An Achaean Tale

Achilles is such a sissy! No other boy I know would be happy to hide here among his mother's maids. He gossips with the other girls and does the most exquisite embroidery when He could be out with my brothers and the other young men. I know I would much rather be hunting or drilling with weapons. My father was amused when I did that until last month when my bleeding started. Now I have to be a young lady. I hate embroidery! I hate gossiping about the other women of the court! I hate painting my face and wearing robes that keep me from running free!

I want to go back to the training grounds with Patroculus and the other boys. Patroculus is the best runner and wrestler among the boys our age. The only one in our age group who ever beats him is me. He's also very cute. I kissed him once. I wanted to do it more but if father found out I would have been in here ages ago.

Achilles was never very good at sports or weapons training. He is weak and cries when he gets a bruise or scrape. I never did that. But he's a boy and his mother couldn't make him stay in her room disguised as girl if he refused. I tried refusing and got a spanking even though I'm a woman now. Achilles likes it though. He calls himself Hymenia now and spends more time primping in front of a polished bronze mirror than he ever did practicing his spear work.

Achilles is supposed to be hiding from Ullysses of Ithica. Ullysses would make him go to the war in Troy if he could find him. I think he likes being Hymenia better than he liked being Achilles anyway. He stays in here all the time whether there are strangers who might be spies around or not. Patrolucus is leading the young men now. If Achilles isn't found he will be leading them off to Troy.

He has to be Hymenia today though. There is new merchant in the town. The queen has invited the man to bring his wares to the palace. Hymenia will be swooning over the fine fabrics and perfumed cosmetics he is supposed to have. I might as well just keep trying to do my embroidery when he gets here. Maybe if I get enough done I'll be allowed to go out in the garden for a while. Sometimes I can see Patroculus exercising from there.

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The peddler is here. I tried to stay in the corner and sew but the queen said I should come look at the things he brought. I think she is trying to be kind, so I didn't complain. As we had been told he has brightly dyed fabrics and threads finer than anything we can spin as well as face paints. There are also cleverly wrought gold and silver thimbles, some bronze mirrors though they are not as good as the one Hymenia stares into, a lot of hair ornaments and OH! There is a set of finely worked armor with a good sword and two excellent javelins. I had go to past all of the finery to examine them. I picked up the sword and stepped clear of the cluster of maids to lift it and feel the weight and balance. It was well made with a grip of horsehide and an engraved pommel that was just the right weight. The blade was honed to a fine edge. I set the blade down and was reaching for the javelins when the peddler stopped extolling the quality of his scented lotions and grabbed me.

“I have you now Achilles” he exclaimed. “I am Ullyses, king of Ithica, and I have come to hold you to your oath. I had heard that you were hiding amongst your mother's women. but I knew that no real man would be able to ignore the weapons for long when forced to examine all those feminine things.”

I turned with my fist raised to make the man release me when the queen cried out “no! You mustn't take my son.”

The old peddler proved to be not so old and quite strong as he prevented me from striking him. Even as I shouted at him to let me go or I would geld him the queen's words registered. She nodded to me as Ullysses' back was turned from her and mouthed “yes”. So I kicked the king of Ithica in the balls and when he let me go I said that I was indeed Achilles and I would go to war. So tomorrow I set sail for Troy ….. With Patroculus!