And I will send
Asclepius to heal him of his sickness; for it is the will of the Gods
that Troy should yet again be taken by my bow. And remember this, when
ye lay waste the land, to have the Gods and that which belongeth to them
in reverence."

Then said Philoctetes, "O my master, whom I have long desired to hear
and see, I will do as thou sayest."

And the Prince also gave his consent.

Then Philoctetes bade farewell to the island in these words--

"Home that hast watched with me, farewell!
And nymphs that haunt the springs or dwell
In seaward meadows, and the roar
Of waves that break upon the shore;
Where often, through the cavern's mouth,
The drifting of the rainy South
Hath coldly drenched me as I lay;
And Hermes' hill, whence many a day,
When anguish seized me, to my cry
Hoarse-sounding echo made reply.
O fountains of the land, and thou,
Pool of the Wolf, I leave you now;
Beyond all hope I leave thy strand,
O Lemnos, sea-encircled land!
Grant me with favouring winds to go
Whither the mighty Fates command,
And this dear company of friends,
And mastering Powers who shape our ends
To issues fairer than we know."

THE STORY OF THE DEATH OF AGAMEMNON.

On the roof of King Agamemnon's palace in Argos a watchman sat watching.
So had he sat night after night, through a whole year, nor was there one
of the stars of heaven which he had not seen to rise and set. And as he
watched, his eyes were fixed ever on the north, looking for the signal
of fire which should bring good tidings to the Queen and to all Argos.
For now the great city of Troy was tottering to its fall, and the ten
years' toil was coming to an end.

And lo! even as it drew towards morning, there was a light in the sky
that was not the light of the sun, and the man cried aloud, "Now blessed
be this light that I have watched for, seeing that it bringeth good
tidings to this land. I will straightway to the Queen that she send the
news about the city. And may the Gods grant that I join hand to hand
with my master when he cometh back to his home, wherein if there be
aught that is ill-ordered, who am I that I should speak thereof? Let the
walls cry out, if they will, only I will keep silence."

Then he made haste and told the Queen, who sent messengers throughout
Argos, bidding that men should burn thank-offerings of incense on every
altar. Also she would that the old men, who were the chiefs and
counse