The Fates

Part III: Saint Marcus

My curiosity was peaked this morning by the family that ran the inn I was staying in, in Siena.

I was served a lovely cup of cappuccino, however, it had too much sugar for my liking. But it went well with the breakfast I was served. There were all kinds of cold cuts and cured meats. There was a Florentinian bread that was salty and a tasteless bread and even different sorts of cheeses. I helped myself.

A wonderful woman, Ms Agricola, spoke to me animatedly in Italian. I didn't know where to begin so I told her my nationality and how I don't really speak that well in Italian; that's about one of the few phrases I had caught onto.

Luckily, she easily switched to English.

"Where were you before, dear?" she asked.

"I had been in Volterra before; my tour guide insisted on me visiting some castle there even though it wasn't a part of the package deal."

My hand picked up the butter knife and there was a stiff silence that now permeated the air. Her husband looked at me, his spotted, wrinkly hand quivering.

"Volterra, madame?" he said in a raspy voice, his eyes a-lit in silent terror.

I nodded but not without giving a strange look. Was there anything wrong? I bit into that periconi cheese I was beginning to love. The couple spoke in hushed tones. I frowned. I apologised, thinking I had disrespected an Italian custom.

Was it about saying grace first before eating or another phrase to wish the diners well? Maybe I should have asked.

Ms Agricola's greyed curls bounced as she softly spoke to her husband. He extended his hand out to her and she clasped onto it. They shared a look with disjointed smiles before:

"You are a fellow believer?" asked Mr Agricola.

I smiled.

"Got confirmed in the Church at twelve, sir."

"So perhaps would you like to hear a tale of a saint?" he went on.

I could see them glancing at my chest where a pink rosary hung, it had metal beads and a silver cross as the pìece de résistance.

"Long ago, Italy was reigned by the Romans, who practiced paganism and polytheism. The Romans from around 300 AD accepted Christianity and it became their main religion, but pagan worship still continued existing. As the centuries past, however, Christianity became commonplace but..." said Mr Agricola.

"But?"
I was getting impatient to hear the next part. He had a strong voice that drew you into the tale.

"The land started experiencing mass death in its villages and towns; they were being terrorised by creatures!" the woman said theatrically.

"Some called them the Devil's compatriots," her husband whispered.

"No-one knew from whence they came but one thing they knew was that they were unstoppable forces of destruction; few things could destroy them." she said.

This was obviously bullshit but it was intriguing. And who didn't love a little folklore?

"It may have been God's punishment for the world's growing unbelief or the spiral of sin it had fallen into," he said biting into buttered bread.

"The creatures only came out in the darkness so in the day people were safe, but they never lived long thereafter. Peasants were dying from the infliction of fear; fear of who would fall prey next to the beasts. The kings didn't care! They were safe in their towers. The people started doubting the Roman rulers, but they believed the rulers were put there on the pedestal by God."

He finished his portion then his wife went on to recount: "Then a true king rose, a priest called Marcus, from the historically Etruscan region, chased away the beasts forever; then the Roman rule over Volterra...Florence ended."

My hunger satiated I felt like I didn't get the whole point.

"That's a good story but what were these beasts?"

They apparently were two different ones. One, a werewolf and another, a vampire. Often the vampires roamed amongst the people and they never knew so.

There was still time and I wanted to see the Volterra Baptistery and the Cathedral to snap photographs for my travel scrapbook.

I wasn't sure if the idea for university here would pan out. I phoned a tour guide agency from that city,  not ready to fall prey again to Ms Bianchi's confusion. I was phoning them at the family dinner table and they looked aghast.

"Uh, madame what you look for in Volterra, here in Siena we have better church for pictures." The man insisted.

I liked the architecture and l didn't really get a chance to look.

The man insisted that nothing there was worth my life if I were just interested in looking. What did he mean? After they saw I was determined to go they told me to get the earliest tour then be back before nightfall because people often get mugged at late hours. I nodded.