Euripides, Ion
Robert Potter, Ed.

He took the calves and left. The youth reverently built the round tent on pillars, without walls, taking good care of the rays of the sun, [1135] setting it neither towards the middle beams of heat nor in turn towards the ending ones. He measured a length of 100 feet for a square, having its whole area ten thousand feet, as the wise say, [1140] so that he might call all the people of Delphi to the feast. From the treasuries he took sacred tapestries, and shadowed over the tent, a wonder for men to see. First, overhead he spread out wings of cloth, a dedication of the son of Zeus, which Herakles [1145] brought from the Amazons as spoils for the god. These pictures were woven in it: Heaven gathering the stars into the circle of the sky. The Sun was driving his horses to the last flare, drawing on the light of Evening. [1150] Dark-robed Night was shaking her two-horse chariot by means of the yoked pair, and stars attended her. A Pleiad hastened through the middle sky, with Orion and his sword; above, Arktos turned his golden tail on the pole; [1155] the full moon, that divides the months in half, shot forth her beams above, with the Hyades, the clearest sign for sailors, and light-bearing Dawn, pursuing the stars. Ion spread other tapestries over the sides of the tent, foreign ones: [1160] well-equipped ships against the Hellenes, and half-human creatures; and the pursuit of deer on horse-back, and hunting of savage lions. At the entrance there was Cecrops, with his daughters, winding in his serpent coils, [1165] a dedication from an Athenian.

Ion set up golden mixing bowls in the middle of the banquet. The herald, with quick steps, was inviting any native of Delphi who wished to come to the feast. When the tent was filled, they crowned themselves with garlands and ate the rich food [1170] to satiety. When they had let go this pleasure—an old man came by and stood in the midst, and he raised a great laugh among the guests by his zealous actions; for he brought water for washing hands from the pitchers, and burned [1175] the myrtle incense, and ruled over the the golden cups, assigning this duty to himself.