Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
6. The Biters Of The City Walls
Womenandmenboth,theylingeredovereachtitillationofthepalateasthoughitwereacaressoftheGods.
Phorenice,withherquick,brighteyes,lookedon,andoccasionallyflungoneoranotherafewwordsbetweenhertalkwithme,andnowandagaincalledsomefavouredcreatureuptoreceiveascrapofviandfromtheroyaldish.Thisthehonouredonewouldeatwithextravagantgesture,or(ashappenedtwice)wouldputitawayinthefoldsofhisclothesasatreasuretoodeartobeprofanedbyhumanlips.
Tome,thisflatteryappearedgrossanddisgustful,butPhorenice,throughuse,perhaps,seemedtotakeitasmerelyherdue.Therewas,onehadtosuppose,aweaknessinhersomewhere,thoughtrulytotheoutwardseeingnonewasapparent.Herfacewasstrongenough,anditwassubtlealso,and,moreover,itwaswondrouscomely.Allthecourtiersinthebanqueting-hallravedaboutPhorenice’sfaceandtheotherbeautiesofherbodyandlimbs,andthoughnotgiventoappreciationinthesematters,Icouldnotbutseethathereatleasttheyhadagroundworkfortheiradmiration,forsurelytheGodshaveneverfavouredmortalwomanmorehighly.Yetlovelythoughshemightbe,formyselfIpreferredtolookuponYlga,thegirl,who,becauseofherrank,wasprivilegedtositonthedivanbehindusasimmediateattendant.TherewasanhonestyinYlga’sfacewhichPhorenice’slacked.
Theydidnoteattonutrifytheirbodies,thesefeastersinthebanqueting-halloftheroyalpyramid,buttheyallatetocloythemselves,andtheystruttedforthnewusageswitheveryplatterandbowlthattheslavesbrought.
