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We went into the house. There were low ceilings in the entrance area, but the space was very open. Through pillars supporting the roof, we could see openings to the inner courtyard, and other areas with high, cool ceilings. It was elegant and uncluttered. There were sculptures, but they seemed to be placed provisionally and without trying to make a show. The house had a welcoming atmosphere, perhaps because of the warm-coloured couches placed in agreeable corners.
Hermippē refreshed us with cool drinks and a light meal, and explained that Hermocrates would be away until later in the afternoon. Then she showed us a maquette.
‘That’s the model of the statue which was stolen from the temple.’
I looked at it. It was the height of a forearm. An extraordinary piece! Though small, it seemed to have a kind of majesty, as befitted a statue of a goddess. Yet it was also wholly human, down to an enigmatic smile.
‘Is this the size of the final statue?’ I asked.
‘This is a little bigger than the final statue itself,’ said Hermippē. ‘Hermocrates often makes several different maquettes before deciding which one to cast.’ Then she proposed that we should visit her garden.
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