Lost Temple

Acknowledgements

Researching this book required travelling almost as much as the characters in it. Though my journeys usually involved less danger, they certainly provided as great a sense of wonder and discovery. For that I owe thanks to Colin Macdonald, who graciously showed me around the Villa Ariadne at Knossos when I turned up on his doorstep; Lucy and Nik Ftochogiannis at the Apollo Pavilion on Lemnos, whose home-made wine I promised to mention; James Harrop, with whom I discovered lost cities and fried pancakes on the natural gas flames at Cirali; and my Greek family — Helen, George and Panos Hayios — for their help and hospitality during my trips there.

Back at home, Yulia Kovacs and Isabella Paul provided Russian and German translations, while my sister Iona helped with the classical references. Dr Jonathan Burgess was kind enough to share an early draft of his monograph on The Death and Afterlife of Achilles, possibly unaware of how I would misuse his research. My agent Jane Conway-Gordon provided constant support and regular sustenance. At Random House, my editor Oliver Johnson encouraged my vision of the book and gave it his usual masterful commentary, while Charlotte Haycock kept everything running smoothly. Both were hugely supportive in the face of a daunting schedule, which made a great difference. I'm also grateful to Richard Ogle, Rodney Paul, Claire Round, Louise Campbell, John Kelly and Richard Foreman for all their efforts on my behalf.

My wife Marianna was, as ever, an indispensable partner in all my creative endeavours.