And not a long while after the herald came; and the name of the man was
Lichas. And when the Queen saw him she cried, "What news hast thou of my
husband? Is he yet alive?"

"Yea," said the herald, "he is alive and in good health."

"And where didst thou leave him? In some country of the Greeks, or among
barbarians?"

"I left him in the land of Euboea, where he ordereth a sacrifice to
Zeus."

"Payeth he thus some vow, or did some oracle command it?"

"He payeth a vow. And this vow he made before he took with his spear the
city of these women whom thou seest."

"And who are these? For they are very piteous to behold."

"These he led captive when he destroyed the city of King Eurytus."

"And hath the taking of the city so long delayed him? For I have not
seen him for the space of a year and three months."

"Not so. The most of this time he was a slave in the land of Lydia. For
he was sold to Omphalé, who is Queen of that land, and served her. And
how this came about I will tell thee. Thy husband sojourned in the house
of King Eurytus, who had been long time his friend. But the King dealt
ill with him, and spake to him unfriendly. For first he said that