'Then shall the lingering boat to the beckoning meadows convey thee,
Which to the wandering foot peace and a home will afford?'

"Can you misunderstand their meaning? They speak of Charon's lingering
boat, which will convey you to your last home, to the one great resting-
place for all wanderers--the kingdom of Hades."

"Yes, my friend, you are right there. I am going to Hades."

"And the Five have granted you, before death, what they so long refused,
--the return to Lacedaemon. You ought to be thankful to the gods for
granting you such sons and such vengeance on your enemies. When my wound
is healed, I shall go to Greece and tell your son that his father died a
glorious death, and was carried to the grave on his shield, as beseems a
hero."

"Yes, do so, and give him my shield as a remembrance of his old father.
There is no need to exhort him to virtue."

"When Psamtik is in our power, shall I tell him what share you had in his
overthrow?"

"No; he saw me before he took to flight, and at the unexpected vision his
bow fell from his hand. This was taken by his friends as a signal for
flight, and they turned their horses from the battle."

"The gods ordain, that bad men shall be ruined by their own deeds.
Psamtik lost courage, for he must have believed that the very spirits of
the lower world were fighting against him."