The tour group finally moved away from the small building, some turning and photographing the plain stone walls, some chatting and laughing animatedly. All, full of excitement that they had finally seen the Iolaus statue for themselves. And it was all they had been led to believe and more. Moving quickly to the gift shop that was tastefully set behind some trees the group were all keen to purchase postcards of the statue, not content with their own photographs. There was also a small replica of the statue on sale at a very reasonable price. Several of the elderly ladies in the group were wondering if they could get away with displaying a naked man in their houses. Would their husbands get jealous, would their visitors be offended?
After another half-hour of browsing and making lots of useless purchases the last group of the day returned to their air-conditioned tour bus and returned to their hotel. They left Meassia suitably impressed with both the gifts on sale and the statue that was the focus of this relatively new attraction on the Tour of Ancient Greece.
Cassie sighed in relief, every time she came back here the numbers of visitors her discovery received astounded her. She was also forcefully reminded of just how much she hated tourists. Now, with the shadows lengthening and the scorching summer sun finally relenting she had the site to herself. The guides and assistants in the gift shop already having packed up and gone home. Now, she and Iolaus could spend some quality time together - alone.
"I wish you could talk to me Iolaus. There are so many questions I have for you."
Cassie sat at the statue's feet. She wasn't even aware that she was gently stroking the right foot of the statue and would have been horrified if anyone had found her in such a position.
"Who were you, Iolaus? Why were you here, in Meassia?" Cassie shook her head, "An enigma, that's what you are. A handsome, beautiful, awe inspiring, haunting, enigma."
Cassie stood, and slowly walked around the base of the silent statue. "Talk to me Iolaus. There's only the two of us here now. The crowds are gone... would you have liked that? Would you have got a kick out of knowing that thousands of people came to see your statue? Paid homage to your bronze effigy? I wonder. I wonder what you were really like.
"Did you have a sense of humour or was it Phidias and his extraordinary ability that endowed you with such charisma?" Cassie sighed and looked up into the statue's eyes. Gently she ran her hand down the bronze torso. "He doesn't understand you know. James - my husband. He can't understand why I spend so much time trying to discover your secrets. You saw how he was when he came here - offhand, abrupt, pretending that you didn't matter. He thinks he's in competition with you, but that wouldn't be fair would it. He could never compete with a hero like you; I don't want him to. He's my James, and that's more than enough for me. You, though... you're outside of anything I've ever seen. You're ... special.
"And, Oh... my... God, I'm talking to a statue. I'm having a conversation with a bronze man. Come on Iolaus, talk to me - please."
Iolaus sighed and sat back against the tree, his fishing line hanging limp in one hand. Catching fish wasn't what this afternoon was all about, it was about some well-deserved downtime and Iolaus was making the most of it. Hercules of course was another matter. Iolaus shaded his eyes with his free hand as he watched his friend attempting to write on a parchment, which he had laid across a log.
"What are you doing Herc?"
Hercules looked across at his friend and took the opportunity to stretch his back, which was beginning to ache from bending over the parchment. "I'm trying to write a note to Iphicles."
"Why?" Iolaus had never quite understood this desire to send messages to friends and family that some people had, unless it was an invitation of course. Otherwise, you saw them when you saw them; news would have to wait until you could tell them face to face.
"I wanted to tell him about your statue, Iolaus. He helped Elissa a lot when she first took the throne, I'm sure he'd want to hear about your great moment."
Iolaus grinned, "Yeah." But then his face fell, "But it won't sound so good in writing - especially your writing. It's been a really long time since you visited your brother, Herc. You shouldn't neglect your relatives."
"That's true Iolaus, but we promised Jason we'd spend some time at the Academy and you want to tell him all about Meassia yourself don't you?"
Iolaus struggled with the problem for a moment and then smiled, "Okay, you win Herc. But I'm telling you what to write!" he scrambled to his feet and leaned over Hercules' shoulder trying to see what he'd already written.
"You can't say that! Don't you dare say that!"
"What?"
"That I was... that I... All right, that's it. I'm writing this thing!"
Iolaus grabbed the quill from Hercules with one hand and snatched the parchment away from him with the other and returning to his tree sat and began to compose the letter. Spreading the parchment over his flattened carrysack and lying it on his thighs he licked the end of the quill and bent to his task.
'Dear Iphicles,
We were just back in Meassia again, and your brother thought you'd like to hear about our visit. I'm sorry we can't come and tell you in person but Jason's been dogging us all year to go and talk to the kids at the Academy for him. He seems to think we'd be a good influence or something! Anyway, as I was saying. We went back to Meassia after Elissa invited us.
You know that they'd planned all along to hold a celebration after everything that happened, well, they did. And guess who were the guests of honour! It's a shame you couldn't come, all that kingly stuff you do, it'd get me down not being able to go to all the good parties.
It was really great seeing everyone again. Cutie almost hugged me to death when he greeted me. I don't know why Herc couldn't have pulled him off. He's doing great though - Cutie that is, not Herc. Not that Herc's not doing great but ... you know what I mean. Anyway, Cutie's doing great and Stentious is all togged up as Captain of the Royal Guard. The kid's come a long way, I'm really proud of him. Garcie was there too, she's looking a bit older but still as feisty as ever. And Jerius, he was there too. He never went back to bookmaking but I know he'll find something. He keeps saying he doesn't want to work at the palace but it seems to be all he does. He and Elissa seem to be getting on very well (wink, wink).
Well, there was some big secret. It was driving me crazy, I couldn't get Hercules to open up about it - even when I was being really sneaky - and in the end they stuck me with Cutie because he can't say anything even when he wants to. He looked fit to bust he wanted to tell so bad, poor guy.
Everyone got all dressed up as there was going to be a big party with food and dancing for all the people. Even Hercules put on some fresh clothes. I stuck with the usual, I'd had enough of dressing up in Meassia.
Well, we went out on to the front steps of the palace and where the platform had been, you remember don't you, there was a huge marble plinth. Really huge, and on top of it was something covered with a big purple cloth. The square was filled with people, and they were all cheering. It was very loud.
So, anyway, Elissa trooped us all up onto this plinth thing, and then did a speech where she introduced everyone. Garcie, Stentious, Jerius, Cutie, Herc and me. Oh and before she got to me she introduced this other guy, Phidias. But I'll get to that. The crowd went wild for everyone but especially for Cutie. I felt so proud of him I thought I was going to explode. He kept looking at me, not quite believing it all.
It was a really great thing to do, and I loved seeing my friends get the credit they deserved. I'll admit something to you Iph it scared me too. That crowd, it was like some huge ravening monster ready to eat me up. I don't know, I guess it just reminded me of ... well of another time I stood in front of a big crowd.. but I won't speak of that here.
Then Elissa introduced me and they unveiled the statue. That's what they'd been hiding. Did you know about it? Phidias had worked on it for months. He'd never even met me but d'you know? When I first saw it I thought it was me standing there. A bit bigger than life but just as lively. It really is an incredible thing Iphicles. I can't begin to describe how it made me feel. I wanted to come see you and tell you for myself, but I think this is better. I would just have started in on one of my tall tales, making the statue ten feet tall instead of eight and the crowd twenty thousand instead of ten.
Gods, Iphicles. I'm shivering, right now. Sitting here in the late afternoon sun and shivering because of that statue. I know that I've grumbled over the years that Herc gets all the recognition, but I never expected... never even dreamed in my most private thoughts... it's too much. It's more than I deserve. But they don't think so, and it's there to help them remember what happened and ensure they never do anything as bad again. For that much I hope it works.
I can't describe the statue to you as I'd just be describing myself - and I don't think I need to do that do I? But Phidias had guilded the hair so that it shines gold in the sun and the eyes have golden eyelashes! They are inset with Lapis to get the blue. It had a big long cloak on when it was unveiled but normally it won't and um.. well... how do I say..? I guess I won't have to worry about getting girls to go out on a date in Meassia! I still can't believe that Phidias got all that detail from Garcie! She must have been doing a lot of measuring while I was sick, that's all I can say.
Anyway, if you're in the neighbourhood, I'd love for you to go see my statue. Gods, that feels weird. Especially as Herc has been complaining for so long about the statues of him. You know the ones, they wear lion-skins and wield clubs and snarl! He hates them so much, and now there am I with a statue of my very own, and it looks like me! Wow! Herc is positively bouncing, he's so happy for me. And I have to say there's a spring in my step that's been missing for a long time.
There's an inscription on the statue's base, it goes, "Iolaus of Thebes. Saviour of Meassia and friend to Hercules. We shall never forget." Isn't that cool? I love how it says saviour (although I wouldn't go that far!) before it says friend, but it's got both and that's just so perfect. I wish you could see my smile Iph, it about breaks my head in two. I know that I won't ever forget. I won't forget the people who were kind to me, and helped me along the way, and I won't forget that they honoured me. I hope I can live up to that honour.
A statue, Iphicles. A big bronze statue of me!
Herc's rumbling about me getting eyestrain. I guess it is getting kind of dark. I'll get this off to you as soon as I can. Hercules sends his love. I hope you are well, and we'll visit soon, I promise. Warlords, monsters and irritating Gods allowing.
Your friend,
Iolaus
PS I've got a statue!'
Iolaus carefully rolled the parchment and put it in his carrysack, ready to be delivered as soon as they reached the next town. As they cooked and ate supper and later as he lay down to sleep, Iolaus kept thinking about his statue. Late into the night, after the moon had risen high in the sky, Iolaus found himself wondering how long a statue would last. Would it still be around in a hundred years time? Two hundred? Could it survive a thousand years? And if it did, what kind of world would it look down on?
Iolaus looked across at the dark lump that was Hercules and smiled. Herc's family had one kind of immortality, Iolaus had just discovered that he had a different kind of immortality. His unseeing eyes would look out over the world long after the dust of his body had been carried away on the wind, he would watch over the world and have the world watch over him for all eternity. Iolaus smiled as he turned on his side and tried to snuggle into the blanket. The statue forever reminding the world that Iolaus existed.
Cassie returned to Iolaus' statue less than a month later. This time she waited impatiently for the last tour group to leave, answering their questions with short, unfriendly answers. She knew it was wrong of her, but a part of her hated sharing Iolaus. And when one of the tourists got that same look in their eyes that she had when first seeing him she had to force herself to turn away. It was stupid to be so jealous. She was so proud of the man Iolaus had been, so proud of the fact he was a hero to the modern world now, but she still felt like he belonged to her.
As she waited Cassie had to laugh at herself, "We have a special relationship don't we Iolaus? After all I don't talk to any other statues." Finally, the last couple were rounded up and packed back into their bus. Cassie helped the shop assistants to close the gift shop so they would leave and eventually she made her way to the room containing the statue and let herself in.
"Hi fella. I've got some news! Well, I guess it isn't news for you - you know all this stuff anyway. But as you're not saying an awful lot I'm having to find out the hard way." Cassie sat in her favourite spot at Iolaus' feet and pulled a sheaf of papers from her bag. She shook them up at the statue. "Look at all this. It's been there all along, but until now nobody realised its importance. If it hadn't been for Kurt those papers would still be sitting in a musty old library in Athens. It's fragments of a letter Iolaus. Your letter. It was thought to be part of a story but not considered to be by any of the recognised bards of the time and so not considered important. I wish the guy who'd said that was here, I'd knock him into next week! It wasn't even catalogued properly! How could anyone think this wasn't important? How could they dismiss the possibility that it was a real letter? Can you tell me that Iolaus? Hmm, I know, I know. People are stupid."
In her agitation Cassie stood and began pacing around the statue. She was looking at the photocopies in her hands but occasionally she would look up at the statue's face and each time that she did Cassie would smile, unable to resist the smile in Statue-Iolaus' eyes.
"It still doesn't explain what you went through here Iolaus, but it does tell us so much more. There was a Queen called Elissa, and you even talk about Hercules' relatives as if they really were Gods - could it be? Your letter is so vibrant Iolaus, so full of your energy and good humour. There's the edge of sadness there too, whatever did happen here - on this spot I guess - must have been tterrible; but you were a survivor and you bounced back.
"Thank you Iolaus. Thank you for talking to me. It confirms all that I've imagined about you. I won't stop trying to learn more. I once wished that you could talk to me and now you have. It isn't as good as having your flesh and blood self standing there in front of me instead of a statue, but it's still pretty good.
"You are one of a kind Iolaus, a very special man. I will do everything I can to let the world know who you were and make sure that we shall never forget you."
The End
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