u wert minded to be the seat of my Son, Phoebus
Apollo, and to let build him therein a rich temple! No other God will
touch thee, nor none will honour thee, for methinks thou art not to be
well seen in cattle or in sheep, in fruit or grain, nor wilt thou grow
plants unnumbered. But wert thou to possess a temple of Apollo the Far-
darter; then would all men bring thee hecatombs, gathering to thee, and
ever wilt thou have savour of sacrifice . . . from others' hands, albeit
thy soil is poor."

Thus spoke she, and Delos was glad and answered her saying:

"Leto, daughter most renowned of mighty Coeus, right gladly would I
welcome the birth of the Archer Prince, for verily of me there goes an
evil report among men, and thus would I wax mightiest of renown. But at
this Word, Leto, I tremble, nor will I hide it from thee, for the saying
is that Apollo will be mighty of mood, and mightily will lord it over
mortals and immortals far and wide over the earth, the grain-giver.
Therefore, I deeply dread in heart and soul lest, when first he looks
upon the sunlight, he disdain my island, for rocky of soil am I, and
spurn me with his feet and drive me down in the gulfs of the salt sea.
Then should a great sea-wave wash mightily above my head for ever, but he
will fare to another land, which so pleases him, to fashion him a temple
and groves of trees. But in me would many-footed sea-beasts and black
seals make their chambers securely, no men dwelling by me. Nay, still,
if thou hast the heart, Goddess, to swear a great oath that here first he
will build a beautiful temple, to be the shrine oracular of
men--thereafter among all men let him raise him shrines, since his renown
shall be the widest."

So spake she, but Leto swore the great oath of the Gods:

"Bear witness, Earth, and the wide heaven above, and dropping water of
Styx--the greatest oath and the most dread among the blessed Gods--that
verily here shall ever be the fragrant altar and the portion of Apollo,
and thee will he honour above all."

When she had sworn and done that oath, then Delos was glad in the birth
of the Archer Prince. But Leto, for nine days and nine nights
continually was pierced with pangs of child-birth beyond all hope. With
her were all the Goddesses, the goodliest, Dione and Rheia, and Ichnaean
Themis, and Amphitrite of the moaning sea, and the other deathless
ones--save white-armed Hera. Alone she wotted not of it, Eilithyia, the
helper in dif