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Translated by E. Coleridge.
51 pages - You are on Page 45
Messenger: As soon as we reached the famous soil of Phoebus, for three
whole days were we feasting our eyes with the sight. And this, it
seems, caused suspicion; for the folk, who dwell near the god's shrine,
began to collect in groups, while Agamemnon's son, going to and fro
through the town, would whisper in each man's ear malignant hints:
"Do ye see yon fellow, going in and out of the god's treasure-chambers,
which are full of the gold stored there by all mankind? He is come
hither a second time on the same mission as before, eager to sack
the temple of Phoebus." Thereon there ran an angry murmur through
the city, and the magistrates flocked to their council-chamber, while
those, who have charge of the god's treasures, had a guard privately
placed amongst the colonnades. But we, knowing naught as yet of this,
took sheep fed in the pastures of Parnassus, and went our way and
stationed ourselves at the altars with vouchers and Pythian seers.
And one said: "What prayer, young warrior, wouldst thou have us offer
to the god? Wherefore art thou come?" And he answered: "I wish to
make atonement to Phoebus for my past transgression; for once I claimed
from him satisfaction for my father's blood." Thereupon the rumour,
spread by Orestes, proved to have great weight, suggesting that my
master was lying and had come on a shameful errand. But he crosses
the threshold of the temple to pray to Phoebus before his oracle,
and was busy with his burnt-offering; when a body of men armed with
swords set themselves in ambush against him in the cover of the bay-trees,
and Clytemnestra's son, that had contrived the whole plot was one
of them. There stood the young man praying to the god in sight of
all, when lo! with their sharp swords they stabbed Achilles' unprotected
son from behind.
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