“Then perhaps you would like me to go away too?”

“Oh no, I can understand you quite well; though you cannot speak half so beautifully as our poor Phanes for example, who was obliged to escape so miserably yesterday evening, as I heard Melitta saying just this minute.”

“Did you love Phanes?”

“Love him?  Oh yes,—­I was very fond of him.  When I was little he always brought me balls, dolls ninepins from Memphis and Sais; and now that I am older he teaches me beautiful new songs.”

   [Jointed dolls for children.  Wilkinson ii. 427.  Note 149.  In the
   Leyden Museum one of these jointed toys is to be seen, in very good
   preservation.]

“As a parting gift he brought me a tiny Sicilian lapdog, which I am going to call Argos, because he is so white and swiftfooted.  But in a few days we are to have another present from the good Phanes, for. . . .  There, now you can see what I am; I was just going to let out a great secret.  My grandmother has strictly forbidden me to tell any one what dear little visitors we are expecting; but I feel as if I had known you a long time already, and you have such kind eyes that I could tell you everything.  You see, when I am very happy, I have no one in the whole world to talk to about it, except old Melitta and my grandmother, and, I don’t know how it is, that, though they love me so much, they sometimes cannot understand how trifles can make me so happy.”

“That is because they are old, and have forgotten what made them happy in their youth.  But have you no companions of your own age that you are fond of?”

“Not one.  Of course there are many other young girls beside me in Naukratis, but my grandmother says I am not to seek their acquaintance, and if they will not come to us I am not to go to them.”

“Poor child! if you were in Persia, I could soon find you a friend.  I have a sister called Atossa, who is young and good, like you.”

“Oh, what a pity that she did not come here with you!—­But now you must tell me your name.”

“My name is Bartja.”

“Bartja! that is a strange name!  Bartja-Bartja.  Do you know, I like it.  How was the son of Croesus called, who saved our Phanes so generously?”

“Gyges.  Darius, Zopyrus and he are my best friends.  We have sworn never to part, and to give up our lives for one another,” and that is why I came to-day, so early and quite in secret, to help my friend Gyges, in case he should need me.”

“Then you rode here for nothing.”

“No, by Mithras, that indeed I did not, for this ride brought me to you.  But now you must tell me your name.”

“I am called Sappho.”

“That is a pretty name, and Gyges sings me sometimes beautiful songs by a poetess called Sappho.  Are you related to her?”

“Of course.  She was the sister of my grandfather Charaxus, and is called the tenth muse or the Lesbian swan.  I suppose then, your friend Gyges speaks Greek better than you do?”