My breath caught. I had never seen anything so immense nor beautiful. The huge temple was a hundred feet high. As we neared it, the detail in the friese was intricate and inspiring. Scenes of Apollo’s generosity, and heroism gleamed in the white marble. The columns were six feet wide and six stories tall. The building seemed to touch the seat of Apollo himself in the heavens!

We stood in a line to wash our sheep and ourselves in the holy water from the well. A priest in short robes properly cleansed a goat of the family in front of us. Soon it was our turn to wash. I pulled my tunic off and the priest instructed my father and I how to wash from head to foot. Then he cleansed our lamb.

The goat meanwhile screamed as it was cut open for the the reading. The organs were examined. The priest there held up a bloody liver and declared it unfit to see Apollo. The family lowered their heads in shame.

Our sheep screamed next, but I stood bravely, unflinching. The priest took out the liver and declared it good.