Run, Melos!

Melos is a naive young shepherd with a sense of justice. He lives in a land ruled by Dionysius, a tyrant king who has killed many people, including his family members, due to his solitude and distrust of people. When Melos hears about the King's deeds, he is outraged, and he decides to assassinate the King. He sneaks into the castle with a knife but is caught and arrested. Although Melos defiantly owns up to his plan to kill the King, he pleads with the cynical tyrant to postpone his execution for three days so that he can return home to arrange his younger sister's marriage. As collateral for his pledge to return, Melos offers his friend Selinuntius as a hostage, who would be executed in his stead should Melos not return in time. The King agrees to Melos' conditions but threatens to kill him should he return moments too late. Melos insists that saving his own life is not his intention. Informed of the situation, Selinuntius readily agrees to the role that Melos assigned him without asking. Back in his hometown, Melos tells his eager sister and her hesitant fiancé that there is an urgent need for them to be married, but does not reveal his true motivations. While the wedding festivities are in progress, Melos goes to bed to get some rest but ends up oversleeping. Consequently, he sets off to return to the city the next morning. Along the way, he experiences many hardships, such as a broken bridge due to the overflowing of the river and bandit attacks. The combination of physical exhaustion and said impediments tire him. Since his fatigue makes him indifferent to the fate of his friend and the impact that his death will have on his own reputation, Melos slows down and nearly gives up while taking a break. After contemplating the consequences while drinking fresh water from a spring, he rushes off for the sake of his friend's life and to prevent the King from justifying his cynical views. While Melos desperately runs back to Syracuse, a mutual acquaintance attempts to persuade him to give up, claiming that Melos is already too late. In the evening, Melos arrives in the city just in time to save his friend Selinuntius from his public execution. Melos implores Selinuntius to hit him to atone for his treachery, and Selinuntius asks him to do the same for having doubted Melos' return while being held captive because of him. The King, forced to reexamine his position due to the crowd's reaction, decides to let Melos go. == References in other media ==