Indeed, it is one thing to spill the blood of men upon the nourishing earth when in the grip of battle, but it is quite another matter to slit the throat of woman or child upon the altar, that their blood - or the essence of their life, as the case may now be - can be offered up in payment for the benison of the gods. Such a sacrifice is cursed.

[Never mind that he maybe kinda sorta accidentally decapitated a dude in Apollo's temple. Totally different.]

By what other means can one contact a god, when prayer and supplication yield nothing?