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diff --git a/old/1argn10.txt b/old/1argn10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d1c1e97 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/1argn10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6336 @@ +Project Gutenberg Etext of The Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association/Carnegie-Mellon + University" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Carnegie-Mellon University". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +The Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius (fl. 3rd Century B.C.) + +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. + + +This electronic edition was edited, proofed, and prepared by +Douglas B. Killings (DeTroyes@EnterAct.COM), January 1997. + +PREPARER'S NOTE: +Words in CAPITALS are Greek words transliterated into modern +characters. + +***************************************************************** +SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: + +ORIGINAL TEXT -- + +Seaton, R.C. (Ed. & Trans.): "Apollonius Rhodius: Argonautica" +(Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA, 1912). Original Greek +text with side-by-side English translation. + + +OTHER TRANSLATIONS -- + +Rieu, E.V. (Trans.): "Apollonius of Rhodes: The Voyage of the +Argo" (Penguin Classics, London, 1959, 1971). + + +RECOMMENDED READING -- + +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". + +***************************************************************** + +INTRODUCTION + +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, (1) 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 "Argonautica", 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' "Hymn to Apollo", 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. + +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 "Hymn to +Apollo", already mentioned, also probably in some epigrams, but +most of all in his "Ibis", 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 "Argonautica" (11. 927-947) which is of a polemical nature +and stands out from the context, and the well-known savage +epigram upon Callimachus. (2) Various combinations have been +attempted by scholars, notably by Couat, in his "Poesie +Alexandrine", to give a connected account of the quarrel, but we +have not data sufficient to determine the order of the attacks, +and replies, and counter-attacks. The "Ibis" 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 "Argonautica" out of +bravado, to show that he could 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. + +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. + +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, (3) 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. + +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 "Argonautica" 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. (4) 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 "Argonautica" 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. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) "Or of Naucratis", according to Aelian and Athenaeus. +(2) Anth. Pal. xl. 275. +(3) iii. 117-124. +(4) e.g. compare "Aen." iv. 305 foll. with Ap. Rh. iv. 355 + foll.; "Aen." iv. 327-330 with Ap. Rh. I. 897, 898; "Aen." + iv. 522 foll., with Ap. Rh. iii. 744 foll. + + + +THE ARGONAUTICA + +BOOK I + +(ll. 1-4) 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. + +(ll. 5-17) 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. + +(ll. 18-22) 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! + +(ll. 23-34) 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. + +(ll. 35-39) 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. + +(ll. 40-44) 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. + +(ll. 45-48) 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. + +(ll. 49-50) Nor did Admetus, the lord of Pherae rich in sheep, +stay behind beneath the peak of the Chalcodonian mount. + +(ll. 51-56) 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. + +(ll. 57-64) 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. + +(ll. 65-68) 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. + +(ll. 69-70) Moreover Actor sent his son Menoetius from Opus that +he might accompany the chiefs. + +(ll. 71-76) 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. + +(ll. 77-85) 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. + +(ll. 86-89) 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. + +(ll. 90-94) 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. + +(ll. 95-104) 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. + +(ll. 105-114) 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. + +(ll. 115-117) 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. + +(ll. 118-121) 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. + +(ll. 122-132) 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. + +(ll. 133-138) 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. + +(ll. 139-145) 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. + +(ll. 146-150) 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. + +(ll. 151-155) 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. + +(ll. 156-160) 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. + +(ll. 161-171) 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. + +(ll. 172-175) 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. + +(ll. 176-178) Asterius and Amphion, sons of Hyperasius, came +from Achaean Pellene, which once Pelles their grandsire founded +on the brows of Aegialus. + +(ll. 179-184) 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. + +(ll. 185-189) 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. + +(ll. 190-201) 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. + +(ll. 202-206) 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. + +(ll. 207-210) 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. + +(ll. 211-223) 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. + +(ll. 224-227) 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. + +(ll. 228-233) 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. + +(ll. 234-241) 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: + +(ll. 242-246) "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." + +(ll. 247-250) 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: + +(ll. 251-260) "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." + +(ll. 261-277) 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: + +(ll. 278-291) "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." + +(ll. 292-294) Thus with moaning she wept, and her handmaidens, +standing by, lamented; but Jason spake gently to her with +comforting words: + +(ll. 295-305) "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." + +(ll. 306-316) 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. + +(ll. 317-331) 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: + +(ll. 332-340) "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." + +(ll. 341-344) 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: + +(ll. 345-347) "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." + +(ll. 348-350) 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: + +(ll. 351-362) "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 +(1) 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." + +(ll. 363-393) 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, (2) +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. + +(ll. 394-401) 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. + +(ll. 402-410) Next, piling up shingle near the sea, they raised +there an altar on the shore to Apollo, under the name of Actius +(3) 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: + +(ll. 411-424) "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 weird 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." + +(ll. 425-439) 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: + +(ll. 440-447) "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." + +(ll. 448-462) 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: + +(ll. 463-471) "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." + +(ll. 472-475) 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: + +(ll. 480-484) "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." + +(ll. 485-486) Thus he spake, and Aphareian Iclas laughed out, +loud and long, and eyeing him askance replied with biting words: + +(ll. 487-491) "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." + +(ll. 492-495) 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. + +(ll. 496-511) 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. + +(ll. 512-518) 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. + +(ll. 519-558) 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. + +(ll. 559-579) 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. + +(ll. 580-591) 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 (4) of +Argo. + +(ll. 592-608) 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. + +(ll. 609-639) 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. + +(ll. 640-652) 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. + +(ll. 653-656) 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: + +(ll. 657-666) "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." + +(ll. 667-674) 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: + +(ll. 675-696) "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." + +(ll. 697-699) 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. + +(ll. 700-701) "If this purpose please you all, now will I even +send a messenger to the ship." + +(ll. 702-707) 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." + +(ll. 708-711) 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: + +(ll. 712-716) "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." + +(ll. 717-720) 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. + +(ll. 721-729) 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. + +(ll. 730-734) 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. + +(ll. 735-741) 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. + +(ll. 742-746) 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. + +(ll. 747-751) 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. + +(ll. 752-758) 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. + +(ll. 759-762) 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. + +(ll. 763-767) 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. + +(ll. 768-773) 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. + +(ll. 774-792) 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: + +(ll. 793-833) "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." + +(ll. 834-835) She spoke, glozing over the murder that had been +wrought upon the men; and Jason addressed her in answer: + +(ll. 836-841) "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." + +(ll. 842-852) 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. + +(ll. 853-864) 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: + +(ll. 865-874) "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." + +(ll. 875-887) 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: + +(ll. 888-898) "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." + +(ll. 899-909) 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." + +(ll. 910-921) 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, (5) 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. + +(ll. 922-935) 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. + +(ll. 936-960) 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. + +(ll. 961-988) 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 +(6) 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. + +(ll. 989-1011) 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. + +(ll. 1012-1076) 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, (7) 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. (8) + +(ll. 1079-1091) 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: + +(ll. 1092-1102) "Son of Aeson, thou must climb to this temple on +rugged Dindymum and propitiate the mother (9) 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." + +(ll. 1103-1152) 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. + +(ll. 1153-1171) 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 he idle. + +(ll. 1172-1186) 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. + +(ll. 1187-1206) 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. + +(ll. 1207-1239) 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. + +(ll. 1240-1256) 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. + +(ll. 1257-1260) "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." + +(ll. 1261-1272) 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. + +(ll. 1273-1289) 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: + +(ll. 1290-1295) "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." + +(ll. 1296-1314) 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: + +(ll. 1315-1325) "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." + +(ll. 1326-1331) 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: + +(ll. 1332-1335) "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." + +(ll. 1336-1343) 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." + +(ll. 1344-1357) 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. + +(ll. 1358-1362) 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. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) i.e. God of embarcation. +(2) Or, reading EKTOTHEN, "they strongly girded the ship outside + with a well-twisted rope." In either case there is probably + no allusion to YPOZOMATA (ropes for undergirding) which were + carried loose and only used in stormy weather. +(3) i.e. God of the shore. +(4) i.e. The Starting. +(5) Samothrace. +(6) i.e. god of disembarcation. +(7) Cleite means illustrious. +(8) i.e. to avoid grinding it at home. +(9) Rhea. + + + +BOOK II + +(ll. 1-10) 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: + +(ll. 11-18) "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. + +(ll. 19-21) 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: + +(ll. 22-24) "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." + +(ll. 25-54) 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: + +(ll. 55-59) "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." + +(ll. 60-66) 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. + +(ll. 67-97) 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. + +(ll. 98-144) 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: + +(ll. 145-153) "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." + +(ll. 154-163) 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. (1) + +(ll. 164-177) 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. + +(ll. 178-208) 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: + +(ll. 209-239) "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." + +(ll. 240-243) 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: + +(ll. 244-253) "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." + +(ll. 254-255) Thus he spake; and towards him the aged sire +opened his sightless eyes, and lifted them up and replied with +these words: + +(ll. 256-261) "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." + +(ll. 262-287) 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: + +(ll. 288-290) "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." + +(ll. 291-300) 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. + +(ll. 301-310) 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: + +(ll. 311-315) "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. + +(ll. 316-340) "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. + +(ll. 341-359) "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. + +(ll. 360-406) "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." + +(ll. 408-410) 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: + +(ll. 411-418) "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." + +(ll. 419-425) 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." + +(ll. 426-437) 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: + +(ll. 438-442) 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." + +(ll. 443-447) 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." + +(ll. 448-467) 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 tho 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: + +(ll. 468-489) "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." + +(ll. 490-499) 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. + +(ll. 500-527) 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. + +(ll. 528-536) 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. + +(ll. 537-548) 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. + +(ll. 549-567) 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. + +(ll. 568-592) 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. + +(ll. 593-610) 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: + +(ll. 611-618) "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." + +(ll. 619-637) 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." + +(ll. 638-640) 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: + +(ll. 641-647) "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." + +(ll. 648-668) 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. + +(ll. 669-685) 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: + +(ll. 686-693) "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." + +(ll. 694-713) 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. + +(ll. 714-719) 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. + +(ll. 720-751) 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 (2) 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 (3) the Acherusian headland and came to land over +against it as the wind had just ceased. + +(ll. 752-773) 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: + +(ll. 774-810) "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." + +(ll. 811-814) 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. + +(ll. 815-834) 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. + +(ll. 835-850) 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. + +(ll. 851-868) 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: + +(ll. 869-877) "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." + +(ll. 878-884) 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." + +(ll. 885-893) 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." + +(ll. 894-898) 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. + +(ll. 899-910) 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 (4) and +the cave Aulion.(5) + +(ll. 911-929) 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. + +(ll. 930-945) 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. + +(ll. 946-965) 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 (6) +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. + +(ll. 966-1001) 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. + +(ll. 1002-1008) 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. + +(ll. 1009-1014) 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. + +(ll. 1015-1029) Next they reached the sacred mount and the land +where the Mossynoeci dwell amid high mountains in wooden huts, +(7) 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. + +(ll. 1030-1046) 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: + +(ll. 1047-1067) "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." + +(ll. 1068-1089) 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. + +(ll. 1090-1092) 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? + +(ll. 1093-1122) 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: + +(ll. 1123-1133) "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." + +(ll. 1134-1139) 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." + +(ll. 1140-1156) 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. (8) 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." + +(ll. 1157-1159) 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: + +(ll. 1160-1178) "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." + +(ll. 1168-1178) 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: + +(ll. 1179-1195) "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." + +(ll. 1196-1199) 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: + +(ll. 1200-1215) "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." + +(ll. 1216-1218) 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: + +(ll. 1219-1225) "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." + +(ll. 1226-1230) 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. + +(ll. 1231-1241) 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. + +(ll. 1242-1261) 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. + +(ll. 1262-1276) 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: + +(ll. 1277-1280) "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." + +(ll. 1281-1285) 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. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) i.e. Polydeuces. +(2) i.e. Saviour of Sailors. +(3) i.e. through the ravine that divides the headland. +(4) i.e. river of fair dances. +(5) i.e. the bedchamber. +(6) The north-west wind. +(7) Called "Mossynes". +(8) i.e. without exacting gifts from the bridegroom. So in the + "Iliad" (ix. 146) Agamemnon offers Achilles any of his three + daughters ANAEONOS. + + + +BOOK III + +(ll. 1-5) 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. + +(ll. 6-10) 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: + +(ll. 11-16) "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." + +(ll. 17-21) 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." + +(ll. 22-29) 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." + +(ll. 30-31) Thus she spake, and the prudent plan pleased Athena, +and she addressed her in reply with gentle words: + +(ll. 32-35) "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." + +(ll. 36-51) 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: + +(ll. 52-54) "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?" + +(ll. 55-75) 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." + +(ll. 76-82) 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." + +(ll. 83-89) 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." + +(ll. 90-99) 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." + +(ll. 100-105) 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." + +(ll. 106-110) 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." + +(ll. 111-128) 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: + +(ll. 129-144) "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." + +(ll. 145-150) 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: + +(ll. 151-153) "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." + +(ll. 154-166) 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. + +(ll. 167-193) 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." + +(ll. 194-209) 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. + +(ll. 210-259) 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. (1) 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, (2) 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: + +(ll. 260-267) "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?" + +(ll. 268-274) 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. + +(ll. 275-298) 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. + +(ll. 299-303) 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: + +(ll. 304-316) "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." + +(ll. 317-319) 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: + +(ll. 320-366) "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 (3) 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." + +(ll. 367-371) 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: + +(ll. 372-381) "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!" + +(ll. 382-385) 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: + +(ll. 386-395) "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." + +(ll. 396-400) 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: + +(ll. 401-421) "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." + +(ll. 422-426) 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: + +(ll. 427-431) "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." + +(ll. 432-438) 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." + +(ll. 439-463) 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: + +(ll. 464-470) 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." + +(ll. 471-474) 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: + +(ll. 475-483) "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." + +(ll. 383-491) 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: + +(ll. 492-501) "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." + +(ll. 502-514) 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." + +(ll. 515-522) 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: + +(ll. 523-539) "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." + +(ll. 540-544) 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: + +(ll. 545-554) "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." + +(ll. 555-563) 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." + +(ll. 564-571) 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." + +(ll. 572-575) 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. + +(ll. 576-608) 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. + +(ll. 609-615) 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. + +(ll. 616-635) 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: + +(ll. 636-644) "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." + +(ll. 645-673) 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: + +(ll. 674-680) "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!" + +(ll. 681-687) 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: + +(ll. 688-692) "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." + +(ll. 693-704) 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." + +(ll. 705-710) 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: + +(ll. 711-717) "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." + +(ll. 718-723) 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." + +(ll. 724-739) 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." + +(ll. 740-743) 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. + +(ll. 744-771) 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: + +(ll. 772-801) "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." + +(ll. 802-824) 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. + +(ll. 825-827) Then Argus bade his brothers remain there to learn +the maiden's mind and plans, but himself turned back and went to +the ship. + +(ll. 828-890) 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 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: + +(ll. 891-911) "Friends, verily have I sinned greatly and took no +heed not to go among the stranger-folk 1 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." + +(ll. 912-918) 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. + +(ll. 919-926) 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. + +(ll. 927-931) 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: + +(ll. 932-937) "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." + +(ll. 938-946) 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." + +(ll. 947-974) 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: + +(ll. 975-1007) "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." + +(ll. 1008-1025) 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: + +(ll. 1026-1062) "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." + +(ll. 1063-1068) 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: + +(ll. 1069-1076) "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." + +(ll. 1077-1078) Thus she spake; and over him too, at the tears +of the maiden, stole Love the destroyer, and he thus answered +her: + +(ll. 1079-1101) "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!" + +(ll. 1102-1104) 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: + +(ll. 1105-1117) "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!" + +(ll. 1118-1130) 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." + +(ll. 1131-1136) 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. + +(ll. 1137-1145) 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." + +(ll. 1146-1162) 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. + +(ll. 1163-1190) 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. + +(ll. 1191-1224) 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. + +(ll. 1225-1245) 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. + +(ll. 1246-1277) 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. + +(ll. 1278-1325) 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. + +(ll. 1326-1339) 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. + +(ll. 1340-1407) 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. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) i.e. the fight between the gods and the giants. +(2) i.e. the Shining One. +(3) A name of Ares. +(4) i.e. the liquid that flows in the veins of gods. +(5) Or, reading MENIM, "took no heed of the cause of wrath with + the stranger-folk." + + + +BOOK IV + +(ll. 1-5) 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. + +(ll. 6-10) 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. + +(ll. 11-29) 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: + +(ll. 30-33) "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!" + +(ll. 34-56) 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: + +(ll. 57-65) "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." + +(ll. 66-82) 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: + +(ll. 83-91) "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." + +(ll. 92-98) 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." + +(ll. 99-108) 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. + +(ll. 109-122) 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. + +(ll. 123-161) 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. + +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. + +(ll. 183-189) 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: + +(ll. 190-205) "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." + +(ll. 206-211) 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. + +(ll. 212-235) 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. + +(ll. 236-240) 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. + +(ll. 241-252) 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. + +(ll. 253-256) 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: + +(ll. 257-293) "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 (1) 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, (2) 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." + +(ll. 204-302) 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. + +(ll. 303-337) 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. + +(ll. 338-349) 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. + +(ll. 350-354) 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: + +(ll. 355-390) "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." + +(ll. 391-394) 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: + +(ll. 395-409) "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." + +(ll. 410-420) 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. + +(ll. 421-422) 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. + +(ll. 445-451) 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. + +(ll. 452-481) 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. + +(ll. 481-494) 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: + +(ll. 495-502) "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." + +(ll. 503-506) 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. + +(ll. 507-521) 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. + +(ll. 522-551) 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. + +(ll. 552-556) 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? + +(ll. 557-591) 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. + +(ll. 592-626) 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. + +(ll. 627-658) 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. (3) 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; (4) and there are their quoits and their +wondrous armour; and there is the Argoan harbour called after +them. + +(ll. 659-684) 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. + +(ll. 685-717) 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. + +(ll. 718-738) 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: + +(ll. 739-748) "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." + +(ll. 749-752) 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. + +(ll. 753-756) 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: + +(ll. 757-769) "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." + +(ll. 770-782) 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: + +(ll. 783-832) "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, (5) 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, (6) 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." + +(ll. 833-841) 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." + +(ll. 842-855) 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: + +(ll. 856-864) "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, (7) 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." + +(ll. 865-884) 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. + +(ll. 885-921) 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. + +(ll. 922-981) 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 (8) 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. + +(ll. 982-1013) 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, (9) 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: + +(ll. 1014-1028) "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!" + +(ll. 1029-1030) Thus did she implore Arete, shedding tears, and +thus each of the chieftains in turn: + +(ll. 1031-1052) "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." + +(ll. 1053-1067) 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. + +(ll. 1068-1072) 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: + +(ll. 1073-1095) "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." + +(ll. 1096-1097) Thus she spake, beseeching; and by his wife's +words his heart was softened, and thus he spake: + +(ll. 1098-1109) "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." + +(ll. 1110-1120) 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. + +(ll. 1121-1127) 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. + +(ll. 1128-1169) 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. + +(ll. 1170-1227) 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, (10) 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. + +(ll. 1228-1250) 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: + +(ll. 1251-1258) "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!" + +(ll. 1259-1276) 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." + +(ll. 1277-1317) 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: + +(ll. 1318-1329) "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." + +(ll. 1330-1332) 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: + +(ll. 1333-1336) "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." + +(ll. 1337-1346) 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: + +(ll. 1347-1362) "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." + +(ll. 1363-1369) 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: + +(ll. 1370-1379) "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." + +(ll. 1380-1392) 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! + +(ll. 1393-1421) 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." + +(ll. 1422-1431) 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: + +(ll. 1432-1449) "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." + +(ll. 1450-1457) 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: + +(ll. 1458-1460) "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!" + +(ll. 1461-1484) 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. + +(ll. 1485-1501) 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 (11) 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. + +(ll. 1502-1536) 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. + +(ll. 1537-1553) 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: + +(ll. 1554-1561) "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." + +(ll. 1562-1563) Thus he spake, and readily Euphemus held out his +hands towards the clod, and thus addressed him in reply: + +(ll. 1564-1570) "If haply, hero, thou knowest aught of Apis (12) +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." + +(ll. 1571-1585) 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." + +(ll. 1586-1596) 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: + +(ll. 1597-1600) "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." + +(ll. 1601-1637) 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. + +(ll. 1638-1653) 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: + +(ll. 1654-1658) "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." + +(ll. 1659-1672) 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. + +(ll. 1673-1693) 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. + +(ll. 1694-1730) 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, (13) 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. + +(ll. 1731-1740) 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: + +(ll. 1741-1745) "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." + +(ll. 1746-1748) 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: + +(ll. 1749-1754) "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." + +(ll. 1755-1764) 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. + +(ll. 1765-1772) 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. + +(ll. 1773-1781) 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. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) The allusion is to Sesotris. See Herodotus ii. 102 foll. +(2) Or, reading EMETEREN, "into our sea". The Euxine is meant + in any case and the word Ionian is therefore wrong. +(3) Apollonius seems to have thought that the Po, the Rhone, and + the Rhine are all connected together. +(4) i.e. like the scrapings from skin, APOSTLEGGISMATA; see + Strabo p. 224 for this adventure. +(5) The "Symplegades" are referred to, where help was given by + Athena, not by Hera. It is strange that no mention is made + of the "Planctae", properly so called, past which they are + soon to be helped. Perhaps some lines have fallen out. +(6) i.e. the Mighty One. +(7) i.e. the Wanderers. +(8) A fabulous metal, resembling gold in appearance. +(9) i.e. the Sickle-island. +(10) The old name of Corinth. +(11) This seems to be the only possible translation, but the + optative is quite anomalous. We should expect EKOMIZES. +(12) An old name of the Peloponnesus. +(13) i.e. the isle of Revealing. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg Etext of The Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius + |