“Bacchus, Bacchus! on the panther

He swoons,—bound with his own vines!

And his Mænads slowly saunter,

Head aside, among the pines,

While they murmur dreamingly,—

‘Evohe—ah—evohe—!

Ah, Pan is dead.”

Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Zopyrus stood with arms folded, his noble head, perfect stature and dignified bearing appearing most incongruous with the exomis he wore. From across his folded arms he looked straight at the mortal Dionysus, till the latter, feeling his impelling gaze, looked up and flushed guiltily, though the man who surveyed him so coldly was to him a total stranger. Zopyrus walked to the throne, thrust the false Dionysus rudely aside, seized the amazed Persephone in his arms and tried to force his way through the crowd with her, but the indignant remonstrances of the crowd made futile his efforts.

“Down with him for violating the privileges of the god!” cried one.

This outburst was followed with vociferous cries of, “Take Ariadne from him!” “Throw him out!” “Beat him!”
188

By this time Ephialtes had recovered his composure. The appearance of the stranger had inexplicably discomposed him and the attack had roused his ire, but now conscious of his costly garb in contrast to his assailant’s attire, he stood before the throne and in imperious tones demanded the return of Ariadne, as he called her.

Zopyrus released the girl from his embrace and asked: “Do you wish to return to Pluto?”

For answer she stepped closely to Zopyrus’ side and clung tenaciously to his arm. He gazed long into the depths of eyes that matched the blue of her gown and the sapphires upon her brow. The color mounted to her temples, and as she bowed her head he noticed that the rosy flush likewise suffused her neck and shoulders which were partially visible through the golden strands of loosened hair.

Ephialtes was infuriated by Persephone’s refusal to return to him, and was nonplussed as to what method he had best employ to obtain the maiden, when there flashed through his mind the words of a sentence: “On the day that you deliver to Greece the traitor of Thermopylæ, I will become your wife.”

Straightening himself to his full height Ephialtes commanded the attention of the audience.
189

“I am about to make a revelation that will return Ariadne to me, I believe,” he said smiling with arrogant confidence. “The man to whom Ariadne clings and is no doubt one of our oarsmen, is no other than he who betrayed your country to the Persians before the battle of Thermopylæ. Greece has long sought him fellow countrymen, and yonder he stands, defiling with his touch the maiden who plays the part of Persephone at the Mysteries of Eleusis. What will you do with him?”

“Kill him!” came the cry from hundreds of throats, and with one accord the angry mob rushed toward Zopyrus.

“Just one moment please,” said Ephialtes. “I will wait for Ariadne, or Persephone of Eleusis, to join me on the throne.”

He paused impressively, but Persephone did not move.

“What,” he cried in indignation, “Did you not promise to become my bride when Thermopylæ’s traitor would be revealed by me?”

Persephone walked slowly toward Ephialtes who stretched forth eager arms to receive her, but she stopped a few paces before him and on her face was an inscrutable smile.

“Not so fast, Ephialtes. I want the proof. You dare not make such a statement without sufficient evidence against him.”

Ephialtes was confused. He had not had enough time to make up false testimony, but he knew that his future happiness depended now upon how successfully he placed the blame of his guilt upon the innocent man before him.

“Hear me,” he said, “and I will tell you the circumstances.”
190

“Your testimony can avail naught, for my protector here is a native Persian who knows nothing of the mountain passes of Greece,” said Persephone in a voice that rang clearly as a bell through the great hall. A death-like stillness pervaded the cella; nought was heard but the sharp intake of Ephialtes’ breath, then from his lips there burst in stentorian tones: “If this be true, a Persian in our midst is as deserving of death as a traitor! Friends will you allow him even so much as to touch the Persephone of the Mysteries?”

At this Persephone became alarmed and feared lest in her ardent desire to defend her protector, she had only made matters worse. Zopyrus, seeing her agitated countenance, smiled reassuringly and raised his arm to command general attention. A few rabid revelers rushed forward to do violence to his person but were checked by a voice in the throng: “Hear him! No man should be condemned without being permitted to say a word in his own behalf.”

The furious denunciations of the intolerant ones subsided, and Zopyrus turned and walked slowly toward Ephialtes who gradually retreated before the............