might be concerned in the person of an Atheniancitizen who was described as his "patron," and he was heavily taxed. Aspecial impost that went under the name of an "alien-tax" was only aslight matter, some twelve drachmas[7] a year, but all the imposts weremade specially heavy for them. And though they had no share in directingthe policy of the State, they were required to serve in its fleets andarmies. This treatment however, did not keep aliens from settling inAthens. On the contrary they were to be found there in great numbers,and as almost all the trade of the place was in their hands, some ofthem were among its richest inhabitants.

  At the time of which I am writing Hippocles had the reputation, which wemay say was by no means undeserved, of being the richest resident inAthens. And more than that, he was one of the most patriotic. He lovedthe city as if it had been his native place, and did the duty and morethan the duty of a son to her. The special contributions which as awealthy man he was called upon to make to the public service[8] weremade with a princely liberality. He even voluntarily undertook serviceswhich were not required of him by law. Every year he had come forward tofurnish the crew and munitions of a ship-of-war, a charge to whichcitizens only were properly liable. And of the fleet of which suchgloomy tidings had just reached Athens, he had equipped no less thanthree.

  Hippocles had a curious history. He was born in the Greek colony ofPoseidonia.[9] He was just entering on manhood when his native city fellinto the hands of its Lucanian neighbors. The barbarians did not abusetheir victory. They did not treat the conquered city, as the Greeks ofCroton some ninety years before had treated Sybaris, reducing it to anabsolute ruin. On the contrary they contented themselves with imposing atribute, and leaving a governor, with a garrison to support him, to seethat their new subjects did not forget their duty. But the presence ofthe foreigner was a grievous burden to the proud Greeks. For agesafterwards their descendants were accustomed to assemble once a year andto bewail their fate, as the Sons of Jacob at the Vale of Weeping, theGentile domination over their city. The disaster broke the heart ofHippocles' father Cimon who was one of Pacidoninus' most distinguishedcitizens and had actually held the office of Tagus or chief magistratein the year of its fall. He survived the event scarcely a year,recommending his son with his last breath to leave the place for somecity where he could live in a way more worthy of a Greek. His son spentthe next two years in quietly realizing his property, nor did he meetwith any interference from the Lucanian masters of the place. His househe had to sacrifice; to sell it might have attracted too much notice;but everything else that he had was converted into money. When this wassafely invested at Athens--Athens having been for various reasons thecity of his choice--he secretly departed. But he did not depart alone.He took with him a companion, who, he declared, more than made up to himfor all that as a Poseidonian citizen he had lost. Pontia, the daughterof the Lucanian governor, was a girl of singular beauty. The Lucanian,in common with the other Italian tribes, gave to their women a libertywhich was unknown in Greek households. Under the circumstances of lifein which he had been brought up, Hippocles though a frequent visitor atthe governor's house, would never, except by the merest accident, haveseen the governor's daughter. As it was he had many opportunities ofmaking her acquaintance. Instead of being shut up, after the Greekfashion in the women's apartments, she shared the common life of thefamily. At first the novelty of the situation almost shocked the youngman; before long it pleased him; it ended by conquering his heart. Theyoung Greek, who was leaving his native land because it did not suit hispride of race to live under the rule of a barbarian, did not submitwithout an effort. Again and again he reproached himself with themonstrous inconsistency of which he was guilty. "Madman that I am," hesaid to himself, "I cannot endure to live with barbarians for neighborsand yet I think of taking a barbarian to wife." Again and again heresolved to break free from the influence that was enthralling him. Butlove was too strong for him. Nor indeed, were there wanting arguments onthe other side. "Actually," he said to himself, "I am a Greek no more; aGreek without a city is only not a barbarian in name." This argument, oflittle weight, perhaps, in itself, gained force from the loveliness andmental charms of the young Pontia. She had long felt a distaste for therough, uncultured life into which she had been born. The culture andrefinement of her father's young Greek guest charmed her. The sadness ofhis mien touched the chord of pity in her heart, and admiration and pitytogether soon grew into love.

  Hippocles had just completed the settlement of his affairs, and wasruefully contemplating the curious dilemma in which he foundhimself--everything ready for his departure from Poseidonia, butPoseidonia holding him from such departure by ties which he could breakonly by breaking his heart--when circumstances suggested a way ofescape.

  The governor was a widower, and had more than the usual incapacity ofbusy men in middle life for discerning the symptoms of love. It wasaccordingly, with a cheerful unconsciousness of his guest's feelingsthat he said to him one morning:--"I have good news about my dearPontia. The girl is growing up, and should be settled in life, and Ihave had a most eligible proposal for her. I have told you, I think,that I am getting tired of this life, and want to get back to my farmamong the hills. So I have asked to be relieved, and I hear from theSenate that they have chosen a successor, Hostius of Vulsi, a cousin, Ishould say, of my own, and a most respectable man. Hostius has come toannounce the fact in person, and at the same time to ask for my daughterin marriage. A most eligible proposal, I say. Perhaps he is a littleold, about five years younger than myself. But that's of no consequence.I mentioned the matter to her. She did not say much, but, of course, agirl must seem to hold back. I suggested that the marriage should takeplace next week--for I should dearly like to be at home in time for thebarley harvest. That roused her. Of course she said that she had noclothes. I don't know about that--she always seems to me to look verynice--but I should not like to annoy her, for she is a dear, good girl,and I gave her another month. It's an excellent arrangement--don't youthink so?"

  Hippocles muttered a few words of assent; but long before the month wasout, he and his Pontia were on their way to Athens.

  The marriage and the settlement in Athens had taken place twenty-oneyears before the time of which I am writing. Two children had been born,a son and a daughter. The son had fallen, not many months before, atthe battle of Notium[10] and the death of the mother, who had been infeeble health, had soon followed. The daughter, to whom her parents hadgiven the name of Hermione, had just completed her sixteenth year.

  Hermione united in herself some of the happiest characteristics of thetwo races from which she sprang. Her father was a Greek of the Greeks.Poseidonia had been founded by Dorian settlers from Sybaris, who couldnot contrive to live on good terms with the Achaean Greeks that hadbecome the predominant element in that city; and Hippocles, who claimeddescent from the Messenian kings, yielded to none in nobility of birth.A purer type of the genuine Hellenes it would have been impossible tofind. Pontia brought from the Lucanian hills, among which she had beenreared, some of the best qualities, moral and physical, of the Italianrace. The simplicity, frugality, and temperance which then and longafter distinguished rural Italy, were to be seen in her united with asingular feminine charm not so often found among that somewhat rudepopulation; until the close air of the Piraeus, ill-suited to a daughterof the hills, sapped her constitution, she had had a frame magnificentlyhealthy and strong. To the daughter the climate which had shortened hermother's days, happily did no harm. It was in fact her native air, andshe throve in it. She was
still undeveloped, for she had only justcompleted her sixteenth year; but she gave promise of remarkable beauty,and indeed, the promise was already more than half fulfilled. When shehad performed the duty, sometimes imposed on the daughters of residentaliens,--it might be called, rather, privilege conceded to them--andwalked in the great procession of the patron-goddess, holding a sunshadeover some high-born Athenian maiden,[11] all the spectators agreed thatthe prize of beauty belonged to the stranger. Her stature reached thevery utmost height that the canons of beauty conceded to women; so farshe was more of an Athene than an Aphrodite. But her face and her wholebearing were exquisitely feminine. The sapphire-colored eyes, shaded bylong drooping lashes, the forehead, broad and low with the clusteringringlets of light chestnut on either side, perfectly rounded cheeks,firm, delicate mouth, showing a glimpse, but only a glimpse of pearlyteeth, and a faultlessly clear complexion, just tinted with the browncaught from AEgaean suns and winds--for she was dearly fond of a cruise inher father's yacht--made up together a remarkable combination of charms.

  Callias had seen her but once before, and that was on a melancholyoccasion. He had been commissioned by the general in command to break toher father the death of her brother, killed as has been said, in theunlucky conflict at Notium. He had behaved there with conspicuousgallantry, having led the boarding party which captured the onlyLacedaemonian galley that the Athenians had to set off against their ownfifteen losses, and had fallen in the moment of victory. It was not thefirst time that he had shown distinguished valor, and it was for thisreason, as well as on account of the high reputation of his father,that Alcibiades had sent Callias with a special message of condolence.The blow, which could not be softened by any delicacy in the telling,and for which the praises of the general were but a slight consolation,broke Hippocles down completely. It was then that Hermione showed thestrength of her character. Tenderly attached herself to her brother shehad come forward to support her broken-hearted father. With a patientendurance that was beyond all praise, she had battled with her own griefin the effort to help a sorrow even more agonizing than her own, tillfor very shame Hippocles had raised himself to bear his loss withresignation. The effort saved his life; for even the physicians had atone time been greatly alarmed. Callias, accustomed to think of women asencumbrances rather than helps in time of need was profoundly impressedby the girl's demeanor. If he had been inclined, for a moment, to thinkthat her singular self-possession indicated a want of womanly feeling,he would have been soon undeceived. Paying a visit of inquiry to thehouse next day, he found that Hermione's endurance had not lasted beyondthe occasion for which it was wanted. Her father received him, and toldhim that his daughter had broken down under the strain. "I was cowardlyenough," he said, "yesterday to rest upon her strength when I shouldhave summoned up my own. The gods grant that I may not have taxed itovermuch, and that I may not lose both my children. I have learned thatI ought not to have grudged my son to the city which has been a secondmother to me; if only I have not learnt it at too terrible a price."Callias had to leave Athens on the next day to rejoin the fleet, but hehad the satisfaction of hearing before his departure that Hermione wason a fair way to recovery. Since then he had not been in Athens.

  FOOTNOTES:

  [7] This would amount to about $2.25--a drachma being equal to about 20cor 9-1/2d. in English money.

  [8] These "liturgies," as they were called, were charges imposed uponall residents in Athens whose property was assessed at more than acertain amount (three talents, which, as a talent contained 6,000drachmae, may be roughly estimated at $3,500, equivalent, it is probable,to much more in actual value). These were originally equivalents forspecial privileges and powers which the wealthy enjoyed under theearlier constitution, but they were continued in force after thedemocratic changes which put all citizens on an equality. The Alienswere not liable to all.

  [9] Better known by its Latin name of Paestum.

  [10] Fought in 407. Notium was the harbor of Colophon a city of AsiaMinor, about nine miles north of Ephesus, and about fifteen miles fromthe sea.

  [11] Noble Athenian damsels were the "basket-bearers" (_Canephoroi_),daughters of aliens "Sunshade-bearers" (_Skiaphoroi_) in theParatheraea, or Great Procession of Athens.