62 THE WONDER-BOOK OF HORSES 



his household. A good ship and fresh breezes 

 carried me over the sea to Lycia, where I was 

 welcomed most kindly by your good king lobates. 

 For he had known both my father and my grand- 

 father, and he said that he owed me honor for 

 their sakes. Nine days he held a great feast in 

 his palace, and all the most famous philosophers, 

 merchants, and warriors were invited to his table, 

 in order that I might meet them and hear them 

 talk. I had not forgotten the tablet that King 

 Proetus had given me, and several times I had 

 made a start to give it to lobates ; but I knew that 

 it would be bad taste to speak of business at such 

 a time. On the tenth day, however, after all the 

 guests had gone home, he said to me: 



" ' Now tell me what message you have brought 

 from my son-in-law Proetus and my dear daugh- 

 ter Anteia. For I know that they have sent me 

 some word.' 



" Then I gave him the tablet. He untied the 

 ribbon which bound the two blocks of wood to- 

 gether, and when he had broken the seal he lifted 

 them apart and read that which was engraved on 

 the wax between them. I do not know what this 

 message was, but it must have been something 

 of great importance, for the king's face grew 



