‘No, love, it would not. We would not win that war – not when it would be fought against Cimon, son of Miltiades, against Themistocles, perhaps even against Aristides. We would lose everything – and you and the children would never be safe again. It is just ten years.’

The words were hollow. Ten years away from Athens! From plays and markets and politics and arguments and trials. From the beating heart of Attica and all Greece. Ten years from the great port of Piraeus and trading all over the Aegean. Ten years from gymnasia and the men who took up armour and spear to defend her. There was nowhere like the city of Athena. His life ahead was ashes.

‘I am sorry about the tea,’ she whispered.

He nodded, bowing his head so he could touch his cheek to hers.

‘I know. I am sorry too – and about the way I reacted. There is nothing like losing everything to remind a man what he values.’

He kissed her deeply, drawing her into his arms.

‘Ask Epikleos for anything you need. He will help – and you can trust him. I will send word when I have a place in Corinth. Come out to me then, with the children.’

‘I will count the days,’ she said. She raised her head to be kissed again and he tasted tears on her lips.

‘There, no more,’ he said gruffly. ‘I must be on my way.’

He broke free of his wife and patted the cheek of each of the three children, seeing how they were already growing taller. He climbed up to the seat on the cart and readied himself.

‘Goodbye,’ he called down to them.

Pericles and Eleni went to their mother’s skirts and Ariphron raised a childish hand in farewell as Xanthippus snapped the reins and forced the horses into a trot. The four hoplites mounted and took up formation around him, ready to fend off thieves or vagabonds. Xanthippus told himself he would not look back, but then did so anyway, watching the little group grow smaller until he could no longer see them against the glare of the sun.

In the spring, Aristides walked through the streets of the Ceramicus, on his way back from the port. He had gone down to the Piraeus to examine the accounts and the progress being made on the great fleet. They were used to him by then and had learned to answer his questions quickly and politely. It helped that he had replaced six of the port officials for corruption, appointing men he knew and trusted.

There was still waste; that was the nature of a great project. Wood they had purchased was found to be rotten or riddled with worm. Oil and tar was spilled with alarming regularity, while men lost tools at an extraordinary rate. Aristides suspected some of those were being taken home or sold in the local markets, but it was hard to prove. The city had to replace them, with the costs all written on good Egyptian papyrus and kept for the records.