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Baltic's
Book
Zeus and Europa, part 2
Chapter
2
Well,
and that was the moment when Balticos said "We are on a good way
- let's look around what to do next!" He decided that production
of marble should begin, but that was impossible with Hydra occupying
the quarry. (Calling Hercules is your best chance against Hydra,
my boy, remember that!) Balticos was nobody's fool, so he built
a Hero Hall for Hercules and because he knew that calling a hero
is quite expensive, continued to evolve the city slowly. At last
Thebes had enough food for everybody, and new immigrants started
to pour in. They were put to work as shepherds, farmers and traders
(city built a new trading post to export wheat surpluses), and when
the profits appeared in the city treasury, Balticos ordered to build
a stadium. Hercules would never come to a city that does not have
a stadium or excellent gymnasium access! Fortunately Thebes won
Olympic games recently, and were still famous enough to be worthy
of him, but everybody knew that Thebes must have lots of wine ready
before Hercules comes... and wine was not available anywhere. Allies
have heard about it, too, did their best, and Calydon was able to
get the wine somewhere and gifted it to the city in two shipments.
With Hercules on their side, Thebes quickly got rid of the Hydra
and began to mine marble. Balticos decreed that everyone in the
city must have a chance to buy fleece and make clothes, hired a
few olive growers and planted olives near the sheep pasture to produce
oil. City was growing and people happily upgraded their houses.
Quarry
site was quite a long way from the city, and had to be connected
over two bridges. Balticos decided to build masonry shops just between
these bridges - stonecutters had to walk comparatively far to the
quarry, but then they didn't go there often and spent most of their
worktime at the lodge, hewing smaller blocks from a large one that
was brought by an ox team from quarry. Storehouses and trading post
selling marble were located across the other bridge, at the mainland,
so that traders didn't have to go too far... and Balticos also planned
that he would build sanctuaries to the gods soon, and wanted to
have the stone at hand. At first only 3 lodges were working, but
two more were needed to achieve the wanted production rate. Competitors
from Thebes proved their skills several times during that time,
they won Nemean games, Theban games and Isthmian games, and all
- allies and rivals alike - regarded them highly. This was the best
opportunity to ask for some statues, and 12 were delivered readily
by Calydon to be used later for sanctuaries.
Chapter
3
Athena
advised Balticos to build a sanctuary to Ares, and he heeded her
words. With the aid of allies, who sent needed materials (bronze,
statues and wood) of their own accord, the construction was soon
complete. Bronze was used to produce armor - Thebes were becoming
quite famous and some noblemen decided to settle there, and city
needed some better defenses than just rabble. Of course, Ares often
visited the city and his dragon and Sparti were present, too...
but every city that lusts for glory has to build mighty army sooner
or later. Production was running smoothly, only temporarily Thebes
lacked some workers, when many started to serve Ares in his sanctuary
and more wheat farms were built - but everything was fine again
when new immigrants filled the vacancies in freshly evolved townhouses
in the second block. Oracle suggested that it is a right time to
start a colony in Cydonia; Balticos ordered to set aside some food
and oil and start the expedition as soon as he was informed, that
Cydonia can supply much needed wine and wood. Everybody was so excited
from this development, that the competitors at Theban games couldn't
concentrate and came in only second.
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