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marry Pericles, thus making two families wretched instead of one.
    “Bad laws are made to entrap those who make them,” said Elpinice, as if quoting some familiar proverb.
    “Did Solon say that?” I asked. Solon is a legendary wise man, often quoted by Athenians.
    “No,” said Elpinice. “I said it. I like to quote myself. I am not modest. Now, who will be the king of our dinner party?”
    As soon as the second tables are taken away, it is the Athenian custom for the company to elect a leader who will then decide, first, how much water should be mixed with the wine—too little obviously means a frivolous evening—and, second, to choose the topic of conversation. The king then guides, more or less, the discussion.
    We elected Elpinice queen. She ordered three parts water to one of wine. A serious discussion was intended. And there was indeed a very serious discussion about the nature of the universe. I say very serious because there is a local law—what a place for laws!—which forbids not only the practice of astronomy but any sort of speculation as to the nature of the sky and the stars, the sun and the moon, creation.
    The old religion maintains that the two largest celestial shapes are deities called, respectively, Apollo and Diana. Whenever Anaxagoras suggests that the sun and moon are simply great fiery stones rotating in the heavens, he runs a very real risk of being denounced for impiety. Needless to say, the liveliest of the Athenians speculate on these matters all the time. But there is the constant danger that some enemy will bring a charge of impiety against you in the assembly, and if you happen to be unpopular that week, you can be condemned to death. Athenians never cease to astonish me.
    But before we got to dangerous matters, I was quizzed by Elpinice about Herodotus’ performance at the Odeon. I was careful not to defend the Great King Xerxes’ policy toward the Greeks—how could I? But I did mention with what horror I had heard Herodotus slander our queen mother. Amestris does not in the least resemble the bloodthirsty virago that Herodotus saw fit to invent for his audience. When he said that she had recently buried alive some Persian youths, the audience shuddered with delight. But the true story is quite different. After Xerxes was murdered, certain families went into rebellion. When order was restored, the sons of those families were executed in the normal manner. Magian ritual requires the exposure of the dead to the elements. As a good Zoroastrian, Amestris defied the Magians and ordered the dead youths buried. This was a calculated political gesture, demonstrating once again the victory of Zoroaster over the devil-worshipers.
    I told them of Amestris’ perfect loyalty to her husband the Great King. Of her heroic behavior at the time of his murder. Of the hard intelligence which she demonstrated in securing for her second son the throne.
    Elpinice was delighted. “I should have been a Persian lady. Obviously I am wasted in Athens.”
    Callias was shocked. “You are far too free as it is. I’m also certain that not even in Persia is a lady allowed to lie on a couch, swilling wine with men and talking blasphemy. You’d be locked up in a harem.”
    “No, I’d be leading armies like what’s-her-name from Halicarnassus. Artemisia? You must,” Elpinice said to me, “prepare an answer to Herodotus.”
    “And tell us all about your travels,” said Callias. “About all those eastern places you’ve seen. The trade routes ... That would be really useful. I mean, just how does one get to India or Cathay?”
    “But more important than trade routes are the notions about creation that you’ve encountered.” Anaxagoras’ dislike of trade and politics sets him apart from other Greeks. “And you must put into writing the message of your grandfather Zoroaster. I have heard of Zoroaster all my life, but no one has even made clear to me who he was or what he actually believed to be the