The Future

Just another day

Here are a few vocabulary words from Ancient Greece - If you have any questions or want to correct something just comment!

Chiton- Basically a dress-like piece of clothing that was worn. Resembles that of a "toga" from Rome.

 Sleeping on dry grass is incredibly uncomfortable, I wish my father would use wool or some feathers to stuff my bed with. I've already told him that I don't like it, but he just brushes me off and tells me that I should be thankful for being born into a wealthy family that can even afford a bed. I think it's quite foolish of him to not spend our vast wealth on comfortable sleeping areas. Perhaps if I had asked my mother then she could have persuaded my father. Well, It's too late for that now.

     As I get up from my bed I look around at the decorative tiles that surround the room of my sister and me that was so beautifully decorated. The smooth tiles were placed carefully along the walls and were a beautiful shade of blue. The colors mixed together forming an illustrative work of art. My father said my grandmother had hand-painted these tiles. My sister said she disliked sleeping next to the sad tiles. They made her feel sick, but I loved the ocean blue that surrounds our room almost engulfing us under the sea. It seems my sister already had woken up for breakfast. I took one last look at the walls full of memories as I put my chiton on slowly.

     I walked out of my room and carefully ran down the smooth spiral steps of stone that led to the lower portion of our house. I walked into the kitchen and saw my mother carefully cutting a loaf of bread into smaller pieces.

     "Good morning Achilles." She said softly, cutting the bread. I sighed and look around the rest of the room. 

     "You know I hate being called that," I muttered. I didn't like that name. Other children called me "A-Chilys" because of my red cheeks. I hated the name and my dumb cheeks. "I told you to call me Alec mother." She stopped cutting the bread and turned around. 

     "Honey, Achilles is a wonderful name, it means-" She said gingerly before being cut off. 

     "I don't care what it means! I don't want to be called that horrific name." I said grabbing a handful of grapes and running away from home. My mother could never understand me because no matter how many times I told her she would always call me Achilles. How hard could it be to just change my name?

     "Good morning Alec!" yelled my father from the center stage of the huge theatre. His voice echoed throughout the stone walls of stairs. It was shaped like a dome, except it was downwards, which allowed for a loud echo. The empty theatre certainly helped create a much more booming sound. I waved to him from the top of the stairs and called out 

     "Morning dad!" I ran down the stairs as quickly as I could. 

     "Don't fall, Alec! Be careful!" He called out.

      "I'm a fine dad!" I said hoping down the many stairs.  I quickly hopped onto the center stage. "What are you doing dad?" I muttered holding in my laugh. He had on olive oil as eyeliner and a charcoal eye darkened. It seemed to be that he was dressed up as a woman. 

     "Practicing for a play. I got the love interest, Able!" He said excitedly. I couldn't hold it in anymore! I let my laughter. Suddenly I felt a hard smack across the back of my head. I looked up to see my father staring at me with a harsh frown.  

     "You know better than to make fun of what feeds you." He yelled snatching the grapes from my hands. I tried to grab them back but he held them too high. 

     "I'm sorry dad, but come on! Why can't an actual girl play the part?" I said rubbing the back of my head. 

     "It would be improper for a woman to play that part, and you know it. You know their only job is to take care of the children." He growled. I looked at him with anger and then turned and ran up the dome stairs. What is wrong with a woman wanting to play a part? Then men wouldn't have to look so dumb on stage. I don't understand it at all.

     I ran all the way to the town's center fountain where a few women gathered water with chubby babies on their backs smiling. Men were huddled in groups drinking gulps of water and talking. I sat down on a small stone bench that was lined with some sort of ivory plant that wrapped around the bench legs. I rested my arms in my lap as I sat down. I wonder if any of those women want to play any parts in a play.

     "Alec!" I heard someone call from behind me. I quickly swung my head around and looked through the crowds of people standing around. I noticed my friend Helen waving me down with a big smile. I had known Helen for quite some time because she was my cousin. Not too many people here had siblings, so it is uncommon to have any sort of extended family like an aunt or cousin. Usually, only richer families had siblings because it wasn't easy to feed so many mouths. So, naturally, Helen and I had just bonded. 

     She ran over to me and sat down adjusting her chiton. "What are you doing just sitting here? Shouldn't you be helping your father or playing with someone" She said giggling.

     "Just getting some water. This hot sun really drains you." I beamed looking down at her. "I guess I just need a break from them for a bit," I said slowly. They aren't usually this much of a bother to me. 

     I decided to get up and walked over to the fountain. I calmly dipped my hands in the cool water.  The gentle waves enveloped the lines and curves of my hand. I slowly pulled my fingers together and carefully pulled the pool of water to my mouth. I sipped it quickly and let out a sigh of relief. I hadn't realized how hot it was. Helen approached the fountain steadily and followed my movements as she cupped and drank the cool water.

    "We're very lucky to have this fountain on such a humid day." She said not looking away from the fountain. I smiled at her and took another sip. "I can definitely see that you're hot with the red cheeks!" She said giggling to herself. I furrowed my eyebrows and splashed water in her face. I let out a large laugh as she looked up at me with irritation spread across her face. 

   "That's what you get for calling my cheeks red!" I bellowed. She quickly retaliated by splashing water in my face. Soon we were having a water fight to see who could get who wetter.

   "Achilles!" I heard someone yell in anger. I turned my head around to not only see my displeased mother but a flock of women and men staring at us.