Iphigenia, Archimedes’ faithful housekeeper for many years, suddenly passed away. She was survived by her son, Crete, whom Archimedes found useful in spite of being mute and inexperienced.
Assuming the housekeeping duties to repay his master’s kindness in allowing him to stay in the house, Crete completed the same chores his mother had, even if it took him longer. Occasionally, he’d forget something, or make a mistake, and Archimedes would patiently correct him.
One day, Crete had finished storing some boxes in the cellar when he heard the sound of breaking glass. Running to find out the cause he was suddenly caught in an avalanche of falling casks of wine. Drenched in wine, he staggered to his feet and, looking up, he saw what had precipitated the casks to fall. There stood the largest wolf he’d ever seen, with gaping jaw and piercing eyes staring at him.
As fast as his legs could run, Crete bolted out of the cellar and up the stairs to find his master. As he entered the study, Archimedes was startled by the sudden appearance of his ward and asked him “What’s wrong?” Not being able to speak, Crete quickly pantomimed the form of a wolf. “Where, Crete? Where?” With heroic effort, Crete tried to articulate the words “in the cellar”. All he managed to produce was garbled sounds.
Archimedes got closer to Crete and exclaimed “I don’t know of what you speak. But I do know of what you reek. YOU REEK! AH!!!!!!!”
Recognizing the unmistakable scent of wine, Archimedes immediately knew where the wolf was and dispatched him forthwith. History would only recount his famous exclamation “Eureka!!” But now you know… the jest of the story.