A Slightly Different Story of Thebes - Chapter 1
Several months after the oracles regarding Thebes had spread across the mortal world, a strong man entered the city. This was Philatos, who had made a name for himself in Sparta due to his incredible strength.
So, this is Thebes. It’s a much larger city than I imagined.
As soon as he crossed the city walls, he was greeted by the sounds of merchants hawking their wares and children laughing. The faces of those passing by were full and healthy, and a pleasant, fresh scent wafted from the bodies of the people brushing past him.
A little further from the main street, there were rows of modest houses made from well-baked bricks, and he could also spot the grand homes of wealthy nobles, complete with gardens, as well as the largest structure in Thebes—the royal palace.
“Selling high-quality olives blessed by the goddess Demeter!” “How much is this?” “We have fish left from the offerings to the Olympian gods! Only a few coins per fish...” “Phoebus must have blessed you with good fortune, hahaha!”
The scent of mint is everywhere, as expected in Pluto’s city... Hmm?
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Thump.
While standing in the middle of the road, looking around in awe, someone bumped into Philatos and continued on. Although the road was wide, the crowd was thick, so he had inadvertently become an obstacle.
“Hey, what are you doing, blocking the way? You look like an outsider who came to Thebes to become a hero. Why don’t you head over to the Agora?” “...Apologies.” “Eh, whatever... So many clueless outsiders these days...”
The merchant who had brushed past him was clad in a tunic made of animal fur and wore sandals made from cowhide. With a string of servants trailing behind him, it was clear he had made a fortune in trade.
As Philatos continued to walk and take in his surroundings, a group of children ran by, heading somewhere in a hurry.
“Kyaa! So that’s why there was thunder yesterday—because Lord Zeus...” “Today, let’s sneak up the mountain again! We’ll bring back loads of wild berries!” “You’ll get in trouble again. The guards will stop you, as always.” “Let’s just go pray at the statue of Hypnos at Pluto’s temple. I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately!”
Why would there be a statue of Hypnos, the god of sleep, in Pluto’s temple?
Curious about what he had overheard from the children, Philatos decided to visit Pluto’s temple. Though it was located on the outskirts of the city, the temple was grand and imposing, as if it were a palace, and it was packed with people.
The priests and attendants of Pluto, representing his dual aspects of wealth and the Underworld, were all dressed in black, somber robes.
“Ugh... There are so many people today.” “I’ve brought a few eggs from the chickens at home to offer as a sacrifice.” “Do you think the god will be angry at such a meager offering?” “You must not know much. Lord Pluto is the god of wealth and mercy, so he is not swayed by the value of offerings.” “Yes, it’s the thought that counts.”
After finally making his way inside, Philatos saw the priests and attendants managing the crowd, and the people bringing offerings of honey, grain, and animal skins were no small number.
As he waited in line, a beautiful priestess in black approached him. She looked to be in her early thirties, and she clasped her hands together as she addressed him.
“May Pluto’s blessing be upon you. I am Philona, a low-ranking priestess. What brings you here?” “I’m just visiting out of curiosity. I heard there are statues of other gods here...” “Ah! If you’re interested in seeing the statues of other deities from the Underworld, please follow that direction.”
The priestess pointed toward a section of the temple.
Following the direction indicated by the priestess, Philatos wandered through the temple and soon came upon a large number of statues with long lines of people waiting in front of them.
The statues, carved from marble, were guarded by heavily armed soldiers. Judging by their attire, they were likely royal guards.
“Next!” “You’ve already prayed once. Only one prayer per person, please. We had to implement this rule because of the growing crowds...”
“Ruler of the River of Forgetfulness, my son has not been able to sleep since returning from war...” “I swear by the goddess Styx that I will...” “I present myself before the just and merciful Lord Pluto...” “Ahem! To the goddess of mint...”
In low voices, the worshippers murmured prayers with their eyes closed, hands clasped before the various statues. Intrigued by the strange scene, Philatos asked one of the guards a question.
“Excuse me. I’m an outsider and don’t know much about this place. Why are there statues of other gods in Pluto’s temple?” “Ah, that question again...”
Apparently, this was a common inquiry, as the guard sounded quite annoyed as he explained.
“I’ll only explain this once, so listen carefully.” “Understood.” “Lord Pluto is a merciful god and allowed statues of most of the gods who reside in the Underworld to be placed in his temple. As you can see, the statues of the goddesses of vengeance, or even Thanatos... ahem, the god of death, are here.” “Yes, but...”
Philatos noticed that the temple housed statues of gods who were generally avoided by mortals. In Sparta, at least, the names of Thanatos, the god of death, or the Erinyes, the three goddesses of vengeance, were rarely even spoken aloud.
“The god has embraced those who do not receive worship from mortals or whose names are barely known. Thanks to him, we’ve been able to let go of many of our prejudices.” “I see...”
After a short wait in line, Philatos found himself before a statue of a goddess whose name he did not know. He clasped his hands and offered a simple prayer, expressing his gratitude for the god’s grace...
Flash!
“What the...?!”
“Another one has been chosen.” “He looks like an outsider. How lucky.” “Was it the statue of Styx?”
To his surprise, a soft light began to radiate from the statue, wrapping around his body. However, despite the divine sign, few people were surprised. The guard who had spoken to him earlier approached with a knowing smile.
“Congratulations. If you came to Thebes to become a hero, would you follow me?” “What just happened...?” “The goddess Styx recognized the potential power within you. It’s not uncommon for people to be chosen here.” “Becoming a hero was my goal, but...” “You’ve passed the first test, so follow me.”
With a somewhat bewildered expression, Philatos followed the guard deeper into the temple.
Philatos was led into a large room that resembled a grand banquet hall. The guard instructed him to wait, and as he looked around, he saw that there was plenty of food, and about ten others, like him, were passing the time.
“Do as you please until evening.” “Are all these people here because they were chosen by the statues?” “Of course not. If you head to the Agora in the city center, you can join the training sessions under the instructors there. You’ll have to pass various tests, but the majority of those who end up here get noticed first at the Agora.”
Those who wished to become heroes were gathered at the city’s central Agora, where they were sorted based on their abilities, such as carrying stones, swordsmanship, or other unusual talents. Sometimes, those chosen by the gods or marked by an oracle would be selected as well.
“Many who fail to become heroes end up joining the army. Just recently, someone was even selected as a royal guard.”
It’s no wonder the royal family of Thebes follows the words of the gods. They gain a lot from this.
Understanding the process, Philatos nodded, and the guard returned to his original post.
As evening approached, the door opened, and a man in a black robe, who appeared to be a priest of Pluto, entered. He was followed by soldiers and other priests.
“Hmm, is this all for today? Everyone, come up one by one and touch this.”
Thud.
The middle-aged priest placed a small, glowing stone on the table. The object exuded an aura of mystery, and the participants began to step forward to touch it one by one.
Flash.
“Hmm, it glows. Stand over here.”
...
“No reaction. Unfortunately, you’re not chosen.” “What?! You’re telling me that a mere stone is deciding this...?”
If the stone emitted a light, it meant that the person had the potential to become a hero. The man who had failed to elicit a reaction was furious, but Philatos could feel it. The stone radiated a divine presence, as if a god had directly imbued it with power.
“What do you mean this stone is supposed to decide? I didn’t come all the way to Thebes to play these childish games...” “...It seems we have a problem here.”
Thud!
“This is what happens to those who cause trouble. Remember that.”
The man who had grabbed a soldier by the collar was swiftly struck in the neck by a spear and collapsed. The reason the priest had brought so many soldiers and attendants became clear.
Without even glancing at the unconscious man being dragged away by two soldiers, the middle-aged priest continued the selection process.
“Next, step forward.” “Is it my turn?”
The next in line was a scholar who looked like he couldn’t even handle a chicken. However, he passed.
Flash—
“That makes two. Stand over here.”
It seemed that even a fragile-looking scholar could be chosen as a hero by the gods.
“Next.”
Now, only a muscular, bald man and Philatos were left. The muscular man brushed past him and placed his hand on the stone, and soon a reaction occurred.
Flash—
But... something was off. The stone, which had been emitting a white light, now glowed a deep, ominous red.
The bald man, confused as to why this was happening, suddenly drew a knife from his belt. Saliva dripped from his mouth, and his eyes began to turn red.
“Ugh... Ugh...!”
“He’s a spy consumed by madness! Kill him!”
At the words of the middle-aged priest, soldiers charged at him.