From my Byzantine epic text. This character appears at some point in the story, rather mysteriously. Since I'm not going to go back and look, here is his story re-told. A shabby, middle-aged man meets and joins the group of traveling characters. He is dressed all in grey and has a "bindlestiff" over his shoulder, that is a bag of possessions balanced on a pole over his shoulder, the classic sign of a solo traveler. He introduces himself as "Skoteinos" which in Greek means the "shadowy one." He also bears a long knife or small sword with the word "NIKA" or "victory" engraved on the hilt. Skoteinos and the others fend off many dangers on the road as they journey to Constantinople with the runaway heroine. Only after he saves them does Skoteinos reveal that he is really a bishop. He had been driven out of his diocese because he was (correctly) accused of being a heretic. After revealing this, he disappears into the darkness never to be seen again. I based Skoteinos, like many others, after one of my Brandeis Greek professors.
Ink and watercolor on sketchbook page, 4 1/2" x 11 1/2", June 1975.
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