Phryne, a Greek, says that the Pontines are more alien to her than the Romans, Sarmatians or Cimbri. (p. 204)
After mentioning no less than five current cultures or tribes:
"She looked out the window, down to gardens where paths twisted so a man could lose his way." (ibid.)
The garden of twisting paths - a maze? - symbolizes the ancient world where a traveler could easily lose his way among the disparate cultures and spheres of influence.
Musical instruments include a sistrum. (ibid.) (See image.)
Mithradates asks Eodan:
"'Is it true that sky and sea run into one another up there, as Pytheas has written?'" (p. 206)
For Pytheas as a character in a novel by Poul Anderson, see "Thule." For all blog references either to the geographer, Pytheas, or to the spaceship, Pytheas, see here.
Mithradates astonishes us by drinking hemlock in memory of Socrates. (p. 205) However, it turns out that he drinks several poisons in small quantities in order to immunize himself because poisoning is a frequent means of assassination.
Mithradates leads an expedition against the Tectosages because:
"'Their tetrarch has been a thorn in my side since I took Galatian territory. We have had border skirmishes and the Gallic cantons lean toward Rome and intrigue against me.'" (p. 207)
"Cantons" is familiar although unexpected in this context.
That brings us to the end of Chapter XV. However, XVI and XVII are even more detailed.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I remember that bit about Mithradates VI taking small doses of various poisons to immunize himself to them. He said too many kings had died of "subtle drinks" (here we see "subtle drinks" as well as "subtle stews"!). Including his own father Mithradates V.
Btw, we see Dorothy L. Sayers' using that idea in her mystery novel STRONG POISON. I mean a person taking small doses of poison to immunize himself to it. And she mentioned Mithradates in that book.
Ad astra! Sean
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