Nearch began to wake up, but he could not open his eyes, it became noticeably colder in the cave, spasms held down the muscles, as if they had become copper, the body was filled with a feeling of no fear, no, something alien, nearby, and at the same time completely different, implicit and unclear. Finally, this thing left the cave, and Nearh could open his eyes, it was already light, and he ran to wash, and the gnomon showed the hour. Kallifen came, brought cakes and honey, a fresh towel, quickly flashed her eyes over the shoulders and arms of Nearh, then her pupils widened incredibly, as if she saw something important, but she gave no sign, not even a hint.
Sit Notarh, she said in an unusual and unusual, tender voice, and showed her to sit down on a folding chair, and he immediately tensed, feeling the hint,
Did that good tonight? asked the priestess and carefully looked into the eyes of the adept, not looking up.
Not bad, he said.
Dreams must have been a good dream? The priestess asked again.
Interesting, said Nearh illegible, munching on a cake with honey, -And you cook well, I did not think that the priestesses are such masters.
Eat on health, soon you will be going to go on the road.
Already? I did not pass the test?
Where are you, a hearty hand burned? she said, clutching at his right hand tenaciously, and showing him the burn from Elicias yesterdays touch.
And how, the goddess revealed her face to you? the young man slid an eye on his shoulder, and noticed a scar, rather a red spot in the form of a chickens foot, or a trident, only a very small one, which he did not notice yesterday.
Nearh attempted to break free, but in vain, despite the small stature, the priestess had a great strength, and the jerk of the initiate was vain,
I was not honored with something. Answered the young sailor.
The Goddess noted you, added Kallifen, and stroked this place, a burn with some kind of respect, and already looked at the young man, almost as an equal. Wear a chiton with sleeves that others would not see, and heres your first memory present that passed the test, and she handed him a twisted silver bracelet, with two spirals facing each other. By this bracelet, another initiate will recognize you wear it on your shoulder. How, the head is not spinning, you feel normal?
Not bad, Nearh lied. He still lacked a girl to complain!
By the evening I will bring the medicine, rest today, and tomorrow we will begin a new way she finished her speech, gave the provisions, and went to her house. Still, it was pleasant to look at her, despite that she was a priestess, and she was very beautiful and intelligent, and very strong, as it turned out. The instructor climbed along the path with a charming gait, her raincoat, fine work from a good canvas was thrown over the chiton, the wind slightly lifted it at each step, the suns rays fell on her dark red hair, and they glittered with gold, not copper, and not paid attention, or pretended not to pay attention to the admiring glances of the student.
Nearh barely looked away from the beauty, ate breakfast, collected provisions for lunch, which would be removed in the vessel before noon, looked at the gnomon, there was still plenty of time, and got ready to read Herodotus. Although what is there? Now he himself was almost like Aristei, he thought, and grinned. He looked again at the burn and the bracelet on his shoulder, and went into the cave, he felt very badly, his head was spinning cruelly, he had ache and crown and the back of his head. Reaching the bed, he tried to read, but fell asleep, and this time he only dreamed of his family. Kallifena woke him, shaking him hard on the shoulder.
Stand up, you will be initiated into the sacraments. Leave everything here, youll be back soon. You hope you slept well, feel better after yesterday, to see the goddess a terrible work, but in the morning the green was just like spring grass. They came from the temple of the priestess, I alone can not hold the sacrament, next to the house is a small cave, now we are going there. she said all this when she was walking next to Nearh, showing him the way.
They didnt go so long, they didnt enter the priestesss house, but walked around the path, they saw the required small cave immediately, because of the turn, it appeared as if from nowhere, three priestesses stood next to each other, and two musicians with pipes were burning, although the sun was still shining and it was light.
Greetings, Nearh, having traveled to the Kingdom of the gods, take off your clothes, and be ready for the sacrament, Latonas attendants told him, You are an initiate, but you need another rite. Hastily, he threw off his chiton and sandals, remaining naked, though he was trying to undress in front of women, but he reassured himself that this was necessary, and besides that he looked good. Then the flute began to play at a frantic pace, Nearh immediately recognized the pyrrhic, so that the fatigue immediately passed, because this music leads into battle, and the warriors do not feel tired by the weight of the weapon. The priestesses walked from the sides and in front of him, and the musicians walked behind them, not slowing down, so it was as if a military system, and he was a recruit who followed the banners at the show, and after going a little, appeared on the threshold of the cave, lit by torches. Further, in the depths there was a lenos, an oval-shaped marble sarcophagus decorated with reliefs with episodes of Dionysuss life. It is a pity there is no time to consider, but Nearh considered lion goals, and Dionysus with a tirse, holding Ariadnes hand. The room was lit by four bronze lamps, which were cast in the form of lionesses, standing on their hind legs, resting on a pillar, into which the illuminated oil was poured. The procession stopped, but the melody did not stop playing, and the high priestess began to hold a speech:
We brought a neophyte ready for cleansing and taking oaths. Let the blood of Dionysus purify him, in memory of the victim of Dionysus who created the world with his blood. Blood to blood, Life to life.
She led him to a lenos full to the brim of red wine, and the Cretan man, taking hold of the edge of the snow-white marble side of the lenos, began to carefully sink into it, settling in it more comfortably, stretch his legs, and the wine covered him all the way to his neck, and then, The attendants quickly closed the lid of the Cretan sarcophagus lying in the holy wine. At this point, the young man was seriously frightened, but he didnt even give a look, all the more it was pointless to complain, and even hidden with wine and marble, he heard the chants of the priestesses, literally he did not always understand the ancient words, but the meaning came to his mind in part. The priestesses asked Elicia to resurrect and cleanse the new minister of the gods, with the help of wine and divine ichor. The hymns went on for a long time, but they didnt gasp yet, it still lasted about two hours. Finally, the lid was lifted, he began to rise from his marble abode, wine flowed from him, and a towel was served to him, then he was offered to plunge into a clay bath, which he did, washing away the traces of wine, dried himself dry, the priestess gave him new clothes, with embroidered the meander on the edge, the upcoming singers continued to sing the hymns of Apollo and Elicia, the flutists no longer deduced their bellicose rhythms, and the music was replaced by the sounds of the lyre, solemn and quiet, triumphant, important for the proclamation of the victory of the twin gods over the dying iem.