foreigner.  And if I come to high place in the state, they that are beneath me shall hate me, seeing that men love not those that are above them.  Also those that are of high account among the citizens shall have much jealousy against me, for such men have ever great enmity against their rivals.  Think also of thy house, how matters shall stand there.  For before, thy wife the Queen shared with thee this reproach of childlessness, but now will she stand alone and bear her sorrow by herself.  How then shall she not hate me when she seeth me at thy right hand?  And so shalt thou either for love of her go back from what thou hast promised to me, or else, seeking my profit, shalt trouble thine own house.  For thou knowest what deadly deeds with the sword and with poison women holding themselves to be wronged have wrought against their husbands.  And of a truth, my father, I hold that thy wife, seeing that she groweth old without hope of children, is most miserable among women.  And then as to kingship, I count that this is more pleasant to regard from afar than to possess; for how can he be happy who liveth in daily fear of death?  And if thou sayest that great store of wealth out-weigheth all other things, and that it is pleasant to be rich, I hold otherwise.  I would have neither poverty nor riches, but to live quietly and without trouble.  For listen, my father, to the good things that I have had in this place—­that which all men count dear, even leisure; and such labour as I did, not toilsome, and to be free from all ill company, and to be constant in prayers to the Gods, or in talk with men, ever consorting with new company among such as came to inquire of the god.  Surely, my father, this life is better than that which thou promisest to me.”

“My son,” the King made answer, “learn to take the good which the Gods have provided for thee.  First, then, I will bring thee to the feast which I purpose to hold in this place as though thou wert a stranger.  And afterwards I will take thee to the city of Athens, yet not declaring at the first thy birth, for I would not vex my wife with my good luck, seeing that she is yet childless.  Only in time I will work with her that thou shalt bear rule in the land with her good will.  And now call such of thy friends as thou wilt to the feast, for thou must even bid farewell to this city of Delphi.”

And Ion made answer, “Let it be so; only if I find not my mother, my life is nothing worth.”

And to the maidens the King said, “Take heed that ye keep silence on these matters, or ye shall surely die.”

But they were much troubled in heart for their mistress that she should be childless, while the King her husband had found a son.  Also they doubted much whether they should not tell the Queen the things which they had heard.