311. Plato's Cave
Amon smiled very honestly: "Of course I welcome you when you come here." ...... But the person who created this rumor can see it very accurately, even if you know it's a rumor, but you will still come, someone is sure that you will come!"
Yin Nanna's expression had softened, and she said in a coquettish tone: "It's good if you're happy." β
Amon grabbed her wrist and hugged her and said, "Of course I'm happy, but I'd like to ask a question, what exactly is the 'Arrow of Eros' you just mentioned?"
Yin Nanna replied: "I didn't understand it at first, it must be just a title, but I already understood it just now." You should also feel that someone was hit by an arrow outside the door, and that is actually a heart-warming feeling. β
Amon nodded, "Yes, I sensed that someone was secretly casting a spell on Alexander, and when I went out to greet him, his mind was all on you." You used to be the god of youth and love, and some of the means should know better than I do, what is going on?Can Eros make one fall in love with another, and if so, can you do the same?"
Yin Nanna smiled bitterly: "As the god of love, or the angel of youth and love, the question that cannot be answered is precisely - what is love? I have heard countless prayers in the temple of people asking the gods to bless another person to fall in love with him. But I've never used it, except once. β
Amon asked, "Which time, is it the Lion King or Enqidu?"
Yin Nanna slapped him delicately: "What nonsense are you talking about! That person was just a stupid boy who didn't know anything at that time, and he had just come out of the mountains to the outside world, and he was not as shrewd as he is now." When I said that I was a slave shepherd, he believed me and accompanied me to find the lost lamb, but he did not know that the lamb was himself. β
Amon laughed: "Oh, so you said that it was me, did you also shoot me an arrow?"
Yin Nanna said angrily: "If it is called the 'Arrow of Eros', I doubt that the arrow hit the knee?
Amon smiled and said, "Who said that?" I have a reaction, very tempted!" and then said in a soothing tone: "But it's not right, the Alexander I saw just now is obviously different from me at that time!"
Mu Yun explained: "People are different, who knows what you are thinking in your heart? You were cultivating the power of two sides of the same body that you were exploring on your own, and you just passed the test of "Devil's Temptation" and were not affected by me, otherwise you would not have helped me win the bet with Enriel, I knew it very well at the time...... But Alexander is not you, and now you should understand why Eros can't answer what love is, because even the gods can't decide, and the 'arrow of Eros' may not have anything to do with love. β
Amon shook his head and said, "I still don't understand. β
Mu Yun narrowed her eyes and said, "Can you tell me why a person falls in love with another person? What is this so-called love? Is it a cause or a result? Is it inevitable? Is there a should and should not be, may or may not be?"
Amon blinked: "Well...... I can't answer. β
Mu Yun stretched out his finger and tapped on Amon's chest: "If even you can't answer, then no one can answer." β
Amon: "Let's talk about the arrow just now, you are standing next to Alexander, and you should know better than I am." β
Mu Yun: "I've already explained, it's a heart-warming feeling, just when he saw me. It can awaken the resonance of the desire in the heart and the pursuit of the soul, and the body and mind have a strange feeling, feeling that this is what they want. It was as if it had left an imprint on his soul and made him never forget. Alexander was just a mortal, and he probably happened to be thinking about such a question in his heart, imprinted into his soul by this arrow. β
Amon blinked again: "After going around in such a big circle, you might as well simply say - he is in love with you." β
Yin Nanna smiled bitterly again: "To be more preciseβhe has taken a fancy to me! That heart-warming feeling has merged with the soul's desire, and that arrow has succeeded." β
Amon frowned slightly: "Is that a secret plan? If it is the effect of divine art, it can also be eliminated with divine magic." β
Mu Yun shook his head and said, "Even if you use the most brilliant blessing magic technique, you won't let him stop thinking about it, because this is his spontaneous induction, although it is caused by external factors, but the soul has been touched." Emotions belong to him, and you pray for him, and you can't make him not dream of me. β
Amon thought for a moment: "Then there is only one way. β
Mu Yun understood what Amon was talking about, and opened her mouth to remind: "The imprint of the soul is indelible, but memory can be sealed. But sealing a memory is a means that only the gods have. If you use this tactic against Alexander here, you are violating your agreement with Zeus. ...... Why, are you unhappy? In fact, this method does not succeed unconditionally, but also depends on whether the object can arouse his affection. β
Amon laughed again, "This also proves that you are attractive enough, how can I not be happy?, but this is a trap, and someone has designed a trap against me, which is to take advantage of your presence." β
As he spoke, Amon imprinted a piece of information into Mu Yun's soul, explaining a series of things that had happened recently. Mu Yun also instantly realized that he was in the middle of the scheme, and frowned: "Engaging in this kind of small action is nothing more than wanting to leave a shadow in Alexander's heart, every time I see you, I can't help but think of it, feel regretful, and sigh secretly." Although he still respects you and won't say things you shouldn't say, he can't help but think of them, and I'm afraid it's not a happy thing. This is the subtlety of emotion, repeatedly prying a small gap, and over time it can create a bigger rift. β
Amon asked, "It's Aphrodite's means again, why does she always do the same thing about such a boring thing?"
Mu Yun grabbed Ameng's hand: "You have to be careful, this method is not boring at all! Although it is just a small trouble, but the accumulation of small troubles again and again can magnify the cracks that have not yet been seen, which is the inherent weakness of the surname." As the goddess of love, Aphrodite is of course able to use this kind of means, and I suspect that there are people behind her who are pointing her fingers and calculating very well.
Apollo is not your opponent, and if you want to fight you directly, they may not be anyone's opponent, but they use people related to you, including Medanzo, Alexander, and now me. Spirits have weaknesses as long as they are in the human world, and if you don't have anything to do with everything around you, then why do you exist? β
Mu Yun is worthy of being an angel who has transcended eternal life, the former god of youth and love, although she was calculated, she looked at it very thoroughly when she looked back. It was the goddess of wisdom who pointed out Aphrodite behind her, and Mu Yun explained Aaronna's plan and predicted that there would be trouble in the future.
Amon nodded and said, "Actually, SchrΓΆdinger has already reminded me of what will happen. This is also the test I have to face when I come here to find out, and it seems like a few boring troubles, but the methods of the gods are often revealed in hindsight. I also want to thank you for being here today, although it is the result of the calculations of the Olympian gods, but you also remind me. β
Mu Yun said again: "Even I have been calculated, and it is embarrassing to stay here, so I'd better go." Now that you understand the other person's intentions, then pay attention to everything. β
Amon smiled: "You don't have to be in such a hurry, since you are here, it is not too late to leave tomorrow, I will accompany you to visit Macedonia." β
...... The next day, Yin Nanna quietly left Macedonia, did not stay in the Olympian Domain, and the next two months were peaceful, as if nothing had happened.
Alexander didn't mention it to anyone, he knew what not to say and what not to think about. But in the dead of night, he always couldn't help but think of Yin Nanna's appearance, feeling helpless and regretful. The young prince inexplicably experienced the taste of falling out of love, and was it all because of Amon? In fact, he knew very well that it had nothing to do with Amon.
...... The wedding of Philip II's daughter and Alexander's sister finally took place, and due to the special status of the bride and groom, the wedding venue was chosen on the border of the Macedonian kingdom. It was originally part of the kingdom of Tuyachi, which was later occupied by Macedonia during the Greco-Persian Wars.
Both Philip II and Alexander were present at the wedding, and Alexander had already decided to marry a princess who would be most helpful to the Macedonian kingdom in the future. He told his father about this decision, and Philip II was very happy - what a sensible boy he was!
Amon was a little uneasy, and specially told Medanzo to accompany Alexander. The purpose of this marriage, arranged by Philip II, was to control and annex Tuaqi, and there must have been people who did not want to see it. I think that when Amun assassinated Sinach the Great, it was also at a wedding, whether there would be an accident or not, it was better to be prepared.
Amon was on guard, but the unexpected happened. On the evening of the wedding day, a magician rushed back to the royal capital in a shuttle to report that Philip II had been assassinated!
The murderer assassinated the king and fled with the help of his accomplices. When he fled to the border, he was overtaken and killed in the fight against capture, so the motive for the king's assassination will remain a mystery forever. As soon as Philip II died, the kingdom of Macedonia would immediately face civil strife if there was a change in various places.
Philip II fought countless battles in his life, but his death was so sudden that everyone was surprised. Thanks to the arrangements he had made during his lifetime, Alexander was firmly in control of the kingdom's armies. Medanzo immediately took the opportunity to escort Alexander back to the royal capital, and let His Royal Highness the prince preside over the overall situation and take the throne as soon as possible to stabilize the situation.
When this happened, Amon had to ask Medanzo why he was able to let the Assassins succeed when he was there, and Medanzo was helpless, as he was talking to Alexander with a group of princesses who were all about to move, when the Assassin suddenly took action.
This assassin was an assassin that no one could guard against, he was an eighth-level warrior, and his identity was actually the captain of the guard who personally protected Philip II! After the assassination, people made all kinds of speculations, but no one could say why the assassin did it?
...... Alexander returned to the royal capital and never saw Amon again, a young king who had lost his father and was still in control of the kingdom in a mutation. Zeus had sent an oracle to bless the new king, and Alexander proclaimed his succession on the day he returned to Macedonia.
He also needed to hold a formal enthronement ceremony, offer sacrifices to the gods under the auspices of the priests, and receive congratulations from his ministers and the people before he could become the legitimate new king. So Alexander has a lot to deal with lately, and he simply doesn't have time to come back to Aristotle.
Aristotle was also busy, living in the palace for many days on end, taking care of many ceremonial matters for the funeral of Philip II and the accession of Alexander. Amon still lives in Aristotle's house, as if he were a forgotten, idler with nothing to do.
Just after the assassination of Philip II, another rumor appeared throughout Macedonia that it turned out to be about Amun. At that time, Amun had a famous nickname -- the Emperor Killer! All the emperors who met Amun and had close contact with him died well, and almost all of them died in a very short time.
Amun was mentioned in the discussion of Philip II's death, claiming that Philip II's mysterious assassination was due to Amon's curse. Many of the people who spread this rumor had never known who Amon was before, and had never even heard of Amon's name, but because of the assassination of Philip II, the story of Amun quickly spread throughout Macedonia.
It is said that such an evil god from a foreign land quietly entered Macedonia and met Philip II, and this tragedy happened.
The people who talked about it had not seen Amun, and most did not know that Amon lived in Aristotle's house. Such rumors sound nonsense, and those in the know know that Philip II's death has nothing to do with Amun, and no one mentions it in front of Amun, but how could Amon not know this?
Amon could only smile bitterly, it turned out that he also had a spell, just like the famous "love curse" of Goddess Mu Yun back then, which was helpless. He didn't say anything, just waited quietly, waiting for someone to bring it up to his face.
The day before the enthronement of the new king, Aristotle, who had been busy for a long time, finally returned home, and he came to Amun, accompanied by Medanzo. Medanzo's expression was somewhat embarrassed and resentful, but Aristotle's expression was calm, with only a hint of tiredness and regret.
Medanzo told Amon what rumors were circulating in the Macedonian kingdom recently, and finally gritted his teeth and said: "I don't know who deliberately created this rumor, just to force you to leave Macedonia, so that Alexander will never see you again or hate you." But the rumor-mongers did not succeed, because Alexander did not believe it, and he still invited you to the ceremony. β
Amon sighed, "Medanzo, you don't have to be angry. It's not exactly a rumor, people believe what they see, and that's what happened in the past. The misfortunes of those emperors have their own misfortunes, but people blame me. β
Aristotle also sighed: "My teacher Plato, when he was teaching epistemology, told a story. There is a group of prisoners who have lived in a cave since they were children, and their whole bodies are tied and cannot move or look back, only looking at the back wall of the cave. Behind them was a fire, and between the fire and the prisoners were people holding various dolls and making movements, sometimes talking, sometimes silent.
The prisoners could only see the images projected on the cave walls, and this was the world they could see. They will take these images as real, the echoes of the cave as the words of the images, and people can only understand what they can see, and it is difficult to know beyond what they see. If a prisoner breaks free and turns around and walks out of the cave, he will discover the source of the images. β
Amon smiled bitterly and said, "Sir, thank you for unraveling me! Is this the source of my so-called 'Emperor Killer' curse? Are you also hinting at the meaning of transcendent immortality? In fact, I know in my heart that I am like the prisoner who broke free. β
Aristotle explained, again: "I know that these words need not be said to you, but I have only told Alexander the story of the teacher Plato in order to answer the rumors about you in the kingdom." So Alexander still decided to invite you to the ceremony. β
Medanzo gave a thumbs up and said, "This kid has courage, and he really has a kind!"
Amon waved his hand: "You haven't finished your words yet, so let's continue." β
Aristotle also smiled bitterly: "But the ministers objected, and the generals who followed Alexander loyally even drew their swords and told him to never see you again." β
Aristotle finally said the knot of the problem, even if Alexander himself didn't care about this rumor, but others cared, and the more loyal the courtiers to the new king, the more they wanted to prevent Alexander from seeing Amun. Those who were willing to serve Alexander even did not hesitate to die to dissuade him. This was their loyalty to Alexander, and it was inconvenient for Alexander to rebuke.
Amun replied: "I see, Alexander, in order to show his attitude, invited me to the ceremony. And the faithful servants will not allow the new king to see me again for the sake of his safety. It seems like a difficult question, which is more important, the authority of the king or the loyalty of the subjects, but it is a difficult problem to solve, and if I refuse the invitation, no one has to be embarrassed. β
Aristotle nodded: "That's the way it is, in fact, you don't have to say anything, you will make this decision." But I'm still going to tell you everything myself, it's my responsibility. β
Medanzo said angrily: "I must find out the source of the rumors!
Amon shook his head, looked up at the sky and said, "There's no need to track it down, I know who it is." These people didn't make up anything, they just told people something that had happened, so that everyone could see the shadow on the cave. ...... Mr. Aristotle, it was you who brought me to Macedonia, and I do not want to embarrass you. Then I ask you to tell His Majesty Alexander that I will not go to the ceremony, and that I will leave Macedonia and never see him again until he is officially enthroned. β
(To be continued)