The head Theokolos raised his arms to the statue of Zeus, the bronze blade pointing downward at the animal.
"Father Zeus! Accept this offering. Know that we honour you, Lord of all the Greeks, King of the Gods!"
The old man thrust the blade downward into the top of the boar's head and the animal writhed for a moment before going limp and groaning.
The priest withdrew the blade quickly, and even more quickly, the wranglers moved in to grab hold of the tusks with thick leather gloves and pull the head back.
With practiced precision, the priest put the blade to the boar's neck and sliced it deeply across the thick muscle of the neck. He drew the blade away quickly and the blood began to flow thick and red over the pure white marble of the altar of Zeus Horkios.
Stefanos stared at the mas
