88 THE SWALLOW 



called to mind the omen of the swallow, and at 

 once sent for Aristander, his diviner, who told 

 him that the swallow's actions signified the 

 treachery of one of his friends, and also that 

 this treachery would be brought to light. 

 He explained that the swallow is a bird 

 which is reared among men, is a friend to 

 man, and is more talkative than any other 

 bird. It was shortly discovered that a 

 certain Alexander, son of a trusted captain, 

 was plotting the king's death. And perhaps 

 he would have succeeded in his wickedness 

 had it not been for the clever little swallow. 



Another swallow who had her nest in the 

 chapel of Alexander, son of Pyrrhus, fore- 

 told to him a coming , disaster. And still 

 another, building her nest in his tent while 

 on the march against the Medes, told Anti- 

 ochus that evil was about to befall him, — 

 and so he hurled himself down from a steep 

 precipice. 



Because of her free flight in the air, the 

 swallow has long been looked upon as a 



