Cassandra. Kerry Greenwood

Andromache. She was a better rider than any of us - probably better than any Trojan warrior. She seemed to have an instinctive understanding with her mount. I had seen her leap onto the shaggy back of a wild stallion, a lord of horses, just brought in from the summer pastures, and tame him into willingness, if not submission, on one wild ride. I could ride adequately, as could Eleni, and our brother Hector could drive a two-horse chariot with as much ease as a child drives a wooden toy.

      We had always wondered if part of his charm for Andromache was that he had promised to allow her to drive his own prized chariot pair, whom no other hand was allowed to touch.

      `Heracles was the son of the Achaean father god, Zeus, the stern one, compeller of the clouds,' Hector continued, `and Alchmene, a Danaan woman from the Tiryns, which is girded with walls. The hero's companions were Telamon and Iolas and the men of Tiryns, and he came with six ships through the straights, which we thus call the Pillars of Heracles. They arrived at a time when Laomedon had broken his bargain with Poseidon.'

      `What was the bargain?' I asked ritually.

      `Laomedon had offered six of his horses to Poseidon if he would build the walls of Troy. The god agreed. But when the king could not bear to part with the horses, Poseidon sent a sea monster so ravenous it bit the keels out of boats and swallowed crews whole.'

      Hector paused dramatically, then went on. `An oracle commanded that the Princess Hesione, daughter of the king and sister of our father King Priam, be chained on the shore for the sea monster. This sacrifice, the oracle said, would appease Poseidon Blue-Haired, whom Laomedon had cast from the city.'

      This was troubling, as we in Troy did not sacrifice living things. Our gods did not like such sacrifices. Only the barbarian Achaeans burnt dead flesh and spilled blood before their cruel gods.

      We gave seed and flowers and garments and gold to the gods of Troy, and honey and wine; only once a year did a creature die for the gods. That was the bull which was sacrificed to Dionysius, at the festival which marked the turning of winter to spring. We garlanded the perfect bull with flowers and brought him from his stall to die for the season. Then we ate his flesh and drank his blood mingled with wine which made the whole city drunk, giving our fleshly worship to the god of increase and wine. The Dionysiad lasted for three days and even the maidens of the goddess and the man-loving priests of Adonis danced and coupled in the squares, for a god must have his due.

      Hector continued, `The hero Heracles sailed into the bay and saw the princess chained to Scaean Gate where the oak tree grows. Telamon seized Hesione, and Heracles bargained with the sea monster which began to rise beneath the Achaean ship. It was bigger than the ship, and angry because it was baulked of its prey.

      Its head came out of the water and it grabbed the mast, snapping it and chewing the sail. Laomedon had promised horses if the hero could kill the monster.

      `Heracles bound on his bronze armour and his helmet and took his spear and his sword, and as the monster's head came around leapt full into its mouth. The Achaeans wailed as its teeth snapped shut over him and it dived beneath the 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.