| On this mountain in North Cyprus, | | | | court. |
| overlooking the village of Vouni below, | | | | "Come, come, don't be shy. The people |
| stands a palace. As you look at the | | | | you see in this third room are the |
| fragmentary walls, let your guide be a | | | | wealthy and the noble. You can tell by |
| figure from 483 B.C., when Persia and | | | | the lavish embroidery on their robes. |
| Greece fought to dominate the island. | | | | The rich have threads of gold and |
| Cyprus is divided into several small | | | | silver; the noble can wear Tyrian |
| kingdoms. Your guide is Himilcar, elder | | | | purple, most precious of dyes. |
| statesman and advisor to Doxandros, King | | | | "My own office is on the right side of |
| of Marion. Marion is a city not far | | | | this last waiting room. Just take a peek |
| away, and the Persians built this palace | | | | and see the jumble of scrolls on my |
| for Doxandros, who has sworn loyalty to | | | | desk. Every day I fall farther behind. |
| them. | | | | Now we go straight ahead into the throne |
| Come to the old entryway on the | | | | room. |
| southwest side of the building. Can you | | | | "Come up these seven steps. The steps |
| hear Himilcar mumbling to himself as he | | | | are broad to announce that the king will |
| approaches the palace? | | | | receive all his people. Of course he |
| "It's been fifteen years since the | | | | sees mainly the important ones. See the |
| Greeks of Ionia began the Great Revolt. | | | | brightly painted columns and the |
| Did they learn nothing from defeat? | | | | thrones. There the king and queen |
| "Oh, greetings, stranger. I did not see | | | | receive petitioners and well-wishers. |
| you there. Come here, under the porch. | | | | The rich and the noble stroll about |
| Our hot Cypriot sun will bake your | | | | here, seeking favor, always plotting for |
| brains otherwise. What is the Great | | | | favor. |
| Revolt, you ask? In what cave have you | | | | "The queen's apartments are on the left. |
| been living? The Greek cities of Ionia | | | | The king and his son have rooms on the |
| in Asia Minor rebelled against our | | | | right. Magnificent as these rooms are, |
| Persian King of Kings. The Cypriot kings | | | | with their painted walls and the pots of |
| who favored Greece, in cities like Soli, | | | | lilies and roses, I will show you the |
| also rose in revolt. | | | | real wonder of the palace. |
| "But the revolt was doomed from the | | | | "See here behind the King's chamber? Two |
| start. The domains of the King of Kings | | | | bathrooms with toilets and beyond them, |
| stretch from Egypt to India and his army | | | | a hot bath. The water comes from our own |
| is beyond counting. He crushed the | | | | cisterns and is heated and piped in. |
| revolt on Cyprus in a matter of days. | | | | You'll find nothing like it between |
| "But come in, come in. I am Himilcar, | | | | Crete and Persia. |
| chief adviser to King Doxandros of | | | | "We can go through here to the large |
| Marion. Have you ever been in a Persian | | | | courtyard. The rooms all around are |
| palace? Yes, it really is Persian, | | | | storerooms and garrison rooms for the |
| Persian designed and Persian built. | | | | troops. Armor and weapons are stored |
| "How did that happen, you ask? During | | | | here, along with food supplies. See the |
| the Great Revolt King Doxandros remained | | | | well? It goes into a cavern we have cut |
| loyal to the Persians. As a reward, the | | | | into the very mountain. It serves as one |
| King of Kings built this palace for him. | | | | of many cisterns that hold winter rain |
| A pair of guards, their round shields | | | | for us to use all year long. |
| slung across their back and their long | | | | "Excuse me, please. I must speak to that |
| swords sheathed, stands in front of the | | | | fellow over there. You may look through |
| doorway. | | | | the storerooms and staff quarters that |
| In a corner of the room a scribe sits | | | | surround this central court." |
| cross-legged on a cushion, his writing | | | | The courtyard is filled with activity. |
| board across his knees. At his side are | | | | Muscular men in kilts are polishing |
| sheets of papyrus paper, sharpened reeds | | | | armor in the shade. In one corner a |
| he will use as pens, and a clay jug of | | | | smith is putting a new cutting edge on a |
| ink. | | | | pile of swords. The cook and her |
| "Come down the stairs here on the right. | | | | assistants are plucking chickens across |
| These are living quarters for the senior | | | | the way, singing softly as they work. |
| officials, and for me. | | | | But here is Hamilcar returning. |
| "Across the hallway from our living | | | | "Who is he? The man I spoke with? No |
| quarters are the palace storerooms. Here | | | | harm in telling you, I suppose. He is |
| the king keeps stores of food, of cloth, | | | | one of my spies. |
| of precious herbs and dyestuffs. See how | | | | "King Xerxes is preparing to march on |
| the large vases, the amphorae, are sunk | | | | Greece. He needs to know which cities |
| into the ground. Back toward the front | | | | will support him, and which might try to |
| of the palace are the guard rooms. You | | | | stab him in the back. Soli rose against |
| can hear the guards laughing over a dice | | | | Persia once, and might do so again. So, |
| game. No, they don't live there. They | | | | I have spies in Soli. |
| are on duty, passing time until they are | | | | "I must return to my work. But you feel |
| needed. | | | | free to wander about. May Anat bless you |
| "Come through into the reception rooms. | | | | in your comings and goings." |
| The ordinary people wait here. On the | | | | So farewell to the old ghost, from a |
| right is the king's official recorder. | | | | time long ago when Asia and Europe held |
| On the left is the queen's. People come | | | | Cyprus in a tug-of-war and bitterness |
| here to have land transfers recorded, to | | | | divided city from city. |
| pay taxes, to bring a case before the | | | | |