Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1074: Colossus of Hades

Praxinas set the first wooden board on the table, drawing an immediate gasp of admiration from Henipolis. "What a majestic God Hades!"

The board depicted a black-haired, long-bearded Hades standing tall and straight. His right hand grasped a sharp Trident, while his left held the scales to judge good and evil. Draped in a black cloak, his eyes blazed with solemn authority. He looked truly awe-inspiring!

Since this was a design for a cast statue rather than a simple painting, a heavy base was incorporated beneath Hades's feet so he could stand firmly atop the mountain peak. The top left corner of the board listed the specifications: the statue and base would reach a combined height of 14 meters and a maximum width of 2.5 meters, requiring an estimated # tons of bronze. Naturally, statues situated outside the temple could not be carved from wood, which would easily succumb to years of wind and rain; instead, they were typically cast in durable, slightly flexible bronze.

"It is indeed a fine design!" Davos praised sincerely.

"This is Miliktos's design," Praxinas added.

Davos nodded. He knew Miliktos was a renowned master sculptor in the kingdom, currently in charge of casting the statues for the main temple.

Davos then examined a few more boards. They were all excellent works, but their designs were largely identical.

Davos rubbed his eyes, feeling a bit of visual fatigue. Just then, he heard Praxinas say, "Your Majesty, there is one more design here. Our priests unanimously opposed its approval, but I find this piece exceptionally unique. I would like you to take a look at it."

"Oh? What kind of design could cause such a disagreement among you?" Davos asked, his curiosity piqued.

It was no wonder the priests disliked this design; the artist had made Hades look more like a kindly old man, entirely lacking in divine majesty.

Even Henipolis and Aristiras, who were present, were astonished by the artist's audacity.

Praxinas carefully observed Davos's expression. After all, King Davos was a descendant of Hades. He worried whether such a bold design would enrage the king, bringing the royal wrath down upon his own head as well.

The atmosphere in the office grew quiet and rather strange...

At this moment, Davos broke the silence, asking softly and without any change in expression, "Praxinas, why did you insist on keeping this design despite the opposition of the other priests?"

"Your Majesty... it is because looking at this artwork makes me feel a sense of warmth. I thought that if it were erected on the mountain peak, the believers would surely feel that same warmth when they saw him." Hearing Davos's question, Praxinas felt more assured and answered truthfully. "I remember when you first asked me to become a priest of Hades, you said, 'Hades is by no means cold and sinister; it is precisely because he cares for humanity that he chose to stand guard over the Underworld.' You also warned us, 'As priests of Hades, you must warmly care for the believers, rather than acting aloof. You must take the initiative to help them solve their difficulties...' I believe this design perfectly matches your requirements, Your Majesty!"

"Well said!" Davos praised loudly. "You are truly worthy of your title as the Scepter Priest of Hades!"

"Thank you for the praise, Your Majesty," Praxinas replied with a calm expression. In his youth, his personality had been radical, and he would use any means necessary to achieve his goals. Initially, taking on the role of a priest of Hades had not been his own choice. However, after devoting himself to studying the sacred texts for so many years and being influenced by them day and night, his body and mind had gradually transformed. He had grown increasingly humble, approachable, and compassionate.

"If a Statue of Hades like this stands atop the mountain, every citizen of the kingdom who sees it will deeply feel that such a benevolent deity is watching over our realm. It will bring them warmth and peace of mind! At the same time, it serves as a reminder to us—we must always care for our people!" Davos said solemnly, pressing his hand against the wooden board.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Praxinas, the two other priests, Henipolis, and Aristiras all responded with solemn expressions. They could now be certain that Davos had chosen this design.

"Huh, why is there no base in this statue's design?" Henipolis suddenly noticed an issue. "The creator must have overlooked it. According to the data marked on it, it's also 14 meters tall, and its body is leaning forward. Without a base, it could easily topple over."

"I specifically asked the creator about this, and he told me that this statue doesn't need a base to stand perfectly steady," Praxinas explained earnestly, pointing at the board. "He called it a three-point support. Look here—the Bident and Hades's forward-stepping right foot act as one pivot point, and his trailing left foot serves as another pivot—"

"And where is the third pivot point?" Henipolis asked, looking at the drawing on the board with some confusion.

"It should be the three-headed hound. As he raises his head to lick Hades's left arm, he is actually connected to the statue, acting as the other pivot point on the left side. Furthermore, this statue is in a bent posture, which lowers its center of gravity. With stable support, the statue becomes even more secure. The designer's concept is quite ingenious!" Davos praised.

"Your Majesty has grasped the crux of the matter at a single glance. I didn't quite understand it at the time, but fortunately, he had prepared a small wooden carving identical to the statue to demonstrate it for me, and it was indeed incredibly stable. Also, Your Majesty, take a look at this!" Praxinas pointed toward the bottom right corner of the board.

"This indicates the orientation... What do these numbers mean?" Davos looked at it, feeling somewhat puzzled.

"Your Majesty, this is the latest method of writing orientations and angles developed by the Pythagorean School of Taranto. According to the designer, the statue should be erected on the cliff edge to the southwest of the main temple, 68 meters away from the temple itself. The front of the statue will sit at a 30-degree angle to the central axis of the main temple. This way, once the statue is built, it will overlook most of the city, and during the day, it will reflect the maximum amount of sunlight, allowing ships entering and leaving the Crati River Mouth to see the statue's brilliant gleam!" By the time he reached the last sentence, Praxinas was sounding rather excited.

"It seems this designer is truly meticulous; he's considered every possible angle!" Davos felt a stir in his heart and asked, "From what you just said, is he a Tarentine? A disciple of the Pythagorean School of Taranto? What is his name?"

"Your Majesty, the designer's name is Alexon. He is a kinsman of the former archon of Tarentum, Archytas, and a student of Lysis, the leader of the Pythagorean school. He is only 21 years old..." Praxinas introduced him in detail.

A student of mathematics had actually designed such an outstanding sculpture! This didn't surprise anyone in the room, as many scholars of this era studied multiple disciplines simultaneously. Although mathematics and art seemed unrelated, it was widely known that the Pythagorean school had long ago used mathematical methods to discover the golden ratio in sculpture and painting, thereby creating their own unique aesthetic.

Alexon... Archytas... Hearing these long-absent names, Davos fell into a momentary daze. Then, he remembered the rude young man his daughter had been endlessly complaining about at home, and a hint of a smile inadvertently crept onto his face. "Although he is young, his ability to design such an excellent statue shows he is highly talented. He can be put in charge of casting the statue. You will supervise and assist him in completing it."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Praxinas finally breathed a sigh of relief.

...

The Thurii patrol officers swiftly launched the arrests of Servius, Furius, Aurus, and others. Because the public's attention was entirely focused on the news that the legions were heading to the border to mount a defense, the arrests did not cause much of a stir.

Meanwhile, officials from the Slave Administration Office arrived at the Thurii slave camp to reward Maximus for his meritorious service during the incident.

When the camp overseer, Icarus, learned of this, he made a request: "Could we wait to announce this until after the task of providing stone for the main temple is finished? Maximus is an excellent slave captain, and the quarrying efficiency of his team is extremely high."

The official replied with a single sentence: "This is an order issued personally by His Majesty, demanding immediate execution!"

Icarus didn't dare say another word.

That morning, after the slaves had finished their breakfast, they were all assembled in the square. The official from the Slave Administration Office announced the order publicly: granting Brutus Maximus his freedom.

Countless slaves cast envious glances at Maximus. Struck by this sudden wave of good fortune, Maximus felt momentarily dazed. A single voice echoed relentlessly in his mind: 'I'm free! I'm finally free!...'

That was, until someone's gaze pierced him like a sharp sword, causing a sudden, sharp sting.

Gaius, a compatriot who had once been incredibly close to him, was now glaring at him as if looking at a mortal enemy. The order announced by the official had been crystal clear: "...In light of Maximus's bravery in exposing the conspiracy of several Romans who attempted to disrupt the kingdom's order, thus maintaining the kingdom's stability... I hope everyone will learn from Maximus. As long as you genuinely uphold the kingdom, the kingdom will never overlook your contributions!..."

"Maximus, you traitor!" Gaius roared. He lunged forward, intent on beating Maximus mercilessly.

Maximus did not argue, nor did he resist. He allowed Gaius to grab him, but Gaius's fist never fell, as the surrounding slaves quickly restrained him.