which may
not lightly be dismissed; for haply, if they fail of that which they
seek, they will send a wasting disease upon this land and consume it.
But seeing that this great matter has fallen to me to deal with, I will
do this. Judges will I choose, binding them with an oath, and they shall
judge in all cases, whensoever one man hath slain another. And this will
I stablish for all time to come. Do you, therefore, call witnesses and
proofs with oaths for confirmation thereof. And I will choose such as
are worthiest among my citizens, righteous men, who will have regard
unto their oath, and they shall judge this matter."

So they went all of them to the hill of Ares, where the cause should be
judged. And twelve men that were worthiest in the city sat on the seat
of judgment, and Athene came forth and said to the herald that stood by,
"Blow the trumpet, that the people keep silence, and that this cause may
be tried justly, as is meet."

Then came forth Apollo. And when the Furies saw him they cried, "What
hast thou to do with this matter, King Apollo?"

And he said, "As a witness am I come, for I commanded this man to do
this deed."

Then Athene commanded that the Furies should speak the first, being the
accusers. So they began saying to Orestes, "Answer what we shall ask
thee. Didst thou slay thy mother?"

"I slew her. This I deny not."

"How didst thou slay her?"

"I drew my sword, and smote her on the neck."

"Who counselled thee to this deed?"

"Apollo counselled me; therefore I fear not; also my father shall help
me from the tomb."

"Shall the dead help thee that didst slay thy mother?"

"Yea, for she also had slain her husband. Say, why did ye not pursue her
while she lived?"

"Because she was not akin to him she slew."

"Not akin? then was I not akin to her. But do thou bear witness, King
Apollo."

Then said Apollo, "I am a prophet and lie not. Never have I spoken about
man or woman or city save as my Father Zeus gave me to speak."

Then said the Furies, "How sayest thou? that Zeus gave this command
that this man should slay his mother?"

"'Twas even so. For think how basely this woman slew her husband, his
father. For she smote him not with an arrow, as might some Amazon, but
when he was come back from the war, full of honour, in the bath she
entangled him, wrapping a robe about him, and so slew him. Wherefore
this man did righteously, taking vengeance for the blood that was shed.
And as fo