The men were understandably nervous as they crept through the dark streets of Sparta, but the righteousness of their mission kept spirits up.
Though many hundreds of years had passed since the crime was committed, the wound remained as fresh as the day it was inflicted. Not one of their countrymen felt a moment's peace in his heart while the evil ones went unpunished. Generation after generation had devoted their lives to preparing for this day.
As they reached the central square, the men's eyes fell upon the target - that most quintessentially Greek of buildings, the Odeon. As they approached, a roar of laughter came from within the theatre, the latest hit comedy having drawn a large crowd. But the men felt no pity, nor hesitated for a moment as they set about their grim task.
The guards at the entrance were despatched quickly and silently, their bodies dragged out of sight as the men gathered round to light their torches. Within minutes the building was aflame, and panic ruled within, as people scrambled to find the exit through a thick cloud of smoke. Those few who made it outside were swiftly cut down by waiting axes, ensuring that not one soul escaped the inferno.
It did not take long for the city garrison to arrive, but they were powerless to help in any way. The greek soldiers did not even have the satisfaction of capturing those responsible. Their mission complete, the arsonists had thrown themselves into the flames, safe in the knowledge that their master would reward them in the next world.
--------------------------------
The royal court was in turmoil. A heated argument between two advisors had turned nasty, punches had been thrown, and others were being drawn into the fight.
"Stop this at once!" Pericles roared, "You are Greeks, not barbarians. This is shameful behaviour at a time of such crisis."
Duly chastened, the assembled courtiers fell to their knees and waited for the King to speak.
"Terrible deeds have been committed against us. These criminals have burned our fields, destroyed our roads, and they have murdered our people - man, woman and child alike."
"Worse still, they have struck at the very values we Greeks hold dear. The odeon is where we school our children in the ways of the world. It is where we pass on our most treasured wisdom - the truth of what it means to be a Greek citizen. It is where we celebrate our victories, and mourn those who have fallen in our name."
"There will be a time for apportioning blame, and I do not doubt that some of our countrymen will be found to have colluded with these beasts. But now is not that time. Our assailants are still at large within our borders, and until their menace is extinguished we must not allow our thoughts to be clouded with accusations of treachery."
At that moment, several soldiers burst into the room, carrying between them the corpse of a middle-aged man. Laying the body down at Pericles' feet, one of the soldiers addressed his monarch: "We found him near the Roman border, sire. His attackers carved some words into his chest..."
Pericles recognised the dead man immediately - he himself had sent the poor fool to spy on the Romans. The soldier pulled open the blood-soaked shirt, revealing the gruesome message: Hail Caesar. Hail Winston. Death to the Greeks.
