Page:Arrian's Voyage Round the Euxine Sea Translated.djvu/22

fer to the memory of Achilles. Many offerings are ſufpended in this temple, as cups, rings, and the more valuable gems. All theſe are offerings to the memory of Achilles. Inſcriptions are alſo ſuſpended, written in the Greek and Latin language, in praiſe of Achilles, and compoſed in different kinds of metre. Some are in praiſe of Patroclus, whom thoſe, who are diſpoſed to honour Achilles, treat with equal reſpeƈt. Many birds inhabit this iſland, as ſea-gulls, divers, and coots innumerable. Theſe birds frequent the temple of Achilles. Every day in the morning they take their flight, and having moiſtened their wings, fly back again to the temple, and ſprinkle it with the moiſture; which having performed, they bruſh and clean the pavement with their wings. This is the account given by ſome perſons. Thoſe, who come on purpoſe to the iſland, carry animals proper for ſacrifice with them in their ſhips, ſome of which they immolate, and others they ſet at liberty in honour of Achilles. Even thoſe, who are compelled by ſtreſs of weather to land upon the iſland, muſt conſult the God himſelf, whether it would be right and proper for them to ſeleƈt for ſacrifice any of the animals, which they ſhould find feeding there; offering, at the fame time, ſuch a recompenſe, as to them ſeems adequate to the value of the animal ſo ſeleƈted. But if this ſhould be rejeƈted by the Oracle, for there is an Oracle in this temple, they muVt then add to their valuation; and if the increaſed valuation be ſtill rejeƈted, they muſt increaſe it again, till they find, from the aſſent of the Oracle, that the price they offer is deemed ſufficient. When this is the caſe, the beaſt to be ſacrificed ſtands ſtill of its own accord, and makes no effort to eſcape. A confiderable treaſure is laid up in this temple as the price of theſe viƈtims. It is ſaid that Achilles has appeared in time of ſleep both to thoſe who have approached the coaſt of this iſland, and alſo to ſuch as