Sun's golden rays shine,
waves crash on the sandy shore
Nothing will be done
This haiku talks about summer. It is a time where the sun is at its brightest and days at the beach are frequent. But for must of us, nothing much is accomplished during our vacation.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Friday, March 2, 2007
Ancient Voices Paper
Pavalos the Small One
It was anything but a normal day in the city state of Corinth. There was a vigorous feeling in the air; the sky was a brilliant blue laced perfectly with satin white clouds and the sun beamed down gloriously on the city. King Krios of Corinth had proclaimed a holiday throughout the land because it was the day his first child was to be born. His wife Aglea was in the palace with her loyal maiden Medeia preparing for the glorious birth. All of the gods were peering down from Mount Olympus, even the great Zeus, for it was prophesized that this child would have immense strength and intellect. When the child was born, King Krios was elated because it was a big, healthy boy. Aglea and Krios named their child Eukleides, meaning good glory.
For the next three years Eukleides was given the best clothes, food and caretakers in all of Corinth. Krios and Aglea adored him and loved him with all of their hearts. But to their surprise, they would soon have another child. A few weeks after Eukleides’ third birthday Aglea was preparing to give birth to her second son. None of the gods were watching except for Athena because she sensed something special about him. But when he was born he was much smaller than Eukleides and did not look healthy at all. They named him Pavalos, meaning small one. For the next eighteen years Pavalos lived in the shadow of his mighty brother. Eukleides grew up learning from the greatest teachers and trained with the most skilled warriors and athletes. Eukleides was a natural at everything that he did; he learned things very quickly and picked up moves and tactics with ease. Pavalos always received the second best teachers and trained with mediocre opponents because he was so small and weak. He struggled through school and could never do anything right. Whenever they went into town together the citizens would cheer Eukleides’ name and completely ignore Pavalos.
By the age of seventeen Eukleides was already established as the most powerful warrior and wrestler in Corinth. Pavalos also trained to become a warrior and loved to wrestle, but he was pitiful at best, struggling against the weakest of opponents. He practiced harder than anyone else but got nowhere. Every night before he went to bed he would place a glass of dark ruby red wine and fresh lamb on his old nightstand for the gods and would pray to them to give him strength, and to one day be better than his brother, bringing glory to his family and city.
Years passed and nothing changed, Pavalos grew into a thin pale man while Eukleides became a dark skinned burly warrior. Eukleides’ favorite sport was wrestling and he had been training for the past few years to enter the upcoming Olympics, which he was favored to win. Pavalos also loved to wrestle but never dreamed of ever competing in the Olympics.
One day the horns were sounded, meaning that Corinth was going to war. Word was it that Corcyra, Corinth’s greatest enemy, was planning to launch an attack on Corinth. Corcyra was fearful of Corinth’s growing power and wanted to impede its growth. King Krios was aware of the situation and he planned to launch a surprise attack on Corcyra before they came to Corinth. He assembled all his warriors and gathered a fleet of ships. Both Eukleides and Pavalos returned to the palace to get ready for battle. Eukleides put on his shining copper armor, crafted perfectly as if Hephaestus himself had forged it. Pavalos also donned his armor. It was a hand me down of Eukleides and had become old and dull over time. Then he headed off to the docks where they were to meet.
Fifty ships sailed towards the docks as if hovering above the water, they were long and sleek and completely unaffected by the ocean’s choppy current. By the time the brothers arrived all the supplies were loaded and everyone was ready to go. Right as they were to board the ships Eukleides walked up to Pavalos and said, “Please Pavalos, do you really expect to go into battle? You stand no chance out there with those men, you will surely get killed. For me, please stay here.”
“Are you kidding?” Pavalos replied. “I want to fight and represent our city as much as you do.”
“Please Pavalos, just stay; it is certain that you will die.”
“I do not care; it has been my dream to fight for our city.”
As the last men were boarding the ship Eukleides picked up Pavalos, hoisting him above his head and threw him to the ground with a great thud. Pavalos was left there in a cloud of dust, unable to move due to the pain he felt deep within his stomach. Eukleides quickly hopped on the ship and shouted out, “I will see you when I return brother!”
Pavalos sulked as he wandered back to the palace. He removed his armor, and flopped onto his bed and drifted off to sleep. In the following days he continued to live his life just as before, but he was now more determined with his training. He wanted to prove to Eukleides that he was not a failure. A month passed and the word was out that the Corinthians had defeated the Corcyrians and were returning home. However, Poseidon had other plans. He favored the Corcyrians and was enraged when they were defeated. He conjured up a massive storm. The sky turned into an endless black and the ocean began to rumble. Waves bashed onto the Corinthian ships and tossed them out of control. Eventually Poseidon’s rage subsided and all but five ships had been destroyed and many of the men were injured. Pavalos was first to see the ships over the horizon and ran to the docks to greet his brother. But when he got there he was distraught to see that only five battered ships had made it back. He frantically searched for his brother. Eukleides had made it back in one piece but was seriously injured from the storm and needed to be carried off the ship in a stretcher.
After spending some time with Eukleides, Pavalos returned to the palace and begun his nightly ritual. He set out some wine and meat, and began to pray to the gods. To his surprise he heard a loud ominous voice above him:
“Pavalos, it is I, Athena. I have come to help you become stronger, just as you have always wanted. It is now your turn to be the pride of Corinth. Now that Eukleides is unable to wrestle in the upcoming Olympics, you will represent Corinth.”
“But I could never do that. I am not strong enough nor skilled enough. Why are you only answering me now?” Pavalos replied.
“Just leave that to me. Get a good night’s sleep and meet me in the clearing just before the forest tomorrow,” answered Athena.
With that, Pavalos went to bed. He was excited for the next day. Unbeknownst to Pavalos, Athena actually favored him. Ever since birth she had been watching him, waiting for the right time to finally help him. While Pavalos slept, Athena went to Heracles and asked him if he would train Pavalos. Heracles agreed because he felt sorry for Pavalos.
The next day Pavalos woke up and was completely energized. He hurriedly put on his clothes and had a quick breakfast of yogurt and fresh fruit. Then he rushed out to meet Athena. He arrived at the forest and saw two figures standing in a small circular dirt patch surrounded by a bed of cool green grass. It was Heracles and Athena in their human form. Athena wore an elegant white robe with golden fastenings, her shining black hair was braided underneath her beautifully decorated helmet. In her right hand she held her sturdy shield. Heracles’ muscles glistened in the sun’s morning rays. He wore the impenetrably thick tawny skin of the Nemean Lion; the beast that he defeated in his first labor. Pavalos nervously walked up to them and Athena said, “This is Heracles, he will train you physically to wrestle in the Olympics. You will do everything that he tells you. I will be training you mentally, and teaching you strategy and tactics. You will be ready in four months for the Olympics.”
“Sure, anything,” replied Pavalos.
“Alright then, let’s begin,” said Heracles.
The hardest four months of Pavalos’ life had just begun. By day, Heracles would push Pavalos to his breaking point. They ran through the forest and mountains, did hundreds of push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups, and drilled until the sweat poured off of his body like a flowing river. By night Athena would test his mental capabilities and sharpen his mind. Results began to show quite quickly, and why not? Pavalos was being trained by the gods themselves. Pavalos began to thicken up, his strength increased, his movement became quicker and more fluid, and for once in his life he was doing things right. By the time the Olympics rolled around he was an absolute beast in the wresting arena.
On the last day before the Olympics, Athena had a surprise for Pavalos. She handed him a box and inside were Hermes’ winged sandals. Athena said, “Hermes has allowed you to borrow these for tomorrow’s competition. They will give you incredible speed when you wrestle.”
“Wear them proudly,” spoke Heracles, “and leave them on your nightstand tomorrow night after the competition is over.”
“Thank you so much,” replied Pavalos, and then Athena and Heracles vanished.
The next day Pavalos traveled to the massive stone stadium in Olympia where the Olympics were held. He was so nervous he felt as if he was going to faint. His heart was pounding like a band of bass drums. There were thousands of spectators watching, but Athena had taught him to clear his mind and focus. When his first match came he was ready to go. He strapped on the sandals he had received from Athena and walked out into the arena. He had tough matches the whole day, one after another. All of them took a great deal of heart and focus. At the end of the day Pavalos was victorious. The crown of olive branches was placed upon his head. It was proof of his victory in the Olympic Games. Pavalos looked into the crowd and all of the spectators were cheering his name. To his surprise, he saw his older brother in the stands cheering as well. Pavalos was overjoyed to see his brother supporting him and that he had finally accomplished his dreams of bringing pride to Corinth and had proven that he was not a failure. From then on he was no longer overshadowed by his brother Eukleides and received the respect that he deserved.
It was anything but a normal day in the city state of Corinth. There was a vigorous feeling in the air; the sky was a brilliant blue laced perfectly with satin white clouds and the sun beamed down gloriously on the city. King Krios of Corinth had proclaimed a holiday throughout the land because it was the day his first child was to be born. His wife Aglea was in the palace with her loyal maiden Medeia preparing for the glorious birth. All of the gods were peering down from Mount Olympus, even the great Zeus, for it was prophesized that this child would have immense strength and intellect. When the child was born, King Krios was elated because it was a big, healthy boy. Aglea and Krios named their child Eukleides, meaning good glory.
For the next three years Eukleides was given the best clothes, food and caretakers in all of Corinth. Krios and Aglea adored him and loved him with all of their hearts. But to their surprise, they would soon have another child. A few weeks after Eukleides’ third birthday Aglea was preparing to give birth to her second son. None of the gods were watching except for Athena because she sensed something special about him. But when he was born he was much smaller than Eukleides and did not look healthy at all. They named him Pavalos, meaning small one. For the next eighteen years Pavalos lived in the shadow of his mighty brother. Eukleides grew up learning from the greatest teachers and trained with the most skilled warriors and athletes. Eukleides was a natural at everything that he did; he learned things very quickly and picked up moves and tactics with ease. Pavalos always received the second best teachers and trained with mediocre opponents because he was so small and weak. He struggled through school and could never do anything right. Whenever they went into town together the citizens would cheer Eukleides’ name and completely ignore Pavalos.
By the age of seventeen Eukleides was already established as the most powerful warrior and wrestler in Corinth. Pavalos also trained to become a warrior and loved to wrestle, but he was pitiful at best, struggling against the weakest of opponents. He practiced harder than anyone else but got nowhere. Every night before he went to bed he would place a glass of dark ruby red wine and fresh lamb on his old nightstand for the gods and would pray to them to give him strength, and to one day be better than his brother, bringing glory to his family and city.
Years passed and nothing changed, Pavalos grew into a thin pale man while Eukleides became a dark skinned burly warrior. Eukleides’ favorite sport was wrestling and he had been training for the past few years to enter the upcoming Olympics, which he was favored to win. Pavalos also loved to wrestle but never dreamed of ever competing in the Olympics.
One day the horns were sounded, meaning that Corinth was going to war. Word was it that Corcyra, Corinth’s greatest enemy, was planning to launch an attack on Corinth. Corcyra was fearful of Corinth’s growing power and wanted to impede its growth. King Krios was aware of the situation and he planned to launch a surprise attack on Corcyra before they came to Corinth. He assembled all his warriors and gathered a fleet of ships. Both Eukleides and Pavalos returned to the palace to get ready for battle. Eukleides put on his shining copper armor, crafted perfectly as if Hephaestus himself had forged it. Pavalos also donned his armor. It was a hand me down of Eukleides and had become old and dull over time. Then he headed off to the docks where they were to meet.
Fifty ships sailed towards the docks as if hovering above the water, they were long and sleek and completely unaffected by the ocean’s choppy current. By the time the brothers arrived all the supplies were loaded and everyone was ready to go. Right as they were to board the ships Eukleides walked up to Pavalos and said, “Please Pavalos, do you really expect to go into battle? You stand no chance out there with those men, you will surely get killed. For me, please stay here.”
“Are you kidding?” Pavalos replied. “I want to fight and represent our city as much as you do.”
“Please Pavalos, just stay; it is certain that you will die.”
“I do not care; it has been my dream to fight for our city.”
As the last men were boarding the ship Eukleides picked up Pavalos, hoisting him above his head and threw him to the ground with a great thud. Pavalos was left there in a cloud of dust, unable to move due to the pain he felt deep within his stomach. Eukleides quickly hopped on the ship and shouted out, “I will see you when I return brother!”
Pavalos sulked as he wandered back to the palace. He removed his armor, and flopped onto his bed and drifted off to sleep. In the following days he continued to live his life just as before, but he was now more determined with his training. He wanted to prove to Eukleides that he was not a failure. A month passed and the word was out that the Corinthians had defeated the Corcyrians and were returning home. However, Poseidon had other plans. He favored the Corcyrians and was enraged when they were defeated. He conjured up a massive storm. The sky turned into an endless black and the ocean began to rumble. Waves bashed onto the Corinthian ships and tossed them out of control. Eventually Poseidon’s rage subsided and all but five ships had been destroyed and many of the men were injured. Pavalos was first to see the ships over the horizon and ran to the docks to greet his brother. But when he got there he was distraught to see that only five battered ships had made it back. He frantically searched for his brother. Eukleides had made it back in one piece but was seriously injured from the storm and needed to be carried off the ship in a stretcher.
After spending some time with Eukleides, Pavalos returned to the palace and begun his nightly ritual. He set out some wine and meat, and began to pray to the gods. To his surprise he heard a loud ominous voice above him:
“Pavalos, it is I, Athena. I have come to help you become stronger, just as you have always wanted. It is now your turn to be the pride of Corinth. Now that Eukleides is unable to wrestle in the upcoming Olympics, you will represent Corinth.”
“But I could never do that. I am not strong enough nor skilled enough. Why are you only answering me now?” Pavalos replied.
“Just leave that to me. Get a good night’s sleep and meet me in the clearing just before the forest tomorrow,” answered Athena.
With that, Pavalos went to bed. He was excited for the next day. Unbeknownst to Pavalos, Athena actually favored him. Ever since birth she had been watching him, waiting for the right time to finally help him. While Pavalos slept, Athena went to Heracles and asked him if he would train Pavalos. Heracles agreed because he felt sorry for Pavalos.
The next day Pavalos woke up and was completely energized. He hurriedly put on his clothes and had a quick breakfast of yogurt and fresh fruit. Then he rushed out to meet Athena. He arrived at the forest and saw two figures standing in a small circular dirt patch surrounded by a bed of cool green grass. It was Heracles and Athena in their human form. Athena wore an elegant white robe with golden fastenings, her shining black hair was braided underneath her beautifully decorated helmet. In her right hand she held her sturdy shield. Heracles’ muscles glistened in the sun’s morning rays. He wore the impenetrably thick tawny skin of the Nemean Lion; the beast that he defeated in his first labor. Pavalos nervously walked up to them and Athena said, “This is Heracles, he will train you physically to wrestle in the Olympics. You will do everything that he tells you. I will be training you mentally, and teaching you strategy and tactics. You will be ready in four months for the Olympics.”
“Sure, anything,” replied Pavalos.
“Alright then, let’s begin,” said Heracles.
The hardest four months of Pavalos’ life had just begun. By day, Heracles would push Pavalos to his breaking point. They ran through the forest and mountains, did hundreds of push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups, and drilled until the sweat poured off of his body like a flowing river. By night Athena would test his mental capabilities and sharpen his mind. Results began to show quite quickly, and why not? Pavalos was being trained by the gods themselves. Pavalos began to thicken up, his strength increased, his movement became quicker and more fluid, and for once in his life he was doing things right. By the time the Olympics rolled around he was an absolute beast in the wresting arena.
On the last day before the Olympics, Athena had a surprise for Pavalos. She handed him a box and inside were Hermes’ winged sandals. Athena said, “Hermes has allowed you to borrow these for tomorrow’s competition. They will give you incredible speed when you wrestle.”
“Wear them proudly,” spoke Heracles, “and leave them on your nightstand tomorrow night after the competition is over.”
“Thank you so much,” replied Pavalos, and then Athena and Heracles vanished.
The next day Pavalos traveled to the massive stone stadium in Olympia where the Olympics were held. He was so nervous he felt as if he was going to faint. His heart was pounding like a band of bass drums. There were thousands of spectators watching, but Athena had taught him to clear his mind and focus. When his first match came he was ready to go. He strapped on the sandals he had received from Athena and walked out into the arena. He had tough matches the whole day, one after another. All of them took a great deal of heart and focus. At the end of the day Pavalos was victorious. The crown of olive branches was placed upon his head. It was proof of his victory in the Olympic Games. Pavalos looked into the crowd and all of the spectators were cheering his name. To his surprise, he saw his older brother in the stands cheering as well. Pavalos was overjoyed to see his brother supporting him and that he had finally accomplished his dreams of bringing pride to Corinth and had proven that he was not a failure. From then on he was no longer overshadowed by his brother Eukleides and received the respect that he deserved.
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