Read Online The Tritonian Ring and Other Pasudian Tales by L. Sprague de Camp - Free Book Online
Authors: L. Sprague de Camp
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the two."
"A laudable ambition, though broad. The gods grant that you achieve it."
"I see no difficulty. I have many ambitions and, I trust, many years to fulfill them."
"What are these ambitions, sir?" said Rethilio.
"Well ... " Vakar frowned. "To be a good king when my time comes; to master philosophy; to see far places and strange peoples; to know loyal and interesting friends; to enjoy the pleasures of wine, women, and song ... "
He stopped as Rethilio threw up his hands in mock horror. "You should have been twins, Prince!"
"I am—or rather my brother Kuros is my twin. What do you mean, though?"
"No man can compress all that into one lifetime. Now it seems life is endless and you can sample all experience while attaining preeminence in any careers that suit your fancy. As time passes you will discover you must make a choice here and a choice there, each choice cutting you off from some of these many enticing possibilities. Of course there is the hypothesis of the school of Kurno, that the soul not only survives the body but is subsequently reincarnated in another, and thus a man undergoes many existences."
"I do not see how that helps if one cannot remember one's previous lives," said Vakar. "And if that be so, how about the gods? Are their souls likewise reincarnated?"
They were at it hammer and tongs when Dweros appeared to tell Vakar that his clothes were ready.
"I hope I shall see you again before I leave," he told Rethilio.
"If you are here tomorrow at this time we may meet. Good-day, sir."
-
V. – THE SERPENT THRONE
The banquet-hall was smaller than that of the castle at Mneset, but of more refined workmanship, with plastered walls on which were painted scenes from the myths of Ogugia. Vakar was particularly taken by the picture of the seduction of an eight-breasted woman by a bull-headed man of egregious masculinity.
He met the plump minister Garal and his wife, the latter a pleasant but nondescript woman of middle age; and T h iegos, a tall clean-shaven young man wearing splendid pearl earrings, who looked down a long nose and said:
"So you are from Lorsk? I wonder how you endure the winds and fogs. I could never put up with them!"
Though not pleased by this comment, Vakar was amused when a few minutes later Qasigan came in and Thiegos said to him: "So you are from the South? I wonder how you endure the heat and the flies. I could never abide them!"
Another youth came in whom Thiegos introduced as his friend Abeggu of Tokalet, who had come from far Gamphasantia to Sederado to study philosophy under Rethilio. The newcomer was a tall slender fellow, very dark and quiet. When he spoke it was with an almost unintelligible accent. Vakar asked the conventional question:
"How do you find these northerly lands?"
"Very interesting, sir, and very different from my home. We have no such towering stone buildings or lavish use of metal."
"Still, I envy you," said Vakar. "I have met Rethilio and wish I had time to study under the philosophers of Ogugia. What have you learned?"
"He is discoursing on the origin of the world-egg from the coiture of eternal time and infinite space ... "
Vakar would have liked to hear more, for philosophy had always fascinated him it was little cultivated a mong the palaestra l n ations of Poseidonis. But Queen Porfia sat down
"A laudable ambition, though broad. The gods grant that you achieve it."
"I see no difficulty. I have many ambitions and, I trust, many years to fulfill them."
"What are these ambitions, sir?" said Rethilio.
"Well ... " Vakar frowned. "To be a good king when my time comes; to master philosophy; to see far places and strange peoples; to know loyal and interesting friends; to enjoy the pleasures of wine, women, and song ... "
He stopped as Rethilio threw up his hands in mock horror. "You should have been twins, Prince!"
"I am—or rather my brother Kuros is my twin. What do you mean, though?"
"No man can compress all that into one lifetime. Now it seems life is endless and you can sample all experience while attaining preeminence in any careers that suit your fancy. As time passes you will discover you must make a choice here and a choice there, each choice cutting you off from some of these many enticing possibilities. Of course there is the hypothesis of the school of Kurno, that the soul not only survives the body but is subsequently reincarnated in another, and thus a man undergoes many existences."
"I do not see how that helps if one cannot remember one's previous lives," said Vakar. "And if that be so, how about the gods? Are their souls likewise reincarnated?"
They were at it hammer and tongs when Dweros appeared to tell Vakar that his clothes were ready.
"I hope I shall see you again before I leave," he told Rethilio.
"If you are here tomorrow at this time we may meet. Good-day, sir."
-
V. – THE SERPENT THRONE
The banquet-hall was smaller than that of the castle at Mneset, but of more refined workmanship, with plastered walls on which were painted scenes from the myths of Ogugia. Vakar was particularly taken by the picture of the seduction of an eight-breasted woman by a bull-headed man of egregious masculinity.
He met the plump minister Garal and his wife, the latter a pleasant but nondescript woman of middle age; and T h iegos, a tall clean-shaven young man wearing splendid pearl earrings, who looked down a long nose and said:
"So you are from Lorsk? I wonder how you endure the winds and fogs. I could never put up with them!"
Though not pleased by this comment, Vakar was amused when a few minutes later Qasigan came in and Thiegos said to him: "So you are from the South? I wonder how you endure the heat and the flies. I could never abide them!"
Another youth came in whom Thiegos introduced as his friend Abeggu of Tokalet, who had come from far Gamphasantia to Sederado to study philosophy under Rethilio. The newcomer was a tall slender fellow, very dark and quiet. When he spoke it was with an almost unintelligible accent. Vakar asked the conventional question:
"How do you find these northerly lands?"
"Very interesting, sir, and very different from my home. We have no such towering stone buildings or lavish use of metal."
"Still, I envy you," said Vakar. "I have met Rethilio and wish I had time to study under the philosophers of Ogugia. What have you learned?"
"He is discoursing on the origin of the world-egg from the coiture of eternal time and infinite space ... "
Vakar would have liked to hear more, for philosophy had always fascinated him it was little cultivated a mong the palaestra l n ations of Poseidonis. But Queen Porfia sat down
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