IN SPARTA
King Kleomenis didn’t know, he didn’t dare—
he didn’t know how to speak such words
to his mother: what Ptolemy demanded—
that she as well be sent to Egypt and be kept there
as a hostage to guarantee their agreement;
a very humiliating, improper thing.
And he was always about to speak; and he always hesitated.
And he always started to say it; and he always stopped.
But the gracious Lady understood him
(she had already heard some related rumors),
and she encouraged him to explain.
And she laughed; and she said certainly she would go.
And indeed she was proud to see that in her old age
she could still prove useful to Sparta.
As for the humiliation—she didn’t care.
An upstart king of the Lagidis line
could never understand the Spartan spirit,
so his demand could not really
humiliate a Lady as graceful
as Her; the mother of a Spartan King.
Libros Libertad 