Epigonus (Tennis Shoes Adventure Series)

"You! (Harry: Where's Mary?) Dead. I told you. She's dead. (Harry: You lied.) [laughs] So I did. It doesn't matter. She'll be dead soon enough. My Scythians will see to that. (Harry: Where is she?! Where's the boy, Jesse?!) The gods do have a sense of humor after all. To mingle my ashes with so many Christians. Welcome to my funeral pyre. You're a part of is. Everyone...is a part of it."

- Epigonus' last words to Harry Hawkins

Epigonus is the main antagonist of Chris Heimerdinger's 1999 novel The Golden Crown, the seventh entry in the Tennis Shoes Adventure Series. He is a councilman and former sculptor who lives in Athens, Greece.

The Golden Crown
After Symeon Cleophas, along with his daughter Mary and his friend Jesse, arrived in Athens, Symeon fell sick and was found by Epigonus. Epigonus discovered that they possessed gospels written by some of Jesus' Apostles, which he wanted for his collection. Epigonus passed an edict that outlawed Christians and Jews and raided Symeon's house that very night. Epigonus and his Scythian warriors captured Mary, took the scrolls in her possession, and crucified Symeon.

While Harry Hawkins and Jesse are scouting out Epigonus' villa, they fight and kill some of Epigonus' guard dogs. On seeing this, Epigonus' Scythian warriors try to accost them. Greek policemen come and take Harry away to be presented to the council. At the council, Harry and the other convicted Christians are determined to not have caused any harm to the government. A councilman suggests repealing the edict, but Epigonus speaks up. He gives a speech about how he believes Christians are evil, and that they should be executed. The council reluctantly agrees to his desires. Epigonus then orders that Harry should be executed the very next morning. As the guards take Harry away, Harry asks Epigonus what happened to Mary. Epigonus tells him that Mary committed suicide and was burned on a pyre with her "filthy collection of Christian books."

After the council meeting, Epigonus suffers a heart attack and is brought to his villa. At the same time, Gidgiddonihah and his band of Nephites break Harry and the Apostle Luke out of jail and go to Epigonus' villa. Harry goes to Epigonus' bedroom to find him dying on his bed. Epigonus admits that he lied about Mary's suicide, and that his house will soon be lit on fire by the Scythian warriors. As Harry and Gidgiddonihah are freeing Jesse from a nearby cell, Epigonus dies in his bed. Though Gidgiddonihah is killed by a Scythian Warrior, Harry is able to rescue Mary and the gospel scrolls before the villa burns down.