Prologue
Sing, O muse, of Apollo, god of lyres, who made a fateful mistake while arching across the nighttime sky on his way home to Olympus. Midway through his flight, his eyes happened to fall on the citadel of Troy, gleaming in the light of a harvest moon. The city lay asleep, yet something wasn’t right. Pausing in his ascent, he scanned the skyline, wondering in slight agitation just what it was that had caught his eye. Below, a single window shimmered with dancing firelight, like the eye of the night winking to reveal a small secret. Who would be awake at this hour of the night?
Apollo descended. As he passed the stars, he heard them whispering. Something important was happening in the sleeping city of Troy tonight. Priam’s castle was stirring. Apollo remembered the old king. His feeble age had never once prevented him from honoring the gods, Apollo first among them. In a way, he reminded Apollo of his own father. A bit less arrogant, to be certain, and slower to strike at an offense, yet, the old man had all the paternal feelings for his people that Zeus had for the human race.
The lit window was of Priam’s palace, one of the women’s chambers, overlooking the temple of Athene. Apollo could hear groans in the darkness, the cries of a woman. A small smile curled his lips as he neared the light. So Priam was to be blessed with a new life in his household.
Apollo descended. As he passed the stars, he heard them whispering. Something important was happening in the sleeping city of Troy tonight. Priam’s castle was stirring. Apollo remembered the old king. His feeble age had never once prevented him from honoring the gods, Apollo first among them. In a way, he reminded Apollo of his own father. A bit less arrogant, to be certain, and slower to strike at an offense, yet, the old man had all the paternal feelings for his people that Zeus had for the human race.
The lit window was of Priam’s palace, one of the women’s chambers, overlooking the temple of Athene. Apollo could hear groans in the darkness, the cries of a woman. A small smile curled his lips as he neared the light. So Priam was to be blessed with a new life in his household.