Cephalos was a very late patriarch within a well-arrived age of illustrious mythic personages. By this serialization in restoration of what Classical Greek Myth-ology has expunged of his robust youth, we have arrived at the apex of his covert and multifaceted subversion to destroy imperial Crete and its Great Minos.
Cephalos has also finalized the formative coalition of small navies for two great sea battles-the Annihilations of 1365 attendant to two eradications of piracy the same spring. Next he must address the Second Tribute Taking forthcoming in 1360 BC while his powers so ruthless against Enemy are still undiscovered.
He must suffer undeserved adversities. His successful marriage to High Princess Prokris is failing on account of her long-proven barrenness, a condition that makes their remarriage impossible. Worse still, the next Tribute Taking is brought forward by two years, thwarting his aspirations toward a Saronic Gulf Secession. Still, his next wipeout of Crete's western Imperial Far Fleets proceeds as covertly as possible. Coincidentally, his naval operations assume greater scope overseas from all three of his operational venues, particularly Brauron Cove. His naval genius there shall realize a second era of great oared vessels. But it brings upon him a long-postponed fate with attendant adversities.
Our second continuing heroine, Skia of Aphidnai, is about to become the Panantaxia or High Sister of the Sanctuary, whereby her sudden declaration that she shall marry, as promised by Eos, her only choice of consort and husband to bear her children. Her intent to leave a life of abstinence is received with great joy, but also great mystery over her only choice. No suspense, however: We've long known that her affections have been reserved solely for Cephalos, the appointed hegemon of the Sanctuary. So the elite High Sisterhood and Sacral Elders muster to matchmake and cozen him to become the Harvest King of vernal equinox, whereby festivities to conjoin him to Skia via hierogamy, or sacral marriage. The consequences of her fertility and joy of two children, so rapidly conceived by Cephalos' siring, lead to the discovery of his virtual bigamy. Henceforth, a royal decree of renunciation of the hierogamy, a severe override of objections by Skia the Panantaxia and her High Sisters.
This fifth book, Navarch and War Commodore, finishes its fictional content rendered proto-historically, by the academic expository fiction of New Greek Mythology. Its conclusion covers his last Saronic Gulf years, from 1362 through 1360 BC, and reverts at least emendation to surviving writ about him. It completes proofs of his fourfold ascendancy that shall eventually pit his orches-trations of great wealth and the abilities of maritime Greeks against imperial Crete of the wicked Great Minos and his loathsome son, the prince-Minotaur Asterion.
