PARTISAN REVIEW
had searched us for other weapons, they led us off to appear before
the king who had come from Cnossos with
his
court, to meet us. A
large crowd of the common people pressed round to have a look
at us. All the men were naked to the waist except Minos who, seated
beneath a dais, wore a long robe made from a single piece of dark
red cloth; this fell in majestic folds from
his
shoulders to his ankles.
His chest, broad as that of Zeus himself, bore three tiers of necklaces.
Many Cretans wear these, but of a trumpery sort. Minos had neck–
laces of rare stones, and plaques of wrought gold in the shape of
fleurs-de-lis. The double-headed axe hung above
his
throne, and
with his right hand he stretched before him a golden scepter, as tall
as himself. In the other hand was a three-leaved flower, like those on
his necklaces, and also in gold, but larger. Above his golden crown
was a gigantic panache, in which were mingled the feathers of pea–
cock, ostrich and halcyon. He looked us over for some time, and then
bade us welcome to the island, with a smile which may well have been
ironical, since we had come there, after
all,
under sentence of death.
By his side were standing the queen and the two princesses, her
daughters. I saw at once that the elder daughter had taken a fancy
to me. As our guards were making ready to take us away. I saw her
lean towards her father and say to him in Greek (she whispered, but
my ears are sharp: "Not
th~t
one, I beg you." And she pointed
towards me with her finger. Minos smiled once again and gave
orders that I should not
be
taken away with my companions. I was
no sooner alone before him than he began to question me.
Although I had promised myself to act with all possible pru–
dence, and to let slip no hint either of my noble birth or of my
audacious project, it suddenly occurred to me that it would be better
to put my cards on the table, now that I had attracted the attention
of the princess. Nothing would be more likely to heighten her feeling
for me, or to win me the favor of the king, than to hear me say
frankly that I was the grandson of Pittheus. I even hinted that the
current rumor in Attica was that the Great Poseidon had begot me.
To this Minos replied gravely that he would presently clear up that
point by submitting me to trial by water. In return I replied com–
placently that I had no doubt I should survive triumphantly any
test which he cared to impose. The ladies of the court, if not Minos
himself, were favorably affected by my self-confidence.
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