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diff --git a/830-h/830-h.htm b/830-h/830-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..43500da --- /dev/null +++ b/830-h/830-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6813 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>The Argonautica, by Apollonius Rhodius</title> +<link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> +<style type="text/css"> + +body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + text-align: justify; } + +h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 {text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-weight: +normal; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em;} + +h1 {font-size: 300%; + margin-top: 0.6em; + margin-bottom: 0.6em; + letter-spacing: 0.12em; + word-spacing: 0.2em; + text-indent: 0em;} +h2 {font-size: 150%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +h3 {font-size: 150%; margin-top: 2em;} +h4 {font-size: 120%;} +h5 {font-size: 110%;} + +hr {width: 80%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always; margin-top: 4em;} + +p {text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.25em; } + +.p2 {margin-top: 2em;} + +p.footnote {font-size: 90%; + text-indent: 0%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +sup { vertical-align: top; font-size: 0.6em; } + +div.fig { display:block; + margin:0 auto; + text-align:center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em;} + +a:link {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:visited {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:hover {color:red} + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Argonautica, by Apollonius Rhodius + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + +Title: The Argonautica + +Author: Apollonius Rhodius + +Release Date: July 21, 2008 [EBook #830] +Last updated: January 9, 2020 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ARGONAUTICA *** + + + + +Produced by Douglas B. Killings, and David Widger + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div class="fig" style="width:60%;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" style="width:100%;" alt="cover " /><br/><br/> +</div> + +<h1>The Argonautica</h1> + +<h2>by Apollonius Rhodius</h2> + +<p class="p2"> +Originally written in Ancient Greek sometime in the 3rd Century B.C. by the +Alexandrian poet Apollonius Rhodius (“Apollonius the Rhodian”). +Translation by R.C. Seaton, 1912. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: ORIGINAL TEXT— +</p> + +<p> +Seaton, R.C. (Ed. & Trans.): “Apollonius Rhodius: Argonautica” +(Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA, 1912). Original Greek text with +side-by-side English translation. +</p> + +<p> +OTHER TRANSLATIONS— +</p> + +<p> +Rieu, E.V. (Trans.): “Apollonius of Rhodes: The Voyage of the Argo” +(Penguin Classics, London, 1959, 1971). +</p> + +<p> +RECOMMENDED READING— +</p> + +<p> +Euripides: “Medea”, “Hecabe”, “Electra”, +and “Heracles”, translated by Philip Vellacott (Penguin Classics, +London, 1963). Contains four plays by Euripides, two of which concern +characters from “The Argonautica”. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<h2>Contents</h2> + +<table summary="" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto"> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap01">INTRODUCTION</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap02">THE ARGONAUTICA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap03">BOOK I</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap04">BOOK II</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap05">BOOK III</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap06">BOOK IV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap07">ENDNOTES</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap01"></a>INTRODUCTION</h2> + +<p> +Much has been written about the chronology of Alexandrian literature and the +famous Library, founded by Ptolemy Soter, but the dates of the chief writers +are still matters of conjecture. The birth of Apollonius Rhodius is placed by +scholars at various times between 296 and 260 B.C., while the year of his death +is equally uncertain. In fact, we have very little information on the subject. +There are two “lives” of Apollonius in the Scholia, both derived +from an earlier one which is lost. From these we learn that he was of +Alexandria by birth,<a href="#linknote-1" name="linknoteref-1" +id="linknoteref-1"><sup>[1]</sup></a> that he lived in the time of the +Ptolemies, and was a pupil of Callimachus; that while still a youth he composed +and recited in public his <i>Argonautica</i>, and that the poem was +condemned, in consequence of which he retired to Rhodes; that there he revised +his poem, recited it with great applause, and hence called himself a Rhodian. +The second “life” adds: “Some say that he returned to +Alexandria and again recited his poem with the utmost success, so that he was +honoured with the libraries of the Museum and was buried with +Callimachus.” The last sentence may be interpreted by the notice of +Suidas, who informs us that Apollonius was a contemporary of Eratosthenes, +Euphorion and Timarchus, in the time of Ptolemy Euergetes, and that he +succeeded Eratosthenes in the headship of the Alexandrian Library. Suidas also +informs us elsewhere that Aristophanes at the age of sixty-two succeeded +Apollonius in this office. Many modern scholars deny the +“bibliothecariate” of Apollonius for chronological reasons, and +there is considerable difficulty about it. The date of Callimachus’ +<i>Hymn to Apollo</i>, which closes with some lines (105-113) that are +admittedly an allusion to Apollonius, may be put with much probability at 248 +or 247 B.C. Apollonius must at that date have been at least twenty years old. +Eratosthenes died 196-193 B.C. This would make Apollonius seventy-two to +seventy-five when he succeeded Eratosthenes. This is not impossible, it is +true, but it is difficult. But the difficulty is taken away if we assume with +Ritschl that Eratosthenes resigned his office some years before his death, +which allows us to put the birth of Apollonius at about 280, and would solve +other difficulties. For instance, if the Librarians were buried within the +precincts, it would account for the burial of Apollonius next to +Callimachus—Eratosthenes being still alive. However that may be, it is +rather arbitrary to take away the “bibliothecariate” of Apollonius, +which is clearly asserted by Suidas, on account of chronological calculations +which are themselves uncertain. Moreover, it is more probable that the words +following “some say” in the second “life” are a remnant +of the original life than a conjectural addition, because the first +“life” is evidently incomplete, nothing being said about the end of +Apollonius’ career. +</p> + +<p> +The principal event in his life, so far as we know, was the quarrel with his +master Callimachus, which was most probably the cause of his condemnation at +Alexandria and departure to Rhodes. This quarrel appears to have arisen from +differences of literary aims and taste, but, as literary differences often do, +degenerated into the bitterest personal strife. There are references to the +quarrel in the writings of both. Callimachus attacks Apollonius in the passage +at the end of the <i>Hymn to Apollo</i>, already mentioned, also +probably in some epigrams, but most of all in his <i>Ibis</i>, of which +we have an imitation, or perhaps nearly a translation, in Ovid’s poem of +the same name. On the part of Apollonius there is a passage in the third book +of the <i>Argonautica</i> (ll. 927-947) which is of a polemical nature +and stands out from the context, and the well-known savage epigram upon +Callimachus.<a href="#linknote-2" name="linknoteref-2" +id="linknoteref-2"><sup>[2]</sup></a> Various combinations have been +attempted by scholars, notably by Couat, in his <i>Poésie +Alexandrine</i>, to give a connected account of the quarrel, but we have not +<i>data</i> sufficient to determine the order of the attacks, and replies, and +counter-attacks. The <i>Ibis</i> has been thought to mark the +termination of the feud on the curious ground that it was impossible for abuse +to go further. It was an age when literary men were more inclined to comment on +writings of the past than to produce original work. Literature was engaged in +taking stock of itself. Homer was, of course, professedly admired by all, but +more admired than imitated. Epic poetry was out of fashion and we find many +epigrams of this period—some by Callimachus—directed against the +“cyclic” poets, by whom were meant at that time those who were +always dragging in conventional and commonplace epithets and phrases peculiar +to epic poetry. Callimachus was in accordance with the spirit of the age when +he proclaimed “a great book” to be “a great evil”, and +sought to confine poetical activity within the narrowest limits both of subject +and space. Theocritus agreed with him, both in principle and practice. The +chief characteristics of Alexandrianism are well summarized by Professor +Robinson Ellis as follows: “Precision in form and metre, refinement in +diction, a learning often degenerating into pedantry and obscurity, a resolute +avoidance of everything commonplace in subject, sentiment or allusion.” +These traits are more prominent in Callimachus than in Apollonius, but they are +certainly to be seen in the latter. He seems to have written the +<i>Argonautica</i> out of bravado, to show that he <i>could</i> write an epic +poem. But the influence of the age was too strong. Instead of the unity of an +Epic we have merely a series of episodes, and it is the great beauty and power +of one of these episodes that gives the poem its permanent value—the +episode of the love of Jason and Medea. This occupies the greater part of the +third book. The first and second books are taken up with the history of the +voyage to Colchis, while the fourth book describes the return voyage. These +portions constitute a metrical guide book, filled no doubt with many pleasing +episodes, such as the rape of Hylas, the boxing match between Pollux and +Amyeus, the account of Cyzicus, the account of the Amazons, the legend of +Talos, but there is no unity running through the poem beyond that of the voyage +itself. +</p> + +<p> +The Tale of the Argonauts had been told often before in verse and prose, and +many authors’ names are given in the Scholia to Apollonius, but their +works have perished. The best known earlier account that we have is that in +Pindar’s fourth Pythian ode, from which Apollonius has taken many +details. The subject was one for an epic poem, for its unity might have been +found in the working out of the expiation due for the crime of Athamas; but +this motive is barely mentioned by our author. +</p> + +<p> +As we have it, the motive of the voyage is the command of Pelias to bring back +the golden fleece, and this command is based on Pelias’ desire to destroy +Jason, while the divine aid given to Jason results from the intention of Hera +to punish Pelias for his neglect of the honour due to her. The learning of +Apollonius is not deep but it is curious; his general sentiments are not +according to the Alexandrian standard, for they are simple and obvious. In the +mass of material from which he had to choose the difficulty was to know what to +omit, and much skill is shown in fusing into a tolerably harmonious whole +conflicting mythological and historical details. He interweaves with his +narrative local legends and the founding of cities, accounts of strange +customs, descriptions of works of art, such as that of Ganymede and Eros +playing with knucklebones,<a href="#linknote-3" name="linknoteref-3" +id="linknoteref-3"><sup>[3]</sup></a> but prosaically calls himself +back to the point from these pleasing digressions by such an expression as +“but this would take me too far from my song.” His business is the +straightforward tale and nothing else. The astonishing geography of the fourth +book reminds us of the interest of the age in that subject, stimulated no doubt +by the researches of Eratosthenes and others. +</p> + +<p> +The language is that of the conventional epic. Apollonius seems to have +carefully studied Homeric glosses, and gives many examples of isolated uses, +but his choice of words is by no means limited to Homer. He freely avails +himself of Alexandrian words and late uses of Homeric words. Among his +contemporaries Apollonius suffers from a comparison with Theocritus, who was a +little his senior, but he was much admired by Roman writers who derived +inspiration from the great classical writers of Greece by way of Alexandria. In +fact Alexandria was a useful bridge between Athens and Rome. The +<i>Argonautica</i> was translated by Varro Atacinus, copied by Ovid and +Virgil, and minutely studied by Valerius Flaccus in his poem of the same name. +Some of his finest passages have been appropriated and improved upon by Virgil +by the divine right of superior genius.<a href="#linknote-4" +name="linknoteref-4" id="linknoteref-4"><sup>[4]</sup></a> The +subject of love had been treated in the romantic spirit before the time of +Apollonius in writings that have perished, for instance, in those of Antimachus +of Colophon, but the <i>Argonautica</i> is perhaps the first poem still +extant in which the expression of this spirit is developed with elaboration. +The Medea of Apollonius is the direct precursor of the Dido of Virgil, and it +is the pathos and passion of the fourth book of the “Aeneid” that +keep alive many a passage of Apollonius. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap02"></a>THE ARGONAUTICA</h2> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap03"></a>BOOK I</h2> + +<p> +Beginning with thee, O Phoebus, I will recount the famous deeds of men of old, +who, at the behest of King Pelias, down through the mouth of Pontus and between +the Cyanean rocks, sped well-benched Argo in quest of the golden fleece. +</p> + +<p> +Such was the oracle that Pelias heard, that a hateful doom awaited him to be +slain at the prompting of the man whom he should see coming forth from the +people with but one sandal. And no long time after, in accordance with that +true report, Jason crossed the stream of wintry Anaurus on foot, and saved one +sandal from the mire, but the other he left in the depths held back by the +flood. And straightway he came to Pelias to share the banquet which the king +was offering to his father Poseidon and the rest of the gods, though he paid no +honour to Pelasgian Hera. Quickly the king saw him and pondered, and devised +for him the toil of a troublous voyage, in order that on the sea or among +strangers he might lose his home-return. +</p> + +<p> +The ship, as former bards relate, Argus wrought by the guidance of Athena. But +now I will tell the lineage and the names of the heroes, and of the long +sea-paths and the deeds they wrought in their wanderings; may the Muses be the +inspirers of my song! +</p> + +<p> +First then let us name Orpheus whom once Calliope bare, it is said, wedded to +Thracian Oeagrus, near the Pimpleian height. Men say that he by the music of +his songs charmed the stubborn rocks upon the mountains and the course of +rivers. And the wild oak-trees to this day, tokens of that magic strain, that +grow at Zone on the Thracian shore, stand in ordered ranks close together, the +same which under the charm of his lyre he led down from Pieria. Such then was +Orpheus whom Aeson’s son welcomed to share his toils, in obedience to the +behest of Cheiron, Orpheus ruler of Bistonian Pieria. +</p> + +<p> +Straightway came Asterion, whom Cometes begat by the waters of eddying +Apidanus; he dwelt at Peiresiae near the Phylleian mount, where mighty Apidanus +and bright Enipeus join their streams, coming together from afar. +</p> + +<p> +Next to them from Larisa came Polyphemus, son of Eilatus, who aforetime among +the mighty Lapithae, when they were arming themselves against the Centaurs, +fought in his younger days; now his limbs were grown heavy with age, but his +martial spirit still remained, even as of old. +</p> + +<p> +Nor was Iphiclus long left behind in Phylace, the uncle of Aeson’s son; +for Aeson had wedded his sister Alcimede, daughter of Phylacus: his kinship +with her bade him be numbered in the host. +</p> + +<p> +Nor did Admetus, the lord of Pherae rich in sheep, stay behind beneath the peak +of the Chalcodonian mount. +</p> + +<p> +Nor at Alope stayed the sons of Hermes, rich in corn-land, well skilled in +craftiness, Erytus and Echion, and with them on their departure their kinsman +Aethalides went as the third; him near the streams of Amphrysus Eupolemeia +bare, the daughter of Myrmidon, from Phthia; the two others were sprung from +Antianeira, daughter of Menetes. +</p> + +<p> +From rich Gyrton came Coronus, son of Caeneus, brave, but not braver than his +father. For bards relate that Caeneus though still living perished at the hands +of the Centaurs, when apart from other chiefs he routed them; and they, +rallying against him, could neither bend nor slay him; but unconquered and +unflinching he passed beneath the earth, overwhelmed by the downrush of massy +pines. +</p> + +<p> +There came too Titaresian Mopsus, whom above all men the son of Leto taught the +augury of birds; and Eurydamas the son of Ctimenus; he dwelt at Dolopian +Ctimene near the Xynian lake. +</p> + +<p> +Moreover Actor sent his son Menoetius from Opus that he might accompany the +chiefs. +</p> + +<p> +Eurytion followed and strong Eribotes, one the son of Teleon, the other of +Irus, Actor’s son; the son of Teleon renowned Eribotes, and of Irus +Eurytion. A third with them was Oileus, peerless in courage and well skilled to +attack the flying foe, when they break their ranks. +</p> + +<p> +Now from Euboea came Canthus eager for the quest, whom Canethus son of Abas +sent; but he was not destined to return to Cerinthus. For fate had ordained +that he and Mopsus, skilled in the seer’s art, should wander and perish +in the furthest ends of Libya. For no ill is too remote for mortals to incur, +seeing that they buried them in Libya, as far from the Colchians as is the +space that is seen between the setting and the rising of the sun. +</p> + +<p> +To him Clytius and Iphitus joined themselves, the warders of Oechalia, sons of +Eurytus the ruthless, Eurytus, to whom the Far-shooting god gave his bow; but +he had no joy of the gift; for of his own choice he strove even with the giver. +</p> + +<p> +After them came the sons of Aeacus, not both together, nor from the same spot; +for they settled far from Aegina in exile, when in their folly they had slain +their brother Phoeus. Telamon dwelt in the Attic island; but Peleus departed +and made his home in Phthia. +</p> + +<p> +After them from Cecropia came warlike Butes, son of brave Teleon, and Phalerus +of the ashen spear. Alcon his father sent him forth; yet no other sons had he +to care for his old age and livelihood. But him, his well-beloved and only son, +he sent forth that amid bold heroes he might shine conspicuous. But Theseus, +who surpassed all the sons of Erechtheus, an unseen bond kept beneath the land +of Taenarus, for he had followed that path with Peirithous; assuredly both +would have lightened for all the fulfilment of their toil. +</p> + +<p> +Tiphys, son of Hagnias, left the Siphaean people of the Thespians, well skilled +to foretell the rising wave on the broad sea, and well skilled to infer from +sun and star the stormy winds and the time for sailing. Tritonian Athena +herself urged him to join the band of chiefs, and he came among them a welcome +comrade. She herself too fashioned the swift ship; and with her Argus, son of +Arestor, wrought it by her counsels. Wherefore it proved the most excellent of +all ships that have made trial of the sea with oars. +</p> + +<p> +After them came Phlias from Araethyrea, where he dwelt in affluence by the +favour of his father Dionysus, in his home by the springs of Asopus. +</p> + +<p> +From Argos came Talaus and Areius, sons of Bias, and mighty Leodocus, all of +whom Pero daughter of Neleus bare; on her account the Aeolid Melampus endured +sore affliction in the steading of Iphiclus. +</p> + +<p> +Nor do we learn that Heracles of the mighty heart disregarded the eager summons +of Aeson’s son. But when he heard a report of the heroes’ gathering +and had reached Lyrceian Argos from Arcadia by the road along which he carried +the boar alive that fed in the thickets of Lampeia, near the vast Erymanthian +swamp, the boar bound with chains he put down from his huge shoulders at the +entrance to the market-place of Mycenae; and himself of his own will set out +against the purpose of Eurystheus; and with him went Hylas, a brave comrade, in +the flower of youth, to bear his arrows and to guard his bow. +</p> + +<p> +Next to him came a scion of the race of divine Danaus, Nauplius. He was the son +of Clytonaeus son of Naubolus; Naubolus was son of Lernus; Lernus we know was +the son of Proetus son of Nauplius; and once Amymone daughter of Danaus, wedded +to Poseidon, bare Nauplius, who surpassed all men in naval skill. +</p> + +<p> +Idmon came last of all them that dwelt at Argos, for though he had learnt his +own fate by augury, he came, that the people might not grudge him fair renown. +He was not in truth the son of Abas, but Leto’s son himself begat him to +be numbered among the illustrious Aeolids; and himself taught him the art of +prophecy—to pay heed to birds and to observe the signs of the burning +sacrifice. +</p> + +<p> +Moreover Aetolian Leda sent from Sparta strong Polydeuces and Castor, skilled +to guide swift-footed steeds; these her dearly-loved sons she bare at one birth +in the house of Tyndareus; nor did she forbid their departure; for she had +thoughts worthy of the bride of Zeus. +</p> + +<p> +The sons of Aphareus, Lynceus and proud Idas, came from Arene, both exulting in +their great strength; and Lynceus too excelled in keenest sight, if the report +is true that that hero could easily direct his sight even beneath the earth. +</p> + +<p> +And with them Neleian Periclymenus set out to come, eldest of all the sons of +godlike Neleus who were born at Pylos; Poseidon had given him boundless +strength and granted him that whatever shape he should crave during the fight, +that he should take in the stress of battle. +</p> + +<p> +Moreover from Arcadia came Amphidamas and Cepheus, who inhabited Tegea and the +allotment of Apheidas, two sons of Aldus; and Ancaeus followed them as the +third, whom his father Lycurgus sent, the brother older than both. But he was +left in the city to care for Aleus now growing old, while he gave his son to +join his brothers. Antaeus went clad in the skin of a Maenalian bear, and +wielding in his right hand a huge two-edged battleaxe. For his armour his +grandsire had hidden in the house’s innermost recess, to see if he might +by some means still stay his departure. +</p> + +<p> +There came also Augeias, whom fame declared to be the son of Helios; he reigned +over the Eleans, glorying in his wealth; and greatly he desired to behold the +Colchian land and Aeetes himself the ruler of the Colchians. +</p> + +<p> +Asterius and Amphion, sons of Hyperasius, came from Achaean Pellene, which once +Pelles their grandsire founded on the brows of Aegialus. +</p> + +<p> +After them from Taenarus came Euphemus whom, most swift-footed of men, Europe, +daughter of mighty Tityos, bare to Poseidon. He was wont to skim the swell of +the grey sea, and wetted not his swift feet, but just dipping the tips of his +toes was borne on the watery path. +</p> + +<p> +Yea, and two other sons of Poseidon came; one Erginus, who left the citadel of +glorious Miletus, the other proud Ancaeus, who left Parthenia, the seat of +Imbrasion Hera; both boasted their skill in seacraft and in war. +</p> + +<p> +After them from Calydon came the son of Oeneus, strong Meleagrus, and +Laocoon—Laocoon the brother of Oeneus, though not by the same mother, for +a serving-woman bare him; him, now growing old, Oeneus sent to guard his son: +thus Meleagrus, still a youth, entered the bold band of heroes. No other had +come superior to him, I ween, except Heracles, if for one year more he had +tarried and been nurtured among the Aetolians. Yea, and his uncle, well skilled +to fight whether with the javelin or hand to hand, Iphiclus son of Thestius, +bare him company on his way. +</p> + +<p> +With him came Palaemonius, son of Olenian Lernus, of Lernus by repute, but his +birth was from Hephaestus; and so he was crippled in his feet, but his bodily +frame and his valour no one would dare to scorn. Wherefore he was numbered +among all the chiefs, winning fame for Jason. +</p> + +<p> +From the Phocians came Iphitus sprung from Naubolus son of Ornytus; once he had +been his host when Jason went to Pytho to ask for a response concerning his +voyage; for there he welcomed him in his own hails. +</p> + +<p> +Next came Zetes and Calais, sons of Boreas, whom once Oreithyia, daughter of +Erechtheus, bare to Boreas on the verge of wintry Thrace; thither it was that +Thracian Boreas snatched her away from Cecropia as she was whirling in the +dance, hard by Hissus’ stream. And, carrying her far off, to the spot +that men called the rock of Sarpedon, near the river Erginus, he wrapped her in +dark clouds and forced her to his will. There they were making their dusky +wings quiver upon their ankles on both sides as they rose, a great wonder to +behold, wings that gleamed with golden scales: and round their backs from the +top of the head and neck, hither and thither, their dark tresses were being +shaken by the wind. +</p> + +<p> +No, nor had Acastus son of mighty Pelias himself any will to stay behind in the +palace of his brave sire, nor Argus, helper of the goddess Athena; but they too +were ready to be numbered in the host. +</p> + +<p> +So many then were the helpers who assembled to join the son of Aeson. All the +chiefs the dwellers thereabout called Minyae, for the most and the bravest +avowed that they were sprung from the blood of the daughters of Minyas; thus +Jason himself was the son of Alcimede who was born of Clymene the daughter of +Minyas. +</p> + +<p> +Now when all things had been made ready by the thralls, all things that +fully-equipped ships are furnished withal when men’s business leads them +to voyage across the sea, then the heroes took their way through the city to +the ship where it lay on the strand that men call Magnesian Pagasae; and a +crowd of people hastening rushed together; but the heroes shone like gleaming +stars among the clouds; and each man as he saw them speeding along with their +armour would say: +</p> + +<p> +“King Zeus, what is the purpose of Pelias? Whither is he driving forth +from the Panachaean land so great a host of heroes? On one day they would waste +the palace of Aeetes with baleful fire, should he not yield them the fleece of +his own goodwill. But the path is not to be shunned, the toil is hard for those +who venture.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus they spake here and there throughout the city; but the women often raised +their hands to the sky in prayer to the immortals to grant a return, their +hearts’ desire. And one with tears thus lamented to her fellow: +</p> + +<p> +“Wretched Alcimede, evil has come to thee at last though late, thou hast +not ended with splendour of life. Aeson too, ill-fated man! Surely better had +it been for him, if he were lying beneath the earth, enveloped in his shroud, +still unconscious of bitter toils. Would that the dark wave, when the maiden +Helle perished, had overwhelmed Phrixus too with the ram; but the dire portent +even sent forth a human voice, that it might cause to Alcimede sorrows and +countless pains hereafter.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus the women spake at the departure of the heroes. And now many thralls, men +and women, were gathered together, and his mother, smitten with grief for +Jason. And a bitter pang seized every woman’s heart; and with them +groaned the father in baleful old age, lying on his bed, closely wrapped round. +But the hero straightway soothed their pain, encouraging them, and bade the +thralls take up his weapons for war; and they in silence with downcast looks +took them up. And even as the mother had thrown her arms about her son, so she +clung, weeping without stint, as a maiden all alone weeps, falling fondly on +the neck of her hoary nurse, a maid who has now no others to care for her, but +she drags on a weary life under a stepmother, who maltreats her continually +with ever fresh insults, and as she weeps, her heart within her is bound fast +with misery, nor can she sob forth all the groans that struggle for utterance; +so without stint wept Alcimede straining her son in her arms, and in her +yearning grief spake as follows: +</p> + +<p> +“Would that on that day when, wretched woman that I am, I heard King +Pelias proclaim his evil behest, I had straightway given up my life and +forgotten my cares, so that thou thyself, my son, with thine own hands, +mightest have buried me; for that was the only wish left me still to be +fulfilled by time, all the other rewards for thy nurture have I long enjoyed. +Now I, once so admired among Achaean women, shall be left behind like a +bondwoman in my empty halls, pining away, ill-fated one, for love of thee, thee +on whose account I had aforetime so much splendour and renown, my only son for +whom I loosed my virgin zone first and last. For to me beyond others the +goddess Eileithyia grudged abundant offspring. Alas for my folly! Not once, not +even in nay dreams did I forebode this, that the flight of Phrixus would bring +me woe.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus with moaning she wept, and her handmaidens, standing by, lamented; but +Jason spake gently to her with comforting words: +</p> + +<p> +“Do not, I pray thee, mother, store up bitter sorrows overmuch, for thou +wilt not redeem me from evil by tears, but wilt still add grief to grief. For +unseen are the woes that the gods mete out to mortals; be strong to endure thy +share of them though with grief in thy heart; take courage from the promises of +Athena, and from the answers of the gods (for very favourable oracles has +Phoebus given), and then from the help of the chieftains. But do thou remain +here, quiet among thy handmaids, and be not a bird of ill omen to the ship; and +thither my clansmen and thralls will follow me.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and started forth to leave the house. And as Apollo goes forth from +some fragrant shrine to divine Delos or Claros or Pytho or to broad Lyeia near +the stream of Xanthus, in such beauty moved Jason through the throng of people; +and a cry arose as they shouted together. And there met him aged Iphias, +priestess of Artemis guardian of the city, and kissed his right hand, but she +had not strength to say a word, for all her eagerness, as the crowd rushed on, +but she was left there by the wayside, as the old are left by the young, and he +passed on and was gone afar. +</p> + +<p> +Now when he had left the well-built streets of the city, he came to the beach +of Pagasae, where his comrades greeted him as they stayed together near the +ship Argo. And he stood at the entering in, and they were gathered to meet him. +And they perceived Aeastus and Argus coming from the city, and they marvelled +when they saw them hasting with all speed, despite the will of Pelias. The one, +Argus, son of Arestor, had cast round his shoulders the hide of a bull reaching +to his feet, with the black hair upon it, the other, a fair mantle of double +fold, which his sister Pelopeia had given him. Still Jason forebore from asking +them about each point but bade all be seated for an assembly. And there, upon +the folded sails and the mast as it lay on the ground, they all took their +seats in order. And among them with goodwill spake Aeson’s son: +</p> + +<p> +“All the equipment that a ship needs for all is in due order—lies +ready for our departure. Therefore we will make no long delay in our sailing +for these things’ sake, when the breezes but blow fair. But, +friends,—for common to all is our return to Hellas hereafter, and common +to all is our path to the land of Aeetes—now therefore with ungrudging +heart choose the bravest to be our leader, who shall be careful for everything, +to take upon him our quarrels and covenants with strangers.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake; and the young heroes turned their eyes towards bold Heracles +sitting in their midst, and with one shout they all enjoined upon him to be +their leader; but he, from the place where he sat, stretched forth his right +hand and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Let no one offer this honour to me. For I will not consent, and I will +forbid any other to stand up. Let the hero who brought us together, himself be +the leader of the host.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake with high thoughts, and they assented, as Heracles bade; and +warlike Jason himself rose up, glad at heart, and thus addressed the eager +throng: +</p> + +<p> +“If ye entrust your glory to my care, no longer as before let our path be +hindered. Now at last let us propitiate Phoebus with sacrifice and straightway +prepare a feast. And until my thralls come, the overseers of my steading, whose +care it is to choose out oxen from the herd and drive them hither, we will drag +down the ship to the sea, and do ye place all the tackling within, and draw +lots for the benches for rowing. Meantime let us build upon the beach an altar +to Apollo Embasius<a href="#linknote-5" name="linknoteref-5" +id="linknoteref-5"><sup>[5]</sup></a> who by an oracle promised to +point out and show me the paths of the sea, if by sacrifice to him I should +begin my venture for King Pelias.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and was the first to turn to the work, and they stood up in obedience +to him; and they heaped their garments, one upon the other, on a smooth stone, +which the sea did not strike with its waves, but the stormy surge had cleansed +it long before. First of all, by the command of Argus, they strongly girded the +ship with a rope well twisted within,<a href="#linknote-6" +name="linknoteref-6" id="linknoteref-6"><sup>[6]</sup></a> +stretching it tight on each side, in order that the planks might be well +compacted by the bolts and might withstand the opposing force of the surge. And +they quickly dug a trench as wide as the space the ship covered, and at the +prow as far into the sea as it would run when drawn down by their hands. And +they ever dug deeper in front of the stem, and in the furrow laid polished +rollers; and inclined the ship down upon the first rollers, that so she might +glide and be borne on by them. And above, on both sides, reversing the oars, +they fastened them round the thole-pins, so as to project a cubit’s +space. And the heroes themselves stood on both sides at the oars in a row, and +pushed forward with chest and hand at once. And then Tiphys leapt on board to +urge the youths to push at the right moment; and calling on them he shouted +loudly; and they at once, leaning with all their strength, with one push +started the ship from her place, and strained with their feet, forcing her +onward; and Pelian Argo followed swiftly; and they on each side shouted as they +rushed on. And then the rollers groaned under the sturdy keel as they were +chafed, and round them rose up a dark smoke owing to the weight, and she glided +into the sea; but the heroes stood there and kept dragging her back as she sped +onward. And round the thole-pins they fitted the oars, and in the ship they +placed the mast and the well-made sails and the stores. +</p> + +<p> +Now when they had carefully paid heed to everything, first they distributed the +benches by lot, two men occupying one seat; but the middle bench they chose for +Heracles and Ancaeus apart from the other heroes, Ancaeus who dwelt in Tegea. +For them alone they left the middle bench just as it was and not by lot; and +with one consent they entrusted Tiphys with guarding the helm of the +well-stemmed ship. +</p> + +<p> +Next, piling up shingle near the sea, they raised there an altar on the shore +to Apollo, under the name of Actius<a href="#linknote-7" +name="linknoteref-7" id="linknoteref-7"><sup>[7]</sup></a> and +Embasius, and quickly spread above it logs of dried olive-wood. Meantime the +herdsmen of Aeson’s son had driven before them from the herd two steers. +These the younger comrades dragged near the altars, and the others brought +lustral water and barley meal, and Jason prayed, calling on Apollo the god of +his fathers: +</p> + +<p> +“Hear, O King, that dwellest in Pagasae and the city Aesonis, the city +called by my father’s name, thou who didst promise me, when I sought thy +oracle at Pytho, to show the fulfilment and goal of my journey, for thou +thyself hast been the cause of my venture; now do thou thyself guide the ship +with my comrades safe and sound, thither and back again to Hellas. Then in thy +honour hereafter we will lay again on thy altar the bright offerings of +bulls—all of us who return; and other gifts in countless numbers I will +bring to Pytho and Ortygia. And now, come, Far-darter, accept this sacrifice at +our hands, which first of all we have offered thee for this ship on our +embarcation; and grant, O King, that with a prosperous wind I may loose the +hawsers, relying on thy counsel, and may the breeze blow softly with which we +shall sail over the sea in fair weather.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and with his prayer cast the barley meal. And they two girded +themselves to slay the steers, proud Ancaeus and Heracles. The latter with his +club smote one steer mid-head on the brow, and falling in a heap on the spot, +it sank to the ground; and Ancaeus struck the broad neck of the other with his +axe of bronze, and shore through the mighty sinews; and it fell prone on both +its horns. Their comrades quickly severed the victims’ throats, and +flayed the hides: they sundered the joints and carved the flesh, then cut out +the sacred thigh bones, and covering them all together closely with fat burnt +them upon cloven wood. And Aeson’s son poured out pure libations, and +Idmon rejoiced beholding the flame as it gleamed on every side from the +sacrifice, and the smoke of it mounting up with good omen in dark spiral +columns; and quickly he spake outright the will of Leto’s son: +</p> + +<p> +“For you it is the will of heaven and destiny that ye shall return here +with the fleece; but meanwhile both going and returning, countless trials await +you. But it is my lot, by the hateful decree of a god, to die somewhere afar +off on the mainland of Asia. Thus, though I learnt my fate from evil omens even +before now, I have left my fatherland to embark on the ship, that so after my +embarking fair fame may be left me in my house.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake; and the youths hearing the divine utterance rejoiced at their +return, but grief seized them for the fate of Idmon. Now at the hour when the +sun passes his noon-tide halt and the ploughlands are just being shadowed by +the rocks, as the sun slopes towards the evening dusk, at that hour all the +heroes spread leaves thickly upon the sand and lay down in rows in front of the +hoary surf-line; and near them were spread vast stores of viands and sweet +wine, which the cupbearers had drawn off in pitchers; afterwards they told +tales one to another in turn, such as youths often tell when at the feast and +the bowl they take delightful pastime, and insatiable insolence is far away. +But here the son of Aeson, all helpless, was brooding over each event in his +mind, like one oppressed with thought. And Idas noted him and assailed him with +loud voice: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Aeson, what is this plan thou art turning over in mind. Speak out +thy thought in the midst. Does fear come on and master thee, fear, that +confounds cowards? Be witness now my impetuous spear, wherewith in wars I win +renown beyond all others (nor does Zeus aid me so much as my own spear), that +no woe will be fatal, no venture will be unachieved, while Idas follows, even +though a god should oppose thee. Such a helpmeet am I that thou bringest from +Arene.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and holding a brimming goblet in both hands drank off the unmixed +sweet wine; and his lips and dark cheeks were drenched with it; and all the +heroes clamoured together and Idmon spoke out openly: +</p> + +<p> +“Vain wretch, thou art devising destruction for thyself before the time. +Does the pure wine cause thy bold heart to swell in thy breast to thy ruin, and +has it set thee on to dishonour the gods? Other words of comfort there are with +which a man might encourage his comrade; but thou hast spoken with utter +recklessness. Such taunts, the tale goes, did the sons of Aloeus once blurt out +against the blessed gods, and thou dost no wise equal them in valour; +nevertheless they were both slain by the swift arrows of Leto’s son, +mighty though they were.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and Aphareian Iclas laughed out, loud and long, and eyeing him +askance replied with biting words: +</p> + +<p> +“Come now, tell me this by thy prophetic art, whether for me too the gods +will bring to pass such doom as thy father promised for the sons of Aloeus. And +bethink thee how thou wilt escape from my hands alive, if thou art caught +making a prophecy vain as the idle wind.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus in wrath Idas reviled him, and the strife would have gone further had not +their comrades and Aeson’s son himself with indignant cry restrained the +contending chiefs; and Orpheus lifted his lyre in his left hand and made essay +to sing. +</p> + +<p> +He sang how the earth, the heaven and the sea, once mingled together in one +form, after deadly strife were separated each from other; and how the stars and +the moon and the paths of the sun ever keep their fixed place in the sky; and +how the mountains rose, and how the resounding rivers with their nymphs came +into being and all creeping things. And he sang how first of all Ophion and +Eurynome, daughter of Ocean, held the sway of snowy Olympus, and how through +strength of arm one yielded his prerogative to Cronos and the other to Rhea, +and how they fell into the waves of Ocean; but the other two meanwhile ruled +over the blessed Titan-gods, while Zeus, still a child and with the thoughts of +a child, dwelt in the Dictaean cave; and the earthborn Cyclopes had not yet +armed him with the bolt, with thunder and lightning; for these things give +renown to Zeus. +</p> + +<p> +He ended, and stayed his lyre and divine voice. But though he had ceased they +still bent forward with eagerness all hushed to quiet, with ears intent on the +enchanting strain; such a charm of song had he left behind in their hearts. Not +long after they mixed libations in honour of Zeus, with pious rites as is +customary, and poured them upon the burning tongues, and bethought them of +sleep in the darkness. +</p> + +<p> +Now when gleaming dawn with bright eyes beheld the lofty peaks of Pelion, and +the calm headlands were being drenched as the sea was ruffled by the winds, +then Tiphys awoke from sleep; and at once he roused his comrades to go on board +and make ready the oars. And a strange cry did the harbour of Pagasae utter, +yea and Pelian Argo herself, urging them to set forth. For in her a beam divine +had been laid which Athena had brought from an oak of Dodona and fitted in the +middle of the stem. And the heroes went to the benches one after the other, as +they had previously assigned for each to row in his place, and took their seats +in due order near their fighting gear. In the middle sat Antaeus and mighty +Heracles, and near him he laid his club, and beneath his tread the ship’s +keel sank deep. And now the hawsers were being slipped and they poured wine on +the sea. But Jason with tears held his eyes away from his fatherland. And just +as youths set up a dance in honour of Phoebus either in Pytho or haply in +Ortygia, or by the waters of Ismenus, and to the sound of the lyre round his +altar all together in time beat the earth with swiftly-moving feet; so they to +the sound of Orpheus’ lyre smote with their oars the rushing sea-water, +and the surge broke over the blades; and on this side and on that the dark +brine seethed with foam, boiling terribly through the might of the sturdy +heroes. And their arms shone in the sun like flame as the ship sped on; and +ever their wake gleamed white far behind, like a path seen over a green plain. +On that day all the gods looked down from heaven upon the ship and the might of +the heroes, half-divine, the bravest of men then sailing the sea; and on the +topmost heights the nymphs of Pelion wondered as they beheld the work of +Itonian Athena, and the heroes themselves wielding the oars. And there came +down from the mountain-top to the sea Chiron, son of Philyra, and where the +white surf broke he dipped his feet, and, often waving with his broad hand, +cried out to them at their departure, “Good speed and a sorrowless +home-return!” And with him his wife, bearing Peleus’ son Achilles +on her arm, showed the child to his dear father. +</p> + +<p> +Now when they had left the curving shore of the harbour through the cunning and +counsel of prudent Tiphys son of Hagnias, who skilfully handled the +well-polished helm that he might guide them steadfastly, then at length they +set up the tall mast in the mastbox, and secured it with forestays, drawing +them taut on each side, and from it they let down the sail when they had hauled +it to the top-mast. And a breeze came down piping shrilly; and upon the deck +they fastened the ropes separately round the well-polished pins, and ran +quietly past the long Tisaean headland. And for them the son of Oeagrus touched +his lyre and sang in rhythmical song of Artemis, saviour of ships, child of a +glorious sire, who hath in her keeping those peaks by the sea, and the land of +Iolcos; and the fishes came darting through the deep sea, great mixed with +small, and followed gambolling along the watery paths. And as when in the track +of the shepherd, their master, countless sheep follow to the fold that have fed +to the full of grass, and he goes before gaily piping a shepherd’s strain +on Iris shrill reed; so these fishes followed; and a chasing breeze ever bore +the ship onward. +</p> + +<p> +And straightway the misty land of the Pelasgians, rich in cornfields, sank out +of sight, and ever speeding onward they passed the rugged sides of Pelion; and +the Sepian headland sank away, and Sciathus appeared in the sea, and far off +appeared Piresiae and the calm shore of Magnesia on the mainland and the tomb +of Dolops; here then in the evening, as the wind blew against them, they put to +land, and paying honour to him at nightfall burnt sheep as victims, while the +sea was tossed by the swell: and for two days they lingered on the shore, but +on the third day they put forth the ship, spreading on high the broad sail. And +even now men call that beach Aphetae<a href="#linknote-8" +name="linknoteref-8" id="linknoteref-8"><sup>[8]</sup></a> of Argo. +</p> + +<p> +Thence going forward they ran past Meliboea, escaping a stormy beach and +surf-line. And in the morning they saw Homole close at hand leaning on the sea, +and skirted it, and not long after they were about to pass by the outfall of +the river Amyrus. From there they beheld Eurymenae and the seawashed ravines of +Ossa and Olympus; next they reached the slopes of Pallene, beyond the headland +of Canastra, running all night with the wind. And at dawn before them as they +journeyed rose Athos, the Thracian mountain, which with its topmost peak +overshadows Lemnos, even as far as Myrine, though it lies as far off as the +space that a well-trimmed merchantship would traverse up to mid-day. For them +on that day, till darkness fell, the breeze blew exceedingly fresh, and the +sails of the ship strained to it. But with the setting of the sun the wind left +them, and it was by the oars that they reached Lemnos, the Sintian isle. +</p> + +<p> +Here the whole of the men of the people together had been ruthlessly slain +through the transgressions of the women in the year gone by. For the men had +rejected their lawful wives, loathing them, and had conceived a fierce passion +for captive maids whom they themselves brought across the sea from their forays +in Thrace; for the terrible wrath of Cypris came upon them, because for a long +time they had grudged her the honours due. O hapless women, and insatiate in +jealousy to their own ruin! Not their husbands alone with the captives did they +slay on account of the marriage-bed, but all the males at the same time, that +they might thereafter pay no retribution for the grim murder. And of all the +women, Hypsipyle alone spared her aged father Thoas, who was king over the +people; and she sent him in a hollow chest, to drift over the sea, if haply he +should escape. And fishermen dragged him to shore at the island of Oenoe, +formerly Oenoe, but afterwards called Sicinus from Sicinus, whom the +water-nymph Oenoe bore to Thoas. Now for all the women to tend kine, to don +armour of bronze, and to cleave with the plough-share the wheat-bearing fields, +was easier than the works of Athena, with which they were busied aforetime. Yet +for all that did they often gaze over the broad sea, in grievous fear against +the Thracians’ coming. So when they saw Argo being rowed near the island, +straightway crowding in multitude from the gates of Myrine and clad in their +harness of war, they poured forth to the beach like ravening Thyiades: for they +deemed that the Thracians were come; and with them Hypsipyle, daughter of +Thoas, donned her father’s harness. And they streamed down speechless +with dismay; such fear was wafted about them. +</p> + +<p> +Meantime from the ship the chiefs had sent Aethalides the swift herald, to +whose care they entrusted their messages and the wand of Hermes, his sire, who +had granted him a memory of all things, that never grew dim; and not even now, +though he has entered the unspeakable whirlpools of Acheron, has forgetfulness +swept over his soul, but its fixed doom is to be ever changing its abode; at +one time to be numbered among the dwellers beneath the earth, at another to be +in the light of the sun among living men. But why need I tell at length tales +of Aethalides? He at that time persuaded Hypsipyle to receive the new-comers as +the day was waning into darkness; nor yet at dawn did they loose the +ship’s hawsers to the breath of the north wind. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Lemnian women fared through the city and sat down to the assembly, for +Hypsipyle herself had so bidden. And when they were all gathered together in +one great throng straightway she spake among them with stirring words: +</p> + +<p> +“O friends, come let us grant these men gifts to their hearts’ +desire, such as it is fitting that they should take on ship-board, food and +sweet wine, in order that they may steadfastly remain outside our towers, and +may not, passing among us for need’s sake, get to know us all too well, +and so an evil report be widely spread; for we have wrought a terrible deed and +in nowise will it be to their liking, should they learn it. Such is our counsel +now, but if any of you can devise a better plan let her rise, for it was on +this account that I summoned you hither.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake and sat upon her father’s seat of stone, and then rose up +her dear nurse Polyxo, for very age halting upon her withered feet, bowed over +a staff, and she was eager to address them. Near her were seated four virgins, +unwedded, crowned with white hair. And she stood in the midst of the assembly +and from her bent back she feebly raised her neck and spake thus: +</p> + +<p> +“Gifts, as Hypsipyle herself wishes, let us send to the strangers, for it +is better to give them. But for you what device have ye to get profit of your +life if the Thracian host fall upon us, or some other foe, as often happens +among men, even as now this company is come unforeseen? But if one of the +blessed gods should turn this aside yet countless other woes, worse than +battle, remain behind, when the aged women die off and ye younger ones, without +children, reach hateful old age. How then will ye live, hapless ones? Will your +oxen of their own accord yoke themselves for the deep plough-lands and draw the +earth-cleaving share through the fallow, and forthwith, as the year comes +round, reap the harvest? Assuredly, though the fates till now have shunned me +in horror, I deem that in the coming year I shall put on the garment of earth, +when I have received my meed of burial even so as is right, before the evil +days draw near. But I bid you who are younger give good heed to this. For now +at your feet a way of escape lies open, if ye trust to the strangers the care +of your homes and all your stock and your glorious city.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and the assembly was filled with clamour. For the word pleased +them. And after her straightway Hypsipyle rose up again, and thus spake in +reply. +</p> + +<p> +“If this purpose please you all, now will I even send a messenger to the +ship.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake and addressed Iphinoe close at hand: “Go, Iphinoe, and beg +yonder man, whoever it is that leads this array, to come to our land that I may +tell him a word that pleases the heart of my people, and bid the men +themselves, if they wish, boldly enter the land and the city with friendly +intent.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake, and dismissed the assembly, and thereafter started to return home. +And so Iphinoe came to the Minyae; and they asked with what intent she had come +among them. And quickly she addressed her questioners with all speed in these +words: +</p> + +<p> +“The maiden Hypsipyle daughter of Thoas, sent me on my way here to you, +to summon the captain of your ship, whoever he be, that she may tell him a word +that pleases the heart of the people, and she bids yourselves, if ye wish it, +straightway enter the land and the city with friendly intent.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake and the speech of good omen pleased all. And they deemed that +Thoas was dead and that his beloved daughter Hypsipyle was queen, and quickly +they sent Jason on his way and themselves made ready to go. +</p> + +<p> +Now he had buckled round his shoulders a purple mantle of double fold, the work +of the Tritonian goddess, which Pallas had given him when she first laid the +keel-props of the ship Argo and taught him how to measure timbers with the +rule. More easily wouldst thou cast thy eyes upon the sun at its rising than +behold that blazing splendour. For indeed in the middle the fashion thereof was +red, but at the ends it was all purple, and on each margin many separate +devices had been skilfully inwoven. +</p> + +<p> +In it were the Cyclops seated at their imperishable work, forging a thunderbolt +for King Zeus; by now it was almost finished in its brightness and still it +wanted but one ray, which they were beating out with their iron hammers as it +spurted forth a breath of raging flame. +</p> + +<p> +In it too were the twin sons of Antiope, daughter of Asopus, Amphion and +Zethus, and Thebe still ungirt with towers was lying near, whose foundations +they were just then laying in eager haste. Zethus on his shoulders was lifting +the peak of a steep mountain, like a man toiling hard, and Amphion after him, +singing loud and clear on his golden lyre, moved on, and a rock twice as large +followed his footsteps. +</p> + +<p> +Next in order had been wrought Cytherea with drooping tresses, wielding the +swift shield of Ares; and from her shoulder to her left arm the fastening of +her tunic was loosed beneath her breast; and opposite in the shield of bronze +her image appeared clear to view as she stood. +</p> + +<p> +And in it there was a well-wooded pasturage of oxen; and about the oxen the +Teleboae and the sons of Eleetryon were fighting; the one party defending +themselves, the others, the Taphian raiders, longing to rob them; and the dewy +meadow was drenched with their blood, and the many were overmastering the few +herdsmen. +</p> + +<p> +And therein were fashioned two chariots, racing, and the one in front Pelops +was guiding, as he shook the reins, and with him was Hippodameia at his side, +and in pursuit Myrtilus urged his steeds, and with him Oenomaus had grasped his +couched spear, but fell as the axle swerved and broke in the nave, while he was +eager to pierce the back of Pelops. +</p> + +<p> +And in it was wrought Phoebus Apollo, a stripling not yet grown up, in the act +of shooting at mighty Tityos who was boldly dragging his mother by her veil, +Tityos whom glorious Elate bare, but Earth nursed him and gave him second +birth. +</p> + +<p> +And in it was Phrixus the Minyan as though he were in very deed listening to +the ram, while it was like one speaking. Beholding them thou wouldst be silent +and wouldst cheat thy soul with the hope of hearing some wise speech from them, +and long wouldst thou gaze with that hope. +</p> + +<p> +Such then were the gifts of the Tritonian goddess Athena. And in his right hand +Jason held a fardarting spear, which Atalanta gave him once as a gift of +hospitality in Maenalus as she met him gladly; for she eagerly desired to +follow on that quest; but he himself of his own accord prevented the maid, for +he feared bitter strife on account of her love. +</p> + +<p> +And he went on his way to the city like to a bright star, which maidens, pent +up in new-built chambers, behold as it rises above their homes, and through the +dark air it charms their eyes with its fair red gleam and the maid rejoices, +love-sick for the youth who is far away amid strangers, for whom her parents +are keeping her to be his bride; like to that star the hero trod the way to the +city. And when they had passed within the gates and the city, the women of the +people surged behind them, delighting in the stranger, but he with his eyes +fixed on the ground fared straight on, till he reached the glorious palace of +Hypsipyle; and when he appeared the maids opened the folding doors, fitted with +well-fashioned panels. Here Iphinoe leading him quickly through a fair porch +set him upon a shining seat opposite her mistress, but Hypsipyle turned her +eyes aside and a blush covered her maiden cheeks, yet for all her modesty she +addressed him with crafty words: +</p> + +<p> +“Stranger, why stay ye so long outside our towers? for the city is not +inhabited by the men, but they, as sojourners, plough the wheat-bearing fields +of the Thracian mainland. And I will tell out truly all our evil plight, that +ye yourselves too may know it well. When my father Thoas reigned over the +citizens, then our folk starting from their homes used to plunder from their +ships the dwellings of the Thracians who live opposite, and they brought back +hither measureless booty and maidens too. But the counsel of the baneful +goddess Cypris was working out its accomplishment, who brought upon them soul +destroying infatuation. For they hated their lawful wives, and, yielding to +their own mad folly, drove them from their homes; and they took to their beds +the captives of their spear, cruel ones. Long in truth we endured it, if haply +again, though late, they might change their purpose, but ever the bitter woe +grew, twofold. And the lawful children were being dishonoured in their halls, +and a bastard race was rising. And thus unmarried maidens and widowed mothers +too wandered uncared for through the city; no father heeded his daughter ever +so little even though he should see her done to death before his eyes at the +hands of an insolent step-dame, nor did sons, as before, defend their mother +against unseemly outrage; nor did brothers care at heart for their sister. But +in their homes, in the dance, in the assembly and the banquet all their thought +was only for their captive maidens; until some god put desperate courage in our +hearts no more to receive our lords on their return from Thrace within our +towers so that they might either heed the right or might depart and begone +elsewhither, they and their captives. So they begged of us all the male +children that were left in the city and went back to where even now they dwell +on the snowy tilths of Thrace. Do ye therefore stay and settle with us; and +shouldst thou desire to dwell here, and this finds favour with thee, assuredly +thou shalt have the prerogative of my father Thoas; and I deem that thou wilt +not scorn our land at all; for it is deepsoiled beyond all other islands that +lie in the Aegaean sea. But come now, return to the ship and relate my words to +thy comrades, and stay not outside our city.” +</p> + +<p> +She spoke, glozing over the murder that had been wrought upon the men; and +Jason addressed her in answer: +</p> + +<p> +“Hypsipyle, very dear to our hearts is the help we shall meet with, which +thou grantest to us who need thee. And I will return again to the city when I +have told everything in order due. But let the sovereignty of the island be +thine; it is not in scorn I yield it up, but grievous trials urge me on.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and touched her right hand; and quickly he turned to go back: and +round him the young maids on every side danced in countless numbers in their +joy till he passed through the gates. And then they came to the shore in +smooth-running wains, bearing with them many gifts, when now he had related +from beginning to end the speech which Hypsipyle had spoken when she summoned +them; and the maids readily led the men back to their homes for entertainment. +For Cypris stirred in them a sweet desire, for the sake of Hephaestus of many +counsels, in order that Lemnos might be again inhabited by men and not be +ruined. +</p> + +<p> +Thereupon Aeson’s son started to go to the royal home of Hypsipyle; and +the rest went each his way as chance took them, all but Heracles; for he of his +own will was left behind by the ship and a few chosen comrades with him. And +straightway the city rejoiced with dances and banquets, being filled with the +steam of sacrifice; and above all the immortals they propitiated with songs and +sacrifices the illustrious son of Hera and Cypris herself. And the sailing was +ever delayed from one day to another; and long would they have lingered there, +had not Heracles, gathering together his comrades apart from the women, thus +addressed them with reproachful words: +</p> + +<p> +“Wretched men, does the murder of kindred keep us from our native land? +Or is it in want of marriage that we have come hither from thence, in scorn of +our countrywomen? Does it please us to dwell here and plough the rich soil of +Lemnos? No fair renown shall we win by thus tarrying so long with stranger +women; nor will some god seize and give us at our prayer a fleece that moves of +itself. Let us then return each to his own; but him leave ye to rest all day +long in the embrace of Hypsipyle until he has peopled Lemnos with men-children, +and so there come to him great glory.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus did he chide the band; but no one dared to meet his eye or to utter a word +in answer. But just as they were in the assembly they made ready their +departure in all haste, and the women came running towards them, when they knew +their intent. And as when bees hum round fair lilies pouring forth from their +hive in the rock, and all around the dewy meadow rejoices, and they gather the +sweet fruit, flitting from one to another; even so the women eagerly poured +forth clustering round the men with loud lament, and greeted each one with +hands and voice, praying the blessed gods to grant him a safe return. And so +Hypsipyle too prayed, seizing the hands of Aeson’s son, and her tears +flowed for the loss of her lover: +</p> + +<p> +“Go, and may heaven bring thee back again with thy comrades unharmed, +bearing to the king the golden fleece, even as thou wilt and thy heart +desireth; and this island and my father’s sceptre will be awaiting thee, +if on thy return hereafter thou shouldst choose to come hither again; and +easily couldst thou gather a countless host of men from other cities. But thou +wilt not have this desire, nor do I myself forbode that so it will be. Still +remember Hypsipyle when thou art far away and when thou hast returned; and +leave me some word of bidding, which I will gladly accomplish, if haply heaven +shall grant me to be a mother.” +</p> + +<p> +And Aeson’s son in admiration thus replied: “Hypsipyle, so may all +these things prove propitious by the favour of the blessed gods. But do thou +hold a nobler thought of me, since by the grace of Pelias it is enough for me +to dwell in my native land; may the gods only release me from my toils. But if +it is not my destiny to sail afar and return to the land of Hellas, and if thou +shouldst bear a male child, send him when grown up to Pelasgian Iolcus, to heal +the grief of my father and mother if so be that he find them still living, in +order that, far away from the king, they may be cared for by their own hearth +in their home.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and mounted the ship first of all; and so the rest of the chiefs +followed, and, sitting in order, seized the oars; and Argus loosed for them the +hawsers from under the sea-beaten rock. Whereupon they mightily smote the water +with their long oars, and in the evening by the injunctions of Orpheus they +touched at the island of Electra,<a href="#linknote-9" +name="linknoteref-9" id="linknoteref-9"><sup>[9]</sup></a> daughter +of Atlas, in order that by gentle initiation they might learn the rites that +may not be uttered, and so with greater safety sail over the chilling sea. Of +these I will make no further mention; but I bid farewell to the island itself +and the indwelling deities, to whom belong those mysteries, which it is not +lawful for me to sing. +</p> + +<p> +Thence did they row with eagerness over the depths of the black Sea, having on +the one side the land of the Thracians, on the other Imbros on the south; and +as the sun was just setting they reached the foreland of the Chersonesus. There +a strong south wind blew for them; and raising the sails to the breeze they +entered the swift stream of the maiden daughter of Athamas; and at dawn the sea +to the north was left behind and at night they were coasting inside the +Rhoeteian shore, with the land of Ida on their right. And leaving Dardania they +directed their course to Abydus, and after it they sailed past Percote and the +sandy beach of Abarnis and divine Pityeia. And in that night, as the ship sped +on by sail and oar, they passed right through the Hellespont dark-gleaming with +eddies. +</p> + +<p> +There is a lofty island inside the Propontis, a short distance from the +Phrygian mainland with its rich cornfields, sloping to the sea, where an +isthmus in front of the mainland is flooded by the waves, so low does it lie. +And the isthmus has double shores, and they lie beyond the river Aesepus, and +the inhabitants round about call the island the Mount of Bears. And insolent +and fierce men dwell there, Earthborn, a great marvel to the neighbours to +behold; for each one has six mighty hands to lift up, two from his sturdy +shoulders, and four below, fitting close to his terrible sides. And about the +isthmus and the plain the Doliones had their dwelling, and over them Cyzicus +son of Aeneus was king, whom Aenete the daughter of goodly Eusorus bare. But +these men the Earthborn monsters, fearful though they were, in nowise harried, +owing to the protection of Poseidon; for from him had the Doliones first +sprung. Thither Argo pressed on, driven by the winds of Thrace, and the Fair +haven received her as she sped. There they cast away their small anchorstone by +the advice of Tiphys and left it beneath a fountain, the fountain of Artaeie; +and they took another meet for their purpose, a heavy one; but the first, +according to the oracle of the Far-Darter, the Ionians, sons of Neleus, in +after days laid to be a sacred stone, as was right, in the temple of Jasonian +Athena. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Doliones and Cyzicus himself all came together to meet them with +friendliness, and when they knew of the quest and their lineage welcomed them +with hospitality, and persuaded them to row further and to fasten their +ship’s hawsers at the city harbour. Here they built an altar to Ecbasian +Apollo<a href="#linknote-10" name="linknoteref-10" +id="linknoteref-10"><sup>[10]</sup></a> and set it up on the beach, and +gave heed to sacrifices. And the king of his own bounty gave them sweet wine +and sheep in their need; for he had heard a report that whenever a godlike band +of heroes should come, straightway he should meet it with gentle words and +should have no thought of war. As with Jason, the soft down was just blooming +on his chin, nor yet had it been his lot to rejoice in children, but still in +his palace his wife was untouched by the pangs of child-birth, the daughter of +Percosian Merops, fair-haired Cleite, whom lately by priceless gifts he had +brought from her father’s home from the mainland opposite. But even so he +left his chamber and bridal bed and prepared a banquet among the strangers, +casting all fears from his heart. And they questioned one another in turn. Of +them would he learn the end of their voyage and the injunctions of Pelias; +while they enquired about the cities of the people round and all the gulf of +the wide Propontis; but further he could not tell them for all their desire to +learn. In the morning they climbed mighty Dindymum that they might themselves +behold the various paths of that sea; and they brought their ship from its +former anchorage to the harbour, Chytus; and the path they trod is named the +path of Jason. +</p> + +<p> +But the Earthborn men on the other side rushed down from the mountain and with +crags below blocked up the mouth of vast Chytus towards the sea, like men lying +in wait for a wild beast within. But there Heracles had been left behind with +the younger heroes and he quickly bent his back-springing bow against the +monsters and brought them to earth one after another; and they in their turn +raised huge ragged rocks and hurled them. For these dread monsters too, I ween, +the goddess Hera, bride of Zeus, had nurtured to be a trial for Heracles. And +therewithal came the rest of the martial heroes returning to meet the foe +before they reached the height of outlook, and they fell to the slaughter of +the Earthborn, receiving them with arrows and spears until they slew them all +as they rushed fiercely to battle. And as when woodcutters cast in rows upon +the beach long trees just hewn down by their axes, in order that, once sodden +with brine, they may receive the strong bolts; so these monsters at the +entrance of the foam-fringed harbour lay stretched one after another, some in +heaps bending their heads and breasts into the salt waves with their limbs +spread out above on the land; others again were resting their heads on the sand +of the shore and their feet in the deep water, both alike a prey to birds and +fishes at once. +</p> + +<p> +But the heroes, when the contest was ended without fear, loosed the +ship’s hawsers to the breath of the wind and pressed on through the +sea-swell. And the ship sped on under sail all day; but when night came the +rushing wind did not hold steadfast, but contrary blasts caught them and held +them back till they again approached the hospitable Doliones. And they stepped +ashore that same night; and the rock is still called the Sacred Rock round +which they threw the ship’s hawsers in their haste. Nor did anyone note +with care that it was the same island; nor in the night did the Doliones +clearly perceive that the heroes were returning; but they deemed that Pelasgian +war-men of the Macrians had landed. Therefore they donned their armour and +raised their hands against them. And with clashing of ashen spears and shields +they fell on each other, like the swift rush of fire which falls on dry +brushwood and rears its crest; and the din of battle, terrible and furious, +fell upon the people of the Doliones. Nor was the king to escape his fate and +return home from battle to his bridal chamber and bed. But Aeson’s son +leapt upon him as he turned to face him, and smote him in the middle of the +breast, and the bone was shattered round the spear; he rolled forward in the +sand and filled up the measure of his fate. For that no mortal may escape; but +on every side a wide snare encompasses us. And so, when he thought that he had +escaped bitter death from the chiefs, fate entangled him that very night in her +toils while battling with them; and many champions withal were slain; Heracles +killed Telecles and Megabrontes, and Acastus slew Sphodris; and Peleus slew +Zelus and Gephyrus swift in war. Telamon of the strong spear slew Basileus. And +Idas slew Promeus, and Clytius Hyacinthus, and the two sons of Tyndareus slew +Megalossaces and Phlogius. And after them the son of Oeneus slew bold +Itomeneus, and Artaceus, leader of men; all of whom the inhabitants still +honour with the worship due to heroes. And the rest gave way and fled in terror +just as doves fly in terror before swift-winged hawks. And with a din they +rustled in a body to the gates; and quickly the city was filled with loud cries +at the turning of the dolorous fight. But at dawn both sides perceived the +fatal and cureless error; and bitter grief seized the Minyan heroes when they +saw before them Cyzicus son of Aeneus fallen in the midst of dust and blood. +And for three whole days they lamented and rent their hair, they and the +Dollones. Then three times round his tomb they paced in armour of bronze and +performed funeral rites and celebrated games, as was meet, upon the +meadow-plain, where even now rises the mound of his grave to be seen by men of +a later day. No, nor was his bride Cleite left behind her dead husband, but to +crown the ill she wrought an ill yet more awful, when she clasped a noose round +her neck. Her death even the nymphs of the grove bewailed; and of all the tears +for her that they shed to earth from their eyes the goddesses made a fountain, +which they call Cleite,<a href="#linknote-11" name="linknoteref-11" +id="linknoteref-11"><sup>[11]</sup></a> the illustrious name of the +hapless maid. Most terrible came that day from Zeus upon the Doliones, women +and men; for no one of them dared even to taste food, nor for a long time by +reason of grief did they take thought for the toil of the cornmill, but they +dragged on their lives eating their food as it was, untouched by fire. Here +even now, when the Ionians that dwell in Cyzicus pour their yearly libations +for the dead, they ever grind the meal for the sacrificial cakes at the common +mill.<a href="#linknote-12" name="linknoteref-12" +id="linknoteref-12"><sup>[12]</sup></a> +</p> + +<p> +After this, fierce tempests arose for twelve days and nights together and kept +them there from sailing. But in the next night the rest of the chieftains, +overcome by sleep, were resting during the latest period of the night, while +Acastus and Mopsus the son of Ampyeus kept guard over their deep slumbers. And +above the golden head of Aeson’s son there hovered a halcyon prophesying +with shrill voice the ceasing of the stormy winds; and Mopsus heard and +understood the cry of the bird of the shore, fraught with good omen. And some +god made it turn aside, and flying aloft it settled upon the stern-ornament of +the ship. And the seer touched Jason as he lay wrapped in soft sheepskins and +woke him at once, and thus spake: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Aeson, thou must climb to this temple on rugged Dindymum and +propitiate the mother<a href="#linknote-13" name="linknoteref-13" +id="linknoteref-13"><sup>[13]</sup></a> of all the blessed gods on her +fair throne, and the stormy blasts shall cease. For such was the voice I heard +but now from the halcyon, bird of the sea, which, as it flew above thee in thy +slumber, told me all. For by her power the winds and the sea and all the earth +below and the snowy seat of Olympus are complete; and to her, when from the +mountains she ascends the mighty heaven, Zeus himself, the son of Cronos, gives +place. In like manner the rest of the immortal blessed ones reverence the dread +goddess.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and his words were welcome to Jason’s ear. And he arose +from his bed with joy and woke all his comrades hurriedly and told them the +prophecy of Mopsus the son of Ampycus. And quickly the younger men drove oxen +from their stalls and began to lead them to the mountain’s lofty summit. +And they loosed the hawsers from the sacred rock and rowed to the Thracian +harbour; and the heroes climbed the mountain, leaving a few of their comrades +in the ship. And to them the Macrian heights and all the coast of Thrace +opposite appeared to view close at hand. And there appeared the misty mouth of +Bosporus and the Mysian hills; and on the other side the stream of the river +Aesepus and the city and Nepeian plain of Adrasteia. Now there was a sturdy +stump of vine that grew in the forest, a tree exceeding old; this they cut +down, to be the sacred image of the mountain goddess; and Argus smoothed it +skilfully, and they set it upon that rugged hill beneath a canopy of lofty +oaks, which of all trees have their roots deepest. And near it they heaped an +altar of small stones, and wreathed their brows with oak leaves and paid heed +to sacrifice, invoking the mother of Dindymum, most venerable, dweller in +Phrygia, and Titias and Cyllenus, who alone of many are called dispensers of +doom and assessors of the Idaean mother,—the Idaean Dactyls of Crete, +whom once the nymph Anchiale, as she grasped with both hands the land of Oaxus, +bare in the Dictaean cave. And with many prayers did Aeson’s son beseech +the goddess to turn aside the stormy blasts as he poured libations on the +blazing sacrifice; and at the same time by command of Orpheus the youths trod a +measure dancing in full armour, and clashed with their swords on their shields, +so that the ill-omened cry might be lost in the air the wail which the people +were still sending up in grief for their king. Hence from that time forward the +Phrygians propitiate Rhea with the wheel and the drum. And the gracious +goddess, I ween, inclined her heart to pious sacrifices; and favourable signs +appeared. The trees shed abundant fruit, and round their feet the earth of its +own accord put forth flowers from the tender grass. And the beasts of the wild +wood left their lairs and thickets and came up fawning on them with their +tails. And she caused yet another marvel; for hitherto there was no flow of +water on Dindymum, but then for them an unceasing stream gushed forth from the +thirsty peak just as it was, and the dwellers around in after times called that +stream, the spring of Jason. And then they made a feast in honour of the +goddess on the Mount of Bears, singing the praises of Rhea most venerable; but +at dawn the winds had ceased and they rowed away from the island. +</p> + +<p> +Thereupon a spirit of contention stirred each chieftain, who should be the last +to leave his oar. For all around the windless air smoothed the swirling waves +and lulled the sea to rest. And they, trusting in the calm, mightily drove the +ship forward; and as she sped through the salt sea, not even the storm-footed +steeds of Poseidon would have overtaken her. Nevertheless when the sea was +stirred by violent blasts which were just rising from the rivers about evening, +forspent with toil, they ceased. But Heracles by the might of his arms pulled +the weary rowers along all together, and made the strong-knit timbers of the +ship to quiver. But when, eager to reach the Mysian mainland, they passed along +in sight of the mouth of Rhyndaeus and the great cairn of Aegaeon, a little way +from Phrygia, then Heracles, as he ploughed up the furrows of the roughened +surge, broke his oar in the middle. And one half he held in both his hands as +he fell sideways, the other the sea swept away with its receding wave. And he +sat up in silence glaring round; for his hands were unaccustomed to be idle. +</p> + +<p> +Now at the hour when from the field some delver or ploughman goes gladly home +to his hut, longing for his evening meal, and there on the threshold, all +squalid with dust, bows his wearied knees, and, beholding his hands worn with +toil, with many a curse reviles his belly; at that hour the heroes reached the +homes of the Cianian land near the Arganthonian mount and the outfall of Cius. +Them as they came in friendliness, the Mysians, inhabitants of that land, +hospitably welcomed, and gave them in their need provisions and sheep and +abundant wine. Hereupon some brought dried wood, others from the meadows leaves +for beds which they gathered in abundance for strewing, whilst others were +twirling sticks to get fire; others again were mixing wine in the bowl and +making ready the feast, after sacrificing at nightfall to Apollo Ecbasius. +</p> + +<p> +But the son of Zeus having duly enjoined on his comrades to prepare the feast +took his way into a wood, that he might first fashion for himself an oar to fit +his hand. Wandering about he found a pine not burdened with many branches, nor +too full of leaves, but like to the shaft of a tall poplar; so great was it +both in length and thickness to look at. And quickly he laid on the ground his +arrow-holding quiver together with his bow, and took off his lion’s skin. +And he loosened the pine from the ground with his bronze-tipped club and +grasped the trunk with both hands at the bottom, relying on his strength; and +he pressed it against his broad shoulder with legs wide apart; and clinging +close he raised it from the ground deep-rooted though it was, together with +clods of earth. And as when unexpectedly, just at the time of the stormy +setting of baleful Orion, a swift gust of wind strikes down from above, and +wrenches a ship’s mast from its stays, wedges and all; so did Heracles +lift the pine. And at the same time he took up his bow and arrows, his lion +skin and club, and started on his return. +</p> + +<p> +Meantime Hylas with pitcher of bronze in hand had gone apart from the throng, +seeking the sacred flow of a fountain, that he might be quick in drawing water +for the evening meal and actively make all things ready in due order against +his lord’s return. For in such ways did Heracles nurture him from his +first childhood when he had carried him off from the house of his father, +goodly Theiodamas, whom the hero pitilessly slew among the Dryopians because he +withstood him about an ox for the plough. Theiodamas was cleaving with his +plough the soil of fallow land when he was smitten with the curse; and Heracles +bade him give up the ploughing ox against his will. For he desired to find some +pretext for war against the Dryopians for their bane, since they dwelt there +reckless of right. But these tales would lead me far astray from my song. And +quickly Hylas came to the spring which the people who dwell thereabouts call +Pegae. And the dances of the nymphs were just now being held there; for it was +the care of all the nymphs that haunted that lovely headland ever to hymn +Artemis in songs by night. All who held the mountain peaks or glens, all they +were ranged far off guarding the woods; but one, a water-nymph was just rising +from the fair-flowing spring; and the boy she perceived close at hand with the +rosy flush of his beauty and sweet grace. For the full moon beaming from the +sky smote him. And Cypris made her heart faint, and in her confusion she could +scarcely gather her spirit back to her. But as soon as he dipped the pitcher in +the stream, leaning to one side, and the brimming water rang loud as it poured +against the sounding bronze, straightway she laid her left arm above upon his +neck yearning to kiss his tender mouth; and with her right hand she drew down +his elbow, and plunged him into the midst of the eddy. +</p> + +<p> +Alone of his comrades the hero Polyphemus, son of Eilatus, as he went forward +on the path, heard the boy’s cry, for he expected the return of mighty +Heracles. And he rushed after the cry, near Pegae, like some beast of the wild +wood whom the bleating of sheep has reached from afar, and burning with hunger +he follows, but does not fall in with the flocks; for the shepherds beforehand +have penned them in the fold, but he groans and roars vehemently until he is +weary. Thus vehemently at that time did the son of Eilatus groan and wandered +shouting round the spot; and his voice rang piteous. Then quickly drawing his +great sword he started in pursuit, in fear lest the boy should be the prey of +wild beasts, or men should have lain in ambush for him faring all alone, and be +carrying him off, an easy prey. Hereupon as he brandished his bare sword in his +hand he met Heracles himself on the path, and well he knew him as he hastened +to the ship through the darkness. And straightway he told the wretched calamity +while his heart laboured with his panting breath. +</p> + +<p> +“My poor friend, I shall be the first to bring thee tidings of bitter +woe. Hylas has gone to the well and has not returned safe, but robbers have +attacked and are carrying him off, or beasts are tearing him to pieces; I heard +his cry.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake; and when Heracles heard his words, sweat in abundance poured +down from his temples and the black blood boiled beneath his heart. And in +wrath he hurled the pine to the ground and hurried along the path whither his +feet bore on his impetuous soul. And as when a bull stung by a gadfly tears +along, leaving the meadows and the marsh land, and recks not of herdsmen or +herd, but presses on, now without cheek, now standing still, and raising his +broad neck he bellows loudly, stung by the maddening fly; so he in his frenzy +now would ply his swift knees unresting, now again would cease from toil and +shout afar with loud pealing cry. +</p> + +<p> +But straightway the morning star rose above the topmost peaks and the breeze +swept down; and quickly did Tiphys urge them to go aboard and avail themselves +of the wind. And they embarked eagerly forthwith; and they drew up the +ship’s anchors and hauled the ropes astern. And the sails were bellied +out by the wind, and far from the coast were they joyfully borne past the +Posideian headland. But at the hour when gladsome dawn shines from heaven, +rising from the east, and the paths stand out clearly, and the dewy plains +shine with a bright gleam, then at length they were aware that unwittingly they +had abandoned those men. And a fierce quarrel fell upon them, and violent +tumult, for that they had sailed and left behind the bravest of their comrades. +And Aeson’s son, bewildered by their hapless plight, said never a word, +good or bad; but sat with his heavy load of grief, eating out his heart. And +wrath seized Telamon, and thus he spake: +</p> + +<p> +“Sit there at thy ease, for it was fitting for thee to leave Heracles +behind; from thee the project arose, so that his glory throughout Hellas should +not overshadow thee, if so be that heaven grants us a return home. But what +pleasure is there in words? For I will go, I only, with none of thy comrades, +who have helped thee to plan this treachery.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and rushed upon Tiphys son of Hagnias; and his eyes sparkled like +flashes of ravening flame. And they would quickly have turned back to the land +of the Mysians, forcing their way through the deep sea and the unceasing blasts +of the wind, had not the two sons of Thracian Boreas held back the son of +Aeacus with harsh words. Hapless ones, assuredly a bitter vengeance came upon +them thereafter at the hands of Heracles, because they stayed the search for +him. For when they were returning from the games over Pelias dead he slew them +in sea-girt Tenos and heaped the earth round them, and placed two columns +above, one of which, a great marvel for men to see, moves at the breath of the +blustering north wind. These things were thus to be accomplished in after +times. But to them appeared Glaucus from the depths of the sea, the wise +interpreter of divine Nereus, and raising aloft his shaggy head and chest from +his waist below, with sturdy hand he seized the ship’s keel, and then +cried to the eager crew: +</p> + +<p> +“Why against the counsel of mighty Zeus do ye purpose to lead bold +Heracles to the city of Aeetes? At Argos it is his fate to labour for insolent +Eurystheus and to accomplish full twelve toils and dwell with the immortals, if +so be that he bring to fulfilment a few more yet; wherefore let there be no +vain regret for him. Likewise it is destined for Polyphemus to found a glorious +city at the mouth of Cius among the Mysians and to fill up the measure of his +fate in the vast land of the Chalybes. But a goddess-nymph through love has +made Hylas her husband, on whose account those two wandered and were left +behind.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and with a plunge wrapped him about with the restless wave; and round +him the dark water foamed in seething eddies and dashed against the hollow ship +as it moved through the sea. And the heroes rejoiced, and Telamon son of Aeacus +came in haste to Jason, and grasping his hand in his own embraced him with +these words: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Aeson, be not wroth with me, if in my folly I have erred, for +grief wrought upon me to utter a word arrogant and intolerable. But let me give +my fault to the winds and let our hearts be joined as before.” +</p> + +<p> +Him the son of Aeson with prudence addressed: “Good friend, assuredly +with an evil word didst thou revile me, saying before them all that I was the +wronger of a kindly man. But not for long will I nurse bitter wrath, though +indeed before I was grieved. For it was not for flocks of sheep, no, nor for +possessions that thou wast angered to fury, but for a man, thy comrade. And I +were fain thou wouldst even champion me against another man if a like thing +should ever befall me.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and they sat down, united as of old. But of those two, by the counsel +of Zeus, one, Polyphemus son of Eilatus, was destined to found and build a city +among the Mysians bearing the river’s name, and the other, Heracles, to +return and toil at the labours of Eurystheus. And he threatened to lay waste +the Mysian land at once, should they not discover for him the doom of Hylas, +whether living or dead. And for him they gave pledges choosing out the noblest +sons of the people and took an oath that they would never cease from their +labour of search. Therefore to this day the people of Cius enquire for Hylas +the son of Theiodamas, and take thought for the well-built Trachis. For there +did Heracles settle the youths whom they sent from Cius as pledges. +</p> + +<p> +And all day long and all night the wind bore the ship on, blowing fresh and +strong; but when dawn rose there was not even a breath of air. And they marked +a beach jutting forth from a bend of the coast, very broad to behold, and by +dint of rowing came to land at sunrise. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap04"></a>BOOK II</h2> + +<p> +Here were the oxstalls and farm of Amycus, the haughty king of the Bebrycians, +whom once a nymph, Bithynian Melie, united to Poseidon Genethlius, bare the +most arrogant of men; for even for strangers he laid down an insulting +ordinance, that none should depart till they had made trial of him in boxing; +and he had slain many of the neighbours. And at that time too he went down to +the ship and in his insolence scorned to ask them the occasion of their voyage, +and who they were, but at once spake out among them all: +</p> + +<p> +“Listen, ye wanderers by sea, to what it befits you to know. It is the +rule that no stranger who comes to the Bebrycians should depart till he has +raised his hands in battle against mine. Wherefore select your bravest warrior +from the host and set him here on the spot to contend with me in boxing. But if +ye pay no heed and trample my decrees under foot, assuredly to your sorrow will +stern necessity come upon you.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake in his pride, but fierce anger seized them when they heard it, +and the challenge smote Polydeuces most of all. And quickly he stood forth his +comrades’ champion, and cried: +</p> + +<p> +“Hold now, and display not to us thy brutal violence, whoever thou art; +for we will obey thy rules, as thou sayest. Willingly now do I myself undertake +to meet thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake outright; but the other with rolling eyes glared on him, like to +a lion struck by a javelin when hunters in the mountains are hemming him round, +and, though pressed by the throng, he reeks no more of them, but keeps his eyes +fixed, singling out that man only who struck him first and slew him not. +Hereupon the son of Tyndareus laid aside his mantle, closely-woven, +delicately-wrought, which one of the Lemnian maidens had given him as a pledge +of hospitality; and the king threw down his dark cloak of double fold with its +clasps and the knotted crook of mountain olive which he carried. Then +straightway they looked and chose close by a spot that pleased them and bade +their comrades sit upon the sand in two lines; nor were they alike to behold in +form or in stature. The one seemed to be a monstrous son of baleful Typhoeus or +of Earth herself, such as she brought forth aforetime, in her wrath against +Zeus; but the other, the son of Tyndareus, was like a star of heaven, whose +beams are fairest as it shines through the nightly sky at eventide. Such was +the son of Zeus, the bloom of the first down still on his cheeks, still with +the look of gladness in his eyes. But his might and fury waxed like a wild +beast’s; and he poised his hands to see if they were pliant as before and +were not altogether numbed by toil and rowing. But Amycus on his side made no +trial; but standing apart in silence he kept his eyes upon his foe, and his +spirit surged within him all eager to dash the life-blood from his breast. And +between them Lyeoreus, the henchman of Amycus, placed at their feet on each +side two pairs of gauntlets made of raw hide, dry, exceeding tough. And the +king addressed the hero with arrogant words: +</p> + +<p> +“Whichever of these thou wilt, without casting lots, I grant thee freely, +that thou mayst not blame me hereafter. Bind them about thy hands; thou shalt +learn and tell another how skilled I am to carve the dry oxhides and to spatter +men’s cheeks with blood.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake; but the other gave back no taunt in answer, but with a light +smile readily took up the gauntlets that lay at his feet; and to him came +Castor and mighty Talaus, son of Bias, and they quickly bound the gauntlets +about his hands, often bidding him be of good courage. And to Amycus came +Aretus and Ornytus, but little they knew, poor fools, that they had bound them +for the last time on their champion, a victim of evil fate. +</p> + +<p> +Now when they stood apart and were ready with their gauntlets, straightway in +front of their faces they raised their heavy hands and matched their might in +deadly strife. Hereupon the Bebrycian king even as a fierce wave of the sea +rises in a crest against a swift ship, but she by the skill of the crafty pilot +just escapes the shock when the billow is eager to break over the +bulwark—so he followed up the son of Tyndareus, trying to daunt him, and +gave him no respite. But the hero, ever unwounded, by his skill baffled the +rush of his foe, and he quickly noted the brutal play of his fists to see where +he was invincible in strength, and where inferior, and stood unceasingly and +returned blow for blow. And as when shipwrights with their hammers smite +ships’ timbers to meet the sharp clamps, fixing layer upon layer; and the +blows resound one after another; so cheeks and jaws crashed on both sides, and +a huge clattering of teeth arose, nor did they cease ever from striking their +blows until laboured gasping overcame both. And standing a little apart they +wiped from their foreheads sweat in abundance, wearily panting for breath. Then +back they rushed together again, as two bulls fight in furious rivalry for a +grazing heifer. Next Amycus rising on tiptoe, like one who slays an ox, sprung +to his full height and swung his heavy hand down upon his rival; but the hero +swerved aside from the rush, turning his head, and just received the arm on his +shoulder; and coming near and slipping his knee past the king’s, with a +rush he struck him above the ear, and broke the bones inside, and the king in +agony fell upon his knees; and the Minyan heroes shouted for joy; and his life +was poured forth all at once. +</p> + +<p> +Nor were the Bebrycians reckless of their king; but all together took up rough +clubs and spears and rushed straight on Polydeuces. But in front of him stood +his comrades, their keen swords drawn from the sheath. First Castor struck upon +the head a man as he rushed at him: and it was cleft in twain and fell on each +side upon his shoulders. And Polydeuces slew huge Itymoneus and Mimas. The one, +with a sudden leap, he smote beneath the breast with his swift foot and threw +him in the dust; and as the other drew near he struck him with his right hand +above the left eyebrow, and tore away his eyelid and the eyeball was left bare. +But Oreides, insolent henchman of Amycus, wounded Talaus son of Bias in the +side, but did not slay him, but only grazing the skin the bronze sped under his +belt and touched not the flesh. Likewise Aretus with well-seasoned club smote +Iphitus, the steadfast son of Eurytus, not yet destined to an evil death; +assuredly soon was he himself to be slain by the sword of Clytius. Then +Ancaeus, the dauntless son of Lycurgus, quickly seized his huge axe, and in his +left hand holding a bear’s dark hide, plunged into the midst of the +Bebrycians with furious onset; and with him charged the sons of Aeacus, and +with them started warlike Jason. And as when amid the folds grey wolves rush +down on a winter’s day and scare countless sheep, unmarked by the +keen-scented dogs and the shepherds too, and they seek what first to attack and +carry off; often glaring around, but the sheep are just huddled together and +trample on one another; so the heroes grievously scared the arrogant +Bebrycians. And as shepherds or beekeepers smoke out a huge swarm of bees in a +rock, and they meanwhile, pent up in their hive, murmur with droning hum, till, +stupefied by the murky smoke, they fly forth far from the rock; so they stayed +steadfast no longer, but scattered themselves inland through Bebrycia, +proclaiming the death of Amycus; fools, not to perceive that another woe all +unforeseen was hard upon them. For at that hour their vineyards and villages +were being ravaged by the hostile spear of Lycus and the Mariandyni, now that +their king was gone. For they were ever at strife about the ironbearing land. +And now the foe was destroying their steadings and farms, and now the heroes +from all sides were driving off their countless sheep, and one spake among his +fellows thus: +</p> + +<p> +“Bethink ye what they would have done in their cowardice if haply some +god had brought Heracles hither. Assuredly, if he had been here, no trial would +there have been of fists, I ween, but when the king drew near to proclaim his +rules, the club would have made him forget his pride and the rules to boot. +Yea, we left him uncared for on the strand and we sailed oversea; and full well +each one of us shall know our baneful folly, now that he is far away.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, but all these things had been wrought by the counsels of Zeus. +Then they remained there through the night and tended the hurts of the wounded +men, and offered sacrifice to the immortals, and made ready a mighty meal; and +sleep fell upon no man beside the bowl and the blazing sacrifice. They wreathed +their fair brows with the bay that grew by the shore, whereto their hawsers +were bound, and chanted a song to the lyre of Orpheus in sweet harmony; and the +windless shore was charmed by their song; and they celebrated the Therapnaean +son of Zeus.<a href="#linknote-14" name="linknoteref-14" +id="linknoteref-14"><sup>[14]</sup></a> +</p> + +<p> +But when the sun rising from far lands lighted up the dewy hills and wakened +the shepherds, then they loosed their hawsers from the stem of the baytree and +put on board all the spoil they had need to take; and with a favouring wind +they steered through the eddying Bosporus. Hereupon a wave like a steep +mountain rose aloft in front as though rushing upon them, ever upheaved above +the clouds; nor would you say that they could escape grim death, for in its +fury it hangs over the middle of the ship, like a cloud, yet it sinks away into +calm if it meets with a skilful helmsman. So they by the steering-craft of +Tiphys escaped, unhurt but sore dismayed. And on the next day they fastened the +hawsers to the coast opposite the Bithynian land. +</p> + +<p> +There Phineus, son of Agenor, had his home by the sea, Phineus who above all +men endured most bitter woes because of the gift of prophecy which Leto’s +son had granted him aforetime. And he reverenced not a whit even Zeus himself, +for he foretold unerringly to men his sacred will. Wherefore Zeus sent upon him +a lingering old age, and took from his eyes the pleasant light, and suffered +him not to have joy of the dainties untold that the dwellers around ever +brought to his house, when they came to enquire the will of heaven. But on a +sudden, swooping through the clouds, the Harpies with their crooked beaks +incessantly snatched the food away from his mouth and hands. And at times not a +morsel of food was left, at others but a little, in order that he might live +and be tormented. And they poured forth over all a loathsome stench; and no one +dared not merely to carry food to his mouth but even to stand at a distance; so +foully reeked the remnants of the meal. But straightway when he heard the voice +and the tramp of the band he knew that they were the men passing by, at whose +coming Zeus’ oracle had declared to him that he should have joy of his +food. And he rose from his couch, like a lifeless dream, bowed over his staff, +and crept to the door on his withered feet, feeling the walls; and as he moved, +his limbs trembled for weakness and age; and his parched skin was caked with +dirt, and naught but the skill held his bones together. And he came forth from +the hall with wearied knees and sat on the threshold of the courtyard; and a +dark stupor covered him, and it seemed that the earth reeled round beneath his +feet, and he lay in a strengthless trance, speechless. But when they saw him +they gathered round and marvelled. And he at last drew laboured breath from the +depths of his chest and spoke among them with prophetic utterance: +</p> + +<p> +“Listen, bravest of all the Hellenes, if it be truly ye, whom by a +king’s ruthless command Jason is leading on the ship Argo in quest of the +fleece. It is ye truly. Even yet my soul by its divination knows everything. +Thanks I render to thee, O king, son of Leto, plunged in bitter affliction +though I be. I beseech you by Zeus the god of suppliants, the sternest foe to +sinful men, and for the sake of Phoebus and Hera herself, under whose especial +care ye have come hither, help me, save an ill-fated man from misery, and +depart not uncaring and leaving me thus as ye see. For not only has the Fury +set her foot on my eyes and I drag on to the end a weary old age; but besides +my other woes a woe hangs over me the bitterest of all. The Harpies, swooping +down from some unseen den of destruction, ever snatch the food from my mouth. +And I have no device to aid me. But it were easier, when I long for a meal, to +escape my own thoughts than them, so swiftly do they fly through the air. But +if haply they do leave me a morsel of food it reeks of decay and the stench is +unendurable, nor could any mortal bear to draw near even for a moment, no, not +if his heart were wrought of adamant. But necessity, bitter and insatiate, +compels me to abide and abiding to put food in my cursed belly. These pests, +the oracle declares, the sons of Boreas shall restrain. And no strangers are +they that shall ward them off if indeed I am Phineus who was once renowned +among men for wealth and the gift of prophecy, and if I am the son of my father +Agenor; and, when I ruled among the Thracians, by my bridal gifts I brought +home their sister Cleopatra to be my wife.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Agenor’s son; and deep sorrow seized each of the heroes, and +especially the two sons of Boreas. And brushing away a tear they drew nigh, and +Zetes spake as follows, taking in his own the hand of the grief-worn sire: +</p> + +<p> +“Unhappy one, none other of men is more wretched than thou, methinks. Why +upon thee is laid the burden of so many sorrows? Hast thou with baneful folly +sinned against the gods through thy skill in prophecy? For this are they +greatly wroth with thee? Yet our spirit is dismayed within us for all our +desire to aid thee, if indeed the god has granted this privilege to us two. For +plain to discern to men of earth are the reproofs of the immortals. And we will +never check the Harpies when they come, for all our desire, until thou hast +sworn that for this we shall not lose the favour of heaven.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake; and towards him the aged sire opened his sightless eyes, and +lifted them up and replied with these words: +</p> + +<p> +“Be silent, store not up such thoughts in thy heart, my child. Let the +son of Leto be my witness, he who of his gracious will taught me the lore of +prophecy, and be witness the ill-starred doom which possesses me and this dark +cloud upon my eyes, and the gods of the underworld—and may their curse be +upon me if I die perjured thus—no wrath from heaven will fall upon you +two for your help to me.” +</p> + +<p> +Then were those two eager to help him because of the oath. And quickly the +younger heroes prepared a feast for the aged man, a last prey for the Harpies; +and both stood near him, to smite with the sword those pests when they swooped +down. Scarcely had the aged man touched the food when they forthwith, like +bitter blasts or flashes of lightning, suddenly darted from the clouds, and +swooped down with a yell, fiercely craving for food; and the heroes beheld them +and shouted in the midst of their onrush; but they at the cry devoured +everything and sped away over the sea after; and an intolerable stench +remained. And behind them the two sons of Boreas raising their swords rushed in +pursuit. For Zeus imparted to them tireless strength; but without Zeus they +could not have followed, for the Harpies used ever to outstrip the blasts of +the west wind when they came to Phineus and when they left him. And as when, +upon the mountain-side, hounds, cunning in the chase, run in the track of +horned goats or deer, and as they strain a little behind gnash their teeth upon +the edge of their jaws in vain; so Zetes and Calais rushing very near just +grazed the Harpies in vain with their finger-tips. And assuredly they would +have torn them to pieces, despite heaven’s will, when they had overtaken +them far off at the Floating Islands, had not swift Iris seen them and leapt +down from the sky from heaven above, and cheeked them with these words: +</p> + +<p> +“It is not lawful, O sons of Boreas, to strike with your swords the +Harpies, the hounds of mighty Zeus; but I myself will give you a pledge, that +hereafter they shall not draw near to Phineus.” +</p> + +<p> +With these words she took an oath by the waters of Styx, which to all the gods +is most dread and most awful, that the Harpies would never thereafter again +approach the home of Phineus, son of Agenor, for so it was fated. And the +heroes yielding to the oath, turned back their flight to the ship. And on +account of this men call them the Islands of Turning though aforetime they +called them the Floating Islands. And the Harpies and Iris parted. They entered +their den in Minoan Crete; but she sped up to Olympus, soaring aloft on her +swift wings. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile the chiefs carefully cleansed the old man’s squalid skin and +with due selection sacrificed sheep which they had borne away from the spoil of +Amycus. And when they had laid a huge supper in the hall, they sat down and +feasted, and with them feasted Phineus ravenously, delighting his soul, as in a +dream. And there, when they had taken their fill of food and drink, they kept +awake all night waiting for the sons of Boreas. And the aged sire himself sat +in the midst, near the hearth, telling of the end of their voyage and the +completion of their journey: +</p> + +<p> +“Listen then. Not everything is it lawful for you to know clearly; but +whatever is heaven’s will, I will not hide. I was infatuated aforetime, +when in my folly I declared the will of Zeus in order and to the end. For he +himself wishes to deliver to men the utterances of the prophetic art +incomplete, in order that they may still have some need to know the will of +heaven.” +</p> + +<p> +“First of all, after leaving me, ye will see the twin Cyanean rocks where +the two seas meet. No one, I ween, has won his escape between them. For they +are not firmly fixed with roots beneath, but constantly clash against one +another to one point, and above a huge mass of salt water rises in a crest, +boiling up, and loudly dashes upon the hard beach. Wherefore now obey my +counsel, if indeed with prudent mind and reverencing the blessed gods ye pursue +your way; and perish not foolishly by a self-sought death, or rush on following +the guidance of youth. First entrust the attempt to a dove when ye have sent +her forth from the ship. And if she escapes safe with her wings between the +rocks to the open sea, then no more do ye refrain from the path, but grip your +oars well in your hands and cleave the sea’s narrow strait, for the light +of safety will be not so much in prayer as in strength of hands. Wherefore let +all else go and labour boldly with might and main, but ere then implore the +gods as ye will, I forbid you not. But if she flies onward and perishes midway, +then do ye turn back; for it is better to yield to the immortals. For ye could +not escape an evil doom from the rocks, not even if Argo were of iron.” +</p> + +<p> +“O hapless ones, dare not to transgress my divine warning, even though ye +think that I am thrice as much hated by the sons of heaven as I am, and even +more than thrice; dare not to sail further with your ship in despite of the +omen. And as these things will fall, so shall they fall. But if ye shun the +clashing rocks and come scatheless inside Pontus, straightway keep the land of +the Bithynians on your right and sail on, and beware of the breakers, until ye +round the swift river Rhebas and the black beach, and reach the harbour of the +Isle of Thynias. Thence ye must turn back a little space through the sea and +beach your ship on the land of the Mariandyni lying opposite. Here is a +downward path to the abode of Hades, and the headland of Acherusia stretches +aloft, and eddying Acheron cleaves its way at the bottom, even through the +headland, and sends its waters forth from a huge ravine. And near it ye will +sail past many hills of the Paphlagonians, over whom at the first Eneteian +Pelops reigned, and of his blood they boast themselves to be.” +</p> + +<p> +“Now there is a headland opposite Helice the Bear, steep on all sides, +and they call it Carambis, about whose crests the blasts of the north wind are +sundered. So high in the air does it rise turned towards the sea. And when ye +have rounded it broad Aegialus stretches before you; and at the end of broad +Aegialus, at a jutting point of coast, the waters of the river Halys pour forth +with a terrible roar; and after it his flowing near, but smaller in stream, +rolls into the sea with white eddies. Onward from thence the bend of a huge and +towering cape reaches out from the land, next Thermodon at its mouth flows into +a quiet bay at the Themiscyreian headland, after wandering through a broad +continent. And here is the plain of Doeas, and near are the three cities of the +Amazons, and after them the Chalybes, most wretched of men, possess a soil +rugged and unyielding sons of toil, they busy themselves with working iron. And +near them dwell the Tibareni, rich in sheep, beyond the Genetaean headland of +Zeus, lord of hospitality. And bordering on it the Mossynoeci next in order +inhabit the well-wooded mainland and the parts beneath the mountains, who have +built in towers made from trees their wooden homes and well-fitted chambers, +which they call Mossynes, and the people themselves take their name from them. +After passing them ye must beach your ship upon a smooth island, when ye have +driven away with all manner of skill the ravening birds, which in countless +numbers haunt the desert island. In it the Queens of the Amazons, Otrere and +Antiope, built a stone temple of Ares what time they went forth to war. Now +here an unspeakable help will come to you from the bitter sea; wherefore with +kindly intent I bid you stay. But what need is there that I should sin yet +again declaring everything to the end by my prophetic art? And beyond the +island and opposite mainland dwell the Philyres: and above the Philyres are the +Macrones, and after them the vast tribes of the Becheiri. And next in order to +them dwell the Sapeires, and the Byzeres have the lands adjoining to them, and +beyond them at last live the warlike Colchians themselves. But speed on in your +ship, till ye touch the inmost bourne of the sea. And here at the Cytaean +mainland and from the Amarantine mountains far away and the Circaean plain, +eddying Phasis rolls his broad stream to the sea. Guide your ship to the mouth +of that river and ye shall behold the towers of Cytaean Aeetes and the shady +grove of Ares, where a dragon, a monster terrible to behold, ever glares +around, keeping watch over the fleece that is spread upon the top of an oak; +neither by day nor by night does sweet sleep subdue his restless eyes.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and straightway fear seized them as they heard. And for a long +while they were struck with silence; till at last the hero, son of Aeson, +spake, sore dismayed at their evil plight: +</p> + +<p> +“O aged sire, now hast thou come to the end of the toils of our +sea-journeying and hast told us the token, trusting to which we shall make our +way to Pontus through the hateful rocks; but whether, when we have escaped +them, we shall have a return back again to Hellas, this too would we gladly +learn from thee. What shall I do, how shall I go over again such a long path +through the sea, unskilled as I am, with unskilled comrades? And Colchian Aea +lies at the edge of Pontus and of the world.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and him the aged sire addressed in reply: “O son, when +once thou hast escaped through the deadly rocks, fear not; for a deity will be +the guide from Aea by another track; and to Aea there will be guides enough. +But, my friends, take thought of the artful aid of the Cyprian goddess. For on +her depends the glorious issue of your venture. And further than this ask me +not.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake Agenor’s son, and close at hand the twin sons of Thracian +Boreas came darting from the sky and set their swift feet upon the threshold; +and the heroes rose up from their seats when they saw them present. And Zetes, +still drawing hard breath after his toil, spake among the eager listeners, +telling them how far they had driven the Harpies and how his prevented their +slaying them, and how the goddess of her grace gave them pledges, and how those +others in fear plunged into the vast cave of the Dictaean cliff. Then in the +mansion all their comrades were joyful at the tidings and so was Phineus +himself. And quickly Aeson’s son, with good will exceeding, addressed +him: +</p> + +<p> +“Assuredly there was then, Phineus, some god who cared for thy bitter +woe, and brought us hither from afar, that the sons of Boreas might aid thee; +and if too he should bring sight to thine eyes, verily I should rejoice, +methinks, as much as if I were on my homeward way.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, but Phineus replied to him with downcast look: “Son of +Aeson, that is past recall, nor is there any remedy hereafter, for blasted are +my sightless eyes. But instead of that, may the god grant me death at once, and +after death I shall take my share in perfect bliss.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they two returned answering speech, each to other, and soon in the midst +of their converse early dawn appeared; and round Phineus were gathered the +neighbours who used to come thither aforetime day by day and constantly bring a +portion of their food. To all alike, however poor he was that came, the aged +man gave his oracles with good will, and freed many from their woes by his +prophetic art; wherefore they visited and tended him. And with them came +Paraebius, who was dearest to him, and gladly did he perceive these strangers +in the house. For long ere now the seer himself had said that a band of +chieftains, faring from Hellas to the city of Aceres, would make fast their +hawsers to the Thynian land, and by Zeus’ will would check the approach +of the Harpies. The rest the old man pleased with words of wisdom and let them +go; Paraebius only he bade remain there with the chiefs; and straightway he +sent him and bade him bring back the choicest of his sheep. And when he had +left the hall Phineus spake gently amid the throng of oarsmen: +</p> + +<p> +“O my friends, not all men are arrogant, it seems, nor unmindful of +benefits. Even as this man, loyal as he is, came hither to learn his fate. For +when he laboured the most and toiled the most, then the needs of life, ever +growing more and more, would waste him, and day after day ever dawned more +wretched, nor was there any respite to his toil. But he was paying the sad +penalty of his father’s sin. For he when alone on the mountains, felling +trees, once slighted the prayers of a Hamadryad, who wept and sought to soften +him with plaintive words, not to cut down the stump of an oak tree coeval with +herself, wherein for a long time she had lived continually; but he in the +arrogance of youth recklessly cut it down. So to him the nymph thereafter made +her death a curse, to him and to his children. I indeed knew of the sin when he +came; and I bid him build an altar to the Thynian nymph, and offer on it an +atoning sacrifice, with prayer to escape his father’s fate. Here, ever +since he escaped the god-sent doom, never has he forgotten or neglected me; but +sorely and against his will do I send him from my doors, so eager is he to +remain with me in my affliction.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake Agenor’s son; and his friend straightway came near leading two +sheep from the flock. And up rose Jason and up rose the sons of Boreas at the +bidding of the aged sire. And quickly they called upon Apollo, lord of +prophecy, and offered sacrifice upon the health as the day was just sinking. +And the younger comrades made ready a feast to their hearts’ desire. +Thereupon having well feasted they turned themselves to rest, some near the +ship’s hawsers, others in groups throughout the mansion. And at dawn the +Etesian winds blew strongly, which by the command of Zeus blow over every land +equally. +</p> + +<p> +Cyrene, the tale goes, once tended sheep along the marsh-meadow of Peneus among +men of old time; for dear to her were maidenhood and a couch unstained. But, as +she guarded her flock by the river, Apollo carried her off far from Haemonia +and placed her among the nymphs of the land, who dwelt in Libya near the +Myrtosian height. And here to Phoebus she bore Aristaeus whom the Haemonians, +rich in corn-land, call “Hunter” and “Shepherd”. Her, +of his love, the god made a nymph there, of long life and a huntress, and his +son he brought while still an infant to be nurtured in the cave of Cheiron. And +to him when he grew to manhood the Muses gave a bride, and taught him the arts +of healing and of prophecy; and they made him the keeper of their sheep, of all +that grazed on the Athamantian plain of Phthia and round steep Othrys and the +sacred stream of the river Apidanus. But when from heaven Sirius scorched the +Minoan Isles, and for long there was no respite for the inhabitants, then by +the injunction of the Far-Darter they summoned Aristaeus to ward off the +pestilence. And by his father’s command he left Phthia and made his home +in Ceos, and gathered together the Parrhasian people who are of the lineage of +Lycaon, and he built a great altar to Zeus Icmaeus, and duly offered sacrifices +upon the mountains to that star Sirius, and to Zeus son of Cronos himself. And +on this account it is that Etesian winds from Zeus cool the land for forty +days, and in Ceos even now the priests offer sacrifices before the rising of +the Dog-star. +</p> + +<p> +So the tale is told, but the chieftains stayed there by constraint, and every +day the Thynians, doing pleasure to Phineus, sent them gifts beyond measure. +And afterwards they raised an altar to the blessed twelve on the sea-beach +opposite and laid offerings thereon and then entered their swift ship to row, +nor did they forget to bear with them a trembling dove; but Euphemus seized her +and brought her all quivering with fear, and they loosed the twin hawsers from +the land. +</p> + +<p> +Nor did they start unmarked by Athena, but straightway swiftly she set her feel +on a light cloud, which would waft her on, mighty though she was, and she swept +on to the sea with friendly thoughts to the oarsmen. And as when one roveth far +from his native land, as we men often wander with enduring heart, nor is any +land too distant but all ways are clear to his view, and he sees in mind his +own home, and at once the way over sea and land seems slain, and swiftly +thinking, now this way, now that, he strains with eager eyes; so swiftly the +daughter of Zeus darted down and set her foot on the cheerless shore of Thynia. +</p> + +<p> +Now when they reached the narrow strait of the winding passage, hemmed in on +both sides by rugged cliffs, while an eddying current from below was washing +against the ship as she moved on, they went forward sorely in dread; and now +the thud of the crashing rocks ceaselessly struck their ears, and the +sea-washed shores resounded, and then Euphemus grasped the dove in his hand and +started to mount the prow; and they, at the bidding of Tiphys, son of Hagnias, +rowed with good will to drive Argo between the rocks, trusting to their +strength. And as they rounded a bend they saw the rocks opening for the last +time of all. Their spirit melted within them; and Euphemus sent forth the dove +to dart forward in flight; and they all together raised their heads to look; +but she flew between them, and the rocks again rushed together and crashed as +they met face to face. And the foam leapt up in a mass like a cloud; awful was +the thunder of the sea; and all round them the mighty welkin roared. +</p> + +<p> +The hollow caves beneath the rugged cliffs rumbled as the sea came surging in; +and the white foam of the dashing wave spurted high above the cliff. Next the +current whirled the ship round. And the rocks shore away the end of the +dove’s tail-feathers; but away she flew unscathed. And the rowers gave a +loud cry; and Tiphys himself called to them to row with might and main. For the +rocks were again parting asunder. But as they rowed they trembled, until the +tide returning drove them back within the rocks. Then most awful fear seized +upon all; for over their head was destruction without escape. And now to right +and left broad Pontus was seen, when suddenly a huge wave rose up before them, +arched, like a steep rock; and at the sight they bowed with bended heads. For +it seemed about to leap down upon the ship’s whole length and to +overwhelm them. But Tiphys was quick to ease the ship as she laboured with the +oars; and in all its mass the wave rolled away beneath the keel, and at the +stern it raised Argo herself and drew her far away from the rocks; and high in +air was she borne. But Euphemus strode among all his comrades and cried to them +to bend to their oars with all their might; and they with a shout smote the +water. And as far as the ship yielded to the rowers, twice as far did she leap +back, and the oar, were bent like curved bows as the heroes used their +strength. +</p> + +<p> +Then a vaulted billow rushed upon them, and the ship like a cylinder ran on the +furious wave plunging through the hollow sea. And the eddying current held her +between the clashing rocks; and on each side they shook and thundered; and the +ship’s timbers were held fast. Then Athena with her left hand thrust back +one mighty rock and with her right pushed the ship through; and she, like a +winged arrow, sped through the air. Nevertheless the rocks, ceaselessly +clashing, shore off as she passed the extreme end of the stern-ornament. But +Athena soared up to Olympus, when they had escaped unscathed. And the rocks in +one spot at that moment were rooted fast for ever to each other, which thing +had been destined by the blessed gods, when a man in his ship should have +passed between them alive. And the heroes breathed again after their chilling +fear, beholding at the same time the sky and the expanse of sea spreading far +and wide. For they deemed that they were saved from Hades; and Tiphys first of +all began to speak: +</p> + +<p> +“It is my hope that we have safely escaped this peril—we, and the +ship; and none other is the cause so much as Athena, who breathed into Argo +divine strength when Argus knitted her together with bolts; and she may not be +caught. Son of Aeson, no longer fear thou so much the hest of thy king, since a +god hath granted us escape between the rocks; for Phineus, Agenor’s son, +said that our toils hereafter would be lightly accomplished.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and at once he sped the ship onward through the midst of the sea past +the Bithynian coast. But Jason with gentle words addressed him in reply: +“Tiphys, why dost thou comfort thus my grieving heart? I have erred and +am distraught in wretched and helpless ruin. For I ought, when Pelias gave the +command, to have straightway refused this quest to his face, yea, though I were +doomed to die pitilessly, torn limb from limb, but now I am wrapped in +excessive fear and cares unbearable, dreading to sail through the chilling +paths of the sea, and dreading when we shall set foot on the mainland. For on +every side are unkindly men. And ever when day is done I pass a night of groans +from the time when ye first gathered together for my sake, while I take thought +for all things; but thou talkest at thine ease, eating only for thine own life; +while for myself I am dismayed not a whit; but I fear for this man and for that +equally, and for thee, and for my other comrades, if I shall not bring you back +safe to the land of Hellas.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, making trial of the chiefs; but they shouted loud with cheerful +words. And his heart was warmed within him at their cry and again he spake +outright among them: +</p> + +<p> +“My friends, in your valour my courage is quickened. Wherefore now, even +though I should take my way through the gulfs of Hades, no more shall I let +fear seize upon me, since ye are steadfast amid cruel terrors. But now that we +have sailed out from the striking rocks, I trow that never hereafter will there +be another such fearful thing, if indeed we go on our way following the counsel +of Phineus.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and straightway they ceased from such words and gave unwearying +labour to the oar; and quickly they passed by the swiftly flowing river Rhebas +and the peak of Colone, and soon thereafter the black headland, and near it the +mouth of the river Phyllis, where aforetime Dipsaeus received in his home the +son of Athamas, when with his ram he was flying from the city of Orchomenus; +and Dipsacus was the son of a meadow-nymph, nor was insolence his delight, but +contented by his father’s stream he dwelt with his mother, pasturing his +flocks by the shore. And quickly they sighted and sailed past his shrine and +the broad banks of the river and the plain, and deep-flowing Calpe, and all the +windless night and the day they bent to their tireless oars. And even as +ploughing oxen toil as they cleave the moist earth, and sweat streams in +abundance from flank and neck; and from beneath the yoke their eyes roll +askance, while the breath ever rushes from their mouths in hot gasps; and all +day long they toil, planting their hoofs deep in the ground; like them the +heroes kept dragging their oars through the sea. +</p> + +<p> +Now when divine light has not yet come nor is it utter darkness, but a faint +glimmer has spread over the night, the time when men wake and call it twilight, +at that hour they ran into the harbour of the desert island Thynias and, spent +by weary toil, mounted the shore. And to them the son of Leto, as he passed +from Lycia far away to the countless folk of the Hyperboreans, appeared; and +about his cheeks on both sides his golden locks flowed in clusters as he moved; +in his left hand he held a silver bow, and on his back was slung a quiver +hanging from his shoulders; and beneath his feet all the island quaked, and the +waves surged high on the beach. Helpless amazement seized them as they looked; +and no one dared to gaze face to face into the fair eyes of the god. And they +stood with heads bowed to the ground; but he, far off, passed on to the sea +through the air; and at length Orpheus spake as follows, addressing the chiefs: +</p> + +<p> +“Come, let us call this island the sacred isle of Apollo of the Dawn +since he has appeared to all, passing by at dawn; and we will offer such +sacrifices as we can, building an altar on the shore; and if hereafter he shall +grant us a safe return to the Haemonian land, then will we lay on his altar the +thighs of horned goats. And now I bid you propitiate him with the steam of +sacrifice and libations. Be gracious, O king, be gracious in thy +appearing.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and they straightway built up an altar with shingle; and over +the island they wandered, seeking if haply they could get a glimpse of a fawn +or a wild goat, that often seek their pasture in the deep wood. And for them +Leto’s son provided a quarry; and with pious rites they wrapped in fat +the thigh bones of them all and burnt them on the sacred altar, celebrating +Apollo, Lord of Dawn. And round the burning sacrifice they set up a broad +dancing-ring, singing, “All hail fair god of healing, Phoebus, all +hail,” and with them Oeagrus’ goodly son began a clear lay on his +Bistonian lyre; how once beneath the rocky ridge of Parnassus he slew with his +bow the monster Delphyne, he, still young and beardless, still rejoicing in his +long tresses. Mayst thou be gracious! Ever, O king, be thy locks unshorn, ever +unravaged; for so is it right. And none but Leto, daughter of Coeus, strokes +them with her dear hands. And often the Corycian nymphs, daughters of Pleistus, +took up the cheering strain crying “Healer”; hence arose this +lovely refrain of the hymn to Phoebus. +</p> + +<p> +Now when they had celebrated him with dance and song they took an oath with +holy libations, that they would ever help each other with concord of heart, +touching the sacrifice as they swore; and even now there stands there a temple +to gracious Concord, which the heroes themselves reared, paying honour at that +time to the glorious goddess. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the third morning came, with a fresh west wind they left the lofty +island. Next, on the opposite side they saw and passed the mouth of the river +Sangarius and the fertile land of the Mariandyni, and the stream of Lycus and +the Anthemoeisian lake; and beneath the breeze the ropes and all the tackling +quivered as they sped onward. During the night the wind ceased and at dawn they +gladly reached the haven of the Acherusian headland. It rises aloft with steep +cliffs, looking towards the Bithynian sea; and beneath it smooth rocks, ever +washed by the sea, stand rooted firm; and round them the wave rolls and +thunders loud, but above, wide-spreading plane trees grow on the topmost point. +And from it towards the land a hollow glen slopes gradually away, where there +is a cave of Hades overarched by wood and rocks. From here an icy breath, +unceasingly issuing from the chill recess, ever forms a glistening rime which +melts again beneath the midday sun. And never does silence hold that grim +headland, but there is a continual murmur from the sounding sea and the leaves +that quiver in the winds from the cave. And here is the outfall of the river +Acheron which bursts its way through the headland and falls into the Eastern +sea, and a hollow ravine brings it down from above. In after times the Nisaean +Megarians named it Soonautes<a href="#linknote-15" name="linknoteref-15" +id="linknoteref-15"><sup>[15]</sup></a> when they were about to settle in +the land of the Mariandyni. For indeed the river saved them with their ships +when they were caught in a violent tempest. By this way the heroes took the +ship through<a href="#linknote-16" name="linknoteref-16" +id="linknoteref-16"><sup>[16]</sup></a> the Acherusian headland and came +to land over against it as the wind had just ceased. +</p> + +<p> +Not long had they come unmarked by Lycus, the lord of that land, and the +Mariandyni—they, the slayers of Amycus, according to the report which the +people heard before; but for that very deed they even made a league with the +heroes. And Polydeuces himself they welcomed as a god, flocking from every +side, since for a long time had they been warring against the arrogant +Bebrycians. And so they went up all together into the city, and all that day +with friendly feelings made ready a feast within the palace of Lycus and +gladdened their souls with converse. Aeson’s son told him the lineage and +name of each of his comrades and the behests of Pelias, and how they were +welcomed by the Lemnian women, and all that they did at Dolionian Cyzieus; and +how they reached the Mysian land and Cius, where, sore against their will, they +left behind the hero Heracles, and he told the saying of Glaucus, and how they +slew the Bebrycians and Amycus, and he told of the prophecies and affliction of +Phineus, and how they escaped the Cyanean rocks, and how they met with +Leto’s son at the island. And as he told all, Lycus was charmed in soul +with listening; and he grieved for Heracles left behind, and spake as follows +among them all: +</p> + +<p> +“O friends, what a man he was from whose help ye have fallen away, as ye +cleave your long path to Aeetes; for well do I know that I saw him here in the +halls of Dascylus my father, when he came hither on foot through the land of +Asia bringing the girdle of warlike Hippolyte; and me he found with the down +just growing on my cheeks. And here, when my brother Priolas was slain by the +Mysians—my brother, whom ever since the people lament with most piteous +dirges—he entered the lists with Titias in boxing and slew him, mighty +Titias, who surpassed all the youths in beauty and strength; and he dashed his +teeth to the ground. Together with the Mysians he subdued beneath my +father’s sway the Phrygians also, who inhabit the lands next to us, and +he made his own the tribes of the Bithynians and their land, as far as the +mouth of Rhebas and the peak of Colone; and besides them the Paphlagonians of +Pelops yielded just as they were, even all those round whom the dark water of +Billaeus breaks. But now the Bebrycians and the insolence of Amycus have robbed +me, since Heracles dwells far away, for they have long been cutting off huge +pieces of my land until they have set their bounds at the meadows of +deep-flowing Hypius. Nevertheless, by your hands have they paid the penalty; +and it was not without the will of heaven, I trow, that he brought war on the +Bebrycians this day—he, the son of Tyndareus, when he slew that champion. +Wherefore whatever requital I am now able to pay, gladly will I pay it, for +that is the rule for weaker men when the stronger begin to help them. So with +you all, and in your company, I bid Dascylus my son follow; and if he goes, you +will find all men friendly that ye meet on your way through the sea even to the +mouth of the river Thermodon. And besides that, to the sons of Tyndareus will I +raise a lofty temple on the Acherusian height, which all sailors shall mark far +across the sea and shall reverence; and hereafter for them will I set apart +outside the city, as for gods, some fertile fields of the well-tilled +plain.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus all day long they revelled at the banquet. But at dawn they hied down to +the ship in haste; and with them went Lycus himself, when he had given them +countless gifts to bear away; and with them he sent forth his son from his +home. +</p> + +<p> +And here his destined fate smote Idmon, son of Abas, skilled in soothsaying; +but not at all did his soothsaying save him, for necessity drew him on to +death. For in the mead of the reedy river there lay, cooling his flanks and +huge belly in the mud, a white-tusked boar, a deadly monster, whom even the +nymphs of the marsh dreaded, and no man knew it; but all alone he was feeding +in the wide fell. But the son of Abas was passing along the raised banks of the +muddy river, and the boar from some unseen lair leapt out of the reed-bed, and +charging gashed his thigh and severed in twain the sinews and the bone. And +with a sharp cry the hero fell to the ground; and as he was struck his comrades +flocked together with answering cry. And quickly Peleus with his hunting spear +aimed at the murderous boar as he fled back into the fen; and again he turned +and charged; but Idas wounded him, and with a roar he fell impaled upon the +sharp spear. And the boar they left on the ground just as he had fallen there; +but Idmon, now at the last gasp, his comrades bore to the ship in sorrow of +heart, and he died in his comrades’ arms. +</p> + +<p> +And here they stayed from taking thought for their voyaging and abode in grief +for the burial of their dead friend. And for three whole days they lamented; +and on the next they buried him with full honours, and the people and King +Lycus himself took part in the funeral rites; and, as is the due of the +departed, they slaughtered countless sheep at his tomb. And so a barrow to this +hero was raised in that land, and there stands a token for men of later days to +see, the trunk of a wild olive tree, such as ships are built of; and it +flourishes with its green leaves a little below the Acherusian headland. And if +at the bidding of the Muses I must tell this tale outright, Phoebus strictly +commanded the Boeotians and Nisaeans to worship him as guardian of their city, +and to build their city round the trunk of the ancient wild olive; but they, +instead of the god-fearing Aeolid Idmon, at this day honour Agamestor. +</p> + +<p> +Who was the next that died? For then a second time the heroes heaped up a +barrow for a comrade dead. For still are to be seen two monuments of those +heroes. The tale goes that Tiphys son of Hagnias died; nor was it his destiny +thereafter to sail any further. But him there on the spot a short sickness laid +to rest far from his native land, when the company had paid due honours to the +dead son of Abas. And at the cruel woe they were seized with unbearable grief. +For when with due honours they had buried him also hard by the seer, they cast +themselves down in helplessness on the sea-shore silently, closely wrapped up, +and took no thought for meat or drink; and their spirit drooped in grief, for +all hope of return was gone. And in their sorrow they would have stayed from +going further had not Hera kindled exceeding courage in Ancaeus, whom near the +waters of Imbrasus Astypalaea bore to Poseidon; for especially was he skilled +in steering and eagerly did he address Peleus: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Aeacus, is it well for us to give up our toils and linger on in a +strange land? Not so much for my prowess in war did Jason take me with him in +quest of the fleece, far from Parthenia, as for my knowledge of ships. +Wherefore, I pray, let there be no fear for the ship. And so there are here +other men of skill, of whom none will harm our voyaging, whomsoever we set at +the helm. But quickly tell forth all this and boldly urge them to call to mind +their task.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake; and Peleus’ soul was stirred with gladness, and +straightway he spake in the midst of all: “My friends, why do we thus +cherish a bootless grief like this? For those two have perished by the fate +they have met with; but among our host are steersmen yet, and many a one. +Wherefore let us not delay our attempt, but rouse yourselves to the work and +cast away your griefs.” +</p> + +<p> +And him in reply Aeson’s son addressed with helpless words: “Son of +Aeacus, where are these steersmen of thine? For those whom we once deemed to be +men of skill, they even more than I are bowed with vexation of heart. Wherefore +I forebode an evil doom for us even as for the dead, if it shall be our lot +neither to reach the city of fell Aeetes, nor ever again to pass beyond the +rocks to the land of Hellas, but a wretched fate will enshroud us here +ingloriously till we grow old for naught.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, but Ancaeus quickly undertook to guide the swift ship; for he +was stirred by the impulse of the goddess. And after him Erginus and Nauplius +and Euphemus started up, eager to steer. But the others held them back, and +many of his comrades granted it to Ancaeus. +</p> + +<p> +So on the twelfth day they went aboard at dawn, for a strong breeze of westerly +wind was blowing. And quickly with the oars they passed out through the river +Acheron and, trusting to the wind, shook out their sails, and with canvas +spread far and wide they were cleaving their passage through the waves in fair +weather. And soon they passed the outfall of the river Callichorus, where, as +the tale goes, the Nysean son of Zeus, when he had left the tribes of the +Indians and came to dwell at Thebes, held revels and arrayed dances in front of +a cave, wherein he passed unsmiling sacred nights, from which time the +neighbours call the river by the name of Callichorus<a href="#linknote-17" +name="linknoteref-17" id="linknoteref-17"><sup>[17]</sup></a> and the +cave Aulion.<a href="#linknote-18" name="linknoteref-18" +id="linknoteref-18"><sup>[18]</sup></a> +</p> + +<p> +Next they beheld the barrow of Sthenelus, Actor’s son, who on his way +back from the valorous war against the Amazons—for he had been the +comrade of Heracles—was struck by an arrow and died there upon the +sea-beach. And for a time they went no further, for Persephone herself sent +forth the spirit of Actor’s son which craved with many tears to behold +men like himself, even for a moment. And mounting on the edge of the barrow he +gazed upon the ship, such as he was when he went to war; and round his head a +fair helm with four peaks gleamed with its blood-red crest. And again he +entered the vast gloom; and they looked and marvelled; and Mopsus, son of +Ampycus, with word of prophecy urged them to land and propitiate him with +libations. Quickly they drew in sail and threw out hawsers, and on the strand +paid honour to the tomb of Sthenelus, and poured out drink offerings to him and +sacrificed sheep as victims. And besides the drink offerings they built an +altar to Apollo, saviour of ships, and burnt thigh bones; and Orpheus dedicated +his lyre; whence the place has the name of Lyra. +</p> + +<p> +And straightway they went aboard as the wind blew strong; and they drew the +sail down, and made it taut to both sheets; then Argo was borne over the sea +swiftly, even as a hawk soaring high through the air commits to the breeze its +outspread wings and is borne on swiftly, nor swerves in its flight, poising in +the clear sky with quiet pinions. And lo, they passed by the stream of +Parthenius as it flows into the sea, a most gentle river, where the maid, +daughter of Leto, when she mounts to heaven after the chase, cools her limbs in +its much-desired waters. Then they sped onward in the night without ceasing, +and passed Sesamus and lofty Erythini, Crobialus, Cromna and woody Cytorus. +Next they swept round Carambis at the rising of the sun, and plied the oars +past long Aegialus, all day and on through the night. +</p> + +<p> +And straightway they landed on the Assyrian shore where Zeus himself gave a +home to Sinope, daughter of Asopus, and granted her virginity, beguiled by his +own promises. For he longed for her love, and he promised to grant her whatever +her hearts desire might be. And she in her craftiness asked of him virginity. +And in like manner she deceived Apollo too who longed to wed her, and besides +them the river Halys, and no man ever subdued her in love’s embrace. And +there the sons of noble Deimachus of Tricca were still dwelling, Deileon, +Autolycus and Phlogius, since the day when they wandered far away from +Heracles; and they, when they marked the array of chieftains, went to meet them +and declared in truth who they were; and they wished to remain there no longer, +but as soon as Argestes<a href="#linknote-19" name="linknoteref-19" +id="linknoteref-19"><sup>[19]</sup></a> blew went on ship-board. And so +with them, borne along by the swift breeze, the heroes left behind the river +Halys, and left behind his that flows hard by, and the delta-land of Assyria; +and on the same day they rounded the distant headland of the Amazons that +guards their harbour. +</p> + +<p> +Here once when Melanippe, daughter of Ares, had, gone forth, the hero Heracles +caught her by ambuscade and Hippolyte gave him her glistening girdle as her +sister’s ransom, and he sent away his captive unharmed. In the bay of +this headland, at the outfall of Thermodon, they ran ashore, for the sea was +rough for their voyage. No river is like this, and none sends forth from itself +such mighty streams over the land. If a man should count every one he would +lack but four of a hundred, but the real spring is only one. This flows down to +the plain from lofty mountains, which, men say, are called the Amazonian +mountains. Thence it spreads inland over a hilly country straight forward; +wherefrom its streams go winding on, and they roll on, this way and that ever +more, wherever best they can reach the lower ground, one at a distance and +another near at hand; and many streams are swallowed up in the sand and are +without a name; but, mingled with a few, the main stream openly bursts with its +arching crest of foam into the inhospitable Pontus. And they would have tarried +there and have closed in battle with the Amazons, and would have fought not +without bloodshed for the Amazons were not gentle foes and regarded not +justice, those dwellers on the Doeantian plain; but grievous insolence and the +works of Ares were all their care; for by race they were the daughters of Ares +and the nymph Harmonia, who bare to Ares war-loving maids, wedded to him in the +glens of the Acmonian wood had not the breezes of Argestes come again from +Zeus; and with the wind they left the rounded beach, where the Themiscyreian +Amazons were arming for war. For they dwelt not gathered together in one city, +but scattered over the land, parted into three tribes. In one part dwelt the +Themiscyreians, over whom at that time Hippolyte reigned, in another the +Lycastians, and in another the dart-throwing Chadesians. And the next day they +sped on and at nightfall they reached the land of the Chalybes. +</p> + +<p> +That folk have no care for ploughing with oxen or for any planting of +honey-sweet fruit; nor yet do they pasture flocks in the dewy meadow. But they +cleave the hard iron-bearing land and exchange their wages for daily +sustenance; never does the morn rise for them without toil, but amid bleak +sooty flames and smoke they endure heavy labour. +</p> + +<p> +And straightway thereafter they rounded the headland of Genetaean Zeus and sped +safely past the land of the Tibareni. Here when wives bring forth children to +their husbands, the men lie in bed and groan with their heads close bound; but +the women tend them with food, and prepare child-birth baths for them. +</p> + +<p> +Next they reached the sacred mount and the land where the Mossynoeci dwell amid +high mountains in wooden huts,<a href="#linknote-20" name="linknoteref-20" +id="linknoteref-20"><sup>[20]</sup></a> from which that people take their +name. And strange are their customs and laws. Whatever it is right to do openly +before the people or in the market place, all this they do in their homes, but +whatever acts we perform at home, these they perform out of doors in the midst +of the streets, without blame. And among them is no reverence for the +marriage-bed, but, like swine that feed in herds, no whit abashed in +others’ presence, on the earth they lie with the women. Their king sits +in the loftiest hut and dispenses upright judgments to the multitude, poor +wretch! For if haply he err at all in his decrees, for that day they keep him +shut up in starvation. +</p> + +<p> +They passed them by and cleft their way with oars over against the island of +Ares all day long; for at dusk the light breeze left them. At last they spied +above them, hurtling through the air, one of the birds of Ares which haunt that +isle. It shook its wings down over the ship as she sped on and sent against her +a keen feather, and it fell on the left shoulder of goodly Oileus, and he +dropped his oar from his hands at the sudden blow, and his comrades marvelled +at the sight of the winged bolt. And Eribotes from his seat hard by drew out +the feather, and bound up the wound when he had loosed the strap hanging from +his own sword-sheath; and besides the first, another bird appeared swooping +down; but the hero Clytius, son of Eurytus—for he bent his curved bow, +and sped a swift arrow against the bird—struck it, and it whirled round +and fell close to the ship. And to them spake Amphidamas, son of Aleus: +</p> + +<p> +“The island of Ares is near us; you know it yourselves now that ye have +seen these birds. But little will arrows avail us, I trow, for landing. But let +us contrive some other device to help us, if ye intend to land, bearing in mind +the injunction of Phineus. For not even could Heracles, when he came to +Arcadia, drive away with bow and arrow the birds that swam on the Stymphalian +lake. I saw it myself. But he shook in his hand a rattle of bronze and made a +loud clatter as he stood upon a lofty peak, and the birds fled far off, +screeching in bewildered fear. Wherefore now too let us contrive some such +device, and I myself will speak, having pondered the matter beforehand. Set on +your heads your helmets of lofty crest, then half row by turns, and half fence +the ship about with polished spears and shields. Then all together raise a +mighty shout so that the birds may be scared by the unwonted din, the nodding +crests, and the uplifted spears on high. And if we reach the island itself, +then make mighty noise with the clashing of shields.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and the helpful device pleased all. And on their heads they +placed helmets of bronze, gleaming terribly, and the blood-red crests were +tossing. And half of them rowed in turn, and the rest covered the ship with +spears and shields. And as when a man roofs over a house with tiles, to be an +ornament of his home and a defence against rain, and one the fits firmly into +another, each after each; so they roofed over the ship with their shields, +locking them together. And as a din arises from a warrior-host of men sweeping +on, when lines of battle meet, such a shout rose upward from the ship into the +air. Now they saw none of the birds yet, but when they touched the island and +clashed upon their shields, then the birds in countless numbers rose in flight +hither and thither. And as when the son of Cronos sends from the clouds a dense +hailstorm on city and houses, and the people who dwell beneath hear the din +above the roof and sit quietly, since the stormy season has not come upon them +unawares, but they have first made strong their roofs; so the birds sent +against the heroes a thick shower of feather-shafts as they darted over the sea +to the mountains of the land opposite. +</p> + +<p> +What then was the purpose of Phineus in bidding the divine band of heroes land +there? Or what kind of help was about to meet their desire? +</p> + +<p> +The sons of Phrixus were faring towards the city of Orchomenus from Aea, coming +from Cytaean Aeetes, on board a Colchian ship, to win the boundless wealth of +their father; for he, when dying, had enjoined this journey upon them. And lo, +on that day they were very near that island. But Zeus had impelled the north +wind’s might to blow, marking by rain the moist path of Arcturus; and all +day long he was stirring the leaves upon the mountains, breathing gently upon +the topmost sprays; but at night he rushed upon the sea with monstrous force, +and with his shrieking blasts uplifted the surge; and a dark mist covered the +heavens, nor did the bright stars anywhere appear from among the clouds, but a +murky gloom brooded all around. And so the sons of Phrixus, drenched and +trembling in fear of a horrible doom, were borne along by the waves helplessly. +And the force of the wind had snatched away their sails and shattered in twain +the hull, tossed as it was by the breakers. And hereupon by heaven’s +prompting those four clutched a huge beam, one of many that were scattered +about, held together by sharp bolts, when the ship broke to pieces. And on to +the island the waves and the blasts of wind bore the men in their distress, +within a little of death. And straightway a mighty rain burst forth, and rained +upon the sea and the island, and all the country opposite the island, where the +arrogant Mossynoeci dwelt. And the sweep of the waves hurled the sons of +Phrixus, together with their massy beam, upon the beach of the island, in the +murky night; and the floods of rain from Zeus ceased at sunrise, and soon the +two bands drew near and met each other, and Argus spoke first: +</p> + +<p> +“We beseech you, by Zeus the Beholder, whoever ye are, to be kindly and +to help us in our need. For fierce tempests, falling on the sea, have shattered +all the timbers of the crazy ship in which we were cleaving our path on +business bent. Wherefore we entreat you, if haply ye will listen, to grant us +just a covering for our bodies, and to pity and succour men in misfortune, your +equals in age. Oh, reverence suppliants and strangers for Zeus’ sake, the +god of strangers and suppliants. To Zeus belong both suppliants and strangers; +and his eye, methinks, beholdeth even us.” +</p> + +<p> +And in reply the son of Aeson prudently questioned him, deeming that the +prophecies of Phineus were being fulfilled: “All these things will we +straightway grant you with right good will. But come tell me truly in what +country ye dwell and what business bids you sail across the sea, and tell me +your own glorious names and lineage.” +</p> + +<p> +And him Argus, helpless in his evil plight, addressed: “That one Phrixus +an Aeolid reached Aea from Hellas you yourselves have clearly heard ere this, I +trow; Phrixus, who came to the city of Aeetes, bestriding a ram, which Hermes +had made all gold; and the fleece ye may see even now. The ram, at its own +prompting, he then sacrificed to Zeus, son of Cronos, above all, the god of +fugitives. And him did Aeetes receive in his palace, and with gladness of heart +gave him his daughter Chalciope in marriage without gifts of wooing. <a +href="#linknote-21" name="linknoteref-21" +id="linknoteref-21"><sup>[21]</sup></a> From those two are we sprung. But +Phrixus died at last, an aged man, in the home of Aeetes; and we, giving heed +to our father’s behests, are journeying to Orehomenus to take the +possessions of Athamas. And if thou dost desire to learn our names, this is +Cytissorus, this Phrontis, and this Melas, and me ye may call Argus.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and the chieftains rejoiced at the meeting, and tended them, +much marvelling. And Jason again in turn replied, as was fitting, with these +words: +</p> + +<p> +“Surely ye are our kinsmen on my father’s side, and ye pray that +with kindly hearts we succour your evil plight. For Cretheus and Athamas were +brothers. I am the grandson of Cretheus, and with these comrades here I am +journeying from that same Hellas to the city of Aeetes. But of these things we +will converse hereafter. And do ye first put clothing upon you. By +heaven’s devising, I ween, have ye come to my hands in your sore +need.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and out of the ship gave them raiment to put on. Then all together +they went to the temple of Ares to offer sacrifice of sheep; and in haste they +stood round the altar, which was outside the roofless temple, an altar built of +pebbles; within a black stone stood fixed, a sacred thing, to which of yore the +Amazons all used to pray. Nor was it lawful for them, when they came from the +opposite coast, to burn on this altar offerings of sheep and oxen, but they +used to slay horses which they kept in great herds. Now when they had +sacrificed and eaten the feast prepared, then Aeson’s son spake among +them and thus began: +</p> + +<p> +“Zeus’ self, I ween, beholds everything; nor do we men escape his +eye, we that be god-fearing and just, for as he rescued your father from the +hands of a murderous step-dame and gave him measureless wealth besides; even so +hath he saved you harmless from the baleful storm. And on board this ship ye +may sail hither and thither, where ye will, whether to Aea or to the wealthy +city of divine Orthomenus. For our ship Athena built and with axe of bronze cut +her timbers near the crest of Pelion, and with the goddess wrought Argus. But +yours the fierce surge hath shattered, before ye came nigh to the rocks which +all day long clash together in the straits of the sea. But come, be yourselves +our helpers, for we are eager to bring to Hellas the golden fleece, and guide +us on our voyage, for I go to atone for the intended sacrifice of Phrixus, the +cause of Zeus’ wrath against the sons of Aeolus.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake with soothing words; but horror seized them when they heard. For they +deemed that they would not find Aeetes friendly if they desired to take away +the ram’s fleece. And Argus spake as follows, vexed that they should busy +themselves with such a quest: +</p> + +<p> +“My friends, our strength, so far as it avails, shall never cease to help +you, not one whit, when need shall come. But Aeetes is terribly armed with +deadly ruthlessness; wherefore exceedingly do I dread this voyage. And he +boasts himself to be the son of Helios; and all round dwell countless tribes of +Colchians; and he might match himself with Ares in his dread war-cry and giant +strength. Nay, to seize the fleece in spite of Aeetes is no easy task; so huge +a serpent keeps guard round and about it, deathless and sleepless, which Earth +herself brought forth on the sides of Caucasus, by the rock of Typhaon, where +Typhaon, they say, smitten by the bolt of Zeus, son of Cronos, when he lifted +against the god his sturdy hands, dropped from his head hot gore; and in such +plight he reached the mountains and plain of Nysa, where to this day he lies +whelmed beneath the waters of the Serbonian lake.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and straightway many a cheek grew pale when they heard of so +mighty an adventure. But quickly Peleus answered with cheering words, and thus +spake: +</p> + +<p> +“Be not so fearful in spirit, my good friend. For we are not so lacking +in prowess as to be no match for Aeetes to try his strength with arms; but I +deem that we too are cunning in war, we that go thither, near akin to the blood +of the blessed gods. Wherefore if he will not grant us the fleece of gold for +friendship’s sake, the tribes of the Colchians will not avail him, I +ween.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus they addressed each other in turn, until again, satisfied with their +feast, they turned to rest. And when they rose at dawn a gentle breeze was +blowing; and they raised the sails, which strained to the rush of the wind, and +quickly they left behind the island of Ares. +</p> + +<p> +And at nightfall they came to the island of Philyra, where Cronos, son of +Uranus, what time in Olympus he reigned over the Titans, and Zeus was yet being +nurtured in a Cretan cave by the Curetes of Ida, lay beside Philyra, when he +had deceived Rhea; and the goddess found them in the midst of their dalliance; +and Cronos leapt up from the couch with a rush in the form of a steed with +flowing mane, but Ocean’s daughter, Philyra, in shame left the spot and +those haunts, and came to the long Pelasgian ridges, where by her union with +the transfigured deity she brought forth huge Cheiron, half like a horse, half +like a god. +</p> + +<p> +Thence they sailed on, past the Macrones and the far-stretching land of the +Becheiri and the overweening Sapeires, and after them the Byzeres; for ever +forward they clave their way, quickly borne by the gentle breeze. And lo, as +they sped on, a deep gulf of the sea was opened, and lo, the steep crags of the +Caucasian mountains rose up, where, with his limbs bound upon the hard rocks by +galling fetters of bronze, Prometheus fed with his liver an eagle that ever +rushed back to its prey. High above the ship at even they saw it flying with a +loud whirr, near the clouds; and yet it shook all the sails with the fanning of +those huge wings. For it had not the form of a bird of the air but kept poising +its long wing-feathers like polished oars. And not long after they heard the +bitter cry of Prometheus as his liver was being torn away; and the air rang +with his screams until they marked the ravening eagle rushing back from the +mountain on the self-same track. And at night, by the skill of Argus, they +reached broad-flowing Phasis, and the utmost bourne of the sea. +</p> + +<p> +And straightway they let down the sails and the yard-arm and stowed them inside +the hollow mast-crutch, and at once they lowered the mast itself till it lay +along; and quickly with oars they entered the mighty stream of the river; and +round the prow the water surged as it gave them way. And on their left hand +they had lofty Caucasus and the Cytaean city of Aea, and on the other side the +plain of Ares and the sacred grove of that god, where the serpent was keeping +watch and ward over the fleece as it hung on the leafy branches of an oak. And +Aeson’s son himself from a golden goblet poured into the river libations +of honey and pure wine to Earth and to the gods of the country, and to the +souls of dead heroes; and he besought them of their grace to give kindly aid, +and to welcome their ship’s hawsers with favourable omen. And straightway +Ancaeus spake these words: +</p> + +<p> +“We have reached the Colchian land and the stream of Phasis; and it is +time for us to take counsel whether we shall make trial of Aeetes with soft +words, or an attempt of another kind shall be fitting.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and by the advice of Argus Jason bade them enter a shaded +backwater and let the ship ride at anchor off shore; and it was near at hand in +their course and there they passed the night. And soon the dawn appeared to +their expectant eyes. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap05"></a>BOOK III</h2> + +<p> +Come now, Erato, stand by my side, and say next how Jason brought back the +fleece to Iolcus aided by the love of Medea. For thou sharest the power of +Cypris, and by thy love-cares dost charm unwedded maidens; wherefore to thee +too is attached a name that tells of love. +</p> + +<p> +Thus the heroes, unobserved, were waiting in ambush amid the thick reed-beds; +but Hera and Athena took note of them, and, apart from Zeus and the other +immortals, entered a chamber and took counsel together; and Hera first made +trial of Athena: +</p> + +<p> +“Do thou now first, daughter of Zeus, give advice. What must be done? +Wilt thou devise some scheme whereby they may seize the golden fleece of Aeetes +and bear it to Hellas, or can they deceive the king with soft words and so work +persuasion? Of a truth he is terribly overweening. Still it is right to shrink +from no endeavour.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and at once Athena addressed her: “I too was pondering +such thoughts in my heart, Hera, when thou didst ask me outright. But not yet +do I think that I have conceived a scheme to aid the courage of the heroes, +though I have balanced many plans.” +</p> + +<p> +She ended, and the goddesses fixed their eyes on the ground at their feet, +brooding apart; and straightway Hera was the first to speak her thought: +“Come, let us go to Cypris; let both of us accost her and urge her to bid +her son (if only he will obey) speed his shaft at the daughter of Aeetes, the +enchantress, and charm her with love for Jason. And I deem that by her device +he will bring back the fleece to Hellas.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and the prudent plan pleased Athena, and she addressed her in +reply with gentle words: +</p> + +<p> +“Hera, my father begat me to be a stranger to the darts of love, nor do I +know any charm to work desire. But if the word pleases thee, surely I will +follow; but thou must speak when we meet her.” +</p> + +<p> +So she said, and starting forth they came to the mighty palace of Cypris, which +her husband, the halt-footed god, had built for her when first he brought her +from Zeus to be his wife. And entering the court they stood beneath the gallery +of the chamber where the goddess prepared the couch of Hephaestus. But he had +gone early to his forge and anvils to a broad cavern in a floating island where +with the blast of flame he wrought all manner of curious work; and she all +alone was sitting within, on an inlaid seat facing the door. And her white +shoulders on each side were covered with the mantle of her hair and she was +parting it with a golden comb and about to braid up the long tresses; but when +she saw the goddesses before her, she stayed and called them within, and rose +from her seat and placed them on couches. Then she herself sat down, and with +her hands gathered up the locks still uncombed. And smiling she addressed them +with crafty words: +</p> + +<p> +“Good friends, what intent, what occasion brings you here after so long? +Why have ye come, not too frequent visitors before, chief among goddesses that +ye are?” +</p> + +<p> +And to her Hera replied: “Thou dost mock us, but our hearts are stirred +with calamity. For already on the river Phasis the son of Aeson moors his ship, +he and his comrades in quest of the fleece. For all their sakes we fear +terribly (for the task is nigh at hand) but most for Aeson’s son. Him +will I deliver, though he sail even to Hades to free Ixion below from his +brazen chains, as far as strength lies in my limbs, so that Pelias may not mock +at having escaped an evil doom—Pelias who left me unhonoured with +sacrifice. Moreover Jason was greatly loved by me before, ever since at the +mouth of Anaurus in flood, as I was making trial of men’s righteousness, +he met me on his return from the chase; and all the mountains and long ridged +peaks were sprinkled with snow, and from them the torrents rolling down were +rushing with a roar. And he took pity on me in the likeness of an old crone, +and raising me on his shoulders himself bore me through the headlong tide. So +he is honoured by me unceasingly; nor will Pelias pay the penalty of his +outrage, unless thou wilt grant Jason his return.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and speechlessness seized Cypris. And beholding Hera +supplicating her she felt awe, and then addressed her with friendly words: +“Dread goddess, may no viler thing than Cypris ever be found, if I +disregard thy eager desire in word or deed, whatever my weak arms can effect; +and let there be no favour in return.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake, and Hera again addressed her with prudence: “It is not in need +of might or of strength that we have come. But just quietly bid thy boy charm +Aeetes’ daughter with love for Jason. For if she will aid him with her +kindly counsel, easily do I think he will win the fleece of gold and return to +Iolcus, for she is full of wiles.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and Cypris addressed them both: “Hera and Athena, he will +obey you rather than me. For unabashed though he is, there will be some slight +shame in his eyes before you; but he has no respect for me, but ever slights me +in contentious mood. And, overborne by his naughtiness, I purpose to break his +ill-sounding arrows and his bow in his very sight. For in his anger he has +threatened that if I shall not keep my hands off him while he still masters his +temper, I shall have cause to blame myself thereafter.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, and the goddesses smiled and looked at each other. But Cypris +again spoke, vexed at heart: “To others my sorrows are a jest; nor ought +I to tell them to all; I know them too well myself. But now, since this pleases +you both, I will make the attempt and coax him, and he will not say me +nay.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and Hera took her slender hand and gently smiling, replied: +“Perform this task, Cytherea, straightway, as thou sayest; and be not +angry or contend with thy boy; he will cease hereafter to vex thee.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake, and left her seat, and Athena accompanied her and they went forth +both hastening back. And Cypris went on her way through the glens of Olympus to +find her boy. And she found him apart, in the blooming orchard of Zeus, not +alone, but with him Ganymedes, whom once Zeus had set to dwell among the +immortal gods, being enamoured of his beauty. And they were playing for golden +dice, as boys in one house are wont to do. And already greedy Eros was holding +the palm of his left hand quite full of them under his breast, standing +upright; and on the bloom of his cheeks a sweet blush was glowing. But the +other sat crouching hard by, silent and downcast, and he had two dice left +which he threw one after the other, and was angered by the loud laughter of +Eros. And lo, losing them straightway with the former, he went off empty +handed, helpless, and noticed not the approach of Cypris. And she stood before +her boy, and laying her hand on his lips, addressed him: +</p> + +<p> +“Why dost thou smile in triumph, unutterable rogue? Hast thou cheated him +thus, and unjustly overcome the innocent child? Come, be ready to perform for +me the task I will tell thee of, and I will give thee Zeus’ all-beauteous +plaything—the one which his dear nurse Adrasteia made for him, while he +still lived a child, with childish ways, in the Idaean cave—a +well-rounded ball; no better toy wilt thou get from the hands of Hephaestus. +All of gold are its zones, and round each double seams run in a circle; but the +stitches are hidden, and a dark blue spiral overlays them all. But if thou +shouldst cast it with thy hands, lo, like a star, it sends a flaming track +through the sky. This I will give thee; and do thou strike with thy shaft and +charm the daughter of Aeetes with love for Jason; and let there be no +loitering. For then my thanks would be the slighter.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and welcome were her words to the listening boy. And he threw +down all his toys, and eagerly seizing her robe on this side and on that, clung +to the goddess. And he implored her to bestow the gift at once; but she, facing +him with kindly words, touched his cheeks, kissed him and drew him to her, and +replied with a smile: +</p> + +<p> +“Be witness now thy dear head and mine, that surely I will give thee the +gift and deceive thee not, if thou wilt strike with thy shaft Aeetes’ +daughter.” +</p> + +<p> +She spoke, and he gathered up his dice, and having well counted them all threw +them into his mother’s gleaming lap. And straightway with golden baldric +he slung round him his quiver from where it leant against a tree-trunk, and +took up his curved bow. And he fared forth through the fruitful orchard of the +palace of Zeus. Then he passed through the gates of Olympus high in air; hence +is a downward path from heaven; and the twin poles rear aloft steep mountain +tops the highest crests of earth, where the risen sun grows ruddy with his +first beams. And beneath him there appeared now the life-giving earth and +cities of men and sacred streams of rivers, and now in turn mountain peaks and +the ocean all around, as he swept through the vast expanse of air. +</p> + +<p> +Now the heroes apart in ambush, in a back-water of the river, were met in +council, sitting on the benches of their ship. And Aeson’s son himself +was speaking among them; and they were listening silently in their places +sitting row upon row: “My friends, what pleases myself that will I say +out; it is for you to bring about its fulfilment. For in common is our task, +and common to all alike is the right of speech; and he who in silence withholds +his thought and his counsel, let him know that it is he alone that bereaves +this band of its home-return. Do ye others rest here in the ship quietly with +your arms; but I will go to the palace of Aeetes, taking with me the sons of +Phrixus and two comrades as well. And when I meet him I will first make trial +with words to see if he will be willing to give up the golden fleece for +friendship’s sake or not, but trusting to his might will set at nought +our quest. For so, learning his frowardness first from himself, we will +consider whether we shall meet him in battle, or some other plan shall avail +us, if we refrain from the war-cry. And let us not merely by force, before +putting words to the test, deprive him of his own possession. But first it is +better to go to him and win his favour by speech. Oftentimes, I ween, does +speech accomplish at need what prowess could hardly catty through, smoothing +the path in manner befitting. And he once welcomed noble Phrixus, a fugitive +from his stepmother’s wiles and the sacrifice prepared by his father. For +all men everywhere, even the most shameless, reverence the ordinance of Zeus, +god of strangers, and regard it.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and the youths approved the words of Aeson’s son with one +accord, nor was there one to counsel otherwise. And then he summoned to go with +him the sons of Phrixus, and Telamon and Augeias; and himself took +Hermes’ wand; and at once they passed forth from the ship beyond the +reeds and the water to dry land, towards the rising ground of the plain. The +plain, I wis, is called Circe’s; and here in line grow many willows and +osiers, on whose topmost branches hang corpses bound with cords. For even now +it is an abomination with the Colchians to burn dead men with fire; nor is it +lawful to place them in the earth and raise a mound above, but to wrap them in +untanned oxhides and suspend them from trees far from the city. And so earth +has an equal portion with air, seeing that they bury the women; for that is the +custom of their land. +</p> + +<p> +And as they went Hera with friendly thought spread a thick mist through the +city, that they might fare to the palace of Aeetes unseen by the countless +hosts of the Colchians. But soon when from the plain they came to the city and +Aeetes’ palace, then again Hera dispersed the mist. And they stood at the +entrance, marvelling at the king’s courts and the wide gates and columns +which rose in ordered lines round the walls; and high up on the palace a coping +of stone rested on brazen triglyphs. And silently they crossed the threshold. +And close by garden vines covered with green foliage were in full bloom, lifted +high in air. And beneath them ran four fountains, ever-flowing, which +Hephaestus had delved out. One was gushing with milk, one with wine, while the +third flowed with fragrant oil; and the fourth ran with water, which grew warm +at the setting of the Pleiads, and in turn at their rising bubbled forth from +the hollow rock, cold as crystal. Such then were the wondrous works that the +craftsman-god Hephaestus had fashioned in the palace of Cytaean Aeetes. And he +wrought for him bulls with feet of bronze, and their mouths were of bronze, and +from them they breathed out a terrible flame of fire; moreover he forged a +plough of unbending adamant, all in one piece, in payment of thanks to Helios, +who had taken the god up in his chariot when faint from the Phlegraean fight.<a +href="#linknote-22" name="linknoteref-22" +id="linknoteref-22"><sup>[22]</sup></a> And here an inner-court was built, and +round it were many well-fitted doors and chambers here and there, and all along +on each side was a richly-wrought gallery. And on both sides loftier buildings +stood obliquely. In one, which was the loftiest, lordly Aeetes dwelt with his +queen; and in another dwelt Apsyrtus, son of Aeetes, whom a Caucasian nymph, +Asterodeia, bare before he made Eidyia his wedded wife, the youngest daughter +of Tethys and Oceanus. And the sons of the Colchians called him by the new name +of Phaethon,<a href="#linknote-23" name="linknoteref-23" +id="linknoteref-23"><sup>[23]</sup></a> because he outshone all the youths. The +other buildings the handmaidens had, and the two daughters of Aeetes, Chalciope +and Medea. Medea then [they found] going from chamber to chamber in search of +her sister, for Hera detained her within that day; but beforetime she was not +wont to haunt the palace, but all day long was busied in Hecate’s temple, +since she herself was the priestess of the goddess. And when she saw them she +cried aloud, and quickly Chalciope caught the sound; and her maids, throwing +down at their feet their yarn and their thread, rushed forth all in a throng. +And she, beholding her sons among them, raised her hands aloft through joy; and +so they likewise greeted their mother, and when they saw her embraced her in +their gladness; and she with many sobs spoke thus: +</p> + +<p> +“After all then, ye were not destined to leave me in your heedlessness +and to wander far; but fate has turned you back. Poor wretch that I am! What a +yearning for Hellas from some woeful madness seized you at the behest of your +father Phrixus. Bitter sorrows for my heart did he ordain when dying. And why +should ye go to the city of Orchomenus, whoever this Orchomenus is, for the +sake of Athamas’ wealth, leaving your mother alone to bear her +grief?” +</p> + +<p> +Such were her words; and Aeetes came forth last of all and Eidyia herself came, +the queen of Aeetes, on hearing the voice of Chalciope; and straightway all the +court was filled with a throng. Some of the thralls were busied with a mighty +bull, others with the axe were cleaving dry billets, and others heating with +fire water for the baths; nor was there one who relaxed his toil, serving the +king. +</p> + +<p> +Meantime Eros passed unseen through the grey mist, causing confusion, as when +against grazing heifers rises the gadfly, which oxherds call the breese. And +quickly beneath the lintel in the porch he strung his bow and took from the +quiver an arrow unshot before, messenger of pain. And with swift feet unmarked +he passed the threshold and keenly glanced around; and gliding close by +Aeson’s son he laid the arrow-notch on the cord in the centre, and +drawing wide apart with both hands he shot at Medea; and speechless amazement +seized her soul. But the god himself flashed back again from the high-roofed +hall, laughing loud; and the bolt burnt deep down in the maiden’s heart +like a flame; and ever she kept darting bright glances straight up at +Aeson’s son, and within her breast her heart panted fast through anguish, +all remembrance left her, and her soul melted with the sweet pain. And as a +poor woman heaps dry twigs round a blazing brand—a daughter of toil, +whose task is the spinning of wool, that she may kindle a blaze at night +beneath her roof, when she has waked very early—and the flame waxing +wondrous great from the small brand consumes all the twigs together; so, +coiling round her heart, burnt secretly Love the destroyer; and the hue of her +soft cheeks went and came, now pale, now red, in her soul’s distraction. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the thralls had laid a banquet ready before them, and they had +refreshed themselves with warm baths, gladly did they please their souls with +meat and drink. And thereafter Aeetes questioned the sons of his daughter, +addressing them with these words: +</p> + +<p> +“Sons of my daughter and of Phrixus, whom beyond all strangers I honoured +in my halls, how have ye come returning back to Aea? Did some calamity cut +short your escape in the midst? Ye did not listen when I set before you the +boundless length of the way. For I marked it once, whirled along in the chariot +of my father Helios, when he was bringing my sister Circe to the western land +and we came to the shore of the Tyrrhenian mainland, where even now she abides, +exceeding far from Colchis. But what pleasure is there in words? Do ye tell me +plainly what has been your fortune, and who these men are, your companions, and +where from your hollow ship ye came ashore.” +</p> + +<p> +Such were his questions, and Argus, before all his brethren, being fearful for +the mission of Aeson’s son, gently replied, for he was the elder-born: +</p> + +<p> +“Aeetes, that ship forthwith stormy blasts tore asunder, and ourselves, +crouching on the beams, a wave drove on to the beach of the isle of Enyalius <a +href="#linknote-24" name="linknoteref-24" +id="linknoteref-24"><sup>[24]</sup></a> in the murky night; and some god +preserved us. For even the birds of Ares that haunted the desert isle +beforetime, not even them did we find. But these men had driven them off, +having landed from their ship on the day before; and the will of Zeus taking +pity on us, or some fate, detained them there, since they straightway gave us +both food and clothing in abundance, when they heard the illustrious name of +Phrixus and thine own; for to thy city are they faring. And if thou dost wish +to know their errand, I will not hide it from time. A certain king, vehemently +longing to drive this man far from his fatherland and possessions, because in +might he outshone all the sons of Aeolus, sends him to voyage hither on a +bootless venture; and asserts that the stock of Aeolus will not escape the +heart-grieving wrath and rage of implacable Zeus, nor the unbearable curse and +vengeance due for Phrixus, until the fleece comes back to Hellas. And their +ship was fashioned by Pallas Athena, not such a one as are the ships among the +Colchians, on the vilest of which we chanced. For the fierce waves and wind +broke her utterly to pieces; but the other holds firm with her bolts, even +though all the blasts should buffet her. And with equal swiftness she speedeth +before the wind and when the crew ply the oar with unresting hands. And he hath +gathered in her the mightiest heroes of all Achaea, and hath come to thy city +from wandering far through cities and gulfs of the dread ocean, in the hope +that thou wilt grant him the fleece. But as thou dost please, so shall it be, +for he cometh not to use force, but is eager to pay thee a recompense for the +gift. He has heard from me of thy bitter foes the Sauromatae, and he will +subdue them to thy sway. And if thou desirest to know their names and lineage I +will tell thee all. This man on whose account the rest were gathered from +Hellas, they call Jason, son of Aeson, whom Cretheus begat. And if in truth he +is of the stock of Cretheus himself, thus he would be our kinsman on the +father’s side. For Cretheus and Athamas were both sons of Aeolus; and +Phrixus was the son of Athamas, son of Aeolus. And here, if thou hast heard at +all of the seed of Helios, thou dost behold Augeias; and this is Telamon sprung +from famous Aeacus; and Zeus himself begat Aeacus. And so all the rest, all the +comrades that follow him, are the sons or grandsons of the immortals.” +</p> + +<p> +Such was the tale of Argus; but the king at his words was filled with rage as +he heard; and his heart was lifted high in wrath. And he spake in heavy +displeasure; and was angered most of all with the son of Chalciope; for he +deemed that on their account the strangers had come; and in his fury his eyes +flashed forth beneath his brows: +</p> + +<p> +“Begone from my sight, felons, straightway, ye and your tricks, from the +land, ere someone see a fleece and a Phrixus to his sorrow. Banded together +with your friends from Hellas, not for the fleece, but to seize my sceptre and +royal power have ye come hither. Had ye not first tasted of my table, surely +would I have cut out your tongues and hewn off both hands and sent you forth +with your feet alone, so that ye might be stayed from starting hereafter. And +what lies have ye uttered against the blessed gods!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake in his wrath; and mightily from its depths swelled the heart of +Aeacus’ son, and his soul within longed to speak a deadly word in +defiance, but Aeson’s son checked him, for he himself first made gentle +answer: +</p> + +<p> +“Aeetes, bear with this armed band, I pray. For not in the way thou +deemest have we come to thy city and palace, no, nor yet with such desires. For +who would of his own will dare to cross so wide a sea for the goods of a +stranger? But fate and the ruthless command of a presumptuous king urged me. +Grant a favour to thy suppliants, and to all Hellas will I publish a glorious +fame of thee; yea, we are ready now to pay thee a swift recompense in war, +whether it be the Sauromatae or some other people that thou art eager to subdue +to thy sway.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, flattering him with gentle utterance; but the king’s soul +brooded a twofold purpose within him, whether he should attack and slay them on +the spot or should make trial of their might. And this, as he pondered, seemed +the better way, and he addressed Jason in answer: +</p> + +<p> +“Stranger, why needest thou go through thy tale to the end? For if ye are +in truth of heavenly race, or have come in no wise inferior to me, to win the +goods of strangers, I will give thee the fleece to bear away, if thou dost +wish, when I have tried thee. For against brave men I bear no grudge, such as +ye yourselves tell me of him who bears sway in Hellas. And the trial of your +courage and might shall be a contest which I myself can compass with my hands, +deadly though it be. Two bulls with feet of bronze I have that pasture on the +plain of Ares, breathing forth flame from their jaws; them do I yoke and drive +over the stubborn field of Ares, four plough-gates; and quickly cleaving it +with the share up to the headland, I cast into the furrows the seed, not the +corn of Demeter, but the teeth of a dread serpent that grow up into the fashion +of armed men; them I slay at once, cutting them down beneath my spear as they +rise against me on all sides. In the morning do I yoke the oxen, and at +eventide I cease from the harvesting. And thou, if thou wilt accomplish such +deeds as these, on that very day shalt carry off the fleece to the king’s +palace; ere that time comes I will not give it, expect it not. For indeed it is +unseemly that a brave man should yield to a coward.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake; and Jason, fixing his eyes on the ground, sat just as he was, +speechless, helpless in his evil plight. For a long time he turned the matter +this way and that, and could in no way take on him the task with courage, for a +mighty task it seemed; and at last he made reply with crafty words: +</p> + +<p> +“With thy plea of right, Aeetes, thou dost shut me in overmuch. Wherefore +also I will dare that contest, monstrous as it is, though it be my doom to die. +For nothing will fall upon men more dread than dire necessity, which indeed +constrained me to come hither at a king’s command.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, smitten by his helpless plight; and the king with grim words +addressed him, sore troubled as he was: “Go forth now to the gathering, +since thou art eager for the toil; but if thou shouldst fear to lift the yoke +upon the oxen or shrink from the deadly harvesting, then all this shall be my +care, so that another too may shudder to come to a man that is better than +he.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake outright; and Jason rose from his seat, and Augeias and Telamon at +once; and Argus followed alone, for he signed to his brothers to stay there on +the spot meantime; and so they went forth from the hall. And wonderfully among +them all shone the son of Aeson for beauty and grace; and the maiden looked at +him with stealthy glance, holding her bright veil aside, her heart smouldering +with pain; and her soul creeping like a dream flitted in his track as he went. +So they passed forth from the palace sorely troubled. And Chalciope, shielding +herself from the wrath of Aeetes, had gone quickly to her chamber with her +sons. And Medea likewise followed, and much she brooded in her soul all the +cares that the Loves awaken. And before her eyes the vision still +appeared—himself what like he was, with what vesture he was clad, what +things he spake, how he sat on his seat, how he moved forth to the +door—and as she pondered she deemed there never was such another man; and +ever in her ears rung his voice and the honey-sweet words which he uttered. And +she feared for him, lest the oxen or Aeetes with his own hand should slay him; +and she mourned him as though already slain outright, and in her affliction a +round tear through very grievous pity coursed down her cheek; and gently +weeping she lifted up her voice aloud: +</p> + +<p> +“Why does this grief come upon me, poor wretch? Whether he be the best of +heroes now about to perish, or the worst, let him go to his doom. Yet I would +that he had escaped unharmed; yea, may this be so, revered goddess, daughter of +Perses, may he avoid death and return home; but if it be his lot to be +o’ermastered by the oxen, may he first learn this, that I at least do not +rejoice in his cruel calamity.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus then was the maiden’s heart racked by love-cares. But when the +others had gone forth from the people and the city, along the path by which at +the first they had come from the plain, then Argus addressed Jason with these +words: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Aeson, thou wilt despise the counsel which I will tell thee, but, +though in evil plight, it is not fitting to forbear from the trial. Ere now +thou hast heard me tell of a maiden that uses sorcery under the guidance of +Hecate, Perses’ daughter. If we could win her aid there will be no dread, +methinks, of thy defeat in the contest; but terribly do I fear that my mother +will not take this task upon her. Nevertheless I will go back again to entreat +her, for a common destruction overhangs us all.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake with goodwill, and Jason answered with these words: “Good +friend, if this is good in thy sight, I say not nay. Go and move thy mother, +beseeching her aid with prudent words; pitiful indeed is our hope when we have +put our return in the keeping of women.” So he spake, and quickly they +reached the back-water. And their comrades joyfully questioned them, when they +saw them close at hand; and to them spoke Aeson’s son grieved at heart: +</p> + +<p> +“My friends, the heart of ruthless Aeetes is utterly filled with wrath +against us, for not at all can the goal be reached either by me or by you who +question me. He said that two bulls with feet of bronze pasture on the plain of +Ares, breathing forth flame from their jaws. And with these he bade me plough +the field, four plough-gates; and said that he would give me from a +serpent’s jaws seed which will raise up earthborn men in armour of +bronze; and on the same day I must slay them. This task—for there was +nothing better to devise—I took on myself outright.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake; and to all the contest seemed one that none could accomplish, +and long, quiet and silent, they looked at one another, bowed down with the +calamity and their despair; but at last Peleus spake with courageous words +among all the chiefs: “It is time to be counselling what we shall do. Yet +there is not so much profit, I trow, in counsel as in the might of our hands. +If thou then, hero son of Aeson, art minded to yoke Aeetes’ oxen, and art +eager for the toil, surely thou wilt keep thy promise and make thyself ready. +But if thy soul trusts not her prowess utterly, then neither bestir thyself nor +sit still and look round for some one else of these men. For it is not I who +will flinch, since the bitterest pain will be but death.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake the son of Aeacus; and Telamon’s soul was stirred, and quickly +he started up in eagerness; and Idas rose up the third in his pride; and the +twin sons of Tyndareus; and with them Oeneus’ son who was numbered among +strong men, though even the soft down on his cheek showed not yet; with such +courage was his soul uplifted. But the others gave way to these in silence. And +straightway Argus spake these words to those that longed for the contest: +</p> + +<p> +“My friends, this indeed is left us at the last. But I deem that there +will come to you some timely aid from my mother. Wherefore, eager though ye be, +refrain and abide in your ship a little longer as before, for it is better to +forbear than recklessly to choose an evil fate. There is a maiden, nurtured in +the halls of Aeetes, whom the goddess Hecate taught to handle magic herbs with +exceeding skill all that the land and flowing waters produce. With them is +quenched the blast of unwearied flame, and at once she stays the course of +rivers as they rush roaring on, and checks the stars and the paths of the +sacred moon. Of her we bethought us as we came hither along the path from the +palace, if haply my mother, her own sister, might persuade her to aid us in the +venture. And if this is pleasing to you as well, surely on this very day will I +return to the palace of Aeetes to make trial; and perchance with some +god’s help shall I make the trial.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and the gods in their goodwill gave them a sign. A trembling +dove in her flight from a mighty hawk fell from on high, terrified, into the +lap of Aeson’s son, and the hawk fell impaled on the stern-ornament. And +quickly Mopsus with prophetic words spake among them all: +</p> + +<p> +“For you, friends, this sign has been wrought by the will of heaven; in +no other way is it possible to interpret its meaning better, than to seek out +the maiden and entreat her with manifold skill. And I think she will not reject +our prayer, if in truth Phineus said that our return should be with the help of +the Cyprian goddess. It was her gentle bird that escaped death; and as my heart +within me foresees according to this omen, so may it prove! But, my friends, +let us call on Cytherea to aid us, and now at once obey the counsels of +Argus.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and the warriors approved, remembering the injunctions of Phineus; +but all alone leapt up Apharcian Idas and shouted loudly in terrible wrath: +“Shame on us, have we come here fellow voyagers with women, calling on +Cypris for help and not on the mighty strength of Enyalius? And do ye look to +doves and hawks to save yourselves from contests? Away with you, take thought +not for deeds of war, but by supplication to beguile weakling girls.” +</p> + +<p> +Such were his eager words; and of his comrades many murmured low, but none +uttered a word of answer back. And he sat down in wrath; and at once Jason +roused them and uttered his own thought: “Let Argus set forth from the +ship, since this pleases all; but we will now move from the river and openly +fasten our hawsers to the shore. For surely it is not fitting for us to hide +any longer cowering from the battle-cry.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and straightway sent Argus to return in haste to the city; and +they drew the anchors on board at the command of Aeson’s son, and rowed +the ship close to the shore, a little away from the back-water. +</p> + +<p> +But straightway Aeetes held an assembly of the Colchians far aloof from his +palace at a spot where they sat in times before, to devise against the Minyae +grim treachery and troubles. And he threatened that when first the oxen should +have torn in pieces the man who had taken upon him to perform the heavy task, +he would hew down the oak grove above the wooded hill, and burn the ship and +her crew, that so they might vent forth in ruin their grievous insolence, for +all their haughty schemes. For never would he have welcomed the Aeolid Phrixus +as a guest in his halls, in spite of his sore need, Phrixus, who surpassed all +strangers in gentleness and fear of the gods, had not Zeus himself sent Hermes +his messenger down from heaven, so that he might meet with a friendly host; +much less would pirates coming to his land be let go scatheless for long, men +whose care it was to lift their hands and seize the goods of others, and to +weave secret webs of guile, and harry the steadings of herdsmen with +ill-sounding forays. And he said that besides all that the sons of Phrixus +should pay a fitting penalty to himself for returning in consort with +evildoers, that they might recklessly drive him from his honour and his throne; +for once he had heard a baleful prophecy from his father Helios, that he must +avoid the secret treachery and schemes of his own offspring and their crafty +mischief. Wherefore he was sending them, as they desired, to the Achaean land +at the bidding of their father—a long journey. Nor had he ever so slight +a fear of his daughters, that they would form some hateful scheme, nor of his +son Apsyrtus; but this curse was being fulfilled in the children of Chalciope. +And he proclaimed terrible things in his rage against the strangers, and loudly +threatened to keep watch over the ship and its crew, so that no one might +escape calamity. +</p> + +<p> +Meantime Argus, going to Aeetes’ palace, with manifold pleading besought +his mother to pray Medea’s aid; and Chalciope herself already had the +same thoughts, but fear checked her soul lest haply either fate should +withstand and she should entreat her in vain, all distraught as she would be at +her father’s deadly wrath, or, if Medea yielded to her prayers, her deeds +should be laid bare and open to view. +</p> + +<p> +Now a deep slumber had relieved the maiden from her love-pains as she lay upon +her couch. But straightway fearful dreams, deceitful, such as trouble one in +grief, assailed her. And she thought that the stranger had taken on him the +contest, not because he longed to win the ram’s fleece, and that he had +not come on that account to Aeetes’ city, but to lead her away, his +wedded wife, to his own home; and she dreamed that herself contended with the +oxen and wrought the task with exceeding ease; and that her own parents set at +naught their promise, for it was not the maiden they had challenged to yoke the +oxen but the stranger himself; from that arose a contention of doubtful issue +between her father and the strangers; and both laid the decision upon her, to +be as she should direct in her mind. But she suddenly, neglecting her parents, +chose the stranger. And measureless anguish seized them and they shouted out in +their wrath; and with the cry sleep released its hold upon her. Quivering with +fear she started up, and stared round the walls of her chamber, and with +difficulty did she gather her spirit within her as before, and lifted her voice +aloud: +</p> + +<p> +“Poor wretch, how have gloomy dreams affrighted me! I fear that this +voyage of the heroes will bring some great evil. My heart is trembling for the +stranger. Let him woo some Achaean girl far away among his own folk; let +maidenhood be mine and the home of my parents. Yet, taking to myself a reckless +heart, I will no more keep aloof but will make trial of my sister to see if she +will entreat me to aid in the contest, through grief for her own sons; this +would quench the bitter pain in my heart.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake, and rising from her bed opened the door of her chamber, bare-footed, +clad in one robe; and verily she desired to go to her sister, and crossed the +threshold. And for long she stayed there at the entrance of her chamber, held +back by shame; and she turned back once more; and again she came forth from +within, and again stole back; and idly did her feet bear her this way and that; +yea, as oft as she went straight on, shame held her within the chamber, and +though held back by shame, bold desire kept urging her on. Thrice she made the +attempt and thrice she checked herself, the fourth time she fell on her bed +face downward, writhing in pain. And as when a bride in her chamber bewails her +youthful husband, to whom her brothers and parents have given her, nor yet does +she hold converse with all her attendants for shame and for thinking of him; +but she sits apart in her grief; and some doom has destroyed him, before they +have had pleasure of each other’s charms; and she with heart on fire +silently weeps, beholding her widowed couch, in fear lest the women should mock +and revile her; like to her did Medea lament. And suddenly as she was in the +midst of her tears, one of the handmaids came forth and noticed her, one who +was her youthful attendant; and straightway she told Chalciope, who sat in the +midst of her sons devising how to win over her sister. And when Chalciope heard +the strange tale from the handmaid, not even so did she disregard it. And she +rushed in dismay from her chamber right on to the chamber where the maiden lay +in her anguish, having torn her cheeks on each side; and when Chalciope saw her +eyes all dimmed with tears, she thus addressed her: +</p> + +<p> +“Ah me, Medea, why dost thou weep so? What hath befallen thee? What +terrible grief has entered thy heart? Has some heaven-sent disease enwrapt thy +frame, or hast thou heard from our father some deadly threat concerning me and +my sons? Would that I did not behold this home of my parents, or the city, but +dwelt at the ends of the earth, where not even the name of Colchians is +known!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and her sister’s cheeks flushed; and though she was eager +to reply, long did maiden shame restrain her. At one moment the word rose on +the end of her tongue, at another it fluttered back deep within her breast. And +often through her lovely lips it strove for utterance; but no sound came forth; +till at last she spoke with guileful words; for the bold Loves were pressing +her hard: +</p> + +<p> +“Chalciope, my heart is all trembling for thy sons, lest my father +forthwith destroy them together with the strangers. Slumbering just now in a +short-lived sleep such a ghastly dream did I see—may some god forbid its +fulfilment and never mayst thou win for thyself bitter care on thy sons’ +account.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake, making trial of her sister to see if she first would entreat help +for her sons. And utterly unbearable grief surged over Chalciope’s soul +for fear at what she heard; and then she replied: “Yea, I myself too have +come to thee in eager furtherance of this purpose, if thou wouldst haply devise +with me and prepare some help. But swear by Earth and Heaven that thou wilt +keep secret in thy heart what I shall tell thee, and be fellow-worker with me. +I implore thee by the blessed gods, by thyself and by thy parents, not to see +them destroyed by an evil doom piteously; or else may I die with my dear sons +and come back hereafter from Hades an avenging Fury to haunt thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and straightway a torrent of tears gushed forth and low down +she clasped her sister’s knees with both hands and let her head sink on +to her breast. Then they both made piteous lamentation over each other, and +through the halls rose the faint sound of women weeping in anguish. Medea, sore +troubled, first addressed her sister: +</p> + +<p> +“God help thee, what healing can I bring thee for what thou speakest of, +horrible curses and Furies? Would that it were firmly in my power to save thy +sons! Be witness that mighty oath of the Colchians by which thou urgest me to +swear, the great Heaven, and Earth beneath, mother of the gods, that as far as +strength lies in me, never shalt thou fail of help, if only thy prayers can be +accomplished.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake, and Chalciope thus replied: “Couldst thou not then, for the +stranger—who himself craves thy aid—devise some trick or some wise +thought to win the contest, for the sake of my sons? And from him has come +Argus urging me to try to win thy help; I left him in the palace meantime while +I came hither.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and Medea’s heart bounded with joy within her, and at +once her fair cheeks flushed, and a mist swam before her melting eyes, and she +spake as follows: “Chalciope, as is dear and delightful to thee and thy +sons, even so will I do. Never may the dawn appear again to my eyes, never +mayst thou see me living any longer, if I should take thought for anything +before thy life or thy sons’ lives, for they are my brothers, my dear +kinsmen and youthful companions. So do I declare myself to be thy sister, and +thy daughter too, for thou didst lift me to thy breast when an infant equally +with them, as I ever heard from my mother in past days. But go, bury my +kindness in silence, so that I may carry out my promise unknown to my parents; +and at dawn I will bring to Hecate’s temple charms to cast a spell upon +the bulls.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus Chalciope went back from the chamber, and made known to her sons the help +given by her sister. And again did shame and hateful fear seize Medea thus left +alone, that she should devise such deeds for a man in her father’s +despite. +</p> + +<p> +Then did night draw darkness over the earth; and on the sea sailors from their +ships looked towards the Bear and the stars of Orion; and now the wayfarer and +the warder longed for sleep, and the pall of slumber wrapped round the mother +whose children were dead; nor was there any more the barking of dogs through +the city, nor sound of men’s voices; but silence held the blackening +gloom. But not indeed upon Medea came sweet sleep. For in her love for +Aeson’s son many cares kept her wakeful, and she dreaded the mighty +strength of the bulls, beneath whose fury he was like to perish by an unseemly +fate in the field of Ares. And fast did her heart throb within her breast, as a +sunbeam quivers upon the walls of a house when flung up from water, which is +just poured forth in a caldron or a pail may be; and hither and thither on the +swift eddy does it dart and dance along; even so the maiden’s heart +quivered in her breast. And the tear of pity flowed from her eyes, and ever +within anguish tortured her, a smouldering fire through her frame, and about +her fine nerves and deep down beneath the nape of the neck where the pain +enters keenest, whenever the unwearied Loves direct against the heart their +shafts of agony. And she thought now that she would give him the charms to cast +a spell on the bulls, now that she would not, and that she herself would +perish; and again that she would not perish and would not give the charms, but +just as she was would endure her fate in silence. Then sitting down she wavered +in mind and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Poor wretch, must I toss hither and thither in woe? On every side my +heart is in despair; nor is there any help for my pain; but it burneth ever +thus. Would that I had been slain by the swift shafts of Artemis before I had +set eyes on him, before Chalciope’s sons reached the Achaean land. Some +god or some Fury brought them hither for our grief, a cause of many tears. Let +him perish in the contest if it be his lot to die in the field. For how could I +prepare the charms without my parents’ knowledge? What story call I tell +them? What trick, what cunning device for aid can I find? If I see him alone, +apart from his comrades, shall I greet him? Ill-starred that I am! I cannot +hope that I should rest from my sorrows even though he perished; then will evil +come to me when he is bereft of life. Perish all shame, perish all glow; may +he, saved by my effort, go scatheless wherever his heart desires. But as for +me, on the day when he bides the contest in triumph, may I die either straining +my neck in the noose from the roof-tree or tasting drugs destructive of life. +But even so, when I am dead, they will fling out taunts against me; and every +city far away will ring with my doom, and the Colchian women, tossing my name +on their lips hither and thither, will revile me with unseemly +mocking—the maid who cared so much for a stranger that she died, the maid +who disgraced her home and her parents, yielding to a mad passion. And what +disgrace will not be mine? Alas for my infatuation! Far better would it be for +me to forsake life this very night in my chamber by some mysterious fate, +escaping all slanderous reproach, before I complete such nameless +dishonour.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake, and brought a casket wherein lay many drugs, some for healing, +others for killing, and placing it upon her knees she wept. And she drenched +her bosom with ceaseless tears, which flowed in torrents as she sat, bitterly +bewailing her own fate. And she longed to choose a murderous drug to taste it, +and now she was loosening the bands of the casket eager to take it forth, +unhappy maid! But suddenly a deadly fear of hateful Hades came upon her heart. +And long she held back in speechless horror, and all around her thronged +visions of the pleasing cares of life. She thought of all the delightful things +that are among the living, she thought of her joyous playmates, as a maiden +will; and the sun grew sweeter than ever to behold, seeing that in truth her +soul yearned for all. And she put the casket again from off her knees, all +changed by the prompting of Hera, and no more did she waver in purpose; but +longed for the rising dawn to appear quickly, that she might give him the +charms to work the spell as she had promised, and meet him face to face. And +often did she loosen the bolts of her door, to watch for the faint gleam: and +welcome to her did the dayspring shed its light, and folk began to stir +throughout the city. +</p> + +<p> +Then Argus bade his brothers remain there to learn the maiden’s mind and +plans, but himself turned back and went to the ship. +</p> + +<p> +Now soon as ever the maiden saw the light of dawn, with her hands she gathered +up her golden tresses which were floating round her shoulders in careless +disarray, and bathed her tear-stained cheeks, and made her skin shine with +ointment sweet as nectar; and she donned a beautiful robe, fitted with +well-bent clasps, and above on her head, divinely fair, she threw a veil +gleaming like silver. And there, moving to and fro in the palace, she trod the +ground forgetful of the heaven-sent woes thronging round her and of others that +were destined to follow. And she called to her maids. Twelve they were, who lay +during the night in the vestibule of her fragrant chamber, young as herself, +not yet sharing the bridal couch, and she bade them hastily yoke the mules to +the chariot to bear her to the beauteous shrine of Hecate. Thereupon the +handmaids were making ready the chariot; and Medea meanwhile took from the +hollow casket a charm which men say is called the charm of Prometheus. If a man +should anoint his body therewithal, having first appeased the Maiden, the +only-begotten, with sacrifice by night, surely that man could not be wounded by +the stroke of bronze nor would he flinch from blazing fire; but for that day he +would prove superior both in prowess and in might. It shot up first-born when +the ravening eagle on the rugged flanks of Caucasus let drip to the earth the +blood-like ichor<a href="#linknote-25" name="linknoteref-25" +id="linknoteref-25"><sup>[25]</sup></a> of tortured Prometheus. And its +flower appeared a cubit above ground in colour like the Corycian crocus, rising +on twin stalks; but in the earth the root was like newly-cut flesh. The dark +juice of it, like the sap of a mountain-oak, she had gathered in a Caspian +shell to make the charm withal, when she had first bathed in seven ever-flowing +streams, and had called seven times on Brimo, nurse of youth, night-wandering +Brimo, of the underworld, queen among the dead,—in the gloom of night, +clad in dusky garments. And beneath, the dark earth shook and bellowed when the +Titanian root was cut; and the son of Iapetus himself groaned, his soul +distraught with pain. And she brought the charm forth and placed it in the +fragrant band which engirdled her, just beneath her bosom, divinely fair. And +going forth she mounted the swift chariot, and with her went two handmaidens on +each side. And she herself took the reins and in her right hand the +well-fashioned whip, and drove through the city; and the rest, the handmaids, +laid their hands on the chariot behind and ran along the broad highway; and +they kilted up their light robes above their white knees. And even as by the +mild waters of Parthenius, or after bathing in the river Amnisus, Leto’s +daughter stands upon her golden chariot and courses over the hills with her +swift-footed roes, to greet from afar some richly-steaming hecatomb; and with +her come the nymphs in attendance, gathering, some at the spring of Amnisus +itself, others by the glens and many-fountained peaks; and round her whine and +fawn the beasts cowering as she moves along: thus they sped through the city; +and on both sides the people gave way, shunning the eyes of the royal maiden. +But when she had left the city’s well paved streets, and was approaching +the shrine as she drove over the plains, then she alighted eagerly from the +smooth-running chariot and spake as follows among her maidens: +</p> + +<p> +“Friends, verily have I sinned greatly and took no heed not to go among +the stranger-folk<a href="#linknote-26" name="linknoteref-26" +id="linknoteref-26"><sup>[26]</sup></a> who roam over our land. The whole +city is smitten with dismay; wherefore no one of the women who formerly +gathered here day by day has now come hither. But since we have come and no one +else draws near, come, let us satisfy our souls without stint with soothing +song, and when we have plucked the fair flowers amid the tender grass, that +very hour will we return. And with many a gift shall ye reach home this very +day, if ye will gladden me with this desire of mine. For Argus pleads with me, +also Chalciope herself; but this that ye hear from me keep silently in your +hearts, lest the tale reach my father’s ears. As for yon stranger who +took on him the task with the oxen, they bid me receive his gifts and rescue +him from the deadly contest. And I approved their counsel, and I have summoned +him to come to my presence apart from his comrades, so that we may divide the +gifts among ourselves if he bring them in his hands, and in return may give him +a baleful charm. But when he comes, do ye stand aloof.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, and the crafty counsel pleased them all. And straightway Argus +drew Aeson’s son apart from his comrades as soon as he heard from his +brothers that Medea had gone at daybreak to the holy shrine of Hecate, and led +him over the plain; and with them went Mopsus, son of Ampycus, skilled to utter +oracles from the appearance of birds, and skilled to give good counsel to those +who set out on a journey. +</p> + +<p> +Never yet had there been such a man in the days of old, neither of all the +heroes of the lineage of Zeus himself, nor of those who sprung from the blood +of the other gods, as on that day the bride of Zeus made Jason, both to look +upon and to hold converse with. Even his comrades wondered as they gazed upon +him, radiant with manifold graces; and the son of Ampycus rejoiced in their +journey, already foreboding how all would end. +</p> + +<p> +Now by the path along the plain there stands near the shrine a poplar with its +crown of countless leaves, whereon often chattering crows would roost. One of +them meantime as she clapped her wings aloft in the branches uttered the +counsels of Hera: +</p> + +<p> +“What a pitiful seer is this, that has not the wit to conceive even what +children know, how that no maiden will say a word of sweetness or love to a +youth when strangers be near. Begone, sorry prophet, witless one; on thee +neither Cypris nor the gentle Loves breathe in their kindness.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake chiding, and Mopsus smiled to hear the god-sent voice of the bird, +and thus addressed them: “Do thou, son of Aeson, pass on to the temple, +where thou wilt find the maiden; and very kind will her greeting be to thee +through the prompting of Cypris, who will be thy helpmate in the contest, even +as Phineus, Agenor’s son, foretold. But we two, Argus and I, will await +thy return, apart in this very spot; do thou all alone be a suppliant and win +her over with prudent words.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake wisely, and both at once gave approval. Nor was Medea’s heart +turned to other thoughts, for all her singing, and never a song that she +essayed pleased her long in her sport. But in confusion she ever faltered, nor +did she keep her eyes resting quietly upon the throng of her handmaids; but to +the paths far off she strained her gaze, turning her face aside. Oft did her +heart sink fainting within her bosom whenever she fancied she heard passing by +the sound of a footfall or of the wind. But soon he appeared to her longing +eyes, striding along loftily, like Sirius coming from ocean, which rises fair +and clear to see, but brings unspeakable mischief to flocks; thus then did +Aeson’s son come to her, fair to see, but the sight of him brought +love-sick care. Her heart fell from out her bosom, and a dark mist came over +her eyes, and a hot blush covered her cheeks. And she had no strength to lift +her knees backwards or forwards, but her feet beneath were rooted to the +ground; and meantime all her handmaidens had drawn aside. So they two stood +face to face without a word, without a sound, like oaks or lofty pines, which +stand quietly side by side on the mountains when the wind is still; then again, +when stirred by the breath of the wind, they murmur ceaselessly; so they two +were destined to tell out all their tale, stirred by the breath of Love. And +Aeson’s son saw that she had fallen into some heaven-sent calamity, and +with soothing words thus addressed her: +</p> + +<p> +“Why, pray, maiden, dost thou fear me so much, all alone as I am? Never +was I one of these idle boasters such as other men are—not even +aforetime, when I dwelt in my own country. Wherefore, maiden, be not too much +abashed before me, either to enquire whatever thou wilt or to speak thy mind. +But since we have met one another with friendly hearts, in a hallowed spot, +where it is wrong to sin, speak openly and ask questions, and beguile me not +with pleasing words, for at the first thou didst promise thy sister to give me +the charms my heart desires. I implore thee by Hecate herself, by thy parents, +and by Zeus who holds his guardian hand over strangers and suppliants; I come +here to thee both a suppliant and a stranger, bending the knee in my sore need. +For without thee and thy sister never shall I prevail in the grievous contest. +And to thee will I render thanks hereafter for thy aid, as is right and fitting +for men who dwell far oft, making glorious thy name and fame; and the rest of +the heroes, returning to Hellas, will spread thy renown and so will the +heroes’ wives and mothers, who now perhaps are sitting on the shore and +making moan for us; their painful affliction thou mightest scatter to the +winds. In days past the maiden Ariadne, daughter of Minos, with kindly intent +rescued Theseus from grim contests—the maiden whom Pasiphae daughter of +Helios bare. But she, when Minos had lulled his wrath to rest, went aboard the +ship with him and left her fatherland; and her even the immortal gods loved, +and, as a sign in mid-sky, a crown of stars, which men call Ariadne’s +crown, rolls along all night among the heavenly constellations. So to thee too +shall be thanks from the gods, if thou wilt save so mighty an array of +chieftains. For surely from thy lovely form thou art like to excel in gentle +courtest.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, honouring her; and she cast her eyes down with a smile divinely +sweet; and her soul melted within her, uplifted by his praise, and she gazed +upon him face to face; nor did she know what word to utter first, but was eager +to pour out everything at once. And forth from her fragrant girdle ungrudgingly +she brought out the charm; and he at once received it in his hands with joy. +And she would even have drawn out all her soul from her breast and given it to +him, exulting in his desire; so wonderfully did love flash forth a sweet flame +from the golden head of Aeson’s son; and he captivated her gleaming eyes; +and her heart within grew warm, melting away as the dew melts away round roses +when warmed by the morning’s light. And now both were fixing their eyes +on the ground abashed, and again were throwing glances at each other, smiling +with the light of love beneath their radiant brows. And at last and scarcely +then did the maiden greet him: +</p> + +<p> +“Take heed now, that I may devise help for thee. When at thy coming my +father has given thee the deadly teeth from the dragon’s jaws for sowing, +then watch for the time when the night is parted in twain, then bathe in the +stream of the tireless river, and alone, apart from others, clad in dusky +raiment, dig a rounded pit; and therein slay a ewe, and sacrifice it whole, +heaping high the pyre on the very edge of the pit. And propitiate only-begotten +Hecate, daughter of Perses, pouring from a goblet the hive-stored labour of +bees. And then, when thou hast heedfully sought the grace of the goddess, +retreat from the pyre; and let neither the sound of feet drive thee to turn +back, nor the baying of hounds, lest haply thou shouldst maim all the rites and +thyself fail to return duly to thy comrades. And at dawn steep this charm in +water, strip, and anoint thy body therewith as with oil; and in it there will +be boundless prowess and mighty strength, and thou wilt deem thyself a match +not for men but for the immortal gods. And besides, let thy spear and shield +and sword be sprinkled. Thereupon the spear-heads of the earthborn men shall +not pierce thee, nor the flame of the deadly bulls as it rushes forth +resistless. But such thou shalt be not for long, but for that one day; still +never flinch from the contest. And I will tell thee besides of yet another +help. As soon as thou hast yoked the strong oxen, and with thy might and thy +prowess hast ploughed all the stubborn fallow, and now along the furrows the +Giants are springing up, when the serpent’s teeth are sown on the dusky +clods, if thou markest them uprising in throngs from the fallow, cast unseen +among them a massy stone; and they over it, like ravening hounds over their +food, will slay one another; and do thou thyself hasten to rush to the +battle-strife, and the fleece thereupon thou shalt bear far away from Aea; +nevertheless, depart wherever thou wilt, or thy pleasure takes thee, when thou +hast gone hence.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and cast her eyes to her feet in silence, and her cheek, +divinely fair, was wet with warm tears as she sorrowed for that he was about to +wander far from her side over the wide sea: and once again she addressed him +face to face with mournful words, and took his right hand; for now shame had +left her eyes: +</p> + +<p> +“Remember, if haply thou returnest to thy home, Medea’s name; and +so will I remember thine, though thou be far away. And of thy kindness tell me +this, where is thy home, whither wilt thou sail hence in thy ship over the sea; +wilt thou come near wealthy Orchomenus, or near the Aeaean isle? And tell me of +the maiden, whosoever she be that thou hast named, the far-renowned daughter of +Pasiphae, who is kinswoman to my father.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake; and over him too, at the tears of the maiden, stole Love the +destroyer, and he thus answered her: +</p> + +<p> +“All too surely do I deem that never by night and never by day will I +forget thee if I escape death and indeed make my way in safety to the Achaean +land, and Aeetes set not before us some other contest worse than this. And if +it pleases thee to know about my fatherland, I will tell it out; for indeed my +own heart bids me do that. There is a land encircled by lofty mountains, rich +in sheep and in pasture, where Prometheus, son of Iapetus, begat goodly +Deucalion, who first founded cities and reared temples to the immortal gods, +and first ruled over men. This land the neighbours who dwell around call +Haemonia. And in it stands Ioleus, my city, and in it many others, where they +have not so much as heard the name of the Aeaean isle; yet there is a story +that Minyas starting thence, Minyas son of Aeolus, built long ago the city of +Orchomenus that borders on the Cadmeians. But why do I tell thee all this vain +talk, of our home and of Minos’ daughter, far-famed Ariadne, by which +glorious name they called that lovely maiden of whom thou askest me? Would +that, as Minos then was well inclined to Theseus for her sake, so may thy +father be joined to us in friendship!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, soothing her with gentle converse. But pangs most bitter stirred +her heart and in grief did she address him with vehement words: +</p> + +<p> +“In Hellas, I ween, this is fair to pay heed to covenants; but Aeetes is +not such a man among men as thou sayest was Pasiphae’s husband, Minos; +nor can I liken myself to Ariadne; wherefore speak not of guest-love. But only +do thou, when thou hast reached Iolcus, remember me, and thee even in my +parents’ despite, will I remember. And from far off may a rumour come to +me or some messenger-bird, when thou forgettest me; or me, even me, may swift +blasts catch up and bear over the sea hence to Iolcus, that so I may cast +reproaches in thy face and remind thee that it was by my good will thou didst +escape. May I then be seated in thy halls, an unexpected guest!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake with piteous tears falling down her cheeks, and to her Jason +replied: “Let the empty blasts wander at will, lady, and the +messenger-bird, for vain is thy talk. But if thou comest to those abodes and to +the land of Hellas, honoured and reverenced shalt thou be by women and men; and +they shall worship thee even as a goddess, for that by thy counsel their sons +came home again, their brothers and kinsmen and stalwart husbands were saved +from calamity. And in our bridal chamber shalt thou prepare our couch; and +nothing shall come between our love till the doom of death fold us +round.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake; and her soul melted within her to hear his words; nevertheless +she shuddered to behold the deeds of destruction to come. Poor wretch! Not long +was she destined to refuse a home in Hellas. For thus Hera devised it, that +Aeaean Medea might come to Ioleus for a bane to Pelias, forsaking her native +land. +</p> + +<p> +And now her handmaids, glancing at them from a distance, were grieving in +silence; and the time of day required that the maiden should return home to her +mother’s side. But she thought not yet of departing, for her soul +delighted both in his beauty and in his winsome words, but Aeson’s son +took heed, and spake at last, though late: “It is time to depart, lest +the sunlight sink before we know it, and some stranger notice all; but again +will we come and meet here.” +</p> + +<p> +So did they two make trial of one another thus far with gentle words; and +thereafter parted. Jason hastened to return in joyous mood to his comrades and +the ship, she to her handmaids; and they all together came near to meet her, +but she marked them not at all as they thronged around. For her soul had soared +aloft amid the clouds. And her feet of their own accord mounted the swift +chariot, and with one hand she took the reins, and with the other the whip of +cunning workmanship, to drive the mules; and they rushed hasting to the city +and the palace. And when she was come Chalciope in grief for her sons +questioned her; but Medea, distraught by swiftly-changing thoughts, neither +heard her words nor was eager to speak in answer to her questions. But she sat +upon a low stool at the foot of her couch, bending down, her cheek leaning on +her left hand, and her eyes were wet with tears as she pondered what an evil +deed she had taken part in by her counsels. +</p> + +<p> +Now when Aeson’s son had joined his comrades again in the spot where he +had left them when he departed, he set out to go with them, telling them all +the story, to the gathering of the heroes; and together they approached the +ship. And when they saw Jason they embraced him and questioned him. And he told +to all the counsels of the maiden and showed the dread charm; but Idas alone of +his comrades sat apart biting down his wrath; and the rest joyous in heart, at +the hour when the darkness of night stayed them, peacefully took thought for +themselves. But at daybreak they sent two men to go to Aeetes and ask for the +seed, first Telamon himself, dear to Ares, and with him Aethalides, +Hermes’ famous son. So they went and made no vain journey; but when they +came, lordly Aeetes gave them for the contest the fell teeth of the Aonian +dragon which Cadmus found in Ogygian Thebes when he came seeking for Europa and +there slew the—warder of the spring of Ares. There he settled by the +guidance of the heifer whom Apollo by his prophetic word granted him to lead +him on his way. But the teeth the Tritonian goddess tore away from the +dragon’s jaws and bestowed as a gift upon Aeetes and the slayer. And +Agenor’s son, Cadmus, sowed them on the Aonian plains and founded an +earthborn people of all who were left from the spear when Ares did the reaping; +and the teeth Aeetes then readily gave to be borne to the ship, for he deemed +not that Jason would bring the contest to an end, even though he should cast +the yoke upon the oxen. +</p> + +<p> +Far away in the west the sun was sailing beneath the dark earth, beyond the +furthest hills of the Aethiopians; and Night was laying the yoke upon her +steeds; and the heroes were preparing their beds by the hawsers. But Jason, as +soon as the stars of Heliee, the bright-gleaming bear, had set, and the air had +all grown still under heaven, went to a desert spot, like some stealthy thief, +with all that was needful; for beforehand in the daytime had he taken thought +for everything; and Argus came bringing a ewe and milk from the flock; and them +he took from the ship. But when the hero saw a place which was far away from +the tread of men, in a clear meadow beneath the open sky, there first of all he +bathed his tender body reverently in the sacred river; and round him he placed +a dark robe, which Hypsipyle of Lemnos had given him aforetime, a memorial of +many a loving embrace. Then he dug a pit in the ground of a cubit’s depth +and heaped up billets of wood, and over it he cut the throat of the sheep, and +duly placed the carcase above; and he kindled the logs placing fire beneath, +and poured over them mingled libations, calling on Hecate Brimo to aid him in +the contests. And when he had called on her he drew back; and she heard him, +the dread goddess, from the uttermost depths and came to the sacrifice of +Aeson’s son; and round her horrible serpents twined themselves among the +oak boughs; and there was a gleam of countless torches; and sharply howled +around her the hounds of hell. All the meadows trembled at her step; and the +nymphs that haunt the marsh and the river shrieked, all who dance round that +mead of Amarantian Phasis. And fear seized Aeson’s son, but not even so +did he turn round as his feet bore him forth, till he came back to his +comrades; and now early dawn arose and shed her light above snowy Caucasus. +</p> + +<p> +Then Aeetes arrayed his breast in the stiff corslet which Ares gave him when he +had slain Phlegraean Mimas with his own hands; and upon his head he placed a +golden helmet with four plumes, gleaming like the sun’s round light when +he first rises from Ocean. And he wielded his shield of many hides, and his +spear, terrible, resistless; none of the heroes could have withstood its shock +now that they had left behind Heracles far away, who alone could have met it in +battle. For the king his well-fashioned chariot of swift steeds was held near +at hand by Phaethon, for him to mount; and he mounted, and held the reins in +his hands. Then from the city he drove along the broad highway, that he might +be present at the contest; and with him a countless multitude rushed forth. And +as Poseidon rides, mounted in his chariot, to the Isthmian contest or to +Taenarus, or to Lerna’s water, or through the grove of Hyantian +Onchestus, and thereafter passes even to Calaureia with his steeds, and the +Haemonian rock, or well-wooded Geraestus; even so was Aeetes, lord of the +Colchians, to behold. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, prompted by Medea, Jason steeped the charm in water and sprinkled +with it his shield and sturdy spear, and sword; and his comrades round him made +proof of his weapons with might and main, but could not bend that spear even a +little, but it remained firm in their stalwart hands unbroken as before. But in +furious rage with them Idas, Aphareus’ son, with his great sword hewed at +the spear near the butt, and the edge leapt back repelled by the shock, like a +hammer from the anvil; and the heroes shouted with joy for their hope in the +contest. And then he sprinkled his body, and terrible prowess entered into him, +unspeakable, dauntless; and his hands on both sides thrilled vigorously as they +swelled with strength. And as when a warlike steed eager for the fight neighs +and beats the ground with his hoof, while rejoicing he lifts his neck on high +with ears erect; in such wise did Aeson’s son rejoice in the strength of +his limbs. And often hither and thither did he leap high in air tossing in his +hands his shield of bronze and ashen spear. Thou wouldst say that wintry +lightning flashing from the gloomy sky kept on darting forth from the clouds +what time they bring with them their blackest rainstorm. Not long after that +were the heroes to hold back from the contests; but sitting in rows on their +benches they sped swiftly on to the plain of Ares. And it lay in front of them +on the opposite side of the city, as far off as is the turning-post that a +chariot must reach from the starting-point, when the kinsmen of a dead king +appoint funeral games for footmen and horsemen. And they found Aeetes and the +tribes of the Colchians; these were stationed on the Caucasian heights, but the +king by the winding brink of the river. +</p> + +<p> +Now Aeson’s son, as soon as his comrades had made the hawsers fast, leapt +from the ship, and with spear and shield came forth to the contest; and at the +same time he took the gleaming helmet of bronze filled with sharp teeth, and +his sword girt round his shoulders, his body stripped, in somewise resembling +Ares and in somewise Apollo of the golden sword. And gazing over the field he +saw the bulls’ yoke of bronze and near it the plough, all of one piece, +of stubborn adamant. Then he came near, and fixed his sturdy spear upright on +its butt, and taking his helmet, off leant it against the spear. And he went +forward with shield alone to examine the countless tracks of the bulls, and +they from some unseen lair beneath the earth, where was their strong steading, +wrapt in murky smoke, both rushed out together, breathing forth flaming fire. +And sore afraid were the heroes at the sight. But Jason, setting wide his feet, +withstood their onset, as in the sea a rocky reef withstands the waves tossed +by the countless blasts. Then in front of him he held his shield; and both the +bulls with loud bellowing attacked him with their mighty horns; nor did they +stir him a jot by their onset. And as when through the holes of the furnace the +armourers’ bellows anon gleam brightly, kindling the ravening flame, and +anon cease from blowing, and a terrible roar rises from the fire when it darts +up from below; so the bulls roared, breathing forth swift flame from their +mouths, while the consuming heat played round him, smiting like lightning; but +the maiden’s charms protected him. Then grasping the tip of the horn of +the right-hand bull, he dragged it mightily with all his strength to bring it +near the yoke of bronze, and forced it down on to its knees, suddenly striking +with his foot the foot of bronze. So also he threw the other bull on to its +knees as it rushed upon him, and smote it down with one blow. And throwing to +the ground his broad shield, he held them both down where they had fallen on +their fore-knees, as he strode from side to side, now here, now there, and +rushed swiftly through the flame. But Aeetes marvelled at the hero’s +might. And meantime the sons of Tyndareus for long since had it been thus +ordained for them—near at hand gave him the yoke from the ground to cast +round them. Then tightly did he bind their necks; and lifting the pole of +bronze between them, he fastened it to the yoke by its golden tip. So the twin +heroes started back from the fire to the ship. But Jason took up again his +shield and cast it on his back behind him, and grasped the strong helmet filled +with sharp teeth, and his resistless spear, wherewith, like some ploughman with +a Pelasgian goad, he pricked the bulls beneath, striking their flanks; and very +firmly did he guide the well fitted plough handle, fashioned of adamant. +</p> + +<p> +The bulls meantime raged exceedingly, breathing forth furious flame of fire; +and their breath rose up like the roar of blustering winds, in fear of which +above all seafaring men furl their large sail. But not long after that they +moved on at the bidding of the spear; and behind them the rugged fallow was +broken up, cloven by the might of the bulls and the sturdy ploughman. Then +terribly groaned the clods withal along the furrows of the plough as they were +rent, each a man’s burden; and Jason followed, pressing down the +cornfield with firm foot; and far from him he ever sowed the teeth along the +clods as each was ploughed, turning his head back for fear lest the deadly crop +of earthborn men should rise against him first; and the bulls toiled onwards +treading with their hoofs of bronze. +</p> + +<p> +But when the third part of the day was still left as it wanes from dawn, and +wearied labourers call for the sweet hour of unyoking to come to them +straightway, then the fallow was ploughed by the tireless ploughman, four +plough-gates though it was; and he loosed the plough from the oxen. Them he +scared in flight towards the plain; but he went back again to the ship, while +he still saw the furrows free of the earthborn men. And all round his comrades +heartened him with their shouts. And in the helmet he drew from the +river’s stream and quenched his thirst with the water. Then he bent his +knees till they grew supple, and filled his mighty heart with courage, raging +like a boar, when it sharpens its teeth against the hunters, while from its +wrathful mouth plenteous foam drips to the ground. By now the earthborn men +were springing up over all the field; and the plot of Ares, the death-dealer, +bristled with sturdy shields and double-pointed spears and shining helmets; and +the gleam reached Olympus from beneath, flashing through the air. And as when +abundant snow has fallen on the earth and the storm blasts have dispersed the +wintry clouds under the murky night, and all the hosts of the stars appear +shining through the gloom; so did those warriors shine springing up above the +earth. But Jason bethought him of the counsels of Medea full of craft, and +seized from the plain a huge round boulder, a terrible quoit of Ares Enyalius; +four stalwart youths could not have raised it from the ground even a little. +Taking it in his hands he threw it with a rush far away into their midst; and +himself crouched unseen behind his shield, with full confidence. And the +Colchians gave a loud cry, like the roar of the sea when it beats upon sharp +crags; and speechless amazement seized Aeetes at the rush of the sturdy quoit. +And the Earthborn, like fleet-footed hounds, leaped upon one another and slew +with loud yells; and on earth their mother they fell beneath their own spears, +likes pines or oaks, which storms of wind beat down. And even as a fiery star +leaps from heaven, trailing a furrow of light, a portent to men, whoever see it +darting with a gleam through the dusky sky; in such wise did Aeson’s son +rush upon the earthborn men, and he drew from the sheath his bare sword, and +smote here and there, mowing them down, many on the belly and side, half risen +to the air—and some that had risen as far as the shoulders—and some +just standing upright, and others even now rushing to battle. And as when a +fight is stirred up concerning boundaries, and a husbandman, in fear lest they +should ravage his fields, seizes in his hand a curved sickle, newly sharpened, +and hastily cuts the unripe crop, and waits not for it to be parched in due +season by the beams of the sun; so at that time did Jason cut down the crop of +the Earthborn; and the furrows were filled with blood, as the channels of a +spring with water. And they fell, some on their faces biting the rough clod of +earth with their teeth, some on their backs, and others on their hands and +sides, like to sea-monsters to behold. And many, smitten before raising their +feet from the earth, bowed down as far to the ground as they had risen to the +air, and rested there with the damp of death on their brows. Even so, I ween, +when Zeus has sent a measureless rain, new planted orchard-shoots droop to the +ground, cut off by the root the toil of gardening men; but heaviness of heart +and deadly anguish come to the owner of the farm, who planted them; so at that +time did bitter grief come upon the heart of King Aeetes. And he went back to +the city among the Colchians, pondering how he might most quickly oppose the +heroes. And the day died, and Jason’s contest was ended. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap06"></a>BOOK IV</h2> + +<p> +Now do thou thyself, goddess Muse, daughter of Zeus, tell of the labour and +wiles of the Colchian maiden. Surely my soul within me wavers with speechless +amazement as I ponder whether I should call it the lovesick grief of mad +passion or a panic flight, through which she left the Colchian folk. +</p> + +<p> +Aeetes all night long with the bravest captains of his people was devising in +his halls sheer treachery against the heroes, with fierce wrath in his heart at +the issue of the hateful contest; nor did he deem at all that these things were +being accomplished without the knowledge of his daughters. +</p> + +<p> +But into Medea’s heart Hera cast most grievous fear; and she trembled +like a nimble fawn whom the baying of hounds hath terrified amid the thicket of +a deep copse. For at once she truly forboded that the aid she had given was not +hidden from her father, and that quickly she would fill up the cup of woe. And +she dreaded the guilty knowledge of her handmaids; her eyes were filled with +fire and her ears rung with a terrible cry. Often did she clutch at her throat, +and often did she drag out her hair by the roots and groan in wretched despair. +There on that very day the maiden would have tasted the drugs and perished and +so have made void the purposes of Hera, had not the goddess driven her, all +bewildered, to flee with the sons of Phrixus; and her fluttering soul within +her was comforted; and then she poured from her bosom all the drugs back again +into the casket. Then she kissed her bed, and the folding-doors on both sides, +and stroked the walls, and tearing away in her hands a long tress of hair, she +left it in the chamber for her mother, a memorial of her maidenhood, and thus +lamented with passionate voice: +</p> + +<p> +“I go, leaving this long tress here in my stead, O mother mine; take this +farewell from me as I go far hence; farewell Chalciope, and all my home. Would +that the sea, stranger, had dashed thee to pieces, ere thou camest to the +Colchian land!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and from her eyes shed copious tears. And as a bondmaid steals +away from a wealthy house, whom fate has lately severed from her native land, +nor yet has she made trial of grievous toil, but still unschooled to misery and +shrinking in terror from slavish tasks, goes about beneath the cruel hands of a +mistress; even so the lovely maiden rushed forth from her home. But to her the +bolts of the doors gave way self-moved, leaping backwards at the swift strains +of her magic song. And with bare feet she sped along the narrow paths, with her +left hand holding her robe over her brow to veil her face and fair cheeks, and +with her right lifting up the hem of her tunic. Quickly along the dark track, +outside the towers of the spacious city, did she come in fear; nor did any of +the warders note her, but she sped on unseen by them. Thence she was minded to +go to the temple; for well she knew the way, having often aforetime wandered +there in quest of corpses and noxious roots of the earth, as a sorceress is +wont to do; and her soul fluttered with quivering fear. And the Titanian +goddess, the moon, rising from a far land, beheld her as she fled distraught, +and fiercely exulted over her, and thus spake to her own heart: +</p> + +<p> +“Not I alone then stray to the Latinian cave, nor do I alone burn with +love for fair Endymion; oft times with thoughts of love have I been driven away +by thy crafty spells, in order that in the darkness of night thou mightest work +thy sorcery at ease, even the deeds dear to thee. And now thou thyself too hast +part in a like mad passion; and some god of affection has given thee Jason to +be thy grievous woe. Well, go on, and steel thy heart, wise though thou be, to +take up thy burden of pain, fraught with many sighs.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake the goddess; but swiftly the maiden’s feet bore her, hasting +on. And gladly did she gain the high-bank of the river and beheld on the +opposite side the gleam of fire, which all night long the heroes were kindling +in joy at the contest’s issue. Then through the gloom, with clear-pealing +voice from across the stream, she called on Phrontis, the youngest of +Phrixus’ sons, and he with his brothers and Aeson’s son recognised +the maiden’s voice; and in silence his comrades wondered when they knew +that it was so in truth. Thrice she called, and thrice at the bidding of the +company Phrontis called out in reply; and meantime the heroes were rowing with +swift-moving oars in search of her. Not yet were they casting the ship’s +hawsers upon the opposite bank, when Jason with light feet leapt to land from +the deck above, and after him Phrontis and Argus, sons of Phrixus, leapt to the +ground; and she, clasping their knees with both hands, thus addressed them: +</p> + +<p> +“Save me, the hapless one, my friends, from Aeetes, and yourselves too, +for all is brought to light, nor doth any remedy come. But let us flee upon the +ship, before the king mounts his swift chariot. And I will lull to sleep the +guardian serpent and give you the fleece of gold; but do thou, stranger, amid +thy comrades make the gods witness of the vows thou hast taken on thyself for +my sake; and now that I have fled far from my country, make me not a mark for +blame and dishonour for want of kinsmen.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake in anguish; but greatly did the heart of Aeson’s son rejoice, +and at once, as she fell at his knees, he raised her gently and embraced her, +and spake words of comfort: “Lady, let Zeus of Olympus himself be witness +to my oath, and Hera, queen of marriage, bride of Zeus, that I will set thee in +my halls my own wedded wife, when we have reached the land of Hellas on our +return.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and straightway clasped her right hand in his; and she bade them +row the swift ship to the sacred grove near at hand, in order that, while it +was still night, they might seize and carry off the fleece against the will of +Aeetes. Word and deed were one to the eager crew. For they took her on board, +and straightway thrust the ship from shore; and loud was the din as the +chieftains strained at their oars, but she, starting back, held out her hands +in despair towards the shore. But Jason spoke cheering words and restrained her +grief. +</p> + +<p> +Now at the hour when men have cast sleep from their eyes~huntsmen, who, +trusting to their bounds, never slumber away the end of night, but avoid the +light of dawn lest, smiting with its white beams, it efface the track and scent +of the quarry—then did Aeson’s son and the maiden step forth from +the ship over a grassy spot, the “Ram’s couch” as men call +it, where it first bent its wearied knees in rest, bearing on its back the +Minyan son of Athamas. And close by, all smirched with soot, was the base of +the altar, which the Aeolid Phrixus once set up to Zeus, the alder of +fugitives, when he sacrificed the golden wonder at the bidding of Hermes who +graciously met him on the way. There by the counsels of Argus the chieftains +put them ashore. +</p> + +<p> +And they two by the pathway came to the sacred grove, seeking the huge oak tree +on which was hung the fleece, like to a cloud that blushes red with the fiery +beams of the rising sun. But right in front the serpent with his keen sleepless +eyes saw them coming, and stretched out his long neck and hissed in awful wise; +and all round the long banks of the river echoed and the boundless grove. Those +heard it who dwelt in the Colchian land very far from Titanian Aea, near the +outfall of Lycus, the river which parts from loud-roaring Araxes and blends his +sacred stream with Phasis, and they twain flow on together in one and pour +their waters into the Caucasian Sea. And through fear young mothers awoke, and +round their new-born babes, who were sleeping in their arms, threw their hands +in agony, for the small limbs started at that hiss. And as when above a pile of +smouldering wood countless eddies of smoke roll up mingled with soot, and one +ever springs up quickly after another, rising aloft from beneath in wavering +wreaths; so at that time did that monster roll his countless coils covered with +hard dry scales. And as he writhed, the maiden came before his eyes, with sweet +voice calling to her aid sleep, highest of gods, to charm the monster; and she +cried to the queen of the underworld, the night-wanderer, to be propitious to +her enterprise. And Aeson’s son followed in fear, but the serpent, +already charmed by her song, was relaxing the long ridge of his giant spine, +and lengthening out his myriad coils, like a dark wave, dumb and noiseless, +rolling over a sluggish sea; but still he raised aloft his grisly head, eager +to enclose them both in his murderous jaws. But she with a newly cut spray of +juniper, dipping and drawing untempered charms from her mystic brew, sprinkled +his eyes, while she chanted her song; and all around the potent scent of the +charm cast sleep; and on the very spot he let his jaw sink down; and far behind +through the wood with its many trees were those countless coils stretched out. +</p> + +<p> +Hereupon Jason snatched the golden fleece from the oak, at the maiden bidding; +and she, standing firm, smeared with the charm the monster’s head, till +Jason himself bade her turn back towards their ship, and she left the grove of +Ares, dusky with shade. And as a maiden catches on her finely wrought robe the +gleam of the moon at the full, as it rises above her high-roofed chamber; and +her heart rejoices as she beholds the fair ray; so at that time did Jason +uplift the mighty fleece in his hands; and from the shimmering of the flocks of +wool there settled on his fair cheeks and brow a red flush like a flame. And +great as is the hide of a yearling ox or stag, which huntsmen call a brocket, +so great in extent was the fleece all golden above. Heavy it was, thickly +clustered with flocks; and as he moved along, even beneath his feet the sheen +rose up from the earth. And he strode on now with the fleece covering his left +shoulder from the height of his neck to his feet, and now again he gathered it +up in his hands; for he feared exceedingly, lest some god or man should meet +him and deprive him thereof. +</p> + +<p> +Dawn was spreading over the earth when they reached the throng of heroes; and +the youths marvelled to behold the mighty fleece, which gleamed like the +lightning of Zeus. And each one started up eager to touch it and clasp it in +his hands. But the son of Aeson restrained them all, and threw over it a mantle +newly-woven; and he led the maiden to the stern and seated her there, and spake +to them all as follows: +</p> + +<p> +“No longer now, my friends, forbear to return to your fatherland. For now +the task for which we dared this grievous voyage, toiling with bitter sorrow of +heart, has been lightly fulfilled by the maiden’s counsels. Her—for +such is her will—I will bring home to be my wedded wife; do ye preserve +her, the glorious saviour of all Achaea and of yourselves. For of a surety, I +ween, will Aeetes come with his host to bar our passage from the river into the +sea. But do some of you toil at the oars in turn, sitting man by man; and half +of you raise your shields of oxhide, a ready defence against the darts of the +enemy, and guard our return. And now in our hands we hold the fate of our +children and dear country and of our aged parents; and on our venture all +Hellas depends, to reap either the shame of failure or great renown.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and donned his armour of war; and they cried aloud, wondrously +eager. And he drew his sword from the sheath and cut the hawsers at the stern. +And near the maiden he took his stand ready armed by the steersman Aneaeus, and +with their rowing the ship sped on as they strained desperately to drive her +clear of the river. +</p> + +<p> +By this time Medea’s love and deeds had become known to haughty Aeetes +and to all the Colchians. And they thronged to the assembly in arms; and +countless as the waves of the stormy sea when they rise crested by the wind, or +as the leaves that fall to the ground from the wood with its myriad branches in +the month when the leaves fall—who could reckon their tale?—so they +in countless number poured along the banks of the river shouting in frenzy; and +in his shapely chariot Aeetes shone forth above all with his steeds, the gift +of Helios, swift as the blasts of the wind. In his left hand he raised his +curved shield, and in his right a huge pine-torch, and near him in front stood +up his mighty spear. And Apsyrtus held in his hands the reins of the steeds. +But already the ship was cleaving the sea before her, urged on by stalwart +oarsmen, and the stream of the mighty river rushing down. But the king in +grievous anguish lifted his hands and called on Helios and Zeus to bear witness +to their evil deeds; and terrible threats he uttered against all his people, +that unless they should with their own hands seize the maiden, either on the +land or still finding the ship on the swell of the open sea, and bring her +back, that so he might satisfy his eager soul with vengeance for all those +deeds, at the cost of their own lives they should learn and abide all his rage +and revenge. +</p> + +<p> +Thus spake Aeetes; and on that same day the Colchians launched their ships and +cast the tackle on board, and on that same day sailed forth on the sea; thou +wouldst not say so mighty a host was a fleet of ships, but that a countless +flight of birds, swarm on swarm, was clamouring over the sea. +</p> + +<p> +Swiftly the wind blew, as the goddess Hera planned, so that most quickly Aeaean +Medea might reach the Pelasgian land, a bane to the house of Pelias, and on the +third morn they bound the ship’s stern cables to the shores of the +Paphlagonians, at the mouth of the river Halys. For Medea bade them land and +propitiate Hecate with sacrifice. Now all that the maiden prepared for offering +the sacrifice may no man know, and may my soul not urge me to sing thereof. Awe +restrains my lips, yet from that time the altar which the heroes raised on the +beach to the goddess remains till now, a sight to men of a later day. +</p> + +<p> +And straightway Aeson’s son and the rest of the heroes bethought them of +Phineus, how that he had said that their course from Aea should be different, +but to all alike his meaning was dim. Then Argus spake, and they eagerly +hearkened: +</p> + +<p> +“We go to Orchomenus, whither that unerring seer, whom ye met aforetime, +foretold your voyage. For there is another course, signified by those priests +of the immortal gods, who have sprung from Tritonian Thebes. As yet all the +stars that wheel in the heaven were not, nor yet, though one should inquire, +could aught be heard of the sacred race of the Danai. Apidanean Arcadians alone +existed, Arcadians who lived even before the moon, it is said, eating acorns on +the hills; nor at that time was the Pelasgian land ruled by the glorious sons +of Deucalion, in the days when Egypt, mother of men of an older time, was +called the fertile Morning-land, and the river fair-flowing Triton, by which +all the Morning-land is watered; and never does the rain from Zeus moisten the +earth; but from the flooding of the river abundant crops spring up. From this +land, it is said, a king<a href="#linknote-27" name="linknoteref-27" +id="linknoteref-27"><sup>[27]</sup></a> made his way all round through +the whole of Europe and Asia, trusting in the might and strength and courage of +his people; and countless cities did he found wherever he came, whereof some +are still inhabited and some not; many an age hath passed since then. But Aea +abides unshaken even now and the sons of those men whom that king settled to +dwell in Aea. They preserve the writings of their fathers, graven on pillars, +whereon are marked all the ways and the limits of sea and land as ye journey on +all sides round. There is a river, the uttermost horn of Ocean, broad and +exceeding deep, that a merchant ship may traverse; they call it Ister and have +marked it far off; and for a while it cleaves the boundless tilth alone in one +stream; for beyond the blasts of the north wind, far off in the Rhipaean +mountains, its springs burst forth with a roar. But when it enters the +boundaries of the Thracians and Scythians, here, dividing its stream into two, +it sends its waters partly into the Ionian sea,<a href="#linknote-28" +name="linknoteref-28" id="linknoteref-28"><sup>[28]</sup></a> and +partly to the south into a deep gulf that bends upwards from the Trinaerian +sea, that sea which lies along your land, if indeed Achelous flows forth from +your land.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and to them the goddess granted a happy portent, and all at the +sight shouted approval, that this was their appointed path. For before them +appeared a trail of heavenly light, a sign where they might pass. And gladly +they left behind there the son of Lyeus and with canvas outspread sailed over +the sea, with their eyes on the Paphlagonian mountains. But they did not round +Carambis, for the winds and the gleam of the heavenly fire stayed with them +till they reached Ister’s mighty stream. +</p> + +<p> +Now some of the Colchians, in a vain search, passed out from Pontus through the +Cyanean rocks; but the rest went to the river, and them Apsyrtus led, and, +turning aside, he entered the mouth called Fair. Wherefore he outstripped the +heroes by crossing a neck of land into the furthest gulf of the Ionian sea. For +a certain island is enclosed by Ister, by name Peuee, three-cornered, its base +stretching along the coast, and with a sharp angle towards the river; and round +it the outfall is cleft in two. One mouth they call the mouth of Narex, and the +other, at the lower end, the Fair mouth. And through this Apsyrtus and his +Colchians rushed with all speed; but the heroes went upwards far away towards +the highest part of the island. And in the meadows the country shepherds left +their countless flocks for dread of the ships, for they deemed that they were +beasts coming forth from the monster-teeming sea. For never yet before had they +seen seafaring ships, neither the Scythians mingled with the Thracians, nor the +Sigynni, nor yet the Graucenii, nor the Sindi that now inhabit the vast desert +plain of Laurium. But when they had passed near the mount Angurum, and the +cliff of Cauliacus, far from the mount Angurum, round which Ister, dividing his +stream, falls into the sea on this side and on that, and the Laurian plain, +then indeed the Colchians went forth into the Cronian sea and cut off all the +ways, to prevent their foes’ escape. And the heroes came down the river +behind and reached the two Brygean isles of Artemis near at hand. Now in one of +them was a sacred temple; and on the other they landed, avoiding the host of +Apsyrtus; for the Colchians had left these islands out of many within the +river, just as they were, through reverence for the daughter of Zeus; but the +rest, thronged by the Colchians, barred the ways to the sea. And so on other +islands too, close by, Apsyrtus left his host as far as the river Salangon and +the Nestian land. +</p> + +<p> +There the Minyae would at that time have yielded in grim fight, a few to many; +but ere then they made a covenant, shunning a dire quarrel; as to the golden +fleece, that since Aeetes himself had so promised them if they should fulfill +the contests, they should keep it as justly won, whether they carried it off by +craft or even openly in the king’s despite; but as to Medea—for +that was the cause of strife—that they should give her in ward to +Leto’s daughter apart from the throng, until some one of the kings that +dispense justice should utter his doom, whether she must return to her +father’s home or follow the chieftains to the land of Hellas. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the maiden had mused upon all this, sharp anguish shook her heart +unceasingly; and quickly she called forth Jason alone apart from his comrades, +and led him aside until they were far away, and before his face uttered her +speech all broken with sobs: +</p> + +<p> +“What is this purpose that ye are now devising about me, O son of Aeson? +Has thy triumph utterly cast forgetfulness upon thee, and reekest thou nothing +of all that thou spakest when held fast by necessity? Whither are fled the +oaths by Zeus the suppliants’ god, whither are fled thy honied promises? +For which in no seemly wise, with shameless will, I have left my country, the +glories of my home and even my parents—things that were dearest to me; +and far away all alone I am borne over the sea with the plaintive kingfishers +because of thy trouble, in order that I might save thy life in fulfilling the +contests with the oxen and the earthborn men. Last of all the fleece—when +the matter became known, it was by my folly thou didst win it; and a foul +reproach have I poured on womankind. Wherefore I say that as thy child, thy +bride and thy sister, I follow thee to the land of Hellas. Be ready to stand by +me to the end, abandon me not left forlorn of thee when thou dost visit the +kings. But only save me; let justice and right, to which we have both agreed, +stand firm; or else do thou at once shear through this neck with the sword, +that I may gain the guerdon due to my mad passion. Poor wretch! if the king, to +whom you both commit your cruel covenant, doom me to belong to my brother. How +shall I come to my father’s sight? Will it be with a good name? What +revenge, what heavy calamity shall I not endure in agony for the terrible deeds +I have done? And wilt thou win the return that thy heart desires? Never may +Zeus’ bride, the queen of all, in whom thou dost glory, bring that to +pass. Mayst thou some time remember me when thou art racked with anguish; may +the fleece like a dream vanish into the nether darkness on the wings of the +wind! And may my avenging Furies forthwith drive thee from thy country, for all +that I have suffered through thy cruelty! These curses will not be allowed to +fall unaccomplished to the ground. A mighty oath hast thou transgressed, +ruthless one; but not long shalt thou and thy comrades sit at ease casting eyes +of mockery upon me, for all your covenants.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, seething with fierce wrath; and she longed to set fire to the +ship and to hew it utterly in pieces, and herself to fall into the raging +flame. But Jason, half afraid, thus addressed her with gentle words: +</p> + +<p> +“Forbear, lady; me too this pleases not. But we seek some respite from +battle, for such a cloud of hostile men, like to a fire, surrounds us, on thy +account. For all that inhabit this land are eager to aid Apsyrtus, that they +may lead thee back home to thy father, like some captured maid. And all of us +would perish in hateful destruction, if we closed with them in fight; and +bitterer still will be the pain, if we are slain and leave thee to be their +prey. But this covenant will weave a web of guile to lead him to ruin. Nor will +the people of the land for thy sake oppose us, to favour the Colchians, when +their prince is no longer with them, who is thy champion and thy brother; nor +will I shrink from matching myself in fight with the Colchians, if they bar my +way homeward.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake soothing her; and she uttered a deadly speech: “Take heed +now. For when sorry deeds are done we must needs devise sorry counsel, since at +first I was distraught by my error, and by heaven’s will it was I wrought +the accomplishment of evil desires. Do thou in the turmoil shield me from the +Colchians’ spears; and I will beguile Apsyrtus to come into thy +hands—do thou greet him with splendid gifts—if only I could +persuade the heralds on their departure to bring him alone to hearken to my +words. Thereupon if this deed pleases thee, slay him and raise a conflict with +the Colchians, I care not.” +</p> + +<p> +So they two agreed and prepared a great web of guile for Apsyrtus, and provided +many gifts such as are due to guests, and among them gave a sacred robe of +Hypsipyle, of crimson hue. The Graces with their own hands had wrought it for +Dionysus in sea-girt Dia, and he gave it to his son Thoas thereafter, and Thoas +left it to Hypsipyle, and she gave that fair-wrought guest-gift with many +another marvel to Aeson’s son to wear. Never couldst thou satisfy thy +sweet desire by touching it or gazing on it. And from it a divine fragrance +breathed from the time when the king of Nysa himself lay to rest thereon, +flushed with wine and nectar as he clasped the beauteous breast of the +maiden-daughter of Minos, whom once Theseus forsook in the island of Dia, when +she had followed him from Cnossus. And when she had worked upon the heralds to +induce her brother to come, as soon as she reached the temple of the goddess, +according to the agreement, and the darkness of night surrounded them, that so +she might devise with him a cunning plan for her to take the mighty fleece of +gold and return to the home of Aeetes, for, she said, the sons of Phrixus had +given her by force to the strangers to carry off; with such beguiling words she +scattered to the air and the breezes her witching charms, which even from afar +would have drawn down the savage beast from the steep mountain-height. +</p> + +<p> +Ruthless Love, great bane, great curse to mankind, from thee come deadly +strifes and lamentations and groans, and countless pains as well have their +stormy birth from thee. Arise, thou god, and arm thyself against the sons of +our foes in such guise as when thou didst fill Medea’s heart with +accursed madness. How then by evil doom did she slay Apsyrtus when he came to +meet her? For that must our song tell next. +</p> + +<p> +When the heroes had left the maiden on the island of Artemis, according to the +covenant, both sides ran their ships to land separately. And Jason went to the +ambush to lie in wait for Apsyrtus and then for his comrades. But he, beguiled +by these dire promises, swiftly crossed the swell of the sea in his ship, and +in dark night set foot on the sacred island; and faring all alone to meet her +he made trial in speech of his sister, as a tender child tries a wintry torrent +which not even strong men can pass through, to see if she would devise some +guile against the strangers. And so they two agreed together on everything; and +straightway Aeson’s son leapt forth from the thick ambush, lifting his +bare sword in his hand; and quickly the maiden turned her eyes aside and +covered them with her veil that she might not see the blood of her brother when +he was smitten. And Jason marked him and struck him down, as a butcher strikes +down a mighty strong-horned bull, hard by the temple which the Brygi on the +mainland opposite had once built for Artemis. In its vestibule he fell on his +knees; and at last the hero breathing out his life caught up in both hands the +dark blood as it welled from the wound; and he dyed with red his sister’s +silvery veil and robe as she shrank away. And with swift side-glance the +irresistible pitiless Fury beheld the deadly deed they had done. And the hero, +Aeson’s son, cut off the extremities of the dead man, and thrice licked +up some blood and thrice spat the pollution from his teeth, as it is right for +the slayer to do, to atone for a treacherous murder. And the clammy corpse he +hid in the ground where even now those bones lie among the Apsyrtians. +</p> + +<p> +Now as soon as the heroes saw the blaze of a torch, which the maiden raised for +them as a sign to pursue, they laid their own ship near the Colchian ship, and +they slaughtered the Colchian host, as kites slay the tribes of wood-pigeons, +or as lions of the wold, when they have leapt amid the steading, drive a great +flock of sheep huddled together. Nor did one of them escape death, but the +heroes rushed upon the whole crew, destroying them like a flame; and at last +Jason met them, and was eager to give aid where none was needed; but already +they were taking thought for him too. Thereupon they sat to devise some prudent +counsel for their voyage, and the maiden came upon them as they pondered, but +Peleus spake his word first: +</p> + +<p> +“I now bid you embark while it is still night, and take with your oars +the passage opposite to that which the enemy guards, for at dawn when they see +their plight I deem that no word urging to further pursuit of us will prevail +with them; but as people bereft of their king, they will be scattered in +grievous dissension. And easy, when the people are scattered, will this path be +for us on our return.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake; and the youths assented to the words of Aeacus’ son. And +quickly they entered the ship, and toiled at their oars unceasingly until they +reached the sacred isle of Electra, the highest of them all, near the river +Eridanus. +</p> + +<p> +But when the Colchians learnt the death of their prince, verily they were eager +to pursue Argo and the Minyans through all the Cronian sea. But Hera restrained +them by terrible lightnings from the sky. And at last they loathed their own +homes in the Cytaean land, quailing before Aeetes’ fierce wrath; so they +landed and made abiding homes there, scattered far and wide. Some set foot on +those very islands where the heroes had stayed, and they still dwell there, +bearing a name derived from Apsyrtus; and others built a fenced city by the +dark deep Illyrian river, where is the tomb of Harmonia and Cadmus, dwelling +among the Encheleans; and others live amid the mountains which are called the +Thunderers, from the day when the thunders of Zeus, son of Cronos, prevented +them from crossing over to the island opposite. +</p> + +<p> +Now the heroes, when their return seemed safe for them, fared onward and made +their hawsers fast to the land of the Hylleans. For the islands lay thick in +the river and made the path dangerous for those who sailed thereby. Nor, as +aforetime, did the Hylleans devise their hurt, but of their own accord +furthered their passage, winning as guerdon a mighty tripod of Apollo. For +tripods twain had Phoebus given to Aeson’s son to carry afar in the +voyage he had to make, at the time when he went to sacred Pytho to enquire +about this very voyage; and it was ordained by fate that in whatever land they +should be placed, that land should never be ravaged by the attacks of foemen. +Therefore even now this tripod is hidden in that land near the pleasant city of +Hyllus, far beneath the earth, that it may ever be unseen by mortals. Yet they +found not King Hyllus still alive in the land, whom fair Melite bare to +Heracles in the land of the Phaeacians. For he came to the abode of Nausithous +and to Macris, the nurse of Dionysus, to cleanse himself from the deadly murder +of his children; here he loved and overcame the water nymph Melite, the +daughter of the river Aegaeus, and she bare mighty Hyllus. But when he had +grown up he desired not to dwell in that island under the rule of Nausithous +the king; but he collected a host of native Phaeacians and came to the Cronian +sea; for the hero King Nausithous aided his journey, and there he settled, and +the Mentores slew him as he was fighting for the oxen of his field. +</p> + +<p> +Now, goddesses, say how it is that beyond this sea, near the land of Ausonia +and the Ligystian isles, which are called Stoechades, the mighty tracks of the +ship Argo are clearly sung of? What great constraint and need brought the +heroes so far? What breezes wafted them? +</p> + +<p> +When Apsyrtus had fallen in mighty overthrow Zeus himself, king of gods, was +seized with wrath at what they had done. And he ordained that by the counsels +of Aeaean Circe they should cleanse themselves from the terrible stain of blood +and suffer countless woes before their return. Yet none of the chieftains knew +this; but far onward they sped starting from the Hyllean land, and they left +behind all the islands that were beforetime thronged by the Colchians—the +Liburnian isles, isle after isle, Issa, Dysceladus, and lovely Pityeia. Next +after them they came to Corcyra, where Poseidon settled the daughter of Asopus, +fair-haired Corcyra, far from the land of Phlius, whence he had carried her off +through love; and sailors beholding it from the sea, all black with its sombre +woods, call it Corcyra the Black. And next they passed Melite, rejoicing in the +soft-blowing breeze, and steep Cerossus, and Nymphaea at a distance, where lady +Calypso, daughter of Atlas, dwelt; and they deemed they saw the misty mountains +of Thunder. And then Hera bethought her of the counsels and wrath of Zeus +concerning them. And she devised an ending of their voyage and stirred up +storm-winds before them, by which they were caught and borne back to the rocky +isle of Electra. And straightway on a sudden there called to them in the midst +of their course, speaking with a human voice, the beam of the hollow ship, +which Athena had set in the centre of the stem, made of Dodonian oak. And +deadly fear seized them as they heard the voice that told of the grievous wrath +of Zeus. For it proclaimed that they should not escape the paths of an endless +sea nor grievous tempests, unless Circe should purge away the guilt of the +ruthless murder of Apsyrtus; and it bade Polydeuces and Castor pray to the +immortal gods first to grant a path through the Ausonian sea where they should +find Circe, daughter of Perse and Helios. +</p> + +<p> +Thus Argo cried through the darkness; and the sons of Tyndareus uprose, and +lifted their hands to the immortals praying for each boon: but dejection held +the rest of the Minyan heroes. And far on sped Argo under sail, and entered +deep into the stream of Eridanus; where once, smitten on the breast by the +blazing bolt, Phaethon half-consumed fell from the chariot of Helios into the +opening of that deep lake; and even now it belcheth up heavy steam clouds from +the smouldering wound. And no bird spreading its light wings can cross that +water; but in mid-course it plunges into the flame, fluttering. And all around +the maidens, the daughters of Helios, enclosed in tall poplars, wretchedly wail +a piteous plaint; and from their eyes they shed on the ground bright drops of +amber. These are dried by the sun upon the sand; but whenever the waters of the +dark lake flow over the strand before the blast of the wailing wind, then they +roll on in a mass into Eridanus with swelling tide. But the Celts have attached +this story to them, that these are the tears of Leto’s son, Apollo, that +are borne along by the eddies, the countless tears that he shed aforetime when +he came to the sacred race of the Hyperboreans and left shining heaven at the +chiding of his father, being in wrath concerning his son whom divine Coronis +bare in bright Lacereia at the mouth of Amyrus. And such is the story told +among these men. But no desire for food or drink seized the heroes nor were +their thoughts turned to joy. But they were sorely afflicted all day, heavy and +faint at heart, with the noisome stench, hard to endure, which the streams of +Eridanus sent forth from Phaethon still burning; and at night they heard the +piercing lament of the daughters of Helios, wailing with shrill voice; and, as +they lamented, their tears were borne on the water like drops of oil. +</p> + +<p> +Thence they entered the deep stream of Rhodanus which flows into Eridanus; and +where they meet there is a roar of mingling waters. Now that river, rising from +the ends of the earth, where are the portals and mansions of Night, on one side +bursts forth upon the beach of Ocean, at another pours into the Ionian sea, and +on the third through seven mouths sends its stream to the Sardinian sea and its +limitless bay.<a href="#linknote-29" name="linknoteref-29" +id="linknoteref-29"><sup>[29]</sup></a> And from Rhodanus they entered +stormy lakes, which spread throughout the Celtic mainland of wondrous size; and +there they would have met with an inglorious calamity; for a certain branch of +the river was bearing them towards a gulf of Ocean which in ignorance they were +about to enter, and never would they have returned from there in safety. But +Hera leaping forth from heaven pealed her cry from the Hercynian rock; and all +together were shaken with fear of her cry; for terribly crashed the mighty +firmament. And backward they turned by reason of the goddess, and noted the +path by which their return was ordained. And after a long while they came to +the beach of the surging sea by the devising of Hera, passing unharmed through +countless tribes of the Celts and Ligyans. For round them the goddess poured a +dread mist day by day as they fared on. And so, sailing through the midmost +mouth, they reached the Stoechades islands in safety by the aid of the sons of +Zeus; wherefore altars and sacred rites are established in their honour for +ever; and not that sea-faring alone did they attend to succour; but Zeus +granted to them the ships of future sailors too. Then leaving the Stoechades +they passed on to the island Aethalia, where after their toil they wiped away +with pebbles sweat in abundance; and pebbles like skin in colour are strewn on +the beach;<a href="#linknote-30" name="linknoteref-30" +id="linknoteref-30"><sup>[30]</sup></a> and there are their quoits and +their wondrous armour; and there is the Argoan harbour called after them. +</p> + +<p> +And quickly from there they passed through the sea, beholding the Tyrrhenian +shores of Ausonia; and they came to the famous harbour of Aeaea, and from the +ship they cast hawsers to the shore near at hand. And here they found Circe +bathing her head in the salt sea-spray, for sorely had she been scared by +visions of the night. With blood her chambers and all the walls of her palace +seemed to be running, and flame was devouring all the magic herbs with which +she used to bewitch strangers whoever came; and she herself with murderous +blood quenched the glowing flame, drawing it up in her hands; and she ceased +from deadly fear. Wherefore when morning came she rose, and with sea-spray was +bathing her hair and her garments. And beasts, not resembling the beasts of the +wild, nor yet like men in body, but with a medley of limbs, went in a throng, +as sheep from the fold in multitudes follow the shepherd. Such creatures, +compacted of various limbs, did each herself produce from the primeval slime +when she had not yet grown solid beneath a rainless sky nor yet had received a +drop of moisture from the rays of the scorching sun; but time combined these +forms and marshalled them in their ranks; in such wise these monsters shapeless +of form followed her. And exceeding wonder seized the heroes, and at once, as +each gazed on the form and face of Circe, they readily guessed that she was the +sister of Aeetes. +</p> + +<p> +Now when she had dismissed the fears of her nightly visions, straightway she +fared backwards, and in her subtlety she bade the heroes follow, charming them +on with her hand. Thereupon the host remained stedfast at the bidding of +Aeson’s son, but Jason drew with him the Colchian maid. And both followed +the selfsame path till they reached the hall of Circe, and she in amaze at +their coming bade them sit on brightly burnished seats. And they, quiet and +silent, sped to the hearth and sat there, as is the wont of wretched +suppliants. Medea hid her face in both her hands, but Jason fixed in the ground +the mighty hilted sword with which he had slain Aeetes’ son; nor did they +raise their eyes to meet her look. And straightway Circe became aware of the +doom of a suppliant and the guilt of murder. Wherefore in reverence for the +ordinance of Zeus, the god of suppliants, who is a god of wrath yet mightily +aids slayers of men, she began to offer the sacrifice with which ruthless +suppliants are cleansed from guilt when they approach the altar. First, to +atone for the murder still unexpiated, she held above their heads the young of +a sow whose dugs yet swelled from the fruit of the womb, and, severing its +neck, sprinkled their hands with the blood; and again she made propitiation +with other drink offerings, calling on Zeus the Cleanser, the protector of +murder-stained suppliants. And all the defilements in a mass her attendants +bore forth from the palace—the Naiad nymphs who ministered all things to +her. And within, Circe, standing by the hearth, kept burning atonement-cakes +without wine, praying the while that she might stay from their wrath the +terrible Furies, and that Zeus himself might be propitious and gentle to them +both, whether with hands stained by the blood of a stranger or, as kinsfolk, by +the blood of a kinsman, they should implore his grace. +</p> + +<p> +But when she had wrought all her task, then she raised them up and seated them +on well polished seats, and herself sat near, face to face with them. And at +once she asked them clearly of their business and their voyaging, and whence +they had come to her land and palace, and had thus seated themselves as +suppliants at her hearth. For in truth the hideous remembrance of her dreams +entered her mind as she pondered; and she longed to hear the voice of the +maiden, her kinswoman, as soon as she saw that she had raised her eyes from the +ground. For all those of the race of Helios were plain to discern, since by the +far flashing of their eyes they shot in front of them a gleam as of gold. So +Medea told her all she asked—the daughter of Aeetes of the gloomy heart, +speaking gently in the Colchian tongue, both of the quest and the journeyings +of the heroes, and of their toils in the swift contests, and how she had sinned +through the counsels of her much-sorrowing sister, and how with the sons of +Phrixus she had fled afar from the tyrannous horrors of her father; but she +shrank from telling of the murder of Apsyrtus. Yet she escaped not +Circe’s ken; nevertheless, in spite of all, she pitied the weeping +maiden, and spake thus: +</p> + +<p> +“Poor wretch, an evil and shameful return hast thou planned. Not for +long, I ween, wilt thou escape the heavy wrath of Aeetes; but soon will he go +even to the dwellings of Hellas to avenge the blood of his son, for intolerable +are the deeds thou hast done. But since thou art my suppliant and my kinswoman, +no further ill shall I devise against thee at thy coming; but begone from my +halls, companioning the stranger, whosoever he be, this unknown one that thou +hast taken in thy father’s despite; and kneel not to me at my hearth, for +never will I approve thy counsels and thy shameful flight.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and measureless anguish seized the maid; and over her eyes she +cast her robe and poured forth a lamentation, until the hero took her by the +hand and led her forth from the hall quivering with fear. So they left the home +of Circe. +</p> + +<p> +But they were not unmarked by the spouse of Zeus, son of Cronos; but Iris told +her when she saw them faring from the hall. For Hera had bidden her watch what +time they should come to the ship; so again she urged her and spake: +</p> + +<p> +“Dear Iris, now come, if ever thou hast fulfilled my bidding, hie thee +away on light pinions, and bid Thetis arise from the sea and come hither. For +need of her is come upon me. Then go to the sea-beaches where the bronze anvils +of Hephaestus are smitten by sturdy hammers, and tell him to still the blasts +of fire until Argo pass by them. Then go to Aeolus too, Aeolus who rules the +winds, children of the clear sky; and to him also tell my purpose so that he +may make all winds cease under heaven and no breeze may ruffle the sea; yet let +the breath of the west wind blow until the heroes have reached the Phaeacian +isle of Alcinous.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, and straightway Iris leapt down from Olympus and cleft her way, +with light wings outspread. And she plunged into the Aegean Sea, where is the +dwelling of Nereus. And she came to Thetis first and, by the promptings of +Hera, told her tale and roused her to go to the goddess. Next she came to +Hephaestus, and quickly made him cease from the clang of his iron hammers; and +the smoke-grimed bellows were stayed from their blast. And thirdly she came to +Aeolus, the famous son of Hippotas. And when she had given her message to him +also and rested her swift knees from her course, then Thetis leaving Nereus and +her sisters had come from the sea to Olympus to the goddess Hera; and the +goddess made her sit by her side and uttered her word: +</p> + +<p> +“Hearken now, lady Thetis, to what I am eager to tell thee. Thou knowest +how honoured in my heart is the hero, Aeson’s son, and the others that +have helped him in the contest, and how I saved them when they passed between +the Wandering rocks,<a href="#linknote-31" name="linknoteref-31" +id="linknoteref-31"><sup>[31]</sup></a> where roar terrible storms of +fire and the waves foam round the rugged reefs. And now past the mighty rock of +Scylla and Charybdis horribly belching, a course awaits them. But thee indeed +from thy infancy did I tend with my own hands and love beyond all others that +dwell in the salt sea because thou didst refuse to share the couch of Zeus, for +all his desire. For to him such deeds are ever dear, to embrace either +goddesses or mortal women. But in reverence for me and with fear in thy heart +thou didst shrink from his love; and he then swore a mighty oath that thou +shouldst never be called the bride of an immortal god. Yet he ceased not from +spying thee against thy will, until reverend Themis declared to him the whole +truth, how that it was thy fate to bear a son mightier than his sire; wherefore +he gave thee up, for all his desire, fearing lest another should be his match +and rule the immortals, and in order that he might ever hold his own dominion. +But I gave thee the best of the sons of earth to be thy husband, that thou +mightest find a marriage dear to thy heart and bear children; and I summoned to +the feast the gods, one and all. And with my own hand I raised the bridal +torch, in return for the kindly honour thou didst pay me. But come, let me tell +a tale that erreth not. When thy son shall come to the Elysian plain, he whom +now in the home of Cheiron the Centaur water-nymphs are tending, though he +still craves thy mother milk, it is fated that he be the husband of Medea, +Aeetes’ daughter; do thou aid thy daughter-in-law as a mother-in-law +should, and aid Peleus himself. Why is thy wrath so steadfast? He was blinded +by folly. For blindness comes even upon the gods. Surely at my behest I deem +that Hephaestus will cease from kindling the fury of his flame, and that +Aeolus, son of Hippotas, will check his swift rushing winds, all but the steady +west wind, until they reach the havens of the Phaeacians; do thou devise a +return without bane. The rocks and the tyrannous waves are my fear, they alone, +and them thou canst foil with thy sisters’ aid. And let them not fall in +their helplessness into Charybdis lest she swallow them at one gulp, or +approach the hideous lair of Scylla, Ausonian Scylla the deadly, whom +night-wandering Hecate, who is called Crataeis,<a href="#linknote-32" +name="linknoteref-32" id="linknoteref-32"><sup>[32]</sup></a> bare to +Phoreys, lest swooping upon them with her horrible jaws she destroy the +chiefest of the heroes. But guide their ship in the course where there shall be +still a hair’s breadth escape from destruction.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and Thetis answered with these words: “If the fury of the +ravening flame and the stormy winds cease in very deed, surely will I promise +boldly to save the ship, even though the waves bar the way, if only the west +wind blows fresh and clear. But it is time to fare on a long and measureless +path, in quest of my sisters who will aid me, and to the spot where the +ship’s hawsers are fastened, that at early dawn the heroes may take +thought to win their home-return.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake, and darting down from the sky fell amid the eddies of the dark blue +sea; and she called to aid her the rest of the Nereids, her own sisters; and +they heard her and gathered together; and Thetis declared to them Hera’s +behests, and quickly sped them all on their way to the Ausonian sea. And +herself, swifter than the flash of an eye or the shafts of the sun, when it +rises upwards from a far-distant land, hastened swiftly through the sea, until +she reached the Aeaean beach of the Tyrrhenian mainland. And the heroes she +found by the ship taking their pastime with quoits and shooting of arrows; and +she drew near and just touched the hand of Aeaeus’ son Peleus, for he was +her husband; nor could anyone see her clearly, but she appeared to his eyes +alone, and thus addressed him: +</p> + +<p> +“No longer now must ye stay sitting on the Tyrrhenian beach, but at dawn +loosen the hawsers of your swift ship, in obedience to Hera, your helper. For +at her behest the maiden daughters of Nereus have met together to draw your +ship through the midst of the rocks which are called Planctae, <a +href="#linknote-33" name="linknoteref-33" +id="linknoteref-33"><sup>[33]</sup></a> for that is your destined path. +But do thou show my person to no one, when thou seest us come to meet time, but +keep it secret in thy mind, lest thou anger me still more than thou didst anger +me before so recklessly.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake, and vanished into the depths of the sea; but sharp pain smote +Peleus, for never before had he seen her come, since first she left her bridal +chamber and bed in anger, on account of noble Achilles, then a babe. For she +ever encompassed the child’s mortal flesh in the night with the flame of +fire; and day by day she anointed with ambrosia his tender frame, so that he +might become immortal and that she might keep off from his body loathsome old +age. But Peleus leapt up from his bed and saw his dear son gasping in the +flame; and at the sight he uttered a terrible cry, fool that he was; and she +heard it, and catching up the child threw him screaming to the ground, and +herself like a breath of wind passed swiftly from the hall as a dream and leapt +into the sea, exceeding wroth, and thereafter returned not again. Wherefore +blank amazement fettered his soul; nevertheless he declared to his comrades all +the bidding of Thetis. And they broke off in the midst and hurriedly ceased +their contests, and prepared their meal and earth-strewn beds, whereon after +supper they slept through the night as aforetime. +</p> + +<p> +Now when dawn the light-bringer was touching the edge of heaven, then at the +coming of the swift west wind they went to their thwarts from the land; and +gladly did they draw up the anchors from the deep and made the tackling ready +in due order; and above spread the sail, stretching it taut with the sheets +from the yard-arm. And a fresh breeze wafted the ship on. And soon they saw a +fair island, Anthemoessa, where the clear-voiced Sirens, daughters of Achelous, +used to beguile with their sweet songs whoever cast anchor there, and then +destroy him. Them lovely Terpsichore, one of the Muses, bare, united with +Achelous; and once they tended Demeter’s noble daughter still unwed, and +sang to her in chorus; and at that time they were fashioned in part like birds +and in part like maidens to behold. And ever on the watch from their place of +prospect with its fair haven, often from many had they taken away their sweet +return, consuming them with wasting desire; and suddenly to the heroes, too, +they sent forth from their lips a lily-like voice. And they were already about +to cast from the ship the hawsers to the shore, had not Thracian Orpheus, son +of Oeagrus, stringing in his hands his Bistonian lyre, rung forth the hasty +snatch of a rippling melody so that their ears might be filled with the sound +of his twanging; and the lyre overcame the maidens’ voice. And the west +wind and the sounding wave rushing astern bore the ship on; and the Sirens kept +uttering their ceaseless song. But even so the goodly son of Teleon alone of +the comrades leapt before them all from the polished bench into the sea, even +Butes, his soul melted by the clear ringing voice of the Sirens; and he swam +through the dark surge to mount the beach, poor wretch. Quickly would they have +robbed him of his return then and there, but the goddess that rules Eryx, +Cypris, in pity snatched him away, while yet in the eddies, and graciously +meeting him saved him to dwell on the Lilybean height. And the heroes, seized +by anguish, left the Sirens, but other perils still worse, destructive to +ships, awaited them in the meeting-place of the seas. +</p> + +<p> +For on one side appeared the smooth rock of Scylla; on the other Charybdis +ceaselessly spouted and roared; in another part the Wandering rocks were +booming beneath the mighty surge, where before the burning flame spurted forth +from the top of the crags, above the rock glowing with fire, and the air was +misty with smoke, nor could you have seen the sun’s light. Then, though +Hephaestus had ceased from his toils, the sea was still sending up a warm +vapour. Hereupon on this side and on that the daughters of Nereus met them; and +behind, lady Thetis set her hand to the rudder-blade, to guide them amid the +Wandering rocks. And as when in fair weather herds of dolphins come up from the +depths and sport in circles round a ship as it speeds along, now seen in front, +now behind, now again at the side and delight comes to the sailors; so the +Nereids darted upward and circled in their ranks round the ship Argo, while +Thetis guided its course. And when they were about to touch the Wandering +rocks, straightway they raised the edge of their garments over their snow-white +knees, and aloft, on the very rocks and where the waves broke, they hurried +along on this side and on that apart from one another. And the ship was raised +aloft as the current smote her, and all around the furious wave mounting up +broke over the rocks, which at one time touched the sky like towering crags, at +another, down in the depths, were fixed fast at the bottom of the sea and the +fierce waves poured over them in floods. And the Nereids, even as maidens near +some sandy beach roll their garments up to their waists out of their way and +sport with a shapely-rounded ball; then they catch it one from another and send +it high into the air; and it never touches the ground; so they in turn one from +another sent the ship through the air over the waves, as it sped on ever away +from the rocks; and round them the water spouted and foamed. And lord +Hephaestus himself standing on the summit of a smooth rock and resting his +massy shoulder on the handle of his hammer, beheld them, and the spouse of Zeus +beheld them as she stood above the gleaming heaven; and she threw her arms +round Athena, such fear seized her as she gazed. And as long as the space of a +day is lengthened out in springtime, so long a time did they toil, heaving the +ship between the loud-echoing rocks; then again the heroes caught the wind and +sped onward; and swiftly they passed the mead of Thrinacia, where the kine of +Helios fed. There the nymphs, like sea-mews, plunged beneath the depths, when +they had fulfilled the behests of the spouse of Zeus. And at the same time the +bleating of sheep came to the heroes through the mist and the lowing of kine, +near at hand, smote their ears. And over the dewy leas Phaethusa, the youngest +of the daughters of Helios, tended the sheep, bearing in her hand a silver +crook; while Lampetia, herding the kine, wielded a staff of glowing +orichalcum<a href="#linknote-34" name="linknoteref-34" +id="linknoteref-34"><sup>[34]</sup></a> as she followed. These kine the heroes +saw feeding by the river’s stream, over the plain and the water-meadow; +not one of them was dark in hue but all were white as milk and glorying in +their horns of gold. So they passed them by in the day-time, and when night +came on they were cleaving a great sea-gulf, rejoicing, until again early +rising dawn threw light upon their course. +</p> + +<p> +Fronting the Ionian gulf there lies an island in the Ceraunian sea, rich in +soil, with a harbour on both sides, beneath which lies the sickle, as legend +saith—grant me grace, O Muses, not willingly do I tell this tale of olden +days—wherewith Cronos pitilessly mutilated his father; but others call it +the reaping-hook of Demeter, goddess of the nether world. For Demeter once +dwelt in that island, and taught the Titans to reap the ears of corn, all for +the love of Macris. Whence it is called Drepane,<a href="#linknote-35" +name="linknoteref-35" id="linknoteref-35"><sup>[35]</sup></a> the +sacred nurse of the Phaeacians; and thus the Phaeacians themselves are by birth +of the blood of Uranus. To them came Argo, held fast by many toils, borne by +the breezes from the Thrinacian sea; and Alcinous and his people with kindly +sacrifice gladly welcomed their coming; and over them all the city made merry; +thou wouldst say they were rejoicing over their own sons. And the heroes +themselves strode in gladness through the throng, even as though they had set +foot in the heart of Haemonia; but soon were they to arm and raise the +battle-cry; so near to them appeared a boundless host of Colchians, who had +passed through the mouth of Pontus and between the Cyanean rocks in search of +the chieftains. They desired forthwith to carry off Medea to her father’s +house apart from the rest, or else they threatened with fierce cruelty to raise +the dread war-cry both then and thereafter on the coming of Aeetes. But lordly +Alcinous checked them amid their eagerness for war. For he longed to allay the +lawless strife between both sides without the clash of battle. And the maiden +in deadly fear often implored the comrades of Aeson’s son, and often with +her hands touched the knees of Arete, the bride of Aleinous: +</p> + +<p> +“I beseech thee, O queen, be gracious and deliver me not to the Colchians +to be borne to my father, if thou thyself too art one of the race of mortals, +whose heart rushes swiftly to ruin from light transgressions. For my firm sense +forsook me—it was not for wantonness. Be witness the sacred light of +Helios, be witness the rites of the maiden that wanders by night, daughter of +Perses. Not willingly did I haste from my home with men of an alien race; but a +horrible fear wrought on me to bethink me of flight when I sinned; other device +was there none. Still my maiden’s girdle remains, as in the halls of my +father, unstained, untouched. Pity me, lady, and turn thy lord to mercy; and +may the immortals grant thee a perfect life, and joy, and children, and the +glory of a city unravaged!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus did she implore Arete, shedding tears, and thus each of the chieftains in +turn: +</p> + +<p> +“On your account, ye men of peerless might, and on account of my toils in +your ventures am I sorely afflicted; even I, by whose help ye yoked the bulls, +and reaped the deadly harvest of the earthborn men; even I, through whom on +your homeward path ye shall bear to Haemonia the golden fleece. Lo, here am I, +who have lost my country and my parents, who have lost my home and all the +delights of life; to you have I restored your country and your homes; with eyes +of gladness ye will see again your parents; but from me a heavy-handed god has +raft all joy; and with strangers I wander, an accursed thing. Fear your +covenant and your oaths, fear the Fury that avenges suppliants and the +retribution of heaven, if I fall into Aeetes’ hands and am slain with +grievous outrage. To no shrines, no tower of defence, no other refuge do I pay +heed, but only to you. Hard and pitiless in your cruelty! No reverence have ye +for me in your heart though ye see me helpless, stretching my hands towards the +knees of a stranger queen; yet, when ye longed to seize the fleece, ye would +have met all the Colchians face to thee and haughty Aeetes himself; but now ye +have forgotten your courage, now that they are all alone and cut off.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, beseeching; and to whomsoever she bowed in prayer, that man +tried to give her heart and to check her anguish. And in their hands they shook +their sharp pointed spears, and drew the swords from their sheaths; and they +swore they would not hold back from giving succour, if she should meet with an +unrighteous judgement. And the host were all wearied and Night came on them, +Night that puts to rest the works of men, and lulled all the earth to sleep; +but to the maid no sleep brought rest, but in her bosom her heart was wrung +with anguish. Even as when a toiling woman turns her spindle through the night, +and round her moan her orphan children, for she is a widow, and down her cheeks +fall the tears, as she bethinks her how dreary a lot hath seized her; so +Medea’s cheeks were wet; and her heart within her was in agony, pierced +with sharp pain. +</p> + +<p> +Now within the palace in the city, as aforetime, lay lordly Alcinous and Arete, +the revered wife of Alcinous, and on their couch through the night they were +devising plans about the maiden; and him, as her wedded husband, the wife +addressed with loving words: +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, my friend, come, save the woe-stricken maid from the Colchians and +show grace to the Minyae. Argos is near our isle and the men of Haemonia; but +Aeetes dwells not near, nor do we know of Aeetes one whit: we hear but his +name; but this maiden of dread suffering hath broken my heart by her prayers. O +king, give her not up to the Colchians to be borne back to her father’s +home. She was distraught when first she gave him the drugs to charm the oxen; +and next, to cure one ill by another, as in our sinning we do often, she fled +from her haughty sire’s heavy wrath. But Jason, as I hear, is bound to +her by mighty oaths that he will make her his wedded wife within his halls. +Wherefore, my friend, make not, of thy will, Aeson’s son to be forsworn, +nor let the father, if thou canst help, work with angry heart some intolerable +mischief on his child. For fathers are all too jealous against their children; +what wrong did Nycteus devise against Antiope, fair of face! What woes did +Danae endure on the wide sea through her sire’s mad rage! Of late, and +not far away, Echetus in wanton cruelty thrust spikes of bronze in his +daughter’s eyes; and by a grievous fate is she wasting away, grinding +grains of bronze in a dungeon’s gloom.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, beseeching; and by his wife’s words his heart was +softened, and thus he spake: +</p> + +<p> +“Arete, with arms I could drive forth the Colchians, showing grace to the +heroes for the maiden’s sake. But I fear to set at nought the righteous +judgment of Zeus. Nor is it well to take no thought of Aeetes, as thou sayest: +for none is more lordly than Aeetes. And, if he willed, he might bring war upon +Hellas, though he dwell afar. Wherefore it is right for me to deliver the +judgement that in all men’s eyes shall be best; and I will not hide it +from thee. If she be yet a maid I decree that they carry her back to her +father; but if she shares a husband’s bed, I will not separate her from +her lord; nor, if she bear a child beneath her breast, will I give it up to an +enemy.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and at once sleep laid him to rest. And she stored up in her +heart the word of wisdom, and straightway rose from her couch and went through +the palace; and her handmaids came hasting together, eagerly tending their +mistress. But quietly she summoned her herald and addressed him, in her +prudence urging Aeson’s son to wed the maiden, and not to implore +Alcinous; for he himself, she said, will decree to the Colchians that if she is +still a maid he will deliver her up to be borne to her father’s house, +but that if she shares a husband’s bed he will not sever her from wedded +love. +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and quickly from the hall his feet bore him, that he might +declare to Jason the fair-omened speech of Arete and the counsel of godfearing +Alcinous. And he found the heroes watching in full armour in the haven of +Hyllus, near the city; and out he spake the whole message; and each +hero’s heart rejoiced; for the word that he spake was welcome. +</p> + +<p> +And straightway they mingled a bowl to the blessed ones, as is right, and +reverently led sheep to the altar, and for that very night prepared for the +maiden the bridal couch in the sacred cave, where once dwelt Macris, the +daughter of Aristaeus, lord of honey, who discovered the works of bees and the +fatness of the olive, the fruit of labour. She it was that first received in +her bosom the Nysean son of Zeus in Abantian Euboea, and with honey moistened +his parched lips when Hermes bore him out of the flame. And Hera beheld it, and +in wrath drove her from the whole island. And she accordingly came to dwell far +off, in the sacred cave of the Phaeacians, and granted boundless wealth to the +inhabitants. There at that time did they spread a mighty couch; and thereon +they laid the glittering fleece of gold, that so the marriage might be made +honoured and the theme of song. And for them nymphs gathered flowers of varied +hue and bore them thither in their white bosoms; and a splendour as of flame +played round them all, such a light gleamed from the golden tufts. And in their +eyes it kindled a sweet longing; yet for all her desire, awe withheld each one +from laying her hand thereon. Some were called daughters of the river Aegaeus; +others dwelt round the crests of the Meliteian mount; and others were woodland +nymphs from the plains. For Hera herself, the spouse of Zeus, had sent them to +do honour to Jason. That cave is to this day called the sacred cave of Medea, +where they spread the fine and fragrant linen and brought these two together. +And the heroes in their hands wielded their spears for war, lest first a host +of foes should burst upon them for battle unawares, and, their heads enwreathed +with leafy sprays, all in harmony, while Orpheus’ harp rang clear, sang +the marriage song at the entrance to the bridal chamber. Yet not in the house +of Alcinous was the hero, Aeson’s son, minded to complete his marriage, +but in his father’s hall when he had returned home to Ioleus; and such +was the mind of Medea herself; but necessity led them to wed at this time. For +never in truth do we tribes of woe-stricken mortals tread the path of delight +with sure foot; but still some bitter affliction keeps pace with our joy. +Wherefore they too, though their souls were melted with sweet love, were held +by fear, whether the sentence of Alcinous would be fulfilled. +</p> + +<p> +Now dawn returning with her beams divine scattered the gloomy night through the +sky; and the island beaches laughed out and the paths over the plains far off, +drenched with dew, and there was a din in the streets; the people were astir +throughout the city, and far away the Colchians were astir at the bounds of the +isle of Macris. And straightway to them went Alcinous, by reason of his +covenant, to declare his purpose concerning the maiden, and in his hand he held +a golden staff, his staff of justice, whereby the people had righteous +judgments meted out to them throughout the city. And with him in order due and +arrayed in their harness of war went marching, band by band, the chiefs of the +Phaeacians. And from the towers came forth the women in crowds to gaze upon the +heroes; and the country folk came to meet them when they heard the news, for +Hera had sent forth a true report. And one led the chosen ram of his flock, and +another a heifer that had never toiled; and others set hard by jars of wine for +mixing; and the smoke of sacrifice leapt up far away. And women bore fine +linen, the fruit of much toil, as women will, and gifts of gold and varied +ornaments as well, such as are brought to newly-wedded brides; and they +marvelled when they saw the shapely forms and beauty of the gallant heroes, and +among them the son of Oeagrus, oft beating the ground with gleaming sandal, to +the time of his loud-ringing lyre and song. And all the nymphs together, +whenever he recalled the marriage, uplifted the lovely bridal-chant; and at +times again they sang alone as they circled in the dance, Hera, in thy honour; +for it was thou that didst put it into the heart of Arete to proclaim the wise +word of Alcinous. And as soon as he had uttered the decree of his righteous +judgement, and the completion of the marriage had been proclaimed, he took care +that thus it should abide fixed; and no deadly fear touched him nor +Aeetes’ grievous wrath, but he kept his judgement fast bound by unbroken +oaths. So when the Colchians learnt that they were beseeching in vain and he +bade them either observe his judgements or hold their ships away from his +harbours and land, then they began to dread the threats of their own king and +besought Alcinous to receive them as comrades; and there in the island long +time they dwelt with the Phaeacians, until in the course of years, the +Bacchiadae, a race sprung from Ephyra,<a href="#linknote-36" +name="linknoteref-36" id="linknoteref-36"><sup>[36]</sup></a> settled +among them; and the Colchians passed to an island opposite; and thence they +were destined to reach the Ceraunian hills of the Abantes, and the Nestaeans +and Oricum; but all this was fulfilled after long ages had passed. And still +the altars which Medea built on the spot sacred to Apollo, god of shepherds, +receive yearly sacrifices in honour of the Fates and the Nymphs. And when the +Minyae departed many gifts of friendship did Alcinous bestow, and many Arete; +moreover she gave Medea twelve Phaeacian handmaids from the palace, to bear her +company. And on the seventh day they left Drepane; and at dawn came a fresh +breeze from Zeus. And onward they sped borne along by the wind’s breath. +Howbeit not yet was it ordained for the heroes to set foot on Achaea, until +they had toiled even in the furthest bounds of Libya. +</p> + +<p> +Now had they left behind the gulf named after the Ambracians, now with sails +wide spread the land of the Curetes, and next in order the narrow islands with +the Echinades, and the land of Pelops was just descried; even then a baleful +blast of the north wind seized them in mid-course and swept them towards the +Libyan sea nine nights and as many days, until they came far within Syrtis, +wherefrom is no return for ships, when they are once forced into that gulf. For +on every hand are shoals, on every hand masses of seaweed from the depths; and +over them the light foam of the wave washes without noise; and there is a +stretch of sand to the dim horizon; and there moveth nothing that creeps or +flies. Here accordingly the flood-tide—for this tide often retreats from +the land and bursts back again over the beach coming on with a rush and +roar—thrust them suddenly on to the innermost shore, and but little of +the keel was left in the water. And they leapt forth from the ship, and sorrow +seized them when they gazed on the mist and the levels of vast land stretching +far like a mist and continuous into the distance; no spot for water, no path, +no steading of herdsmen did they descry afar off, but all the scene was +possessed by a dead calm. And thus did one hero, vexed in spirit, ask another: +</p> + +<p> +“What land is this? Whither has the tempest hurled us? Would that, +reckless of deadly fear, we had dared to rush on by that same path between the +clashing rocks! Better were it to have overleapt the will of Zeus and perished +in venturing some mighty deed. But now what should we do, held back by the +winds to stay here, if ever so short a time? How desolate looms before us the +edge of the limitless land!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus one spake; and among them Ancaeus the helmsman, in despair at their evil +case, spoke with grieving heart: “Verily we are undone by a terrible +doom; there is no escape from ruin; we must suffer the cruellest woes, having +fallen on this desolation, even though breezes should blow from the land; for, +as I gaze far around, on every side do I behold a sea of shoals, and masses of +water, fretted line upon line, run over the hoary sand. And miserably long ago +would our sacred ship have been shattered far from the shore; but the tide +itself bore her high on to the land from the deep sea. But now the tide rushes +back to the sea, and only the foam, whereon no ship can sail, rolls round us, +just covering the land. Wherefore I deem that all hope of our voyage and of our +return is cut off. Let someone else show his skill; let him sit at the helm the +man that is eager for our deliverance. But Zeus has no will to fulfil our day +of return after all our toils.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake with tears, and all of them that had knowledge of ships agreed +thereto; but the hearts of all grew numb, and pallor overspread their cheeks. +And as, like lifeless spectres, men roam through a city awaiting the issue of +war or of pestilence, or some mighty storm which overwhelms the countless +labours of oxen, when the images of their own accord sweat and run down with +blood, and bellowings are heard in temples, or when at mid-day the sun draws on +night from heaven, and the stars shine clear through the mist; so at that time +along the endless strand the chieftains wandered, groping their way. Then +straightway dark evening came upon them; and piteously did they embrace each +other and say farewell with tears, that they might, each one apart from his +fellow, fall on the sand and die. And this way and that they went further to +choose a resting-place; and they wrapped their heads in their cloaks and, +fasting and unfed, lay down all that night and the day, awaiting a piteous +death. But apart the maidens huddled together lamented beside the daughter of +Aeetes. And as when, forsaken by their mother, unfledged birds that have fallen +from a cleft in the rock chirp shrilly; or when by the banks of fair-flowing +Pactolus, swans raise their song, and all around the dewy meadow echoes and the +river’s fair stream; so these maidens, laying in the dust their golden +hair, all through the night wailed their piteous lament. And there all would +have parted from life without a name and unknown to mortal men, those bravest +of heroes, with their task unfulfilled; but as they pined in despair, the +heroine-nymphs, warders of Libya, had pity on them, they who once found Athena, +what time she leapt in gleaming armour from her father’s head, and bathed +her by Trito’s waters. It was noon-tide and the fiercest rays of the sun +were scorching Libya; they stood near Aeson’s son, and lightly drew the +cloak from his head. And the hero cast down his eyes and looked aside, in +reverence for the goddesses, and as he lay bewildered all alone they addressed +him openly with gentle words: +</p> + +<p> +“Ill-starred one, why art thou so smitten with despair? We know how ye +went in quest of the golden fleece; we know each toil of yours, all the mighty +deeds ye wrought in your wanderings over land and sea. We are the solitary +ones, goddesses of the land, speaking with human voice, the heroines, +Libya’s warders and daughters. Up then; be not thus afflicted in thy +misery, and rouse thy comrades. And when Amphitrite has straightway loosed +Poseidon’s swift-wheeled car, then do ye pay to your mother a recompense +for all her travail when she bare you so long in her womb; and so ye may return +to the divine land of Achaea.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus they spake, and with the voice vanished at once, where they stood. But +Jason sat upon the earth as he gazed around, and thus cried: +</p> + +<p> +“Be gracious, noble goddesses of the desert, yet the saying about our +return I understand not clearly. Surely I will gather together my comrades and +tell them, if haply we can find some token of our escape, for the counsel of +many is better.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and leapt to his feet, and shouted afar to his comrades, all squalid +with dust, like a lion when he roars through the woodland seeking his mate; and +far off in the mountains the glens tremble at the thunder of his voice; and the +oxen of the field and the herdsmen shudder with fear; yet to them Jason’s +voice was no whit terrible the voice of a comrade calling to his friends. And +with looks downcast they gathered near, and hard by where the ship lay he made +them sit down in their grief and the women with them, and addressed them and +told them everything: +</p> + +<p> +“Listen, friends; as I lay in my grief, three goddesses girded with +goat-skins from the neck downwards round the back and waist, like maidens, +stood over my head nigh at hand; and they uncovered me, drawing my cloak away +with light hand, and they bade me rise up myself and go and rouse you, and pay +to our mother a bounteous recompense for all her travail when she bare us so +long in her womb, when Amphitrite shall have loosed Poseidon’s +swift-wheeled car. But I cannot fully understand concerning this divine +message. They said indeed that they were heroines, Libya’s warders and +daughters; and all the toils that we endured aforetime by land and sea, all +these they declared that they knew full well. Then I saw them no more in their +place, but a mist or cloud came between and hid them from my sight.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and all marvelled as they heard. Then was wrought for the Minyae +the strangest of portents. From the sea to the land leapt forth a monstrous +horse, of vast size, with golden mane tossing round his neck; and quickly from +his limbs he shook off abundant spray and started on his course, with feet like +the wind. And at once Peleus rejoiced and spake among the throng of his +comrades: +</p> + +<p> +“I deem that Poseidon’s ear has even now been loosed by the hands +of his dear wife, and I divine that our mother is none else than our ship +herself; for surely she bare us in her womb and groans unceasingly with +grievous travailing. But with unshaken strength and untiring shoulders will we +lift her up and bear her within this country of sandy wastes, where yon +swift-footed steed has sped before. For he will not plunge beneath the earth; +and his hoof-prints, I ween, will point us to some bay above the sea.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and the fit counsel pleased all. This is the tale the Muses +told; and I sing obedient to the Pierides, and this report have I heard most +truly; that ye, O mightiest far of the sons of kings, by your might and your +valour over the desert sands of Libya raised high aloft on your shoulders the +ship and all that ye brought therein, and bare her twelve days and nights +alike. Yet who could tell the pain and grief which they endured in that toil? +Surely they were of the blood of the immortals, such a task did they take on +them, constrained by necessity. How forward and how far they bore her gladly to +the waters of the Tritonian lake! How they strode in and set her down from +their stalwart shoulders! +</p> + +<p> +Then, like raging hounds, they rushed to search for a spring; for besides their +suffering and anguish, a parching thirst lay upon them, and not in vain did +they wander; but they came to the sacred plain where Ladon, the serpent of the +land, till yesterday kept watch over the golden apples in the garden of Atlas; +and all around the nymphs, the Hesperides, were busied, chanting their lovely +song. But at that time, stricken by Heracles, he lay fallen by the trunk of the +apple-tree; only the tip of his tail was still writhing; but from his head down +his dark spine he lay lifeless; and where the arrows had left in his blood the +bitter gall of the Lernaean hydra, flies withered and died over the festering +wounds. And close at hand the Hesperides, their white arms flung over their +golden heads, lamented shrilly; and the heroes drew near suddenly; but the +maidens, at their quick approach, at once became dust and earth where they +stood. Orpheus marked the divine portent, and for his comrades addressed them +in prayer: “O divine ones, fair and kind, be gracious, O queens, whether +ye be numbered among the heavenly goddesses, or those beneath the earth, or be +called the Solitary nymphs; come, O nymphs, sacred race of Oceanus, appear +manifest to our longing eyes and show us some spring of water from the rock or +some sacred flow gushing from the earth, goddesses, wherewith we may quench the +thirst that burns us unceasingly. And if ever again we return in our voyaging +to the Achaean land, then to you among the first of goddesses with willing +hearts will we bring countless gifts, libations and banquets.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, beseeching them with plaintive voice; and they from their station +near pitied their pain; and lo! First of all they caused grass to spring from +the earth; and above the grass rose up tall shoots, and then flourishing +saplings grew standing upright far above the earth. Hespere became a poplar and +Eretheis an elm, and Aegle a willow’s sacred trunk. And forth from these +trees their forms looked out, as clear as they were before, a marvel exceeding +great, and Aegle spake with gentle words answering their longing looks: +</p> + +<p> +“Surely there has come hither a mighty succour to your toils, that most +accursed man, who robbed our guardian serpent of life and plucked the golden +apples of the goddesses and is gone; and has left bitter grief for us. For +yesterday came a man most fell in wanton violence, most grim in form; and his +eyes flashed beneath his scowling brow; a ruthless wretch; and he was clad in +the skin of a monstrous lion of raw hide, untanned; and he bare a sturdy bow of +olive, and a bow, wherewith he shot and killed this monster here. So he too +came, as one traversing the land on foot, parched with thirst; and he rushed +wildly through this spot, searching for water, but nowhere was he like to see +it. Now here stood a rock near the Tritonian lake; and of his own device, or by +the prompting of some god, he smote it below with his foot; and the water +gushed out in full flow. And he, leaning both his hands and chest upon the +ground, drank a huge draught from the rifted rock, until, stooping like a beast +of the field, he had satisfied his mighty maw.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake; and they gladly with joyful steps ran to the spot where Aegle +had pointed out to them the spring, until they reached it. And as when +earth-burrowing ants gather in swarms round a narrow cleft, or when flies +lighting upon a tiny drop of sweet honey cluster round with insatiate +eagerness; so at that time, huddled together, the Minyae thronged about the +spring from the rock. And thus with wet lips one cried to another in his +delight: +</p> + +<p> +“Strange! In very truth Heracles, though far away, has saved his +comrades, fordone with thirst. Would that we might find him on his way as we +pass through the mainland!” +</p> + +<p> +So they spake, and those who were ready for this work answered, and they +separated this way and that, each starting to search. For by the night winds +the footsteps had been effaced where the sand was stirred. The two sons of +Boreas started up, trusting in their wings; and Euphemus, relying on his swift +feet, and Lynceus to cast far his piercing eyes; and with them darted off +Canthus, the fifth. He was urged on by the doom of the gods and his own +courage, that he might learn for certain from Heracles where he had left +Polyphemus, son of Eilatus; for he was minded to question him on every point +concerning his comrade. But that hero had founded a glorious city among the +Mysians, and, yearning for his home-return, had passed far over the mainland in +search of Argo; and in time he reached the land of the Chalybes, who dwell near +the sea; there it was that his fate subdued him. And to him a monument stands +under a tall poplar, just facing the sea. But that day Lynceus thought he saw +Heracles all alone, far off, over measureless land, as a man at the +month’s beginning sees, or thinks he sees, the moon through a bank of +cloud. And he returned and told his comrades that no other searcher would find +Heracles on his way, and they also came back, and swift-footed Euphemus and the +twin sons of Thracian Boreas, after a vain toil. +</p> + +<p> +But thee, Canthus, the fates of death seized in Libya. On pasturing flocks +didst thou light; and there followed a shepherd who, in defence of his own +sheep, while thou weft leading them off<a href="#linknote-37" +name="linknoteref-37" id="linknoteref-37"><sup>[37]</sup></a> to thy +comrades in their need, slew thee by the cast of a stone; for he was no +weakling, Caphaurus, the grandson of Lycoreian Phoebus and the chaste maiden +Acacallis, whom once Minos drove from home to dwell in Libya, his own daughter, +when she was bearing the gods’ heavy load; and she bare to Phoebus a +glorious son, whom they call Amphithemis and Garamas. And Amphithemis wedded a +Tritonian nymph; and she bare to him Nasamon and strong Caphaurus, who on that +day in defending his sheep slew Canthus. But he escaped not the +chieftains’ avenging hands, when they learned the deed he had done. And +the Minyae, when they knew it, afterwards took up the corpse and buried it in +the earth, mourning; and the sheep they took with them. +</p> + +<p> +Thereupon on the same day a pitiless fate seized Mopsus too, son of Ampycus; +and he escaped not a bitter doom by his prophesying; for there is no averting +of death. Now there lay in the sand, avoiding the midday heat, a dread serpent, +too sluggish of his own will to strike at an unwilling foe, nor yet would he +dart full face at one that would shrink back. But into whatever of all living +beings that life-giving earth sustains that serpent once injects his black +venom, his path to Hades becomes not so much as a cubit’s length, not +even if Paeeon, if it is right for me to say this openly, should tend him, when +its teeth have only grazed the skin. For when over Libya flew godlike Perseus +Eurymedon for by that name his mother called him—bearing to the king the +Gorgon’s head newly severed, all the drops of dark blood that fell to the +earth, produced a brood of those serpents. Now Mopsus stepped on the end of its +spine, setting thereon the sole of his left foot; and it writhed round in pain +and bit and tore the flesh between the shin and the muscles. And Medea and her +handmaids fled in terror; but Canthus bravely felt the bleeding wound; for no +excessive pain harassed him. Poor wretch! Already a numbness that loosed his +limbs was stealing beneath his skin, and a thick mist was spreading over his +eyes. Straightway his heavy limbs sank helplessly to the ground and he grew +cold; and his comrades and the hero, Aeson’s son, gathered round, +marvelling at the close-coming doom. Nor yet though dead might he lie beneath +the sun even for a little space. For at once the poison began to rot his flesh +within, and the hair decayed and fell from the skin. And quickly and in haste +they dug a deep grave with mattocks of bronze; and they tore their hair, the +heroes and the maidens, bewailing the dead man’s piteous suffering; and +when he had received due burial rites, thrice they marched round the tomb in +full armour, and heaped above him a mound of earth. +</p> + +<p> +But when they had gone aboard, as the south wind blew over the sea, and they +were searching for a passage to go forth from the Tritonian lake, for long they +had no device, but all the day were borne on aimlessly. And as a serpent goes +writhing along his crooked path when the sun’s fiercest rays scorch him; +and with a hiss he turns his head to this side and that, and in his fury his +eyes glow like sparks of fire, until he creeps to his lair through a cleft in +the rock; so Argo seeking an outlet from the lake, a fairway for ships, +wandered for a long time. Then straightway Orpheus bade them bring forth from +the ship Apollo’s massy tripod and offer it to the gods of the land as +propitiation for their return. So they went forth and set Apollo’s gift +on the shore; then before them stood, in the form of a youth, farswaying +Triton, and he lifted a clod from the earth and offered it as a +stranger’s gift, and thus spake: +</p> + +<p> +“Take it, friends, for no stranger’s gift of great worth have I +here by me now to place in the hands of those who beseech me. But if ye are +searching for a passage through this sea, as often is the need of men passing +through a strange land, I will declare it. For my sire Poseidon has made me to +be well versed in this sea. And I rule the shore if haply in your distant land +you have ever heard of Eurypylus, born in Libya, the home of wild +beasts.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and readily Euphemus held out his hands towards the clod, and +thus addressed him in reply: +</p> + +<p> +“If haply, hero, thou knowest aught of Apis<a href="#linknote-38" +name="linknoteref-38" id="linknoteref-38"><sup>[38]</sup></a> and the +sea of Minos, tell us truly, who ask it of you. For not of our will have we +come hither, but by the stress of heavy storms have we touched the borders of +this land, and have borne our ship aloft on our shoulders to the waters of this +lake over the mainland, grievously burdened; and we know not where a passage +shows itself for our course to the land of Pelops.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake; and Triton stretched out his hand and showed afar the sea and the +lake’s deep mouth, and then addressed them: “That is the outlet to +the sea, where the deep water lies unmoved and dark; on each side roll white +breakers with shining crests; and the way between for your passage out is +narrow. And that sea stretches away in mist to the divine land of Pelops beyond +Crete; but hold to the right, when ye have entered the swell of the sea from +the lake, and steer your course hugging the land, as long as it trends to the +north; but when the coast bends, falling away in the other direction, then your +course is safely laid for you if ye go straight forward from the projecting +cape. But go in joy, and as for labour let there be no grieving that limbs in +youthful vigour should still toil.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake with kindly counsel; and they at once went aboard, intent to come +forth from the lake by the use of oars. And eagerly they sped on; meanwhile +Triton took up the mighty tripod, and they saw him enter the lake; but +thereafter did no one mark how he vanished so near them along with the tripod. +But their hearts were cheered, for that one of the blessed had met them in +friendly guise. And they bade Aeson’s son offer to him the choicest of +the sheep and when he had slain it chant the hymn of praise. And straightway he +chose in haste and raising the victim slew it over the stern, and prayed with +these words: +</p> + +<p> +“Thou god, who hast manifested thyself on the borders of this land, +whether the daughters born of the sea call thee Triton, the great sea-marvel, +or Phoreys, or Nereus, be gracious, and grant the return home dear to our +hearts.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and cut the victim’s throat over the water and cast it from the +stern. And the god rose up from the depths in form such as he really was. And +as when a man trains a swift steed for the broad race-course, and runs along, +grasping the bushy mane, while the steed follows obeying his master, and rears +his neck aloft in his pride, and the gleaming bit rings loud as he champs it in +his jaws from side to side; so the god, seizing hollow Argo’s keel, +guided her onward to the sea. And his body, from the crown of his head, round +his back and waist as far as the belly, was wondrously like that of the blessed +ones in form; but below his sides the tail of a sea monster lengthened far, +forking to this side and that; and he smote the surface of the waves with the +spines, which below parted into curving fins, like the horns of the new moon. +And he guided Argo on until he sped her into the sea on her course; and quickly +he plunged into the vast abyss; and the heroes shouted when they gazed with +their eyes on that dread portent. There is the harbour of Argo and there are +the signs of her stay, and altars to Poseidon and Triton; for during that day +they tarried. But at dawn with sails outspread they sped on before the breath +of the west wind, keeping the desert land on their right. And on the next morn +they saw the headland and the recess of the sea, bending inward beyond the +jutting headland. And straightway the west wind ceased, and there came the +breeze of the clear south wind; and their hearts rejoiced at the sound it made. +But when the sun sank and the star returned that bids the shepherd fold, which +brings rest to wearied ploughmen, at that time the wind died down in the dark +night; so they furled the sails and lowered the tall mast and vigorously plied +their polished oars all night and through the day, and again when the next +night came on. And rugged Carpathus far away welcomed them; and thence they +were to cross to Crete, which rises in the sea above other islands. +</p> + +<p> +And Talos, the man of bronze, as he broke off rocks from the hard cliff, stayed +them from fastening hawsers to the shore, when they came to the roadstead of +Dicte’s haven. He was of the stock of bronze, of the men sprung from +ash-trees, the last left among the sons of the gods; and the son of Cronos gave +him to Europa to be the warder of Crete and to stride round the island thrice a +day with his feet of bronze. Now in all the rest of his body and limbs was he +fashioned of bronze and invulnerable; but beneath the sinew by his ankle was a +blood-red vein; and this, with its issues of life and death, was covered by a +thin skin. So the heroes, though outworn with toil, quickly backed their ship +from the land in sore dismay. And now far from Crete would they have been borne +in wretched plight, distressed both by thirst and pain, had not Medea addressed +them as they turned away: +</p> + +<p> +“Hearken to me. For I deem that I alone can subdue for you that man, +whoever he be, even though his frame be of bronze throughout, unless his life +too is everlasting. But be ready to keep your ship here beyond the cast of his +stones, till he yield the victory to me.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake; and they drew the ship out of range, resting on their oars, +waiting to see what plan unlooked for she would bring to pass; and she, holding +the fold of her purple robe over her cheeks on each side, mounted on the deck; +and Aeson’s son took her hand in his and guided her way along the +thwarts. And with songs did she propitiate and invoke the Death-spirits, +devourers of life, the swift hounds of Hades, who, hovering through all the +air, swoop down on the living. Kneeling in supplication, thrice she called on +them with songs, and thrice with prayers; and, shaping her soul to mischief, +with her hostile glance she bewitched the eyes of Talos, the man of bronze; and +her teeth gnashed bitter wrath against him, and she sent forth baneful phantoms +in the frenzy of her rage. +</p> + +<p> +Father Zeus, surely great wonder rises in my mind, seeing that dire destruction +meets us not from disease and wounds alone, but lo! even from afar, may be, it +tortures us! So Talos, for all his frame of bronze, yielded the victory to the +might of Medea the sorceress. And as he was heaving massy rocks to stay them +from reaching the haven, he grazed his ankle on a pointed crag; and the ichor +gushed forth like melted lead; and not long thereafter did he stand towering on +the jutting cliff. But even as some huge pine, high up on the mountains, which +woodmen have left half hewn through by their sharp axes when they returned from +the forest—at first it shivers in the wind by night, then at last snaps +at the stump and crashes down; so Talos for a while stood on his tireless feet, +swaying to and fro, when at last, all strengthless, fell with a mighty thud. +For that night there in Crete the heroes lay; then, just as dawn was growing +bright, they built a shrine to Minoan Athena, and drew water and went aboard, +so that first of all they might by rowing pass beyond Salmone’s height. +</p> + +<p> +But straightway as they sped over the wide Cretan sea night scared them, that +night which they name the Pall of Darkness; the stars pierced not that fatal +night nor the beams of the moon, but black chaos descended from heaven, or +haply some other darkness came, rising from the nethermost depths. And the +heroes, whether they drifted in Hades or on the waters, knew not one whit; but +they committed their return to the sea in helpless doubt whither it was bearing +them. But Jason raised his hands and cried to Phoebus with mighty voice, +calling on him to save them; and the tears ran down in his distress; and often +did he promise to bring countless offerings to Pytho, to Amyclae, and to +Ortygia. And quickly, O son of Leto, swift to hear, didst thou come down from +heaven to the Melantian rocks, which lie there in the sea. Then darting upon +one of the twin peaks, thou raisedst aloft in thy right hand thy golden bow; +and the bow flashed a dazzling gleam all round. And to their sight appeared a +small island of the Sporades, over against the tiny isle Hippuris, and there +they cast anchor and stayed; and straightway dawn arose and gave them light; +and they made for Apollo a glorious abode in a shady wood, and a shady altar, +calling on Phoebus the “Gleamer”, because of the gleam far-seen; +and that bare island they called Anaphe,<a href="#linknote-39" +name="linknoteref-39" id="linknoteref-39"><sup>[39]</sup></a> for that +Phoebus had revealed it to men sore bewildered. And they sacrificed all that +men could provide for sacrifice on a desolate strand; wherefore when +Medea’s Phaeacian handmaids saw them pouring water for libations on the +burning brands, they could no longer restrain laughter within their bosoms, for +that ever they had seen oxen in plenty slain in the halls of Alcinous. And the +heroes delighted in the jest and attacked them with taunting words; and merry +railing and contention flung to and fro were kindled among them. And from that +sport of the heroes such scoffs do the women fling at the men in that island +whenever they propitiate with sacrifices Apollo the gleaming god, the warder of +Anaphe. +</p> + +<p> +But when they had loosed the hawsers thence in fair weather, then Euphemus +bethought him of a dream of the night, reverencing the glorious son of Maia. +For it seemed to him that the god-given clod of earth held in his palm close to +his breast was being suckled by white streams of milk, and that from it, little +though it was, grew a woman like a virgin; and he, overcome by strong desire, +lay with her in love’s embrace; and united with her he pitied her, as +though she were a maiden whom he was feeding with his own milk; but she +comforted him with gentle words: +</p> + +<p> +“Daughter of Triton am I, dear friend, and nurse of thy children, no +maiden; Triton and Libya are my parents. But restore me to the daughters of +Nereus to dwell in the sea near Anaphe; I shall return again to the light of +the sun, to prepare a home for thy descendants.” +</p> + +<p> +Of this he stored in his heart the memory, and declared it to Aeson’s +son; and Jason pondered a prophecy of the Far-Darter and lifted up his voice +and said: +</p> + +<p> +“My friend, great and glorious renown has fallen to thy lot. For of this +clod when thou hast cast it into the sea, the gods will make an island, where +thy children’s children shall dwell; for Triton gave this to thee as a +stranger’s gift from the Libyan mainland. None other of the immortals it +was than he that gave thee this when he met thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake; and Euphemus made not vain the answer of Aeson’s son; but, +cheered by the prophecy, he cast the clod into the depths. Therefrom rose up an +island, Calliste, sacred nurse of the sons of Euphemus, who in former days +dwelt in Sintian Lemnos, and from Lemnos were driven forth by Tyrrhenians and +came to Sparta as suppliants; and when they left Sparta, Theras, the goodly son +of Autesion, brought them to the island Calliste, and from himself he gave it +the name of Thera. But this befell after the days of Euphemus. +</p> + +<p> +And thence they steadily left behind long leagues of sea and stayed on the +beach of Aegina; and at once they contended in innocent strife about the +fetching of water, who first should draw it and reach the ship. For both their +need and the ceaseless breeze urged them on. There even to this day do the +youths of the Myrmidons take up on their shoulders full-brimming jars, and with +swift feet strive for victory in the race. +</p> + +<p> +Be gracious, race of blessed chieftains! And may these songs year after year be +sweeter to sing among men. For now have I come to the glorious end of your +toils; for no adventure befell you as ye came home from Aegina, and no tempest +of winds opposed you; but quietly did ye skirt the Cecropian land and Aulis +inside of Euboea and the Opuntian cities of the Locrians, and gladly did ye +step forth upon the beach of Pagasae. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap07"></a>ENDNOTES:</h2> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1" id="linknote-1"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-1">1</a><br /> “Or of Naucratis”, according +to Aelian and Athenaeus. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2" id="linknote-2"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-2">2</a><br /> Anth. Pal. xl. 275. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3" id="linknote-3"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-3">3</a><br /> iii. 117-124. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-4" id="linknote-4"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-4">4</a><br /> <i>e.g.</i> compare <i>Aen.</i> iv. 305 +foll. with Ap. Rh. iv. 355 foll.; <i>Aen.</i> iv. 327-330 with Ap. Rh. I. 897, +898; <i>Aen.</i> iv. 522 foll., with Ap. Rh. iii. 744 foll. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-5" id="linknote-5"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-5">5</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> God of embarcation. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-6" id="linknote-6"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-6">6</a><br /> Or, reading +ἔκτοθεν, “they strongly girded the +ship outside with a well-twisted rope.” In either case there is probably +no allusion to +ὐποζώματα (ropes for +undergirding) which were carried loose and only used in stormy weather. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-7" id="linknote-7"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-7">7</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> God of the shore. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-8" id="linknote-8"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-8">8</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> The Starting. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-9" id="linknote-9"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-9">9</a><br /> Samothrace. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-10" id="linknote-10"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-10">10</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> god of disembarcation. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-11" id="linknote-11"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-11">11</a><br /> Cleite means illustrious. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-12" id="linknote-12"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-12">12</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> to avoid grinding it at +home. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-13" id="linknote-13"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-13">13</a><br /> Rhea. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-14" id="linknote-14"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-14">14</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> Polydeuces. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-15" id="linknote-15"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-15">15</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> Saviour of Sailors. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-16" id="linknote-16"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-16">16</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> through the ravine that +divides the headland. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-17" id="linknote-17"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-17">17</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> river of fair dances. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-18" id="linknote-18"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-18">18</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> the bedchamber. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-19" id="linknote-19"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-19">19</a><br /> The north-west wind. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-20" id="linknote-20"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-20">20</a><br /> Called “Mossynes”. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-21" id="linknote-21"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-21">21</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> without exacting gifts from +the bridegroom. So in the “Iliad” ix. 146: Agamemnon offers +Achilles any of his three daughters +ἀνάεδνος. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-22" id="linknote-22"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-22">22</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> the fight between the gods +and the giants. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-23" id="linknote-23"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-23">23</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> the Shining One. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-24" id="linknote-24"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-24">24</a><br /> A name of Ares. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-25" id="linknote-25"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-25">25</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> the liquid that flows in the +veins of gods. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-26" id="linknote-26"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-26">26</a><br /> Or, reading +μήνιμ’, +“took no heed of the cause of wrath with the stranger-folk.” +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-27" id="linknote-27"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-27">27</a><br /> The allusion is to Sesotris. See +Herodotus ii. 102 foll. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-28" id="linknote-28"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-28">28</a><br /> Or, reading +ἠμετέρην, +“into our sea”. The Euxine is meant in any case and the word Ionian +is therefore wrong. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-29" id="linknote-29"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-29">29</a><br /> Apollonius seems to have thought that +the Po, the Rhone, and the Rhine are all connected together. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-30" id="linknote-30"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-30">30</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> like the scrapings from +skin, +ἀποστλεγγίσματα; +see Strabo p. 224 for this adventure. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-31" id="linknote-31"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-31">31</a><br /> The <i>Symplegades</i> are referred to, +where help was given by Athena, not by Hera. It is strange that no mention is +made of the <i>Planctae</i>, properly so called, past which they are soon to be +helped. Perhaps some lines have fallen out. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-32" id="linknote-32"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-32">32</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> the Mighty One. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-33" id="linknote-33"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-33">33</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> the Wanderers. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-34" id="linknote-34"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-34">34</a><br /> A fabulous metal, resembling gold in +appearance. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-35" id="linknote-35"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-35">35</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> the Sickle-island. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-36" id="linknote-36"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-36">36</a><br /> The old name of Corinth. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-37" id="linknote-37"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-37">37</a><br /> This seems to be the only possible +translation, but the optative is quite anomalous. We should expect +ἐκόμιζες. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-38" id="linknote-38"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-38">38</a><br /> An old name of the Peloponnesus. +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-39" id="linknote-39"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +<a href="#linknoteref-39">39</a><br /> <i>i.e.</i> the isle of Revealing. </p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Argonautica, by Apollonius Rhodius + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ARGONAUTICA *** + +***** This file should be named 830-h.htm or 830-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/8/3/830/ + +Produced by Douglas B. 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