She held up her finger,—the others obeyed the gesture, and hushed their steps to hear every note of the stately harmony that pealed out upon the air. The brethren were chanting part of the grand Greek “Hymn of Cleanthes,” a translation of which may be roughly rendered in the following strophes:
“Many-named and most glorious of the Immortals, Almighty for ever,
Ruler of Nature whose government is order and law,
Hail, all hail! for good it is that mortals should praise thee!
“We are Thy offspring; we are the Image of Thy Voice,
And only the Image, as all mortal things are that live and move by Thy power,
Therefore do we exalt Thy Name and sing of Thy glory forever!
“Thee doth the splendid Universe obey
Moving whithersoever Thou leadest,
And all are gladly swayed by Thee.