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Ariadne/Chapter Eight: Diantha’s Dance

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Chapter Eight:
Diantha’s Dance

Ariadne and Leonardos were having a conversation near the fence of cypress trees and various dense flowering bushes which covered the perimeter of the entire territory of the School. Pythagoras had told Leonardos the day before that he was expecting a new student today and asked Leonardos to meet him. “Does he always know when pure souls seek help?” — Ariadne asked.

“Yes! But today might also be a test of my discernment. After all, so many people are attracted to come here because of idle curiosity or because they have been swept away by tales of the miracles performed by Pythagoras!”

… Soon, a tall dark-haired young man approached them:

“Is the School of the great Pythagoras here?”

“Who told you about this and about Pythagoras?”

“I heard a lecture by a young man named Theoritus, and this made me want to attend this School. He was such an inimitable speaker! I had never seen this before: his speech was not accepted by the audience, they tried to drown him out with disgruntled cries, and they threw rotten fruits at him… But he continued, being absolutely sure that he was right! He told so many new things about the Gods! So, I wanted to see and hear his Teacher Pythagoras himself! Is it possible?”

“Yes, tomorrow Pythagoras will speak to the inhabitants of Crotone. You should come!”

“But I don’t know anyone here! Perhaps you can tell me where it will be, and where a not too rich traveler can stay? The taverns here are probably very noisy, drinking wine there is natural. Perhaps it will be permissible to stay at the School itself? My name is Kondratos.”

“I will take you to the house of one of our friends. There, you will be provided with decent hospitality. I am very glad, Kondratos, that you have come such a long way to learn! Nowadays, not many people go on a journey with such a lofty goal!

“Someday, the words of Pythagoras will become lessons for many people! Some of them will use this knowledge only as information about numbers and measures, the laws of musical harmony, or the ‘golden ratio’ in proportions in architecture, while others will study more deeply!

“However, as of now, all of us, including Theoritus, are still only just beginning to find the words to give this knowledge to people!

“Come on, our new guest!

“Ariadne! See you tomorrow at Pythagoras’ speech!”

* * *

The next day, early in the morning, Ferenika came to Ariadne’s house in a confusion of thoughts and emotions:

“I need to talk to you, dear Ariadne! If I don’t, I will simply die or go crazy!”

“Of course, Ferenika! Let’s go and sit in the garden by the fountain, near the silence and beauty of flowering trees and the soft whisper of jets of water! All this will help you calm down!”

“Oh no! Now nothing can calm and comfort me! I must tell you about this!

“My Caterius — he abandoned me! Can you imagine? He will marry another! How could this even happen?

“He’s a nobody! He said that now everything is over between us! Yes, I am more pleasant to him than that woman, but he intends to marry her because she’s rich!

“Such treachery! Such baseness! He dared to betray me so despicably!

“Beautiful and lovely ladies receive flattering words of admiration from such men, and then they give themselves entirely to these ungrateful ones… But then, these men marry noble and rich ladies instead! What treachery!

“It turns out that he was only having fun with me! And he said he loved me!

“Now, perhaps, I also need to take a vow and become a Pythagorean — and no longer think about happiness in this world!”

“Ferenika, what are you talking about?! Your mind is probably very clouded by the storm of your emotions!

“Things in life is not at all the way they appear to us when we are upset or angry! You are too agitated and are thinking with resentment today!

“Do you really think that only unhappy, outwardly unattractive, offended, or poor people seek refuge for themselves on the spiritual Path?

“Quite the opposite: as a rule, the people who come to Pythagoras are those who have already achieved everything in this earthly life and are looking for the highest meaning of our existence! Recently, a sage and healer came to him, who was already many years old, he was older than Pythagoras himself. And he asked permission to become a disciple. And Pythagoras taught him so that he could initiate his students in his own country! Of course, not many people know about the Pythagorean School yet. But the time will come when people everywhere will learn about the Teachings of Pythagoras!

“Try to calm down all your indignation now, breathe deeply, look at the streams of water — and listen to me!

“Pythagoras teaches us to immediately regain self-control when a storm of destructive emotions rushes in!

“Now try to look at everything that happened as if from the outside! And you will see this as a blessing, not a reason for sadness!

“Look: after all, if your admirer married you, and then began to neglect you, it would be much worse! Would it not?

“And are you not yet tired of all these days and nights, filled only with carnal pleasures, wine, and treats? All these gratifications are so short and transient! Have you never dreamed of greater happiness? Do you really think that the highest thing for a person’s life is to enjoy everything that is possible to receive from the flesh?

“Do you want Leonardos to talk to you about some unshakable truths and the meaning of our lives? He has become very good at it! And you hardly listen to me, being absorbed in your experiences! He will tell you about the School, about what we can learn so that life’s problems do not become tragedies for us, and so that we can learn to choose higher goals for our lives!”

“Aren’t you going to be jealous?”

“You make me laugh, Ferenika! Not all human relationships are based on passionate love, resentment, and jealousy! It’s possible to live differently, like we do in the brotherhood of us — the Pythagoreans.

“This does not mean, of course, that there can be no love or marriage between two persons. But there are other manifestations of love! And among them, is love for the Highest, for the Divine!”

… At this time, Diantha came out of the grape entwined gallery, which was near the fountain.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Ariadne! I did not realize that you were with someone… I will come back after…”

… Ariadne stopped Diantha:

“No! You didn’t interrupt our conversation! We would love to hear from you! Did you want to say something?”

“I wanted to try the dance again…”

… Ariadne turned to Ferenika:

“Diantha showed me her dance today. Would you like to see her dance for both of us? It's so beautiful!”

… Diantha, feeling a little embarrassed, addressed Ferenika:

“I have created a dance that I would like to show tomorrow to Pythagoras… The dance is a story about a soul that awakes and blooms in light and love, just like a flower that opens itself up towards the Sun.

“There is a pond nearby where lotus seeds have been planted. These seeds were specially brought for Pythagoras from Egypt. Yesterday, the first three flowers blossomed! And a few more buds, which have not yet opened, recently appeared above the water! Yesterday, was admiring them… And it seemed to me like the story of my own life.

“From other lands, I came here and was unhappy in the darkness of the events around me… And then, thanks to Pythagoras, a miracle happened! Just like a lotus flower, I awoke to light and a real life!

“A small seed holds great power to become a flower! And you can feel like you are a seed and allow a transforming new birth to take place.

“When the life force awakens, the seed begins to germinate. It gradually reaches for the light. The sprout, overcoming the soil layer and the water column, rushes up. Then, the bud opens above the surface, and the petals reveal the even more beautiful and tender heart of the flower.

“Do you want me to dance for you?”

“Yes, we’ll watch it with pleasure! Perhaps, your dance will distract me from sad thoughts!” — Ferenika answered.

Ariadne added:

“Diantha, please, bring a lyre — and I’ll try to complement your dance with music!”

… While Diantha went to bring a musical instrument, Ferenika asked:

“Is this your ex-slave? And is she now your friend?”

… Ariadne thought for a few seconds, choosing the right words to answer her:

“You should not look down on people, nor should you obsequiously look at them from the bottom up!

“Pythagoras teaches us: you should not look down on people! It humiliates others and breeds complacency and arrogance! And one should not be subservient to others: this weakens the soul’s own forces and creates idols.

“It is wise to look at people with discernment, but this should be accompanied by love and respect.

“Try to follow this — and then you will begin to perceive life as it truly is, and not how you imagine it to be!

“For example, your Caterius: he does not want to change himself yet… Accept this fact as an inevitability — and let him go his own way!

“Look: here is Diantha! Her difficult past no longer exists now! That silent slave whom you saw before — is no more! She is so beautiful! And Pythagoras helped her to become like this!

“Now, Diantha will tell about it in her dance, without words. And you will see what happens to a soul when it strives to open like a beautiful flower! This is how inner beauty is born, blossoms, and becomes fragrant!”

… Diantha brought the lyre.

Ariadne began to play a melody softly. Sounds were born under her slender fingers. As small air bubbles rise up from the water — so the sounds of the lyre fascinated and lifted souls into the worlds of Transparent Light and Tender Harmony…

Ferenika involuntarily succumbed to the enchanting and soothing music…

… At first, Diantha knelt down, bowing her head, as if she had turned into a motionless statue, like a stone. And gradually, in this stillness, movement was born. At first, it was barely noticeable. One hand, like a sprout, slowly moved and shot up, followed by the other hand. Then, with a flexible movement, her whole body rushed up and fluttered according to the gentle sounds of the lyre… Diantha’s arms, legs, and torso movements — everything merged in the magic of the dance…

She enchanted them with her grace and the story that symbolically unfolded in the dance. Like a flexible stem with a bud, swaying slightly in the water column, it grew and stretched towards the light. And then the bud broke through the water, and a flower began to bloom above the surface of the water. Delicate petals, opening, revealed the radiance of the life inside!…

The immaterial flower, consisting of a shining white-golden color, grew more and more…

Ferenika began to think that she saw that immaterial Light. But she did not try to understand why and how this happened.

Ferenika forgot about her sorrows and, when the dance ended, exclaimed:

“It was amazingly beautiful! Thank you, Diantha!”

… The girls were silent for a while.

Then, Ferenika could not resist:

“Well, where is your Leonardos, Ariadne? Once you introduce us, I will fall in love again — and again I will be joyful and happy!”

… She was already joking quite cheerfully. But behind the external gaiety, there was something new, unknown before, to which she had already decided to strive!