But the maiden answered, “What I say, I say with full purpose.  Nor will I that any man should die for me, but rather will I save this land of Greece.”

And Achilles said, “If this be thy will, lady, I cannot say nay, for it is a noble thing that thou doest.”

Nor was the maiden turned from her purpose though her mother besought her with many tears.  So they that were appointed led her to the grove of Artemis, where there was built an altar, and the whole army of the Greeks gathered about it.  But when the King saw her going to her death he covered his face with his mantle; but she stood by him, and said, “I give my body with a willing heart to die for my country and for the whole land of Greece.  I pray the Gods that ye may prosper, and win the victory in this war, and come back safe to your homes.  And now let no man touch me, for I will offer my neck to the sword with a good heart.”

And all men marvelled to see the maiden of what a good courage she was.  Then the herald Talthybius stood in the midst and commanded silence to the people; and Calchas the soothsayer put a garland about her head, and drew a sharp knife from his sheath.  And all the army stood regarding the maiden and the priest and the altar.

Then there befell a marvellous thing.  For Calchas struck with his knife, for the sound of the stroke all men heard, but the maiden was not there.  Whither she had gone no one knew; but in her stead there lay gasping a great hind, and all the altar was red with the blood thereof.

And Calchas said, “See ye this, men of Greece, how the goddess hath provided this offering in the place of the maiden, for she would not that her altar should be defiled with innocent blood.  Be of good courage, therefore, and depart every man to his ship, for this day ye shall sail across the sea to the land of Troy.”

But how it fared with the maiden may be read in the story of “Iphigenia among the Taurians.”

THE STORY OF PHILOCTETES, OR THE BOW OF HERCULES.

Prince Philoctetes, who reigned in Methone, which is in the land of Thessaly, sailed with the other Princes of Greece to make war against the great city of Troy.  For he also had been one of the suitors of Helen the Fair, and had bound himself with a great oath that he would avenge her and her husband, whomsoever she should choose, on any man that should dare to do her wrong.  Now Philoctetes had been companion to Hercules in many of his labours, and also had been with him when he died upon Mount AEta.  For which cause Hercules gave him the bow and the arrows which he bare, having received them at the first from Apollo.  A very mighty bow it was, shooting arrows so as none other could do, and the arrows were sure dealers of death, for they had been dipped in the blood of the great dragon of Lerna, and the wounds which they made no physician might heal.  But it chanced that