Joe Alex > Quotes

“The entire slope and the astounding ring of stones towered even higher now, and they realized that each boulder was much larger than they had first thought when seeing them from afar. Even if three men, one standing on the shoulders of another, were to stretch their hands towards those stones, the one standing highest would still have difficulty in reaching the towering line of magnificently fashioned transverse rocks, just as huge as those upon which they rested and undoubtedly just as heavy. A great many men of admirable strength and ingenuity had been needed to place them there. Whitehair thought of the giants of the north, of which so much had been spoken in Knossos , and shuddered. But then he recalled the temples and statues of Egypt, which were incomparably larger and yet built by mortal men.”
― Joe Alex, The Ships of Minos 5: A Bronze Age Saga Classic

“I could follow my father, I suppose, by taking flight like a bird or jumping into the waves. At least it would prevent my enemies from killing me. For who would ever believe that I have never wished to become king, even though my father thought otherwise. Nothing has caused me greater joy and pride than this journey of ours, for you and Whitehair, and cheerful Harmostayos, and each one of you, seafarers, have been much dearer to me than all the kingdoms of the world. But how could my father have known such a thing?”
― Joe Alex, The Ships of Minos 5: A Bronze Age Saga Classic

“And though god-resembling Vidvoyos believes that his name will also last, who knows what will happen after we are dead? With the passage of time, many a city will add the names of its heroes to our achievement and leave out ours. And this will go on and on until, at last, everything is changed so that even we, the seafarers who took part in this journey, would fail to recognize our actions or adventures or indeed ourselves. But why worry about such things when we are mortal and, in the end, we must return to dust? How sleepy I am! All night I peered into the darkness like a fool, fearing to see those hostile Phoenicians while they no doubt slept upon their comfortable beds in their safe harbors, utterly unaware of us, the immortal heroes whose homeland awaits us with certain death! Enough! Farewell to you, my hero, who has seen the fleece of gold!”
― Joe Alex, The Ships of Minos 5: A Bronze Age Saga Classic

“You are a true warrior now ,” Vidvoyos said with a gentle smile as though he had not noticed this before. “If you wish to save your life, it will be better for you to be alone. You are young, and maybe happiness will come your way, though not in the form of which we had dreamt. But youth in itself is a kingdom of its own!”
― Joe Alex, The Ships of Minos 5: A Bronze Age Saga Classic

“Though the distance was still considerable, they could see quite clearly a circle of colossal boulders, hewn into the shape of massive columns, linked together by a line of long beams of stone running from one top of a column to the next. They noticed two or three of these rings in all and also a few individual boulders upon the confines of the summit, each one a mighty column pushing up towards the heavens like a solitary tower. “What is it?” whispered Perilavos. “A temple? It cannot be, for it has no roof, and there is no settlement nearby over which a deity could rule! And where are the people? Surely we would have seen them wandering about!”“That is true,” Harmostayos nodded. This time, he did not smile, as was his custom. “But remember, Perilavos, that whoever arranged this formidable ring is undoubtedly a nation both numerous and powerful, not a tribe of savage barbarians which would be too weak and ignorant to drag those boulders along and arrange them with such ingenuity. Moreover, if yonder columns are hewn out of single pieces of rock, which appears to be the case, it would take hundreds of men to break them free, shape them, bring them here, raise them high, and then place them on top of one another!” He fell silent.”
― Joe Alex, The Ships of Minos 5: A Bronze Age Saga Classic

“And we, pirates, not only prey upon the Cretans but also upon those who trade with them, seizing their vessels, merchandise, and men. Therefore they are right when they mean to slay us.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Men are born to die. If Kasos is meant to claim my mortal body, I shall perish there. And then the suffering of old age, the worries of having a bent back, the torment of lifeless shoulders or eyes, which look upon a world of mist and darkness, will never visit me. On the day I first glimpsed the world, the three sisters spun my thread this long and no longer. Tears and sorrow are equally useless. My forefathers await my arrival in the land of shadows.”
― Joe Alex, The Ships of Minos 2: A Bronze Age Saga

“Do your words mean what you think, Minos?”she asked with uncertainty. “I am the sovereign. And you, Ariadne, are the embodiment of the power which moves the world. Are we capable of deceiving one another? We would soon pay the ultimate penalty if we were. Maybe I have managed to convince you. I do not know. But one thing must be made clear. You must realize that this island, its fate, and its future are just as dear to me as they are to you. Vidvoyos has often spoken wisely, and many of his ideas shall be put into force. Law and order are what we want, for too much violence and the dethronement of kings lead to destruction and all too often embolden the enemy. We could breathe new life into the effeminate heart of the kingdom by strengthening the authority of its monarch. And only you can help in this, despite the generally declining faith in the gods. Both you and the double-headed axe of our forefathers are symbols capable of unifying the people, for everyone still trusts in your miraculous powers, and even the courtiers who hold everything in derision would never dare turn against you. Maybe they realize that everything would crumble to nothing without your presence. Assist me, Ariadne. Who is Vidvoyos—or anyone for that matter—compared to the sacred destiny of Crete? He must depart at once or perish! Otherwise, the entire nation will be consumed by civil war from which it may never recover. That is all.”Silence fell, and for some time, they did not speak. ‘‘Vidvoyos does not believe in the gods...”she said softly as though answering a question of her own. “I have always resented that. Maybe they are not as we imagine them to be, but still, they do exist and must be served and honored. What would we be without them? Indeed, would we be anything at all? Anyone who ignores the gods must find support within his own self. But there are times in life when this kind of support is not enough. Perilavos is such a feeble, capricious child... And upon many occasions have I wondered whether he would be capable of becoming king and of guiding such a powerful nation.”Minos lowered his head in thought. Presently he looked up. ‘‘I would like you to appear in Amnissos on the day they depart so that you may step upon the altar of stone and make prophecies about their distant journey. For there is nothing to prevent you from wishing Vidvoyos a safe return and bidding him a kingly farewell.”
― Joe Alex, The Ships of Minos 2: A Bronze Age Saga

“Yes, you are right. You would make a good sovereign, undoubtedly a better one than my brother. But is there anything strange in this that a father wishes his child to experience the greatest glory the world may offer?”“But have you ever considered that happiness may be the thing that I desire the most?”The question came with such gravity of tone that immediately the prince looked up in astonishment and observed his slender, adolescent son now calmly contemplating his father with eyes suddenly stripped of their usual carefree innocence. “From the very first day that I saw you, tiny as you were, a wet nurse giving you suck, I have been thinking of your happiness. And today, you have spoken to the point yourself. Tell me what you mean by it, for what greater happiness is there than to become the sovereign of a vast and powerful empire and the lord of countless cities and ships?”Perilavos shook his head. “Maybe you are right, father, but I would never regard this as happiness...”And quickly, as though afraid the infuriated prince would interrupt him and forbid him to finish, he said: “My uncle longs to see us perish, and for this reason, we have sailed from Crete. But believe me, if he were to know how jubilantly I received his command, he would undoubtedly reconsider it. For if ever I am compelled to defy him to become Minos, there is no doubt in my mind that as an experienced seafarer and warrior, toughened by many hardships and with a deeper knowledge of the world, I will appear to him as a terrifying enemy. And if he is no longer among the living when we return, I shall become sovereign at once and restore our kingdom to its former magnificence. You yourself have always maintained that Crete is falling as a result of our effeminate ways. I wish to be a man, father, and that I shall be.”
― Joe Alex, The Ships of Minos 2: A Bronze Age Saga

“Quietly and lamentably, the beast neighed once more as if aware of what must infallibly take place. Constantly it searched for some kind of support with its hooves, but the smooth surface of the altar offered none at all, so that the creature slipped back without hope and froze still. At that moment, Ariadne raised a small labrys of stone and struck the beast twice, once with one blade and once with the other, turning the axe in her hand . A dreadful, almost human cry pierced the air as the creature suddenly tensed and then relaxed its body forever.”
― Joe Alex, The Ships of Minos 2: A Bronze Age Saga

“And my people, they too remain ignorant, for only I and the older priests are initiated! When the time is right, they send word throughout the land, calling together the many tribes of this domain, of which I am the ruler, inviting them to participate in the coming festivities. And so you see, no stranger will ever learn the time.”
― Joe Alex, The Ships of Minos 5: A Bronze Age Saga Classic

“For they all now realized that the greatest of sights which any seafaring man could ever hope to see was now before their eyes: they had witnessed the White Visage of Poseidon, observing them from beyond the confines of the sea. And so, with chattering teeth and with self-abasing thoughts, fearing dreadfully the White Visage, which constantly released beams of gold as though a prodigious mass of ice was floating in the sea and reflecting the sun, they pressed upon their oars and departed from these waters, leaving the Lord of Depths to enjoy his godly rest undisturbed. And now, they all realized that despite the numerous dangers undoubtedly still lurking ahead, from now on, nothing could prevent their safe return home. For he who has seen the Face of God and has not perished, can easily defy all forces of man, land, and sea. Once more, the distant Visage produced a flash upon the confines of the horizon and vanished forever: the Lord of Depths had descended to his peaceful palaces beneath, where he dwelled amongst the souls of courageous seafarers and in the presence of their faithful ships.”
― Joe Alex, The Ships of Minos 5: A Bronze Age Saga Classic

“An abundance of wealth and extravagance are rendering us helpless. The inhabitants of this land, those who have dwelled here for thousands of years, will always look upon us as their conquerors, and they will unite with anyone against us as soon as we are too weak to defend ourselves.”
― Joe Alex, The Ships of Minos 2: A Bronze Age Saga