e porch, for some cunning workmen had wrought thereon
Hercules slaying the great dragon of Lerna, and Iolaues standing with a
torch to sear that which he cut with his knife. Also Bellerophon was to
be seen on a horse with wings, slaying the Chimaera; and Pallas fighting
against the Sons of Earth, with the thunderbolt of her father Zeus and
the shield of the Gorgon head. And when they had made an end of seeing
these things came the Queen Creuesa herself and had speech with Ion. And
she told him that she was the daughter of Erechtheus, King of Athens,
and that she was married to Xuthus, a Prince from the island of Pelops.
And when Ion would know how it had come to pass that Xuthus, being a
stranger and a foreigner, had received her that was a Princess of the
land in marriage, she said that the Prince had fought for the men of
Athens against the land of Euboea, and had subdued it, and so had won
for himself this reward. Also when the youth would know for what end she
had come to the oracles of Delphi, she said that she had come because
having been long married she was yet childless, and that her husband
also was with her, and that he was even then making inquiry about this
same matter in the cave of Trophonius. For there also was an oracle
giving answers to men about things to come. Then the Queen asked Ion of
his estate, and heard from him that the priestess of Apollo had brought
him up, having found him laid at the door of the temple.

After these things came King Xuthus himself, who, after he had greeted
the Queen, said that Trophonius would not indeed go before the answer of
Apollo, yet promised this, that he should not go to his home childless.
So the two went together into the shrine that they might inquire yet
further of the matter; and Ion abode without, meditating much on the
things which these strangers had said.

But after a while the King came forth in great joy, and when he saw the
youth Ion standing without the shrine, he caught him by the hand, and
would have thrown his arms about him, but the youth drew back, thinking
that the God had smitten him with madness, and even would have drawn his
bow against him. Then the King set forth to him the answer that Apollo
had given him. For the God had said, "Thou art not childless as thou
thinkest, but the father of a fair son. And thy son is he whom first
thou shalt meet going forth from my shrine." "And now," said the King,
"thou art he whom first I meet coming forth