The Arrows of Hercules

"My troubles are as many as the sands of the shore," replied Zopyros.

"Well, the good are not immune to sorrow. What grieves you?"

"I can't make these cursed things work! It's easy to rig a tackle to draw the bowstring back. The problem is to make the arrow stay in place while the mechanism releases the string. Or rather, that's one problem; the other is the release mechanism itself. Either the thing lets go too soon, while you're still cranking the windlass to pull back the bowstring; or it won't let go at all when you want it to; or you have to yank the release lever so hard that the bow wobbles and spoils your aim. What's worse, there's no solid support for the arrow, which falls to the ground at the slightest jar."

Archytas stood in thought for a while, then said: "That night when you first suggested using a bow instead of a single casting arm, you also said something about a fixed beam or trough, with a groove in which the projectile could slide back and forth."

Zopyros jumped up, clapping a hand to his forehead. "How could I have forgotten! I must be losing what little mind I have. Of course that's the answer! That trough would serve both functions: to hold the missile steady, and to mount the mechanism. It'll also brace the upright structure; these single posts tend to work loose. I'll find my men and put them to work at once."

"Where are they now?"

"Alexis wanted them to help make models of his supergalleys, and I had no immediate use for them. So I lent them to him." Zopyros started down the range with long strides. When he came within shouting distance of the strollers, he called: "Ea, Alexis!"

"What is it?" said the shipwright with a frown.

Zopyros hurried closer. "If you don't mind, I should like Skylax and Hermon back. I have urgent work for them."

Alexis looked down his nose, as well as he could at a taller man. "So, my dear Zopyros, have I. You shall have them back when I am good and ready to send them back, and not before."

"Well, grind me to sausage! When I sent them to you, it was with a clear understanding—"

"That I should keep them as long as I needed—"

"It was not!"

"It was! The God rot you, go away and stop bothering busy people!"

"Lying knave!"

"Bungling incompetent!"

As the two young men began thrusting their faces forward and clenching their fists, Drakon pushed between them, shouting:

"That's enough! Hold your tongues, you two! You're quarreling over the shadow of an ass."

The disputants began to drench their superior in arguments, until he stamped and screamed: "Shut up, Zeus blast you! I'm the manager here. Now hear my judgment. Alexis is right in one way: that it wastes a workman's time to keep jerking him from job to job, like a fish on a line. So he'll keep the two men for the time being. Now, don't you hoist the red flag at me, Master Zopyros! I'll find you another carpenter and helper as soon as I can; there's always somebody who hasn't enough to do. Get along about your business, both of you, and not another word."