- "The teacher's student... is not incorrect."
- — Thersites and Petracles explaining their clues, in "A Fistful of Dinars"
The Lost Treasure of the Sumerians were the legendary valuables concealed in a secret location by the Sumerians. There was said to be too much for a mortal to imagine. It was only accessible by the use of four clues, that were known by very few people. Legend said that within the treasure the Titan's Key can be found, which will give the founder access to the Hall of Ambrosia (containing Ambrosia itself) at the foot of Mount Poulis. Xena and Gabrielle teamed up with an assassin, Thersites, and a warlord, Petracles, who happens to be the ex-fiance of Xena's, to find the treasure, as they all knew the clues amongst them.
Once they arrived at the location, Xena, Thersites, Gabrielle and Petracles worked out the clues and waited for the sun to rise. A beam of light was ejected from the jewel, which led them to a wall of rocks. Once the rocks were removed, the beam of light continued traveling to the end of a large hallway. It shone on a ring, which Petracles pulled and released the floor from beneath them. They eventually landed in the room filled with the treasure. Thersites found and stole the Titan's Key, kidnapped Gabrielle and headed for the Hall of Ambrosia. Xena and Petracles followed them through the back way - through the Hall of Silence. They all re-united in the Hall of Ambrosia, where Petracles tried to save Gabrielle, but was killed by Thersites. Xena killed him in return and later destroyed the Ambrosia to prevent it from falling in the wrong hands.
Clues[]
The four clues were known by the following people:
- Lycus/Xena - a map, the phrase "neither east nor west" written on it, an image of a rising sun and a piece of the treasure.
- Klonic/Thersites - "Retrieve the Jewel of Demeter."
- Thersites - "The teacher's student." It was also said this was to make sense when Petracles' clue was explained.
- Petracles - "Is not incorrect." It was also said this was to make sense when Thersites' clue was explained.
Deciphering the Clues[]
The first clue was a map that was contained inside a pouch with a piece of the Sumerian's treasure. This indicated that the map led to the treasure's location. The phrase that was written on the map, "neither east nor west," means "the middle," which leads one to believe it is referring to the middle statue at the site that the map would lead you to.
The second clue was more obvious: "Retrieve the Jewel of Demeter." The Temple of Demeter was marked on the map, the location of the Jewel.
The third and fourth clues involved more logic; if one were to put the two clues together, they read "The teacher's student is not incorrect." This is a double negative ("not incorrect"), which means that the "teacher's student" is right. If one should make the conclusion that a "teacher's student" is also known as a pupil, one would work out that the phrase is saying "Right Pupil."
With all of the clues worked out, one should place the Jewel of Demeter (Clue #2) into the right pupil (clue #3 & #4) of the middle statue (clue #1) and wait for the sun to rise the next morning.