116 THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS. 
Tims determined, Philomela, by means of her 
needle, wove the story of her injuries in tapestry, and 
prevailed on one of her guards to carry it to Procne, 
who no sooner learnt the dreadful fate of her 
wretched sister than she determined to revenge her 
wrongs, by the most signal vengeance on her infa- 
mous husband. Procne's first object was the re- 
lease of her unhappy sister, that she might assist in 
her vengeance ; for which purpose, she took advan- 
tage of the following religious rites, performed by 
the Thracians, to celebrate, once in three years, the 
feast of Bacchus. At this ceremony, matrons of the 
highest rank joined the frantic train of Bacchanals, 
running about during the night, adorned with ivy and 
vine leaves, carrying flaming torches. Procne, availing 
herself of the liberty given by these orgies, assembled 
a number of women and persons devoted to her inte- 
rest, penetrated the woods where stood the fortress 
that confined her unhappy sister, and after forcing 
the doors, and disguising the wretched Philomela 
with wreaths of ivy, she led her to the palace of her 
perfidious husband, the inhuman perpetrator of her 
sister's wrongs. 
The miserable state in v^hich Progne discovered 
the sad victim of her husband's perfidy and barba- 
