If any one was in doubt as to what he should do in time of trouble, or wanted to know something that was to happen in the future, he would go to one of these oracles, and offer up a sacrifice to the god, in return for which the oracle would utter words of warning or of advice. […] She rushed to the temple, and fell on her knees, and offered to make any sacrifice if the oracle would take back that cruel message, that Andromeda must be given as a peace offering to the sea serpent. […] But when the time came for paying the fourth tribute, as this sacrifice was called, young Prince Theseus declared that he would go as one of the seven, either to free his city of this terrible yearly burden, or to die with his people. […] Everything was prepared, and the children were led out, decked with flowers, as the ancients used to deck the young lambs they offered in sacrifice to the gods.