​

As a hetaera, Althia became one of the wealthiest women of her time. Her beauty made many believe in perfection. The curvature of her waist, as smoothly as the silent water under the moonlight, made men wished that they once bathed in it. Her pure dreamy eyes took away the souls of many men. As her popularity rose, the jealousy also increased. The Women, whose husbands were infatuated with Althaia’s beauty, cursed for her death. The men, who could not get her because of their financial incapability, swore to take her down. Then the day had finally come when someone accused her of impiety. Althaia was put on trial and found guilty for profaning the gods. She understood the jealousy that people felt toward her and took it upon herself to accept it as a cost for the necessary work she did. However, she did not expect it to get this far. The charge of impiety was a frequent charge in Athen at the time and usually result in capital punishment. Feared for her life, Althaia struggled to find someone to defend her in the trial. Althaia could feel the fear rose as the trial’s day arrived. Her inside felt like it could come out at any moment, yet, she had to compose herself as a civilized woman. There was a second that she thought to herself that all her choices were all mistakes. Why did she sacrifice herself for a cause that was impossible to do?  What had those women done for her after everything she had done to help many women? What did she get in return? A trial for persecution. But with a moment of honesty with herself, rather than hating these women, she hated herself because she did not do enough for them.