re about to go home after the sacrifice, two young Greeks
approached us and greeted Hiram's daughters and my sister also.

"One was a quiet young man, with narrow shoulders and light, curling
hair; the other towered above him in stature. His powerful figure was
magnificently formed, and he carried his head with its splendid black
beard proudly.

"Since the gods snatched Abus from me, though so many men had wooed me,
I had cared for no one; but the fair-haired Greek with the sparkling
light in his blue eyes and the faint flush on his cheeks pleased me, and
his name, 'Myrtilus,' fell upon my ear like music. I was glad when he
joined me and asked, as simply as though he were merely inquiring the
way, why he had never seen me, the loveliest among the beauties in the
temple, in Tennis.

"I scarcely noticed the other. Besides, he seemed to have eyes only
for Taus and the daughters of Hiram. He played all sorts of pranks with
them, and they laughed so heartily that, fearing the strangers, of whom
there was no lack, might class them with the Hieroduli who followed
the sailors and young men in the temple grottoes, I motioned to Taus to
restrain herself.

"Hermon--this was the name of the tall, bearded man--noticed it and
turned toward me. In doing so his eyes met mine, and it seemed as though
sweet wine flowed through my veins, for I perceived that my appearance
paralyzed his reckless tongue. Yet he did not accost me; but Myrtilus,
the fair one, entreated me not to lessen for the beautiful children the
pleasure to which we are all born.

"I thought this remark foolish--how much sorrow and how little pleasure
I had experienced from childhood!--so I only shrugged my shoulders
disdainfully.

"Then the black-bearded man asked if, young and beautiful as I was, I
had forgotten to believe in mirth and joy. My reply was intended to tell
him that, though this was not the case, I did not belong to those who
spent their lives in loud laughing and extravagant jests.

"The answer was aimed at the black-bearded man's reckless conduct; but
the fair-haired one parried the attack in his stead, and retorted that I
seemed to misunderstand his friend. Pleasure belonged to a festival, as
light belonged to the sun; but usually Hermon laboured earnestly, and
only a short time before he had saved the little daughter of Gula, the
sailor's wife, from a burning house.

"The other did not let Myrtilus finish, but exclaimed that this would
only co