Pandora Gets Greedy by Carolyn Hennesy Read Free Book Online

magnificent. She imagined them moving as one: something would spook them and they would run this way or that, stopping at watering holes, eating leaves off trees andjabbering like crazy birds the entire while. What would they be called, she wondered? A passel? A flock? A herd?
    She also found herself being extremely touched by the amount of time and attention they were paying her. They truly wanted her to succeed at being pretty. They didn’t particularly know or care that she was smarter than any five of them put together; their concern was for her outward appearance, but in a way that was almost sacred. The Vestals represented something higher and finer, and their beauty was a … a … connection to that nobility. Again, she realized that no one had ever taken this kind of care or time with her before. Not her mother, but then, she was just a little girl when she’d left home so many weeks earlier. Not Pandy … well, she was trying to capture all the evils in the world; she had other things on her mind. But Alcie could have given her a few tips!
    â€œAnd last but not least,” said Melania, shooing the others away as she moved in gently, a brush in her hand tipped with something red. At that moment, Iole felt an enormous warmth and gratitude toward the older woman as she realized that there was a part of her, down very, very deep that secretly enjoyed being beautiful and being
made to be
beautiful.
    â€œCrocodile dung for the cheeks!”
    Iole froze in horror as Melania brushed her face with the sticky substance.
    â€œA little red ocher, wine dregs, and mulberry juice mixed in for good measure but the real trick is crocodile dung! And now, my dear, you are ready to go out in publicus.”
    The passel of Vestals—Iole had decided the word was “passel”—headed back down the stairs and out once more into the street, carrying Iole along as she tried in vain to catch any scent of dung from her face. There was nothing offensive and Iole prayed that at least the dung had been dried before it was mixed with anything else.
    As they walked along, pardoning condemned men and offering up the quick prayer here and there, the group was joined by Vestals from other parts of Rome until there were, Iole thought, perhaps as many as fifty beautiful women strolling the streets. When they came upon the throng moving toward the Theatre of Pompey, the common folk parted and allowed the Vestals their own spot in the procession, which the Vestals assumed with great dignity—and Iole followed suit—spreading their arms high and wide.

Chapter Four
Insula, Sweet Insula
    The series of apartments that Jupiter and Zeus had created for all the gods to inhabit during the Greek gods’ visit to Rome was as large as a temple. There were four floors, each with many rooms all decorated according to the tastes of the individual immortals. Artemis’s and Diana’s rooms were similar in their collection of hunting bows. Dionysus and Bacchus each had a wine press and a grape arbor hanging from the ceiling. Apollo and Phoebus Apollo had an extensive medical library and walls hung with dozens of musical instruments. Persephone and Proserpine had each plastered on their walls at least five full-size posters of Hades and Pluto, covered with hundreds of berry-juice kisses. And so on. There was also an enormous roof garden, indoor bathing pool and archery range, and, although no immortal actually
had
to cook, a huge food-preparation room.Athena and Minerva, determined to be wise and knowledgable about all subjects, had decided to prepare all the meals while in Rome—the mortal way—as long as the other gods took turns doing the dishes.
    â€œI am only saying that I’m not sure it is the wisest course of action,” Athena said, deeply inhaling the steam rising out of the cooking pot. “Oh my, but that smells delicious!”
    â€œWait till you taste it!” Minerva replied.