"Wow," Brody said as he stepped into the banquet room with Markos and Hermes.
"There are a lot of people here. It's like one of my football team's parties!"
The banquet room was large and full of people and gods.
Men and boys were lounging on the sofas that lined the walls, talking and laughing and drinking from goblets.
Servants bustled around, carrying trays of food and drink. Candles flickered inside clay lamps.
Brody spotted Zeus right away. The king of the gods was at the far end of the room, one hand on Heracles' shoulder.
Iphicles stood behind them. Zeus was talking to several other gods, including Hades and Poseidon.
Brody soon saw more familiar faces. Apollo was helping himself to food from a servant's platter.
Nearby, Athena was chatting with a pot-bellied god who had a bald head and a white beard.
"Hey, look, there's a donkey here!" Brody said, pointing to an animal standing next to the god.
"Yes," Markos said. "Silenus rarely travels without his donkey.
But I heard that many of the other gods also decided to bring their lucky creatures to this symposium."
He nodded toward Artemis, who was surrounded by several lean, amber-eyed hunting dogs as she talked with Hephaestus and Demeter.
"Symposium?" Brody blinked. "What's that? I thought this was supposed to be a banquet.
I hope they're going to serve more food!"
"A symposium is a type of banquet," Markos said, grinning at him.
"Don't worry, Brody, the food will be plentiful."
As if to prove Markos' point, a servant hurried up and offered them roasted meat and vegetables.
Brody helped himself to a piece of the meat.
He'd barely taken a bite when Hermes grabbed his arm and dragged him across the room.
"Nike, the goddess of victory, just arrived," Hermes said eagerly.
"I don't think she's seen you yet, has she, my boy?"
"Uh, I don't know." Brody glanced back to make sure that Markos was keeping up with them.
"Nike, my friend!" Hermes said when they reached a tall, broad-shouldered goddess with wings sprouting out of her back.
"I wish to introduce my champion, the finest mortal athlete in Greece!"
"Greetings, Hermes." Nike looked Brody up and down.
"I've heard that your champion is very talented." She smirked.
"Perhaps if Demeter's latest plot is successful, your champion might even win an event or two at the Games."
"Brody will win every event at the Games," Hermes bragged.
Then he blinked. "Wait—what plot are you talking about?"
Nike looked around, and then leaned closer.
"I've heard that Demeter plans to cause the grass beneath Heracles' feet to become as sticky as honey when he runs," she whispered loudly.
Brody looked at Markos to see if he had heard this news too.
But Brody quickly forgot about Heracles when Aphrodite walked into the room, followed by her champion.
"I see Aphrodite!" Brody exclaimed.
Hermes heard him and glanced toward the goddess of love.
"Stay away from her, boy," Hermes said sternly.
"She's been seen plotting with Hera. You don't want to get involved in that kind of trouble."
Brody waited until Hermes turned away again to talk to Nike.
Then Brody flashed a look at Markos. Brody and his friends had known about the goddesses' plotting days ago!
Hermes soon began dragging Brody around the room, introducing him to several other gods and goddesses.
But finally Hermes seemed to get bored.
"You may amuse yourselves for a while, my boys," he said to Brody and Markos.
"But stay together, just in case of trouble."
"We will," Markos promised.
Hermes disappeared into the crowd. Brody glanced around.
"Should we find more food?" he said.
"All right," Markos agreed. "I think there's a platter of bread over there."
The two of them walked over and helped themselves.
Nearby, two mortal boys around their age were deep in conversation.
"I'm glad I'm not Heracles," said the first boy, a skinny youth with bulging eyes.
"I heard all the gods are plotting against him."
His friend laughed. "You, a champion in the Olympic Games? Never!"
The first boy shoved him. "I could beat you in any footrace, that's for sure!"
"Oh yes? I might make you prove that, my friend," the second boy said with a sneer.
Brody grinned. Listening to the two boys boast to each other reminded him of being in the locker room with his friends from the football team.
His smile faded as he remembered how far away he was from that familiar scene.
"Look, Hera just arrived," Markos said, elbowing Brody.
The queen of the gods stepped to the center of the room with her champion beside her.
"Welcome, one and all," Hera said loudly. Everyone stopped talking to listen.
"I know we are all looking forward to the Olympic Games, which begin the day after tomorrow."
Her sharp gaze wandered to Zeus, who was listening with everyone else.
"In the meantime please enjoy the food, drink, and entertainment."
She clapped her hands, and several musicians and dancers hurried in.
Most of the musicians were men, but one was a pretty girl holding a flute.
Some of the dancers were female as well.
"Uh-oh, don't tell Julia there are girls here," Brody joked.
"She's already mad about not being invited to the banquet."
"Perhaps she should have volunteered to be part of tonight's entertainment," Markos joked in return.
"Does she, perhaps, have a talent for the lyre? Or for dancing?"
Brody smiled, but he didn't laugh. He couldn't help feeling a little guilty that Julia hadn't been allowed to attend the banquet.
It didn't seem fair that she couldn't come just because she was a girl.
Still, there was nothing he could do about it, so he took another big bite of his food and prepared to enjoy the show.