Surely after tasting so sweet a thing as courage he could not ever go back to cowardice. The Nikander in him grew to full stature in these moments.
Oh, heaven! Eëtíon had fallen. Dryas rushed to him, holding over him the shield while he fought. More wounds were here. Then, Paian be praised, Eëtíon struggled to his feet.
Where were they now? Out beyond Delphi, a mile out on the Daulis road and the Persians, Assyrians, Arabians, Ethiopians in full retreat.
Oh, what was Dryas doing now? Struggling, shouting, brandishing his arms in foolish wildness, while Eëtíon and Nikander adjured him to keep still, that all was past.
CHAPTER XXXVIII
THANKFULNESS
Surely never was a happier, humbler band of victors than these who now returned along the road to the Precinct. Nikander and Eëtíon bearing Dryas on a litter, the temple guardsmen now laughing aloud with some recollection of battle triumph, now awed into silence, as one of them told of the divine shoutings he had heard, or the terrible dealing of those rocks which fell from on high upon the enemy.
The other Delphians who had rushed down from hiding in the hills kept silence. Every one of them was wishing that he had stayed with the guard in the Precinct.
Outside the gate Theria met them with outstretched arms and tears of joy. She kissed Eëtíon and her father, and knelt down by Dryas’s litter, bending over him in love.