y herself. How then shall she not hate me
when she seeth me at thy right hand? And so shalt thou either for love
of her go back from what thou hast promised to me, or else, seeking my
profit, shalt trouble thine own house. For thou knowest what deadly
deeds with the sword and with poison women holding themselves to be
wronged have wrought against their husbands. And of a truth, my father,
I hold that thy wife, seeing that she groweth old without hope of
children, is most miserable among women. And then as to kingship, I
count that this is more pleasant to regard from afar than to possess;
for how can he be happy who liveth in daily fear of death? And if thou
sayest that great store of wealth out-weigheth all other things, and
that it is pleasant to be rich, I hold otherwise. I would have neither
poverty nor riches, but to live quietly and without trouble. For listen,
my father, to the good things that I have had in this place--that which
all men count dear, even leisure; and such labour as I did, not
toilsome, and to be free from all ill company, and to be constant in
prayers to the Gods, or in talk with men, ever consorting with new
company among such as came to inquire of the god. Surely, my father,
this life is better than that which thou promisest to me."

"My son," the King made answer, "learn to take the good which the Gods
have provided for thee. First, then, I will bring thee to the feast
which I purpose to hold in this place as though thou wert a stranger.
And afterwards I will take thee to the city of Athens, yet not declaring
at the first thy birth, for I would not vex my wife with my good luck,
seeing that she is yet childless. Only in time I will work with her that
thou shalt bear rule in the land with her good will. And now call such
of thy friends as thou wilt to the feast, for thou must even bid
farewell to this city of Delphi."

And Ion made answer, "Let it be so; only if I find not my mother, my
life is nothing worth."

And to the maidens the King said, "Take heed that ye keep silence on
these matters, or ye shall surely die."

But they were much troubled in heart for their mistress that she should
be childless, while the King her husband had found a son. Also they
doubted much whether they should not tell the Queen the things which
they had heard.

And now there was seen to come near to the shrine an old man who had in
days past been servant to King Erechtheus; and when the Queen saw him,
she re