Nikander’s voice began to ring with his message. He forgot it was only to his daughter, Theria, that he was speaking. She meanwhile thrilled and quivered with the sudden enlightenment. Yesterday she had been for the moment persuaded by Lycophron. But this from her father was the truth, so clear that she ought to have known it without any telling.
Nikander went on:
“But all the priests were for bending the oracles the other way. They fashioned them into drivelling nonsense, only adding enough of sense to warn the states away, to make them afraid to fight.
“Oh, that our Delphi should come to this.
“The priests themselves are scared. Many of them have visited Persia and remember its vast power. I, too, have visited it. What of it? Cannot they see that in a pass like this the gods will fight on our side?
“But among all the priests, only Timon and I are for the nobler part. I am not accustomed to failure. I do not know how to bear it.”
His head bowed, but it lifted again quickly.
“But we have not failed yet, Timon and I. There are yet Athens and Sparta for us to help.”
Suddenly he seemed aware of his daughter. He took her hand.