group were notoriously jealous of one another, with few exceptions. It was a disease of character that had spread through Olympus as the centuries passed.
Phthia's father, Sryope knew, was Alecto, of the realm of Hades, one of the three Furies who was responsible for listening to the complaints brought by mortals against one another and who was also responsible for punishing mortals. The three Furies were horrible. They usually were shaped as crones, with snakes for hair, dog's heads, coal-black bodies, bat's wings, and bloodshot eyes. But because they were older than Zeus, their powers were a mystery. It was also said they could assume beautiful forms when it suited them.
It happened long ago that Alecto, whom some said was the strongest of the Furies, had become angered by Zeus because he had lightened the punishment of mortals Alecto had decreed should suffer horrible 106
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deaths. As a means of revenge, Alecto changed herself into a handsome warrior and stole into the bed of Tyche, Zeus's daughter, while she lay sleeping. Feeling the touch of a warrior on her naked limbs, Tyche awoke and made passionate love to the Fury. When they were done Alecto cast off her disguise and told Tyche that she was now pregnant with the daughter of a Fury.
"Now there is no telling what will happen," Alecto said. "You being, O Tyche, the goddess of fortune for all mortals everywhere. This child will not leave you for a long time, and her life will constantly affect your judgment of what mortals should receive and what they should be denied."
Horrified by the prophecy, Tyche fled to her father, Zeus, to explain to him what had happened. At the news Zeus was angered, and even though he was then king of Olympus, he was loath to try to directly challenge the curse of a Fury. But he did decide to try to postpone the effect of the curse by lengthening the gestation period of Tyche's child, from nine months to ninety thousand.
"That way," Zeus explained, "the child will not arrive until Olympus and the Earth are much changed."
But Tyche was still fearful. "But my child will still be the daughter of a Fury and will most likely be hideous."
Zeus shook his head. "I can make it so that the child is born beautiful and talented. Indeed, even of a pleasant disposition and manner. Is this what you
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wish, Daughter? Then the true nature of the child will be harder for others to detect. As a goddess of beauty, the child might cause even more trouble."
But Tyche wanted it so, and she made Zeus promise that no one should know who was the father of the child. To this Zeus reluctantly agreed.
So in her vision, which even Zeus could not shield, Sryope saw the full tale of Phthia's origin, and it made her laugh and cry at the same time. Because Phthia was her friend, they had spent much of their lives together. But the pride Phthia took in being Zeus's granddaughter had always annoyed Sryope, and now that they were rivals for the love of Aeneas, it annoyed her even more.
Sryope went to Phthia and confronted her with the truth, which made Phthia laugh at her. But Sryope said, "Go to your mother and ask her if I don't speak the truth. As you know, your mother can never lie."
So Phthia went to her mother and asked her to condemn Sryope's vicious gossip, but Tyche did not respond. Tyche could not lie, but she could remain silent when the truth was too painful to reveal. This Phthia knew, and she realized with horror that what Sryope said was true, that she was the daughter of a Fury. Phthia hurried back to Sryope and asked her to swear that she would never reveal this fact to anyone. Sryope agreed, but on one condition.
"You have to challenge me to a contest on Mt. Olympus," Sryope said. "A contest to see who can tell the best story. If you win, I swear to keep the truth of your father secret. But if I win you must give up all 109
CHRISTOPHER PIKE
claim to Aeneas, and free him from the vow of fidelity that he swore
Phthia's father, Sryope knew, was Alecto, of the realm of Hades, one of the three Furies who was responsible for listening to the complaints brought by mortals against one another and who was also responsible for punishing mortals. The three Furies were horrible. They usually were shaped as crones, with snakes for hair, dog's heads, coal-black bodies, bat's wings, and bloodshot eyes. But because they were older than Zeus, their powers were a mystery. It was also said they could assume beautiful forms when it suited them.
It happened long ago that Alecto, whom some said was the strongest of the Furies, had become angered by Zeus because he had lightened the punishment of mortals Alecto had decreed should suffer horrible 106
107
CHRISTOPHER PIKE
deaths. As a means of revenge, Alecto changed herself into a handsome warrior and stole into the bed of Tyche, Zeus's daughter, while she lay sleeping. Feeling the touch of a warrior on her naked limbs, Tyche awoke and made passionate love to the Fury. When they were done Alecto cast off her disguise and told Tyche that she was now pregnant with the daughter of a Fury.
"Now there is no telling what will happen," Alecto said. "You being, O Tyche, the goddess of fortune for all mortals everywhere. This child will not leave you for a long time, and her life will constantly affect your judgment of what mortals should receive and what they should be denied."
Horrified by the prophecy, Tyche fled to her father, Zeus, to explain to him what had happened. At the news Zeus was angered, and even though he was then king of Olympus, he was loath to try to directly challenge the curse of a Fury. But he did decide to try to postpone the effect of the curse by lengthening the gestation period of Tyche's child, from nine months to ninety thousand.
"That way," Zeus explained, "the child will not arrive until Olympus and the Earth are much changed."
But Tyche was still fearful. "But my child will still be the daughter of a Fury and will most likely be hideous."
Zeus shook his head. "I can make it so that the child is born beautiful and talented. Indeed, even of a pleasant disposition and manner. Is this what you
108
THE IMMORTAL
wish, Daughter? Then the true nature of the child will be harder for others to detect. As a goddess of beauty, the child might cause even more trouble."
But Tyche wanted it so, and she made Zeus promise that no one should know who was the father of the child. To this Zeus reluctantly agreed.
So in her vision, which even Zeus could not shield, Sryope saw the full tale of Phthia's origin, and it made her laugh and cry at the same time. Because Phthia was her friend, they had spent much of their lives together. But the pride Phthia took in being Zeus's granddaughter had always annoyed Sryope, and now that they were rivals for the love of Aeneas, it annoyed her even more.
Sryope went to Phthia and confronted her with the truth, which made Phthia laugh at her. But Sryope said, "Go to your mother and ask her if I don't speak the truth. As you know, your mother can never lie."
So Phthia went to her mother and asked her to condemn Sryope's vicious gossip, but Tyche did not respond. Tyche could not lie, but she could remain silent when the truth was too painful to reveal. This Phthia knew, and she realized with horror that what Sryope said was true, that she was the daughter of a Fury. Phthia hurried back to Sryope and asked her to swear that she would never reveal this fact to anyone. Sryope agreed, but on one condition.
"You have to challenge me to a contest on Mt. Olympus," Sryope said. "A contest to see who can tell the best story. If you win, I swear to keep the truth of your father secret. But if I win you must give up all 109
CHRISTOPHER PIKE
claim to Aeneas, and free him from the vow of fidelity that he swore
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