“Yea.”
“That is the reason the captains meet no more?”
“Yea.”
“That is the reason the sixth year was not kept?”
“That was the year before thou camest. We had not the time.”
“O most wretched people! With all thine ease, there is now no time for the keeping of thine oldest law, one handed down by thy father Poseidon! How couldst thou dare to let the sixth year go by, Oltis?”
“I care not for the olden laws. Thinkest thou because such are graved on their columns that they must stand forever? We can make laws now for ourselves; and have.”
Deucalion shivered.
This violation in not observing the sixth year was most heinous. The first men had inscribed its regulations on the great column of orichalcum, before mentioned, that stood in the grove of Poseidon in front of the gateway of the great court. Here, before this column, were the king and sub-kings (or royal rulers), to meet every fifth and sixth year alternately, in order to consult about public affairs, inquire into weighty transgressions, and afterward pass judgment. It was a grand Congress. But before judgment was passed, certain pledges were given, and in this wise:
The sacred bulls that ranged the inclosures on the northern slope of the mountain were hunted by ten chosen men with staves and nooses. When one was caught, he was led up to the column, and struck upon the head to fall dead before the inscription. Then, on the altar near the column, were his limbs offered a burnt sacrifice. Afterward, a cup was partly filled with his blood; and in this, each one of the Congress cast a blood clot. Then the rest of the victim was laid on the fire. Thereupon, each took a golden vessel, drew from the cup, and poured a libation upon the fire, at the same time swearing that he would punish transgressors, that he would not violate the inscriptions, and that he would not obey any ruler who would command him to act contrary to the laws of Poseidon. After drinking, each vessel was dedicated to the temple.