1832.J [ 107 ] 



A LEGEND OF THE EGEAN. 



WHEN Homer sung, there stood, on a promontory of the largest and 

 most fruitful island in the Archipelago, a small temple, dedicated to 

 Apollo. Thither did the shepherds and vine-dressers repair to hear the 

 -will of the just gods expounded by the sage Eobardus. No other priest 

 nor priestess aided his ministry, yet he dwelt not alone. There was a 

 maiden ever with him, trained to watch that the fire was not quenched 

 on the altar, that the image of day's lord lacked not its offerings of 

 hymns and garlands. 



Now the islanders had but few themes for conjecture, yet, albeit, 

 they knew nothing of AphehVs birth, they dreamt not, while she was 

 a child, of slandering Eobardus as her father ; neither did they, when 

 she became a woman, dare to doubt the sanctity of the tie which bound 

 her to the servant of Sol. So innocent were these simple peasants ; so 

 charitably, peacefully good was their priest; so celestially pure the 

 young and lovely Aphelia ! 



Her nymph-like form was fair as alabaster, her face well nigh as 

 pale i yet her dark eyes floated in the dews of health ; her black tresses 

 shone with the lustre of youth ; her elastic step was all airy grace and 

 freedom. Gentle she was, and gay, yet proud, even to a sweet shyness, 

 with all, save her revered instructor. She loved to listen as he related 

 the histories of other lands, but most was she wrapped in that of her 

 own. It was this :- 



Their late king, Lysander, had two brothers. The youngest, Pale- 

 mon, early left the court, and sought glory in arms. After some years 

 he returned, the widowed father of a hopeful prince, but found that his 

 sovereign, queen, and their infant, were no more ; the people groaning 

 beneath the yoke of the second brother, Thracius. Filled with dire 

 misgivings, Palemon set forth for Delphos, where his great piety ex- 

 torted from the oracle this sad truth : that the unnatural Thracius had 

 secretly put the royal pair to death, and given over their child to a man 

 pledged for its destruction. His subjects, apprized of this, instantly 

 deposed him, and elected Palemon in his place ; but he, having too 

 mercifully banished, instead of executing or imprisoning his guilty 

 brother, had been, for more than fifteen years, forced to wage war with 

 him, even on their contested territory. 



Eobardus and Aphelia knew not how soon the beauteous valley which 

 lay beneath them might become the scene of bloodshed and deso- 

 lation. Constantly did the maiden implore her protector that he would 

 devote her to the god, believing, in her ignorance of evil, that the most 

 savage passions must respect the sacred person of a priestess; but 

 though Eobardus still kept her within the temple, he delayed her con- 

 secration. Long and oft did she kneel, praying Apollo to befriend the 

 righteous cause, and defeat the fratricide, the traitor, the usurper, the 

 foe to concord. 



At last she was awakened by great shouts, and the shepherdesses 

 came to her, saying 



" Sing, sing, oh Aphelia ! and bid the worthy Eobardus exult ; for 1 , 

 lo! Palemon, the avenger, and his brave son, Laurelius, have slain the 

 tyrant, and dispersed his invading legions. Yea, there shall be peace 

 in our isle, under an upright ruler. Praise be to Apollo, to Mars, and 

 to Jove !" 



