The Story of Archimedes, Bathtaker - Chapter 3

Archimedes enters the city of Alexandria

It took another four hours for the Kyrenia to sail into the port of Alexandria. Archimedes watched the famous lighthouse grow larger. The blurry grey column became a colossal tower built of three giant stone-brick platforms. On top of the wide square base was a tall fortress with eight sides. Above this octagonal fortress sat a cylindrical spire with a great open arch at the peak, facing the sea. Archimedes saw the vast mirror flashing as it swiveled to reflect sunlight directly at ships approaching the Egyptian capital.

The Kyrenia rounded Pharos Island where the lighthouse stood and Archimedes found himself in a great harbour. Hundreds of wooden ships with sails of every colour were anchored, or roped to wooden piers thrusting out from the rocky shore. Squat sandstone buildings lined the coast, and behind them rose countless grand temples and obelisks. All around him, wind churned the sunlit blue water.

When they docked, Archimedes shouldered his travel-sack and shook hands with the merchants. Legs still wobbling, he staggered up the jetty to begin his search for the greatest library in the world.

The harbour was alive with human activity. Egyptian sailors, Greek traders and Roman soldiers moved at a chaotic pace on a million different missions. Archimedes was nearly knocked back into the sea as a man in a dirty grey singlet pushed past. He yelped in protest, and the man simply spat at his feet before marching away.

Archimedes hurried out of the path of two weathered mariners carrying a huge wooden crate and into a paved alleyway. The alley led to a crowded marketplace, where hundreds of people and animals all seemed to be trying to make as much noise as possible. As he pushed through the square, shopkeepers began haggling with him over the price of their wares. Trying to ignore the unintelligible shouting, he hopped around several piles of camel s**t and ended up in another narrow street.

Archimedes panted, and sagged against a rough brick wall. He had once considered Syracuse to be a bustling city, but compared to Alexandria, his home now seemed like a sleepy coastal town.

He turned to continue his quest and suddenly felt his nose snap. The back of his head was jolted into the bricks. Blinding pain and hot blood filled his nostrils as his travel-sack was tugged from his shoulder. He heard footsteps clatter away, but his eyes were watering and he never saw his attacker.

When he finally reached the library, he was limping and holding torn robes to his still bleeding nose. The building was twice the size of King Hiero’s palace in Syracuse. It was perfectly rectangular, with tall white columns around the perimeter.

Marble steps led him from the filthy paved road to the shining brass entrance. He lifted the hand not occupied with his nose, and began pounding on the doors.