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The year is 415 BC. The war between Athens and Sparta has started again. Alcibiades has persuaded the Athenians to attack Syracuse in Sicily with a massive fleet of triremes. The aim is to cut off Sparta's supply of food and bring the enemy to its knees. Alcibiades and Nicias have been made joint commanders of the Athenian fleet.
The night before the fleet sets sail a strange thing happens. Alcibiades and his friends wreck many statues to the god Hermes. The Athenians are outraged. Alcibiades is arrested and taken from his ship. He doesn't wish to stand trial, so he escapes .... to SPARTA of all places. He gives the Spartans full details of the Athenian battle plan.
Sparcus the Younger is in Syracuse serving as a Spartan Soldier with the Sicilian army. Sparcus the Elder sends him details of the Athenian battle plan and then gets on with his job as Chief of the Secret Police chasing the Helots (who are planning rebellion).
Poliphus the Younger is now in the Athenian army in Sicily. He is one of only a few survivors of the disasterous campaign. He manages to get back to Athens where he is recognised by his sister Carintha as he leaves the ship.
The Athenians are still angry at Alcibiades' betrayal and begin to arrest and kill anyone who knew him. Grampus was a friend of Alcibiades. Diomedes tells him to hide but he is betrayed by his own son Poliphus the Elder and killed. Carintha feels threatened as her husband Diomedes was also one of Alcibiades' friends. Messupa has a hot racing tip for the next Olympics and is searching for a tall, dark, handsome stranger!!
Alcibiades is safe for the moment in Sparta. Hermes and Zeus are happily re-united. Pyramus is plotting rebellion and looks forward to meeting Polonia. Trepula receives a letter from little Iolanda, who is happily settled as a helot with a very kind family. Trepula is overcome with anger when she remembers how Patronus did not stop the soldiers taking Iolanda away ... so she poisons him.
Things can only get better ... or can they?