Xenophon watched Stefanos walk out of the tent into the sunlight toward the sanctuary. Shaking his head, he sat back down at the table and slammed it with his fist.
The celebratory mood of the Games was soured for Stefanos as he walked with all of his belongings toward the palaestra where he found Axion, the gymnasiarchos, just about to make his way to the Altis for the sacrifice to Olympian Zeus.
"What are you doing here?" Axion asked. "You're not leaving Olympia?"
"No. I've just disagreed with my host," Stefanos said. "Do you have a safe place where I can keep these for the day?"
Axion hesitated a moment, watching the last of the men making their way to the Altis. "Sure. But let's be quick. We don't want to miss the sacrifice."
Axion went back the way he had come, his footsteps slap
