Heartbeatgoa.memories -Weekend Short Story #5 - Francis Rodrigues, Toronto

Tales Of The Unexpected======================= "IXTTAGHOT" (a modern retelling, with a twist, of the great classic Greek taleof true friendship, "Damon and Pythias". The concluding verses of M.Boyer's "Ixttaghot" actually recounts in song, the original legend). * Syracuse, Greece, circa 4 B.C. The boy Pythias loved mathematics - fascinated, he went to study furtherat the feet of Pythagoras, where he met the consummate logician Damon.Instantly bonding, they swore friendship until eternity, Pythias evenpledging his soul to his new friend. When Damon quietly expressed hurtat mistreatment by their tyrant ruler Dionysius, Pythias bristling, setout to assassinate Dionysius, but was unfortunately caught and condemned. Damon smoothly offers his own life as security so Pythias can return hometo bid his folks farewell. Pythias returns almost too late as Damon seemsprepared to pay the forfeit. Dionysius is so impressed with their loyaltyto each other that he pardons Pythias. Arm in arm, the great friends walkoff together, Pythias gasping for breath and scarcely believing his luck. Damon leads him to the banquet hall and as the doors close, Pythias plungesinto the bowels of hell. Stunned he angrily questions the strongly-claspingDamon, who points out Pythias' promise of a bond to eternity, even unto hissoul. "I have only come to collect" says his false friend, "for I am Demon!