dead, and her body lay stretched upon the bed. Her parents threw
themselves upon her, and the house was filled with confusion and sorrow,
for the blow was heavy indeed; but the event was strange, and soon
became known throughout the town, and finally reached my ears.

"During the night I kept back the crowds that gathered round the house,
taking care that there should be no disturbance as the news spread. At
early dawn the theatre was full. After a long discussion it was decided
that we should go and open the tomb, to see whether the body was still
on the bier, or whether we should find the place empty, for the woman
had hardly been dead six months. When we opened the vault where all her
family was buried, the bodies were seen lying on the other biers; but on
the one where Philinnion had been placed, we found only the iron ring
which had belonged to her lover and the gilt drinking-cup Machates had
given her on the first day. In utter amazement, we went straight to
Demostratus's house to see whether the body was still there. We beheld
it lying on the ground, and then went in a large crowd to the place of
assembly, for the whole event was of great importance and absolutely
past belief. Great was the confusion, and no one could tell what to do,
when Hyllus, who is not only considered the best diviner among us, but
is also a great authority on the interpretation of the flight of birds,
and is generally well versed in his art, got up and said that the woman
must be buried outside the boundaries of the city, for it was unlawful
that she should be laid to rest within them; and that Hermes Chthonius
and the Eumenides should be propitiated, and that all pollution would
thus be removed. He ordered the temples to be re-consecrated and the
usual rites to be performed in honour of the gods below. As for the
King, in this affair, he privately told me to sacrifice to Hermes, and
to Zeus Xenius, and to Ares, and to perform these duties with the utmost
care. We have done as he suggested.