"What's itdoing?" somebody asked.

"Showing off forthe peahen," Sostratos answered.

And then everyone, evenHimilkon, said, "Ahhh!" as the peacock raised its long tail andspread it wide. The blue spots on the green and yellow plumes caught and heldthe light. The peacock slowly backed toward the caged peahen, then turned togive her the full magnificent display.

"Argos' eyes,"Sostratos said softly.

"There's no mythabout Argos and the peacock," Menedemos said.

"Of coursenot," Sostratos said. "Back in the days when the myths were made,who'd ever seen a peacock? But if people had, that's the myth they would havemade."

While they spoke,Himilkon, a practical man, tossed a net over the distracted peacock. It let outa horrified squawk and tried to get away again, but couldn't. Despite itsstruggles, Himilkon and Hyssaldomos wrestled it back into its cage withoutincurring more than minor flesh wounds.

"Please don't letit out again any time soon, boss," the Karian slave pleaded, fastening thehooks and eyes that kept the peacock imprisoned.

"Oh, shut up."The merchant drew back his foot as if to kick Hyssaldomos, but relented."If I have a customer, I'll put the bird through his paces."

"And me throughmine, by Zeus Labraundeus," Hyssaldomos grumbled. He scowled at Menedemosand Sostratos. "Besides, who says they're customers? Just a couple ofgawkers, if you ask me."

"Oh, we might beinterested . . . if the price is right," Menedemos allowed.

In the fight withHimilkon and Hyssaldomos, the peacock had shed one of those astonishing tailfeathers. Menedemos plucked it off the ground and admired it. "Threeoboloi if you want to keep it," Himilkon said briskly.