Most courteously, sir stranger, dost thou express surprise at these my tears; the sight of this temple of Apollo recalled to me a memory of long ago, and somehow my thoughts went wandering home, though I am here myself. Ah, hapless race of women! ah, ye reckless gods! What shall I say? to what standard shall we refer justice if through the injustice of our lords and masters we are brought to ruin? Ion Why, lady, art thou thus cast down, past all finding out? Creusa ’Tis naught; I have shot my bolt; for what remains, I say no more, nor seek thou further to inquire. Ion Who art thou and whence? who is the father that begat thee? by what name are we to call thee? Creusa Creusa is my name, the daughter of Erechtheus I; my native land is Athens . Ion A glorious city thine, lady, a noble line of ancestry! with what reverence I behold thee! Creusa Thus far, no further goes my luck, good sir. Ion Pray, is the current legend true— Creusa What is thy question? I fain would learn. Ion Was thy father’s grandsire really sprung from Earth? Creusa Yes, Erichthonius was; but my high birth avails me not Ion Is it true Athena reared him from the ground? Creusa Aye, and into maidens’ hands, though not his mother’s— Ion Consigned him, did she? as ’tis wont to be set forth in painting. Creusa Yes, to the daughters of Cecrops, to keep him safe unseen. Ion I have heard the maidens opened the ark wherein the goddess laid him. Creusa And so they died, dabbling with their blood the rocky cliff. Ion Even so. But what of this next story? Is it true or groundless? Creusa What is thy question? Ask on, I have no calls upon my leisure. Ion Did thy sire Erechtheus offer thy sisters as a sacrifice? Creusa For his country’s sake he did endure to slay the maids as victims.