Pythias

In Short

This short story is a taut, psychological exploration of responsibility and the catastrophic potential of unchecked human discovery. It follows a Senate guard who discovers that his friend, a brilliant scientist, has unlocked the secrets of physical manipulation—essentially becoming a god capable of warping reality. Haunted by the realization that such knowledge is inherently dangerous regardless of the user's intent, the narrator must decide whether to protect his friend or humanity itself. It remains a classic of the genre for its stark, unflinching look at the morality of forbidden knowledge.

The Story

The story opens in a jail cell where Dick, a Senate guard, awaits his inevitable execution for the murder of Laurence Connaught. Dick and Larry were once close friends, but they drifted apart after the war; while Dick settled into a life of modest observation as a guard, Larry became a dedicated, secretive scientist. Their paths cross again when Dick secures Larry a pass to a Senate foreign relations debate. During a violent attack by fanatics in the gallery, a grenade is thrown. Larry moves with impossible speed, shielding Dick and surviving the blast without a scratch.

Suspicious of how Larry escaped the explosion unscathed, Dick confronts him. Under pressure, Larry admits he has discovered a way to link the human mind to physical forces, allowing him to teleport objects, bypass natural laws, and essentially rewrite reality. He demonstrates these powers—moving a radio to Mount Everest and powering it without an electrical source—with a naive, almost childlike enthusiasm. He views himself as a pioneer of a new age, oblivious to the fact that he has fundamentally altered the power dynamics of existence.

Dick, witnessing the terrifying reality of these abilities, realizes that Larry is no longer just an honest, idealistic man; he has accidentally stumbled upon the ability to act as a god. He sees that the notes describing these techniques—a simple twenty-three-word formula—could be utilized by anyone, from criminals to lunatics, to dismantle civilization. Recognizing that even a good man like Larry is susceptible to the corrupting influence of absolute power, Dick decides he cannot allow the discovery to survive. While Larry is distracted by his own demonstration, Dick strikes him unconscious with a telephone. After methodically searching the apartment to secure the notes, Dick calls the police. Before they arrive, he shoots Larry in the throat, ending his life. The story concludes with Dick sitting in his cell, fully cognizant of his crime, yet convinced that he has performed a necessary service by preventing the emergence of a power that would have rendered human society impossible.

How It Unfolds

The encounter Dick recounts his time as a Senate guard, where he spent his days observing the intricacies of government and mingling with officials. He invites his friend Larry to a debate, setting the stage for the chaotic event that reveals Larry’s secret.

The impossible save During a terrorist attack, a grenade is tossed into the gallery, yet Larry manages to survive the blast despite being directly on top of it. Dick, having been right there, knows the physical laws of the world were violated to keep them both alive.

The confession Dick corners Larry in his apartment, forcing him to explain how he survived the explosion. Larry reveals he has mastered techniques that allow him to bypass physics, demonstrating his power by manipulating objects and energy with his mind.

The choice Realizing that the knowledge Larry possesses is a death sentence for human society, Dick resolves to act. He waits for the perfect moment during a demonstration to strike, neutralizing his friend and stealing the research notes.

The final act Dick calls the police, executes Larry, and waits for his own trial. He remains firm in his conviction, believing that the twenty-three words defining Larry's power are too dangerous for any human to possess.

The People

Dick is a man of modest ambitions who values order and the stability of the world he knows. His desire to protect that order outweighs his loyalty to his oldest friend. He acts as the stoic executioner, believing that his moral burden is a small price to pay for the safety of the collective.

Laurence Connaught is an idealistic scientist who has achieved the pinnacle of discovery. Driven by the intellectual thrill of his research, he lacks the foresight to see that his new abilities make him a threat. He views his power as a personal triumph rather than a global catastrophe, which ultimately leads to his downfall at the hands of the only person who truly understood the danger he had become.

In Its Own Voice

"I--knowing what I was doing, with, as they say, malice aforethought--deliberately shot to death Laurence Connaught."

The narrator begins his account by clearly establishing his role as the killer, stripping away any ambiguity regarding his actions.

"They say power corrupts; and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Reflecting on the terrifying potential of the discovery, the narrator justifies his violence by invoking the classic warning against total control.

What It's Really About

The central theme is the incompatibility of god-like power with human nature. The book argues that there are certain thresholds of knowledge that are inherently destructive because humanity is too volatile to manage them. It poses a chilling question: if a miracle is accessible to everyone, does it become a weapon? The narrator’s decision to kill his friend is not presented as a simple act of malice, but as an extreme form of censorship, suggesting that some secrets are too dangerous to exist in the public sphere. It explores the tension between scientific progress and the preservation of a stable, recognizable reality.

Why Read It Today

This story will resonate with those who enjoy speculative fiction that prioritizes ethical dilemmas over technical jargon. It feels like a quick, sharp punch—an efficient piece of storytelling that doesn't waste time on sentimentality or elaborate world-building. Because it was written in the mid-1950s, the prose is crisp and business-like, reflecting the hard-boiled style popular in that era’s magazines. The reader might find the narrator’s cold, analytical tone unsettling, but that is precisely the point; he is a man who has decided he is the final arbiter of human safety.

The story is brief and intense, moving from a mundane conversation to a desperate act of murder in just a few pages. It doesn't rely on complex science, but rather on the philosophical implications of a single, world-breaking secret. If you appreciate narratives that tackle the "mad scientist" trope from a grounded, grounded, and deeply human perspective, this will stay with you long after the final page. It is a cautionary tale about the weight of discovery and the lonely, terrible burden of being the one who decides that some doors should never be opened.