The Minoan Rhapsody

The Olodon

Kekiru finished cutting Minos' hair short, with half cut curls. He shaved him, cleaned his face and put dabs of honey on the shallow cuts the knife left behind on his face.

Minos walked up to the throne balcony where his brothers were waiting, standing by each side of the alabaster throne. The walls were painted in bright earthy colors with two griffins resting on each side of the throne while staring at it. Minos sat and looked at the closed double door that led to the anteroom. He could hear the faint chatter behind the doors. His eyes wondered past the balcony, through Knossos, onto the sea. He took a deep breath and nodded to no one.

The doors opened and a stranger entered the balcony. "My King. Thank you for seeing me. Last season, we did not lose any ships. We need your guidance as to how many new ones we should build."

"How many can you build before the spring?" The Wise One asked.

"Depending on the size, maybe a dozen," the stranger answered.

The Just looked at Rhadamanthus. "We may need to consider increasing the number of vessels rather than increasing their load capacity. We should be looking for new ports of commerce, not increasing trade with our current allies."

"There is unrest in Egypt," Sarpedon acknowledged. "I agree."

"Nine oar galleys. We can build eighteen of them without additional help," the stranger assured.

"Approved," Sarpedon said.

Minos jiggled his legs constantly throughout the conversation while his thoughts drifted in nonsensical circles. He pressed his lips.

A second the stranger approached as the first one left. As such, men and women came to the throne with questions on what buildings to erect, with whom they would trade, how much was the cost of goods, even the date of bulls' festival. Rhadamanthus and Sarpedon made all the decisions. Minos sat, silently.

Before he died, Kabeiro made Minos king but he appointed his brothers as gatekeepers of the Kingdom. To make matters worse for Minos, the people loved them.

Minos sat on his throne, consigned to oblivion, watching his own countrymen carry on with life. His dreams had all but dissipated like smoke in the wind. He was a king without rule.

#

Minos was on his morning stroll on the shore of Knossos main harbor. It was a ritual he begun after the final day of the contest. The sea upon his feet made him remember. I am the will of the Gods. He became intimate with the Keiftu fleet vessels. He knew their names and make and met each individual captain. He knew their destinations and how long each voyage would take. He stopped and narrowed his eyes as he looked at one specific ship he had never seen before. That could not be it!

It was long and lean with a low gunwale. It had no mast but thirteen port holes on each side with oars driven in. Its existence was only a rumor in the folklore of seamen. The Olodon was said to spent most of its time away from any port, in an endless voyage between the edges of the sea. Legend had it that the Olodon was as old as the sea itself, for no one remembered when it was built. Yet, there it was, anchored by a dock in his harbor, and it was calling him.

Minos rushed to it, and without hesitation boarded it. His heart pumped in anticipation, but there was nothing or no one on deck. He noticed the wood was unstained, as if the ship was new. Minos got to the ladder that lead below deck. He hesitated, remembering the stories of its captain and crew – people who had been at sea for so long, they had forgotten their human ways. His enthusiasm quickly morphed to restlessness. He walked towards the dock.

"Leaving so soon? King?"

Minos shut his mouth and eyes tightly. He turned around to face the speaker.