Welcoming coming, speeding parting guests, 640 A new face smiling still on faces new. And that which men, though loth, must ask in prayer, Uprightness, use and nature bred in me For Phoebus' service. Thinking on all this, Father, I more esteem things hure than there. 645 Mine own life let me live. Content with little Hath charm no less than joy in great estate.
Chorus.
Well hast thou said, so be that those I love In these thy words may find their happiness.
Xuthus.
Of this no more : but learn to bear thy fortune. 650 For, where I found thee, there would I begin, By making thee a solemn public feast, And thy birth-sacrifice, 1 not offered yet. Now to the feast as my guest bringing thee, I'll make thee cheer : then to the Athenians' land 655 Bring thee as one that travelleth, not as mine. For, sooth, I have no heart to vex my wife With mine own bliss, while she is childless still. And I shall find a time to bring my queen To suffer thee to take my sceptred sway. 660 Ion 1 I name thee, of that happy chance In that, as forth Apollo's shrine I came, First lighted I on thee. Now all thy friends To this glad feast of sacrifice gather thou, To bid, as leaving Delphi soon, farewell. 665
1 Customarily offered on the day of birth, and again on the fifth day after, when the child receiveth[see errata] its name.
1 "Iwv, " coming," because met at his coming forth.
