Chapter 646
The Devers nodded and said, "I'll send Ancitanos to assist you. This time, the participants in Turií are all famous scholars in Greece. They have great influence in the Greek city-states. As a scholar, Ancitanos will know them better and have some common topics to talk about, so he won't neglect them.
In addition, these scholars may have some requests. As long as it's not too much, we'll try our best to satisfy them. You need to pay attention to the fact that there may be a lot of people listening to their lectures after the conference begins. You have to send enough people to maintain order and prevent riots. You have to protect the safety of these scholars. "
"Your Majesty, don't worry. I'll arrange it carefully," Lucias said solemnly.
"We've discussed for a long time. It's time for lunch." The Devers stretched and said with a relaxed expression and a smile, "I have one last thing to say. It's a private matter. After Hera's celebration tomorrow, my daughter Cynthia's wedding will be held. I'll hold a celebratory banquet in the palace tomorrow night. I invite all of you to attend! "
… …
This year's Hera's wedding celebration was livelier than in previous years. More people came to watch because there was a special young couple among the newlyweds attending the celebration.
They were the beloved Devers of Diónia, the daughter of the king, Cynthia, and the hero of the Diónia people and the youngest Legion Captain, Patroclus.
Apart from the halo of their background, they were also quite liked by the people themselves.
When Cynthia came of age, she became a capable helper of her mother, Cristoya. She helped with business affairs and was well known to the Turií people. She was gentle, generous, virtuous, and hardworking. She was the image of an excellent woman that Diónia culture admired.
Patroclus was born into a free family. After his father was injured on the battlefield, he did not become dispirited. Instead, he actively devoted himself to public affairs. Through his own efforts, he became an outstanding official of the kingdom and made his own contribution to the prosperity of Turií. Patroclus himself became an excellent soldier and officer through his studies in Diónia and his experiences on the battlefield. Because of his outstanding achievements, he became the flag bearer during the triumphal parade. Diónia was a country of immigrants, and the success of the Patroclus family was a role model for countless families born in the kingdom.
Therefore, though the festivities were over, the people were still in high spirits, for they knew that in the evening the traditional wedding of the two young men was to take place, and that they might even see the King and his wife.
At this moment, Cynthia had already separated from Patroclus. She followed her mother, Aegnis, to the Hades Fountain (formerly known as the Turi Fountain) at the side of the Victory Square. After bowing to the statues of the Hades couple and the Devers in the middle of the fountain, she fetched several jars of clear spring water and returned home.
At this time, the mansion of the Devers was already decorated with red ribbons. Everyone was dressed up, including the servants. They were all meticulously preparing for the upcoming wedding.
Cynthia quickly returned to the bathroom in the main building and took off her soaked clothes (they had become wet when she splashed water during Hera's celebration). She used the spring water she fetched to scrub her entire body. This was not only to wash away the dirt on her body, but also to follow tradition and symbolically wash away the vestiges of her virginity.
She then changed into a clean robe and went to the garden in the backyard. Aegnis was already waiting beside the statue of Artenis, the goddess of virgins and protectors of children. Offerings had already been placed in front of the statue, and an oil lamp had been lit.
"Mother Aegnis!" Cynthia hurried over.
"Don't worry, child." Aegnis smiled and took her hand, making her stand in front of the statue. She then stood at the side.
Aegnis was now wearing a pure white priest's robe. She was beautiful beyond compare, and her figure was graceful. Standing next to Cynthia, they looked like a pair of beautiful sisters. It was impossible to tell that she was a woman who had given birth to two children and was already thirty-six or thirty-seven years old. Only upon closer inspection would one discover a few wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.
Aegnis looked at the statue of Artemis with a bow and arrow nocked, and could not help but sigh. Twenty years ago, when she had become a priest of this goddess, she had thought that she would serve her and grow old alone. Who would have thought that she would have a considerate husband, two adorable children, and a lively big family …
"Come, pray softly with me." Aegnis returned to her senses and spoke softly to Cynthia. She then took the lead in chanting in a low voice, "Night falls, the bright moon appears.
Artemis, with a bow and arrow in hand, you patrol the world.
Young girls and children are under your protection.
… "
Cynthia followed her pious prayers.
After the prayers were finished, Cynthia's personal slave girl brought some of the clothes and toys she had worn in her childhood, and lit them in front of the statue.
Looking at the rising white smoke and smelling the somewhat pungent smell, Cynthia could not help but feel a little disappointed. From this moment on, she had bid farewell to her childhood, and at the same time had left the protection of Artemis. She would be transferred to the realm of the goddess of sex, Aphrodite, and the goddess of marriage protection, Hera.
Because of this, she returned to her bedroom, where her other mother, Cristoya, was waiting.
"Mother, it's been hard on you!" Cynthia shouted excitedly. At this moment, her bedroom was dressed very luxuriously, and a golden statue of Aphrodite had been erected at the head of the bed. This was the result of Cristoya's efforts alone. According to tradition, outsiders were not allowed to interfere.
"Silly child, isn't this what a mother should do?" Cristoya said with a smile. She then took out a gold-plated apple and handed it to her, saying, "Pray to the goddess of love."
In the legend of the Iliad, Paris, the prince of Troy, gave Aphrodite a golden apple, thinking that she was the most beautiful goddess, so the extremely happy Aphrodite immediately gave Paris her blessing, making the most beautiful Greek woman, Helen, fall in love with him, thus triggering the Trojan War. In some later Greek city-states, such a marriage custom existed: offering a golden apple to Aphrodite, and the bride would receive the blessing of the goddess of love.
Cynthia held the golden apple in her hand and prayed devoutly to Aphrodite.
After a moment of silence, she placed the apple in the outstretched hand of the statue, in exchange for a brand new gorgeous chest belt that had been folded in the statue's hand. This was also a custom that originated from the legend of the Iliad. In the legend, before the goddess Hera and Zeus, the king of the gods, were united, she begged Aphrodite to lend her chest belt, because the chest belt had a magical power of seduction. Sure enough, Zeus was infatuated with Hera, and thus Hera successfully achieved her goal.
As a bride, who did not want the groom to pamper her, bathe in the river of love, and enjoy pleasure with her!
Cynthia shyly picked up the chest belt and pressed it against her chest.
Christoya pulled Cynthia to sit on the edge of the bed and pointed to a few items on the bed. "This crown, necklace, and earrings were given to you by your mother," she said. "These are the jewellery she wore when she married into Turií."
Cynthia looked at the jewellery. The crown was made of gold and silver, inlaid with blue and green garnets. The design was very exquisite and detailed. The necklace was made of silver chains and gold tassels. The front was decorated with a large orange-red amber. It was very eye-catching. The earrings were made of two small and exquisite silver nails, each strung with a milky white pearl that emitted a halo.
Cynthia held it in her hand and looked at it again and again. She could not bear to put it down, wishing that she could immediately wear it. She could not help but exclaim, "How beautiful!"
Cristoya sighed, "Aegnis' mother's family is a great noble in Lijim. Back then, her father, Atilikrus, used a magnificent fleet to send her to Tulij, and she wanted your father to hold a grand wedding. Your father considered my feelings and refused. At that time, your mother was dressed in expensive jewellery, escorted by a large wedding procession from the port to home. She attracted the attention of thousands of people along the way, and even today, this wedding is still the talk of many Turií … "
Only then did Cynthia remember that when Christoya and Devers got married, it was precisely when Amendolar was retaken from the Lucanians. Everyone's thoughts were on how to establish a foothold in Amendolar, recovering from the war, and other urgent matters. Their marriage ceremony was very simple. They only attended the newly established Hera celebration. There was neither a grand wedding nor a banquet. Instead, they were accompanied by two burdens (Cynthia and her brother Adoris) …
Thinking of this, Cynthia immediately put down the jewellery and intimately hugged Christoya with both hands. "Mother, what is this old thing you gave me?"
"My marriage was simple back then, and I didn't have many things, only this …" Christoya sighed again and picked up a belt from the bed.
Cynthia immediately noticed something special about the belt. Although it looked a little old, it felt very good and light to the touch. The embroidery on it was also very exquisite, and the thread used was not ordinary. It was something she had never seen before. The entire belt was colorful, but it did not look tacky at all. Instead, it looked very luxurious.
Christoya saw Cynthia staring at the belt, and she felt a little emotional. She stroked the belt and said softly, "This is a belt of the Persia royal family. It once protected me from being captured by the Persia soldiers, and it also protected me from meeting your father. It protected me from escaping Persia, and it protected me from following your father to Greece and eventually marrying him … Now, I give it to you …"
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