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- Herausgeber: BookRix
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Sprache: Englisch
A young girl of ancient Greece is suddenly faced with the prospect of a forced marriage to a man she does not even know. In desparation she swims out to sea and her adventure begins.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013
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Arethusa
to the Great Mother Isis, and to the beautiful island of Ortigia with its fountain and shrine, now dedicated to Arethusa.BookRix GmbH & Co. KG81371 MunichArethusa
There was once a girl in Greece who lived by the sea. She had always swum in the turquoise blue waters. Every day she swam and the people in the village called her the sea nymph, but her real name was Arethusa.
As she grew she became more and more of a beauty. Word spread of her form. The Titan, Okeanos, father of Alfeos, heard of her and rode with his son down to the rocks where she was swimming.
The stories were true; she was stunning with long auburn hair and the shapely lean body of a nymph. He coveted her but not for himself. His son Alfeos needed a wife and he sent messengers to her family that she was to be betrothed to him.
Arethusa was summoned by her father and was told that the Titan Okeanos, who ruled the land where she lived, had commanded that she marry his son Alfeos.
Her mother watched her face as Arethusa showed displeasure.
“I do not want to marry him or any other man,”
“But there will come a time when you will want to marry and this is a good match. He is rich – you will never want for anything.”
Arethusa stamps her feet and marches out of the house. She goes to the shrine of Triteia.
There she prays for guidance. She lays a small bunch of flowers on the altar and drinks from the well of wisdom, fed by a spring rising out of the rock.
It is quiet in the grotto, only the murmuring of the water, then a voice whispers in her ear.
“Arethusa, do not despair, use your gifts.”
As the voice stopped a small pebble dislodged itself and fell into the well of wisdom.
She knew now what she should do.
Just off her village was the main trade route to the west, to Magna Graecia.
She had heard her father speak of it, but even more she had seen those ships with their beaked prows and many oars passing the nearby headland.
The date for the wedding was now set for a month hence for her father had agreed to give her to Alfeos.
Arethusa continued to swim every day but now she swam from the rocks further and further out.
“This swimming will have to stop when you are married.” Said her mother. “It is not seemly for a married woman to cavort in the sea.”
Next day Arethusa was far out off the headland when she saw a ship with a golden sail, its oars plashing the surface.
There and then she struck out, arm over arm with strong strokes, her legs kicking, she made for the vessel.
Soon she lay in its path. She stopped swimming and waved her arms.
The Skimming Bird was carrying cargo to Magna Graecia, her captain Skirros had been delayed in Athens and was behind time.
When the crew noticed the girl he at first cursed under his breath.
“We cannot spare the time to stop,” he yelled . “Throw her a line and if she catches it haul her in. “If she misses it then it is her look out,” he thought.
But the girl was strong and caught the line and was hauled in like a tuna to lie gasping on the deck.
