"Half plebeian 

two thirds a deity 

three quarters satyrean 

can you tell my identity?" 

So said Volusius, keeping Pandracon pinned to the ground. "The green-haired witch wrote it a long time ago, speaking of me..." said Volusius, "...I think you can now see how much truth there is in it." 

Pandracon tried to agitate himself, but his great strength was to no avail. On the ground he was and on the ground he remained. In those conditions could only say: "Cruel fortune, what have I done to you? Surely it was the sand. You cannot deny it; for if I had not slipped on it, I would have taken the beautiful Marfisa. You made me fall, that's certain, to make my adversary win." 

"I think I've heard that excuse before," said Volusius, then he looked around: his son Rolandus had risen, as had Hermanubius and Ganaleon. Aesara was still there, standing as before, wondering what she was doing there. Then the emperor's eye fell on Astulfus' spear. 

Despite all the blows it had inflicted and sustained, that spear looked completely new, as if it had never been used. An idea began to flutter in Volusius' mind. 

"So... you would like to have my daughter's hand," said Volusius, to which Pandracon replied: "I am quite sure there is no other Marfisa in this city." 

"Now, now, there is no need to be so grumpy..." said Volusius letting him go, "...since I don't like it when luck gets into my business either, I want to be generous. defeat Astulfus, for you have not yet faced him, and I will give you what you deserve. That Astulfus does not know how to win even when he has luck on his side, that is a fact." 

Laughing between himself, that king of Hyperborea said: "This is surely a joke. It is true that when the best is over, one must be content with scraps; but there is a time when it is better to surrender honourably than to embarrass oneself further." 

Thus speaking, that giant half-dragon approached Astulfus, well taking advantage of his greater height, and squared him from top to bottom. If there is any need to ask, gentlemen, don't do so: I need not tell you how Astulfus wished to be anywhere else, let alone so close to that proud and imposing giant. 

But surely to flee now would have been an even worse fate, and for the honour of Rome he concealed his trembling. 

Pandracon stepped up to the mark and said: "Can it please Jupiter Optimus Maximus, that with you the great victory should end?" said the king of Hyperborea in despair; and the more he looked at Astulfus, the more his desire to duel passed away. 

"What do my ears hear? The great king of Hyperborea, so arrogant as to want to challenge the Romans in their capital, now fears to make a bad impression?" said Astulfus in a flash of stupidity and courage.   

You can imagine how well Pandracon took such an act of defiance. He immediately retraced his steps and stood at a distance as the rule requires.   

Meanwhile, Astulfus was shaking, and shaking he was. He calmed down only when Volusius put his hand on his shoulder. 

"I... I..." said the wolf of Britannia. 

Volusius gave him a fatherly smile and said, "have no fear, you are more skilled than you look. You're just a little clumsy." 

"But I can't even run without tripping!" defended Astulfus. 

Volusius gave another smile and said, "If you cannot run without stumbling, then stand still and let your opponent come to you." 

Astulfus was reminded of the words Marfisa had said to him the night before and a strange resolve pervaded his body, except for his hands, which still trembled slightly. Meanwhile, Pandracon grew impatient. 

"Deh! If that is what the gods want, who am I to deny them? I, who can win such a duel blindfolded?" and having said that Pandracon took up his position, and charged, shouting loudly, well thinking he had an easy victory, until that lance whose magic art you already know intruded.   

Pandracon felt himself pierced in the chest. Feeling already dead and lifeless, he interrupted the attack, and when he realised it was all just an illusion, he felt Astulfus' spear penetrate his shoulder and blow off one of the blades that made up his armour. A small cut, but just enough for the clash to be declared over.   

To say he was surprised is an understatement; he had not expected to be touched, let alone wounded. In all his arrogance, it had never occurred to him that anyone could hurt him.   

So much surprise abounded in his face, for in his life it had never happened to him, as far as he could remember, that he had ever been hurt. He had never been so upset in his life. Now there arose in him a fierce and proud anger, such that if he had been a fire his flame would have risen to the sky and turned sand into glass. 

In all his life he had never tasted defeat, least of all at the hands of a man as feminine as Astulfus, whom no one would take as a great warrior. For a moment he had remained motionless, still unable to comprehend what his eyes were seeing, but when he had felt his hot blood spurt out, he had roared as only a dragon could. 

Astulfus fell to the ground in surprise, bereft of courage, stunned and pale while the giant screamed and a blaze as hot as the summer sun seemed to envelop the amphitheatre. Everyone felt drenched in sweat and felt the need to wipe their foreheads. Only Volusius stood calm and controlled. 

Astulfus, on the other hand, did not know what to do and fear certainly gripped him. He, who had no equal in the world for courage, (for courage it takes to challenge someone much bigger) did his best to escape this time. And with good reason! For if Pandracon had caught him, death would have been a happy ending. Unfortunately, that time his legs refused to cooperate. 

Returning calmer, Pandracon said: "I am very glad, young lady, that you are a she-wolf rather than a she-rabbit, because I would have been annoyed to have to follow you around the arena. And since you were kind enough not to run away, I'll see that I don't pound that pretty little girl face of yours."  

Pandracon reached out his arm and grabbed the wolf of Britannia by the collar. If only his gaze could incinerate, Astulfus would have become a pile of dust. There are, however, many other ways to do harm, and Pandracon would have battered him well if someone had not intervened. 

A rope wrapped around him and locked his arms, then pulled him back. 

There wasn't enough strength in those tugs to move him, but it was enough to distract him and bring his attention to Aesara, who from the edge of the field was pulling and boldly saying: "Until surrender, escape or first blood, these are the pacts made. Whoever is defeated is taken prisoner. Thou hast been wounded, oh king of Alania and Hyperborea, and thou must abide by the agreement; otherwise there can be no honour for thee, for thy face thou canst not show, nor can there be peace between us." 

"..." (Aesara). 

"...!" 

Pandracon did not answer. He left Astulfus (whose legs no longer supported him) and, step by step, approached Aesara, who, before his immense size, made herself small. 

"That is, if you want, if it's possible, if you... don't.... mind?" 

Aesara longed to sink into the sand, but the king stopped looking at her and laid his gaze all around. Rolandus, Ganaleon and Hermanubius had arranged themselves in a circle around him, and there was no doubt that even the imparter would stop him. Astulfus himself would have intervened, now that he was regaining control of his legs. 

"As you wish, little rabbit!" said Pandracon. "Besides, I have little here to do if Marfisa is elsewhere. I am here to chain her wrists and make her mine. Whether it is because she is in hiding or on the run matters little to me, for to remain here any longer is a waste of my time. If you cannot give her to me, I will set out to find her" and having said these words he left the arena. 

Everyone left the stands, and everyone left the arena. Volusius went with his son westwards, Hermanubius and Ganaleon north and south respectively, while Aesara and Astulfus headed for the eastern exit. 

The last to leave were Oliverius, king of Sarmatia, and Auridans, king of Kusana. They had looked at the king of Hyperborea with some spite and had continued to look at him with spite when he left the arena. They did not like how Pandracon had claimed Marfisa or claimed Marfisa in general. They confabulated something among themselves and then left the arena last, full of thought. 

Let us leave them alone, for they are unimportant for now, and concentrate on Aesara and Astulfus who are leaving the arena. 

Aesara was worried. Her teacher had failed to show up at the arena and now she had the king of Hyperborea on her tail. 

"You shouldn't worry so much. Marfisa is a good woman, and anyway she will be far away by now,' said Astulfus, walking through the corridors of the amphitheatre and attracting the attention of Aesara, who said: 'Why? Do you know where she has gone?" 

It was at that point that Astulfus explained everything to her about Madalgarius, Medulfa and Marfisa, at least as far as he had witnessed or heard. Aesara stiffened at Madalgarius' name. 

I need not tell you how little she liked hearing how far Madalgarius was going, and how she reacted to knowing there were two women looking for him. 

They entered the locker room and Aesara almost fainted. She leaned her arm against the wall and her hand against her forehead, as if a dizziness was breaking her. "Are you all right? said Astulfus, raising his hand as if ready to catch her in case she fainted. 

"I- I'm fine. It's just that.... I have to change," said Aesara, becoming more composed. 

She began to lift her shirt, revealing a thin, well-drawn pelvis, when she noticed that Astulfus had demurely looked away. At first, she did not understand the reason for that attitude. Then she placed her hand on Astulfus' chest and noticed how unusually flat it was. 

"??? ♀ ⇒ ♂ !!!" (Aesara). 

"Oh, come on! You can see that I am a male. Narrow hips, broad shoulders...' said Astulfus. 

As for what happened next, suffice it to say that they went to an ice-cream parlour to eat an ice-cream and Astulfus got the mould of a slap on the cheek. 

"I'm so sorry!" said Aesara with bowed head. 

"No, no, actually it's also a little bit my fault," replied Astulfus. 

Actually, it was all Aesara's fault. She had not yet shown anything that should not be seen, he had looked away. 

But Astulfus is a kind man and Aesara a woman who feels guilty too easily. The ice-cream man, trying to do something nice for Aesara who was visibly sad, told her about the couple he had met the night before and how they seemed to be in love. 

Astulfus, who was learning to pay more attention to what came out of his mouth, tried to stop her, but to no avail. At the news of Madalgarius and Medulfa Aesara said nothing, paid for the ice-creams and left the shop. Aesara slipped through the streets of Rome and disappeared. 

Rome's two main streets, the Argiletum and the Suburra, were perhaps the most crowded, noisy and infamous in the city. Certainly the reputation of the Suburra was of the worst, yet they were neighbourhoods that manifested their charm, with their innumerable shops and craft workshops attracting customers from all over the city.   

There was something relaxing about walking through the Argiletum, accompanied on both sides by book and shoe shops. Mhmm, shoes or books? Aesara thought as she repeatedly turned her head towards both sides of the street, I really need something to comfort me.   

And so Aesara continued walking. She turned her step first in one direction, then the other, peering into this or that shop; without realising that she had now stopped walking in a straight line. 

This one or that one? This one or that one? Thought between herself Aesara, undecided about what to buy, until her gaze fell on something really rare and valuable, uh, that looks really interesting. 

Eight volumes, finely bound, containing a systematically ordered account of the most important mathematical discoveries made over a millennium. There were explanatory notes, extensions of previous discoveries, and best of all, mathematical games. 

Book I and Book II dealt with arithmetic. Book III contained geometrical problems, planes and solids. Book IV was dedicated to mathematical curves. Book V dealt with regular polygons, planes and solids, and comparisons of geometric areas. Book VII explained the terms analysis and synthesis and the distinction between theorem and problem. It also enumerated thirty-three works by Euclid, Apollonius, Aristaeus and Eratosthenes, providing the necessary lemmas for their study. Finally, and better than all the others, was Book VIII, which dealt mainly with mechanics, the properties of the centre of gravity and some mechanical powers. 

I do not think I need to explain how Aesara's eyes shone brighter than two suns at noon. 

The only words that came from his lips were: "The synagogues of Pappus of Alexandria! All eight volumes!" 

At that picturesque expression, the bookseller could not help but laugh and said, "Aren't you a little too young to understand such a subject?" 

"One is never too young for mathematics. Who in their right mind could not buy such a work,' said Aesara, like a little girl in front of sweets. 

At that point the bookseller laughed even louder and said, "I think you are the one not in your right mind here, but after all, I could use more customers like you." 

Realising what a fool she was, Aesara blushed and lowered her gaze, scratching her head. She was adorable with that look, and the fact that she was still wearing the armour fashioned in the shape of a rabbit made her look even more adorable. In fact, the bookseller said, "come on! There's nothing wrong with loving maths. I also imagine that whoever wrote these eight volumes loved it as much as you do. On the contrary! Since you and Pappus love maths so much, why don't you befriend him by buying his books?" 

Aesara's gaze turned back to the eight volumes and her gaze became resolute. There were no other words he could say except, "How much do they cost!" 

"One hundred and sixty coins in all."  

"...!" 

"...?" 

"Um..." 

"Let me guess. Maybe I'm a bit too much for your pocket?" 

Aesara did not respond to the bookseller's words and merely lowered her gaze again, scratching her head, until the bookseller spoke again, saying: "Yes, it is indeed a bit much, but for such big books, and written in Greek, I cannot ask for less. Maybe I can tempt you with something less expensive and just as interesting." 

The bookseller turned his back on her, heading for what appeared to be the shop's storeroom. He returned with what appeared to be a smaller book than the individual maths volumes. On the cover it displayed, in clear letters, the title: Chorographia oikoumenike Pappous Alexandreias. 

"Description of the inhabited world by Pappus of Alexandria' read Aesara. The moment she had the volume in her hands, Aesara's eyes lit up, then she looked up at the bookseller who said: "This is for you, it only costs eight coins. Although you might want to look for books that are a little less rare, because with such sophisticated tastes it will be difficult for a pretty girl like you to find a boyfriend."  

Still double the price of a normal book, but at least a not so hard hit on her purse, she could say she got a good deal. And anyway, she was ashamed to enter a shop without buying anything. She dropped a couple of silver coins and greeted the clerk with a smile. 

When she returned to the street her face lit up with joy at that cover, but then her visage was immediately covered with a veil of sadness. 

"How is it my fault that I like mathematics and other such complex things?" said Aesara, her eyes becoming teary. "Why can't the world be a little fuller of people of culture? Is it my fate always to be alone, because things like astronomy and cartography generate little praise and many yawns?   

People applaud my knowledge, but longer than five minutes no one wants to be with me if I start talking about points, lines, areas and volumes. But if I spend some time in the arena among the gladiators, a lot of people come after me, none of whom want to be with me for perhaps more than a night.   

Not that deep in my heart I don't mind getting that attention, because on my own initiative I can't talk to men. Too much fear and too much stammering to be able to make the first step. But why is it necessary to talk in order to make oneself known to others? Why, as with beauty, can you not stand still and wait for others to see your intelligence and passions?   

But if even the Graces bestow on me the gift of speech and Mars grants me the courage to throw myself into this battle, where do I find a love that can match me. Why do poets encourage one to show boldness in facing dragons, so as to be rewarded with their treasure, if of dragons there are many and treasures suitable for me are few or too hidden to be found?" 

Aesara wiped away her tears and continued walking until she slipped into the infamous Suburra. At that point the shops began to change, giving way to wool merchants, blacksmiths, weavers, taverns and above all a few brothels.   

Contrary to what people said, it was not such a bad place: just a bit noisy and especially very crowded. She liked the rattling of the blacksmiths, as it brought back fond memories of working with metal in the factories of Carthage. Not so much the heavy work like that of the blacksmiths, she certainly wouldn't have been able to hold the heavy hammer up for long. She was concerned with bending metal into the shape of utensils and pots and pans. Above all, however, she enjoyed doing the gentle, repetitive sawing required to shape gears. She loved building levers and cranks, fitting them into ever more complex gears, and constructing planetariums, water clocks and mechanical toys. 

"And here is another pastime that few will enjoy," said Aesara, lowering his gaze. She scratched her shoulder, after which she resumed walking. "Well, I guess we'd better go home now."  

She kept going with the intention of not stopping until she reached the doorstep, but her steps stopped at the crossroads where the road split into three different directions: the vicus patricius leading to the Baths of Diocletian, the clivus pullius leading to the Baths of Trajan and finally, in the middle, the clivus suburanus leading to her home. 

All she had to do was walk straight ahead. Yes, walk straight. Yet she stopped. It was not the first time she had done this: she would stand in the corner where the road curved and pretend to wait for someone; for there in the clivus pullius, hidden from prying eyes, was a small lupanar. 

Marfisa went there from time to time in secret to relax. Aesara never went beyond that corner, but sometimes she would stay there with a certain curiosity in her body and then return home.  

"What's wrong with me? I get embarrassed when a male offers me to go to a pastry shop, let alone enter such a place!" said Aesara to herself. 

As I think you can imagine, my dear readers, Aesara is not the type to do such things. Nevertheless, from time to time she would stand in that corner, nervous and with her heart pounding. We can forgive her that, for at her age certain flames burn and after all she is a good girl. 

Well, a lot of men go into brothels, maybe... no, no, no, I'm not going in there! Aesara thought red in the face, while out of the corner of her eye, she saw a young black-haired girl walking out of the building without having the problems Aesara had. Apparently Marfisa is not the only woman who frequents that place, Aesara thought as she saw that girl approaching. 

She joyfully pranced towards her, stretching her arms and smiling happily. 

"Hello there, Aesara!" said Astulfus happily and contentedly.   

"...!" 

"You too here to relax?" 

"...!!" 

Aesara did not answer. She grabbed Astulfus and dragged him into the alley where no one would see them. 

"Oh, sorry. You kept looking in that direction, so I thought... actually you don't look very anonymous in that armour, someone might..." 

Aesara began to sob. 

"Ah, that's it... maybe we'd better move from here."  

Aesara sat in silence, trying to wipe away her last tears, while Astulfus wandered around the wine shop, browsing among the wines. There was mulsum: perhaps a good red wine flavoured with honey, thyme and ground pepper would have helped to calm her nerves; although it was more recommended at the beginning of a meal to stimulate the appetite. Wormwood wine? Absinthe made it nice and bitter, but it was better for digestion. There was Hippocratic wine, much sweeter than mulsum and flavoured with ginger and cinnamon, perhaps also better for digestion, but something sweet would have been good for Aesara. There was the Seasoned Paradox: pepper, spikenard leaves, saffron, dates and a good dose of honey, but it had to be drunk hot. Otherwise... 

Astulfus stopped wasting time and grabbed the first bottle that had a good alcohol content and was well honeyed, heedless of whether it was spiced or not. 

He gently poured it into Aesara's glass, who drank it all in one gulp. She suddenly felt a little calmer now. She poured herself another glass for safety, but merely held it in her hand as she looked around. She had passed that wine shop many times but had never stopped there to pick up anything. For the most part it was a single room whose walls were covered with amphorae, although there was no shortage of glass bottles. The rest was occupied by a series of outdoor tables protected from the sun by a large cloth. 

She continued to look around until her gaze returned to Astulfus to whom she asked: "Do you come here often?" 

"Sometimes. After I go to the... after I'm done relaxing..." said Astulfus, "...why the question?" 

"No, no reason..." said Aesara, before taking another sip of wine, to get some courage, "...and you, you know, when you go there... do you do what you do or do you do other things like... I mean, sweet things like cuddling and hugging?"  

"Now I'm really curious. Why the questions? You never struck me as the type to be interested in things like that." 

"I'm interested in them! I mean, I'm not interested in them? I mean..." 

Aesara blushed, then brought her knees to her chest and curled up in her chair. 

"Ever done things like being tenderly embraced?"  

Astulfus lifted his head and became pensive. It wasn't so much that he needed to think about whether it had happened, but what to answer. He was sure that that question concealed another, deeper one, which needed to be answered as urgently as possible. 

Astulfus lowered his gaze again and said, "Aesara, what do you really want to talk about?" 

"I don't know. I'm not sure," Aesara replied, hugging herself even tighter and covering her forehead with her cap.   

Astulfus gave a puff, after which she smiled fondly and said, "Would you like to talk about this thing you're not sure about?"  

Aesara nodded her head slightly, but waited for Astulfus to say, "Good. Where do you want to start?" 

"There is a man I met. He is... I like him, but he left Rome. He has gone far away. North of the Imeon Mountains, where golden apples grow. I don't know when he will return, but I know there is someone else who is following him and who will get him before me. For the first time in my life, I met someone who shares the same passions as me and I let him get away." 

Without any delay, Astulfus stood up and held out his hand to her, "then let us leave for the Imeon Mountains at once and arrive before them. No one expects me to win the gladiatorial games anyway, we might as well leave everything and look for the one you love." 

"Do you even know how far the Imeon Mountains are?" said Aesara. 

An immense silence filled the room. 

"I guess that's a no," said Aesara. 

Astulfus scratched his cheek. 

"Besides, I can't quit my job. How am I going to pay for a trip like that?" 

There was a dull clatter of a bag of coins landing on the small table in front of them. Aesara and Astulfus shifted their gaze in the same direction where they saw a beautiful green-haired lady intent on sipping a glass of wine.   

"Oh, no. Don't mind me. I'm just here to mind my own business..." said I, enjoying the sunlight refracting brightly through a fine white wine, "...but those should be enough for the journey there and back." 

I need not tell you how they looked at me puzzled. Only Astulfus managed to say something, and it was, "the witch.... er, the green-haired lady." 

At that point I laughed out loud and said, "green-haired miss.... that's a nickname I've never heard; but don't worry, ‘witch’ is fine. It's a nickname I really appreciate." 

Astulfus looked at her puzzled and said, "So. what is it that you have in mind?"  
"What makes you think I'm up to something?" 

"..." (Aesara). 

"..." (Astulfus).  

"Come on, I only ask you to tell me later how it turned out..." said I, leaning my head back towards them, "...and also not to fall in love with each other. That would make for a predictable and trite story." 

"..." (Aesara). 

"..." (Astulfus). 

"Well! If you don't want that money, I'll take it back," said I.  

"...!" (Aesara). 

"...!" (Astulfus). 

"I thought so..." said I, becoming composed again and taking the last sip of wine, after which I stood up and said, "...the world's fortunes are not so easily unlocked. I advise you to take advantage of them, especially now that you are young and vigorous." 

Aesara and Astulfus watched me get up, then returned with their eyes on the bag of coins, undecided what to do. It was too... I mean, I was... if there was anything to look forward to that was trouble. 

And there was going to be trouble, but let's leave that for now, for I've kept you waiting long enough and... oh dear, we're on the ninth chapter and the real adventure hasn't even begun yet! 

It is very unfortunate that I have kept you waiting so long, but I think you understand why it was good to wait: now we have a handsome young man who has left for the East to conquer his beautiful beloved. His beloved pursues him accompanied by his childhood friend. We have two more love rivals trying to get to the young man first. 

Then there's the king of Hyperborea and Alania, and I think those of Sarmatia and Kusana will join us too... I haven't the faintest idea what Astulfus will do, but I certainly couldn't send a sweet maiden like Aesara alone. Don't worry about him. However clumsy he may be, he'll get his chance to shine, let's worry about Marfisa and Rolandus who will soon have their hands full.