In Dazai Osamu’s story Hashire Merosu (Run, Melos!), published in 1940 in the magazine Shinchō, Melos asks for three days to attend his sister’s wedding. He offers his close friend Selinuntius as a hostage. If Melos is not back by sunset on the third day, his friend will be executed in his place.
The story was included in Japanese school textbooks.