d March, the Nile is still drying up; and in May
is at its lowest point, when the volume of its waters is only one-
twentieth of that in October.]

The old man sat up, threw a passing glance at the building, smoothed the
thick grey beard which clothed his cheeks and chin, but left the lips
free,--[The Spartans were not in the habit of wearing a beard on the
upper lip.]--and asked abruptly: "Why so much enthusiasm, Phanes,
for this Rhodopis? How long have the Athenians been wont to extol
old women?" At this remark the other smiled, and answered in a
self-satisfied tone, "My knowledge of the world, and particularly of
women, is, I flatter myself, an extended one, and yet I repeat, that in
all Egypt I know of no nobler creature than this grey-haired woman. When
you have seen her and her lovely grandchild, and heard your favorite
melodies sung by her well-practised choir of slave-girls, I think you
will thank me for having brought you hither."--"Yet," answered the
Spartan gravely, "I should not have accompanied you, if I had not hoped
to meet Phryxus, the Delphian, here."

"You will find him here; and besides, I cannot but hope that the songs
will cheer you, and dispel your gloomy thoughts." Aristomachus shook his
head in denial, and answered: "To you, sanguine Athenians, the melodies
of your country may be cheering: but not so to me; as in many a
sleepless night of dreams, my longings will be doubled, not stilled by
the songs of Alkman."

[Alkman (Attic, Alkmaeon) flourished in Sparta about 650 B. C. His
mother was a Lydian slave in Sardes, and he came into the possession
of Agesides, who gave him his freedom. His beautiful songs soon
procured him the rights of a Lacedaemonian citizen. He was
appointed to the head-directorship in the entire department of music
in Lacedaemon and succeeded in naturalizing the soft Lydian music.
His language was the Doric-Laconian. After a life devoted to song,
the pleasures of the table and of love, he is said to have died of
a fearful disease. From the frequent choruses of virgins
(Parthenien) said to have been originally introduced by him, his
frequent songs in praise of women, and the friendly relations in
which he stood to the Spartan women (more especially to the fair
Megalostrata), he gained the name of the woman's poet.]

"Do you think then," replied Phanes, "that I have no longing for my
beloved Athens, for the scenes of our youthful g