“The witch who made Samuel appear before Saul....”
“I never heard of them,” said Lucius.
“And another of my forbears was my honoured namesake, Herophila of Erythræ.”
“Who was she?” asked Lucius.
“She was the custodian of the shrine of Apollo Smintheus, the divine rat-killer. She prophesied to Hecuba the calamity which would cause the death of her son Paris, whom she was bearing in her womb.”
“I never heard of her before,” Lucius repeated. “Tell me if Ilia is dead.”
The sibyl pressed the blue-leather sandal to her head; and her other hand pressed Lucius’ forehead.
“She is not dead!” she cried, in a voice of rapture.
“She is not dead?”
“No, Ilia lives!”