ore likely to deceive thy husband, for it must not
be that he know it."

When the Queen heard this she said, "Hear, then, what thou must do. Go
to the place where my husband maketh a sacrifice and a feast following.
And when the guests are even now ready to cease from their feasting and
make libations to the Gods, drop his drop of death into the cup of him
who would lord it over my house. Of a surety if it pass his throat he
shall never come to the city of Athens."

So the old man went on his errand, and as he went he said to himself,
"Old foot of mine, do this thy business as though thou wert young. Thou
hast to help the house of thy master against an enemy. Let them that are
happy talk of piety; he that would work his adversary woe must take no
account of laws."

But meanwhile Xuthus had bidden the youth Ion have a care for the feast,
for that he himself had yet sacrifice to make, at which he might haply
tarry long time. Wherefore Ion set up a great tent on poles, looking
neither wholly to the south nor to the west, but between the two. And
the tent he made foursquare, being of a hundred feet each way, for he
purposed to call the whole people of Delphi to the feast. Then he took
curtains from the treasure-house to cover it within, very marvellous to
behold; for on them was wrought the Heaven with all the gathering of the
stars, and the Sun driving his chariot to the west, and dark-robed
Night, with the stars following her, the Pleiades, and Orion with his
sword, and the Bear turning about the Pole, and the bright circle of the
Moon; and on the other side the Morning chasing the stars. Also there
were tapestries from foreign land, ships fighting with ships, and
strange shapes, half men half beasts, and the hunting of stags and
lions.

But in the midst of the tent great bowls were set for wine; and a herald
bade all the men of Delphi to the feast. But when they had had enough of
eating and drinking, the old man, the servant of the Queen, came
forward; and all men laughed to see him how busy he was. For he took the
water that should have been mixed with the wine and used it for the
washing of hands, and burnt the incense, and took upon himself the
ordering of the cups. And after a while he said, "Take away those cups,
and bring greater that we may be merry." So they brought great cups of
gold and silver. And the old man took one that was more beautiful than
the rest, and filled it to the brim and gave it to the youth