to your children. Here ye must guard
and keep my shrine, and ye shall be honored of all the children of
men. For I am the son of Zeus, and my name is Phoebus Apollo. It was I
who brought you hither across the wide sea, not in guile or anger, but
that in all time to come ye may have great power and glory, that ye
may learn the counsel of the undying gods and make known their will to
men. Hasten then to do my bidding; let down your sails, and bring your
ship to the shore. Then bring out your goods, and build an altar on
the beach, and kindle a fire, and offer white barley as an offering;
and because I led you hither under the form of a dolphin, so worship
me as the Delphian god. Then eat bread and drink wine, as much as your
soul may lust after; and after that come with me to the holy place,
where ye shall guard my temple."

So they obeyed the words of Phoebus; and when they had offered the
white barley, and feasted richly on the sea-shore, they arose to go,
and Apollo led them on their way. His harp was in his hand, and he
made sweet music, such as no mortal ear had heard before; and they
raised the chant Io Paean, for a new power was breathed into their
hearts, as they went along. They thought not now of toil or sorrow;
but with feet unwearied they went up the hill until they reached the
clefts of Parnassos, where Phoebus would have them dwell.

Then out spake the leader of the Cretans, and said, boldly, "O king,
thou hast brought us far away from our homes to a strange land; whence
are we to get food here? No harvest will grow on these bare rocks, no
meadows are spread out before our eyes. The whole land is bare and
desolate." But the son of Zeus smiled and said, "O foolish men, and
easy to be cast down, if ye had your wish ye would gain nothing but
care and toil. But listen to me and ponder well my words. Stretch
forth your hands and slay each day the rich offerings, for they shall
come to you without stint and sparing, seeing that the sons of men
shall hasten hither from all lands, to learn my will and ask for aid
in the hour of fear. Only guard ye my temple well, and keep your hands
clean and your hearts pure; for if ye deal rightly no man shall take
away your glory; but if ye speak lies and do iniquity, if ye hurt the
people who come to my altar, and make them to go astray, then shall
other men rise up in your place, and ye yourselves shall be thrust out
forever, because ye would not obey my words."

[Illus