When she had arrived, a few minutes before sundown, Calliope, chief of the Muses and Apollo’s housekeeper, had said, “Argeia, isn’t it?”Calliope led Argeia through the sanctuary of Apollo to the palace that lay beyond it. “We all think it’s very brave of you,” she said to Argeia. “You’ll find him a very gentle god, I think, but a girl’s first time is always hard. Just remember to do as he asks you to do.”When they reached Lord Apollo’s sumptuous sleeping chamber, Calliope said, “Time to get out of your chiton, sweet nymph.” Argeia unpinned her shoulders and let the garment fall to the ground. Calliope bent to pick it up. “I’ll bring it back to you after Lord Apollo leaves in the morning.”Argeia trembled at the Muse’s implication that Apollo would keep Argeia in his bed all night. She supposed the implication was entirely natural, for Argeia knew gods and goddesses spent their nights together in the deeds of Eros very frequently, but the idea that she had arrived here, in this room and upon this bed, at the end of her maidenhood, frightened her more than she had thought it would.
