fishers' boats far out upon the bay. In the goat-herds' huts on dark
Hymethus the pan-pipes blew right merrily. Athens spent the night in
almost drunken joy. One name was everywhere:--

"Glaucon the Beautiful who honours us all! Glaucon the Fortunate whom the
High Gods love!"

BOOK I

THE SHADOW OF THE PERSIAN

CHAPTER V

HERMIONE OF ELEUSIS

A cluster of white stuccoed houses with a craggy hill behind, and before
them a blue bay girt in by the rocky isle of Salamis--that is
Eleusis-by-the-Sea. Eastward and westward spreads the teeming Thrasian
plain, richest in Attica. Behind the plain the encircling mountain wall
fades away into a purple haze. One can look southward toward Salamis; then
to the left rises the rounded slope of brown Poecilon sundering Eleusis
from its greater neighbour, Athens. Look behind: there is a glimpse of the
long violet crests of Cithaeron and Parnes, the barrier mountains against
Boeotia. Look to right: beyond the summits of Megara lifts a noble cone. It
is an old friend, Acro-Corinthus. The plain within the hills is sprinkled
with thriving farmsteads, green vineyards, darker olive groves. The stony
hill-slopes are painted red by countless poppies. One hears the tinkling
of the bells of roving goats. Thus the more distant view; while at the
very foot of the hill of vision rises a temple with proud columns and
pediments,--the fane of Demeter the "Earth Mother" and the seat of her
Mysteries, renowned through Hellas.

The house of Hermippus the Eumolpid, first citizen of Eleusis, stood to
the east of the temple. On three sides gnarled trunks and sombre leaves of
the sacred olives almost hid the white low walls of the rambling
buildings. On the fourth side, facing the sea, the dusty road wound east
toward Megara. Here, by the gate, were gathered a rustic company:
brown-faced village lads and lasses, toothless graybeards, cackling old
wives. Above the barred gate swung a festoon of ivy, whilst from within
the court came the squeaking of pipes, the tuning of citharas, and shouted
orders--signs of a mighty bustling. Then even while the company grew, a
half-stripped courier flew up the road and into the gate.

"They come," ran the wiseacre's comment; but their buzzing ceased, as
again the gate swung back to suffer two ladies to peer forth. Ladies, in
the trut