but Odysseus to have it. My jaw was set like a rock. I doubt whether the gods themselves could have opened it.
Doggedly, I staggered on. With the last of my strength,consciousness fading fast, I fell at my masterâs feet and remembered no more.
The sounds of angry voices woke me. I felt drowsy, dizzy, and vaguely nauseous. It took me a few moments to realize where I was. The healerâs quarters. I was lying on a bed normally reserved for patients with two legs.
Odysseusâ new healer was standing over me, watching my recovery with interest. Behind him, Odysseus and Eumaeus were having a heated conversation.
âBut they cheated, my lord,â said Eumaeus angrily. âNot only that, but they could have killed Argos. They must be punished for their sins.â
âWhat would you have me do?â retorted Odysseus, his voice rising further. âThey have denied everything and protest their innocence vehemently. At first, they tried to say that Argos was exhausted by the race. Then, when I took the hare from Argosâ jaws, I realized there was something smeared onto the coat of the hare. Meges has suggested that because one of my men provided the hare, we are to blame.â
âHow convenient,â growled Eumaeus. âSo they are blaming one of your men, then?â
âYes,â said Odysseus. âThey insist it must have been one of us who doused the hare in that strange substance.â
âWhat a pack of lies!â shouted a frustrated Eumaeus.
âKeep your voice down,â said Odysseus, regaining his poise. âItâs not as simple as you think, Eumaeus. I have other things I need to consider.â
âSuch as?â
âThe alliance for one,â said Odysseus. âI am surrounded by enemies and need every ally I can findâeven one like Meges. Ithaca is rich and powerful, making us a target for raiders and pirates. I canât fight all of them.â
âYes, but you could start with Meges,â insisted Eumaeus. âYour army is greater than his. It will be one less pirate to deal with. If he had won the wager, he wouldnât have hesitated to do the same to you.â
âThat would not sit well with the other kings,â said Odysseus. âIn fact, it would no doubt make them nervous and they would ally themselves against me.â
âAnd what of the wager?â
âThat too, is complicated,â said Odysseus wearily, running one calloused hand through his long hair. âIt turns out that Meges hasnât got enough gold to pay his debt.â
âWhat sort of gambler makes a wager he canât pay?â sneered Eumaeus.
âA bad one,â said Odysseus drily. There was silence in the room for a moment and then both Odysseus and Eumaeus roared with laughter. I was pleased that the tension was broken. I liked Eumaeus and would not like to see him have a falling out with my master. âHe will have to pay in installments,â continued Odysseus.
âIt would almost seem like he never thought he could lose,â noted Eumaeus.
âYes, that did occur to me.â Odysseus turned his attention to me and his face broke into a smile when he saw that I was awake. He rushed to my side and patted my head gently. âWell done, Argos,â he said. âGood dog. How is he, healer?â Odysseus asked.
âHe will be fine,â said the man. âA little shaky on his feet for a few days, but will otherwise make a full recovery.â
âJust as well,â said Odysseus. âIf he had died, then alliance or not, I would have the heads of Meges and his arrogant upstart of a son on a spike.â
âI confess I am a little confused though,â said the healer.
âHow so?â said Odysseus.
âI donât know what did this. It is something I havenât seen before. A substance, probably from the east. In induces unconsciousness when inhaled in sufficient quantities but seems to