. Past many a headland, past Pylos and other pleasant
harbors, they hastened. Vainly did the pilot try to land at each
favorable place: the ship would not obey her helm. They rounded the
headland of Araxus, and came into the long bay of Crissa; and there the
dolphin left off guiding the vessel, and swam playfully around it,
while a brisk west wind filled the sail, and bore the voyagers safely
into port.

Then the dolphin changed into the form of a glowing star, which,
shooting high into the heavens, lit up the whole world with its glory;
and as the awe-stricken crew stood gazing at the wonder, it fell with
the quickness of light upon Mount Parnassus. Into his temple Apollo
hastened, and there he kindled an undying fire. Then, in the form of a
handsome youth, with golden hair falling in waves upon his shoulders,
he hastened to the beach to welcome the Cretan strangers.

"Hall, seamen!" he cried. "Who are you, and whence do you come? Shall
I greet you as friends and guests, or shall I know you as robbers
bringing death and distress to many a fair home?"

Then answered the Cretan captain, "Fair stranger, the gods have brought
us hither; for by no wish of our own have we come. We are Cretan
merchants, and we were on our way to Pylos with stores of merchandise,
to barter with the tradesmen of that city. But some unknown being,
whose might is greater than the might of men, has carried us far beyond
our wished-for port, even to this unknown shore. Tell us now, we pray
thee, what land is this? And who art thou who lookest so like a god?"

"Friends and guests, for such indeed you must be," answered the radiant
youth, "think never again of sailing upon the wine-faced sea, but draw
now your vessel high up on the beach. And when you have brought out
all your goods and built an altar upon the shore, take of your white
barley which you have with you, and offer it reverently to Phoebus
Apollo. For I am he; and it was I who brought you hither, so that you
might keep my temple, and make known my wishes unto men. And since it
was in the form of a dolphin that you first saw me, let the town which
stands around my temple be known as Delphi [Dolphin], and let men
worship me there as Apollo Delphinius."

Then the Cretans did as he had bidden them: they drew their vessel high
up on the white beach, and when they had unladen it of their goods,
they built an altar on the shore, and offered white barley to Phoebus
Apollo, and