…Nearby, some old women spoke in a low voice
about his last day alive
Christ’s name was on his lips all the time,
they said, and he held a cross in his hands.
Then four Christian priests
Came into the room, praying
and offering supplications to Jesus,
or to Virgin Mary (I don’t know their religion well).
We knew, of course, that Myres was Christian.
We knew from the first moment
he joined our group two years ago.
But he behaved precisely as we did.
He was the most addicted of all of us to carnal pleasures,
spending his money lavishly on amusements.
Indifferent to the people’s regard,
he threw himself willingly into the nightly fights
every time our group happened
to come across an opposing group.
He never spoke of his religious beliefs.
In fact, I remember once we said
that we would take him to the Serapeum.
However, I remember now, it seems
he got annoyed with this jest of ours.
Ah, another two instances come to mind as well.
When we offered libations to Poseidon,
he pulled back from our group and looked away.
When one of us proposed enthusiastically,
“Let our group be under the auspices
of the great and all beautiful Apollo,” Myres whispered,
(the others didn’t hear him) “excluding me”.
Libros Libertad 