- first english release

Posted on the Hill, I was anxiously watching for the preparation of the great forthcoming battle on the downhill. Spartans, Athenians… Ever since I’m a chid, these two nations have always been associated in my mind with war, mutual hatred and destruction.

What caused this confrontation? I cannot tell. Besides, I don’t think anybody can. War has been wild for so long now, that even the Elders cannot remember its genesis. There are so many rumours, so many stories… The most likely to be true bring into play twin brothers, split when they were born, seeds of a loving affair between King Aegeus and the goddess of Love, Aphrodite. One was sent in a family of the high Athenian aristocracy, while the other one was raised by the Spartan king.

Eris, Goddess of discord, caused confusion on these two young boys, leading to a mutual aversion, and finally, to the deepest hatred. When Aegeus died, his two grown child were claiming the holding of many islands which were supposed to be under the control of their father. Soon, everyone rallied to their respective prince, and went to war. The Islands, known to be prosperous, became a giant battlefield and every bit of earth was prone to a fight. There were fighting in the fields, the hills, the desert and even on the sea. The peasants had no other choice than running for their lives or for the fear of seeing their lands wrecked.

Thanks to the Gods, I’ve always managed to avoid these bloody battles. But on that day, I was filled with an inexplicable fear. War had finally reached the little island where I was living on, and I will soon be compelled to run from my territory. “When will it stop?” I hailed, in a raging scream toward the sky. “Shall we wait for the sea to be filled with the blood of our people? Shall we sacrifice our civilisation only to own some futile islands?”

From the sky up above me, no answers were revealed. From the lands on the other hand, came a whisper. Very quiet at first, but growing in intensity at every second. There it was. The battle had begun. From my observation point, I could see the fury in the eyes of each troop. Pure hatred. Too petrified to move a muscle, I saw the Gods enjoying the show offered by these warriors. Death was everywhere. Jumping from battle to battle, reaping every man standing in the way of an arrow, spear or javelin. Heads were popping, bodies were collapsing, and the battlefield became red. Red from the blood taken from these men which could have been good friends if none of this had happened. From the deepest of my guts, I felt rage growing inside of me. Boiling until I lost my sanity. It had to stop. So I ran down the hill, holding fiercely a stick, on which was hang one of my white shirts. Yes, it had to be the solution! They had to listen to me and stop this meaningless war which was ruining our people and killing them all. And then, I heard a hiss.

Now I’m dead, an arrow stabbed in the heart, many years from now. War is still intense in the Aegean Islands, and on every single one of these islands, is a landlord keeping up this fratricide conflict. I should rest in peace now. The terrestrial business is none of my concern anymore. This madness should not be worrying me. Still, my soul in tormented.