Then he drove straight on to the little temple of Jupiter that overlooked the town. He unyoked the oxen and led them into the temple. Just as people did in those days, he slew them before the altar, and caught their blood in a great wooden bowl. Then, while he prayed, he poured the blood out as a thank offering to mighty Jupiter.
“The wagon, too,” said he, “will I give to the great Being by whom kings are made and unmade;” and he drew it into the inner part of the temple. Then he took the ox yoke and laid it across the end of the wagon pole and fastened it there with a rope of bark. And so deftly did he tie the knot about the yoke that the ends of the rope were hidden and no man could see how to undo it.
Then he went about his duties as king.
“I don’t know much about this business,” he said, “but I’ll do my best.”
He ruled so wisely that there was no more trouble among the people. The laws which he made were so just that no man dared to disobey them. The land was blessed with peace and plenty from the mountains to the plains.
All strangers who came to the temple of Jupiter were shown King Gordius’s wagon; and they admired the skill with which he had fastened the yoke to the wagon pole.
Only a very great man could have tied such a knot as that,” said some.
“You have spoken truly,” said the oracle of the temple;“but the man who shall untie it will be much greater.”
“How can that be?” asked the visitors.
“Gordius is king only of the small country of Phrygia,” was the answer. “But the man who undoes this wo-nderful wor