Marsias

Here’s a little preview of a scene from the book Marsias. No context is provided to avoid spoilers.

In the depths of the cave, a sound emerged that didn’t match the ones he had been hearing all this time. The splashing of water on wood and a small lantern swaying in the veil of darkness. A boat was approaching him. As it drew near, he could see grim, dark shadows of people; he couldn’t make out their features, but neither could he hear them speak. In the middle of the boat sat a skeletal old man, holding a long pole for an oar. As they reached him, the boat stopped, and the old man looked down at him, puzzled.

“Who are you that I find here, in paths where I alone tread?
Why does your hue color hold, and shadows do not cover?
Of which god are you born, or are you some mere creature?
And in the middle of the waters, did you plan to make your dwelling?”

“My name is Daphnis. Please pull me up.”

“Daphnis, you call yourself? Charon is my name.
Along Acheron’s course, a ferryman’s my trade.
I take the souls of mortal men and carry them across,
To find what lies beyond their life, and enter their next world.
A child of Erebus am I, Night’s offspring and her seed,
A servant of the Underworld, kingdom ruled by Hades.
But you, submerged one, from whom are you descended?
And how did you arrive down here? What evil do you seek?”

“My descent? I seek Chloe, I don’t know what you mean. Something dragged me down here, and I fell into this lake. A light. Please pull me up, I want to cross to the other side.”

“Light?
The light of life, of love itself, does not descend down here,
For this is the domain of dark, the palette made of black.
A sieve that filters joy and mirth, an arena of memories,
And any hope that comes this way soon falls asleep in water.
The passage that you seek from me, I do not grant for free,
And you must pay the price that’s set, as others do before you.
For it’s a matter of my law that I will never break,
So just like all, you too must bring the coin to cross with me.”

“What coin? Can’t you see I’m in the water? Just pull me to the shore, will you leave me here to drown?”

Charon lifted his pole and struck Daphnis on the head. Though not strong enough to knock him out, the blow was loud enough to echo through the cave. The shadows that had been staring blankly into the void turned toward the source of the sound, while Charon wore an expression of surprise.

“You’re not meant for this place yet, your thread of life still weaves,
How, by Zeus, did you find your way into this long journey,
And now you ask me for a pass that all the shadows shun?
The living wish to flee from where I row these wretched souls,
Yet here you stand, drenched through and through, and ask me for my help,
To join the dead while warmth still flows within your living hands.
So tell me, what has brought you here, and speak the truth to me,
Or else the second stroke I row will split your head in two.”

“My name is Daphnis, and I think I heard the woman I love, Chloe, calling me. Something bright pulled me down here, and I ended up in the water. Please, take me to the shore so I can search for her. That’s all I want.”

“What you desire, I can grant, but first, you’ll pay my price.
No living soul or one deceased has crossed without the toll.
The payment for this journey is a coin you must provide,
Search yourself well, give what is owed, and I will row you through,
To the far shore you seek tonight, where you shall find your fate.”

“I have no coin to give you, I have nothing. But I can promise that when my time to die comes, I’ll bring you two coins—one for each time you’ve ferried me across.”

“You think it’s your first time someone has tried to steal,
To cross the waters without pay, to cheat me of my due.
Do you believe I stand here just to ferry who I please,
To take them to their friends, then let them go again?
Do you think Hades is a place for trips and vacations,
And I a captain taking tourists, serving them their drinks?
Look closely at where you now stand, and who stands here before you,
And show respect before the time arrives for me to take you.”

“You’re right—listen, forgive me. But I wasn’t standing on the shore, asking to cross to the other side. I’m in the middle of the water; don’t you have a duty to help me? Especially since I’m still alive.”

Charon’s thin-skinned face looked at him with curiosity. He wasn’t entirely wrong—he hadn’t found him on either shore, and, besides, he was still alive. Of course, he wasn’t the first living person to want to cross, but this one didn’t even ask to cross; he just wanted to reach any shore. Charon couldn’t abandon him. And helping him didn’t break any rules about transporting souls. He extended his pole, and Daphnis grabbed hold. Slowly, Charon pulled him toward the boat and offered his long hand to pull him up. Daphnis clung to the edge of the boat and tumbled in. He was completely drenched, and the souls gathered around him, watching, trying to understand.

“Thank you, Charon, I won’t forget this.”

“The place you’re going, memory will be your greatest foe,
And everything we’ve said right here, I fear you’ll soon forget.
Ensure the favor I have shown is not one I’ll regret,
And find your way to leave this place, for I won’t turn you back.”

“Alright, Charon, agreed.”

The boat moved slowly across the black river, slicing through the water that lapped against its prow. No one spoke during the journey, so much so that Daphnis wondered when Charon last spoke with someone while on the job. Since the souls stood silently and no living person ever came here, he must feel very lonely. He wasn’t beloved in the world for the services he provided, even though he had performed them tirelessly for thousands of years. While thoughts played in the rooms of his mind, a shore appeared at the edge of the water, drawing near.