"Tempers have run hot in the past, and you are correct that I would prefer to argue the virtues of the New Aristotilian philosophae, but your next interviewee will be here soon. So how about you keep the purse and we can make an appointment to discuss the merits of New Arstotilian philosophae over some of it's outdated cousins?"
"How about you keep the purse and we still agree to meet again to discuss the merits of your position? That way, no one will be able to say that you bought an adherent, nor accuse me of being swayed by silver rather than facts. I am sure you know where you can find the school, although when you show up next time, I will expect to be able to address you by name, 'representative'"
She takes the purse, sets an appointment, and takes her leave just before Zacharius arrives.
Zacharius appears fairly normal, if a bit young at 14, appropriately dressed, and completely disinterested.
After some of the standard questions have been answered, Christophoros inquires, "I hear from your previous mentor that you had to stop your previous studies due to personal matters. Would you like to share with me what those are?"
"There was a woman, she had to move up her wedding by several years because I got her pregnant, but she was not promised to me, and she refused to elope with me." He pauses in reflection "I suppose if we had eloped I'd still need to stop my studies and relocate."
(Is Zacharius from Patras, or from somewhere a bit farther away?)
"Very true." Christophoros nods in understanding, as well as compassion for the heart-broken youth. "So tell me, is this why you are now looking for a teacher's position at our school? Have you any experience at teaching?"
He nods his head. "Before I came to the university, I was raised with some schooling, and would help the teacher with the younger children. It was part of why I got the letter of recommendation for school that I did."
"How do you think you would fare at a school like ours?" Christophoros smiles kindly, "And where would you see yourself in say, five years, should you become a teacher here?"
"Better than back home." he says with a small smile, "And in five years, if you give me this position, I'll probably be teaching in the same school, just a lot better at it."
"Very well," says Christophoros, "Is there anything more that you would like to share with me about yourself and your interests? Something that would set you apart from other candidates for a position at my school?"
After Zacharius answers these last few questions, Christophoros will tell him to expect news in the next few weeks.
At this point, Christophoros is looking forward to the interviews of Samuel and Cyra, but still feels he will need to interview Leontios.
He is beginning to see how he could organize the various teachers for the school, although this may evolve as the interviews progress. It all comes down to how many teachers he can afford to pay for, but here's a breakdown of his plans so far:
- Schoolmaster: To teach the most advanced students, as well as the junior teachers. That's Christophoros himself.
- Regular teachers: 1 or 2 of those, with normal pay, to teach the intermediate-level to advanced students. For now, Dositheos is the only one that fits the bill. That might be enough for the first few years of the school.
- Junior teachers: 2 or 3 of those, with 2/3rd pay, to teach the younger students. Zacharius certainly fits there.
- Assistant: To help Christophoros with research and various tasks running the school, obtaining books, etc. Niketas would fit well there.
It is his hope that Cyra and/or Samuel can also fit in there, either as junior teachers or, if one of them proves advanced enough, as a regular teacher. Although, if he proves amenable, Leontios might also fit as a regular teacher.
Of course, if other candidates surface and are interviewed, they may either complement or replace one of the others. He's still not sure whether he will take up the offer of a Latin Church teacher, nor how teachers from the Lyceum would fit in there. Both seem more more targeted at the more advanced sudents (possibly the teachers themselves), rather than the younger students. We'll see.
Samuel arrives next, with a small pack slung across his back. He is dressed well, but in a somewhat minimalist fashion. You can see that the climb up the stairs has been uncomfortable for him, though it does not seem to be because he is out of shape. He enters the room and bows his head "Master Cristophoros, I am pleased you are willing to see me about a teaching position at your covenant."
(shortcut for middle info: Ancient Greek:5, teaching SQ:6-8, Philosophae 3-5, Artes Liberales 2-3)
Christophoros' left eyebrow rises at this, but he keeps his countenance. "Please take a seat. Would you like some refreshment, perhaps a bit of wine?" Once that is taken care of, he goes directly to an open question, rather than his usual academic questions. "Tell me more about yourself, Samuel. Why is it that you are looking for a position at my school? That surprised your previous teacher quite a bit, but I am beginning to understand why. So what is your story, so to speak?"
He inhales slowly, then pulls from his pack a cloak which appears to be made of owl feathers. "I was apprenticed as a bjorner, but at the ritual of 14 years, things did not go so well. My heartbeast was to be an owl, I can transform now only with the aid of the cloak. My Gift is gone. I was already enrolled to get my Baccalaureate, so I continued with my studies, since teaching was at least a somewhat comfortable way to make a living."
"I feel your loss, believe me, and I understand that discussing it is not something that is enjoyable, but I must ask you more questions. How did things evolve with your former master and what was his name? Were you raised at a covenant? Your tutor mentioned the quality of your CIassical Greek."
"Also, more to the point, how do you feel about them now? Considering your loss, why do you wish to work in that context again?"
"I was raised in the covenant, my master was Metoikos, so he claimed me before I could be discovered by the tribunal. I, I really just don't fit in outside of a covenant environment, it's where I grew up. It's hard keeping secrets." He nods at the cloak, "and I want to be somewhere that feels like home again. And yes, I did in fact grow up with classical Greek. Not as my first language, but I was speaking it by the age of 5."
Christophoros ponders these answers for a moment, nodding, then speaks again. "You will have to understand that secrecy would still be needed at the school. Although it is part of the covenant, the students and their parents are unaware of all that goes there, and the nature of the patrons." He raises a finger, "Perhaps, with time, some of them may be included in confidence and will be told, but only time will allow us to determine which ones are worthy of our trust. But, and that is most important, our patrons do not run the school and they will have as little contact as possible with the students and general staff. So secrecy will still be required."
(You will note that Christophoros is careful not to use the term 'magi', just in case someone could overhear them. He also call them 'patrons' rather than 'masters' -- that's his pride at work.)
"Now, and I am certain this is something that they will want to know, how far along were you in your teorical studies when you were crippled? Are you still able, and willing, to assist them in their research?"
"At that time I was helping out fairly regularly in the lab, and could set up a lab on my own in I needed to, but that would be about the extent of my abilities."
"Did you acquire any experience in the teaching of others during your bacchalaureate studies?"
"Not first hand, but the techniques of teaching is something I have picked up both from my studies in the baccalaureate and my previous instruction."
"Why didn't you seek another covenant? Are you from the Patras region?"