Ninus now rocked it more violently and in a strange tone, that sounded like the monotonous buzzing of an Egyptian sistrum, chanted the following words:
Orites, lend thine ear,
Stone smooth and splendid,
Let us the spirit hear
Within thy heart hid.
Stone that thyself canst stir,
From earth arising,
Lipless art thou, yet murmur
Counsel inspiring.
Again the stone seemed to make a slight movement.
The priestess of Sabazius, bending over it, whispered:
“By the two great mysteries, life and death, I conjure thee, Orites, raise thy voice and answer. Shall this maiden apply to her mother or shall she follow the advice of the slave-girl, Doris?”
A whimpering sound like an infant’s cry was heard.
Ninus bent lower and kissed the stone three times—a strange, weak voice, which seemed to issue from it with difficulty, said slowly, syllable by syllable, the two words:
“O-bey Do-ris!”
Hipyllos had been made no wiser by this scene. He did not yet know what terrible thing had happened to Clytie or for what reason she sought advice.
The priestess of Sabazius wiped the perspiration from her forehead, and in absolute silence washed the baetylus and put on its swaddling clothes.