ed her and sought to drag her to the holy tripod on
which she was accustomed to sit. The woman, scared by his violence,
cried out, "You may do what you choose!"

Philomelus at once proclaimed this as an oracle in his favor, and
published it widely. And it is interesting to learn that many of the
superstitious Greeks took his word for it. He certainly took the word of
the priestess,--for he did what he chose.

War at once began. Many of the Greek states rose at the call of the
condemned Amphictyonic Council. The Phocians were in imminent peril.
They were far from strong enough for the war they had invoked. Mercenary
troops--"soldiers of fortune"--must be hired; and to hire them money
must be had. The citizens of Delphi had already been taxed; the Phocian
treasury was empty; where was money to be obtained?

Philomelus settled this question by _borrowing_, with great reluctance,
a sum from the temple treasures,--to be paid back as soon as possible.
But as the war went on and more money was needed, he borrowed again and
again,--now without reluctance. And the practice of robbery once
started, he not only paid his troops, but enriched his friends and
adorned his wife from Apollo's hoarded wealth.

By this means Philomelus got together an army of ten thousand
men,--reckless, dissolute characters, the impious scum of Greece, for no
pious Greek would enlist in such a cause. The war was ferocious. The
allies put their prisoners to death. Philomelus followed their example.
This was a losing game, and both sides gave it up. At length Philomelus
and his army were caught in an awkward position, the army was dispersed,
and he driven to the verge of a precipice, where he must choose between
captivity or death. He chose the latter and leaped from the beetling
crags.

The Thebans and their allies foolishly believed that with the death of
Philomelus the war was at an end, and marched for their homes.
Onomarchus, another Phocian leader, took the opportunity thus afforded
to gather the scattered army together again, seized the temple once
more, and stood in defiance of all his foes.

In addition to gold and silver, the treasury contained many gifts in
brass and iron. The precious metals were melted and converted into
money; of the baser metals arms were made. Onomarchus went farther than
Philomelus; he not only paid his troops with the treasure, but bribed
the leaders of Grecian states, and thus gained powerful friends. He was
soon