girdle of scarlet web, and she brought forth a boy in whom was the
spirit of God. By her side the gold-haired god set kindly Eleutho and
the Fates, and from her womb in easy travail came forth Iamos to the
light. Him in her anguish she left upon the ground, but by the counsel
of gods two bright-eyed serpents nursed and fed him with the harmless
venom[6] of the bee.

But when the king came back from rocky Delphi in his chariot he asked
all who were in the house concerning the child whom Euadne had born;
for he said that the sire whereof he was begotten was Phoibos, and
that he should be a prophet unto the people of the land excelling all
mortal men, and that his seed should be for ever.

Such was his tale, but they answered that they had neither seen nor
heard of him, though he was now born five days. For he was hidden
among rushes in an impenetrable brake, his tender body all suffused
with golden and deep purple gleams of iris flowers; wherefore his
mother prophesied saying that by this holy name[7] of immortality he
should be called throughout all time.

But when he had come to the ripeness of golden-crowned sweet youth,
he went down into the middle of Alpheos and called on wide-ruling
Poseidon his grandsire, and on the guardian of god-built Delos, the
bearer of the bow[8], praying that honour might be upon his head for
the rearing of a people; and he stood beneath the heavens, and it was
night.

Then the infallible Voice of his father answered and said unto him:
Arise, my son, and come hither, following my voice, into a place where
all men shall meet together.