The Milesian Mistress
Contents
Synopsis:
This story traces the life of Aspasia of Miletus, a beautiful and talented woman of the 5th c. B.C.E., from her early life in Miletus through her adult life in Athens where she was the special courtesan of the very famous Athenian statesman, Pericles, to her return to Miletus as an older woman. The autobiographical narrative begins with a dream that she has as a young girl in Miletus, and the elements of that dream create the framework for the book, while many other dreams pepper the narrative and reveal much about her intellect and creativity. Through her narrative readers are able to experience the joys and the drawbacks of a courtesan’s life, witness the inexorable movement toward the Peloponnesian War, and meet many of the important personages of the fifth century, including Sophocles, Euripides, Alcibiades, Socrates, Thucydides and Pericles, as well as some of the lesser known women of the time like Deinomache or Elpinice.
Table of Contents
Preface
Map
Prologue
Part I Miletus
Chapter 1: The Dream
Chapter 2: The Donkey
Chapter 3: Miletus
Chapter 4: My Education
Chapter 5: The Fox
Chapter 6: To Athens
Part II: Athens
Chapter 1: The Bull
Chapter 2: My profession
Chapter 3: Boedromion
Chapter 4: A Symposium
Chapter 5: The Lion
Chapter 6: My second Boedromion
Chapter 7: An Invitation
Chapter 8: Empire Building
Chapter 9: The Panathenaia
Chapter 10: Samos
Chapter 11: The Peacock
Chapter 12: Our son
Chapter 13: Trip to the Euxine
Chapter 14: Sophrosyne. A Philosophical Gathering
Chapter 15: The Barking Dog
Chapter 16: The Beginnings of the War
Chapter 17: The Leopard
Chapter 18: The Owl
Chapter 19: The City Dionysia
Chapter 20: The Sheep
Chapter 21: The Seeress
Part III: Miletus
Chapter 1: Homecoming
Chapter 2: The Wading Bird
Prologue:
I’m well aware, dear reader, of the Greek adage that enjoins us to count no one happy before they have died. I remember fondly my father, Axiochus, telling me bedtime stories, and my favorite was the one about Solon’s visit to Croesus, who was convinced that he was the most fortunate man alive. To prove him wrong, Solon told him the following story.
There were two boys, Cleobis and Biton, whose mother was a priestess. On a day when she was called to her religious duty, they were unable to find the oxen for the wagon that would carry her to the temple. Her boys yoked themselves to the wagon and pulled her. When they arrived, the townsfolk praised the boys for their piety, and their mother prayed to the gods that they be rewarded for their happy service to her and them. During the night as they slept, they both died, and though the townsfolk expected the mother to be upset, instead they found her profoundly happy because her sons had died at the height of their glory. This, Solon insisted, was the only time you could count a person happy because before death, fortunes may change, and the mighty may fall, or the weak may rise.
Yes, I remember well that story, but though I have not
quite arrived at Charon’s ferry certainly Death
stands near with his cold and greedy stare, and as I look back over my life
I feel very fortunate indeed. Why, the mere fact that here at death’s
door I have the ability to write my memoirs and preserve an incredible story
of my life as a foreign companion to a remarkable statesman in a prosperous
city-state, shows the privileged life I have led—educated, independent, headstrong
and determined—qualities not typically associated with your average Athenian
woman, as you will come to see, should you read on.
Excerpt from The Milesian Mistress
Part I: Miletus
Chapter 1. The Dream.
“Daddy, daddy, wake up! I had another dream!”
“Good morning, my sweetness,” he said gently. “Climb into bed with me and tell me about it.”
“I dreamt that there was a cart full of all kinds of animals and birds, like a peacock and an owl, a lion, a leopard, a bull, a fox and a tall wading bird. Oh, and a sheep. There was also a dog that barked and barked and barked, and wouldn’t stop. The cart was led by a donkey and driven by a man up a steep hill. I was at the bottom of that hill watching when all of a sudden the clasp on the wagon door broke and the animals escaped, every which way. And the empty cart disappeared. The lion headed straight for me and I was so scared as he came near me. But he came really quietly and tamely and sat down next to me. I was afraid but finally I reached out to pet his mane and he licked my hand. The other animals were all sitting around watching us. Then I woke up.”
Many visions haunted my sleep, and my father found them of great interest. He would always ask me what my feelings were as I had the dreams and encourage me to remember more and more details. He would hold me in his arms to protect me as I breathlessly reiterated my visions. Today, after listening to my description of the dream, he decided to take me to one of the dream interpreters, Oneiros by name. I walked beside him feeling excited and nervous, knowing somehow my father would not have taken me to the dream interpreter on a whim.
Oneiros had a small cubbyhole
in the stoa that he lit by a single lamp. The
initial darkness was mingled with a musty smell, and when once your eyes adjusted
to the light, you could see that he had decorated the room with exotic rugs. The
rugs hung on the ceiling, on the walls, on the floor, everywhere there was
a space. They contained such panoply of colors and designs that one’s
imagination was instantly piqued. The rugs were of different sizes, and
the colors ranged from deep wine to greens and blues and yellows, and on some
the decorations were simple geometric patterns while on others intricate floral
designs abounded. He said they were mementoes of his many travels in
the pursuit of learning his trade of dream interpretation. He had been
all the way to the orient and
After I retold my dream to him—with help from my father because I was so excited about being there that I kept leaving out details—he sat smiling enigmatically, and when I finished he began his explanation:
“Oh yes, little one, this is a very interesting and complicated
dream. Fortunately on my trips to
In an effort to return Oneiros to my dream, my father tactfully complimented him on his reputation. “You are, of course, the most sought after dream interpreter, and we appreciate your time. I would not have troubled such an eminent man with any trivial dream, but my daughter’s dream seemed very significant to me. Could you help us unravel its meaning?”
“Yes, yes, of course. Have another glass of tea.”
By this point, the suspense was killing me, but I took my father’s lead and waited patiently, complimenting him on the tea. At last he began the interpretation.
“Your life lies ahead of you, dear Aspasia, but it will not be an easy one. You will have large obstacles to overcome, as the steep hill in your dream indicates. The donkey, I believe, represents your father. Donkeys signify simplicity and sturdiness. You have also watched him struggle in his life. But once he departs to Hades, there will be many other men in your life, and they will have many different personalities. Their roles will vary. Some will be relatives; some lovers; some acquaintances. Each animal represents one of them. The peacock will be a flashy, but insincere and ambitious man; the leopard will be an enemy who will seek to cause you and those closest to you injury, but they will fail. The bull represents fertility and strength and signifies that you will have great success in your love affairs. The fox is like the leopard, but worse, because he will pretend to be a friend when in fact he is an enemy or perhaps a rival? The owl, Athena’s bird, represents wisdom, as we all know, but, alas, it also denotes a narrow escape from a desperate illness or death. The sheep foretells that you will help someone achieve success through your well-conceived plans.”
“Now let me see. Hmmmm. There were a couple more if I recall. Oh yes, the barking dog. This I’m afraid foretells news of a depressing nature. Beyond that I can be no more specific. And last, but definitely not least, the lion. Lions signify nobility, strength and pride. The lion will be the most consuming for you. He will be of tremendous stature, a leader, who will seem at first unapproachable but who will prove to be the love of your life.”
At this, he paused and closed his eyes as if to conclude the interview. “Excuse me, sir,” I timidly interjected, “I think we forgot the wading bird.”
“Oh yes, yes, yes. The wading bird. What color was it? Or was there anything else unique about it?”
“Oh yes. It was a very soft pink, and moved very gracefully.”
“To dream of such a bird holds prosperous outlooks and delightful experiences. It also means good health, and perhaps even the revelation of a mystery. I believe your life will have many delights and your good health will see you through difficult times that others may not survive. As for the mystery, only time will tell.”
With this final pronouncement it was clear that our interview with Oneiros was over, so we left quietly. Of course, we had no way of knowing if his interpretation was correct, and we left with mixed emotions and racing thoughts about my future. However, as my life progressed, it was uncanny how many of Oneiros’s predictions came about.