Lives of Alcyone

Alcyone was earnest, eager, and easily impressible. He
responded at once to true affection, but shrank into stolidity if treated
unkindly. He had an intense admiration for his father, his mother and
his elder sisters. He was extremely sensitive, and to some extent
psychic and clairvoyant when young—sufficiently so at least to see
nature-spirits and sometimes to hear voices, especially one which
occasionally gave him counsel at crises in his life. He was always
fond of the sea, and was perpetually swimming in it, or rowing
sailing on it; and as a small boy he would have liked nothing better
than to be a sailor. On one occasion he was some distance out in a
small boat with a clumsy sail, when he was caught by a sudden
squall of great severity. The people watching on shore thought that
he must inevitably be lost, but just at the critical moment the voice
told him to keep his presence of mind, and gave him directions what
to do, so that he brought in his boat in safety, in a way which could
not have been surpassed by the most experienced seaman, and by
the use of a manoeuvre of which few would have thought.
He was much interested in all religious ceremonies, and
performed them solemnly and—effectively. His father, seeing this,
was encouraged to hope that he might have the priestly vocation,
which was the dearest wish of his heart for him. The boy was
delighted at the idea, and his sisters also encouraged it, so he was
entered as a novice, and was proud of it. his life in the temple was
pleasant to him, for all the priests were attracted by his charming
ways, and thus every one helped him and made his work easy. The
religion seems to have been principally Sun-worship, and it is
curious to note that they spoke of their Deity always as the “ Sea-