Timon assented. To the Greek this was easy of belief. Timon had seen Theria in her state of trance. He had seen her yesterday, and even then the expression of her face showed the vision state through which she had passed. Yes, yes, Theria had seen a vision. “She has lately told me more about it,” pursued Nikander. “Apollo spoke to her. She has told me the words of the god and I have written them down.” With a hand he could not keep from trembling Nikander brought forth the tablet. Timon read it slowly, as Greeks were wont to read. Again he read it. “No priestess of mine art thou.—Begone from my temple.—Nay, for I love thee—thou hast sung at my bidding.” “Was all this in it when you spoke of this before?” asked Timon seriously. “Yes, the same.” “I remember only the silver shaft of Apollo. But this!—Why, Nikander, the god has actually driven the girl from his temple. It might even be dangerous to hold her there after this express command.” “Do you think that?” queried Nikander eagerly. “Will you say that in the Council?” “But suppose she is freed—what should then be done with her?” asked Timon. But with this encouragement Nikander determined to apply formally to the Priests’ Council for her release. Never in all his days would Nikander forget the bitter anxiety of that afternoon with the Council. Many strifes had he striven with that august body, strifes for the good name of Delphi, strifes for the honour and safety of Hellas, yet never one that had given him this suffocation at the thought of defeat. Timon became his earnest helper and Nikander sorely needed help. “Never before,” maintained the older priests, “never before had the Pythia been given back to her family or been given in marriage. It would cause a pestilence.” But as the debate progressed Nikander gradually became aware of his own new power in the Council. For many months Nikander had been the sole one who had counselled resistance to the Persian. It was Nikander who had supplicated for the more hopeful oracles and received them. Suppose the more timid interpretations had prevailed, where would the Delphians now be? Nikander had been right and his prayers had changed the mind of the god. Now Nikander was making a strange request. Might he not be right in this also? Surely Nikander would not ask this save in honest conviction. Had Nikander ever been selfish toward the shrine? Would he ask that his daughter be dismissed if it were likely to bring disaster? Did he not bring them now the god’s actual command: “Begone from my temple”? Nikander saw friend after friend spring to his feet with arguments like these until his heart warmed and in a clear, impassioned speech he moved the Council to his side. It was old Akeretos who made answer. “Apollo has spoken to free the girl. It is not usual. But neither is it usual for Apollo to appear in person and hurl mountains upon the enemy. It is a time of portents and wonders. Let the girl be freed, and at once.”