“They have been here long,” said Thaestus. He leaned on the rough-cut stone at the top of the walls that surrounded the military port of Siracusa. It was deep into the night and only the stars that escaped the thin veil of clouds were visible above. The air was warm and there was no wind; it all contributed to the feeling of suspended tension in the world about him.
Thaestus and Dionodes were soldiers commanded by Gylippus, the Spartan general who had come to defend Siracusa against the attack of the Hoplites and archers from Athens. The two men wore uniforms required by their commander which, by itself, was an improvement in the military order from before the time the Spartan had arrived. Gylippus believed that order and obedience were required for an army to prevail, and so he had the p
