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diff --git a/37881-tei/37881-tei.tei b/37881-tei/37881-tei.tei new file mode 100644 index 0000000..12c445f --- /dev/null +++ b/37881-tei/37881-tei.tei @@ -0,0 +1,7726 @@ +<?xml version="1.0"?> +<!DOCTYPE TEI.2 SYSTEM "http://www.gutenberg.org/tei/marcello/0.4/dtd/pgtei.dtd"> +<TEI.2 lang="en"> + + + <teiHeader> + <fileDesc> + <titleStmt> + <title>The Golden Fleece and The Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles</title> + <author><name reg="Colum, Padraic">Padraic Colum</name></author> + </titleStmt> + <publicationStmt> + <publisher>Project Gutenberg</publisher> + <date>October 29, 2011</date> + <idno type="etext-no">37881</idno> + <availability> + <p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere + at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. + You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under + the terms of the Project Gutenberg License online at + www.gutenberg.org/license</p> + </availability> + </publicationStmt> + <sourceDesc> + <bibl> + Created electronically. + </bibl> + </sourceDesc> + </fileDesc> + <encodingDesc> + <editorialDecl> + <p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The book received a Newbery Honor Award (1922).</p> + <p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> See transcriber's note in the back.</p> + </editorialDecl> + </encodingDesc> + <profileDesc> + <langUsage> + <language id="en"/> + </langUsage> + </profileDesc> + <revisionDesc> + <change> + <date value="October 29, 2011"></date> + <respStmt> + <resp>Produced by <name>David Edwards</name>, <name>Daniel Mahu</name>, + and the <name>Online Distributed Proofreading Team</name> at + <http://www.pgdp.net/c> (This file was produced from images generously + made available by The Internet Archive). + </resp> + </respStmt> + <item>Project Gutenberg TEI edition 1</item> + </change> + </revisionDesc> + </teiHeader> + + + +<text lang="en"><front><div><divGen type="pgheader"/></div><div><divGen type="encodingDesc"/></div><div rend="page-break-before: always"> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/cover.png"><anchor id="cover.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> + +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/halftitle.png"><anchor id="halftitle.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> + +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/frontis.png"><anchor id="frontis.png"/><index index="fig"/><head>Jason and Medea</head><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> + +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/title.png"><anchor id="title.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<l rend="font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;">The Golden Fleece</l><l rend="font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;">and the Heroes Who</l><l rend="font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;">Lived before Achilles</l><l rend="font-size: x-large; text-align: center; margin-top: 1em;">By Padraig Colum</l><l rend="font-size: x-large; text-align: center">Illustrations by Willy Pogany</l><l rend="text-align: center; margin-top: 3em;">1921</l><l rend="text-align: center;">The Macmillan Company, New York</l><l rend="text-align: center; margin-top: 5em;">to</l><l rend="text-align: center;">the children of</l><l rend="text-align: center;">Susan and Llewellyn Jones</l></div><div rend="page-break-before: right"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/contents.png"><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure><head>Contents</head><divGen type="toc"/></div><div rend="page-break-before: right"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/illustrations.png"><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure><head>Illustrations</head><divGen type="fig"/></div></front><body><pb n="1"/><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>Part I. The Voyage to Colchis</head><pb n="3"/><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>I. The Youth Jason</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capA1.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">A</hi> MAN in the garb of a slave went up the +side of that mountain that is all covered +with forest, the Mountain Pelion. He +carried in his arms a little child. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When it was full noon the slave came +into a clearing of the forest so silent that +it seemed empty of all life. He laid the +child down on the soft moss, and then, trembling with the fear +of what might come before him, he raised a horn to his lips and +blew three blasts upon it. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then he waited. The blue sky was above him, the great trees +stood away from him, and the little child lay at his feet. He +waited, and then he heard the thud-thud of great hooves. And +then from between the trees he saw coming toward him the +strangest of all beings, one who was half man and half horse; +this was Chiron the centaur. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Chiron came toward the trembling slave. Greater than any +horse was Chiron, taller than any man. The hair of his head +flowed back into his horse’s mane, his great beard flowed over +his horse’s chest; in his man’s hand he held a great spear. +</p><pb n="4"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Not swiftly he came, but the slave could see that in those +great limbs of his there was speed like to the wind’s. The slave +fell upon his knees. And with eyes that were full of majesty +and wisdom and limbs that were full of strength and speed, the +king-centaur stood above him. <q>O my lord,</q> the slave said, +<q>I have come before thee sent by Æson, my master, who told +me where to come and what blasts to blow upon the horn. And +Æson, once King of Iolcus, bade me say to thee that if thou +dost remember his ancient friendship with thee thou wilt, perchance, +take this child and guard and foster him, and, as he +grows, instruct him with thy wisdom.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>For Æson’s sake I will rear and foster this child,</q> said +Chiron the king-centaur in a deep voice. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The child lying on the moss had been looking up at the four-footed +and two-handed centaur. Now the slave lifted him up +and placed him in the centaur’s arms. He said: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Æson bade me tell thee that the child’s name is Jason. He +bade me give thee this ring with the great ruby in it that thou +mayst give it to the child when he is grown. By this ring with +its ruby and the images engraved on it Æson may know his son +when they meet after many years and many changes. And another +thing Æson bade me say to thee, O my lord Chiron: not +presumptuous is he, but he knows that this child has the regard +of the immortal Goddess Hera, the wife of Zeus.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Chiron held Æson’s son in his arms, and the little child put +hands into his great beard. Then the centaur said, <q>Let Æson + + + +<pb n="5"/> +know that his son will be reared and fostered by me, and that, +when they meet again, there will be ways by which they will be +known to each other.</q> +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i001.png"><anchor id="i001.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Saying this Chiron the centaur, holding the child in his arms, +went swiftly toward the forest arches; then the slave took up +the horn and went down the side of the Mountain Pelion. +He came to where a horse was hidden, and he mounted and +rode, first to a city, and then to a village that was beyond the +city. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> All this was before the famous walls of Troy were built; before +King Priam had come to the throne of his father and while +he was still known, not as Priam, but as Podarces. And the +beginning of all these happenings was in Iolcus, a city in +Thessaly. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Cretheus founded the city and had ruled over it in days before +King Priam was born. He left two sons, Æson and Pelias. +Æson succeeded his father. And because he was a mild and +gentle man the men of war did not love Æson; they wanted a +hard king who would lead them to conquests. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Pelias, the brother of Æson, was ever with the men of war; +he knew what mind they had toward Æson and he plotted +with them to overthrow his brother. This they did, and they +brought Pelias to reign as king in Iolcus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The people loved Æson and they feared Pelias. And because +the people loved him and would be maddened by his slaying, + +<pb n="6"/> + +Pelias and the men of war left him living. With his wife, Alcimide, +and his infant son, Æson went from the city, and in a +village that was at a distance from Iolcus he found a hidden +house and went to dwell in it. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Æson would have lived content there were it not that he was +fearful for Jason, his infant son. Jason, he knew, would grow +into a strong and a bold youth, and Pelias, the king, would be +made uneasy on his account. Pelias would slay the son, and +perhaps would slay the father for the son’s sake when his memory +would come to be less loved by the people. Æson thought +of such things in his hidden house, and he pondered on ways to +have his son reared away from Iolcus and the dread and the +power of King Pelias. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He had for a friend one who was the wisest of all creatures—Chiron +the centaur; Chiron who was half man and half horse; +Chiron who had lived and was yet to live measureless years. +Chiron had fostered Heracles, and it might be that he would +not refuse to foster Jason, Æson’s child. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Away in the fastnesses of Mount Pelion Chiron dwelt; once +Æson had been with him and had seen the centaur hunt with +his great bow and his great spears. And Æson knew a way +that one might come to him; Chiron himself had told him of the +way. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Now there was a slave in his house who had been a huntsman +and who knew all the ways of the Mountain Pelion. Æson +talked with this slave one day, and after he had talked with + +<pb n="7"/> + +him he sat for a long time over the cradle of his sleeping infant. +And then he spoke to Alcimide, his wife, telling her of a parting +that made her weep. That evening the slave came in and +Æson took the child from the arms of the mournful-eyed +mother and put him in the slave’s arms. Also he gave him a +horn and a ring with a great ruby in it and mystic images engraved +on its gold. Then when the ways were dark the slave +mounted a horse, and, with the child in his arms, rode through +the city that King Pelias ruled over. In the morning he came +to that mountain that is all covered with forest, the Mountain +Pelion. And that evening he came back to the village and +to Æson’s hidden house, and he told his master how he had +prospered. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Æson was content thereafter although he was lonely and although +his wife was lonely in their childlessness. But the time +came when they rejoiced that their child had been sent into an +unreachable place. For messengers from King Pelias came inquiring +about the boy. They told the king’s messengers that +the child had strayed off from his nurse, and that whether he +had been slain by a wild beast or had been drowned in the swift +River Anaurus they did not know. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The years went by and Pelias felt secure upon the throne he +had taken from his brother. Once he sent to the oracle of the +gods to ask of it whether he should be fearful of anything. +What the oracle answered was this: that King Pelias had but +one thing to dread—the coming of a half-shod man. +</p><pb n="8"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The centaur nourished the child Jason on roots and fruits +and honey; for shelter they had a great cave that Chiron had +lived in for numberless years. When he had grown big enough +to leave the cave Chiron would let Jason mount on his back; +with the child holding on to his great mane he would trot gently +through the ways of the forest. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason began to know the creatures of the forest and their +haunts. Sometimes Chiron would bring his great bow with him; +then Jason, on his back, would hold the quiver and would hand +him the arrows. The centaur would let the boy see him kill +with a single arrow the bear, the boar, or the deer. And soon +Jason, running beside him, hunted too. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> No heroes were ever better trained than those whose childhood +and youth had been spent with Chiron the king-centaur. +He made them more swift of foot than any other of the children +of men. He made them stronger and more ready with the +spear and bow. Jason was trained by Chiron as Heracles just +before him had been trained, and as Achilles was to be trained +afterward. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Moreover, Chiron taught him the knowledge of the stars and +the wisdom that had to do with the ways of the gods. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Once, when they were hunting together, Jason saw a form at +the end of an alley of trees—the form of a woman it was—of +a woman who had on her head a shining crown. Never had +Jason dreamt of seeing a form so wondrous. Not very near did +he come, but he thought he knew that the woman smiled upon + +<pb n="9"/> + +him. She was seen no more, and Jason knew that he had looked +upon one of the immortal goddesses. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> All day Jason was filled with thought of her whom he had seen. +At night, when the stars were out, and when they were seated outside +the cave, Chiron and Jason talked together, and Chiron told +the youth that she whom he had seen was none other than Hera, +the wife of Zeus, who had for his father Æson and for himself +an especial friendliness. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Jason grew up upon the mountain and in the forest fastnesses. +When he had reached his full height and had shown himself +swift in the hunt and strong with the spear and bow, Chiron +told him that the time had come when he should go back to the +world of men and make his name famous by the doing of great +deeds. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And when Chiron told him about his father Æson—about +how he had been thrust out of the kingship by Pelias, his uncle—a +great longing came upon Jason to see his father and a fierce +anger grew up in his heart against Pelias. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then the time came when he bade good-by to Chiron his +great instructor; the time came when he went from the centaur’s +cave for the last time, and went through the wooded ways and +down the side of the Mountain Pelion. He came to the river, +to the swift Anaurus, and he found it high in flood. The stones +by which one might cross were almost all washed over; far apart +did they seem in the flood. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Now as he stood there pondering on what he might do there + +<pb n="10"/> + +came up to him an old woman who had on her back a load of +brushwood. <q>Wouldst thou cross?</q> asked the old woman. +<q>Wouldst thou cross and get thee to the city of Iolcus, Jason, +where so many things await thee?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Greatly was the youth astonished to hear his name spoken by +this old woman, and to hear her give the name of the city he was +bound for. <q>Wouldst thou cross the Anaurus?</q> she asked again. +<q>Then mount upon my back, holding on to the wood I carry, and +I will bear thee over the river.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason smiled. How foolish this old woman was to think that +she could bear him across the flooded river! She came near him +and she took him in her arms and lifted him up on her shoulders. +Then, before he knew what she was about to do, she had stepped +into the water. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> From stone to stepping-stone she went, Jason holding on to +the wood that she had drawn to her shoulders. She left him +down upon the bank. As she was lifting him down one of +his feet touched the water; the swift current swept away a +sandal. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He stood on the bank knowing that she who had carried him +across the flooded river had strength from the gods. He looked +upon her, and behold! she was transformed. Instead of an old +woman there stood before him one who had on a golden robe and +a shining crown. Around her was a wondrous light—the light +of the sun when it is most golden. Then Jason knew that she +who had carried him across the broad Anaurus was the goddess + + + + + +<pb n="11"/> + +whom he had seen in the ways of the forest—Hera, great Zeus’s +wife. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i002.png"><anchor id="i002.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Go into Iolcus, Jason,</q> said great Hera to him, <q>go into +Iolcus, and in whatever chance doth befall thee act as one who +has the eyes of the immortals upon him.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She spoke and she was seen no more. Then Jason went on his +way to the city that Cretheus, his grandfather, had founded and +that his father Æson had once ruled over. He came into that +city, a tall, great-limbed, unknown youth, dressed in a strange +fashion, and having but one sandal on. +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>II. King Pelias</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capT.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">T</hi>HAT day King Pelias, walking through +the streets of his city, saw coming toward +him a youth who was half shod. He remembered +the words of the oracle that +bade him beware of a half-shod man, and +straightway he gave orders to his guards to +lay hands upon the youth. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But the guards wavered when they went toward him, for there +was something about the youth that put them in awe of him. +He came with the guards, however, and he stood before the king’s +judgment seat. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Fearfully did Pelias look upon him. But not fearfully did the +youth look upon the king. With head lifted high he cried out, + +<pb n="12"/> + +<q>Thou art Pelias, but I do not salute thee as king. Know that +I am Jason, the son of Æson from whom thou hast taken the +throne and scepter that were rightfully his.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> King Pelias looked to his guards. He would have given them +a sign to destroy the youth’s life with their spears, but behind his +guards he saw a threatening multitude—the dwellers of the city +of Iolcus; they gathered around, and Pelias knew that he had +become more and more hated by them. And from the multitude +a cry went up, <q>Æson, Æson! May Æson come back to us! +Jason, son of Æson! May nothing evil befall thee, brave youth!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Pelias knew that the youth might not be slain. He bent +his head while he plotted against him in his heart. Then he raised +his eyes, and looking upon Jason he said, <q>O goodly youth, it well +may be that thou art the son of Æson, my brother. I am well +pleased to see thee here. I have had hopes that I might be +friends with Æson, and thy coming here may be the means to the +renewal of our friendship. We two brothers may come together +again. I will send for thy father now, and he will be brought to +meet thee in my royal palace. Go with my guards and with this +rejoicing people, and in a little while thou and I and thy father +Æson will sit at a feast of friends.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Pelias said, and Jason went with the guards and the crowd +of people, and he came to the palace of the king and he was +brought within. The maids led him to the bath and gave him +new robes to wear. Dressed in these Jason looked a prince indeed. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But all that while King Pelias remained on his judgment seat + + + + +<pb n="13"/> + +with his crowned head bent down. When he raised his head +his dark brows were gathered together and his thin lips were +very close. He looked to the swords and spears of his guards, +and he made a sign to the men to stand close to him. Then he +left the judgment seat and he went to the palace. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i003.png"><anchor id="i003.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +</div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>III. The Golden Fleece</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capT.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">T</hi>HEY brought Jason into a hall where Æson, +his father, waited. Very strange did this +old and grave-looking man appear to him. +But when Æson spoke, Jason remembered +the tone of his father’s voice and he clasped +him to him. And his father knew him +even without the sight of the ruby ring +which Jason had upon his finger. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then the young man began to tell of the centaur and of his life +upon the Mountain Pelion. As they were speaking together +Pelias came to where they stood, Pelias in the purple robe of a +king and with the crown upon his head. Æson tightly clasped +Jason as if he had become fearful for his son. Pelias smilingly +took the hand of the young man and the hand of his brother, +and he bade them both welcome to his palace. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then, walking between them, the king brought the two into +the feasting hall. The youth who had known only the forest and +the mountainside had to wonder at the beauty and the magnificence + +<pb n="14"/> + +of all he saw around him. On the walls were bright +pictures; the tables were of polished wood, and they had vessels +of gold and dishes of silver set upon them; along the walls were +vases of lovely shapes and colors, and everywhere there were +baskets heaped with roses white and red. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The king’s guests were already in the hall, young men and +elders, and maidens went amongst them carrying roses which they +strung into wreaths for the guests to put upon their heads. A +soft-handed maiden gave Jason a wreath of roses and he put it on +his head as he sat down at the king’s table. When he looked +at all the rich and lovely things in that hall, and when he saw the +guests looking at him with friendly eyes, Jason felt that he was +indeed far away from the dim spaces of the mountain forest and +from the darkness of the centaur’s cave. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Rich food and wine such as he had never dreamt of tasting +were brought to the tables. He ate and drank, and his eyes followed +the fair maidens who went through the hall. He thought +how glorious it was to be a king. He heard Pelias speak to Æson, +his father, telling him that he was old and that he was weary of +ruling; that he longed to make friends, and that he would let no +enmity now be between him and his brother. And he heard the +king say that he, Jason, was young and courageous, and that he +would call upon him to help to rule the land, and that, in a while, +Jason would bear full sway over the kingdom that Cretheus had +founded. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Pelias spoke to Æson as they both sat together at the king’s + + + + +<pb n="15"/> + +high table. But Jason, looking on them both, saw that the eyes +that his father turned on him were full of warnings and mistrust. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i004.png"><anchor id="i004.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> After they had eaten King Pelias made a sign, and a cup-bearer +bringing a richly wrought cup came and stood before the +king. The king stood up, holding the cup in his hands, and all +in the hall waited silently. Then Pelias put the cup into Jason’s +hands and he cried out in a voice that was heard all through the +hall, <q>Drink from this cup, O nephew Jason! Drink from this +cup, O man who will soon come to rule over the kingdom that +Cretheus founded!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> All in the hall stood up and shouted with delight at that speech. +But the king was not delighted with their delight, Jason saw. He +took the cup and he drank the rich wine; pride grew in him; +he looked down the hall and he saw faces all friendly to him; he +felt as a king might feel, secure and triumphant. And then he +heard King Pelias speaking once more. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>This is my nephew Jason, reared and fostered in the centaur’s +cave. He will tell you of his life in the forest and the mountains—his +life that was like to the life of the half gods.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Jason spoke to them, telling them of his life on the +Mountain Pelion. When he had spoken, Pelias said: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">I was bidden by the oracle to beware of the man whom I +should see coming toward me half shod. But, as you all see, I +have brought the half-shod man to my palace and my feasting +hall, so little do I dread the anger of the gods. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>And I dread it little because I am blameless. This youth, the + +<pb n="16"/> + +son of my brother, is strong and courageous, and I rejoice in +his strength and courage, for I would have him take my place and +reign over you. Ah, that I were as young as he is now! Ah, that +I had been reared and fostered as he was reared and fostered by +the wise centaur and under the eyes of the immortals! Then +would I do that which in my youth I often dreamed of doing! +Then would I perform a deed that would make my name and the +name of my city famous throughout all Greece! Then would I +bring from far Colchis the famous Fleece of Gold that King +Æetes keeps guard over!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He finished speaking, and all in the hall shouted out, <q>The +Golden Fleece, the Golden Fleece from Colchis!</q> Jason stood +up, and his father’s hand gripped him. But he did not heed the +hold of his father’s hand, for <q>The Golden Fleece, the Golden +Fleece!</q> rang in his ears, and before his eyes were the faces of +those who were all eager for the sight of the wonder that King +Æetes kept guard over. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then said Jason, <q>Thou hast spoken well, O King Pelias! +Know, and know all here assembled, that I have heard of the +Golden Fleece and of the dangers that await on any one who +should strive to win it from King Æetes’s care. But know, too, +that I would strive to win the Fleece and bring it to Iolcus, winning +fame both for myself and for the city.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When he had spoken he saw his father’s stricken eyes; they +were fixed upon him. But he looked from them to the shining +eyes of the young men who were even then pressing around + +<pb n="17"/> + +where he stood. <q>Jason, Jason!</q> they shouted. <q>The Golden +Fleece for Iolcus!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>King Pelias knows that the winning of the Golden Fleece is +a feat most difficult,</q> said Jason. <q>But if he will have built for +me a ship that can make the voyage to far Colchis, and if he will +send throughout all Greece the word of my adventuring so that +all the heroes who would win fame might come with me, and if +ye, young heroes of Iolcus, will come with me, I will peril my life +to win the wonder that King Æetes keeps guard over.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He spoke and those in the hall shouted again and made clamor +around him. But still his father sat gazing at him with stricken +eyes. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> King Pelias stood up in the hall and holding up his scepter he +said, <q>O my nephew Jason, and O friends assembled here, I +promise that I will have built for the voyage the best ship that +ever sailed from a harbor in Greece. And I promise that I will +send throughout all Greece a word telling of Jason’s voyage so +that all heroes desirous of winning fame may come to help him +and to help all of you who may go with him to win from the +keeping of King Æetes the famous Fleece of Gold.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So King Pelias said, but Jason, looking to the king from his +father’s stricken eyes, saw that he had been led by the king into +the acceptance of the voyage so that he might fare far from +Iolcus, and perhaps lose his life in striving to gain the wonder +that King Æetes kept guarded. By the glitter in Pelias’s eyes he +knew the truth. Nevertheless Jason would not take back one + +<pb n="18"/> + +word that he had spoken; his heart was strong within him, and +he thought that with the help of the bright-eyed youths around +and with the help of those who would come to him at the word +of the voyage, he would bring the Golden Fleece to Iolcus and +make famous for all time his own name. +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>IV. The Assembling of the Heroes and the Building of the Ship</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capF.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">F</hi>IRST there came the youths <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Castor</hi> and +<hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Polydeuces</hi>. They came riding on white +horses, two noble-looking brothers. From +Sparta they came, and their mother was +Leda, who, after the twin brothers, had +another child born to her—Helen, for +whose sake the sons of many of Jason’s +friends were to wage war against the great city of Troy. These +were the first heroes who came to Iolcus after the word had gone +forth through Greece of Jason’s adventuring in quest of the +Golden Fleece. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And then there came one who had both welcome and reverence +from Jason; this one came without spear or bow, bearing in his +hands a lyre only. He was <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Orpheus</hi>, and he knew all the ways +of the gods and all the stories of the gods; when he sang to his +lyre the trees would listen and the beasts would follow him. It +was Chiron who had counseled Orpheus to go with Jason; Chiron + +<pb n="19"/> + +the centaur had met him as he was wandering through the forests +on the Mountain Pelion and had sent him down into Iolcus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then there came two men well skilled in the handling of ships—<hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Tiphys</hi> +and <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Nauplius</hi>. Tiphys knew all about the sun and +winds and stars, and all about the signs by which a ship might +be steered, and Nauplius had the love of Poseidon, the god of the +sea. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Afterward there came, one after the other, two who were +famous for their hunting. No two could be more different than +these two were. The first was <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Arcas</hi>. He was dressed in the +skin of a bear; he had red hair and savage-looking eyes, and for +arms he carried a mighty bow with bronze-tipped arrows. The +folk were watching an eagle as he came into the city—an eagle +that was winging its way far, far up in the sky. Arcas drew his +bow, and with one arrow he brought the eagle down. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The other hunter was a girl, <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Atalanta</hi>. Tall and bright-haired +was Atalanta, swift and good with the bow. She had +dedicated herself to Artemis, the guardian of the wild things, and +she had vowed that she would remain unwedded. All the heroes +welcomed Atalanta as a comrade, and the maiden did all the +things that the young men did. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> There came a hero who was less youthful than Castor or Polydeuces; +he was a man good in council named <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Nestor</hi>. Afterward +Nestor went to the war against Troy, and then he was the oldest +of the heroes in the camp of Agamemnon. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Two brothers came who were to be special friends of Jason’s—<hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Peleus</hi> + +<pb n="20"/> + +and <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Telamon</hi>. Both were still youthful and neither had +yet achieved any notable deed. Afterward they were to be +famous, but their sons were to be even more famous, for the son +of Telamon was strong Aias, and the son of Peleus was great +Achilles. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Another who came was <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Admetus</hi>; afterward he became a +famous king. The God Apollo once made himself a shepherd +and he kept the flocks of King Admetus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And there came two brothers, twins, who were a wonder to +all who beheld them. <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Zetes</hi> and <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Calais</hi> they were named; their +mother was Oreithyia, the daughter of Erechtheus, King of +Athens, and their father was Boreas, the North Wind. These +two brothers had on their ankles wings that gleamed with golden +scales; their black hair was thick upon their shoulders, and it was +always being shaken by the wind. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> With Zetes and Calais there came a youth armed with a great +sword whose name was <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Theseus</hi>. Theseus’s father was an unknown +king; he had bidden the mother show their son where his +sword was hidden. Under a great stone the king had hidden it +before Theseus was born. Before he had grown out of his boyhood +Theseus had been able to raise the stone and draw forth +his father’s sword. As yet he had done no great deed, but he +was resolved to win fame and to find his unknown father. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> On the day that the messengers had set out to bring through +Greece the word of Jason’s going forth in quest of the Golden + + + + +<pb n="21"/> + +Fleece the woodcutters made their way up into the forests of +Mount Pelion; they began to fell trees for the timbers of the ship +that was to make the voyage to far Colchis. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i005.png"><anchor id="i005.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Great timbers were cut and brought down to Pagasæ, the +harbor of Iolcus. On the night of the day he had helped to bring +them down Jason had a dream. He dreamt that She whom he +had seen in the forest ways and afterward by the River Anaurus +appeared to him. And in his dream the goddess bade him rise +early in the morning and welcome a man whom he would meet +at the city’s gate—a tall and gray-haired man who would have +on his shoulders tools for the building of a ship. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He went to the city’s gate and he met such a man. <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Argus</hi> was +his name. He told Jason that a dream had sent him to the city +of Iolcus. Jason welcomed him and lodged him in the king’s +palace, and that day the word went through the city that the +building of the great ship would soon be begun. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But not with the timbers brought from Mount Pelion did +Argus begin. Walking through the palace with Jason he noted a +great beam in the roof. That beam, he said, had been shown him +in his dream; it was from an oak tree in Dodona, the grove of +Zeus. A sacred power was in the beam, and from it the prow of +the ship should be fashioned. Jason had them take the beam +from the roof of the palace; it was brought to where the timbers +were, and that day the building of the great ship was begun. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then all along the waterside came the noise of hammering; in +the street where the metalworkers were came the noise of beating + +<pb n="22"/> + +upon metals as the smiths fashioned out of bronze armor for the +heroes and swords and spears. Every day, under the eyes of +Argus the master, the ship that had in it the beam from Zeus’s +grove was built higher and wider. And those who were building +the ship often felt going through it tremors as of a living +creature. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When the ship was built and made ready for the voyage a name +was given to it—the <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Argo</hi> it was called. And naming themselves +from the ship the heroes called themselves the <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Argonauts</hi>. +All was ready for the voyage, and now Jason went with his +friends to view the ship before she was brought into the water. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Argus the master was on the ship, seeing to it that the last +things were being done before <emph>Argo</emph> was launched. Very grave +and wise looked Argus—Argus the builder of the ship. And +wonderful to the heroes the ship looked now that Argus, for their +viewing, had set up the mast with the sails and had even put the +oars in their places. Wonderful to the heroes <emph>Argo</emph> looked with +her long oars and her high sails, with her timbers painted red +and gold and blue, and with a marvelous figure carved upon her +prow. All over the ship Jason’s eyes went. He saw a figure +standing by the mast; for a moment he looked on it, and then +the figure became shadowy. But Jason knew that he had looked +upon the goddess whom he had seen in the ways of the forest and +had seen afterward by the rough Anaurus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then mast and sails were taken down and the oars were left in + +<pb n="23"/> + +the ship, and the <emph>Argo</emph> was launched into the water. The heroes +went back to the palace of King Pelias to feast with the king’s +guests before they took their places on the ship, setting out on +the voyage to far Colchis. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When they came into the palace they saw that another hero +had arrived. His shield was hung in the hall; the heroes all +gathered around, amazed at the size and the beauty of it. The +shield shone all over with gold. In its center was the figure of +Fear—of Fear that stared backward with eyes burning as with +fire. The mouth was open and the teeth were shown. And other +figures were wrought around the figure of Fear—Strife and Pursuit +and Flight; Tumult and Panic and Slaughter. The figure +of Fate was there dragging a dead man by the feet; on her +shoulders Fate had a garment that was red with the blood of men. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Around these figures were heads of snakes, heads with black +jaws and glittering eyes, twelve heads such as might affright any +man. And on other parts of the shield were shown the horses of +Ares, the grim god of war. The figure of Ares himself was +shown also. He held a spear in his hand, and he was urging the +warriors on. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Around the inner rim of the shield the sea was shown, wrought +in white metal. Dolphins swam in the sea, fishing for little fishes +that were shown there in bronze. Around the rim chariots were +racing along with wheels running close together; there were men +fighting and women watching from high towers. The awful figure +of the Darkness of Death was shown there, too, with mournful + +<pb n="24"/> + +eyes and the dust of battles upon her shoulders. The outer rim +of the shield showed the Stream of Ocean, the stream that encircles +the world; swans were soaring above and swimming on +its surface. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> All in wonder the heroes gazed on the great shield, telling each +other that only one man in all the world could carry it—Heracles +the son of Zeus. Could it be that Heracles had come amongst +them? They went into the feasting hall and they saw one there +who was tall as a pine tree, with unshorn tresses of hair upon his +head. Heracles indeed it was! He turned to them a smiling face +with smiling eyes. Heracles! They all gathered around the +strongest hero in the world, and he took the hand of each in his +mighty hand. +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>V. The <emph>Argo</emph></head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capT.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">T</hi>HE heroes went the next day through the +streets of Iolcus down to where the ship +lay. The ways they went through were +crowded; the heroes were splendid in +their appearance, and Jason amongst +them shone like a star. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The people praised him, and one told +the other that it would not be long until they would win back to +Iolcus, for this band of heroes was strong enough, they said, to +take King Æetes’s city and force him to give up to them the +famous Fleece of Gold. Many of the bright-eyed youths of Iolcus + + + + +<pb n="25"/> + +went with the heroes who had come from the different parts of +Greece. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i006.png"><anchor id="i006.png"/><index index="fig"/><head>the <emph>Argo</emph></head><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As they marched past a temple a priestess came forth to speak +to Jason; Iphias was her name. She had a prophecy to utter +about the voyage. But Iphias was very old, and she stammered +in her speech to Jason. What she said was not heard by him. +The heroes went on, and ancient Iphias was left standing there +as the old are left by the young. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The heroes went aboard the <emph>Argo</emph>. They took their seats as at +an assembly. Then Jason faced them and spoke to them all. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Heroes of the quest,</q> said Jason, <q rend="post: none">we have come aboard +the great ship that Argus has built, and all that a ship needs is +in its place or is ready to our hands. All that we wait for now is +the coming of the morning’s breeze that will set us on our way +for far Colchis. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>One thing we have first to do—that is, to choose a leader +who will direct us all, one who will settle disputes amongst ourselves +and who will make treaties between us and the strangers +that we come amongst. We must choose such a leader now.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason spoke, and some looked to him and some looked to +Heracles. But Heracles stood up, and, stretching out his hand, +said: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Argonauts! Let no one amongst you offer the leadership to +me. I will not take it. The hero who brought us together and +made all things ready for our going—it is he and no one else who +should be our leader in this voyage.</q> +</p><pb n="26"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Heracles said, and the Argonauts all stood up and raised a +cry for Jason. Then Jason stepped forward, and he took the hand +of each Argonaut in his hand, and he swore that he would lead +them with all the mind and all the courage that he possessed. +And he prayed the gods that it would be given to him to lead +them back safely with the Golden Fleece glittering on the mast +of the <emph>Argo</emph>. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They drew lots for the benches they would sit at; they took +the places that for the length of the voyage they would have on +the ship. They made sacrifice to the gods and they waited for +the breeze of the morning that would help them away from Iolcus. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And while they waited Æson, the father of Jason, sat at his +own hearth, bowed and silent in his grief. Alcimide, his wife, +sat near him, but she was not silent; she lamented to the women +of Iolcus who were gathered around her. <q>I did not go down to +the ship,</q> she said, <q>for with my grief I would not be a bird of +ill omen for the voyage. By this hearth my son took farewell of +me—the only son I ever bore. From the doorway I watched +him go down the street of the city, and I heard the people shout +as he went amongst them, they glorying in my son’s splendid appearance. +Ah, that I might live to see his return and to hear the +shout that will go up when the people look on Jason again! But +I know that my life will not be spared so long; I will not look on +my son when he comes back from the dangers he will run in the +quest of the Golden Fleece.</q> +</p><pb n="27"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then the women of Iolcus asked her to tell them of the Golden +Fleece, and Alcimide told them of it and of the sorrows that +were upon the race of Æolus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Cretheus, the father of Æson and Pelias, was of the race of +Æolus, and of the race of Æolus, too, was Athamas, the king who +ruled in Thebes at the same time that Cretheus ruled in Iolcus. +And the first children of Athamas were Phrixus and Helle. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Ah, Phrixus and ah, Helle,</q> Alcimide lamented, <q rend="post: none">what +griefs you have brought on the race of Æolus! And what griefs +you yourselves suffered! The evil that Athamas, your father, +did you lives to be a curse to the line of Æolus! +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">Athamas was wedded first to Nephele, the mother of Phrixus +and Helle, the youth and maiden. But Athamas married again +while the mother of these children was still living, and Ino, the +new queen, drove Nephele and her children out of the king’s +palace. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">And now was Nephele most unhappy. She had to live as a +servant, and her children were servants to the servants of the +palace. They were clad in rags and had little to eat, and they +were beaten often by the servants who wished to win the favor +of the new queen. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">But although they wore rags and had menial tasks to do, +Phrixus and Helle looked the children of a queen. The boy was +tall, and in his eyes there often came the flash of power, and the +girl looked as if she would grow into a lovely maiden. And when +Athamas, their father, would meet them by chance he would sigh, + +<pb n="28"/> + +and Queen Ino would know by that sigh that he had still some +love for them in his heart. Afterward she would have to use all +the power she possessed to win the king back from thinking upon +his children. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">And now Queen Ino had children of her own. She knew that +the people reverenced the children of Nephele and cared nothing +for her children. And because she knew this she feared that when +Athamas died Phrixus and Helle, the children of Nephele, would +be brought to rule in Thebes. Then she and her children would +be made to change places with them. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">This made Queen Ino think on ways by which she could make +Phrixus and Helle lose their lives. She thought long upon this, +and at last a desperate plan came into her mind. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">When it was winter she went amongst the women of the +countryside, and she gave them jewels and clothes for presents. +Then she asked them to do secretly an unheard-of thing. She +asked the women to roast over their fires the grains that had +been left for seed. This the women did. Then spring came on, +and the men sowed in the fields the grain that had been roasted +over the fires. No shoots grew up as the spring went by. In +summer there was no waving greenness in the fields. Autumn +came, and there was no grain for the reaping. Then the men, not +knowing what had happened, went to King Athamas and told +him that there would be famine in the land. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">The king sent to the temple of Artemis to ask how the people +might be saved from the famine. And the guardians of the temple, + +<pb n="29"/> + +having taken gold from Queen Ino, told them that there would be +worse and worse famine and that all the people of Thebes would +die of hunger unless the king was willing to make a great sacrifice. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">When the king asked what sacrifice he should make he was +told by the guardians of the temple that he must sacrifice to the +goddess his two children, Phrixus and Helle. Those who were +around the king, to save themselves from famine after famine, +clamored to have the children sacrificed. Athamas, to save his +people, consented to the sacrifice. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">They went toward the king’s palace. They found Helle by +the bank of the river washing clothes. They took her and bound +her. They found Phrixus, half naked, digging in a field, and they +took him, too, and bound him. That night they left brother and +sister in the same prison. Helle wept over Phrixus, and Phrixus +wept to think that he was not able to do anything to save his +sister. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">The servants of the palace went to Nephele, and they mocked +at her, telling her that her children would be sacrificed on the +morrow. Nephele nearly went wild in her grief. And then, +suddenly, there came into her mind the thought of a creature that +might be a helper to her and to her children. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">This creature was a ram that had wings and a wonderful +fleece of gold. The god of the sea, Poseidon, had sent this +wonderful ram to Athamas and Nephele as a marriage gift. And +the ram had since been kept in a special fold. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">To that fold Nephele went. She spent the night beside the + +<pb n="30"/> + +ram praying for its help. The morning came and the children +were taken from their prison and dressed in white, and wreaths +were put upon their heads to mark them as things for sacrifice. +They were led in a procession to the temple of Artemis. Behind +that procession King Athamas walked, his head bowed in shame. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">But Queen Ino’s head was not bowed; rather she carried it +high, for her thought was all upon her triumph. Soon Phrixus +and Helle would be dead, and then, whatever happened, her own +children would reign after Athamas in Thebes. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">Phrixus and Helle, thinking they were taking their last look +at the sun, went on. And even then Nephele, holding the horns +of the golden ram, was making her last prayer. The sun rose and +as it did the ram spread out its great wings and flew through the +air. It flew to the temple of Artemis. Down beside the altar came +the golden ram, and it stood with its horns threatening those who +came. All stopped in surprise. Still the ram stood with threatening +head and great golden wings spread out. Then Phrixus ran +from those who were holding him and laid his hands upon the +ram. He called to Helle and she, too, came to the golden creature. +Phrixus mounted on the ram and he pulled Helle up beside him. +Then the golden ram flew upward. Up, up, it went, and with the +children upon its back it became like a star in the day-lit sky. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">Then Queen Ino, seeing the children saved by the golden ram, +shrieked and fled away from that place. Athamas ran after her. +As she ran and as he followed hatred for her grew up within him. +Ino ran on and on until she came to the cliffs that rose over the + +<pb n="31"/> + +sea. Fearing Athamas who came behind her she plunged down. +But as she fell she was changed by Poseidon, the god of the sea. +She became a seagull. Athamas, who followed her, was changed +also; he became the sea eagle that, with beak and talons ever +ready to strike, flies above the sea. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">And the golden ram with wings outspread flew on and on. +Over the sea it flew while the wind whistled around the children. +On and on they went, and the children saw only the blue sea +beneath them. Then poor Helle, looking downward, grew dizzy. +She fell off the golden ram before her brother could take hold of +her. Down she fell, and still the ram flew on and on. She was +drowned in that sea. The people afterward named it in memory +of her, calling it <q>Hellespont</q>—<q>Helle’s Sea.</q> +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">On and on the ram flew. Over a wild and barren country it +flew and toward a river. Upon that river a white city was built. +Down the ram flew, and alighting on the ground, stood before +the gate of that city. It was the city of Aea, in the land of +Colchis. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">The king was in the street of the city, and he joined with the +crowd that gathered around the strange golden creature that had +a youth upon its back. The ram folded its wings and then the +youth stood beside it. He spoke to the people, and then the +king—Æetes was his name—spoke to him, asking him from +what place he had come, and what was the strange creature upon +whose back he had flown. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">To the king and to the people Phrixus told his story, weeping + +<pb n="32"/> + +to tell of Helle and her fall. Then King Æetes brought him into +the city, and he gave him a place in the palace, and for the golden +ram he had a special fold made. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">Soon after the ram died, and then King Æetes took its golden +fleece and hung it upon an oak tree that was in a place dedicated +to Ares, the god of war. Phrixus wed one of the daughters of +the king, and men say that afterward he went back to Thebes, +his own land. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>And as for the Golden Fleece it became the greatest of +King Æetes’s treasures. Well indeed does he guard it, and not +with armed men only, but with magic powers. Very strong and +very cunning is King Æetes, and a terrible task awaits those who +would take away from him that Fleece of Gold.</q> +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Alcimide spoke, sorrowfully telling to the women the story +of the Golden Fleece that her son Jason was going in quest of. +So she spoke, and the night waned, and the morning of the sailing +of the <emph>Argo</emph> came on. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And when the Argonauts beheld the dawn upon the high peaks +of Pelion they arose and poured out wine in offering to Zeus, the +highest of the gods. Then <emph>Argo</emph> herself gave forth a strange +cry, for the beam from Dodona that had been formed into her prow +had endued her with life. She uttered a strange cry, and as she +did the heroes took their places at the benches, one after the +other, as had been arranged by lot, and Tiphys, the helmsman, +went to the steering place. To the sound of Orpheus’s lyre they + +<pb n="33"/> + +smote with oars the rushing sea water, and the surge broke over +the oar blades. The sails were let out and the breeze came into +them, piping shrilly, and the fishes came darting through the +green sea, great and small, and followed them, gamboling along +the watery paths. And Chiron, the king-centaur, came down +from the Mountain Pelion, and standing with his feet in the foam +cried out, <q>Good speed, O Argonauts, good speed, and a sorrowless +return.</q> +</p><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>The Beginning of Things</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Orpheus sang to his lyre, Orpheus the minstrel, who knew the +ways and the stories of the gods; out in the open sea on the first +morning of the voyage Orpheus sang to them of the beginning of +things. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He sang how at first Earth and Heaven and Sea were all mixed +and mingled together. There was neither Light nor Darkness +then, but only a Dimness. This was Chaos. And from Chaos +came forth Night and Erebus. From Night was born Æther, the +Upper Air, and from Night and Erebus wedded there was born +Day. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And out of Chaos came Earth, and out of Earth came the +starry Heaven. And from Heaven and Earth wedded there were +born the Titan gods and goddesses—Oceanus, Cœus, Crius, +Hyperion, Iapetus; Theia, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, gold-crowned +Phœbe, and lovely Tethys. And then Heaven and Earth +had for their child Cronos, the most cunning of all. +</p><pb n="34"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Cronos wedded Rhea, and from Cronos and Rhea were born the +gods who were different from the Titan gods. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Heaven and Earth had other children—Cottus, Briareus, +and Gyes. These were giants, each with fifty heads and a +hundred arms. And Heaven grew fearful when he looked on +these giant children, and he hid them away in the deep places of +the Earth. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Cronos hated Heaven, his father. He drove Heaven, his +father, and Earth, his mother, far apart. And far apart they +stay, for they have never been able to come near each other since. +And Cronos married to Rhea had for children Hestia, Demeter, +Hera, Aidoneus, and Poseidon, and these all belonged to the +company of the deathless gods. Cronos was fearful that one of +his sons would treat him as he had treated Heaven, his father. +So when another child was born to him and his wife Rhea he +commanded that the child be given to him so that he might +swallow him. But Rhea wrapped a great stone in swaddling +clothes and gave the stone to Cronos. And Cronos swallowed +the stone, thinking to swallow his latest-born child. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> That child was Zeus. Earth took Zeus and hid him in a deep +cave and those who minded and nursed the child beat upon +drums so that his cries might not be heard. His nurse was +Adrastia; when he was able to play she gave him a ball to play +with. All of gold was the ball, with a dark-blue spiral around it. +When the boy Zeus would play with this ball it would make a +track across the sky, flaming like a star. +</p><pb n="35"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Hyperion the Titan god wed Theia the Titan goddess, and +their children were Helios, the bright Sun, and Selene, the clear +Moon. And Cœus wed Phœbe, and their children were Leto, +who is kind to gods and men, and Asteria of happy name, and +Hecate, whom Zeus honored above all. Now the gods who were +the children of Cronos and Rhea went up unto the Mountain +Olympus, and there they built their shining palaces. But the +Titan gods who were born of Heaven and Earth went up to the +Mountain Othrys, and there they had their thrones. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Between the Olympians and the Titan gods of Othrys a war +began. Neither side might prevail against the other. But +now Zeus, grown up to be a youth, thought of how he might +help the Olympians to overthrow the Titan gods. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He went down into the deep parts of the Earth where the +giants Cottus, Briareus, and Gyes had been hidden by their +father. Cronos had bound them, weighing them down with +chains. But now Zeus loosed them and the hundred-armed +giants in their gratitude gave him the lightning and showed him +how to use the thunderbolt. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Zeus would have the giants fight against the Titan gods. But +although they had mighty strength Cottus, Briareus, and Gyes +had no fire of courage in their hearts. Zeus thought of a way to +give them this courage; he brought the food and drink of the +gods to them, ambrosia and nectar, and when they had eaten and +drunk their spirits grew within the giants, and they were ready to +make war upon the Titan gods. +</p><pb n="36"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Sons of Earth and Heaven,</q> said Zeus to the hundred-armed +giants, <q>a long time now have the Dwellers on Olympus been +striving with the Titan gods. Do you lend your unconquerable +might to the gods and help them to overthrow the Titans.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Cottus, the eldest of the giants, answered, <q>Divine One, +through your devising we are come back again from the murky +gloom of the mid Earth and we have escaped from the hard bonds +that Cronus laid upon us. Our minds are fixed to aid you in the +war against the Titan gods.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So the hundred-armed giants said, and thereupon Zeus went and +he gathered around him all who were born of Cronos and Rhea. +Cronos himself hid from Zeus. Then the giants, with their fifty +heads growing from their shoulders and their hundred hands, went +forth against the Titan gods. The boundless sea rang terribly +and the earth crashed loudly; wide Heaven was shaken and +groaned, and high Olympus reeled from its foundation. Holding +huge rocks in their hands the giants attacked the Titan gods. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Zeus entered the war. He hurled the lightning; the +bolts flew thick and fast from his strong hand, with thunder and +lightning and flame. The earth crashed around in burning, the +forests crackled with fire, the ocean seethed. And hot flames +wrapped the earth-born Titans all around. Three hundred rocks, +one upon another, did Cottus, Briareus, and Gyes hurl upon the +Titans. And when their ranks were broken the giants seized +upon them and held them for Zeus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But some of the Titan gods, seeing that the strife for them + +<pb n="37"/> + +was vain, went over to the side of Zeus. These Zeus became +friendly with. But the other Titans he bound in chains and he +hurled them down to Tartarus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As far as Earth is from Heaven so is Tartarus from Earth. A +brazen anvil falling down from Heaven to Earth nine days and +nine nights would reach the earth upon the tenth day. And +again, a brazen anvil falling from Earth nine nights and nine days +would reach Tartarus upon the tenth night. Around Tartarus +runs a fence of bronze and Night spreads in a triple line all about +it, as a necklace circles the neck. There Zeus imprisoned the +Titan gods who had fought against him; they are hidden in the +misty gloom, in a dank place, at the ends of the Earth. And they +may not go out, for Poseidon fixed gates of bronze upon their +prison, and a wall runs all round it. There Cottus, Briareus, and +Gyes stay, guarding them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And there, too, is the home of Night. Night and Day meet +each other at that place, as they pass a threshold of bronze. They +draw near and they greet one another, but the house never holds +them both together, for while one is about to go down into the +house, the other is leaving through the door. One holds Light +in her hand and the other holds in her arms Sleep. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> There the children of dark Night have their dwellings—Sleep, +and Death, his brother. The sun never shines upon these two. +Sleep may roam over the wide earth, and come upon the sea, and +he is kindly to men. But Death is not kindly, and whoever he +seizes upon, him he holds fast. +</p><pb n="38"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> There, too, stands the hall of the lord of the Underworld, +Aidoneus, the brother of Zeus. Zeus gave him the Underworld to +be his dominion when he shared amongst the Olympians the +world that Cronos had ruled over. A fearful hound guards the +hall of Aidoneus: Cerberus he is called; he has three heads. On +those who go within that hall Cerberus fawns, but on those who +would come out of it he springs and would devour them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Not all the Titans did Zeus send down to Tartarus. Those of +them who had wisdom joined him, and by their wisdom Zeus was +able to overcome Cronos. Then Cronos went to live with the +friendly Titan gods, while Zeus reigned over Olympus, becoming +the ruler of gods and men. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Orpheus sang, Orpheus who knew the ways and the histories +of the gods. +</p></div></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>VI. Polydeuces’ Victory and Heracles’ Loss</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capA1.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">A</hi>LL the places that the Argonauts came +nigh to and went past need not be told—Melibœa, +where they escaped a stormy +beach; Homole, from where they were +able to look on Ossa and holy Olympus; +Lemnos, the island that they were to +return to; the unnamed country where +the Earth-born Men abide, each having six arms, two growing + +<pb n="39"/> + +from his shoulders, and four fitting close to his terrible sides; +and then the Mountain of the Bears, where they climbed, to +make sacrifice there to Rhea, the mighty mother of the gods. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Afterward, for a whole day, no wind blew and the sail of the +<emph>Argo</emph> hung slack. But the heroes swore to each other that they +would make their ship go as swiftly as if the storm-footed steeds +of Poseidon were racing to overtake her. Mightily they labored +at the oars, and no one would be first to leave his rower’s +bench. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And then, just as the breeze of the evening came up, and just +as the rest of the heroes were leaning back, spent with their +labor, the oar that Heracles still pulled at broke, and half of it +was carried away by the waves. Heracles sat there in ill humor, +for he did not know what to do with his unlaboring hands. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> All through the night they went on with a good breeze filling +their sails, and next day they came to the mouth of the River +Cius. There they landed so that Heracles might get himself an +oar. No sooner did they set their feet upon the shore than the +hero went off into the forest, to pull up a tree that he might shape +into an oar. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Where they had landed was near to the country of the Bebrycians, +a rude people whose king was named Amycus. Now while +Heracles was away from them this king came with his followers—huge, +rude men, all armed with clubs, down to where the Argonauts +were lighting their fires on the beach. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He did not greet them courteously, asking them what manner + +<pb n="40"/> + +of men they were and whither they were bound, nor did he offer +them hospitality. Instead, he shouted at them insolently: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Listen to something that you rovers had better know. I am +Amycus, and any stranger that comes to this land has to get into +a boxing bout with me. That’s the law that I have laid down. +Unless you have one amongst you who can stand up to me you +won’t be let go back to your ship. If you don’t heed my law, look +out, for something’s going to happen to you.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So he shouted, that insolent king, and his followers raised their +clubs and growled approval of what their master said. But the +Argonauts were not dismayed at the words of Amycus. One of +them stepped toward the Bebrycians. He was Polydeuces, good +at boxing. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Offer us no violence, king,</q> said Polydeuces. <q>We are +ready to obey the law that you have laid down. Willingly do I +take up your challenge, and I will box a bout with you.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The Argonauts cheered when they saw Polydeuces, the good +boxer, step forward, and when they heard what he had to say. +Amycus turned and shouted to his followers, and one of them +brought up two pairs of boxing gauntlets—of rough cowhide +they were. The Argonauts feared that Polydeuces’ hands might +have been made numb with pulling at the oar, and some of them +went to him, and took his hands and rubbed them to make them +supple; others took from off his shoulders his beautifully colored +mantle. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Amycus straightway put on his gauntlets and threw off his + + + + +<pb n="41"/> +mantle; he stood there amongst his followers with his great arms +crossed, glowering at the Argonauts as a wild beast might glower. +And when the two faced each other Amycus seemed like one of the +Earth-born Men, dark and hugely shaped, while Helen’s brother +stood there light and beautiful. Polydeuces was like that star +whose beams are lovely at evening-tide. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i007.png"><anchor id="i007.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Like the wave that breaks over a ship and gives the sailors no +respite Amycus came on at Polydeuces. He pushed in upon him, +thinking to bear him down and overwhelm him. But as the skillful +steersman keeps the ship from being overwhelmed by the +monstrous wave, so Polydeuces, all skill and lightness, baffled the +rushes of Amycus. At last Amycus, standing on the tips of his +toes and rising high above him, tried to bring down his great fist +upon the head of Polydeuces. The hero swung aside and took the +blow on his shoulder. Then he struck his blow. It was a strong +one, and under it the king of the Bebrycians staggered and fell +down. <q>You see,</q> said Polydeuces, <q>that we keep your +law.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The Argonauts shouted, but the rude Bebrycians raised their +clubs to rush upon them. Then would the heroes have been hard +pressed, and forced, perhaps, to get back to the <emph>Argo</emph>. But suddenly +Heracles appeared amongst them, coming up from the +forest. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He carried a pine tree in his hands with all its branches still +upon it, and seeing this mighty-statured man appear with the great +tree in his hands, the Bebrycians hurried off, carrying their fallen +<pb n="42"/> +king with them. Then the Argonauts gathered around Polydeuces, +saluted him as their champion, and put a crown of victory +upon his head. Heracles, meanwhile, lopped off the +branches of the pine tree and began to fashion it into an oar. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The fires were lighted upon the shore, and the thoughts of all +were turned to supper. Then young Hylas, who used to sit by +Heracles and keep bright the hero’s arms and armor, took a +bronze vessel and went to fetch water. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Never was there a boy so beautiful as young Hylas. He had +golden curls that tumbled over his brow. He had deep blue +eyes and a face that smiled at every glance that was given him, at +every word that was said to him. Now as he walked through the +flowering grasses, with his knees bare, and with the bright vessel +swinging in his hand, he looked most lovely. Heracles had +brought the boy with him from the country of the Dryopians; +he would have him sit beside him on the bench of the <emph>Argo</emph>, and +the ill humors that often came upon him would go at the words +and the smile of Hylas. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Now the spring that Hylas was going toward was called Pegæ, +and it was haunted by the nymphs. They were dancing around +it when they heard Hylas singing. They stole softly off to watch +him. Hidden behind trees the nymphs saw the boy come near, +and they felt such love for him that they thought they could +never let him go from their sight. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They stole back to their spring, and they sank down below +its clear surface. Then came Hylas singing a song that he had + + + +<pb n="43"/> +heard from his mother. He bent down to the spring, and the +brimming water flowed into the sounding bronze of the pitcher. +Then hands came out of the water. One of the nymphs caught +Hylas by the elbow; another put her arms around his neck, another +took the hand that held the vessel of bronze. The pitcher +sank down to the depths of the spring. The hands of the nymphs +clasped Hylas tighter, tighter; the water bubbled around him +as they drew him down. Down, down they drew him, and into +the cold and glimmering cave where they live. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i008.png"><anchor id="i008.png"/><index index="fig"/><head>Hylas</head><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> There Hylas stayed. But although the nymphs kissed him and +sang to him, and showed him lovely things, Hylas was not +content to be there. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Where the Argonauts were the fires burned, the moon arose, +and still Hylas did not return. Then they began to fear lest a +wild beast had destroyed the boy. One went to Heracles and +told him that young Hylas had not come back, and that they +were fearful for him. Heracles flung down the pine tree that he +was fashioning into an oar, and he dashed along the way that +Hylas had gone as if a gadfly were stinging him. <q>Hylas, Hylas,</q> +he cried. But Hylas, in the cold and glimmering cave that the +nymphs had drawn him into, did not hear the call of his friend +Heracles. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> All the Argonauts went searching, calling as they went through +the island, <q>Hylas, Hylas, Hylas!</q> But only their own calls +came back to them. The morning star came up, and Tiphys, +the steersman, called to them from the <emph>Argo</emph>. And when they +<pb n="44"/> +came to the ship Tiphys told them that they would have to go +aboard and make ready to sail from that place. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They called to Heracles, and Heracles at last came down to +the ship. They spoke to him, saying that they would have to sail +away. Heracles would not go on board. <q>I will not leave this +island,</q> he said, <q>until I find young Hylas or learn what has +happened to him.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Jason arose to give the command to depart. But before +the words were said Telamon stood up and faced him. <q>Jason,</q> +he said angrily, <q>you do not bid Heracles come on board, and +you would have the <emph>Argo</emph> leave without him. You would leave +Heracles here so that he may not be with us on the quest where +his glory might overshadow your glory, Jason.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason said no word, but he sat back on his bench with head +bowed. And then, even as Telamon said these angry words, a +strange figure rose up out of the waves of the sea. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was the figure of a man, wrinkled and old, with seaweed in +his beard and his hair. There was a majesty about him, and the +Argonauts all knew that this was one of the immortals—he was +Nereus, the ancient one of the sea. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>To Heracles, and to you, the rest of the Argonauts, I have a +thing to say,</q> said the ancient one, Nereus. <q>Know, first, that +Hylas has been taken by the nymphs who love him and who +think to win his love, and that he will stay forever with them in +their cold and glimmering cave. For Hylas seek no more. And +to you, Heracles, I will say this: Go aboard the <emph>Argo</emph> again; the +<pb n="45"/> +ship will take you to where a great labor awaits you, and which, +in accomplishing, you will work out the will of Zeus. You will +know what this labor is when a spirit seizes on you.</q> So the +ancient one of the sea said, and he sank back beneath the waves. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heracles went aboard the <emph>Argo</emph> once more, and he took his place +on the bench, the new oar in his hand. Sad he was to think that +young Hylas who used to sit at his knee would never be there +again. The breeze filled the sail, the Argonauts pulled at the oars, +and in sadness they watched the island where young Hylas +had been lost to them recede from their view. +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>VII. King Phineus</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capS.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">S</hi>AID Tiphys, the steersman: <q>If we could +enter the Sea of Pontus, we could +make our way across that sea to Colchis in +a short time. But the passage into the +Sea of Pontus is most perilous, and few +mortals dare even to make approach to +it.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Said Jason, the chieftain of the host: <q>The dangers of the +passage, Tiphys, we have spoken of, and it may be that we shall +have to carry <emph>Argo</emph> overland to the Sea of Pontus. But you, +Tiphys, have spoken of a wise king who is hereabouts, and who +might help us to make the dangerous passage. Speak again to +us, and tell us what the dangers of the passage are, and who the +<pb n="46"/> +king is who may be able to help us to make these dangers +less.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then said Tiphys, the steersman of the <emph>Argo</emph>: <q rend="post: none">No ship sailed +by mortals has as yet gone through the passage that brings this +sea into the Sea of Pontus. In the way are the rocks that mariners +call The Clashers. These rocks are not fixed as rocks should +be, but they rush one against the other, dashing up the sea, and +crushing whatever may be between. Yea, if <emph>Argo</emph> were of iron, +and if she were between these rocks when they met, she would be +crushed to bits. I have sailed as far as that passage, but seeing +The Clashers strike together I turned back my ship, and journeyed +as far as the Sea of Pontus overland. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>But I have been told of one who knows how a ship may be +taken through the passage that The Clashers make so perilous. +He who knows is a king hereabouts, Phineus, who has made himself +as wise as the gods. To no one has Phineus told how +the passage may be made, but knowing what high favor has +been shown to us, the Argonauts, it may be that he will +tell us.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Tiphys said, and Jason commanded him to steer the <emph>Argo</emph> +toward the city where ruled Phineus, the wise king. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> To Salmydessus, then, where Phineus ruled, Tiphys steered +the <emph>Argo</emph>. They left Heracles with Tiphys aboard to guard the +ship, and, with the rest of the heroes, Jason went through the +streets of the city. They met many men, but when they asked +<pb n="47"/> +any of them how they might come to the palace of King Phineus +the men turned fearfully away. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They found their way to the king’s palace. Jason spoke to the +servants and bade them tell the king of their coming. The servants, +too, seemed fearful, and as Jason and his comrades were +wondering what there was about him that made men fearful at +his name, Phineus, the king, came amongst them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Were it not that he had a purple border to his robe no one +would have known him for the king, so miserable did this man +seem. He crept along, touching the walls, for the eyes in his head +were blind and withered. His body was shrunken, and when he +stood before them leaning on his staff he was like to a lifeless +thing. He turned his blinded eyes upon them, looking from one +to the other as if he were searching for a face. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then his sightless eyes rested upon Zetes and Calais, the sons +of Boreas, the North Wind. A change came into his face as it +turned upon them. One would think that he saw the wonder +that these two were endowed with—the wings that grew upon +their ankles. It was a while before he turned his face from them; +then he spoke to Jason and said: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>You have come to have counsel with one who has the wisdom +of the gods. Others before you have come for such counsel, but +seeing the misery that is visible upon me they went without asking +for counsel. I would strive to hold you here for a while. +Stay, and have sight of the misery the gods visit upon those who +would be as wise as they. And when you have seen the thing +<pb n="48"/> +that is wont to befall me, it may be that help will come from +you for me.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Phineus, the blind king, left them, and after a while the +heroes were brought into a great hall, and they were invited to +rest themselves there while a banquet was being prepared for +them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The hall was richly adorned, but it looked to the heroes as if +it had known strange happenings; rich hangings were strewn +upon the ground, an ivory chair was overturned, and the dais +where the king sat had stains upon it. The servants who went +through the hall making ready the banquet were white-faced and +fearful. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The feast was laid on a great table, and the heroes were invited +to sit down to it. The king did not come into the hall before they +sat down, but a table with food was set before the dais. When +the heroes had feasted, the king came into the hall. He sat at +the table, blind, white-faced, and shrunken, and the Argonauts +all turned their faces to him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Said Phineus, the blind king: <q>You see, O heroes, how much +my wisdom avails me. You see me blind and shrunken, who +tried to make myself in wisdom equal to the gods. And yet you +have not seen all. Watch now and see what feasts Phineus, the +wise king, has to delight him.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He made a sign, and the white-faced and trembling servants +brought food and set it upon the table that was before him. The +king bent forward as if to eat, and they saw that his face was + + + +<pb n="49"/> +covered with the damp of fear. He took food from the dish and +raised it to his mouth. As he did, the doors of the hall were flung +open as if by a storm. Strange shapes flew into the hall and set +themselves beside the king. And when the Argonauts looked +upon them they saw that these were terrible and unsightly +shapes. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i009.png"><anchor id="i009.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They were things that had the wings and claws of birds and the +heads of women. Black hair and gray feathers were mixed upon +them; they had red eyes, and streaks of blood were upon their +breasts and wings. And as the king raised the food to his mouth +they flew at him and buffeted his head with their wings, and +snatched the food from his hands. Then they devoured or +scattered what was upon the table, and all the time they screamed +and laughed and mocked. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Ah, now ye see,</q> Phineus panted, <q>what it is to have +wisdom equal to the wisdom of the gods. Now ye all see my +misery. Never do I strive to put food to my lips but these foul +things, the Harpies, the Snatchers, swoop down and scatter or +devour what I would eat. Crumbs they leave me that my life +may not altogether go from me, but these crumbs they make foul +to my taste and my smell.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And one of the Harpies perched herself on the back of the +king’s throne and looked upon the heroes with red eyes. <q>Hah,</q> +she screamed, <q>you bring armed men into your feasting hall, +thinking to scare us away. Never, Phineus, can you scare us +from you! Always you will have us, the Snatchers, beside you +<pb n="50"/> +when you would still your ache of hunger. What can these men +do against us who are winged and who can travel through the +ways of the air?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So said the unsightly Harpy, and the heroes drew together, +made fearful by these awful shapes. All drew back except Zetes +and Calais, the sons of the North Wind. They laid their hands +upon their swords. The wings on their shoulders spread out +and the wings at their heels trembled. Phineus, the king, leaned +forward and panted: <q>By the wisdom I have I know that there +are two amongst you who can save me. O make haste to help me, +ye who can help me, and I will give the counsel that you Argonauts +have come to me for, and besides I will load down your +ship with treasure and costly stuffs. Oh, make haste, ye who +can help me!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Hearing the king speak like this, the Harpies gathered together +and gnashed with their teeth, and chattered to one another. +Then, seeing Zetes and Calais with their hands upon their swords, +they rose up on their wings and flew through the wide doors of +the hall. The king cried out to Zetes and Calais. But the sons +of the North Wind had already risen with their wings, and they +were after the Harpies, their bright swords in their hands. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> On flew the Harpies, screeching and gnashing their teeth in +anger and dismay, for now they felt that they might be driven +from Salmydessus, where they had had such royal feasts. They +rose high in the air and flew out toward the sea. But high as the +Harpies rose, the sons of the North Wind rose higher. The +<pb n="51"/> +Harpies cried pitiful cries as they flew on, but Zetes and Calais +felt no pity for them, for they knew that these dread Snatchers, +with the stains of blood upon their breasts and wings, had +shown pity neither to Phineus nor to any other. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> On they flew until they came to the island that is called the +Floating Island. There the Harpies sank down with wearied +wings. Zetes and Calais were upon them now, and they would +have cut them to pieces with their bright swords, if the messenger +of Zeus, Iris, with the golden wings, had not come between. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Forbear to slay the Harpies, sons of Boreas,</q> cried Iris warningly, +<q>forbear to slay the Harpies that are the hounds of Zeus. +Let them cower here and hide themselves, and I, who come from +Zeus, will swear the oath that the gods most dread, that they will +never again come to Salmydessus to trouble Phineus, the king.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The heroes yielded to the words of Iris. She took the oath that +the gods most dread—the oath by the Water of Styx—that +never again would the Harpies show themselves to Phineus. +Then Zetes and Calais turned back toward the city of Salmydessus. +The island that they drove the Harpies to had been +called the Floating Island, but thereafter it was called the Island +of Turning. It was evening when they turned back, and all night +long the Argonauts and King Phineus sat in the hall of the palace +and awaited the return of Zetes and Calais, the sons of the North +Wind. +</p><pb n="52"/></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>VIII. King Phineus’s Counsel; The Landing +in Lemnos</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capT.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">T</hi>HEY came into King Phineus’s hall, their +bright swords in their hands. The Argonauts +crowded around them and King +Phineus raised his head and stretched out +his thin hands to them. And Zetes and +Calais told their comrades and told the +king how they had driven the Harpies +down to the Floating Island, and how Iris, the messenger of +Zeus, had sworn the great oath that was by the Water of Styx +that never again would the Snatchers show themselves in the +palace. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then a great golden cup brimming with wine was brought to +the king. He stood holding it in his trembling hands, fearful even +then that the Harpies would tear the cup out of his hands. He +drank—long and deeply he drank—and the dread shapes of +the Snatchers did not appear. Down amongst the heroes he came +and he took into his the hands of Zetes and Calais, the sons of +the North Wind. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>O heroes greater than any kings,</q> he said, <q>ye have delivered +me from the terrible curse that the gods had sent upon me. I +thank ye, and I thank ye all, heroes of the quest. And the +thanks of Phineus will much avail you all.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Clasping the hands of Zetes and Calais he led the heroes through +<pb n="53"/> +hall after hall of his palace and down into his treasure chamber. +There he bestowed upon the banishers of the Harpies crowns and +arm rings of gold and richly colored garments and brazen chests +in which to store the treasure that he gave. And to Jason he gave +an ivory-hilted and gold-encased sword, and on each of the +voyagers he bestowed a rich gift, not forgetting the heroes who +had remained on the <emph>Argo</emph>, Heracles and Tiphys. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They went back to the great hall, and a feast was spread for +the king and for the Argonauts. They ate from rich dishes and +they drank from flowing wine cups. Phineus ate and drank as the +heroes did, and no dread shapes came before him to snatch from +him nor to buffet him. But as Jason looked upon the man who +had striven to equal the gods in wisdom, and noted his blinded +eyes and shrunken face, he resolved never to harbor in his heart +such presumption as Phineus had harbored. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When the feast was finished the king spoke to Jason, telling +him how the <emph>Argo</emph> might be guided through the Symplegades, the +dread passage into the Sea of Pontus. He told them to bring +their ship near to the Clashing Rocks. And one who had the keenest +sight amongst them was to stand at the prow of the ship holding +a pigeon in his hands. As the rocks came together he was to +loose the pigeon. If it found a space to fly through they would +know that the <emph>Argo</emph> could make the passage, and they were to +steer straight toward where the pigeon had flown. But if it fluttered +down to the sea, or flew back to them, or became lost in the +clouds of spray, they were to know that the <emph>Argo</emph> might not make +<pb n="54"/> +that passage. Then the heroes would have to take their ship +overland to where they might reach the Sea of Pontus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> That day they bade farewell to Phineus, and with the treasures +he had bestowed upon them they went down to the <emph>Argo</emph>. To +Heracles and Tiphys they gave the presents that the king had +sent them. In the morning they drew the <emph>Argo</emph> out of the harbor +of Salmydessus, and set sail again. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But not until long afterward did they come to the Symplegades, +the passage that was to be their great trial. For they landed +first in a country that was full of woods, where they were welcomed +by a king who had heard of the voyagers and of their quest. +There they stayed and hunted for many days in the woods. And +there a great loss befell the Argonauts, for Tiphys, as he went +through the woods, was bitten by a snake and died. He who +had braved so many seas and so many storms lost his life away +from the ship. The Argonauts made a tomb for him on the shore +of that land—a great pile of stones, in which they fixed upright +his steering oar. Then they set sail again, and Nauplius was +made the steersman of the ship. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The course was not so clear to Nauplius as it had been to Tiphys. +The steersman did not find his bearings, and for many days and +nights the <emph>Argo</emph> was driven on a backward course. They came +to an island that they knew to be that Island of Lemnos that they +had passed on the first days of the voyage, and they resolved to +<pb n="55"/> +rest there for a while, and then to press on for the passage into the +Sea of Pontus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They brought the <emph>Argo</emph> near the shore. They blew trumpets +and set the loudest voiced of the heroes to call out to those upon +the island. But no answer came to them, and all day the <emph>Argo</emph> +lay close to the island. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> There were hidden people watching them, people with bows +in their hands and arrows laid along the bowstrings. And the +people who thus threatened the unknowing Argonauts were women +and young girls. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> There were no men upon the Island of Lemnos. Years before +a curse had fallen upon the people of that island, putting strife +between the men and the women. And the women had mastered +the men and had driven them away from Lemnos. Since then +some of the women had grown old, and the girls who were +children when their fathers and brothers had been banished were +now of an age with Atalanta, the maiden who went with the +Argonauts. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They chased the wild beasts of the island, and they tilled the +fields, and they kept in good repair the houses that were built before +the banishing of the men. The older women served those +who were younger, and they had a queen, a girl whose name was +Hypsipyle. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The women who watched with bows in their hands would have +shot their arrows at the Argonauts if Hypsipyle’s nurse, Polyxo, +<pb n="56"/> +had not stayed them. She forbade them to shoot at the strangers +until she had brought to them the queen’s commands. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She hastened to the palace and she found the young queen +weaving at a loom. She told her about the ship and the strangers +on board the ship, and she asked the queen what word she should +bring to the guardian maidens. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Before you give a command, Hypsipyle,</q> said Polyxo, the +nurse, <q rend="post: none">consider these words of mine. We, the elder women, are +becoming ancient now; in a few years we will not be able to serve +you, the younger women, and in a few years more we will have +gone into the grave and our places will know us no more. And +you, the younger women, will be becoming strengthless, and no +more will be you able to hunt in the woods nor to till the fields, +and a hard old age will be before you. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>The ship that is beside our shore may have come at a good +time. Those on board are goodly heroes. Let them land in Lemnos, +and stay if they will. Let them wed with the younger women +so that there may be husbands and wives, helpers and helpmeets, +again in Lemnos.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Hypsipyle, the queen, let the shuttle fall from her hands and +stayed for a while looking full into Polyxo’s face. Had her nurse +heard her say something like this out of her dreams, she wondered? +She bade the nurse tell the guardian maidens to let the +heroes land in safety, and that she herself would put the crown +of King Thoas, her father, upon her head, and go down to the +shore to welcome them. +</p><pb n="57"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And now the Argonauts saw people along the shore and they +caught sight of women’s dresses. The loudest voiced amongst +them shouted again, and they heard an answer given in a woman’s +voice. They drew up the <emph>Argo</emph> upon the shore, and they set foot +upon the land of Lemnos. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason stepped forth at the head of his comrades, and he was +met by Hypsipyle, her father’s crown upon her head, at the head +of her maidens. They greeted each other, and Hypsipyle bade +the heroes come with them to their town that was called Myrine +and to the palace that was there. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Wonderingly the Argonauts went, looking on women’s forms +and faces and seeing no men. They came to the palace and went +within. Hypsipyle mounted the stone throne that was King +Thoas’s and the four maidens who were her guards stood each +side of her. She spoke to the heroes in greeting and bade them +stay in peace for as long as they would. She told them of the +curse that had fallen upon the people of Lemnos, and of how the +menfolk had been banished. Jason, then, told the queen what +voyage he and his companions were upon and what quest they +were making. Then in friendship the Argonauts and the women +of Lemnos stayed together—all the Argonauts except Heracles, +and he, grieving still for Hylas, stayed aboard the <emph>Argo</emph>. +</p><pb n="58"/></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>IX. The Lemnian Maidens</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capA1.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">A</hi>ND now the Argonauts were no longer on +a ship that was being dashed on by the +sea and beaten upon by the winds. They +had houses to live in; they had honey-tasting +things to eat, and when they went +through the island each man might have +with him one of the maidens of Lemnos. +It was a change that was welcome to the wearied voyagers. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They helped the women in the work of the fields; they hunted +the beasts with them, and over and over again they were surprised +at how skillfully the women had ordered all affairs. +Everything in Lemnos was strange to the Argonauts, and they +stayed day after day, thinking each day a fresh adventure. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Sometimes they would leave the fields and the chase, and this +hero or that hero, with her who was his friend amongst the Lemnian +maidens, would go far into that strange land and look upon +lakes that were all covered with golden and silver water lilies, +or would gather the blue flowers from creepers that grew around +dark trees, or would hide themselves so that they might listen to +the quick-moving birds that sang in the thickets. Perhaps on +their way homeward they would see the <emph>Argo</emph> in the harbor, and +they would think of Heracles who was aboard, and they would +call to him. But the ship and the voyage they had been on now +seemed far away to them, and the Quest of the Golden Fleece +<pb n="59"/> +seemed to them a story they had heard and that they had thought +of, but that they could never think on again with all that fervor. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When Jason looked on Hypsipyle he saw one who seemed to +him to be only childlike in size. Greatly was he amazed at the +words that poured forth from her as she stood at the stone throne +of King Thoas—he was amazed as one is amazed at the rush of +rich notes that comes from the throat of a little bird; all that she +said was made lightninglike by her eyes—her eyes that were +not clear and quiet like the eyes of the maidens he had seen +in Iolcus, but that were dark and burning. Her mouth was heavy +and this heavy mouth gave a shadow to her face that but for it +was all bright and lovely. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Hypsipyle spoke two languages—one, the language of the +mothers of the women of Lemnos, which was rough and harsh, +a speech to be flung out to slaves, and the other the language of +Greece, which their fathers had spoken, and which Hypsipyle +spoke in a way that made it sound like strange music. She spoke +and walked and did all things in a queenlike way, and Jason +could see that, for all her youth and childlike size, Hypsipyle +was one who was a ruler. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> From the moment she took his hand it seemed that she could +not bear to be away from him. Where he walked, she walked +too; where he sat she sat before him, looking at him with her +great eyes while she laughed or sang. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Like the perfume of strange flowers, like the savor of strange +<pb n="60"/> +fruit was Hypsipyle to Jason. Hours and hours he would spend +sitting beside her or watching her while she arrayed herself in +white or in brightly colored garments. Not to the chase and not +into the fields did Jason go, nor did he ever go with the others +into the Lemnian land; all day he sat in the palace with her, +watching her, or listening to her singing, or to the long, fierce +speeches that she used to make to her nurse or to the four +maidens who attended her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> In the evening they would gather in the hall of the palace, the +Argonauts and the Lemnian maidens who were their comrades. +There were dances, and always Jason and Hypsipyle danced together. +All the Lemnian maidens sang beautifully, but none of +them had any stories to tell. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And when the Argonauts would have stories told the Lemnian +maidens would forbid any tale that was about a god or a hero; +only stories that were about the goddesses or about some maiden +would they let be told. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Orpheus, who knew the histories of the gods, would have told +them many stories, but the only story of his that they would +come from the dance to listen to was a story of the goddesses, of +Demeter and her daughter Persephone. + +<!-- FIXME: paragraph should end before page break --> + +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i010.png"><anchor id="i010.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<pb n="61"/><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>Demeter and Persephone</head><p rend="font-size: 120%">I</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Once when Demeter was going through the world, giving men +grain to be sown in their fields, she heard a cry that came to her +from across high mountains and that mounted up to her from +the sea. Demeter’s heart shook when she heard that cry, for +she knew that it came to her from her daughter, from her only +child, young Persephone. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She stayed not to bless the fields in which the grain was +being sown, but she hurried, hurried away, to Sicily and to the +fields of Enna, where she had left Persephone. All Enna she +searched, and all Sicily, but she found no trace of Persephone, +nor of the maidens whom Persephone had been playing with. +From all whom she met she begged for tidings, but although +some had seen maidens gathering flowers and playing together, +no one could tell Demeter why her child had cried out nor where +she had since gone to. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> There were some who could have told her. One was Cyane, +a water nymph. But Cyane, before Demeter came to her, had +been changed into a spring of water. And now, not being able +to speak and tell Demeter where her child had gone to and who +had carried her away, she showed in the water the girdle of +Persephone that she had caught in her hands. And Demeter, +finding the girdle of her child in the spring, knew that she had +<pb n="62"/> +been carried off by violence. She lighted a torch at Ætna’s +burning mountain, and for nine days and nine nights she went +searching for her through the darkened places of the earth. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then, upon a high and a dark hill, the Goddess Demeter came +face to face with Hecate, the Moon. Hecate, too, had heard +the cry of Persephone; she had sorrow for Demeter’s sorrow: +she spoke to her as the two stood upon that dark, high hill, +and told her that she should go to Helios for tidings—to bright +Helios, the watcher for the gods, and beg Helios to tell her who +it was who had carried off by violence her child Persephone. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Demeter came to Helios. He was standing before his shining +steeds, before the impatient steeds that draw the sun through +the course of the heavens. Demeter stood in the way of those +impatient steeds; she begged of Helios who sees all things upon +the earth to tell her who it was had carried off by violence +Persephone, her child. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And Helios, who may make no concealment, said: <q>Queenly +Demeter, know that the king of the Underworld, dark Aidoneus, +has carried off Persephone to make her his queen in the +realm that I never shine upon.</q> He spoke, and as he did, his +horses shook their manes and breathed out fire, impatient to +be gone. Helios sprang into his chariot and went flashing +away. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Demeter, knowing that one of the gods had carried off Persephone +against her will, and knowing that what was done had +been done by the will of Zeus, would go no more into the assemblies +<pb n="63"/> +of the gods. She quenched the torch that she had held in +her hands for nine days and nine nights; she put off her robe +of goddess, and she went wandering over the earth, uncomforted +for the loss of her child. And no longer did she appear +as a gracious goddess to men; no longer did she give them +grain; no longer did she bless their fields. None of the things +that it had pleased her once to do would Demeter do any longer. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">II</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Persephone had been playing with the nymphs who are the +daughters of Ocean—Phæno, Ianthe, Melita, Ianeira, Acaste—in +the lovely fields of Enna. They went to gather flowers—irises +and crocuses, lilies, narcissus, hyacinths and rose-blooms—that +grow in those fields. As they went, gathering +flowers in their baskets, they had sight of Pergus, the pool +that the white swans come to sing in. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Beside a deep chasm that had been made in the earth a +wonder flower was growing—in color it was like the crocus, +but it sent forth a perfume that was like the perfume of a +hundred flowers. And Persephone thought as she went toward +it that having gathered that flower she would have something +much more wonderful than her companions had. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She did not know that Aidoneus, the lord of the Underworld, +had caused that flower to grow there so that she might be +drawn by it to the chasm that he had made. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As Persephone stooped to pluck the wonder flower, Aidoneus, +<pb n="64"/> +in his chariot of iron, dashed up through the chasm, and grasping +the maiden by the waist, set her beside him. Only Cyane, +the nymph, tried to save Persephone, and it was then that she +caught the girdle in her hands. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The maiden cried out, first because her flowers had been +spilled, and then because she was being reft away. She cried +out to her mother, and her cry went over high mountains and +sounded up from the sea. The daughters of Ocean, affrighted, +fled and sank down into the depths of the sea. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> In his great chariot of iron that was drawn by black steeds +Aidoneus rushed down through the chasm he had made. Into +the Underworld he went, and he dashed across the River +Styx, and he brought his chariot up beside his throne. And on +his dark throne he seated Persephone, the fainting daughter of +Demeter. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">III</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> No more did the Goddess Demeter give grain to men; no +more did she bless their fields: weeds grew where grain had been +growing, and men feared that in a while they would famish for +lack of bread. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She wandered through the world, her thought all upon her +child, Persephone, who had been taken from her. Once she sat +by a well by a wayside, thinking upon the child that she might +not come to and who might not come to her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She saw four maidens come near; their grace and their youth + + + +<pb n="65"/> +reminded her of her child. They stepped lightly along, carrying +bronze pitchers in their hands, for they were coming to the +Well of the Maiden beside which Demeter sat. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i011.png"><anchor id="i011.png"/><index index="fig"/><head>Persephone and Aidoneus</head><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The maidens thought when they looked upon her that the +goddess was some ancient woman who had a sorrow in her +heart. Seeing that she was so noble and so sorrowful looking, +the maidens, as they drew the clear water into their pitchers, +spoke kindly to her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Why do you stay away from the town, old mother?</q> one +of the maidens said. <q>Why do you not come to the houses? +We think that you look as if you were shelterless and alone, +and we should like to tell you that there are many houses in +the town where you would be welcomed.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Demeter’s heart went out to the maidens, because they +looked so young and fair and simple and spoke out of such kind +hearts. She said to them: <q>Where can I go, dear children? +My people are far away, and there are none in all the world +who would care to be near me.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Said one of the maidens: <q>There are princes in the land who +would welcome you in their houses if you would consent to +nurse one of their young children. But why do I speak of +other princes beside Celeus, our father? In his house you would +indeed have a welcome. But lately a baby has been born to +our mother, Metaneira, and she would greatly rejoice to have +one as wise as you mind little Demophoön.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> All the time that she watched them and listened to their +<pb n="66"/> +voices Demeter felt that the grace and youth of the maidens +made them like Persephone. She thought that it would ease +her heart to be in the house where these maidens were, and she +was not loath to have them go and ask of their mother to have +her come to nurse the infant child. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Swiftly they ran back to their home, their hair streaming +behind them like crocus flowers; kind and lovely girls whose +names are well remembered—Callidice and Cleisidice, Demo +and Callithoë. They went to their mother and they told her +of the stranger-woman whose name was Doso. She would make +a wise and a kind nurse for little Demophoön, they said. Their +mother, Metaneira, rose up from the couch she was sitting on +to welcome the stranger. But when she saw her at the doorway, +awe came over her, so majestic she seemed. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Metaneira would have her seat herself on the couch but the +goddess took the lowliest stool, saying in greeting: <q>May the +gods give you all good, lady.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Sorrow has set you wandering from your good home,</q> said +Metaneira to the goddess, <q>but now that you have come to this +place you shall have all that this house can bestow if you will +rear up to youth the infant Demophoön, child of many hopes +and prayers.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The child was put into the arms of Demeter; she clasped +him to her breast, and little Demophoön looked up into her face +and smiled. Then Demeter’s heart went out to the child and +to all who were in the household. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <!-- FIXME: why doesn’t this illustration show when the paragraph starts after it?! --> + +<pb n="67"/> +He grew in strength and beauty in her charge. And little +Demophoön was not nourished as other children are nourished, +but even as the gods in their childhood were nourished. Demeter +fed him on ambrosia, breathing on him with her divine +breath the while. And at night she laid him on the hearth, +amongst the embers, with the fire all around him. This she +did that she might make him immortal, and like to the gods. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i012.png"><anchor id="i012.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But one night Metaneira looked out from the chamber where +she lay, and she saw the nurse take little Demophoön and lay +him in a place on the hearth with the burning brands all around +him. Then Metaneira started up, and she sprang to the hearth, +and she snatched the child from beside the burning brands. +<q>Demophoõn, my son,</q> she cried, <q>what would this stranger-woman +do to you, bringing bitter grief to me that ever I let +her take you in her arms?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then said Demeter: <q>Foolish indeed are you mortals, and +not able to foresee what is to come to you of good or of evil! +Foolish indeed are you, Metaneira, for in your heedlessness you +have cut off this child from an immortality like to the immortality +of the gods themselves. For he had lain in my bosom +and had become dear to me and I would have bestowed upon +him the greatest gift that the Divine Ones can bestow, for I +would have made him deathless and unaging. All this, now, +has gone by. Honor he shall have indeed, but Demophoõn +will know age and death.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The seeming old age that was upon her had fallen from +<pb n="68"/> +Demeter; beauty and stature were hers, and from her robe +there came a heavenly fragrance. There came such light from +her body that the chamber shone. Metaneira remained trembling +and speechless, unmindful even to take up the child that +had been laid upon the ground. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was then that his sisters heard Demophoön wail; one ran +from her chamber and took the child in her arms; another +kindled again the fire upon the hearth, and the others made +ready to bathe and care for the infant. All night they cared +for him, holding him in their arms and at their breasts, but +the child would not be comforted, because the nurses who +handled him now were less skillful than was the goddess-nurse. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And as for Demeter, she left the house of Celeus and went +upon her way, lonely in her heart, and unappeased. And in +the world that she wandered through, the plow went in vain +through the ground; the furrow was sown without any avail, and +the race of men saw themselves near perishing for lack of bread. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But again Demeter came near the Well of the Maiden. She +thought of the daughters of Celeus as they came toward the well +that day, the bronze pitchers in their hands, and with kind looks +for the stranger—she thought of them as she sat by the well +again. And then she thought of little Demophoön, the child +she had held at her breast. No stir of living was in the land +near their home, and only weeds grew in their fields. As she +sat there and looked around her there came into Demeter’s +heart a pity for the people in whose house she had dwelt. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> + +<!-- FIXME: p after illustration --> + +<pb n="69"/> + +<!-- CUT HERE --> + +She rose up and she went to the house of Celeus. She +found him beside his house measuring out a little grain. The +goddess went to him and she told him that because of the love +she bore his household she would bless his fields so that the +seed he had sown in them would come to growth. Celeus rejoiced, +and he called all the people together, and they raised a +temple to Demeter. She went through the fields and blessed +them, and the seed that they had sown began to grow. And +the goddess for a while dwelt amongst that people, in her temple +at Eleusis. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i013.png"><anchor id="i013.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">IV</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But still she kept away from the assemblies of the gods. +Zeus sent a messenger to her, Iris with the golden wings, bidding +her to Olympus. Demeter would not join the Olympians. +Then, one after the other, the gods and goddesses of Olympus +came to her; none were able to make her cease from grieving +for Persephone, or to go again into the company of the immortal +gods. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And so it came about that Zeus was compelled to send a +messenger down to the Underworld to bring Persephone back +to the mother who grieved so much for the loss of her. Hermes +was the messenger whom Zeus sent. Through the darkened +places of the earth Hermes went, and he came to that dark +throne where the lord Aidoneus sat, with Persephone beside him. +Then Hermes spoke to the lord of the Underworld, saying +<pb n="70"/> +that Zeus commanded that Persephone should come forth from +the Underworld that her mother might look upon her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Persephone, hearing the words of Zeus that might not +be gainsaid, uttered the only cry that had left her lips since +she had sent out that cry that had reached her mother’s heart. +And Aidoneus, hearing the command of Zeus that might not +be denied, bowed his dark, majestic head. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She might go to the Upperworld and rest herself in the arms +of her mother, he said. And then he cried out: <q>Ah, Persephone, +strive to feel kindliness in your heart toward me who carried +you off by violence and against your will. I can give to you one +of the great kingdoms that the Olympians rule over. And I, +who am brother to Zeus, am no unfitting husband for you, +Demeter’s child.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Aidoneus, the dark lord of the Underworld said, and he +made ready the iron chariot with its deathless horses that Persephone +might go up from his kingdom. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Beside the single tree in his domain Aidoneus stayed the +chariot. A single fruit grew on that tree, a bright pomegranate +fruit. Persephone stood up in the chariot and plucked the +fruit from the tree. Then did Aidoneus prevail upon her to +divide the fruit, and, having divided it, Persephone ate seven +of the pomegranate seeds. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was Hermes who took the whip and the reins of the chariot. +He drove on, and neither the sea nor the water-courses, nor +the glens nor the mountain peaks stayed the deathless horses of + + + +<pb n="71"/> +Aidoneus, and soon the chariot was brought near to where +Demeter awaited the coming of her daughter. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i014.png"><anchor id="i014.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And when, from a hilltop, Demeter saw the chariot approaching, +she flew like a wild bird to clasp her child. Persephone, +when she saw her mother’s dear eyes, sprang out of the chariot +and fell upon her neck and embraced her. Long and long +Demeter held her dear child in her arms, gazing, gazing upon +her. Suddenly her mind misgave her. With a great fear at +her heart she cried out: <q>Dearest, has any food passed your +lips in all the time you have been in the Underworld?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She had not tasted food in all the time she was there, Persephone +said. And then, suddenly, she remembered the pomegranate +that Aidoneus had asked her to divide. When she told +that she had eaten seven seeds from it Demeter wept, and her +tears fell upon Persephone’s face. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Ah, my dearest,</q> she cried, <q>if you had not eaten the +pomegranate seeds you could have stayed with me, and always +we should have been together. But now that you have eaten +food in it, the Underworld has a claim upon you. You may +not stay always with me here. Again you will have to go back +and dwell in the dark places under the earth and sit upon Aidoneus’s +throne. But not always you will be there. When the +flowers bloom upon the earth you shall come up from the realm +of darkness, and in great joy we shall go through the world +together, Demeter and Persephone.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And so it has been since Persephone came back to her mother +<pb n="72"/> +after having eaten of the pomegranate seeds. For two seasons +of the year she stays with Demeter, and for one season she +stays in the Underworld with her dark lord. While she is +with her mother there is springtime upon the earth. Demeter +blesses the furrows, her heart being glad because her daughter +is with her once more. The furrows become heavy with grain, +and soon the whole wide earth has grain and fruit, leaves and +flowers. When the furrows are reaped, when the grain has +been gathered, when the dark season comes, Persephone goes +from her mother, and going down into the dark places, she sits +beside her mighty lord Aidoneus and upon his throne. Not sorrowful +is she there; she sits with head unbowed, for she knows +herself to be a mighty queen. She has joy, too, knowing of +the seasons when she may walk with Demeter, her mother, on +the wide places of the earth, through fields of flowers and fruit +and ripening grain. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Such was the story that Orpheus told—Orpheus who knew +the histories of the gods. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> A day came when the heroes, on their way back from a journey +they had made with the Lemnian maidens, called out to Heracles +upon the <emph>Argo</emph>. Then Heracles, standing on the prow of +the ship, shouted angrily to them. Terrible did he seem to +the Lemnian maidens, and they ran off, drawing the heroes +with them. Heracles shouted to his comrades again, saying +that if they did not come aboard the <emph>Argo</emph> and make ready +<pb n="73"/> +for the voyage to Colchis, he would go ashore and carry them +to the ship, and force them again to take the oars in their hands. +Not all of what Heracles said did the Argonauts hear. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> That evening the men were silent in Hypsipyle’s hall, and it +was Atalanta, the maiden, who told the evening’s story. +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>Atalanta’s Race</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> There are two Atalantas, she said; she herself, the Huntress, +and another who is noted for her speed of foot and her delight +in the race—the daughter of Schœneus, King of Bœotia, Atalanta +of the Swift Foot. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So proud was she of her swiftness that she made a vow to the +gods that none would be her husband except the youth who +won past her in the race. Youth after youth came and raced +against her, but Atalanta, who grew fleeter and fleeter of foot, +left each one of them far behind her. The youths who came to +the race were so many and the clamor they made after defeat +was so great, that her father made a law that, as he thought, +would lessen their number. The law that he made was that +the youth who came to race against Atalanta and who lost the +race should lose his life into the bargain. After that the youths +who had care for their lives stayed away from Bœotia. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Once there came a youth from a far part of Greece into the +country that Atalanta’s father ruled over. Hippomenes was +his name. He did not know of the race, but having come into +<pb n="74"/> +the city and seeing the crowd of people, he went with them to +the course. He looked upon the youths who were girded for +the race, and he heard the folk say amongst themselves, <q>Poor +youths, as mighty and as high-spirited as they look, by sunset +the life will be out of each of them, for Atalanta will run past +them as she ran past the others.</q> Then Hippomenes spoke to +the folk in wonder, and they told him of Atalanta’s race and of +what would befall the youths who were defeated in it. <q>Unlucky +youths,</q> cried Hippomenes, <q>how foolish they are to +try to win a bride at the price of their lives.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then, with pity in his heart, he watched the youths prepare +for the race. Atalanta had not yet taken her place, and he was +fearful of looking upon her. <q>She is a witch,</q> he said to himself, +<q>she must be a witch to draw so many youths to their deaths, and +she, no doubt, will show in her face and figure the witch’s spirit.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But even as he said this, Hippomenes saw Atalanta. She +stood with the youths before they crouched for the first dart +in the race. He saw that she was a girl of a light and a lovely +form. Then they crouched for the race; then the trumpets +rang out, and the youths and the maiden darted like swallows +over the sand of the course. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> On came Atalanta, far, far ahead of the youths who had +started with her. Over her bare shoulders her hair streamed, +blown backward by the wind that met her flight. Her fair +neck shone, and her little feet were like flying doves. It seemed +to Hippomenes as he watched her that there was fire in her +<pb n="75"/> +lovely body. On and on she went as swift as the arrow that the +Scythian shoots from his bow. And as he watched the race +he was not sorry that the youths were being left behind. Rather +would he have been enraged if one came near overtaking her, +for now his heart was set upon winning her for his bride, and +he cursed himself for not having entered the race. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She passed the last goal mark and she was given the victor’s +wreath of flowers. Hippomenes stood and watched her and he +did not see the youths who had started with her—they had +thrown themselves on the ground in their despair. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then wild, as though he were one of the doomed youths, +Hippomenes made his way through the throng and came before +the black-bearded King of Bœtia. The king’s brows were +knit, for even then he was pronouncing doom upon the youths +who had been left behind in the race. He looked upon Hippomenes, +another youth who would make the trial, and the +frown became heavier upon his face. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Hippomenes saw only Atalanta. She came beside her +father; the wreath was upon her head of gold, and her eyes +were wide and tender. She turned her face to him, and then +she knew by the wildness that was in his look that he had +come to enter the race with her. Then the flush that was on +her face died away, and she shook her head as if she were imploring +him to go from that place. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The dark-bearded king bent his brows upon him and said, +<q>Speak, O youth, speak and tell us what brings you here.</q> +<pb n="76"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then cried Hippomenes as if his whole life were bursting out +with his words: <q>Why does this maiden, your daughter, seek +an easy renown by conquering weakly youths in the race? +She has not striven yet. Here stand I, one of the blood of +Poseidon, the god of the sea. Should I be defeated by her +in the race, then, indeed, might Atalanta have something to +boast of.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Atalanta stepped forward and said: <q>Do not speak of it, +youth. Indeed I think that it is some god, envious of your +beauty and your strength, who sent you here to strive with +me and to meet your doom. Ah, think of the youths who have +striven with me even now! Think of the hard doom that is +about to fall upon them! You venture your life in the race, +but indeed I am not worthy of the price. Go hence, O stranger +youth, go hence and live happily, for indeed I think that there +is some maiden who loves you well.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Nay, maiden,</q> said Hippomenes, <q>I will enter the race and +I will venture my life on the chance of winning you for my +bride. What good will my life and my spirit be to me if they +cannot win this race for me?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She drew away from him then and looked upon him no more, +but bent down to fasten the sandals upon her feet. And the +black-bearded king looked upon Hippomenes and said, <q>Face, +then, this race to-morrow. You will be the only one who will +enter it. But bethink thee of the doom that awaits thee at the +end of it.</q> The king said no more, and Hippomenes went +<pb n="77"/> +from him and from Atalanta, and he came again to the place +where the race had been run. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He looked across the sandy course with its goal marks, and +in his mind he saw again Atalanta’s swift race. He would not +meet doom at the hands of the king’s soldiers, he knew, for his +spirit would leave him with the greatness of the effort he would +make to reach the goal before her. And he thought it would +be well to die in that effort and on that sandy place that was +so far from his own land. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Even as he looked across the sandy course now deserted by +the throng, he saw one move across it, coming toward him with +feet that did not seem to touch the ground. She was a woman +of wonderful presence. As Hippomenes looked upon her he +knew that she was Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and of love. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Hippomenes,</q> said the immortal goddess, <q>the gods are +mindful of you who are sprung from one of the gods, and I +am mindful of you because of your own worth. I have come +to help you in your race with Atalanta, for I would not have +you slain, nor would I have that maiden go unwed. Give your +greatest strength and your greatest swiftness to the race, and +behold! here are wonders that will prevent the fleet-footed +Atalanta from putting all her spirit into the race.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And then the immortal goddess held out to Hippomenes +a branch that had upon it three apples of shining gold. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>In Cyprus,</q> said the goddess, <q>where I have come from, +there is a tree on which these golden apples grow. Only I +<pb n="78"/> +may pluck them. I have brought them to you, Hippomenes. +Keep them in your girdle, and in the race you will find out +what to do with them, I think.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Aphrodite said, and then she vanished, leaving a fragrance +in the air and the three shining apples in the hands of Hippomenes. +Long he looked upon their brightness. They were +beside him that night, and when he arose in the dawn he put +them in his girdle. Then, before the throng, he went to the +place of the race. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When he showed himself beside Atalanta all around the +course were silent, for they all admired Hippomenes for his +beauty and for the spirit that was in his face; they were silent +out of compassion, for they knew the doom that befell the +youths who raced with Atalanta. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And now Schœneus, the black-bearded king, stood up, and +he spoke to the throng, saying, <q>Hear me all, both young and +old: this youth, Hippomenes, seeks to win the race from my +daughter, winning her for his bride. Now, if he be victorious +and escape death I will give him my dear child, Atalanta, and +many fleet horses besides as gifts from me, and in honor he +shall go back to his native land. But if he fail in the race, +then he will have to share the doom that has been meted out +to the other youths who raced with Atalanta hoping to win +her for a bride.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Hippomenes and Atalanta crouched for the start. +The trumpets were sounded and they darted off. +<pb n="79"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Side by side with Atalanta Hippomenes went. Her flying +hair touched his breast, and it seemed to him that they were +skimming the sandy course as if they were swallows. But +then Atalanta began to draw away from him. He saw her +ahead of him, and then he began to hear the words of cheer +that came from the throng—<q>Bend to the race, Hippomenes! +Go on, go on! Use your strength to the utmost.</q> He bent +himself to the race, but further and further from him Atalanta +drew. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then it seemed to him that she checked her swiftness a little +to look back at him. He gained on her a little. And then his +hand touched the apples that were in his girdle. As it touched +them it came into his mind what to do with the apples. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He was not far from her now, but already her swiftness was +drawing her further and further away. He took one of the +apples into his hand and tossed it into the air so that it fell +on the track before her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Atalanta saw the shining apple. She checked her speed and +stooped in the race to pick it up. And as she stooped Hippomenes +darted past her, and went flying toward the goal that +now was within his sight. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But soon she was beside him again. He looked, and he saw +that the goal marks were far, far ahead of him. Atalanta with +the flying hair passed him, and drew away and away from him. +He had not speed to gain upon her now, he thought, so he put +his strength into his hand and he flung the second of the shining +<pb n="80"/> +apples. The apple rolled before her and rolled off the +course. Atalanta turned off the course, stooped and picked up +the apple. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then did Hippomenes draw all his spirit into his breast as he +raced on. He was now nearer to the goal than she was. But +he knew that she was behind him, going lightly where he went +heavily. And then she was beside him, and then she went +past him. She paused in her speed for a moment and she +looked back on him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As he raced on, his chest seemed weighted down and his +throat was crackling dry. The goal marks were far away +still, but Atalanta was nearing them. He took the last of the +golden apples into his hand. Perhaps she was now so far that +the strength of his throw would not be great enough to bring +the apple before her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But with all the strength he could put into his hand he flung +the apple. It struck the course before her feet and then went +bounding wide. Atalanta swerved in her race and followed +where the apple went. Hippomenes marveled that he had been +able to fling it so far. He saw Atalanta stoop to pick up the +apple, and he bounded on. And then, although his strength +was failing, he saw the goal marks near him. He set his feet +between them and then fell down on the ground. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The attendants raised him up and put the victor’s wreath +upon his head. The concourse of people shouted with joy to +see him victor. But he looked around for Atalanta and he + + + +<pb n="81"/> +saw her standing there with the golden apples in her hands. +<q>He has won,</q> he heard her say, <q>and I have not to hate +myself for bringing a doom upon him. Gladly, gladly do I +give up the race, and glad am I that it is this youth who has +won the victory from me.</q> +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i015.png"><anchor id="i015.png"/><index index="fig"/><head>Atalanta’s Last Race</head><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She took his hand and brought him before the king. Then +Schœneus, in the sight of all the rejoicing people, gave Atalanta +to Hippomenes for his bride, and he bestowed upon him also +a great gift of horses. With his dear and hard-won bride, +Hippomenes went to his own country, and the apples that she +brought with her, the golden apples of Aphrodite, were reverenced +by the people. +</p></div></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>X. The Departure from Lemnos</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capA1.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">A</hi> DAY came when Heracles left the <emph>Argo</emph> +and went on the Lemnian land. He +gathered the heroes about him, and +they, seeing Heracles come amongst them, +clamored to go to hunt the wild bulls +that were inland from the sea. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So, for once, the heroes left the Lemnian +maidens who were their friends. Jason, too, left Hypsipyle +in the palace and went with Heracles. And as they +went, Heracles spoke to each of the heroes, saying that they +were forgetting the Fleece of Gold that they had sailed to gain. +<pb n="82"/> +Jason blushed to think that he had almost let go out of his +mind the quest that had brought him from Iolcus. And then +he thought upon Hypsipyle and of how her little hand would +stay in his, and his own hand became loose upon the spear +so that it nearly fell from him. How could he, he thought, +leave Hypsipyle and this land of Lemnos behind? +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He heard the clear voice of Atalanta as she, too, spoke to +the Argonauts. What Heracles said was brave and wise, said +Atalanta. Forgetfulness would cover their names if they stayed +longer in Lemnos—forgetfulness and shame, and they would +come to despise themselves. Leave Lemnos, she cried, and +draw <emph>Argo</emph> into the sea, and depart for Colchis. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> All day the Argonauts stayed by themselves, hunting the +bulls. On their way back from the chase they were met by +Lemnian maidens who carried wreaths of flowers for them. +Very silent were the heroes as the maidens greeted them. Heracles +went with Jason to the palace, and Hypsipyle, seeing +the mighty stranger coming, seated herself, not on the couch +where she was wont to sit looking into the face of Jason, but +on the stone throne of King Thoas, her father. And seated on +that throne she spoke to Jason and to Heracles as a queen +might speak. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> In the hall that night the heroes and the Lemnian maidens +who were with them were quiet. A story was told; Castor +began it and Polydeuces ended it. And the story that Helen’s +brothers told was: +</p><pb n="83"/><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>The Golden Maid</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Epimetheus the Titan had a brother who was the wisest of +all beings—Prometheus called the Foreseer. But Epimetheus +himself was slow-witted and scatter-brained. His wise brother +once sent him a message bidding him beware of the gifts that +Zeus might send him. Epimetheus heard, but he did not heed +the warning, and thereby he brought upon the race of men +troubles and cares. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Prometheus, the wise Titan, had saved men from a great +trouble that Zeus would have brought upon them. Also he +had given them the gift of fire. Zeus was the more wroth with +men now because fire, stolen from him, had been given them; +he was wroth with the race of Titans, too, and he pondered in +his heart how he might injure men, and how he might use +Epimetheus, the mindless Titan, to further his plan. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> While he pondered there was a hush on high Olympus, the +mountain of the gods. Then Zeus called upon the artisan of +the gods, lame Hephæstus, and he commanded him to make +a being out of clay that would have the likeness of a lovely +maiden. With joy and pride Hephæstus worked at the task +that had been given him, and he fashioned a being that had the +likeness of a lovely maiden, and he brought the thing of his +making before the gods and the goddesses. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> All strove to add a grace or a beauty to the work of Hephæstus. +Zeus granted that the maiden should see and feel. +<pb n="84"/> +Athene dressed her in garments that were as lovely as flowers. +Aphrodite, the goddess of love, put a charm on her lips and +in her eyes. The Graces put necklaces around her neck and +set a golden crown upon her head. The Hours brought her a +girdle of spring flowers. Then the herald of the gods gave her +speech that was sweet and flowing. All the gods and goddesses +had given gifts to her, and for that reason the maiden of Hephæstus’s +making was called Pandora, the All-endowed. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She was lovely, the gods knew; not beautiful as they themselves +are, who have a beauty that awakens reverence rather +than love, but lovely, as flowers and bright waters and earthly +maidens are lovely. Zeus smiled to himself when he looked +upon her, and he called to Hermes who knew all the ways of +the earth, and he put her into the charge of Hermes. Also he +gave Hermes a great jar to take along; this jar was Pandora’s +dower. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Epimetheus lived in a deep-down valley. Now one day, as +he was sitting on a fallen pillar in the ruined place that was +now forsaken by the rest of the Titans, he saw a pair coming +toward him. One had wings, and he knew him to be Hermes, +the messenger of the gods. The other was a maiden. Epimetheus +marveled at the crown upon her head and at her lovely +garments. There was a glint of gold all around her. He rose +from where he sat upon the broken pillar and he stood to watch +the pair. Hermes, he saw, was carrying by its handle a great jar. + +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> + +<pb n="85"/> +In wonder and delight he looked upon the maiden. Epimetheus +had seen no lovely thing for ages. Wonderful indeed was +this Golden Maid, and as she came nearer the charm that was +on her lips and in her eyes came to the Earth-born One, and +he smiled with more and more delight. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i016.png"><anchor id="i016.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Hermes came and stood before him. He also smiled, but his +smile had something baleful in it. He put the hands of the +Golden Maid into the great soft hand of the Titan, and he +said, <q>O Epimetheus, Father Zeus would be reconciled with +thee, and as a sign of his good will he sends thee this lovely +goddess to be thy companion.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Oh, very foolish was Epimetheus the Earth-born One! As +he looked upon the Golden Maid who was sent by Zeus he lost +memory of the wars that Zeus had made upon the Titans and +the Elder Gods; he lost memory of his brother chained by +Zeus to the rock; he lost memory of the warning that his brother, +the wisest of all beings, had sent him. He took the hands of +Pandora, and he thought of nothing at all in all the world +but her. Very far away seemed the voice of Hermes saying, +<q>This jar, too, is from Olympus; it has in it Pandora’s dower.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The jar stood forgotten for long, and green plants grew over +it while Epimetheus walked in the garden with the Golden Maid, +or watched her while she gazed on herself in the stream, or +searched in the untended places for the fruits that the Elder +Gods would eat, when they feasted with the Titans in the old +days, before Zeus had come to his power. And lost to Epimetheus +<pb n="86"/> +was the memory of his brother now suffering upon the +rock because of the gift he had given to men. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And Pandora, knowing nothing except the brightness of the +sunshine and the lovely shapes and colors of things and the +sweet taste of the fruits that Epimetheus brought to her, could +have stayed forever in that garden. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But every day Epimetheus would think that the men and +women of the world should be able to talk to him about this +maiden with the wonderful radiance of gold, and with the +lovely garments, and the marvelous crown. And one day he +took Pandora by the hand, and he brought her out of that +deep-lying valley, and toward the homes of men. He did +not forget the jar that Hermes had left with her. All things +that belonged to the Golden Maid were precious, and Epimetheus +took the jar along. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The race of men at the time were simple and content. Their +days were passed in toil, but now, since Prometheus had given +them fire, they had good fruits of their toil. They had well-shaped +tools to dig the earth and to build houses. Their homes +were warmed with fire, and fire burned upon the altars that were +upon their ways. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Greatly they reverenced Prometheus; who had given them +fire, and greatly they reverenced the race of the Titans. So +when Epimetheus came amongst them, tall as a man walking +with stilts, they welcomed him and brought him and the Golden +<pb n="87"/> +Maid to their hearths. And Epimetheus showed Pandora the +wonderful element that his brother had given to men, and she +rejoiced to see the fire, clapping her hands with delight. The +jar that Epimetheus brought he left in an open place. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> In carrying it up the rough ways out of the valley Epimetheus +may have knocked the jar about, for the lid that had +been tight upon it now fitted very loosely. But no one gave +heed to the jar as it stood in the open space where Epimetheus +had left it. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> At first the men and women looked upon the beauty of Pandora, +upon her lovely dresses, and her golden crown and her +girdle of flowers, with wonder and delight. Epimetheus would +have every one admire and praise her. The men would leave +off working in the fields, or hammering on iron, or building +houses, and the women would leave off spinning or weaving, +and come at his call, and stand about and admire the Golden +Maid. But as time went by a change came upon the women: +one woman would weep, and another would look angry, and +a third would go back sullenly to her work when Pandora was +admired or praised. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Once the women were gathered together, and one who was +the wisest amongst them said: <q>Once we did not think about +ourselves, and we were content. But now we think about ourselves, +and we say to ourselves that we are harsh and ill-favored +indeed compared to the Golden Maid that the Titan is so enchanted +with. And we hate to see our own men praise and +<pb n="88"/> +admire her, and often, in our hearts, we would destroy her if we +could.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>That is true,</q> the women said. And then a young woman +cried out in a most yearnful voice, <q>O tell us, you who are +wise, how can we make ourselves as beautiful as Pandora!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then said that woman who was thought to be wise, <q>This +Golden Maid is lovely to look upon because she has lovely +apparel and all the means of keeping herself lovely. The gods +have given her the ways, and so her skin remains fair, and her +hair keeps its gold, and her lips are ever red and her eyes shining. +And I think that the means that she has of keeping lovely are +all in that jar that Epimetheus brought with her.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When the woman who was thought to be wise said this, +those around her were silent for a while. But then one arose +and another arose, and they stood and whispered together, one +saying to the other that they should go to the place where the +jar had been left by Epimetheus, and that they should take +out of it the salves and the charms and the washes that would +leave them as beautiful as Pandora. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So the women went to that place. On their way they stopped +at a pool and they bent over to see themselves mirrored in it, +and they saw themselves with dusty and unkempt hair, with +large and knotted hands, with troubled eyes, and with anxious +mouths. They frowned as they looked upon their images, and +they said in harsh voices that in a while they would have ways +of making themselves as lovely as the Golden Maid. + + + +<pb n="89"/> +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i017.png"><anchor id="i017.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And as they went on they saw Pandora. She was playing +in a flowering field, while Epimetheus, high as a man upon stilts, +went gathering the blossoms of the bushes for her. They went +on, and they came at last to the place where Epimetheus had +left the jar that held Pandora’s dower. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> A great stone jar it was; there was no bird, nor flower, nor +branch painted upon it. It stood high as a woman’s shoulder. +And as the women looked on it they thought that there were +things enough in it to keep them beautiful for all the days of +their lives. But each one thought that she should not be the +last to get her hands into it. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Once the lid had been fixed tightly down on the jar. But +the lid was shifted a little now. As the hands of the women +grasped it to take off the lid the jar was cast down, and the +things that were inside spilled themselves forth. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They were black and gray and red; they were crawling and +flying things. And, as the women looked, the things spread +themselves abroad or fastened themselves upon them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The jar, like Pandora herself, had been made and filled out +of the ill will of Zeus. And it had been filled, not with salves +and charms and washes, as the women had thought, but with +Cares and Troubles. Before the women came to it one Trouble +had already come forth from the jar—Self-thought that was +upon the top of the heap. It was Self-thought that had afflicted +the women, making them troubled about their own looks, and +envious of the graces of the Golden Maid. +<pb n="90"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And now the others spread themselves out—Sickness and +War and Strife between friends. They spread themselves +abroad and entered the houses, while Epimetheus, the mindless +Titan, gathered flowers for Pandora, the Golden Maid. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Lest she should weary of her play he called to her. He +would take her into the houses of men. As they drew near to +the houses they saw a woman seated on the ground, weeping; +her husband had suddenly become hard to her and had shut +the door on her face. They came upon a child crying because +of a pain that he could not understand. And then they found +two men struggling, their strife being on account of a possession +that they had both held peaceably before. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> In every house they went to Epimetheus would say, <q>I am +the brother of Prometheus, who gave you the gift of fire.</q> But +instead of giving them a welcome the men would say, <q>We +know nothing about your relation to Prometheus. We see you +as a foolish man upon stilts.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Epimetheus was troubled by the hard looks and the cold +words of the men who once had reverenced him. He turned +from the houses and went away. In a quiet place he sat down, +and for a while he lost sight of Pandora. And then it seemed +to him that he heard the voice of his wise and suffering brother +saying, <q>Do not accept any gift that Zeus may send you.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He rose up and he hurried away from that place, leaving +Pandora playing by herself. There came into his scattered +mind Regret and Fear. As he went on he stumbled. He fell +<pb n="91"/> +from the edge of a cliff, and the sea washed away the body +of the mindless brother of Prometheus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Not everything had been spilled out of the jar that had been +brought with Pandora into the world of men. A beautiful, living +thing was in that jar also. This was Hope. And this beautiful, +living thing had got caught under the rim of the jar and +had not come forth with the others. One day a weeping woman +found Hope under the rim of Pandora’s jar and brought this +living thing into the house of men. And now because of Hope +they could see an end to their troubles. And the men and +women roused themselves in the midst of their afflictions and +they looked toward gladness. Hope, that had been caught under +the rim of the jar, stayed behind the thresholds of their houses. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As for Pandora, the Golden Maid, she played on, knowing +only the brightness of the sunshine and the lovely shapes of +things. Beautiful would she have seemed to any being who +saw her, but now she had strayed away from the houses of +men and Epimetheus was not there to look upon her. Then +Hephæstus, the lame artisan of the gods, left down his tools +and went to seek her. He found Pandora, and he took her +back to Olympus. And in his brazen house she stays, though +sometimes at the will of Zeus she goes down into the world +of men. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When Polydeuces had ended the story that Castor had begun, +Heracles cried out: <q>For the Argonauts, too, there has been +<pb n="92"/> +a Golden Maid—nay, not one, but a Golden Maid for each. +Out of the jar that has been with her ye have taken forgetfulness +of your honor. As for me, I go back to the <emph>Argo</emph> lest +one of these Golden Maids should hold me back from the labors +that make great a man.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Heracles said, and he went from Hypsipyle’s hall. The +heroes looked at each other, and they stood up, and shame +that they had stayed so long away from the quest came over +each of them. The maidens took their hands; the heroes +unloosed those soft hands and turned away from them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Hypsipyle left the throne of King Thoas and stood before +Jason. There was a storm in all her body; her mouth was +shaken, and a whole life’s trouble was in her great eyes. Before +she spoke Jason cried out: <q>What Heracles said is true, O +Argonauts! On the Quest of the Golden Fleece our lives and +our honors depend. To Colchis—to Colchis must we go!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He stood upright in the hall, and his comrades gathered +around him. The Lemnian maidens would have held out their +arms and would have made their partings long delayed, but +that a strange cry came to them through the night. Well did +the Argonauts know that cry—it was the cry of the ship, of +<emph>Argo</emph> herself. They knew that they must go to her now or +stay from the voyage for ever. And the maidens knew that +there was something in the cry of the ship that might not be +gainsaid, and they put their hands before their faces, and they +said no other word. + + + +<pb n="93"/> +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i018.png"><anchor id="i018.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then said Hypsipyle, the queen, <q>I, too, am a ruler, Jason, +and I know that there are great commands that we have to +obey. Go, then, to the <emph>Argo</emph>. Ah, neither I nor the women of +Lemnos will stay your going now. But to-morrow speak to +us from the deck of the ship and bid us farewell. Do not go +from us in the night, Jason.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason and the Argonauts went from Hypsipyle’s hall. The +maidens who were left behind wept together. All but Hypsipyle. +She sat on the throne of King Thoas and she had +Polyxo, her nurse, tell her of the ways of Jason’s voyage as +he had told of them, and of all that he would have to pass +through. When the other Lemnian women slept she put her +head upon her nurse’s knees and wept; bitterly Hypsipyle wept, +but softly, for she would not have the others hear her weeping. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> By the coming of the morning’s light the Argonauts had +made all ready for their sailing. They were standing on the +deck when the light came, and they saw the Lemnian women +come to the shore. Each looked at her friend aboard the +<emph>Argo</emph>, and spoke, and went away. And last, Hypsipyle, the +queen, came. <q>Farewell, Hypsipyle,</q> Jason said to her, and +she, in her strange way of speaking, said: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>What you told us I have remembered—how you will +come to the dangerous passage that leads into the Sea of +Pontus, and how by the flight of a pigeon you will know +whether or not you may go that way. O Jason, let the +<pb n="94"/> +dove you fly when you come to that dangerous place be +Hypsipyle’s.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She showed a pigeon held in her hands. She loosed it, and +the pigeon alighted on the ship, and stayed there on pink feet, +a white-feathered pigeon. Jason took up the pigeon and held +it in his hands, and the <emph>Argo</emph> drew swiftly away from the Lemnian +land. +</p></div></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>XI. The Passage of the Symplegades</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capT.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">T</hi>HEY came near Salmydessus, where +Phineus, the wise king, ruled, and they +sailed past it; they sighted the pile of +stones, with the oar upright upon it +that they had raised on the seashore +over the body of Tiphys, the skillful +steersman whom they had lost; they +sailed on until they heard a sound that grew more and more +thunderous, and then the heroes said to each other, <q>Now +we come to the Symplegades and the dread passage into the +Sea of Pontus.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was then that Jason cried out: <q>Ah, when Pelias spoke +of this quest to me, why did I not turn my head away and +refuse to be drawn into it? Since we came near the dread +passage that is before us I have passed every night in groans. +As for you who have come with me, you may take your ease, +<pb n="95"/> +for you need care only for your own lives. But I have to care +for you all, and to strive to win for you all a safe return to +Greece. Ah, greatly am I afflicted now, knowing to what a great +peril I have brought you!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Jason said, thinking to make trial of the heroes. They, +on their part, were not dismayed, but shouted back cheerful +words to him. Then he said: <q>O friends of mine, by your +spirit my spirit is quickened. Now if I knew that I was being +borne down into the black gulfs of Hades, I should fear nothing, +knowing that you are constant and faithful of heart.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As he said this they came into water that seethed all around +the ship. Then into the hands of Euphemus, a youth of Iolcus, +who was the keenest-eyed amongst the Argonauts, Jason put +the pigeon that Hypsipyle had given him. He bade him stand +by the prow of the <emph>Argo</emph>, ready to loose the pigeon as the ship +came nigh that dreadful gate of rock. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They saw the spray being dashed around in showers; they +saw the sea spread itself out in foam; they saw the high, black +rocks rush together, sounding thunderously as they met. The +caves in the high rocks rumbled as the sea surged into them, +and the foam of the dashing waves spurted high up the rocks. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason shouted to each man to grip hard on the oars. The +<emph>Argo</emph> dashed on as the rocks rushed toward each other again. +Then there was such noise that no man’s voice could be heard +above it. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As the rocks met, Euphemus loosed the pigeon. With his +<pb n="96"/> +keen eyes he watched her fly through the spray. Would she, +not finding an opening to fly through, turn back? He watched, +and meanwhile the Argonauts gripped hard on the oars to +save the ship from being dashed on the rocks. The pigeon +fluttered as though she would sink down and let the spray +drown her. And then Euphemus saw her raise herself and fly +forward. Toward the place where she had flown he pointed. +The rowers gave a loud cry, and Jason called upon them to +pull with might and main. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The rocks were parting asunder, and to the right and left +broad Pontus was seen by the heroes. Then suddenly a huge +wave rose before them, and at the sight of it they all uttered +a cry and bent their heads. It seemed to them that it would +dash down on the whole ship’s length and overwhelm them all. +But Nauplius was quick to ease the ship, and the wave rolled +away beneath the keel, and at the stern it raised the <emph>Argo</emph> +and dashed her away from the rocks. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They felt the sun as it streamed upon them through the sundered +rocks. They strained at the oars until the oars bent like +bows in their hands. The ship sprang forward. Surely they +were now in the wide Sea of Pontus! +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The Argonauts shouted. They saw the rocks behind them +with the sea fowl screaming upon them. Surely they were in +the Sea of Pontus—the sea that had never been entered before +through the Rocks Wandering. The rocks no longer dashed +together; each remained fixed in its place, for it was the will of +<pb n="97"/> +the gods that these rocks should no more clash together after +a mortal’s ship had passed between them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They were now in the Sea of Pontus, the sea into which flowed +the river that Colchis was upon—the River Phasis. And now +above Jason’s head the bird of peaceful days, the Halcyon, +fluttered, and the Argonauts knew that this was a sign from +the gods that the voyage would not any more be troublous. +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>XII. The Mountain Caucasus</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capT.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">T</hi>HEY rested in the harbor of Thynias, +the desert island, and sailing from there +they came to the land of the Mariandyni, +a people who were constantly at +war with the Bebrycians; there the hero +Polydeuces was welcomed as a god. +Twelve days afterward they passed the +mouth of the River Callichorus; then they came to the mouth +of that river that flows through the land of the Amazons, the +River Thermodon. Fourteen days from that place brought +them to the island that is filled with the birds of Ares, the god +of war. These birds dropped upon the heroes heavy, pointed +feathers that would have pierced them as arrows if they had +not covered themselves with their shields; then by shouting, +and by striking their shields with their spears, they raised such +a clamor as drove the birds away. +<pb n="98"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They sailed on, borne by a gentle breeze, until a gulf of the +sea opened before them, and lo! a mountain that they knew +bore some mighty name. Orpheus, looking on its peak and its +crags, said, <q>Lo, now! We, the Argonauts, are looking upon +the mountain that is named Caucasus!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When he declared the name the heroes all stood up and +looked on the mountain with awe. And in awe they cried out +a name, and that name was <q>Prometheus!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> For upon that mountain the Titan god was held, his limbs +bound upon the hard rocks by fetters of bronze. Even as the +Argonauts looked toward the mountain a great shadow fell +upon their ship, and looking up they saw a monstrous bird +flying. The beat of the bird’s wings filled out the sail and +drove the <emph>Argo</emph> swiftly onward. <q>It is the bird sent by Zeus,</q> +Orpheus said. <q>It is the vulture that every day devours the +liver of the Titan god.</q> They cowered down on the ship as +they heard that word—all the Argonauts save Heracles; he +stood upright and looked out toward where the bird was flying. +Then, as the bird came near to the mountain, the Argonauts +heard a great cry of anguish go up from the rocks. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>It is Prometheus crying out as the bird of Zeus flies down +upon him,</q> they said to one another. Again they cowered +down on the ship, all save Heracles, who stayed looking toward +where the great vulture had flown. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The night came and the Argonauts sailed on in silence, thinking +in awe of the Titan god and of the doom that Zeus had +<pb n="99"/> +inflicted upon him. Then, as they sailed on under the stars, +Orpheus told them of Prometheus, of his gift to men, and of +the fearful punishment that had been meted out to him by Zeus. +</p><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>Prometheus</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The gods more than once made a race of men: the first was +a Golden Race. Very close to the gods who dwell on Olympus +was this Golden Race; they lived justly although there were no +laws to compel them. In the time of the Golden Race the earth +knew only one season, and that season was everlasting Spring. +The men and women of the Golden Race lived through a span +of life that was far beyond that of the men and women of our +day, and when they died it was as though sleep had become +everlasting with them. They had all good things, and that +without labor, for the earth without any forcing bestowed fruits +and crops upon them. They had peace all through their lives, +this Golden Race, and after they had passed away their spirits +remained above the earth, inspiring the men of the race that +came after them to do great and gracious things and to act justly +and kindly to one another. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> After the Golden Race had passed away, the gods made for +the earth a second race—a Silver Race. Less noble in spirit +and in body was this Silver Race, and the seasons that visited +them were less gracious. In the time of the Silver Race the +gods made the seasons—Summer and Spring, and Autumn +<pb n="100"/> +and Winter. They knew parching heat, and the bitter winds +of winter, and snow and rain and hail. It was the men of the +Silver Race who first built houses for shelter. They lived through +a span of life that was longer than our span, but it was not +long enough to give wisdom to them. Children were brought +up at their mothers’ sides for a hundred years, playing at childish +things. And when they came to years beyond a hundred +they quarreled with one another, and wronged one another, +and did not know enough to give reverence to the immortal +gods. Then, by the will of Zeus, the Silver Race passed away +as the Golden Race had passed away. Their spirits stay in the +Underworld, and they are called by men the blessed spirits of +the Underworld. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And then there was made the third race—the Race of Bronze. +They were a race great of stature, terrible and strong. Their +armor was of bronze, their swords were of bronze, their implements +were of bronze, and of bronze, too, they made their +houses. No great span of life was theirs, for with the weapons +that they took in their terrible hands they slew one another. +Thus they passed away, and went down under the earth to +Hades, leaving no name that men might know them by. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then the gods created a fourth race—our own: a Race of +Iron. We have not the justice that was amongst the men of +the Golden Race, nor the simpleness that was amongst the men +of the Silver Race, nor the stature nor the great strength that +the men of the Bronze Race possessed. We are of iron that we +<pb n="101"/> +may endure. It is our doom that we must never cease from +labor and that we must very quickly grow old. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But miserable as we are to-day, there was a time when the +lot of men was more miserable. With poor implements they +had to labor on a hard ground. There was less justice and +kindliness amongst men in those days than there is now. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Once it came into the mind of Zeus that he would destroy +the fourth race and leave the earth to the nymphs and the +satyrs. He would destroy it by a great flood. But Prometheus, +the Titan god who had given aid to Zeus against the +other Titans—Prometheus, who was called the Foreseer—could +not consent to the race of men being destroyed utterly, +and he considered a way of saving some of them. To a man +and a woman, Deucalion and Pyrrha, just and gentle people, +he brought word of the plan of Zeus, and he showed them how +to make a ship that would bear them through what was about +to be sent upon the earth. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Zeus shut up in their cave all the winds but the wind +that brings rain and clouds. He bade this wind, the South +Wind, sweep over the earth, flooding it with rain. He called +upon Poseidon and bade him to let the sea pour in upon the +land. And Poseidon commanded the rivers to put forth all +their strength, and sweep dykes away, and overflow their banks. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The clouds and the sea and the rivers poured upon the +earth. The flood rose higher and higher, and in the places where +the pretty lambs had played the ugly sea calves now gambolled; +<pb n="102"/> +men in their boats drew fishes out of the tops of elm +trees, and the water nymphs were amazed to come on men’s +cities under the waves. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Soon even the men and women who had boats were overwhelmed +by the rise of water—all perished then except +Deucalion and Pyrrha, his wife; them the waves had not overwhelmed, +for they were in a ship that Prometheus had shown +them how to build. The flood went down at last, and Deucalion +and Pyrrha climbed up to a high and a dry ground. Zeus saw +that two of the race of men had been left alive. But he saw +that these two were just and kindly, and had a right reverence +for the gods. He spared them, and he saw their children +again peopling the earth. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Prometheus, who had saved them, looked on the men and +women of the earth with compassion. Their labor was hard, +and they wrought much to gain little. They were chilled at +night in their houses, and the winds that blew in the daytime +made the old men and women bend double like a wheel. Prometheus +thought to himself that if men and women had the element +that only the gods knew of—the element of fire—they +could make for themselves implements for labor; they could +build houses that would keep out the chilling winds, and they +could warm themselves at the blaze. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But the gods had not willed that men should have fire, +and to go against the will of the gods would be impious. Prometheus +went against the will of the gods. He stole fire from the + + + +<pb n="103"/> +altar of Zeus, and he hid it in a hollow fennel stalk, and he +brought it to men. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i019.png"><anchor id="i019.png"/><index index="fig"/><head>Prometheus</head><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then men were able to hammer iron into tools, and cut down +forests with axes, and sow grain where the forests had been. +Then were they able to make houses that the storms could +not overthrow, and they were able to warm themselves at hearth +fires. They had rest from their labor at times. They built +cities; they became beings who no longer had heads and backs +bent but were able to raise their faces even to the gods. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And Zeus spared the race of men who had now the sacred +element of fire. But he knew that Prometheus had stolen this +fire even from his own altar and had given it to men. And he +thought on how he might punish the great Titan god for his +impiety. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He brought back from the Underworld the giants that he +had put there to guard the Titans that had been hurled down to +Tartarus. He brought back Gyes, Cottus, and Briareus, and +he commanded them to lay hands upon Prometheus and to fasten +him with fetters to the highest, blackest crag upon Caucasus. +And Briareus, Cottus, and Gyes seized upon the Titan god, +and carried him to Caucasus, and fettered him with fetters of +bronze to the highest, blackest crag—with fetters of bronze +that may not be broken. There they have left the Titan +stretched, under the sky, with the cold winds blowing upon +him, and with the sun streaming down on him. And that his +punishment might exceed all other punishments Zeus had sent +<pb n="104"/> +a vulture to prey upon him—a vulture that tears at his liver +each day. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And yet Prometheus does not cry out that he has repented +of his gift to man; although the winds blow upon him, and the +sun streams upon him, and the vulture tears at his liver, Prometheus +will not cry out his repentance to heaven. And Zeus +may not utterly destroy him. For Prometheus the Foreseer +knows a secret that Zeus would fain have him disclose. He +knows that even as Zeus overthrew his father and made himself +the ruler in his stead, so, too, another will overthrow Zeus. +And one day Zeus will have to have the fetters broken from +around the limbs of Prometheus, and will have to bring from +the rock and the vulture, and into the Council of the Olympians, +the unyielding Titan god. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When the light of the morning came the <emph>Argo</emph> was very near +to the Mountain Caucasus. The voyagers looked in awe upon +its black crags. They saw the great vulture circling over a +high rock, and from beneath where the vulture circled they +heard a weary cry. Then Heracles, who all night had stood +by the mast, cried out to the Argonauts to bring the ship near +to a landing place. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Jason would not have them go near; fear of the wrath +of Zeus was strong upon him; rather, he bade the Argonauts +put all their strength into their rowing, and draw far off from +that forbidden mountain. Heracles, not heeding what Jason + + + +<pb n="105"/> +ordered, declared that it was his purpose to make his way up +to the black crag, and, with his shield and his sword in his +hands, slay the vulture that preyed upon the liver of Prometheus. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i020.png"><anchor id="i020.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Orpheus in a clear voice spoke to the Argonauts. +<q>Surely some spirit possesses Heracles,</q> he said. <q>Despite +all we do or say he will make his way to where Prometheus +is fettered to the rock. Do not gainsay him in this! Remember +what Nereus, the ancient one of the sea, declared! Did Nereus +not say that a great labor awaited Heracles, and that in the +doing of it he should work out the will of Zeus? Stay him not! +How just it would be if he who is the son of Zeus freed from +his torments the much-enduring Titan god!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Orpheus said in his clear, commanding voice. They drew +near to the Mountain Caucasus. Then Heracles, gripping the +sword and shield that were the gifts of the gods, sprang out on +the landing place. The Argonauts shouted farewell to him. +But he, filled as he was with an overmastering spirit, did not +heed their words. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> A strong breeze drove them onward; darkness came down, +and the <emph>Argo</emph> went on through the night. With the morning +light those who were sleeping were awakened by the cry of +Nauplius—<q>Lo! The Phasis, and the utmost bourne of the +sea!</q> They sprang up, and looked with many strange feelings +upon the broad river they had come to. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Here was the Phasis emptying itself into the Sea of Pontus! +Up that river was Colchis and the city of King Æetes, the +<pb n="106"/> +end of their voyage, the place where was kept the Golden +Fleece! Quickly they let down the sail; they lowered the mast +and they laid it along the deck; strongly they grasped the oars; +they swung the <emph>Argo</emph> around, and they entered the broad stream +of the Phasis. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Up the river they went with the Mountain Caucasus on +their left hand, and on their right the groves and gardens of +Aea, King Æetes’s city. As they went up the stream, Jason +poured from a golden cup an offering to the gods. And to the +dead heroes of that country the Argonauts prayed for good +fortune to their enterprise. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was Jason’s counsel that they should not at once appear +before King Æetes, but visit him after they had seen the +strength of his city. They drew their ship into a shaded backwater, +and there they stayed while day grew and faded around +them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Night came, and the heroes slept upon the deck of <emph>Argo</emph>. +Many things came back to them in their dreams or through +their half-sleep: they thought of the Lemnian maidens they had +parted from; of the Clashing Rocks they had passed between; +of the look in the eyes of Heracles as he raised his face to the +high, black peak of Caucasus. They slept, and they thought +they saw before them <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">The Golden Fleece</hi>; darkness surrounded +it; it seemed to the dreaming Argonauts that the +darkness was the magic power that King Æetes possessed. +</p><pb n="107"/></div></div></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>Part II. The Return to Greece</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> </p><pb n="109"/><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>I. King Æetes</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capT.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">T</hi>HEY had come into a country that was +the strangest of all countries, and +amongst a people that were the strangest +of all peoples. They were in the +land, this people said, before the moon +had come into the sky. And it is true +that when the great king of Egypt had +come so far, finding in all other places men living on the high +hills and eating the acorns that grew on the oaks there, he found +in Colchis the city of Aea with a wall around it and with pillars +on which writings were graven. That was when Egypt was +called the Morning Land. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And many of the magicians of Egypt who had come with +King Sesostris stayed in that city of Aea, and they taught +people spells that could stay the moon in her going and coming, +in her rising and setting. Priests of the Moon ruled the city +of Aea until King Æetes came. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Æetes had no need of their magic, for Helios, the bright +Sun, was his father, as he thought. Also, Hephæstus, the artisan +of the gods, was his friend, and Hephæstus made for him +<pb n="110"/> +many wonderful things to be his protection. Medea, too, his +wise daughter, knew the secrets taught by those who could +sway the moon. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Æetes once was made afraid by a dream that he had: +he dreamt that a ship had come up the Phasis, and then, sailing +on a mist, had rammed his palace that was standing there +in all its strength and beauty until it had fallen down. On the +morning of the night that he had had this dream Æetes called +Medea, his wise daughter, and he bade her go to the temple +of Hecate, the Moon, and search out spells that might destroy +those who came against his city. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> That morning the Argonauts, who had passed the night in +the backwater of the river, had two youths come to them. They +were in a broken ship, and they had one oar only. When +Jason, after giving them food and fresh garments, questioned +them, he found out that these youths were of the city of Aea, +and that they were none others than the sons of Phrixus—of +Phrixus who had come there with the Golden Ram. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And the youths, Phrontis and Melas, were as amazed as was +Jason when they found out whose ship they had come aboard. +For Jason was the grandson of Cretheus, and Cretheus was the +brother of Athamas, their grandfather. They had ventured +from Aea, where they had been reared, thinking to reach the +country of Athamas and lay claim to his possessions. But they +had been wrecked at a place not far from the mouth of the +<pb n="111"/> +Phasis, and with great pain and struggle they had made their +way back. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They were fearful of Aea and of their uncle King Æetes, and +they would gladly go with Jason and the Argonauts back to +Greece. They would help Jason, they said, to persuade Æetes +to give the Golden Fleece peaceably to them. Their mother +was the daughter of Æetes—Chalciope, whom the king had +given in marriage to Phrixus, his guest. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> A council of the Argonauts was held, and it was agreed that +Jason should go with two comrades to King Æetes, Phrontis +and Melas going also. They were to ask the king to give +them the Golden Fleece and to offer him a recompense. Jason +took Peleus and Telamon with him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As they came to the city a mist fell, and Jason and his +comrades with the sons of Phrixus went through the city without +being seen. They came before the palace of King Æetes. +Then Phrontis and Melas were some way behind. The mist +lifted, and before the heroes was the wonder of the palace in +the bright light of the morning. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Vines with broad leaves and heavy clusters of fruit grew +from column to column, the columns holding a gallery up. +And under the vines were the four fountains that Hephæstus +had made for King Æetes. They gushed out into golden, silver, +bronze, and iron basins. And one fountain gushed out clear +water, and another gushed out milk; another gushed out wine; +and another oil. On each side of the courtyard were the palace +<pb n="112"/> +buildings; in one King Æetes lived with Apsyrtus, his son, and +in the other Chalciope and Medea lived with their handmaidens. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea was passing from her father’s house. The mist lifted +suddenly and she saw three strangers in the palace courtyard. +One had a crimson mantle on; his shoulders were such as to +make him seem a man that a whole world could not overthrow, +and his eyes had all the sun’s light in them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Amazed, Medea stood looking upon Jason, wondering at his +bright hair and gleaming eyes and at the lightness and strength +of the hand that he had raised. And then a dove flew toward +her: it was being chased by a hawk, and Medea saw the hawk’s +eyes and beak. As the dove lighted upon her shoulder she threw +her veil around it, and the hawk dashed itself against a column. +And as Medea, trembling, leaned against the column she heard +a cry from her sister, who was within. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> For now Phrontis and Melas had come up, and Chalciope +who was spinning by the door saw them and cried out. All +the servants rushed out. Seeing Chalciope’s sons there they, +too, uttered loud cries, and made such commotion that Apsyrtus +and then King Æetes came out of the palace. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason saw King Æetes. He was old and white, but he had +great green eyes, and the strength of a leopard was in all he did. +And Jason looked upon Apsyrtus too; the son of Æetes looked +like a Phænician merchant, black of beard and with rings in +his ears, with a hooked nose and a gleam of copper in his face. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Phrontis and Melas went from their mother’s embrace and +<pb n="113"/> +made reverence to King Æetes. Then they spoke of the heroes +who were with them, of Jason and his two comrades. Æetes +bade all enter the palace; baths were made ready for them, +and a banquet was prepared. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> After the banquet, when they all sat together, Æetes, addressing +the eldest of Chalciope’s sons, said: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Sons of Phrixus, of that man whom I honored above all +men who came to my halls, speak now and tell me how it is +that you have come back to Aea so soon, and who they are, +these men who come with you?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Æetes, as he spoke, looked sharply upon Phrontis and Melas, +for he suspected them of having returned to Aea, bringing these +armed men with them, with an evil intent. Phrontis looked +at the King, and said: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">Æetes, our ship was driven upon the Island of Ares, where +it was almost broken upon the rocks. That was on a murky +night, and in the morning the birds of Ares shot their sharp +feathers upon us. We pulled away from that place, and thereafter +we were driven by the winds back to the mouth of the +Phasis. There we met with these heroes who were friendly to us. +Who they are, what they have come to your city for, I shall +now tell you. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">A certain king, longing to drive one of these heroes from his +land, and hoping that the race of Cretheus might perish utterly, +led him to enter a most perilous adventure. He came here upon +a ship that was made by the command of Hera, the wife of +<pb n="114"/> +Zeus, a ship more wonderful than mortals ever sailed in before. +With him there came the mightiest of the heroes of Greece. +He is Jason, the grandson of Cretheus, and he has come to beg +that you will grant him freely the famous Fleece of Gold that +Phrixus brought to Aea. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>But not without recompense to you would he take the +Fleece. Already he has heard of your bitter foes, the Sauromatæ. +He with his comrades would subdue them for you. +And if you would ask of the names and the lineage of the heroes +who are with Jason I shall tell you. This is Peleus and this +is Telamon; they are brothers, and they are sons of Æacus, +who was of the seed of Zeus. And all the other heroes who have +come with them are of the seed of the gods.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Phrontis said, but the King was not placated by what he +said. He thought that the sons of Chalciope had returned to +Aea bringing these warriors with them so that they might wrest +the kingship from him, or, failing that, plunder the city. Æetes’s +heart was filled with wrath as he looked upon them, and his +eyes shone as a leopard’s eyes. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Begone from my sight,</q> he cried, <q>robbers that ye are! +Tricksters! If you had not eaten at my table, assuredly I +should have had your tongues cut out for speaking falsehoods +about the blessed gods, saying that this one and that of your +companions was of their divine race.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Telamon and Peleus strode forward with angry hearts; they +would have laid their hands upon King Æetes only Jason held +<pb n="115"/> +them back. And then speaking to the king in a quiet voice, +Jason said: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Bear with us, King Æetes, I pray you. We have not come +with such evil intent as you think. Ah, it was the evil command +of an evil king that sent me forth with these companions +of mine across dangerous gulfs of the sea, and to face your +wrath and the armed men you can bring against us. We are +ready to make great recompense for the friendliness you may +show to us. We will subdue for you the Sauromatæ, or any +other people that you would lord it over.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Æetes was not made friendly by Jason’s words. His +heart was divided as to whether he should summon his armed +men and have them slain upon the spot, or whether he should +put them into danger by the trial he would make of them. +At last he thought that it would be better to put them to the +trial that he had in mind, slaying them afterward if need be. +And then he spoke to Jason, saying: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Strangers to Colchis, it may be true what my nephews have +said. It may be that ye are truly of the seed of the immortals. +And it may be that I shall give you the Golden Fleece to bear +away after I have made trial of you.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As he spoke Medea, brought there by his messenger so that +she might observe the strangers, came into the chamber. She +entered softly and she stood away from her father and the four +who were speaking with him. Jason looked upon her, and even +although his mind was filled with the thought of bending King +<pb n="116"/> +Æetes to his will, he saw what manner of maiden she was, and +what beauty and what strength was hers. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She had a dark face that was made very strange by her crown +of golden hair. Her eyes, like her father’s, were wide and full +of light, and her lips were so full and red that they made her +mouth like an opening rose. But her brows were always knit +as if there was some secret anger within her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>With brave men I have no quarrel,</q> said Æetes. <q rend="post: none">I will +make a trial of your bravery, and if your bravery wins through +the trial, be very sure that you will have the Golden Fleece to +bring back in triumph to Iolcus. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>But the trial that I would make of you is hard for a great +hero even. Know that on the plain of Ares yonder I have two +fire-breathing bulls with feet of brass. These bulls were once +conquered by me; I yoked them to a plow of adamant, and +with them I plowed the field of Ares for four plow-gates. +Then I sowed the furrows, not with the seed that Demeter +gives, but with teeth of a dragon. And from the dragon’s teeth +that I sowed in the field of Ares armed men sprang up. I slew +them with my spear as they rose around me to slay me. If you +can accomplish this that I accomplished in days gone by I shall +submit to you and give you the Golden Fleece. But if you +cannot accomplish what I once accomplished you shall go from +my city empty-handed, for it is not right that a brave man +should yield aught to one who cannot show himself as +brave.</q> +<pb n="117"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Æetes said. Then Jason, utterly confounded, cast his +eyes upon the ground. He raised them to speak to the king, +and as he did he found the strange eyes of Medea upon him. +With all the courage that was in him he spoke: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>I will dare this contest, monstrous as it is. I will face this +doom. I have come far, and there is nothing else for me to do +but to yoke your fire-breathing bulls to the plow of adamant, +and plow the furrows in the field of Ares, and struggle with +the Earth-born Men.</q> As he said this he saw the eyes of +Medea grow wide as with fear. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Æetes said, <q>Go back to your ship and make ready for +the trial.</q> Jason, with Peleus and Telamon, left the chamber, +and the king smiled grimly as he saw them go. Phrontis and +Melas went to where their mother was. But Medea stayed, +and Æetes looked upon her with his great leopard’s eyes. <q>My +daughter, my wise Medea,</q> he said, <q>go, put spells upon the +Moon, that Hecate may weaken that man in his hour of trial.</q> +Medea turned away from her father’s eyes, and went to her +chamber. +</p><pb n="118"/></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>II. Medea the Sorceress</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capS.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">S</hi>HE turned away from her father’s eyes +and she went into her own chamber. +For a long time she stood there with +her hands clasped together. She heard +the voice of Chalciope lamenting because +Æetes had taken a hatred to her sons +and might strive to destroy them. She +heard the voice of her sister lamenting, but Medea thought that +the cause that her sister had for grieving was small compared +with the cause that she herself had. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She thought on the moment when she had seen Jason for the +first time—in the courtyard as the mist lifted and the dove +flew to her; she thought of him as he lifted those bright eyes +of his; then she thought of his voice as he spoke after her father +had imposed the dreadful trial upon him. She would have liked +then to have cried out to him, <q>O youth, if others rejoice at +the doom that you go to, I do not rejoice.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Still her sister lamented. But how great was her own grief +compared to her sister’s! For Chalciope could try to help her +sons and could lament for the danger they were in and no one +would blame her. But she might not strive to help Jason nor +might she lament for the danger he was in. How terrible it +would be for a maiden to help a stranger against her father’s +design! How terrible it would be for a woman of Colchis to +<pb n="119"/> +help a stranger against the will of the king! How terrible it +would be for a daughter to plot against King Æetes in his own +palace! +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And then Medea hated Aea, her city. She hated the furious +people who came together in the assembly, and she hated the +brazen bulls that Hephæstus had given her father. And then +she thought that there was nothing in Aea except the furious +people and the fire-breathing bulls. O how pitiful it was that +the strange hero and his friends should have come to such a +place for the sake of the Golden Fleece that was watched over +by the sleepless serpent in the grove of Ares! +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Still Chalciope lamented. Would Chalciope come to her and +ask her, Medea, to help her sons? If she should come she +might speak of the strangers, too, and of the danger they were in. +Medea went to her couch and lay down upon it. She longed +for her sister to come to her or to call to her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Chalciope stayed in her own chamber. Medea, lying upon +her couch, listened to her sister’s laments. At last she went +near where Chalciope was. Then shame that she should think +so much about the stranger came over her. She stood there +without moving; she turned to go back to the couch, and then +trembled so much that she could not stir. As she stood between +her couch and her sister’s chamber she heard the voice of Chalciope +calling to her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She went into the chamber where her sister stood. Chalciope +flung her arms around her. <q>Swear,</q> said she to Medea, +<pb n="120"/> +<q>swear by Hecate, the Moon, that you will never speak of +something I am going to ask you.</q> Medea swore that she +would never speak of it. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Chalciope spoke of the danger her sons were in. She asked +Medea to devise a way by which they could escape with the +stranger from Aea. <q>In Aea and in Colchis,</q> she said, <q>there +will be no safety for my sons henceforth.</q> And to save Phrontis +and Melas, she said, Medea would have to save the strangers +also. Surely she knew of a charm that would save the stranger +from the brazen bulls in the contest on the morrow! +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Chalciope came to the very thing that was in Medea’s +mind. Her heart bounded with joy and she embraced her. +<q>Chalciope,</q> she said, <q>I declare that I am your sister, indeed—aye, +and your daughter, too, for did you not care for me when +I was an infant? I will strive to save your sons. I will strive +to save the strangers who came with your sons. Send one to +the strangers—send him to the leader of the strangers, and +tell him that I would see him at daybreak in the temple of +Hecate.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When Medea said this Chalciope embraced her again. She +was amazed to see how Medea’s tears were flowing. <q>Chalciope,</q> +she said, <q>no one will know the dangers that I shall go +through to save them.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Swiftly then Chalciope went from the chamber. But Medea +stayed there with her head bowed and the blush of shame on +her face. She thought that already she had deceived her sister, +<pb n="121"/> +making her think that it was Phrontis and Melas and not Jason +that was in her mind to save. And she thought on how she +would have to plot against her father and against her own people, +and all for the sake of a stranger who would sail away without +thought of her, without the image of her in his mind. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason, with Peleus and Telamon, went back to the <emph>Argo</emph>. His +comrades asked how he had fared, and when he spoke to them +of the fire-breathing bulls with feet of brass, of the dragon’s +teeth that had to be sown, and of the Earth-born Men that had +to be overcome, the Argonauts were greatly cast down, for this +task, they thought, was one that could not be accomplished. +He who stood before the fire-breathing bulls would perish on +the moment. But they knew that one amongst them must +strive to accomplish the task. And if Jason held back, Peleus, +Telamon, Theseus, Castor, Polydeuces, or any one of the others +would undertake it. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Jason would not hold back. On the morrow, he said, he +would strive to yoke the fire-breathing, brazen-footed bulls to +the plow of adamant. If he perished the Argonauts should +then do what they thought was best—make other trials to +gain the Golden Fleece, or turn their ship and sail back to Greece. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> While they were speaking, Phrontis, Chalciope’s son, came +to the ship. The Argonauts welcomed him, and in a while he +began to speak of his mother’s sister and of the help she could +give. They grew eager as he spoke of her, all except rough +<pb n="122"/> +Arcas, who stood wrapped in his bear’s skin. <q>Shame on us,</q> +rough Arcas cried, <q>shame on us if we have come here to crave +the help of girls! Speak no more of this! Let us, the Argonauts, +go with swords into the city of Aea, and slay this king, +and carry off the Fleece of Gold.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Some of the Argonauts murmured approval of what Arcas +said. But Orpheus silenced him and them, for in his prophetic +mind Orpheus saw something of the help that Medea would +give them. It would be well, Orpheus said, to take help from +this wise maiden; Jason should go to her in the temple of +Hecate. The Argonauts agreed to this; they listened to what +Phrontis told them about the brazen bulls, and the night wore on. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When darkness came upon the earth; when, at sea, sailors +looked to the Bear and the stars of Orion; when, in the city, +there was no longer the sound of barking dogs nor of men’s +voices, Medea went from the palace. She came to a path; +she followed it until it brought her into the part of the grove +that was all black with the shadow that oak trees made. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She raised up her hands and she called upon Hecate, the +Moon. As she did, there was a blaze as from torches all around, +and she saw horrible serpents stretching themselves toward her +from the branches of the trees. Medea shrank back in fear. +But again she called upon Hecate. And now there was a howling +as from the hounds of Hades all around her. Fearful, indeed, +Medea grew as the howling came near her; almost she turned +<pb n="123"/> +to flee. But she raised her hands again and called upon Hecate. +Then the nymphs who haunted the marsh and the river shrieked, +and at those shrieks Medea crouched down in fear. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She called upon Hecate, the Moon, again. She saw the moon +rise above the treetops, and then the hissing and shrieking and +howling died away. Holding up a goblet in her hand Medea +poured out a libation of honey to Hecate, the Moon. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And then she went to where the moon made a brightness +upon the ground. There she saw a flower that rose above the +other flowers—a flower that grew from two joined stalks, and +that was of the color of a crocus. Medea cut the stalks with a +brazen knife, and as she did there came a deep groan out of +the earth. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> This was the Promethean flower. It had come out of the +earth first when the vulture that tore at Prometheus’s liver had +let fall to earth a drop of his blood. With a Caspian shell that +she had brought with her Medea gathered the dark juice of this +flower—the juice that went to make her most potent charm. +All night she went through the grove gathering the juice of +secret herbs; then she mingled them in a phial that she put away +in her girdle. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She went from that grove and along the river. When the +sun shed its first rays upon snowy Caucasus she stood outside +the temple of Hecate. She waited, but she had not long to +wait, for, like the bright star Sirius rising out of Ocean, soon +she saw Jason coming toward her. She made a sign to him, +<pb n="124"/> +and he came and stood beside her in the portals of the +temple. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They would have stood face to face if Medea did not have +her head bent. A blush had come upon her face, and Jason +seeing it, and seeing how her head was bent, knew how grievous +it was to her to meet and speak to a stranger in this way. He +took her hand and he spoke to her reverently, as one would +speak to a priestess. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Lady,</q> he said, <q>I implore you by Hecate and by Zeus who +helps all strangers and suppliants to be kind to me and to the +men who have come to your country with me. Without your +help I cannot hope to prevail in the grievous trial that has +been laid upon me. If you will help us, Medea, your name will +be renowned throughout all Greece. And I have hopes that +you will help us, for your face and form show you to be one who +can be kind and gracious.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The blush of shame had gone from Medea’s face and a softer +blush came over her as Jason spoke. She looked upon him +and she knew that she could hardly live if the breath of the +brazen bulls withered his life or if the Earth-born Men slew him. +She took the charm from out her girdle; ungrudgingly she put +it into Jason’s hands. And as she gave him the charm that +she had gained with such danger, the fear and trouble that was +around her heart melted as the dew melts from around the rose +when it is warmed by the first light of the morning. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then they spoke standing close together in the portal of the +<pb n="125"/> +temple. She told him how he should anoint his body all over +with the charm; it would give him, she said, boundless and +untiring strength, and make him so that the breath of the +bulls could not wither him nor the horns of the bulls pierce +him. She told him also to sprinkle his shield and his sword +with the charm. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And then they spoke of the dragon’s teeth and of the Earth-born +Men who would spring from them. Medea told Jason +that when they arose out of the earth he was to cast a great +stone amongst them. The Earth-born Men would struggle about +the stone, and they would slay each other in the contest. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Her dark and delicate face was beautiful. Jason looked upon +her, and it came into his mind that in Colchis there was something +else of worth besides the Golden Fleece. And he thought +that after he had won the Fleece there would be peace between +the Argonauts and King Æetes, and that he and Medea might +sit together in the king’s hall. But when he spoke of being +joined in friendship with her father, Medea cried: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Think not of treaties nor of covenants. In Greece such are +regarded, but not here. Ah, do not think that the king, my +father, will keep any peace with you! When you have won the +Fleece you must hasten away. You must not tarry in Aea.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She said this and her cheeks were wet with tears to think +that he should go so soon, that he would go so far, and that +she would never look upon him again. She bent her head again +and she said: <q>Tell me about your own land; about the place +<pb n="126"/> +of your father, the place where you will live when you win back +from Colchis.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Jason told her of Iolcus; he told her how it was circled +by mountains not so lofty as her Caucasus; he told her of the +pasture lands of Iolcus with their flocks of sheep; he told her +of the Mountain Pelion where he had been reared by Chiron, +the ancient centaur; he told her of his father who lingered out +his life in waiting for his return. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea said: <q>When you go back to Iolcus do not forget me, +Medea. I shall remember you, Jason, even in my father’s +despite. And it will be my hope that some rumor of you will +come to me like some messenger-bird. If you forget me may +some blast of wind sweep me away to Iolcus, and may I sit in +your hall an unknown and an unexpected guest!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then they parted; Medea went swiftly back to the palace, +and Jason, turning to the river, went to where the <emph>Argo</emph> was +moored. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The heroes embraced and questioned him; he told them of +Medea’s counsel and he showed them the charm she had given +him. That savage man Arcas scoffed at Medea’s counsel and +Medea’s charm, saying that the Argonauts had become poor-spirited +indeed when they had to depend upon a girl’s help. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason bathed in the river; then he anointed himself with the +charm; he sprinkled his spear and shield and sword with it. +He came to Arcas who sat upon his bench, still nursing his +anger, and he held the spear toward him. +<pb n="127"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Arcas took up his heavy sword and he hewed at the butt +of the spear. The edge of the sword turned. The blade leaped +back in his hand as if it had been struck against an anvil. And +Jason, feeling within him a boundless and tireless strength, +laughed aloud. +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>III. The Winning of the Golden Fleece</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capT.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">T</hi>HEY took the ship out of the backwater +and they brought her to a wharf in the +city. At a place that was called <q>The +Ram’s Couch</q> they fastened the <emph>Argo</emph>. +Then they marched to the field of Ares, +where the king and the Colchian people +were. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason, carrying his shield and spear, went before the king. +From the king’s hand he took the gleaming helmet that held +the dragon’s teeth. This he put into the hands of Theseus, who +went with him. Then with the spear and shield in his hands, +with his sword girt across his shoulders, and with his mantle +stripped off, Jason looked across the field of Ares. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He saw the plow that he was to yoke to the bulls; he saw +the yoke of bronze near it; he saw the tracks of the bulls’ hooves. +He followed the tracks until he came to the lair of the fire-breathing +bulls. Out of that lair, which was underground, smoke +and fire belched. +<pb n="128"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He set his feet firmly upon the ground and he held his shield +before him. He awaited the onset of the bulls. They came +clanging up with loud bellowing, breathing out fire. They lowered +their heads, and with mighty, iron-tipped horns they came +to gore and trample him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea’s charm had made him strong; Medea’s charm had +made his shield impregnable. The rush of the bulls did not +overthrow him. His comrades shouted to see him standing +firmly there, and in wonder the Colchians gazed upon him. +All round him, as from a furnace, there came smoke and fire. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The bulls roared mightily. Grasping the horns of the bull +that was upon his right hand, Jason dragged him until he had +brought him beside the yoke of bronze. Striking the brazen +knees of the bull suddenly with his foot he forced him down. +Then he smote the other bull as it rushed upon him, and it too +he forced down upon its knees. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Castor and Polydeuces held the yoke to him. Jason bound +it upon the necks of the bulls. He fastened the plow to the +yoke. Then he took his shield and set it upon his back, and +grasping the handles of the plow he started to make the +furrow. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> With his long spear he drove the bulls before him as with a +goad. Terribly they raged, furiously they breathed out fire. +Beside Jason Theseus went holding the helmet that held the +dragon’s teeth. The hard ground was torn up by the plow +of adamant, and the clods groaned as they were cast up. Jason + + + +<pb n="129"/> +flung the teeth between the open sods, often turning his head in +fear that the deadly crop of the Earth-born Men were rising +behind him. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i021.png"><anchor id="i021.png"/><index index="fig"/><head>The Field of the Dragon’s Teeth</head><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> By the time that a third of the day was finished the field +of Ares had been plowed and sown. As yet the furrows were +free of the Earth-born Men. Jason went down to the river +and filled his helmet full of water and drank deeply. And his +knees that were stiffened with the plowing he bent until they +were made supple again. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He saw the field rising into mounds. It seemed that there +were graves all over the field of Ares. Then he saw spears and +shields and helmets rising up out of the earth. Then armed +warriors sprang up, a fierce battle cry upon their lips. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason remembered the counsel of Medea. He raised a boulder +that four men could hardly raise and with arms hardened by the +plowing he cast it. The Colchians shouted to see such a +stone cast by the hands of one man. Right into the middle +of the Earth-born Men the stone came. They leaped upon it +like hounds, striking at one another as they came together. +Shield crashed on shield, spear rang upon spear as they struck +at each other. The Earth-born Men, as fast as they arose, went +down before the weapons in the hands of their brethren. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason rushed upon them, his sword in his hand. He slew +some that had risen out of the earth only as far as the shoulders; +he slew others whose feet were still in the earth; he slew others +who were ready to spring upon him. Soon all the Earth-born +<pb n="130"/> +Men were slain, and the furrows ran with their dark blood as +channels run with water in springtime. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The Argonauts shouted loudly for Jason’s victory. King +Æetes rose from his seat that was beside the river and he went +back to the city. The Colchians followed him. Day faded, +and Jason’s contest was ended. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But it was not the will of Æetes that the strangers should be +let depart peaceably with the Golden Fleece that Jason had won. +In the assembly place, with his son Apsyrtus beside him, and +with the furious Colchians all around him, the king stood: on +his breast was the gleaming corselet that Ares had given him, +and on his head was that golden helmet with its four plumes +that made him look as if he were truly the son of Helios, the +Sun. Lightnings flashed from his great eyes; he spoke fiercely +to the Colchians, holding in his hand his bronze-topped +spear. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He would have them attack the strangers and burn the <emph>Argo</emph>. +He would have the sons of Phrixus slain for bringing them +to Aea. There was a prophecy, he declared, that would have +him be watchful of the treachery of his own offspring: this +prophecy was being fulfilled by the children of Chalciope; he +feared, too, that his daughter, Medea, had aided the strangers. +So the king spoke, and the Colchians, hating all strangers, +shouted around him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Word of what her father had said was brought to Medea. +<pb n="131"/> +She knew that she would have to go to the Argonauts and +bid them flee hastily from Aea. They would not go, she knew, +without the Golden Fleece; then she, Medea, would have to +show them how to gain the Fleece. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then she could never again go back to her father’s palace, +she could never again sit in this chamber and talk to her handmaidens, +and be with Chalciope, her sister. Forever afterward +she would be dependent on the kindness of strangers. +Medea wept when she thought of all this. And then she cut +off a tress of her hair and she left it in her chamber as a +farewell from one who was going afar. Into the chamber where +Chalciope was she whispered farewell. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The palace doors were all heavily bolted, but Medea did not +have to pull back the bolts. As she chanted her Magic Song +the bolts softly drew back, the doors softly opened. Swiftly +she went along the ways that led to the river. She came to +where fires were blazing and she knew that the Argonauts were +there. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She called to them, and Phrontis, Chalciope’s son, heard the +cry and knew the voice. To Jason he spoke, and Jason quickly +went to where Medea stood. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She clasped Jason’s hand and she drew him with her. <q>The +Golden Fleece,</q> she said, <q>the time has come when you must +pluck the Golden Fleece off the oak in the grove of Ares.</q> +When she said these words all Jason’s being became taut like +the string of a bow. +<pb n="132"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was then the hour when huntsmen cast sleep from their +eyes—huntsmen who never sleep away the end of the night, +but who are ever ready to be up and away with their hounds +before the beams of the sun efface the track and the scent of +the quarry. Along a path that went from the river Medea +drew Jason. They entered a grove. Then Jason saw something +that was like a cloud filled with the light of the rising +sun. It hung from a great oak tree. In awe he stood and +looked upon it, knowing that at last he looked upon <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">The +Golden Fleece</hi>. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> His hand let slip Medea’s hand and he went to seize the +Fleece. As he did he heard a dreadful hiss. And then he saw +the guardian of the Golden Fleece. Coiled all around the tree, +with outstretched neck and keen and sleepless eyes, was a deadly +serpent. Its hiss ran all through the grove and the birds that +were wakening up squawked in terror. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Like rings of smoke that rise one above the other, the coils +of the serpent went around the tree—coils covered by hard +and gleaming scales. It uncoiled, stretched itself, and lifted +its head to strike. Then Medea dropped on her knees before +it, and began to chant her Magic Song. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As she sang, the coils around the tree grew slack. Like a +dark, noiseless wave the serpent sank down on the ground. +But still its jaws were open, and those dreadful jaws threatened +Jason. Medea, with a newly cut spray of juniper dipped in a +mystic brew, touched its deadly eyes. And still she chanted + + + +<pb n="133"/> +her Magic Song. The serpent’s jaws closed; its eyes became +deadened; far through the grove its length was stretched out. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i022.png"><anchor id="i022.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Jason took the Golden Fleece. As he raised his hands +to it, its brightness was such as to make a flame on his face. +Medea called to him. He strove to gather it all up in his arms; +Medea was beside him, and they went swiftly on. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They came to the river and down to the place where the +<emph>Argo</emph> was moored. The heroes who were aboard started up, +astonished to see the Fleece that shone as with the lightning +of Zeus. Over Medea Jason cast it, and he lifted her aboard +the <emph>Argo</emph>. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>O friends,</q> he cried, <q>the quest on which we dared the +gulfs of the sea and the wrath of kings is accomplished, thanks +to the help of this maiden. Now may we return to Greece; +now have we the hope of looking upon our fathers and our +friends once more. And in all honor will we bring this maiden +with us, Medea, the daughter of King Æetes.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then he drew his sword and cut the hawsers of the ship, +calling upon the heroes to drive the <emph>Argo</emph> on. There was a din +and a strain and a splash of oars, and away from Aea the <emph>Argo</emph> +dashed. Beside the mast Medea stood; the Golden Fleece had +fallen at her feet, and her head and face were covered by her +silver veil. +</p><pb n="134"/></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>IV. The Slaying of Apsyrtus</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capT.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">T</hi>HAT silver veil was to be splashed with +a brother’s blood, and the Argonauts, +because of that calamity, were for a long +time to be held back from a return to +their native land. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Now as they went down the river they +saw that dangers were coming swiftly +upon them. The chariots of the Colchians were upon the +banks. Jason saw King Æetes in his chariot, a blazing torch +lighting his corselet and his helmet. Swiftly the <emph>Argo</emph> went, but +there were ships behind her, and they went swiftly too. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They came into the Sea of Pontus, and Phrontis, the son of +Phrixus, gave counsel to them. <q>Do not strive to make the +passage of the Symplegades,</q> he said. <q>All who live around +the Sea of Pontus are friendly to King Æetes; they will be +warned by him, and they will be ready to slay us and take the +<emph>Argo</emph>. Let us journey up the River Ister, and by that way we +can come to the Thrinacian Sea that is close to your land.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The Argonauts thought well of what Phrontis said; into the +waters of the Ister the ship was brought. Many of the Colchian +ships passed by the mouth of the river, and went seeking +the <emph>Argo</emph> toward the passage of the Symplegades. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But the Argonauts were on a way that was dangerous for +them. For Apsyrtus had not gone toward the Symplegades +<pb n="135"/> +seeking the <emph>Argo</emph>. He had led his soldiers overland to the River +Ister at a place that was at a distance above its mouth. There +were islands in the river at that place, and the soldiers of Apsyrtus +landed on the islands, while Apsyrtus went to the kings of +the people around and claimed their support. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The <emph>Argo</emph> came and the heroes found themselves cut off. +They could not make their way between the islands that were +filled with the Colchian soldiers, nor along the banks that were +lined with men friendly to King Æetes. <emph>Argo</emph> was stayed. +Apsyrtus sent for the chiefs; he had men enough to overwhelm +them, but he shrank from a fight with the heroes, and he thought +that he might gain all he wanted from them without a struggle. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Theseus and Peleus went to him. Apsyrtus would have them +give up the Golden Fleece; he would have them give up Medea +and the sons of Phrixus also. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Theseus and Peleus appealed to the judgment of the kings +who supported Apsyrtus. Æetes, they said, had no more claim +on the Golden Fleece. He had promised it to Jason as a reward +for tasks that he had imposed. The tasks had been accomplished +and the Fleece, no matter in what way it was taken +from the grove of Ares, was theirs. So Theseus and Peleus +said, and the kings who supported Apsyrtus gave judgment for +the Argonauts. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Medea would have to be given to her brother. If that +were done the <emph>Argo</emph> would be let go on her course, Apsyrtus said, +and the Golden Fleece would be left with them. Apsyrtus said, +<pb n="136"/> +too, that he would not take Medea back to the wrath of her +father; if the Argonauts gave her up she would be let stay +on the island of Artemis and under the guardianship of the +goddess. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The chiefs brought Apsyrtus’s words back. There was a +council of the Argonauts, and they agreed that they should +leave Medea on the island of Artemis. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But grief and wrath took hold of Medea when she heard of +this resolve. Almost she would burn the <emph>Argo</emph>. She went to +where Jason stood, and she spoke again of all she had done +to save his life and win the Golden Fleece for the Argonauts. +Jason made her look on the ships and the soldiers that were +around them; he showed her how these could overwhelm the +Argonauts and slay them all. With all the heroes slain, he +said, Medea would come into the hands of Apsyrtus, who then +could leave her on the island of Artemis or take her back to the +wrath of her father. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Medea would not consent to go nor could Jason’s heart +consent to let her go. Then these two made a plot to deceive +Apsyrtus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>I have not been of the council that agreed to give you up +to him,</q> Jason said. <q>After you have been left there I will +take you off the island of Artemis secretly. The Colchians +and the kings who support them, not knowing that you have +been taken off and hidden on the <emph>Argo</emph>, will let us pass.</q> This +Medea and Jason planned to do, and it was an ill thing, for it + + + +<pb n="137"/> +was breaking the covenant that the chiefs had entered with +Apsyrtus. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i023.png"><anchor id="i023.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea then was left by the Argonauts on the island of Artemis. +Now Apsyrtus had been commanded by his father to +bring her back to Aea; he thought that when she had been +left by the Argonauts he could force her to come with him. +So he went over to the island. Jason, secretly leaving his +companions, went to the island from the other side. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Before the temple of Artemis Jason and Apsyrtus came face +to face. Both men, thinking they had been betrayed to their +deaths, drew their swords. Then, before the vestibule of the +temple and under the eyes of Medea, Jason and Apsyrtus +fought. Jason’s sword pierced the son of Æetes; as he fell +Apsyrtus cried out bitter words against Medea, saying that +it was on her account that he had come on his death. And +as he fell the blood of her brother splashed Medea’s silver +veil. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason lifted Medea up and carried her to the <emph>Argo</emph>. They hid +the maiden under the Fleece of Gold and they sailed past the +ships of the Colchians. When darkness came they were far +from the island of Artemis. It was then that they heard a loud +wailing, and they knew that the Colchians had discovered that +their prince had been slain. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The Colchians did not pursue them. Fearing the wrath of +Æetes they made settlements in the lands of the kings who +had supported Apsyrtus; they never went back to Aea; they +<pb n="138"/> +called themselves Apsyrtians henceforward, naming themselves +after the prince they had come with. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They had escaped the danger that had hemmed them in, +but the Argonauts, as they sailed on, were not content; covenants +had been broken, and blood had been shed in a bad cause. +And as they went on through the darkness the voice of the +ship was heard; at the sound of that voice fear and sorrow +came upon the voyagers, for they felt that it had a prophecy +of doom. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Castor and Polydeuces went to the front of the ship; holding +up their hands, they prayed. Then they heard the words +that the voice uttered: in the night as they went on the voice +proclaimed the wrath of Zeus on account of the slaying of +Apsyrtus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> What was their doom to be? It was that the Argonauts +would have to wander forever over the gulfs of the sea unless +Medea had herself cleansed of her brother’s blood. There was +one who could cleanse Medea—Circe, the daughter of Helios +and Perse. The voice urged the heroes to pray to the immortal +gods that the way to the island of Circe be shown to +them. +</p><pb n="139"/></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>V. Medea Comes to Circe</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capT.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">T</hi>HEY sailed up the River Ister until they +came to the Eridanus, that river across +which no bird can fly. Leaving the Eridanus +they entered the Rhodanus, a river +that rises in the extreme north, where +Night herself has her habitation. And +voyaging up this river they came to the +Stormy Lakes. A mist lay upon the lakes night and day; +voyaging through them the Argonauts at last brought out their +ship upon the Sea of Ausonia. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was Zetes and Calais, the sons of the North Wind, who +brought the <emph>Argo</emph> safely along this dangerous course. And to +Zetes and Calais Iris, the messenger of the gods, appeared and +revealed to them where Circe’s island lay. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Deep blue water was all around that island, and on its height +a marble house was to be seen. But a strange haze covered +everything as with a veil. As the Argonauts came near they +saw what looked to them like great dragonflies; they came down +to the shore, and then the heroes saw that they were maidens +in gleaming dresses. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The maidens waved their hands to the voyagers, calling +them to come on the island. Strange beasts came up to where +the maidens were and made whimpering cries. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The Argonauts would have drawn the ship close and would +<pb n="140"/> +have sprung upon the island only that Medea cried out to +them. She showed them the beasts that whimpered around +the maidens, and then, as the Argonauts looked upon them, +they saw that these were not beasts of the wild. There was +something strange and fearful about them; the heroes gazed +upon them with troubled eyes. They brought the ship near, +but they stayed upon their benches, holding the oars in their +hands. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea sprang to the island; she spoke to the maidens so +that they shrank away; then the beasts came and whimpered +around her. <q>Forbear to land here, O Argonauts,</q> Medea +cried, <q>for this is the island where men are changed into beasts.</q> +She called to Jason to come; only Jason would she have come +upon the island. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They went swiftly toward the marble house, and the beasts +followed them, looking up at Jason and Medea with pitiful +human eyes. They went into the marble house of Circe, and +as suppliants they seated themselves at the hearth. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Circe stood at her loom, weaving her many-colored threads. +Swiftly she turned to the suppliants; she looked for something +strange in them, for just before they came the walls of her +house dripped with blood and the flame ran over and into her +pot, burning up all the magic herbs she was brewing. She went +toward where they sat, Medea with her face hidden by her +hands, and Jason, with his head bent, holding with its point in +the ground the sword with which he had slain the son of Æetes. + + + +<pb n="141"/> +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i024.png"><anchor id="i024.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When Medea took her hands away from before her face, +Circe knew that, like herself, this maiden was of the race of +Helios. Medea spoke to her, telling her first of the voyage of +the heroes and of their toils; telling her then of how she had +given help to Jason against the will of Æetes, her father; telling +her then, fearfully, of the slaying of Apsyrtus. She covered her +face with her robe as she spoke of it. And then she told Circe +she had come, warned by the judgment of Zeus, to ask of +Circe, the daughter of Helios, to purify her from the stain of +her brother’s blood. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Like all the children of Helios, Circe had eyes that were +wide and full of life, but she had stony lips—lips that were +heavy and moveless. Bright golden hair hung smoothly along +each of her sides. First she held a cup to them that was filled +with pure water, and Jason and Medea drank from that cup. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Circe stayed by the hearth; she burnt cakes in the +flame, and all the while she prayed to Zeus to be gentle with +these suppliants. She brought both to the seashore. There +she washed Medea’s body and her garments with the spray of +the sea. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea pleaded with Circe to tell her of the life she foresaw +for her, but Circe would not speak of it. She told Medea that +one day she would meet a woman who knew nothing about +enchantments but who had much human wisdom. She was to +ask of her what she was to do in her life or what she +was to leave undone. And whatever this woman out of her +<pb n="142"/> +wisdom told her, that Medea was to regard. Once more Circe +offered them the cup filled with clear water, and when they +had drunken of it she left them upon the seashore. As she +went toward her marble house the strange beasts followed +Circe, whimpering as they went. Jason and Medea went +aboard the <emph>Argo</emph>, and the heroes drew away from Circe’s island. +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>VI. In the Land of the Phæacians</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capW.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">W</hi>EARIED were the heroes now. They +would have fain gone upon the island of +Circe to rest there away from the oars +and the sound of the sea. But the wisest +of them, looking upon the beasts that +were men transformed, held the <emph>Argo</emph> far +off the shore. Then Jason and Medea +came aboard, and with heavy hearts and wearied arms they +turned to the open sea again. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> No longer had they such high hearts as when they drove the +<emph>Argo</emph> between the Clashers and into the Sea of Pontus. Now +their heads drooped as they went on, and they sang such songs +as slaves sing in their hopeless labor. Orpheus grew fearful +for them now. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> For Orpheus knew that they were drawing toward a danger. +There was no other way for them, he knew, but past the Island +Anthemœssa in the Tyrrhenian Sea where the Sirens were. +<pb n="143"/> +Once they had been nymphs and had tended Persephone before +she was carried off by Aidoneus to be his queen in the Underworld. +Kind they had been, but now they were changed, and +they cared only for the destruction of men. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> All set around with rocks was the island where they were. +As the <emph>Argo</emph> came near, the Sirens, ever on the watch to draw +mariners to their destruction, saw them and came to the rocks +and sang to them, holding each other’s hands. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They sang all together their lulling song. That song made +the wearied voyagers long to let their oars go with the waves, +and drift, drift to where the Sirens were. Bending down to +them the Sirens, with soft hands and white arms, would lift +them to soft resting places. Then each of the Sirens sang a +clear, piercing song that called to each of the voyagers. Each +man thought that his own name was in that song. <q>O how +well it is that you have come near,</q> each one sang, <q>how well +it is that you have come near where I have awaited you, having +all delight prepared for you!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Orpheus took up his lyre as the Sirens began to sing. He +sang to the heroes of their own toils. He sang of them, how, +gaunt and weary as they were, they were yet men, men who +were the strength of Greece, men who had been fostered by +the love and hope of their country. They were the winners of +the Golden Fleece and their story would be told forever. And +for the fame that they had won men would forego all rest and +all delight. Why should they not toil, they who were born +<pb n="144"/> +for great labors and to face dangers that other men might not +face? Soon hands would be stretched out to them—the welcoming +hands of the men and women of their own land. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Orpheus sang, and his voice and the music of his lyre prevailed +above the Sirens’ voices. Men dropped their oars, but +other men remained at their benches, and pulled steadily, if +wearily, on. Only one of the Argonauts, Butes, a youth of +Iolcus, threw himself into the water and swam toward the +rocks from which the Sirens sang. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But an anguish that nearly parted their spirits from their +bodies was upon them as they went wearily on. Toward the end +of the day they beheld another island—an island that seemed +very fair; they longed to land and rest themselves there and eat +the fruits of the island. But Orpheus would not have them land. +The island, he said, was Thrinacia. Upon that island the +Cattle of the Sun pastured, and if one of the cattle perished +through them their return home might not be won. They +heard the lowing of the cattle through the mist, and a deep +longing for the sight of their own fields, with a white house +near, and flocks and herds at pasture, came over the heroes. +They came near the Island of Thrinacia, and they saw the +Cattle of the Sun feeding by the meadow streams; not one of +them was black; all were white as milk, and the horns upon +their heads were golden. They saw the two nymphs who +herded the kine—Phæthusa and Lampetia, one with a staff +of silver and the other with a staff of gold. +<pb n="145"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Driven by the breeze that came over the Thrinacian Sea +the Argonauts came to the land of the Phæacians. It was a +good land as they saw when they drew near; a land of orchards +and fresh pastures, with a white and sun-lit city upon the +height. Their spirits came back to them as they drew into +the harbor; they made fast the hawsers, and they went upon +the ways of the city. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And then they saw everywhere around them the dark faces +of Colchian soldiers. These were the men of King Æetes, and +they had come overland to the Phæacian city, hoping to cut +off the Argonauts. Jason, when he saw the soldiers, shouted +to those who had been left on the <emph>Argo</emph>, and they drew out +of the harbor, fearful lest the Colchians should grapple with +the ship and wrest from them the Fleece of Gold. Then +Jason made an encampment upon the shore, and the captain +of the Colchians went here and there, gathering together his +men. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea left Jason’s side and hastened through the city. To +the palace of Alcinous, king of the Phæacians, she went. +Within the palace she found Arete, the queen. And Arete was +sitting by her hearth, spinning golden and silver threads. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Arete was young at that time, as young as Medea, and as +yet no child had been born to her. But she had the clear +eyes of one who understands, and who knows how to order +things well. Stately, too, was Arete, for she had been reared +in the house of a great king. Medea came to her, and fell upon +<pb n="146"/> +her knees before her, and told her how she had fled from the +house of her father, King Æetes. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She told Arete, too, how she had helped Jason to win the +Golden Fleece, and she told her how through her her brother +had been led to his death. As she told this part of her story +she wept and prayed at the knees of the queen. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Arete was greatly moved by Medea’s tears and prayers. She +went to Alcinous in his garden, and she begged of him to save +the Argonauts from the great force of the Colchians that had +come to cut them off. <q>The Golden Fleece,</q> said Arete, <q>has +been won by the tasks that Jason performed. If the Colchians +should take Medea, it would be to bring her back to Aea and to +a bitter doom. And the maiden,</q> said the queen, <q>has broken +my heart by her prayers and tears.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> King Alcinous said: <q>Æetes is strong, and although his kingdom +is far from ours, he can bring war upon us.</q> But still +Arete pleaded with him to protect Medea from the Colchians. +Alcinous went within; he raised up Medea from where she +crouched on the floor of the palace, and he promised her that +the Argonauts would be protected in his city. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then the king mounted his chariot; Medea went with him, +and they came down to the seashore where the heroes had +made their encampment. The Argonauts and the Colchians +were drawn up against each other, and the Colchians far outnumbered +the wearied heroes. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Alcinous drove his chariot between the two armies. The +<pb n="147"/> +Colchians prayed him to have the strangers make surrender +to them. But the king drove his chariot to where the heroes +stood, and he took the hand of each, and received them as his +guests. Then the Colchians knew that they might not make +war upon the heroes. They drew off. The next day they +marched away. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was a rich land that they had come to. Once Aristæus +dwelt there, the king who discovered how to make bees store +up their honey for men and how to make the good olive grow. +Macris, his daughter, tended Dionysus, the son of Zeus, when +Hermes brought him of the flame, and moistened his lips +with honey. She tended him in a cave in the Phæacian land, +and ever afterward the Phæacians were blessed with all good +things. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Now as the heroes marched to the palace of King Alcinous +the people came to meet them, bringing them sheep and calves +and jars of wine and honey. The women brought them fresh +garments; to Medea they gave fine linen and golden ornaments. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Amongst the Phæacians who loved music and games and the +telling of stories the heroes stayed for long. There were dances, +and to the Phæacians who honored him as a god, Orpheus played +upon his lyre. And every day, for the seven days that they +stayed amongst them, the Phæacians brought rich presents to +the heroes. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And Medea, looking into the clear eyes of Queen Arete, knew +<pb n="148"/> +that she was the woman of whom Circe had prophesied, the +woman who knew nothing of enchantments, but who had much +human wisdom. She was to ask of her what she was to do in +her life and what she was to leave undone. And what this +woman told her Medea was to regard. Arete told her that +she was to forget all the witcheries and enchantments that she +knew, and that she was never to practice against the life of any +one. This she told Medea upon the shore, before Jason lifted +her aboard the <emph>Argo</emph>. +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>VII. They Come to the Desert Land</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capA1.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">A</hi>ND now with sail spread wide the <emph>Argo</emph> +went on, and the heroes rested at the +oars. The wind grew stronger. It became +a great blast, and for nine days and +nine nights the ship was driven fearfully +along. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The blast drove them into the Gulf of +Libya, from whence there is no return for ships. On each side of +the gulf there are rocks and shoals, and the sea runs toward +the limitless sand. On the top of a mighty tide the <emph>Argo</emph> was +lifted, and she was flung high up on the desert sands. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> A flood tide such as might not come again for long left the +Argonauts on the empty Libyan land. And when they came +forth and saw that vast level of sand stretching like a mist +<pb n="149"/> +away into the distance, a deadly fear came over each of them. +No spring of water could they descry; no path; no herdsman’s +cabin; over all that vast land there was silence and dead calm. +And one said to the other: <q>What land is this? Whither have +we come? Would that the tempest had overwhelmed us, or +would that we had lost the ship and our lives between the +Clashing Rocks at the time when we were making our way +into the Sea of Pontus.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And the helmsman, looking before him, said with a breaking +heart: <q>Out of this we may not come, even should the breeze +blow from the land, for all around us are shoals and sharp +rocks—rocks that we can see fretting the water, line upon line. +Our ship would have been shattered far from the shore if the +tide had not borne her far up on the sand. But now the tide +rushes back toward the sea, leaving only foam on which no +ship can sail to cover the sand. And so all hope of our return +is cut off.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He spoke with tears flowing upon his cheeks, and all who had +knowledge of ships agreed with what the helmsman had said. +No dangers that they had been through were as terrible as this. +Hopelessly, like lifeless specters, the heroes strayed about the +endless strand. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They embraced each other and they said farewell as they +laid down upon the sand that might blow upon them and overwhelm +them in the night. They wrapped their heads in their +cloaks, and, fasting, they laid themselves down. +<pb n="150"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Jason crouched beside the ship, so troubled that his life nearly +went from him. He saw Medea huddled against a rock and +with her hair streaming on the sand. He saw the men who, +with all the bravery of their lives, had come with him, stretched +on the desert sand, weary and without hope. He thought that +they, the best of men, might die in this desert with their deeds +all unknown; he thought that he might never win home with +Medea, to make her his queen in Iolcus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He lay against the side of the ship, his cloak wrapped around +his head. And there death would have come to him and to the +others if the nymphs of the desert had been unmindful of these +brave men. They came to Jason. It was midday then, and +the fierce rays of the sun were scorching all Libya. They drew +off the cloak that wrapped his head; they stood near him, +three nymphs girded around with goatskins. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Why art thou so smitten with despair?</q> the nymphs +said to Jason. <q rend="post: none">Why art thou smitten with despair, thou who +hast wrought so much and hast won so much? Up! Arouse +thy comrades! We are the solitary nymphs, the warders of +the land of Libya, and we have come to show a way of escape +to you, the Argonauts. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Look around and watch for the time when Poseidon’s great +horse shall be unloosed. Then make ready to pay recompense +to the mother that bore you all. What she did for you all, +that you all must do for her; by doing it you will win back to +the land of Greece.</q> Jason heard them say these words and + + + +<pb n="151"/> +then he saw them no more; the nymphs vanished amongst the +desert mounds. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i025.png"><anchor id="i025.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Jason rose up. He did not know what to make out +of what had been told him, but there was courage now and +hope in his heart. He shouted; his voice was like the roar of +a lion calling to his mate. At his shout his comrades roused +themselves; all squalid with the dust of the desert the Argonauts +stood around him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Listen, comrades, to me,</q> Jason said, <q>while I speak of a +strange thing that has befallen me. While I lay by the side +of our ship three nymphs came before me. With light hands +they drew away the cloak that wrapped my head. They declared +themselves to be the solitary nymphs, the warders, of +Libya. Very strange were the words they said to me. When +Poseidon’s great horse shall be unloosed, they said, we were +to make the mother of us all a recompense, doing for her what +she had done for us all. This the nymphs told me to say, but +I cannot understand the meaning of their words.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> There were some there who would not have given heed to +Jason’s words, deeming them words without meaning. But +even as he spoke a wonder came before their eyes. Out of the +far-off sea a great horse leaped. Vast he was of size and he +had a golden mane. He shook the spray of the sea off his sides +and mane. Past them he trampled and away toward the +horizon, leaving great tracks in the sand. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Nestor spoke rejoicingly. <q rend="post: none">Behold the great horse! +<pb n="152"/> +It is the horse that the desert nymphs spoke of, Poseidon’s +horse. Even now has the horse been unloosed, and now is the +time to do what the nymphs bade us do. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">Who but <emph>Argo</emph> is the mother of us all? She has carried us. +Now we must make her a recompense and carry her even as +she carried us. With untiring shoulders we must bear <emph>Argo</emph> +across this great desert. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>And whither shall we bear her? Whither but along the tracks +that Poseidon’s horse has left in the sand! Poseidon’s horse will +not go under the earth—once again he will plunge into the sea!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Nestor said and the Argonauts saw truth in his saying. +Hope came to them again—the hope of leaving that desert +and coming to the sea. Surely when they came to the sea +again, and spread the sail and held the oars in their hands, +their sacred ship would make swift course to their native land! +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>VIII. The Carrying of the Argo</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capW.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">W</hi>ITH the terrible weight of the ship upon +their shoulders the Argonauts made their +way across the desert, following the tracks +of Poseidon’s golden-maned horse. Like +a wounded serpent that drags with pain +its length along, they went day after day +across that limitless land. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> A day came when they saw the great tracks of the horse + + + +<pb n="153"/> +no more. A wind had come up and had covered them with +sand. With the mighty weight of the ship upon their shoulders, +with the sun beating upon their heads, and with no marks on +the desert to guide them, the heroes stood there, and it seemed +to them that the blood must gush up and out of their hearts. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i026.png"><anchor id="i026.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Zetes and Calais, sons of the North Wind, rose up upon +their wings to strive to get sight of the sea. Up, up, they soared. +And then as a man sees, or thinks he sees, at the month’s beginning, +the moon through a bank of clouds, Zetes and Calais, looking +over the measureless land, saw the gleam of water. They +shouted to the Argonauts; they marked the way for them, and +wearily, but with good hearts, the heroes went upon the way. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They came at last to the shore of what seemed to be a wide +inland sea. They set <emph>Argo</emph> down from off their over-wearied +shoulders and they let her keel take water once more. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> All salt and brackish was that water; they dipped their hands +into and tasted the salt. Orpheus was able to name the water +they had come to; it was that lake that was called after Triton, +the son of Nereus, the ancient one of the sea. They set up an +altar and they made sacrifices in thanksgiving to the gods. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They had come to water at last, but now they had to seek +for other water—for the sweet water that they could drink. +All around them they looked, but they saw no sign of a spring. +And then they felt a wind blow upon them—a wind that had +in it not the dust of the desert but the fragrance of growing +things. Toward where that wind blew from they went. +<pb n="154"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As they went on they saw a great shape against the sky; +they saw mountainous shoulders bowed. Orpheus bade them +halt and turn their faces with reverence toward that great +shape: for this was Atlas the Titan, the brother of Prometheus, +who stood there to hold up the sky on his shoulders. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then they were near the place that the fragrance had blown +from: there was a garden there; the only fence that ran around +it was a lattice of silver. <q>Surely there are springs in the +garden,</q> the Argonauts said. <q>We will enter this fair garden +now and slake our thirst.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Orpheus bade them walk reverently, for all around them, he +said, was sacred ground. This garden was the Garden of the +Hesperides that was watched over by the Daughters of the +Evening Land. The Argonauts looked through the silver lattice; +they saw trees with lovely fruit, and they saw three maidens +moving through the garden with watchful eyes. In this garden +grew the tree that had the golden apples that Zeus gave to +Hera as a wedding gift. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They saw the tree on which the golden apples grew. The +maidens went to it and then looked watchfully all around them. +They saw the faces of the Argonauts looking through the silver +lattice and they cried out, one to the other, and they joined +their hands around the tree. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Orpheus called to them, and the maidens understood +the divine speech of Orpheus. He made the Daughters of the +Evening Land know that they who stood before the lattice were +<pb n="155"/> +men who reverenced the gods, who would not strive to enter +the forbidden garden. The maidens came toward them. +Beautiful as the singing of Orpheus was their utterance, but +what they said was a complaint and a lament. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Their lament was for the dragon Ladon, that dragon with a +hundred heads that guarded sleeplessly the tree that had the +golden apples. Now that dragon was slain. With arrows that +had been dipped in the poison of the Hydra’s blood their dragon, +Ladon, had been slain. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The Daughters of the Evening Land sang of how a mortal had +come into the garden that they watched over. He had a great +bow, and with his arrow he slew the dragon that guarded the +golden apples. The golden apples he had taken away; they had +come back to the tree they had been plucked from, for no mortal +might keep them in his possession. So the maidens sang—Hespere, +Eretheis, and Ægle—and they complained that now, +unhelped by the hundred-headed dragon, they had to keep +guard over the tree. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The Argonauts knew of whom they told the tale—Heracles, +their comrade. Would that Heracles were with them now! +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The Hesperides told them of Heracles—of how the springs +in the garden dried up because of his plucking the golden apples. +He came out of the garden thirsting. Nowhere could he find +a spring of water. To yonder great rock he went. He smote +it with his foot and water came out in full flow. Then he, +leaning on his hands and with his chest upon the ground, +<pb n="156"/> +drank and drank from the water that flowed from the rifted +rock. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The Argonauts looked to where the rock stood. They caught +the sound of water. They carried Medea over. And then, +company after company, all huddled together, they stooped +down and drank their fill of the clear good water. With lips +wet with the water they cried to each other, <q>Heracles! Although +he is not with us, in very truth Heracles has saved his +comrades from deadly thirst!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They saw his footsteps printed upon the rocks, and they followed +them until they led to the sand where no footsteps stay. +Heracles! How glad his comrades would have been if they +could have had sight of him then! But it was long ago—before +he had sailed with them—that Heracles had been here. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Still hearing their complaint they turned back to the lattice, +to where the Daughters of the Evening Land stood. The +Daughters of the Evening Land bent their heads to listen to +what the Argonauts told one another, and, seeing them bent +to listen, Orpheus told a story about one who had gone across +the Libyan desert, about one who was a hero like unto +Heracles. +</p><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>The Story of Perseus</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Beyond where Atlas stands there is a cave where the strange +women, the ancient daughters of Phorcys, live. They have +been gray from their birth. They have but one eye and one +<pb n="157"/> +tooth between them, and they pass the eye and the tooth, one +to the other, when they would see or eat. They are called the +Graiai, these two sisters. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Up to the cave where they lived a youth once came. He +was beardless, and the garb he wore was torn and travel-stained, +but he had shapeliness and beauty. In his leathern belt there +was an exceedingly bright sword; this sword was not straight +like the swords we carry, but it was hooked like a sickle. The +strange youth with the bright, strange sword came very quickly +and very silently up to the cave where the Graiai lived and +looked over a high boulder into it. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> One was sitting munching acorns with the single tooth. The +other had the eye in her hand. She was holding it to her forehead +and looking into the back of the cave. These two ancient +women, with their gray hair falling over them like thick fleeces, +and with faces that were only forehead and cheeks and nose +and mouth, were strange creatures truly. Very silently the +youth stood looking at them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Sister, sister,</q> cried the one who was munching acorns, +<q>sister, turn your eye this way. I heard the stir of something.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The other turned, and with the eye placed against her forehead +looked out to the opening of the cave. The youth drew +back behind the boulder. <q>Sister, sister, there is nothing there,</q> +said the one with the eye. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then she said: <q>Sister, give me the tooth for I would eat +my acorns. Take the eye and keep watch.</q> +<pb n="158"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The one who was eating held out the tooth, and the one who +was watching held out the eye. The youth darted into the +cave. Standing between the eyeless sisters, he took with one +hand the tooth and with the other the eye. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Sister, sister, have you taken the eye?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>I have not taken the eye. Have you taken the tooth?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>I have not taken the tooth.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Some one has taken the eye, and some one has taken the +tooth.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They stood together, and the youth watched their blinking +faces as they tried to discover who had come into the cave, and +who had taken the eye and the tooth. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then they said, screaming together: <q>Who ever has taken +the eye and the tooth from the Graiai, the ancient daughters +of Phorcys, may Mother Night smother him.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The youth spoke. <q>Ancient daughters of Phorcys,</q> he said, +<q>Graiai, I would not rob from you. I have come to your cave +only to ask the way to a place.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Ah, it is a mortal, a mortal,</q> screamed the sisters. <q>Well, +mortal, what would you have from the Graiai?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Ancient Graiai,</q> said the youth, <q>I would have you tell +me, for you alone know, where the nymphs dwell who guard +the three magic treasures—the cap of darkness, the shoes of +flight, and the magic pouch.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>We will not tell you, we will not tell you that,</q> screamed +the two ancient sisters. + + + +<pb n="159"/> +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i027.png"><anchor id="i027.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>I will keep the eye and the tooth,</q> said the youth, <q>and +I will give them to one who will help me.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Give me the eye and I will tell you,</q> said one. <q>Give me +the tooth and I will tell you,</q> said the other. The youth put +the eye in the hand of one and the tooth in the hand of the +other, but he held their skinny hands in his strong hands until +they should tell him where the nymphs dwelt who guarded the +magic treasures. The Gray Ones told him. Then the youth +with the bright sword left the cave. As he went out he saw +on the ground a shield of bronze, and he took it with him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> To the other side of where Atlas stands he went. There he +came upon the nymphs in their valley. They had long dwelt +there, hidden from gods and men, and they were startled to see a +stranger youth come into their hidden valley. They fled away. +Then the youth sat on the ground, his head bent like a man +who is very sorrowful. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The youngest and the fairest of the nymphs came to him at +last. <q>Why have you come, and why do you sit here in such +great trouble, youth?</q> said she. And then she said: <q>What +is this strange sickle-sword that you wear? Who told you the +way to our dwelling place? What name have you?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>I have come here,</q> said the youth, and he took the bronze +shield upon his knees and began to polish it, <q>I have come here +because I want you, the nymphs who guard them, to give to +me the cap of darkness and the shoes of flight and the magic +pouch. I must gain these things; without them I must go to +<pb n="160"/> +my death. Why I must gain them you will know from my +story.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When he said that he had come for the three magic treasures +that they guarded, the kind nymph was more startled than she +and her sisters had been startled by the appearance of the +strange youth in their hidden valley. She turned away from +him. But she looked again and she saw that he was beautiful +and brave looking. He had spoken of his death. The nymph +stood looking at him pitifully, and the youth, with the bronze +shield laid beside his knees and the strange hooked sword lying +across it, told her his story. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>I am Perseus,</q> he said, <q rend="post: none">and my grandfather, men say, is +king in Argos. His name is Acrisius. Before I was born a +prophecy was made to him that the son of Danaë, his daughter, +would slay him. Acrisius was frightened by the prophecy, and +when I was born he put my mother and myself into a chest, +and he sent us adrift upon the waves of the sea. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">I did not know what a terrible peril I was in, for I was an +infant newly born. My mother was so hopeless that she came +near to death. But the wind and the waves did not destroy us: +they brought us to a shore; a shepherd found the chest, and he +opened it and brought my mother and myself out of it alive. +The land we had come to was Seriphus. The shepherd who +found the chest and who rescued my mother and myself was +the brother of the king. His name was Dictys. +<pb n="161"/> +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">In the shepherd’s wattled house my mother stayed with me, +a little infant, and in that house I grew from babyhood to childhood, +and from childhood to boyhood. He was a kind man, +this shepherd Dictys. His brother Polydectes had put him +away from the palace, but Dictys did not grieve for that, for +he was happy minding his sheep upon the hillside, and he was +happy in his little hut of wattles and clay. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">Polydectes, the king, was seldom spoken to about his +brother, and it was years before he knew of the mother and +child who had been brought to live in Dictys’s hut. But at +last he heard of us, for strange things began to be said about +my mother—how she was beautiful, and how she looked like +one who had been favored by the gods. Then one day when +he was hunting, Polydectes the king came to the hut of Dictys +the shepherd. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">He saw Danaë, my mother, there. By her looks he knew +that she was a king’s daughter and one who had been favored +by the gods. He wanted her for his wife. But my mother +hated this harsh and overbearing king, and she would not wed +with him. Often he came storming around the shepherd’s hut, +and at last my mother had to take refuge from him in a temple. +There she became the priestess of the goddess. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">I was taken to the palace of Polydectes, and there I was +brought up. The king still stormed around where my mother +was, more and more bent on making her marry him. If she +had not been in the temple where she was under the protection +<pb n="162"/> +of the goddess he would have wed her against her +will. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">But I was growing up now, and I was able to give some +protection to my mother. My arm was a strong one, and Polydectes +knew that if he wronged my mother in any way, I had +the will and the power to be deadly to him. One day I heard +him say before his princes and his lords that he would wed, +and would wed one who was not Danaë. I was overjoyed to +hear him say this. He asked the lords and the princes to come +to the wedding feast; they declared they would, and they told +him of the presents they would bring. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">Then King Polydectes turned to me and he asked me to +come to the wedding feast. I said I would come. And then, +because I was young and full of the boast of youth, and because +the king was now ceasing to be a terror to me, I said that I +would bring to his wedding feast the head of the Gorgon. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">The king smiled when he heard me say this, but he smiled +not as a good man smiles when he hears the boast of youth. +He smiled, and he turned to the princes and lords, and he said: +<q>Perseus will come, and he will bring a greater gift than any +of you, for he will bring the head of her whose gaze turns living +creatures into stone.</q> +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">When I heard the king speak so grimly about my boast the +fearfulness of the thing I had spoken of doing came over me. +I thought for an instant that the Gorgon’s head appeared before +me, and that I was then and there turned into stone. +<pb n="163"/> +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">The day of the wedding feast came. I came and I brought +no gift. I stood with my head hanging for shame. Then the +princes and the lords came forward, and they showed the great +gifts of horses that they had brought. I thought that the king +would forget about me and about my boast. And then I heard +him call my name. <q>Perseus,</q> he said, <q>Perseus, bring before +us now the Gorgon’s head that, as you told us, you would bring +for the wedding gift.</q> +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">The princes and lords and people looked toward me, and +I was filled with a deeper shame. I had to say that I had failed +to bring a present. Then that harsh and overbearing king +shouted at me. <q>Go forth,</q> he said, <q>go forth and fetch the +present that you spoke of. If you do not bring it remain forever +out of my country, for in Seriphus we will have no empty +boasters.</q> The lords and the princes applauded what the king +said; the people were sad for me and sad for my mother, but +they might not do anything to help me, so just and so due to +me did the words of the king seem. There was no help for it, +and I had to go from the country of Seriphus, leaving my mother +at the mercy of Polydectes. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">I bade good-by to my sorrowful mother and I went from +Seriphus—from that land that I might not return to without +the Gorgon’s head. I traveled far from that country. One +day I sat down in a lonely place and prayed to the gods that +my strength might be equal to the will that now moved in me—the +will to take the Gorgon’s head, and take from my name +<pb n="164"/> +the shame of a broken promise, and win back to Seriphus to +save my mother from the harshness of the king.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">When I looked up I saw one standing before me. He was +a youth, too, but I knew by the way he moved, and I knew by +the brightness of his face and eyes, that he was of the immortals. +I raised my hands in homage to him, and he came near +me. <q>Perseus,</q> he said, <q>if you have the courage to strive, the +way to win the Gorgon’s head will be shown you.</q> I said that +I had the courage to strive, and he knew that I was making +no boast. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">He gave me this bright sickle-sword that I carry. He told +me by what ways I might come near enough to the Gorgons +without being turned into stone by their gaze. He told me +how I might slay the one of the three Gorgons who was not +immortal, and how, having slain her, I might take her head +and flee without being torn to pieces by her sister Gorgons. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">Then I knew that I should have to come on the Gorgons +from the air. I knew that having slain the one that could be +slain I should have to fly with the speed of the wind. And I +knew that that speed even would not save me—I should have +to be hidden in my flight. To win the head and save myself +I would need three magic things—the shoes of flight and the +magic pouch, and the dogskin cap of Hades that makes its +wearer invisible. +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q rend="post: none">The youth said: <q>The magic pouch and the shoes of flight +and the dogskin cap of Hades are in the keeping of the nymphs +<pb n="165"/> +whose dwelling place no mortal knows. I may not tell +you where their dwelling place is. But from the Gray Ones, +from the ancient daughters of Phorcys who live in a cave +near where Atlas stands, you may learn where their dwelling +place is.</q> +</q></p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Thereupon he told me how I might come to the Graiai, and +how I might get them to tell me where you, the nymphs, had +your dwelling. The one who spoke to me was Hermes, whose +dwelling is on Olympus. By this sickle-sword that he gave +me you will know that I speak the truth.</q> +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Perseus ceased speaking, and she who was the youngest and +fairest of the nymphs came nearer to him. She knew that he +spoke truthfully, and besides she had pity for the youth. <q>But we +are the keepers of the magic treasures,</q> she said, <q>and some +one whose need is greater even than yours may some time require +them from us. But will you swear that you will bring the magic +treasures back to us when you have slain the Gorgon and have +taken her head?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Perseus declared that he would bring the magic treasures +back to the nymphs and leave them once more in their keeping. +Then the nymph who had compassion for him called to +the others. They spoke together while Perseus stayed far +away from them, polishing his shield of bronze. At last the +nymph who had listened to him came back, the others following +her. They brought to Perseus and they put into his hands the +<pb n="166"/> +things they had guarded—the cap made from dogskin that had +been brought up out of Hades, a pair of winged shoes, and a long +pouch that he could hang across his shoulder. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And so with the shoes of flight and the cap of darkness and +the magic pouch, Perseus went to seek the Gorgons. The +sickle-sword that Hermes gave him was at his side, and on his +arm he held the bronze shield that was now well polished. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He went through the air, taking a way that the nymphs had +shown him. He came to Oceanus that was the rim around the +world. He saw forms that were of living creatures all in stone, +and he knew that he was near the place where the Gorgons had +their lair. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then, looking upon the surface of his polished shield, he saw +the Gorgons below him. Two were covered with hard serpent +scales; they had tusks that were long and were like the tusks +of boars, and they had hands of gleaming brass and wings of +shining gold. Still looking upon the shining surface of his shield +Perseus went down and down. He saw the third sister—she +who was not immortal. She had a woman’s face and form, and +her countenance was beautiful, although there was something +deadly in its fairness. The two scaled and winged sisters +were asleep, but the third, Medusa, was awake, and she was +tearing with her hands a lizard that had come near her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Upon her head was a tangle of serpents all with heads raised +as though they were hissing. Still looking into the mirror of +<pb n="167"/> +his shield Perseus came down and over Medusa. He turned +his head away from her. Then, with a sweep of the sickle-sword +he took her head off. There was no scream from the +Gorgon, but the serpents upon her head hissed loudly. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Still with his face turned from it he lifted up the head by its +tangle of serpents. He put it into the magic pouch. He rose +up in the air. But now the Gorgon sisters were awake. They +had heard the hiss of Medusa’s serpents, and now they looked +upon her headless body. They rose up on their golden wings, +and their brazen hands were stretched out to tear the one who +had slain Medusa. As they flew after him they screamed aloud. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Although he flew like the wind the Gorgon sisters would have +overtaken him if he had been plain to their eyes. But the dogskin +cap of Hades saved him, for the Gorgon sisters did not +know whether he was above or below them, behind or before +them. On Perseus went, flying toward where Atlas stood. +He flew over this place, over Libya. Drops of blood from +Medusa’s head fell down upon the desert. They were changed +and became the deadly serpents that are on these sands and +around these rocks. On and on Perseus flew toward Atlas +and toward the hidden valley where the nymphs who were +again to guard the magic treasures had their dwelling place. +But before he came to the nymphs Perseus had another adventure. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> In Ethopia, which is at the other side of Libya, there ruled a +<pb n="168"/> +king whose name was Cepheus. This king had permitted his +queen to boast that she was more beautiful than the nymphs +of the sea. In punishment for the queen’s impiety and for the +king’s folly Poseidon sent a monster out of the sea to waste +that country. Every year the monster came, destroying more +and more of the country of Ethopia. Then the king asked of +an oracle what he should do to save his land and his people. +The oracle spoke of a dreadful thing that he would have to do—he +would have to sacrifice his daughter, the beautiful Princess +Andromeda. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The king was forced by his savage people to take the maiden +Andromeda and chain her to a rock on the seashore, leaving +her there for the monster to devour her, satisfying himself with +that prey. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Perseus, flying near, heard the maiden’s laments. He saw +her lovely body bound with chains to the rock. He came near +her, taking the cap of darkness off his head. She saw him, and +she bent her head in shame, for she thought that he would +think that it was for some dreadful fault of her own that she +had been left chained in that place. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Her father had stayed near. Perseus saw him, and called +to him, and bade him tell why the maiden was chained to the +rock. The king told Perseus of the sacrifice that he had been +forced to make. Then Perseus came near the maiden, and he +saw how she looked at him with pleading eyes. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Perseus made her father promise that he would give + + + +<pb n="169"/> +Andromeda to him for his wife if he should slay the sea monster. +Gladly Cepheus promised this. Then Perseus once again drew +his sickle-sword; by the rock to which Andromeda was still +chained he waited for sight of the sea monster. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i028.png"><anchor id="i028.png"/><index index="fig"/><head>Perseus and Andromeda</head><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It came rolling in from the open sea, a shapeless and unsightly +thing. With the shoes of flight upon his feet Perseus rose above +it. The monster saw his shadow upon the water, and savagely +it went to attack the shadow. Perseus swooped down +as an eagle swoops down; with his sickle-sword he attacked it, +and he struck the hook through the monster’s shoulder. Terribly +it reared up from the sea. Perseus rose over it, escaping +its wide-opened mouth with its treble rows of fangs. Again he +swooped and struck at it. Its hide was covered all over with +hard scales and with the shells of sea things, but Perseus’s sword +struck through it. It reared up again, spouting water mixed +with blood. On a rock near the rock that Andromeda was +chained to Perseus alighted. The monster, seeing him, bellowed +and rushed swiftly through the water to overwhelm him. As it +reared up he plunged the sword again and again into its body. +Down into the water the monster sank, and water mixed with +blood was spouted up from the depths into which it sank. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then was Andromeda loosed from her chains. Perseus, the +conqueror, lifted up the fainting maiden and carried her back +to the king’s palace. And Cepheus there renewed his promise +to give her in marriage to her deliverer. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Perseus went on his way. He came to the hidden valley +<pb n="170"/> +where the nymphs had their dwelling place, and he restored to +them the three magic treasures that they had given him—the +cap of darkness, the shoes of flight, and the magic pouch. And +these treasures are still there, and the hero who can win his +way to the nymphs may have them as Perseus had them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Again he returned to the place where he had found Andromeda +chained. With face averted he drew forth the Gorgon’s head +from where he had hidden it between the rocks. He made a +bag for it out of the horny skin of the monster he had slain. +Then, carrying his tremendous trophy, he went to the palace +of King Cepheus to claim his bride. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Now before her father had thought of sacrificing her to the +sea monster he had offered Andromeda in marriage to a prince +of Ethopia—to a prince whose name was Phineus. Phineus +did not strive to save Andromeda. But, hearing that she had +been delivered from the monster, he came to take her for his +wife; he came to Cepheus’s palace, and he brought with him a +thousand armed men. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The palace of Cepheus was filled with armed men when +Perseus entered it. He saw Andromeda on a raised place +in the hall. She was pale as when she was chained to the rock, +and when she saw him in the palace she uttered a cry of +gladness. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Cepheus, the craven king, would have let him who had come +with the armed bands take the maiden. Perseus came beside +<pb n="171"/> +Andromeda and he made his claim. Phineus spoke insolently +to him, and then he urged one of his captains to strike Perseus +down. Many sprang forward to attack him. Out of the bag +Perseus drew Medusa’s head. He held it before those who were +bringing strife into the hall. They were turned to stone. One +of Cepheus’s men wished to defend Perseus: he struck at the +captain who had come near; his sword made a clanging sound +as it struck this one who had looked upon Medusa’s head. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Perseus went from the land of Ethopia taking fair Andromeda +with him. They went into Greece, for he had thought of going +to Argos, to the country that his grandfather ruled over. At +this very time Acrisius got tidings of Danaë and her son, and +he knew that they had not perished on the waves of the sea. +Fearful of the prophecy that told he would be slain by his +grandson and fearing that he would come to Argos to seek him, +Acrisius fled out of his country. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He came into Thessaly. Perseus and Andromeda were there. +Now, one day the old king was brought to games that were +being celebrated in honor of a dead hero. He was leaning on +his staff, watching a youth throw a metal disk, when something +in that youth’s appearance made him want to watch him more +closely. About him there was something of a being of the +upper air; it made Acrisius think of a brazen tower and of a +daughter whom he had shut up there. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He moved so that he might come nearer to the disk-thrower. +But as he left where he had been standing he came into the +<pb n="172"/> +line of the thrown disk. It struck the old man on the temple. +He fell down dead, and as he fell the people cried out his name—<q>Acrisius, +King Acrisius!</q> Then Perseus knew whom the +disk, thrown by his hand, had slain. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And because he had slain the king by chance Perseus would +not go to Argos, nor take over the kingdom that his grandfather +had reigned over. With Andromeda he went to Seriphus +where his mother was. And in Seriphus there still reigned Polydectes, +who had put upon him the terrible task of winning the +Gorgon’s head. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He came to Seriphus and he left Andromeda in the hut of +Dictys the shepherd. No one knew him; he heard his name +spoken of as that of a youth who had gone on a foolish quest +and who would never again be heard of. To the temple where +his mother was a priestess he came. Guards were placed all +around it. He heard his mother’s voice and it was raised in +lament: <q>Walled up here and given over to hunger I shall be +made go to Polydectes’s house and become his wife. O ye +gods, have ye no pity for Danaë, the mother of Perseus?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Perseus cried aloud, and his mother heard his voice and her +moans ceased. He turned around and he went to the palace +of Polydectes, the king. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The king received him with mockeries. <q>I will let you stay +in Seriphus for a day,</q> he said, <q>because I would have you at +a marriage feast. I have vowed that Danaë, taken from the +temple where she sulks, will be my wife by to-morrow’s sunset.</q> + + + +<pb n="173"/> +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i029.png"><anchor id="i029.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Polydectes said, and the lords and princes who were around +him mocked at Perseus and flattered the king. Perseus went +from them then. The next day he came back to the palace. +But in his hands now there was a dread thing—the bag made +from the hide of the sea monster that had in it the Gorgon’s +head. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He saw his mother. She was brought in white and fainting, +thinking that she would now have to wed the harsh and overbearing +king. Then she saw her son, and hope came into her +face. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The king seeing Perseus, said: <q>Step forward, O youngling, +and see your mother wed to a mighty man. Step forward to +witness a marriage, and then depart, for it is not right that a +youth that makes promises and does not keep them should stay +in a land that I rule over. Step forward now, you with the +empty hands.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But not with empty hands did Perseus step forward. He +shouted out: <q>I have brought something to you at last, O king—a +present to you and your mocking friends. But you, O my +mother, and you, O my friends, avert your faces from what I +have brought.</q> Saying this Perseus drew out the Gorgon’s +head. Holding it by the snaky locks he stood before the company. +His mother and his friends averted their faces. But +Polydectes and his insolent friends looked full upon what Perseus +showed. <q>This youth would strive to frighten us with +some conjuror’s trick,</q> they said. They said no more, for they +<pb n="174"/> +became as stones, and as stone images they still stand in that +hall in Seriphus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He went to the shepherd’s hut, and he brought Dictys from +it with Andromeda. Dictys he made king in Polydectes’s stead. +Then with Danaë and Andromeda, his mother and his wife, he +went from Seriphus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He did not go to Argos, the country that his grandfather had +ruled over, although the people there wanted Perseus to come +to them, and be king over them. He took the kingdom +of Tiryns in exchange for that of Argos, and there he lived +with Andromeda, his lovely wife out of Ethopia. They had +a son named Perses who became the parent of the Persian +people. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The sickle-sword that had slain the Gorgon went back to +Hermes, and Hermes took Medusa’s head also. That head +Hermes’s divine sister set upon her shield—Medusa’s head +upon the shield of Pallas Athene. O may Pallas Athene guard +us all, and bring us out of this land of sands and stone where +are the deadly serpents that have come from the drops of blood +that fell from the Gorgon’s head! +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They turned away from the Garden of the Daughters of the +Evening Land. The Argonauts turned from where the giant +shape of Atlas stood against the sky and they went toward the +Tritonian Lake. But not all of them reached the <emph>Argo</emph>. On his +way back to the ship, Nauplius, the helmsman, met his death. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> A sluggish serpent was in his way—it was not a serpent that +<pb n="175"/> +would strike at one who turned from it. Nauplius trod upon it, +and the serpent lifted its head up and bit his foot. They raised +him on their shoulders and they hurried back with him. But +his limbs became numb, and when they laid him down on the +shore of the lake he stayed moveless. Soon he grew cold. They +dug a grave for Nauplius beside the lake, and in that desert +land they set up his helmsman’s oar in the middle of his tomb +of heaped stones. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And now like a snake that goes writhing this way and that +way and that cannot find the cleft in the rock that leads to its +lair, the <emph>Argo</emph> went hither and thither striving to find an outlet +from that lake. No outlet could they find and the way of their +homegoing seemed lost to them again. Then Orpheus prayed +to the son of Nereus, to Triton, whose name was on that lake, +to aid them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Triton appeared. He stretched out his hand and +showed them the outlet to the sea. And Triton spoke in +friendly wise to the heroes, bidding them go upon their way +in joy. <q>And as for labor,</q> he said, <q>let there be no grieving +because of that, for limbs that have youthful vigor should still +toil.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They took up the oars and they pulled toward the sea, and +Triton, the friendly immortal, helped them on. He laid hold +upon <emph>Argo’s</emph> keel and he guided her through the water. The +Argonauts saw him beneath the water; his body, from his +<pb n="176"/> +head down to his waist, was fair and great and like to the body +of one of the other immortals. But below his body was like +a great fish’s, forking this way and that. He moved with fins +that were like the horns of the new moon. Triton helped <emph>Argo</emph> +along until they came into the open sea. Then he plunged +down into the abyss. The heroes shouted their thanks to him. +Then they looked at each other and embraced each other with +joy, for the sea that touched upon the land of Greece was open +before them. +</p></div></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>IX. Near to Iolcus Again</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capT.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">T</hi>HE sun sank; then that star came that +bids the shepherd bring his flock to the +fold, that brings the wearied plowman +to his rest. But no rest did that star +bring to the Argonauts. The breeze that +filled the sail died down; they furled the +sail and lowered the mast; then, once +again, they pulled at the oars. All night they rowed, and all +day, and again when the next day came on. Then they saw +the island that is halfway to Greece—the great and fair island +of Crete. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was Theseus who first saw Crete—Theseus who was to +come to Crete upon another ship. They drew the <emph>Argo</emph> near the +great island; they wanted water, and they were fain to rest there. +<pb n="177"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Minos, the great king, ruled over Crete. He left the guarding +of the island to one of the race of bronze, to Talos, who +had lived on after the rest of the bronze men had been destroyed. +Thrice a day would Talos stride around the island; his brazen +feet were tireless. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Now Talos saw the <emph>Argo</emph> drawing near. He took up great +rocks and he hurled them at the heroes, and very quickly they +had to draw their ship out of range. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They were wearied and their thirst was consuming them. +But still that bronze man stood there ready to sink their ship +with the great rocks that he took up in his hands. Medea stood +forward upon the ship, ready to use her spells against the man +of bronze. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> In body and limbs he was made of bronze and in these he was +invulnerable. But beneath a sinew in his ankle there was a +vein that ran up to his neck and that was covered by a thin +skin. If that vein were broken Talos would perish. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea did not know about this vein when she stood forward +upon the ship to use her spells against him. Upon a cliff of +Crete, all gleaming, stood that huge man of bronze. Then, as +she was ready to fling her spells against him, Medea thought +upon the words that Arete, the wise queen, had given her—that +she was not to use spells and not to practice against the +life of any one. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But she knew that there was no impiety in using spells and +practicing against Talos, for Zeus had already doomed all his +<pb n="178"/> +race. She stood upon the ship, and with her Magic Song she +enchanted him. He whirled round and round. He struck his +ankle against a jutting stone. The vein broke, and that which +was the blood of the bronze man flowed out of him like molten +lead. He stood towering upon the cliff. Like a pine +upon a mountaintop that the woodman had left half hewn +through and that a mighty wind pitches against, Talos stood +upon his tireless feet, swaying to and fro. Then, emptied of +all his strength, Minos’s man of bronze fell into the Cretan Sea. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The heroes landed. That night they lay upon the land of +Crete and rested and refreshed themselves. When dawn came +they drew water from a spring, and once more they went on +board the <emph>Argo</emph>. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> A day came when the helmsman said, <q>To-morrow we shall +see the shore of Thessaly, and by sunset we shall be in the harbor +of Pagasæ. Soon, O voyagers, we shall be back in the city +from which we went to gain the Golden Fleece.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Jason brought Medea to the front of the ship so that +they might watch together for Thessaly, the homeland. The +Mountain Pelion came into sight. Jason exulted as he looked +upon that mountain; again he told Medea about Chiron, the +ancient centaur, and about the days of his youth in the forests +of Pelion. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The <emph>Argo</emph> went on; the sun sank, and darkness came on. +Never was there darkness such as there was on that night. + + + +<pb n="179"/> +They called that night afterward the Pall of Darkness. To +the heroes upon the <emph>Argo</emph> it seemed as if black chaos had come +over the world again; they knew not whether they were adrift +upon the sea or upon the River of Hades. No star pierced the +darkness nor no beam from the moon. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i030.png"><anchor id="i030.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> After a night that seemed many nights the dawn came. In +the sunrise they saw the land of Thessaly with its mountain, its +forests, and its fields. They hailed each other as if they had met +after a long parting. They raised the mast and unfurled the sail. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But not toward Pagasæ did they go. For now the voice +of <emph>Argo</emph> came to them, shaking their hearts: Jason and Orpheus, +Castor and Polydeuces, Zetes and Calais, Peleus and Telamon, +Theseus, Admetus, Nestor, and Atalanta, heard the cry of their +ship. And the voice of <emph>Argo</emph> warned them not to go into the +harbor of Pagasæ. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As they stood upon the ship, looking toward Iolcus, sorrow +came over all the heroes, such sorrow as made their hearts +nearly break. For long they stood there in utter numbness. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Admetus spoke—Admetus who was the happiest of +all those who went in quest of the Golden Fleece. <q>Although +we may not go into the harbor of Pagasæ, nor into the city of +Iolcus,</q> Admetus said, <q>still we have come to the land of +Greece. There are other harbors and other cities that we may +go into. And in all the places that we go to we will be honored, +for we have gone through toils and dangers, and we have brought +to Greece the famous Fleece of Gold.</q> +<pb n="180"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Admetus said, and their spirits came back again to the +heroes—came back to all of them save Jason. The rest had +other cities to go to, and fathers and mothers and friends to +greet them in other places, but for Jason there was only Iolcus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea took his hand, and sorrow for him overcame her. +For Medea could divine what had happened in Iolcus and why +it was that the heroes might not go there. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was to Corinth that the <emph>Argo</emph> went. Creon, the king of +Corinth, welcomed them and gave great honor to the heroes +who had faced such labors and such dangers to bring the world’s +wonder to Greece. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The Argonauts stayed together until they went to Calydon, +to hunt the boar that ravaged Prince Meleagrus’s country. +After that they separated, each one going to his own land. +Jason came back to Corinth where Medea stayed. And in Corinth +he had tidings of the happenings in Iolcus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> King Pelias now ruled more fearfully in Iolcus, having brought +down from the mountains more and fiercer soldiers. And +Æson, Jason’s father, and Alcimide, his mother, were now +dead, having been slain by King Pelias. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> This Jason heard from men who came into Corinth from +Thessaly. And because of the great army that Pelias had +gathered there, Jason might not yet go into Iolcus, either to +exact a vengeance, or to show the people <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">The Golden Fleece</hi> +that he had gone so far to gain. +</p><pb n="181"/></div></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>Part III. The Heroes of the Quest</head><pb n="183"/><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>I. Atalanta the Huntress</head><p rend="font-size: 120%">I</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capT.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">T</hi>HEY came once more together, the heroes +of the quest, to hunt a boar in Calydon—Jason +and Peleus came, Telamon, +Theseus, and rough Arcas, Nestor and +Helen’s brothers Polydeuces and Castor. +And, most noted of all, there came the +Arcadian huntress maid, Atalanta. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Beautiful they all thought her when they knew her aboard +the <emph>Argo</emph>. But even more beautiful Atalanta seemed to the +heroes when she came amongst them in her hunting gear. Her +lovely hair hung in two bands across her shoulders, and over +her breast hung an ivory quiver filled with arrows. They said +that her face with its wide and steady eyes was maidenly for +a boy’s, and boyish for a maiden’s face. Swiftly she moved +with her head held high, and there was not one amongst the +heroes who did not say, <q>Oh, happy would that man be whom +Atalanta the unwedded would take for her husband!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> All the heroes said it, but the one who said it most feelingly +was the prince of Calydon, young Meleagrus. He more than +the other heroes felt the wonder of Atalanta’s beauty. +<pb n="184"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Now the boar they had come to hunt was a monster boar. +It had come into Calydon and it was laying waste the fields +and orchards and destroying the people’s cattle and horses. +That boar had been sent into Calydon by an angry divinity. +For when Œneus, the king of the country, was making sacrifice +to the gods in thanksgiving for a bounteous harvest, he +had neglected to make sacrifice to the goddess of the wild things, +Artemis. In her anger Artemis had sent the monster boar to +lay waste Œneus’s realm. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was a monster boar indeed—one as huge as a bull, with +tusks as great as an elephant’s; the bristles on its back stood up +like spear points, and the hot breath of the creature withered +the growth on the ground. The boar tore up the corn in the +fields and trampled down the vines with their clusters and heavy +bunches of grapes; also it rushed against the cattle and destroyed +them in the fields. And no hounds the huntsmen were +able to bring could stand before it. And so it came to pass +that men had to leave their farms and take refuge behind the +walls of the city because of the ravages of the boar. It was +then that the rulers of Calydon sent for the heroes of the quest +to join with them in hunting the monster. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Calydon itself sent Prince Meleagrus and his two uncles, +Plexippus and Toxeus. They were brothers to Meleagrus’s +mother, Althæa. Now Althæa was a woman who had sight +to see mysterious things, but who had also a wayward and +passionate heart. Once, after her son Meleagrus was born, she +<pb n="185"/> +saw the three Fates sitting by her hearth. They were spinning +the threads of her son’s life, and as they spun they sang to each +other, <q>An equal span of life we give to the newborn child, +and to the billet of wood that now rests above the blaze of +the fire.</q> Hearing what the Fates sang and understanding it +Althæa had sprung up from her bed, had seized the billet of +wood, and had taken it out of the fire before the flames had +burnt into it. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> That billet of wood lay in her chest, hidden away. And +Meleagrus nor any one else save Althæa knew of it, nor knew +that the prince’s life would last only for the space it would be +kept from the burning. On the day of the hunting he appeared +as the strongest and bravest of the youths of Calydon. And he +knew not, poor Meleagrus, that the love for Atalanta that had +sprung into his heart was to bring to the fire the billet of wood +on which his life depended. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">II</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As Atalanta went, the bow in her hands, Prince Meleagrus +pressed behind her. Then came Jason and Peleus, Telamon, +Theseus and Nestor. Behind them came Meleagrus’s dark-browed +uncles, Plexippus and Toxeus. They came to a forest +that covered the side of a mountain. Huntsmen had assembled +here with hounds held in leashes and with nets to hold the +rushing quarry. And when they had all gathered together they +went through the forest on the track of the monster boar. +<pb n="186"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was easy to track the boar, for it had left a broad trail +through the forest. The heroes and the huntsmen pressed on. +They came to a marshy covert where the boar had its lair. +There was a thickness of osiers and willows and tall bullrushes, +making a place that it was hard for the hunters to go through. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They roused the boar with the blare of horns and it came +rushing out. Foam was on its tusks, and its eyes had in them +the blaze of fire. On the boar came, breaking down the thicket +in its rush. But the heroes stood steadily with the points of +their spears toward the monster. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The hounds were loosed from their leashes and they dashed +toward the boar. The boar slashed them with its tusks and +trampled them into the ground. Jason flung his spear. The +spear went wide of the mark. Another, Arcas, cast his, but +the wood, not the point of the spear, struck the boar, rousing +it further. Then its eyes flamed, and like a great stone shot +from a catapult the boar rushed on the huntsmen who were +stationed to the right. In that rush it flung two youths prone +upon the ground. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then might Nestor have missed his going to Troy and his +part in that story, for the boar swerved around and was upon +him in an instant. Using his spear as a leaping pole he vaulted +upward and caught the branches of a tree as the monster dashed +the spear down in its rush. In rage the beast tore at the trunk +of the tree. The heroes might have been scattered at this +moment, for Telamon had fallen, tripped by the roots of a tree, +<pb n="187"/> +and Peleus had had to throw himself upon him to pull him out +of the way of danger, if Polydeuces and Castor had not dashed +up to their aid. They came riding upon high white horses, +spears in their hands. The brothers cast their spears, but +neither spear struck the monster boar. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then the boar turned and was for drawing back into the thicket. +They might have lost it then, for its retreat was impenetrable. +But before it got clear away Atalanta put an arrow to the +string, drew the bow to her shoulder, and let the arrow fly. +It struck the boar, and a patch of blood was seen upon its +bristles. Prince Meleagrus shouted out, <q>O first to strike the +monster! Honor indeed shall you receive for this, Arcadian +maid.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> His uncles were made wroth by this speech, as was another, +the Arcadian, rough Arcas. Arcas dashed forward, holding +in his hands a two-headed axe. <q>Heroes and huntsmen,</q> +he cried, <q>you shall see how a man’s strokes surpass a girl’s.</q> +He faced the boar, standing on tiptoe with his axe raised for the +stroke. Meleagrus’s uncles shouted to encourage him. But +the boar’s tusks tore him before Arcas’s axe fell, and the Arcadian +was trampled upon the ground. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The boar, roused again by Atalanta’s arrow, turned on the +hunters. Jason hurled a spear again. It swerved and struck +a hound and pinned it to the ground. Then, speaking the +name of Atalanta, Meleagrus sprang before the heroes and the +huntsmen. +<pb n="188"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He had two spears in his hands. The first missed and +stuck quivering in the ground. But the second went right +through the back of the monster boar. It whirled round and +round, spouting out blood and foam. Meleagrus pressed on, +and drove his hunting knife through the shoulders of the +monster. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> His uncles, Plexippus and Toxeus, were the first to come to +where the monster boar was lying outstretched. <q>It is well, +the deed you have done, boy,</q> said one; <q>it is well that none +of the strangers to our country slew the boar. Now will the +head and tusks of the monster adorn our hall, and men will +know that the arms of our house can well protect this land.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But one word only did Meleagrus say, and that word was +the name, <q>Atalanta.</q> The maiden came and Meleagrus, his +spear upon the head, said, <q>Take, O fair Arcadian, the spoil of +the chase. All know that it was you who inflicted the first +wound upon the boar.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Plexippus and Toxeus tried to push him away, as if Meleagrus +was still a boy under their tutoring. He shouted to them to +stand off, and then he hacked out the terrible tusks and held +them toward Atalanta. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She would have taken them, for she, who had never looked +lovingly upon a youth, was moved by the beauty and the generosity +of Prince Meleagrus. She would have taken from him +the spoil of the chase. But as she held out her arms Meleagrus’s +uncles struck them with the poles of their spears. Heavy +<pb n="189"/> +marks were made on the maiden’s white arms. Madness then +possessed Meleagrus, and he took up his spear and thrust it, +first into the body of Plexippus and then into the body of Toxeus. +His thrusts were terrible, for he was filled with the fierceness +of the hunt, and his uncles fell down in death. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then a great horror came over all the heroes. They raised +up the bodies of Plexippus and Toxeus and carried them on +their spears away from the place of the hunting and toward +the temple of the gods. Meleagrus crouched down upon the +ground in horror of what he had done. Atalanta stood beside +him, her hand upon his head. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">III</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Althæa was in the temple making sacrifice to the gods. She +saw men come in carrying across their spears the bodies of two +men. She looked and she saw that the dead men were her two +brothers, Plexippus and Toxeus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then she beat her breast and she filled the temple with the +cries of her lamentation. <q>Who has slain my brothers? Who +has slain my brothers?</q> she kept crying out. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then she was told that her son Meleagrus had slain her +brothers. She had no tears to shed then, and in a hard voice +she asked, <q>Why did my son slay Plexippus and Toxeus, his +uncles?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The one who was wroth with Atalanta, Arcas the Arcadian, +<pb n="190"/> +came to her and told her that her brothers had been slain because +of a quarrel about the girl Atalanta. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>My brothers have been slain because a girl bewitched my +son; then accursed be that son of mine,</q> Althæa cried. She +took off the gold-fringed robe of a priestess, and she put on a +black robe of mourning. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Her brothers, the only sons of her father, had been slain, +and for the sake of a girl. The image of Atalanta came before +her, and she felt she could punish dreadfully her son. But her +son was not there to punish; he was far away, and the girl +for whose sake he had killed Plexippus and Toxeus was with +him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The rage she had went back into her heart and made her +truly mad. <q>I gave Meleagrus life when I might have let it +go from him with the burning billet of wood,</q> she cried, <q>and +now he has taken the lives of my brothers.</q> And then her +thought went to the billet of wood that was hidden in the chest. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Back to her house she went, and when she went within she +saw a fire of pine knots burning upon the hearth. As she looked +upon their burning a scorching pain went through her. But +she went from the hearth, nevertheless, and into the inner +room. There stood the chest that she had not opened for +years. She opened it now, and out of it she took the billet +of wood that had on it the mark of the burning. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She brought it to the hearth fire. Four times she went to +throw it into the fire, and four times she stayed her hand. The +<pb n="191"/> +fire was before her, but it was in her too. She saw the images +of her brothers lying dead, and, saying that he who had slain +them should lose his life, she threw the billet of wood into the +fire of pine knots. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Straightway it caught fire and began to burn. And Althæa +cried, <q>Let him die, my son, and let naught remain; let all +perish with my brothers, even the kingdom that Œneus, my +husband, founded.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then she turned away and remained stiffly standing by the +hearth, the life withered up within her. Her daughters came +and tried to draw her away, but they could not—her two +daughters, Gorge and Deianira. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Meleagrus was crouching upon the ground with Atalanta +watching beside him. Now he stood up, and taking her hand +he said, <q>Let me go with you to the temple of the gods where I +shall strive to make atonement for the deed I have done to-day.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She went with him. But even as they came to the street of +the city a sharp and a burning pain seized upon Meleagrus. +More and more burning it grew, and weaker and weaker he +became. He could not have moved further if it had not been +for the aid of Atalanta. Jason and Peleus lifted him across +the threshold and carried him into the temple of the gods. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They laid him down with his head upon Atalanta’s lap. The +pain within him grew fiercer and fiercer, but at last it died down +as the burning billet of wood sank down into the ashes. The +heroes of the quest stood around, all overcome with woe. In +<pb n="192"/> +the street they heard the lamentations for Plexippus and Toxeus, +for Prince Meleagrus, and for the passing of the kingdom founded +by Œneus. Atalanta left the temple, and attended by the +two brothers on the white horses, Polydeuces and Castor, she +went back to Arcady. +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>II. Peleus and His Bride from the Sea</head><p rend="font-size: 120%">I</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capP.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">P</hi>RINCE PELEUS came on his ship to a +bay on the coast of Thessaly. His painted +ship lay between two great rocks, and +from its poop he saw a sight that enchanted +him. Out from the sea, riding +on a dolphin, came a lovely maiden. +And by the radiance of her face and +limbs Peleus knew her for one of the immortal goddesses. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Now Peleus had borne himself so nobly in all things that +he had won the favor of the gods themselves. Zeus, who is +highest amongst the gods, had made this promise to Peleus: +he would honor him as no one amongst the sons of men had +been honored before, for he would give him an immortal goddess +to be his bride. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She who came out of the sea went into a cave that was overgrown +with vines and roses. Peleus looked into the cave and +<pb n="193"/> +he saw her sleeping upon skins of the beasts of the sea. His +heart was enchanted by the sight, and he knew that his life +would be broken if he did not see this goddess day after day. +So he went back to his ship and he prayed: <q>O Zeus, now I +claim the promise that you once made to me. Let it be that +this goddess come with me, or else plunge my ship and me +beneath the waves of the sea.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And when Peleus said this he looked over the land and the +water for a sign from Zeus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Even then the goddess sleeping in the cave had dreams such +as had never before entered that peaceful resting place of hers. +She dreamt that she was drawn away from the deep and the +wide sea. She dreamt that she was brought to a place that +was strange and unfree to her. And as she lay in the cave, +sleeping, tears that might never come into the eyes of an immortal +lay around her heart. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Peleus, standing on his painted ship, saw a rainbow +touch upon the sea. He knew by that sign that Iris, the messenger +of Zeus, had come down through the air. Then a strange +sight came before his eyes. Out of the sea rose the head of a +man; wrinkled and bearded it was, and the eyes were very +old. Peleus knew that he who was there before him was Nereus, +the ancient one of the sea. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Said old Nereus: <q>Thou hast prayed to Zeus, and I am here +to speak an answer to thy prayer. She whom you have looked +upon is Thetis, the goddess of the sea. Very loath will she be +<pb n="194"/> +to take Zeus’s command and wed with thee. It is her desire +to remain in the sea, unwedded, and she has refused marriage +even with one of the immortal gods.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then said Peleus, <q>Zeus promised me an immortal bride. +If Thetis may not be mine I cannot wed any other, goddess or +mortal maiden.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Then thou thyself wilt have to master Thetis,</q> said Nereus, +the wise one of the sea. <q>If she is mastered by thee, she cannot +go back to the sea. She will strive with all her strength +and all her wit to escape from thee; but thou must hold her no +matter what she does, and no matter how she shows herself. +When thou hast seen her again as thou didst see her at first, +thou wilt know that thou hast mastered her.</q> And when he +had said this to Peleus, Nereus, the ancient one of the sea, went +under the waves. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">II</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> With his hero’s heart beating more than ever it had beaten +yet, Peleus went into the cave. Kneeling beside her he looked +down upon the goddess. The dress she wore was like green +and silver mail. Her face and limbs were pearly, but through +them came the radiance that belongs to the immortals. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He touched the hair of the goddess of the sea, the yellow +hair that was so long that it might cover her all over. As he +touched her hair she started up, wakening suddenly out of her +sleep. His hands touched her hands and held them. Now he +<pb n="195"/> +knew that if he should loose his hold upon her she would escape +from him into the depths of the sea, and that thereafter no +command from the immortals would bring her to him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She changed into a white bird that strove to bear itself away. +Peleus held to its wings and struggled with the bird. She +changed and became a tree. Around the trunk of the tree +Peleus clung. She changed once more, and this time her form +became terrible: a spotted leopard she was now, with burning +eyes; but Peleus held to the neck of the fierce-appearing leopard +and was not affrighted by the burning eyes. Then she changed +and became as he had seen her first—a lovely maiden, with the +brow of a goddess, and with long yellow hair. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But now there was no radiance in her face or in her limbs. +She looked past Peleus, who held her, and out to the wide sea. +<q>Who is he,</q> she cried, <q>who has been given this mastery +over me?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then said the hero: <q>I am Peleus, and Zeus has given me +the mastery over thee. Wilt thou come with me, Thetis? Thou +art my bride, given me by him who is highest amongst the +gods, and if thou wilt come with me, thou wilt always be loved +and reverenced by me.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Unwillingly I leave the sea,</q> she cried, <q>unwillingly I go +with thee, Peleus.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But life in the sea was not for her any more now that she +was mastered. She went to Peleus’s ship and she went to Phthia, +his country. And when the hero and the sea goddess were +<pb n="196"/> +wedded the immortal gods and goddesses came to their hall and +brought the bride and the bridegroom wondrous gifts. The three +sisters who are called the Fates came also. These wise and +ancient women said that the son born of the marriage of Peleus +and Thetis would be a man greater than Peleus himself. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">III</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Now although a son was born to her, and although this son +had something of the radiance of the immortals about him, +Thetis remained forlorn and estranged. Nothing that her husband +did was pleasing to her. Prince Peleus was in fear that +the wildness of the sea would break out in her, and that some +great harm would be wrought in his house. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> One night he wakened suddenly. He saw the fire upon his +hearth and he saw a figure standing by the fire. It was Thetis, +his wife. The fire was blazing around something that she held +in her hands. And while she stood there she was singing to +herself a strange-sounding song. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And then he saw what Thetis held in her hands and what +the fire was blazing around; it was the child, Achilles. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Prince Peleus sprang from the bed and caught Thetis around +the waist and lifted her and the child away from the blazing +fire. He put them both upon the bed, and he took from her +the child that she held by the heel. His heart was wild within +him, for the thought that wildness had come over his wife, and +<pb n="197"/> +that she was bent upon destroying their child. But Thetis +looked on him from under those goddess brows of hers and she +said to him: <q>By the divine power that I still possess I would +have made the child invulnerable; but the heel by which I +held him has not been endued by the fire and in that place +some day he may be stricken. All that the fire covered is invulnerable, +and no weapon that strikes there can destroy his +life. His heel I cannot now make invulnerable, for now the +divine power is gone out of me.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When she said this Thetis looked full upon her husband, and +never had she seemed so unforgiving as she was then. All the +divine radiance that had remained with her was gone from her +now, and she seemed a white-faced and bitter-thinking woman. +And when Peleus saw that such a great bitterness faced him +he fled from his house. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He traveled far from his own land, and first he went to the +help of Heracles, who was then in the midst of his mighty labors. +Heracles was building a wall around a city. Peleus labored, +helping him to raise the wall for King Laomedon. Then, one +night, as he walked by the wall he had helped to build, he heard +voices speaking out of the earth. And one voice said: <q>Why +has Peleus striven so hard to raise a wall that his son shall +fight hard to overthrow?</q> No voice replied. The wall was +built, and Peleus departed. The city around which the wall +was built was the great city of Troy. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> In whatever place he went Peleus was followed by the hatred +<pb n="198"/> +of the people of the sea, and above all by the hatred of the +nymph who is called Psamathe. Far, far from his own country +he went, and at last he came to a country of bright valleys +that was ruled over by a kindly king—by Ceyx, who was +called the Son of the Morning Star. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Bright of face and kindly and peaceable in all his ways was +this king, and kindly and peaceable was the land that he ruled +over. And when Prince Peleus went to him to beg for his protection, +and to beg for unfurrowed fields where he might graze +his cattle, Ceyx raised him up from where he knelt. <q>Peaceable +and plentiful is the land,</q> he said, <q>and all who come here +may have peace and a chance to earn their food. Live where +you will, O stranger, and take the unfurrowed fields by the +seashore for pasture for your cattle.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Peace came into Peleus’s heart as he looked into the untroubled +face of Ceyx, and as he looked over the bright valleys +of the land he had come into. He brought his cattle to the +unfurrowed fields by the seashore and he left herdsmen there +to tend them. And as he walked along these bright valleys he +thought upon his wife and upon his son Achilles, and there +were gentle feelings in his breast. But then he thought upon +the enmity of Psamathe, the woman of the sea, and great trouble +came over him again. He felt he could not stay in the palace +of the kindly king. He went where his herdsmen camped and +he lived with them. But the sea was very near and its sound +tormented him, and as the days went by, Peleus, wild looking +<pb n="199"/> +and shaggy, became more and more unlike the hero whom once +the gods themselves had honored. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> One day as he was standing near the palace having speech +with the king, a herdsman ran to him and cried out: <q>Peleus, +Peleus, a dread thing has happened in the unfurrowed fields.</q> +And when he had got his breath the herdsman told of the thing +that had happened. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They had brought the herd down to the sea. Suddenly, from +the marshes where the sea and land came together, a monstrous +beast rushed out upon the herd; like a wolf this beast was, but +with mouth and jaws that were more terrible than a wolf’s even. +The beast seized upon the cattle. Yet it was not hunger that +made it fierce, for the beasts that it killed it tore, but did +not devour. It rushed on and on, killing and tearing more +and more of the herd. <q>Soon,</q> said the herdsman, <q>it will have +destroyed all in the herd, and then it will not spare to destroy +the other flocks and herds that are in the land.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Peleus was stricken to hear that his herd was being destroyed, +but more stricken to know that the land of a friendly king +would be ravaged, and ravaged on his account. For he knew +that the terrible beast that had come from where the sea and the +land joined had been sent by Psamathe. He went up on the tower +that stood near the king’s palace. He was able to look out on the +sea and able to look over all the land. And looking across the +bright valleys he saw the dread beast. He saw it rush through his +own mangled cattle and fall upon the herds of the kindly king. +<pb n="200"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He looked toward the sea and he prayed to Psamathe to spare +the land that he had come to. But, even as he prayed, he knew +that Psamathe would not harken to him. Then he made a +prayer to Thetis, to his wife who had seemed so unforgiving. +He prayed her to deal with Psamathe so that the land of Ceyx +would not be altogether destroyed. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As he looked from the tower he saw the king come forth +with arms in his hands for the slaying of the terrible beast. +Peleus felt fear for the life of the kindly king. Down from the +tower he came, and taking up his spear he went with Ceyx. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Soon, in one of the brightest of the valleys, they came upon +the beast; they came between it and a herd of silken-coated +cattle. Seeing the men it rushed toward them with blood and +foam upon its jaws. Then Peleus knew that the spears they +carried would be of little use against the raging beast. His +only thought was to struggle with it so that the king might be +able to save himself. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Again he lifted up his hands and prayed to Thetis to draw +away Psamathe’s enmity. The beast rushed toward them; +but suddenly it stopped. The bristles upon its body seemed +to stiffen. The gaping jaws became fixed. The hounds that +were with them dashed upon the beast, but then fell back with +yelps of disappointment. And when Peleus and Ceyx came to +where it stood they found that the monstrous beast had been +turned into stone. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And a stone it remains in that bright valley, a wonder to all +<pb n="201"/> +the men of Ceyx’s land. The country was spared the ravages +of the beast. And the heart of Peleus was uplifted to think +that Thetis had harkened to his prayer and had prevailed upon +Psamathe to forego her enmity. Not altogether unforgiving +was his wife to him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> That day he went from the land of the bright valleys, from +the land ruled over by the kindly Ceyx, and he came back to +rugged Phthia, his own country. When he came near his hall +he saw two at the doorway awaiting him. Thetis stood there, +and the child Achilles was by her side. The radiance of the +immortals was in her face no longer, but there was a glow there, +a glow of welcome for the hero Peleus. And thus Peleus, long +tormented by the enmity of the sea-born ones, came back to +the wife he had won from the sea. +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>III. Theseus and the Minotaur</head><p rend="font-size: 120%">I</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capT.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">T</hi>HEREAFTER Theseus made up his +mind to go in search of his father, the +unknown king, and Medea, the wise +woman, counseled him to go to Athens. +After the hunt in Calydon he set +forth. On his way he fought with and +slew two robbers who harassed countries +and treated people unjustly. +<pb n="202"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The first was Sinnias. He was a robber who slew men cruelly +by tying them to strong branches of trees and letting the branches +fly apart. On him Theseus had no mercy. The second was a +robber also, Procrustes: he had a great iron bed on which he +made his captives lie; if they were too long for that bed he +chopped pieces off them, and if they were too short he stretched +out their bodies with terrible racks. On him, likewise, Theseus +had no mercy; he slew Procrustes and gave liberty to his captives. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The King of Athens at the time was named Ægeus. He was +father of Theseus, but neither Theseus nor he knew that this +was so. Æthra was his mother, and she was the daughter of +the King of Trœzen. Before Theseus was born his father left +a great sword under a stone, telling Æthra that the boy was +to have the sword when he was able to move that stone away. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> King Ægeus was old and fearful now: there were wars and +troubles in the city; besides, there was in his palace an evil +woman, a witch, to whom the king listened. This woman heard +that a proud and fearless young man had come into Athens, +and she at once thought to destroy him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So the witch spoke to the fearful king, and she made him +believe that this stranger had come into Athens to make league +with his enemies and destroy him. Such was her power over +Ægeus that she was able to persuade him to invite the stranger +youth to a feast in the palace, and to give him a cup that would +have poison in it. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Theseus came to the palace. He sat down to the banquet +<pb n="203"/> +with the king. But before the cup was brought something +moved him to stand up and draw forth the sword that he carried. +Fearfully the king looked upon the sword. Then he saw the +heavy ivory hilt with the curious carving on it, and he knew +that this was the sword that he had once laid under the stone +near the palace of the King of Trœzen. He questioned Theseus +as to how he had come by the sword, and Theseus told him +how Æthra, his mother, had shown him where it was hidden, +and how he had been able to take it from under the stone before +he was grown a youth. More and more Ægeus questioned him, +and he came to know that the youth before him was his son +indeed. He dashed down the cup that had been brought to +the table, and he shook all over with the thought of how near +he had been to a terrible crime. The witchwoman watched +all that passed; mounting on a car drawn by dragons she made +flight from Athens. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And now the people of the city, knowing that it was he who +had slain the robbers Sinnias and Procrustes, rejoiced to have +Theseus amongst them. When he appeared as their prince they +rejoiced still more. Soon he was able to bring to an end the +wars in the city and the troubles that afflicted Athens. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">II</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The greatest king in the world at that time was Minos, King +of Crete. Minos had sent his son to Athens to make peace and +<pb n="204"/> +friendship between his kingdom and the kingdom of King Ægeus. +But the people of Athens slew the son of King Minos, and because +Ægeus had not given him the protection that a king +should have given a stranger come upon such an errand he was +deemed to have some part in the guilt of his slaying. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Minos, the great king, was wroth, and he made war on Athens, +wreaking great destruction upon the country and the people. +Moreover, the gods themselves were wroth with Athens; they +punished the people with famine, making even the rivers dry up. +The Athenians went to the oracle and asked Apollo what they +should do to have their guilt taken away. Apollo made answer +that they should make peace with Minos and fulfill all his +demands. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> All this Theseus now heard, learning for the first time that +behind the wars and troubles in Athens there was a deed of evil +that Ægeus, his father, had some guilt in. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The demands that King Minos made upon Athens were terrible. +He demanded that the Athenians should send into Crete +every year seven youths and seven maidens as a price for the +life of his son. And these youths and maidens were not to +meet death merely, nor were they to be reared in slavery—they +were to be sent that a monster called the Minotaur might +devour them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Youths and maidens had been sent, and for the third time +the messengers of King Minos were coming to Athens. The +tribute for the Minotaur was to be chosen by lot. The fathers +<pb n="205"/> +and mothers were in fear and trembling, for each man and +woman thought that his or her son or daughter would be taken +for a prey for the Minotaur. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They came together, the people of Athens, and they drew the +lots fearfully. And on the throne above them all sat their +pale-faced king, Ægeus, the father of Theseus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Before the first lot was drawn Theseus turned to all of them +and said, <q>People of Athens, it is not right that your children +should go and that I, who am the son of King Ægeus, should +remain behind. Surely, if any of the youths of Athens should +face the dread monster of Crete, I should face it. There is one +lot that you may leave undrawn. I will go to Crete.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> His father, on hearing the speech of Theseus, came down from +his throne and pleaded with him, begging him not to go. But +the will of Theseus was set; he would go with the others and +face the Minotaur. And he reminded his father of how the +people had complained, saying that if Ægeus had done the +duty of a king, Minos’s son would not have been slain and the +tribute to the Minotaur would have not been demanded. It +was the passing about of such complaints that had led to the +war and troubles that Theseus found on his coming to Athens. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Also Theseus told his father and told the people that he had +hope in his hands—that the hands that were strong enough +to slay Sinnias and Procrustes, the giant robbers, would be strong +enough to slay the dread monster of Crete. His father at last +consented to his going. And Theseus was able to make the +<pb n="206"/> +people willing to believe that he would be able to overcome +the Minotaur, and so put an end to the terrible tribute that +was being exacted from them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> With six other youths and seven maidens Theseus went on +board of the ship that every year brought to Crete the grievous +tribute. This ship always sailed with black sails. But before +it sailed this time King Ægeus gave to Nausitheus, the master +of the ship, a white sail to take with him. And he begged +Theseus, that in case he should be able to overcome the monster, +to hoist the white sail he had given. Theseus promised +he would do this. His father would watch for the return of +the ship, and if the sail were black he would know that the Minotaur +had dealt with his son as it had dealt with the other youths +who had gone from Athens. And if the sail were white Ægeus +would have indeed cause to rejoice. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">III</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And now the black-sailed ship had come to Crete, and the +youths and maidens of Athens looked from its deck on Knossos, +the marvelous city that Dædalus the builder had built for +King Minos. And they saw the palace of the king, the red and +black palace in which was the labyrinth, made also by Dædalus, +where the dread Minotaur was hidden. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> In fear they looked upon the city and the palace. But not +in fear did Theseus look, but in wonder at the magnificence of +<pb n="207"/> +it all—the harbor with its great steps leading up into the city, +the far-spreading palace all red and black, and the crowds of +ships with their white and red sails. They were brought through +the city of Knossos to the palace of the king. And there +Theseus looked upon Minos. In a great red chamber on which +was painted the sign of the axe, King Minos sat. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> On a low throne he sat, holding in his hand a scepter on which +a bird was perched. Not in fear, but steadily, did Theseus look +upon the king. And he saw that Minos had the face of one +who has thought long upon troublesome things, and that his +eyes were strangely dark and deep. The king noted that the +eyes of Theseus were upon him, and he made a sign with his +head to an attendant and the attendant laid his hand upon +him and brought Theseus to stand beside the king. Minos +questioned him as to who he was and what lands he had been +in, and when he learned that Theseus was the son of Ægeus, +the King of Athens, he said the name of his son who had been +slain, <q>Androgeus, Androgeus,</q> over and over again, and then +spoke no more. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> While he stood there beside the king there came into the +chamber three maidens; one of them, Theseus knew, was the +daughter of Minos. Not like the maidens of Greece were the +princess and her two attendants: instead of having on flowing +garments and sandals and wearing their hair bound, they had +on dresses of gleaming material that were tight at the waists +and bell-shaped; the hair that streamed on their shoulders was +<pb n="208"/> +made wavy; they had on high shoes of a substance that shone +like glass. Never had Theseus looked upon maidens who were +so strange. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They spoke to the king in the strange Cretan language; +then Minos’s daughter made reverence to her father, and they +went from the chamber. Theseus watched them as they went +through a long passage, walking slowly on their high-heeled +shoes. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Through the same passage the youths and maidens of Athens +were afterward brought. They came into a great hall. The +walls were red and on them were paintings in black—pictures +of great bulls with girls and slender youths struggling with +them. It was a place for games and shows, and Theseus stood +with the youths and maidens of Athens and with the people +of the palace and watched what was happening. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They saw women charming snakes; then they saw a boxing +match, and afterward they all looked on a bout of wrestling. +Theseus looked past the wrestlers and he saw, at the other end +of the hall, the daughter of King Minos and her two attendant +maidens. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> One broad-shouldered and bearded man overthrew all the +wrestlers who came to grips with him. He stood there boastfully, +and Theseus was made angry by the man’s arrogance. +Then, when no other wrestler would come against him, he +turned to leave the arena. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Theseus stood in his way and pushed him back. The + + + +<pb n="209"/> +boastful man laid hands upon him and pulled him into the +arena. He strove to throw Theseus as he had thrown the others; +but he soon found that the youth from Greece was a wrestler, +too, and that he would have to strive hard to overthrow him. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i031.png"><anchor id="i031.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> More eagerly than they had watched anything else the people +of the palace and the youths and maidens of Athens watched +the bout between Theseus and the lordly wrestler. Those from +Athens who looked upon him now thought that they had never +seen Theseus look so tall and so conquering before; beside the +slender, dark-haired people of Crete he looked like a statue of +one of the gods. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Very adroit was the Cretan wrestler, and Theseus had to use +all his strength to keep upon his feet; but soon he mastered +the tricks that the wrestler was using against him. Then the +Cretan left aside his tricks and began to use all his strength +to throw Theseus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Steadily Theseus stood and the Cretan wrestler was spent +and gasping in the effort to throw him. Then Theseus made +him feel his grip. He bent him backward, and then, using all +his strength suddenly, forced him to the ground. All were +filled with wonder at the strength and power of this youth from +overseas. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Food and wine were given the youths and maidens of Athens, +and they with Theseus were let wander through the grounds +of the palace. But they could make no escape, for guards followed +them and the way to the ships was filled with strangers +<pb n="210"/> +who would not let them pass. They talked to each other about +the Minotaur, and there was fear in every word they said. But +Theseus went from one to the other, telling them that perhaps +there was a way by which he could come to the monster and +destroy it. And the youths and maidens, remembering how he +had overthrown the lordly wrestler, were comforted a little, +thinking that Theseus might indeed be able to destroy the +Minotaur and so save all of them. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">IV</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Theseus was awakened by some one touching him. He arose +and he saw a dark-faced servant, who beckoned to him. He +left the little chamber where he had been sleeping, and then +he saw outside one who wore the strange dress of the Cretans. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When Theseus looked full upon her he saw that she was +none other than the daughter of King Minos. <q>I am Ariadne,</q> +she said, <q>and, O youth from Greece, I have come to save you +from the dread Minotaur.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He looked upon Ariadne’s strange face with its long, dark +eyes, and he wondered how this girl could think that she could +save him and save the youths and maidens of Athens from the +Minotaur. Her hand rested upon his arm, and she led him +into the chamber where Minos had sat. It was lighted now +by many little lamps. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>I will show the way of escape to you,</q> said Ariadne. +<pb n="211"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Theseus looked around, and he saw that none of the +other youths and maidens were near them, and he looked on +Ariadne again, and he saw that the strange princess had been +won to help him, and to help him only. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Who will show the way of escape to the others?</q> asked +Theseus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Ah,</q> said the Princess Ariadne, <q>for the others there is no +way of escape.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Then,</q> said Theseus, <q>I will not leave the youths and +maidens of Athens who came with me to Crete to be devoured +by the Minotaur.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Ah, Theseus,</q> said Ariadne, <q>they cannot escape the Minotaur. +One only may escape, and I want you to be that one. +I saw you when you wrestled with Deucalion, our great wrestler, +and since then I have longed to save you.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>I have come to slay the Minotaur,</q> said Theseus, <q>and I +cannot hold my life as my own until I have slain it.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Said Ariadne, <q>If you could see the Minotaur, Theseus, and +if you could measure its power, you would know that you are +not the one to slay it. I think that only Talos, that giant who +was all of bronze, could have slain the Minotaur.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Princess,</q> said Theseus, <q>can you help me to come to the +Minotaur and look upon it so that I can know for certainty +whether this hand of mine can slay the monster?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>I can help you to come to the Minotaur and look upon it,</q> +said Ariadne. +<pb n="212"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Then help me, princess,</q> cried Theseus; <q>help me to come +to the Minotaur and look upon it, and help me, too, to get +back the sword that I brought with me to Crete.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Your sword will not avail you against the Minotaur,</q> said +Ariadne; <q>when you look upon the monster you will know that +it is not for your hand to slay.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Oh, but bring me my sword, princess,</q> cried Theseus, and +his hands went out to her in supplication. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>I will bring you your sword,</q> said she. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She took up a little lamp and went through a doorway, leaving +Theseus standing by the low throne in the chamber of +Minos. Then after a little while she came back, bringing with +her Theseus’s great ivory-hilted sword. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>It is a great sword,</q> she said; <q>I marked it before because +it is your sword, Theseus. But even this great sword will not +avail against the Minotaur.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Show me the way to come to the Minotaur, O Ariadne,</q> +cried Theseus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He knew that she did not think that he would deem himself +able to strive with the Minotaur, and that when he looked +upon the dread monster he would return to her and then take +the way of his escape. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She took his hand and led him from the chamber of Minos. +She was not tall, but she stood straight and walked steadily, +and Theseus saw in her something of the strange majesty that +he had seen in Minos the king. + + + +<pb n="213"/> +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i032.png"><anchor id="i032.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They came to high bronze gates that opened into a vault. +<q>Here,</q> said Ariadne, <q>the labyrinth begins. Very devious +is the labyrinth, built by Dædalus, in which the Minotaur is +hidden, and without the clue none could find a way through +the passages. But I will give you the clue so that you may +look upon the Minotaur and then come back to me. Theseus, +now I put into your hand the thread that will guide you through +all the windings of the labyrinth. And outside the place where +the Minotaur is you will find another thread to guide you back.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> A cone was on the ground and it had a thread fastened to it. +Ariadne gave Theseus the thread and the cone to wind it around. +The thread as he held it and wound it around the cone would +bring him through all the windings and turnings of the labyrinth. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She left him, and Theseus went on. Winding the thread +around the cone he went along a wide passage in the vault. +He turned and came into a passage that was very long. He +came to a place in this passage where a door seemed to be, +but within the frame of the doorway there was only a blank +wall. But below that doorway there was a flight of six steps, +and down these steps the thread led him. On he went, and +he crossed the marks that he himself had made in the dust, +and he thought he must have come back to the place where he +had parted from Ariadne. He went on, and he saw before him +a flight of steps. The thread did not lead up the steps; it led +into the most winding of passages. So sudden were the turnings +in it that one could not see three steps before one. He was +<pb n="214"/> +dazed by the turnings of this passage, but still he went on. He +went up winding steps and then along a narrow wall. The +wall overhung a broad flight of steps, and Theseus had to jump +to them. Down the steps he went and into a wide, empty +hall that had doorways to the right hand and to the left hand. +Here the thread had its end. It was fastened to a cone that +lay on the ground, and beside this cone was another—the clue +that was to bring him back. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Now Theseus, knowing he was in the very center of the +labyrinth, looked all around for sight of the Minotaur. There +was no sight of the monster here. He went to all the doors and +pushed at them, and some opened and some remained fast. +The middle door opened. As it did Theseus felt around him +a chilling draft of air. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> That chilling draft was from the breathing of the monster. +Theseus then saw the Minotaur. It lay on the ground, a +strange, bull-faced thing. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When the thought came to Theseus that he would have to +fight that monster alone and in that hidden and empty place +all delight left him; he grew like a stone; he groaned, and it +seemed to him that he heard the voice of Ariadne calling him +back. He could find his way back through the labyrinth and +come to her. He stepped back, and the door closed on the +Minotaur, the dread monster of Crete. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> In an instant Theseus pushed the door again. He stood +within the hall where the Minotaur was, and the heavy door + + + +<pb n="215"/> +shut behind him. He looked again on that dark, bull-faced +thing. It reared up as a horse rears and Theseus saw that it +would crash down on him and tear him with its dragon claws. +With a great bound he went far away from where the monster +crashed down. Then Theseus faced it: he saw its thick lips +and its slobbering mouth; he saw that its skin was thick and +hard. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i033.png"><anchor id="i033.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He drew near the monster, his sword in his hand. He struck +at its eyes, and his sword made a great dint. But no blood +came, for the Minotaur was a bloodless monster. From its mouth +and nostrils came a draft that covered him with a chilling slime. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then it rushed upon him and overthrew him, and Theseus +felt its terrible weight upon him. But he thrust his sword +upward, and it reared up again, screaming with pain. Theseus +drew himself away, and then he saw it searching around and +around, and he knew he had made it sightless. Then it faced +him; all the more fearful it was because from its wounds no +blood came. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Anger flowed into Theseus when he saw the monster standing +frightfully before him; he thought of all the youths and maidens +that this bloodless thing had destroyed, and all the youths and +maidens that it would destroy if he did not slay it now. Angrily +he rushed upon it with his great sword. It clawed and +tore him, and it opened wide its most evil mouth as if to draw +him into it. But again he sprang at it; he thrust his great sword +through its neck, and he left his sword there. +<pb n="216"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> With the last of his strength he pulled open the heavy door +and he went out from the hall where the Minotaur was. He +picked up the thread and he began to wind it as he had wound +the other thread on his way down. On he went, through passage +after passage, through chamber after chamber. His mind +was dizzy, and he had little thought for the way he was going. +His wounds and the chill that the monster had breathed into +him and his horror of the fearful and bloodless thing made his +mind almost forsake him. He kept the thread in his hand and +he wound it as he went on through the labyrinth. He stumbled +and the thread broke. He went on for a few steps and +then he went back to find the thread that had fallen out of his +hands. In an instant he was in a part of the labyrinth that +he had not been in before. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He walked a long way, and then he came on his own footmarks +as they crossed themselves in the dust. He pushed open +a door and came into the air. He was now by the outside wall +of the palace, and he saw birds flying by him. He leant against +the wall of the palace, thinking that he would strive no more +to find his way through the labyrinth. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">V</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> That day the youths and maidens of Athens were brought +through the labyrinth and to the hall where the Minotaur was. +They went through the passages weeping and lamenting. Some +cried out for Theseus, and some said that Theseus had deserted +<pb n="217"/> +them. The heavy door was opened. Then those who were +with the youths and maidens saw the Minotaur lying stark and +stiff with Theseus’s sword through its neck. They shouted and +blew trumpets and the noise of their trumpets filled the labyrinth. +Then they turned back, bringing the youths and maidens +with them, and a whisper went through the whole palace that +the Minotaur had been slain. The youths and maidens were +lodged in the chamber where Minos gave his judgments. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">VI</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Theseus, wearied and overcome, fell into a deep sleep by the +wall of the palace. He awakened with a feeling that the claw +of the Minotaur was upon him. There were stars in the sky +above the high palace wall, and he saw a dark-robed and ancient +man standing beside him. Theseus knew that this was +Dædalus, the builder of the palace and the labyrinth. Dædalus +called and a slim youth came—Icarus, the son of Dædalus. +Minos had set father and son apart from the rest of the palace, +and Theseus had come near the place where they were confined. +Icarus came and brought him to a winding stairway and +showed him a way to go. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> A dark-faced servant met and looked him full in the face. +Then, as if he knew that Theseus was the one whom he had +been searching for, he led him into a little chamber where there +were three maidens. One started up and came to him quickly, +and Theseus again saw Ariadne. +<pb n="218"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She hid him in the chamber of the palace where her singing +birds were, and she would come and sit beside him, asking about +his own country and telling him that she would go with him +there. <q>I showed you how you might come to the Minotaur,</q> +she said, <q>and you went there and you slew the monster, and +now I may not stay in my father’s palace.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And Theseus thought all the time of his return, and of how +he might bring the youths and maidens of Athens back to their +own people. For Ariadne, that strange princess, was not dear +to him as Medea was dear to Jason, or Atalanta the Huntress to +young Meleagrus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> One sunset she led him to a roof of the palace and she showed +him the harbor with the ships, and she showed him the ship +with the black sail that had brought him to Knossos. She told +him she would take him aboard that ship, and that the youths +and maidens of Athens could go with them. She would bring +to the master of the ship the seal of King Minos, and the master, +seeing it, would set sail for whatever place Theseus desired to go. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then did she become dear to Theseus because of her great +kindness, and he kissed her eyes and swore that he would +not go from the palace unless she would come with him to his +own country. The strange princess smiled and wept as if she +doubted what he said. Nevertheless, she led him from the roof +and down into one of the palace gardens. He waited there, +and the youths and maidens of Athens were led into the garden, +all wearing cloaks that hid their forms and faces. Young Icarus +<pb n="219"/> +led them from the grounds of the palace and down to the ships. +And Ariadne went with them, bringing with her the seal of her +father, King Minos. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And when they came on board of the black-sailed ship they +showed the seal to the master, Nausitheus, and the master of +the ship let the sail take the breeze of the evening, and so +Theseus went away from Crete. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">VII</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> To the Island of Naxos they sailed. And when they reached +that place the master of the ship, thinking that what had been +done was not in accordance with the will of King Minos, stayed +the ship there. He waited until other ships came from Knossos. +And when they came they brought word that Minos would +not slay nor demand back Theseus nor the youths and maidens +of Athens. His daughter, Ariadne, he would have back, to +reign with him over Crete. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Ariadne left the black-sailed ship, and went back to +Crete from Naxos. Theseus let the princess go, although he +might have struggled to hold her. But more strange than dear +did Ariadne remain to Theseus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And all this time his father, Ægeus, stayed on the tower of +his palace, watching for the return of the ship that had sailed +for Knossos. The life of the king wasted since the departure +of Theseus, and now it was but a thread. Every day he watched +for the return of the ship, hoping against hope that Theseus +<pb n="220"/> +would return alive to him. Then a ship came into the harbor. +It had black sails. Ægeus did not know that Theseus was +aboard of it, and that Theseus in the hurry of his flight and +in the sadness of his parting from Ariadne had not thought of +taking out the white sail that his father had given to Nausitheus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Joyously Theseus sailed into the harbor, having slain the +Minotaur and lifted for ever the tribute put upon Athens. +Joyously he sailed into the harbor, bringing back to their parents +the youths and maidens of Athens. But the king, his father, +saw the black sails on his ship, and straightway the thread of +his life broke, and he died on the roof of the tower which he +had built to look out on the sea. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Theseus landed on the shore of his own country. He had +the ship drawn up on the beach and he made sacrifices of thanksgiving +to the gods. Then he sent messengers to the city to announce +his return. They went toward the city, these joyful +messengers, but when they came to the gate they heard the +sounds of mourning and lamentation. The mourning and the +lamentation were for the death of the king, Theseus’s father. +They hurried back and they came to Theseus where he stood +on the beach. They brought a wreath of victory for him, but +as they put it into his hand they told him of the death of his +father. Then Theseus left the wreath on the ground, and he +wept for the death of Ægeus—of Ægeus, the hero, who had +left the sword under the stone for him before he was born. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The men and women who came to the beach wept and laughed + + + +<pb n="221"/> +as they clasped in their arms the children brought back to them. +And Theseus stood there, silent and bowed; the memory of his +last moments with his father, of his fight with the Minotaur, +of his parting with Ariadne—all flowed back upon him. He +stood there with head bowed, the man who might not put upon +his brows the wreath of victory that had been brought to him. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i034.png"><anchor id="i034.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">VIII</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> There had come into the city a youth of great valor whose +name was Peirithous: from a far country he had come, filled +with a desire of meeting Theseus, whose fame had come to him. +The youth was in Athens at the time Theseus returned. He +went down to the beach with the townsfolk, and he saw Theseus +standing alone with his head bowed down. He went to him and +he spoke, and Theseus lifted his head and he saw before him +a young man of strength and beauty. He looked upon him, +and the thought of high deeds came into his mind again. He +wanted this young man to be his comrade in dangers and upon +quests. And Peirithous looked upon Theseus, and he felt that +he was greater and nobler than he had thought. They became +friends and sworn brothers, and together they went into far +countries. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Now there was in Epirus a savage king who had a very fair +daughter. He had named this daughter Persephone, naming her +thus to show that she was held as fast by him as that other Persephone +was held who ruled in the Underworld. No man might +<pb n="222"/> +see her, and no man might wed her. But Peirithous had seen the +daughter of this king, and he desired above all things to take +her from her father and make her his wife. He begged Theseus +to help him enter that king’s palace and carry off the maiden. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So they came to Epirus, Theseus and Peirithous, and they +entered the king’s palace, and they heard the bay of the dread +hound that was there to let no one out who had once come +within the walls. Suddenly the guards of the savage king came +upon them, and they took Theseus and Peirithous and they +dragged them down into dark dungeons. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Two great chairs of stone were there, and Theseus and Peirithous +were left seated in them. And the magic powers that +were in the chairs of stone were such that the heroes could not +lift themselves out of them. There they stayed, held in the +great stone chairs in the dungeons of that savage king. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then it so happened that Heracles came into the palace of +the king. The harsh king feasted Heracles and abated his +savagery before him. But he could not forbear boasting of how +he had trapped the heroes who had come to carry off Persephone. +And he told how they could not get out of the stone chairs and +how they were held captive in his dark dungeon. Heracles listened, +his heart full of pity for the heroes from Greece who +had met with such a harsh fate. And when the king mentioned +that one of the heroes was Theseus, Heracles would feast no +more with him until he had promised that the one who had +been his comrade on the <emph>Argo</emph> would be let go. +<pb n="223"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The king said he would give Theseus his liberty if Heracles +would carry the stone chair on which he was seated out of the +dungeon and into the outer world. Then Heracles went down +into the dungeon. He found the two heroes in the great chairs +of stone. But one of them, Peirithous, no longer breathed. +Heracles took the great chair of stone that Theseus was seated +in, and he carried it up, up, from the dungeon and out into the +world. It was a heavy task even for Heracles. He broke the +chair in pieces, and Theseus stood up, released. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Thereafter the world was before Theseus. He went with Heracles, +and in the deeds that Heracles was afterward to accomplish +Theseus shared. +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>IV. The Life and Labors of Heracles</head><p rend="font-size: 120%">I</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capH.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">H</hi>ERACLES was the son of Zeus, but he +was born into the family of a mortal king. +When he was still a youth, being overwhelmed +by a madness sent upon him by +one of the goddesses, he slew the children +of his brother Iphicles. Then, coming to +know what he had done, sleep and rest +went from him: he went to Delphi, to the shrine of Apollo, to +be purified of his crime. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> At Delphi, at the shrine of Apollo, the priestess purified him, +<pb n="224"/> +and when she had purified him she uttered this prophecy: <q>From +this day forth thy name shall be, not Alcides, but Heracles. +Thou shalt go to Eurystheus, thy cousin, in Mycenæ, and +serve him in all things. When the labors he shall lay upon +thee are accomplished, and when the rest of thy life is lived +out, thou shalt become one of the immortals.</q> Heracles, on +hearing these words, set out for Mycenæ. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He stood before his cousin who hated him; he, a towering +man, stood before a king who sat there weak and trembling. +And Heracles said, <q>I have come to take up the labors that +you will lay upon me; speak now, Eurystheus, and tell me what +you would have me do.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Eurystheus, that weak king, looking on the young man who +stood as tall and as firm as one of the immortals, had a heart +that was filled with hatred. He lifted up his head and he said +with a frown: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>There is a lion in Nemea that is stronger and more fierce +than any lion known before. Kill that lion, and bring the lion’s +skin to me that I may know that you have truly performed +your task.</q> So Eurystheus said, and Heracles, with neither +shield nor arms, went forth from the king’s palace to seek and +to combat the dread lion of Nemea. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He went on until he came into a country where the fences +were overthrown and the fields wasted and the houses empty +and fallen. He went on until he came to the waste around that +land: there he came on the trail of the lion; it led up the side + + + +<pb n="225"/> +of a mountain, and Heracles, without shield or arms, followed +the trail. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i035.png"><anchor id="i035.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He heard the roar of the lion. Looking up he saw the beast +standing at the mouth of a cavern, huge and dark against the +sunset. The lion roared three times, and then it went within +the cavern. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Around the mouth were strewn the bones of creatures it had +killed and carried there. Heracles looked upon them when he +came to the cavern. He went within. Far into the cavern he +went, and then he came to where he saw the lion. It was sleeping. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heracles viewed the terrible bulk of the lion, and then he +looked upon his own knotted hands and arms. He remembered +that it was told of him that, while still a child of eight +months, he had strangled a great serpent that had come to +his cradle to devour him. He had grown and his strength had +grown too. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So he stood, measuring his strength and the size of the lion. +The breath from its mouth and nostrils came heavily to him +as the beast slept, gorged with its prey. Then the lion yawned. +Heracles sprang on it and put his great hands upon its throat. +No growl came out of its mouth, but the great eyes blazed +while the terrible paws tore at Heracles. Against the rock Heracles +held the beast; strongly he held it, choking it through +the skin that was almost impenetrable. Terribly the lion struggled; +but the strong hands of the hero held around its throat +until it struggled no more. +<pb n="226"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Heracles stripped off that impenetrable skin from the +lion’s body; he put it upon himself for a cloak. Then, as he +went through the forest, he pulled up a young oak tree and +trimmed it and made a club for himself. With the lion’s skin +over him—that skin that no spear or arrow could pierce—and +carrying the club in his hand he journeyed on until he came +to the palace of King Eurystheus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The king, seeing coming toward him a towering man all +covered with the hide of a monstrous lion, ran and hid himself +in a great jar. He lifted the lid up to ask the servants what +was the meaning of this terrible appearance. And the servants +told him that it was Heracles come back with the skin of +the lion of Nemea. On hearing this Eurystheus hid himself +again. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He would not speak with Heracles nor have him come near +him, so fearful was he. But Heracles was content to be left +alone. He sat down in the palace and feasted himself. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The servants came to the king; Eurystheus lifted the lid of +the jar and they told him how Heracles was feasting and devouring +all the goods in the palace. The king flew into a rage, +but still he was fearful of having the hero before him. He issued +commands through his heralds ordering Heracles to go +forth at once and perform the second of his tasks. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was to slay the great water snake that made its lair in the +swamps of Lerna. Heracles stayed to feast another day, and +then, with the lion’s skin across his shoulders and the great + + + +<pb n="227"/> +club in his hands, he started off. But this time he did not go +alone; the boy Iolaus went with him. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i036.png"><anchor id="i036.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heracles and Iolaus went on until they came to the vast +swamp of Lerna. Right in the middle of the swamp was the +water snake that was called the Hydra. Nine heads it had, +and it raised them up out of the water as the hero and his companion +came near. They could not cross the swamp to come +to the monster, for man or beast would sink and be lost in it. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The Hydra remained in the middle of the swamp belching +mud at the hero and his companion. Then Heracles took up +his bow and he shot flaming arrows at its heads. It grew into +such a rage that it came through the swamp to attack him. +Heracles swung his club. As the Hydra came near he knocked +head after head off its body. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But for every head knocked off two grew upon the Hydra. +And as he struggled with the monster a huge crab came out of +the swamp, and gripping Heracles by the foot tried to draw him +in. Then Heracles cried out. The boy Iolaus came; he killed +the crab that had come to the Hydra’s aid. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Heracles laid hands upon the Hydra and drew it out +of the swamp. With his club he knocked off a head and he +had Iolaus put fire to where it had been, so that two heads +might not grow in that place. The life of the Hydra was in +its middle head; that head he had not been able to knock off +with his club. Now, with his hands he tore it off, and he placed +<pb n="228"/> +this head under a great stone so that it could not rise into life +again. The Hydra’s life was now destroyed. Heracles dipped +his arrows into the gall of the monster, making his arrows +deadly; no thing that was struck by these arrows afterward +could keep its life. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Again he came to Eurystheus’s palace, and Eurystheus, seeing +him, ran again and hid himself in the jar. Heracles ordered +the servants to tell the king that he had returned and that +the second labor was accomplished. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Eurystheus, hearing from the servants that Heracles was +mild in his ways, came out of the jar. Insolently he spoke. +<q>Twelve labors you have to accomplish for me,</q> said he to Heracles, +<q>and eleven yet remain to be accomplished.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>How?</q> said Heracles. <q>Have I not performed two of the +labors? Have I not slain the lion of Nemea and the great +water snake of Lerna?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>In the killing of the water snake you were helped by Iolaus,</q> +said the king, snapping out his words and looking at Heracles +with shifting eyes. <q>That labor cannot be allowed you.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heracles would have struck him to the ground. But then +he remembered that the crime that he had committed in his +madness would have to be expiated by labors performed at the +order of this man. He looked full upon Eurystheus and he said, +<q>Tell me of the other labors, and I will go forth from Mycenæ +and accomplish them.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Eurystheus bade him go and make clean the stables of +<pb n="229"/> +King Augeias. Heracles came into that king’s country. The +smell from the stables was felt for miles around. Countless +herds of cattle and goats had been in the stables for years, and +because of the uncleanness and the smell that came from it the +crops were withered all around. Heracles told the king that he +would clean the stables if he were given one tenth of the cattle +and the goats for a reward. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The king agreed to this reward. Then Heracles drove the +cattle and the goats out of the stables; he broke through the +foundations and he made channels for the two rivers Alpheus +and Peneius. The waters flowed through the stables, and in +a day all the uncleanness was washed away. Then Heracles +turned the rivers back into their own courses. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He was not given the reward he had bargained for, however. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He went back to Mycenæ with the tale of how he had +cleaned the stables. <q>Ten labors remain for me to do now,</q> +he said. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Eleven,</q> said Eurystheus. <q>How can I allow the cleaning +of King Augeias’s stables to you when you bargained for a +reward for doing it?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then while Heracles stood still, holding himself back from +striking him, Eurystheus ran away and hid himself in the jar. +Through his heralds he sent word to Heracles, telling him what +the other labors would be. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He was to clear the marshes of Stymphalus of the man-eating +birds that gathered there; he was to capture and bring +<pb n="230"/> +to the king the golden-horned deer of Coryneia; he was also +to capture and bring alive to Mycenæ the boar of Erymanthus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heracles came to the marshes of Stymphalus. The growth +of jungle was so dense that he could not cut his way through +to where the man-eating birds were; they sat upon low bushes +within the jungle, gorging themselves upon the flesh they had +carried there. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> For days Heracles tried to hack his way through. He could +not get to where the birds were. Then, thinking he might not be +able to accomplish this labor, he sat upon the ground in despair. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was then that one of the immortals appeared to him; for +the first and only time he was given help from the gods. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was Athena who came to him. She stood apart from +Heracles, holding in her hands brazen cymbals. These she +clashed together. At the sound of this clashing the Stymphalean +birds rose up from the low bushes behind the jungle. Heracles +shot at them with those unerring arrows of his. The man-eating +birds fell, one after the other, into the marsh. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Heracles went north to where the Coryneian deer took +her pasture. So swift of foot was she that no hound nor hunter +had ever been able to overtake her. For the whole of a year +Heracles kept Golden Horns in chase, and at last, on the side +of the Mountain Artemision, he caught her. Artemis, the goddess +of the wild things, would have punished Heracles for capturing +the deer, but the hero pleaded with her, and she relented +and agreed to let him bring the deer to Mycenæ and show her +<pb n="231"/> +to King Eurystheus. And Artemis took charge of Golden Horns +while Heracles went off to capture the Erymanthean boar. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He came to the city of Psophis, the inhabitants of which +were in deadly fear because of the ravages of the boar. Heracles +made his way up the mountain to hunt it. Now on this +mountain a band of centaurs lived, and they, knowing him +since the time he had been fostered by Chiron, welcomed Heracles. +One of them, Pholus, took Heracles to the great house +where the centaurs had their wine stored. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Seldom did the centaurs drink wine; a draft of it made them +wild, and so they stored it away, leaving it in the charge of one +of their band. Heracles begged Pholus to give him a draft of +wine; after he had begged again and again the centaur opened +one of his great jars. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heracles drank wine and spilled it. Then the centaurs that +were without smelt the wine and came hammering at the door, +demanding the drafts that would make them wild. Heracles +came forth to drive them away. They attacked him. Then he +shot at them with his unerring arrows and he drove them away. +Up the mountain and away to far rivers the centaurs raced, +pursued by Heracles with his bow. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> One was slain, Pholus, the centaur who had entertained him. +By accident Heracles dropped a poisoned arrow on his foot. +He took the body of Pholus up to the top of the mountain and +buried the centaur there. Afterward, on the snows of Erymanthus, +he set a snare for the boar and caught him there. +<pb n="232"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Upon his shoulders he carried the boar to Mycenæ and he +led the deer by her golden horns. When Eurystheus had looked +upon them the boar was slain, but the deer was loosed and she +fled back to the Mountain Artemision. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> King Eurystheus sat hidden in the great jar, and he thought +of more terrible labors he would make Heracles engage in. Now +he would send him oversea and make him strive with fierce +tribes and more dread monsters. When he had it all thought +out he had Heracles brought before him and he told him of +these other labors. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He was to go to savage Thrace and there destroy the man-eating +horses of King Diomedes; afterward he was to go amongst +the dread women, the Amazons, daughters of Ares, the god of +war, and take from their queen, Hippolyte, the girdle that Ares +had given her; then he was to go to Crete and take from the +keeping of King Minos the beautiful bull that Poseidon had +given him; afterward he was to go to the Island of Erytheia and +take away from Geryoneus, the monster that had three bodies +instead of one, the herd of red cattle that the two-headed hound +Orthus kept guard over; then he was to go to the Garden of the +Hesperides, and from that garden he was to take the golden +apples that Zeus had given to Hera for a marriage gift—where +the Garden of the Hesperides was no mortal knew. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Heracles set out on a long and perilous quest. First +he went to Thrace, that savage land that was ruled over by +Diomedes, son of Ares, the war god. Heracles broke into the +<pb n="233"/> +stable where the horses were; he caught three of them by their +heads, and although they kicked and bit and trampled he forced +them out of the stable and down to the seashore, where his +companion, Abderus, waited for him. The screams of the fierce +horses were heard by the men of Thrace, and they, with their +king, came after Heracles. He left the horses in charge of +Abderus while he fought the Thracians and their savage king. +Heracles shot his deadly arrows amongst them, and then he +fought with their king. He drove them from the seashore, and +then he came back to where he had left Abderus with the fierce +horses. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They had thrown Abderus upon the ground, and they were +trampling upon him. Heracles drew his bow and he shot the +horses with the unerring arrows that were dipped with the gall +of the Hydra he had slain. Screaming, the horses of King +Diomedes raced toward the sea, but one fell and another fell, +and then, as it came to the line of the foam, the third of the +fierce horses fell. They were all slain with the unerring arrows. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Heracles took up the body of his companion and he +buried it with proper rights, and over it he raised a column. +Afterward, around that column a city that bore the name of +Heracles’s friend was built. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then toward the Euxine Sea he went. There, where the River +Themiscyra flows into the sea he saw the abodes of the Amazons. +And upon the rocks and the steep place he saw the warrior +women standing with drawn bows in their hands. Most dangerous +<pb n="234"/> +did they seem to Heracles. He did not know how to +approach them; he might shoot at them with his unerring arrows, +but when his arrows were all shot away, the Amazons, +from their steep places, might be able to kill him with the arrows +from their bows. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> While he stood at a distance, wondering what he might do, +a horn was sounded and an Amazon mounted upon a white +stallion rode toward him. When the warrior-woman came near +she cried out, <q>Heracles, the Queen Hippolyte permits you to +come amongst the Amazons. Enter her tent and declare to the +queen what has brought you amongst the never-conquered +Amazons.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heracles came to the tent of the queen. There stood tall +Hippolyte with an iron crown upon her head and with a beautiful +girdle of bronze and iridescent glass around her waist. +Proud and fierce as a mountain eagle looked the queen of the +Amazons: Heracles did not know in what way he might conquer +her. Outside the tent the Amazons stood; they struck +their shields with their spears, keeping up a continuous savage din. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>For what has Heracles come to the country of the Amazons?</q> +Queen Hippolyte asked. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>For the girdle you wear,</q> said Heracles, and he held his +hands ready for the struggle. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Is it for the girdle given me by Ares, the god of war, that +you have come, braving the Amazons, Heracles?</q> asked the +queen. +<pb n="235"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>For that,</q> said Heracles. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>I would not have you enter into strife with the Amazons,</q> +said Queen Hippolyte. And so saying she drew off the girdle +of bronze and iridescent glass, and she gave it into his hands. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heracles took the beautiful girdle into his hands. Fearful +he was that some piece of guile was being played upon him, but +then he looked into the open eyes of the queen and he saw that +she meant no guile. He took the girdle and he put it around +his great brows; then he thanked Hippolyte and he went from +the tent. He saw the Amazons standing on the rocks and the +steep places with bows bent; unchallenged he went on, and he +came to his ship and he sailed away from that country with +one more labor accomplished. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The labor that followed was not dangerous. He sailed over +sea and he came to Crete, to the land that King Minos ruled +over. And there he found, grazing in a special pasture, the +bull that Poseidon had given King Minos. He laid his hands +upon the bull’s horns and he struggled with him and he overthrew +him. Then he drove the bull down to the seashore. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> His next labor was to take away the herd of red cattle that +was owned by the monster Geryoneus. In the Island of Erytheia, +in the middle of the Stream of Ocean, lived the monster, +his herd guarded by the two-headed hound Orthus—that +hound was the brother of Cerberus, the three-headed hound +that kept guard in the Underworld. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Mounted upon the bull given Minos by Poseidon, Heracles +<pb n="236"/> +fared across the sea. He came even to the straits that divide +Europe from Africa, and there he set up two pillars as a memorial +of his journey—the Pillars of Heracles that stand to +this day. He and the bull rested there. Beyond him stretched +the Stream of Ocean; the Island of Erytheia was there, but Heracles +thought that the bull would not be able to bear him so far. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And there the sun beat upon him, and drew all strength away +from him, and he was dazed and dazzled by the rays of the +sun. He shouted out against the sun, and in his anger he +wanted to strive against the sun. Then he drew his bow and +shot arrows upward. Far, far out of sight the arrows of Heracles +went. And the sun god, Helios, was filled with admiration +for Heracles, the man who would attempt the impossible +by shooting arrows at him; then did Helios fling down to Heracles +his great golden cup. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Down, and into the Stream of Ocean fell the great golden +cup of Helios. It floated there wide enough to hold all the +men who might be in a ship. Heracles put the bull of Minos +into the cup of Helios, and the cup bore them away, toward +the west, and across the Stream of Ocean. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Thus Heracles came to the Island of Erytheia. All over the +island straggled the red cattle of Geryoneus, grazing upon the +rich pastures. Heracles, leaving the bull of Minos in the cup, +went upon the island; he made a club for himself out of a tree +and he went toward the cattle. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The hound Orthus bayed and ran toward him; the two-headed + + + +<pb n="237"/> +hound that was the brother of Cerberus sprang at Heracles +with poisonous foam upon his jaws. Heracles swung his +club and struck the two heads off the hound. And where the +foam of the hound’s jaws dropped down a poisonous plant +sprang up. Heracles took up the body of the hound, and +swung it around and flung it far out into the Ocean. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i037.png"><anchor id="i037.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then the monster Geryoneus came upon him. Three bodies +he had instead of one; he attacked Heracles by hurling great +stones at him. Heracles was hurt by the stones. And then the +monster beheld the cup of Helios, and he began to hurl stones +at the golden thing, and it seemed that he might sink it in the +sea, and leave Heracles without a way of getting from the island. +Heracles took up his bow and he shot arrow after arrow at the +monster, and he left him dead in the deep grass of the pastures. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then he rounded up the red cattle, the bulls and the cows, +and he drove them down to the shore and into the golden cup +of Helios where the bull of Minos stayed. Then back across +the Stream of Ocean the cup floated, and the bull of Crete and +the cattle of Geryoneus were brought past Sicily and through +the straits called the Hellespont. To Thrace, that savage land, +they came. Then Heracles took the cattle out, and the cup of +Helios sank in the sea. Through the wild lands of Thrace he +drove the herd of Geryoneus and the bull of Minos, and he +came into Mycenæ once more. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But he did not stay to speak with Eurystheus. He started +off to find the Garden of the Hesperides, the Daughters of the +<pb n="238"/> +Evening Land. Long did he search, but he found no one who +could tell him where the garden was. And at last he went to +Chiron on the Mountain Pelion, and Chiron told Heracles what +journey he would have to make to come to the Hesperides, the +Daughters of the Evening Land. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Far did Heracles journey; weary he was when he came to +where Atlas stood, bearing the sky upon his weary shoulders. +As he came near he felt an undreamt-of perfume being wafted +toward him. So weary was he with his journey and all his +toils that he would fain sink down and dream away in that +evening land. But he roused himself, and he journeyed on +toward where the perfume came from. Over that place a star +seemed always about to rise. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He came to where a silver lattice fenced a garden that was full +of the quiet of evening. Golden bees hummed through the air, +and there was the sound of quiet waters. How wild and laborious +was the world he had come from, Heracles thought! He +felt that it would be hard for him to return to that world. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He saw three maidens. They stood with wreaths upon their +heads and blossoming branches in their hands. When the +maidens saw him they came toward him crying out: <q>O man +who has come into the Garden of the Hesperides, go not near +the tree that the sleepless dragon guards!</q> Then they went +and stood by a tree as if to keep guard over it. All around were +trees that bore flowers and fruit, but this tree had golden apples +amongst its bright green leaves. +<pb n="239"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then he saw the guardian of the tree. Beside its trunk a +dragon lay, and as Heracles came near the dragon showed its +glittering scales and its deadly claws. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The apples were within reach, but the dragon, with its glittering +scales and claws, stood in the way. Heracles shot an arrow; +then a tremor went through Ladon, the sleepless dragon; it +screamed and then lay stark. The maidens cried in their grief; +Heracles went to the tree, and he plucked the golden apples +and he put them into the pouch he carried. Down on the +ground sank the Hesperides, the Daughters of the Evening Land, +and he heard their laments as he went from the enchanted +garden they had guarded. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Back from the ends of the earth came Heracles, back from +the place where Atlas stood holding the sky upon his weary +shoulders. He went back through Asia and Libya and Egypt, +and he came again to Mycenæ and to the palace of Eurystheus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He brought to the king the herd of Geryoneus; he brought +to the king the bull of Minos; he brought to the king the girdle +of Hippolyte; he brought to the king the golden apples of the +Hesperides. And King Eurystheus, with his thin white face, +sat upon his royal throne and he looked over all the wonderful +things that the hero had brought him. Not pleased was Eurystheus; +rather was he angry that one he hated could win such +wonderful things. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He took into his hands the golden apples of the Hesperides. +But this fruit was not for such as he. An eagle snatched the +<pb n="240"/> +branch from his hand, and the eagle flew and flew until it came +to where the Daughters of the Evening Land wept in their garden. +There the eagle let fall the branch with the golden apples, and +the maidens set it back upon the tree, and behold! it grew as +it had been growing before Heracles plucked it. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The next day the heralds of Eurystheus came to Heracles +and they told him of the last labor that he would have to set +out to accomplish—this time he would have to go down into the +Underworld, and bring up from King Aidoneus’s realm Cerberus, +the three-headed hound. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heracles put upon him the impenetrable lion’s skin and set +forth once more. This might indeed be the last of his life’s +labors: Cerberus was not an earthly monster, and he who would +struggle with Cerberus in the Underworld would have the gods +of the dead against him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Heracles went on. He journeyed to the cave Tainaron, +which was an entrance to the Underworld. Far into that +dismal cave he went, and then down, down, until he came to +Acheron, that dim river that has beyond it only the people of +the dead. Cerberus bayed at him from the place where the +dead cross the river. Knowing that he was no shade, the hound +sprang at Heracles, but he could neither bite nor tear through +that impenetrable lion’s skin. Heracles held him by the neck +of his middle head so that Cerberus was neither able to bite nor +tear nor bellow. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then to the brink of Acheron came Persephone, queen of the + + + +<pb n="241"/> +Underworld. She declared to Heracles that the gods of the +dead would not strive against him if he promised to bring Cerberus +back to the Underworld, carrying the hound downward +again as he carried him upward. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i038.png"><anchor id="i038.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> This Heracles promised. He turned around and he carried +Cerberus, his hands around the monster’s neck while foam +dripped from his jaws. He carried him on and upward toward +the world of men. Out through a cave that was in the land of +Trœzen Heracles came, still carrying Cerberus by the neck of +his middle head. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> From Trœzen to Mycenæ the hero went and men fled before +him at the sight of the monster that he carried. On he went +toward the king’s palace. Eurystheus was seated outside his +palace that day, looking at the great jar that he had often +hidden in, and thinking to himself that Heracles would never +appear to affright him again. Then Heracles appeared. He +called to Eurystheus, and when the king looked up he held +the hound toward him. The three heads grinned at Eurystheus; +he gave a cry and scrambled into the jar. But before +his feet touched the bottom of it Eurystheus was dead of fear. +The jar rolled over, and Heracles looked upon the body that +was all twisted with fright. Then he turned around and made +his way back to the Underworld. On the brink of Acheron +he loosed Cerberus, and the bellow of the three-headed hound +was heard again. +</p><pb n="242"/><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">II</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was then that Heracles was given arms by the gods—the +sword of Hermes, the bow of Apollo, the shield made by +Hephæstus; it was then that Heracles joined the Argonauts and +journeyed with them to the edge of the Caucasus, where, slaying +the vulture that preyed upon Prometheus’s liver, he, at the +will of Zeus, liberated the Titan. Thereafter Zeus and +Prometheus were reconciled, and Zeus, that neither might forget +how much the enmity between them had cost gods and +men, had a ring made for Prometheus to wear; that ring was +made out of the fetter that had been upon him, and in it was +set a fragment of the rock that the Titan had been bound to. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The Argonauts had now won back to Greece. But before +he saw any of them he had been in Oichalia, and had seen the +maiden Iole. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The king of Oichalia had offered his daughter Iole in marriage +to the hero who could excel himself and his sons in shooting +with arrows. Heracles saw Iole, the blue-eyed and childlike +maiden, and he longed to take her with him to some place +near the Garden of the Hesperides. And Iole looked on him, +and he knew that she wondered to see him so tall and so strongly +knit even as he wondered to see her so childlike and delicate. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then the contest began. The king and his sons shot wonderfully +well, and none of the heroes who stood before Heracles +had a chance of winning. Then Heracles shot his arrows. +<pb n="243"/> +No matter how far away they moved the mark, Heracles struck +it and struck the very center of it. The people wondered who +this great archer might be. And then a name was guessed at +and went around—Heracles! +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When the king heard the name of Heracles he would not let +him strive in the contest any more. For the maiden Iole would +not be given as a prize to one who had been mad and whose +madness might afflict him again. So the king said, speaking +in judgment in the market place. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Rage came on Heracles when he heard this judgment given. +He would not let his rage master him lest the madness that +was spoken of should come with his rage. So he left the city +of Oichalia declaring to the king and the people that he would +return. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was then that, wandering down to Crete, he heard of the +Argonauts being near. And afterward he heard of them being in +Calydon, hunting the boar that ravaged Œneus’s country. To +Calydon Heracles went. The heroes had departed when he came +into the country, and all the city was in grief for the deaths +of Prince Meleagrus and his two uncles. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> On the steps of the temple where Meleagrus and his uncles +had been brought Heracles saw Deianira, Meleagrus’s sister. +She was pale with her grief, this tall woman of the mountains; +she looked like a priestess, but also like a woman who could +cheer camps of men with her counsel, her bravery, and her good +companionship; her hair was very dark and she had dark eyes. +<pb n="244"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Straightway she became friends with Heracles; and when +they saw each other for a while they loved each other. And +Heracles forgot Iole, the childlike maiden whom he had seen +in Oichalia. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He made himself a suitor for Deianira, and those who protected +her were glad of Heracles’s suit, and they told him they +would give him the maiden to marry as soon as the mourning +for Prince Meleagrus and his uncles was over. Heracles stayed +in Calydon, happy with Deianira, who had so much beauty, +wisdom, and bravery. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But then a dreadful thing happened in Calydon; by an accident, +while using his strength unthinkingly, Heracles killed a +lad who was related to Deianira. He might not marry her +now until he had taken punishment for slaying one who was +close to her in blood. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As a punishment for the slaying it was judged that Heracles +should be sold into slavery for three years. At the end of his +three years’ slavery he could come back to Calydon and wed +Deianira. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And so Heracles and Deianira were parted. He was sold as +a slave in Lydia; the one who bought him was a woman, a +widow named Omphale. To her house Heracles went, carrying +his armor and wearing his lion’s skin. And Omphale laughed to +see this tall man dressed in a lion’s skin coming to her house +to do a servant’s tasks for her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She and all in her house kept up fun with Heracles. They +<pb n="245"/> +would set him to do housework, to carry water, and set vessels +on the tables, and clear the vessels away. Omphale set him to +spin with a spindle as the women did. And often she would +put on Heracles’s lion skin and go about dragging his club, +while he, dressed in woman’s garb, washed dishes and emptied +pots. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But he would lose patience with these servant’s tasks, and +then Omphale would let him go away and perform some great +exploit. Often he went on long journeys and stayed away for +long times. It was while he was in slavery to Omphale that +he liberated Theseus from the dungeon in which he was held +with Peirithous, and it was while he still was in slavery that he +made his journey to Troy. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> At Troy he helped to repair for King Laomedon the great +walls that years before Apollo and Poseidon had built around +the city. As a reward for this labor he was offered the Princess +Hesione in marriage; she was the daughter of King Laomedon, +and the sister of Priam, who was then called, not Priam but +Podarces. He helped to repair the wall, and two of the Argonauts +were there to aid him: one was Peleus and the other was +Telamon. Peleus did not stay for long: Telamon stayed, and +to reward Telamon Heracles withdrew his own claim for the +hand of the Princess Hesione. It was not hard on Heracles to +do this, for his thoughts were ever upon Deianira. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Telamon rejoiced, for he loved Hesione greatly. On the +day they married Heracles showed the two an eagle in the sky. +<pb n="246"/> +He said it was sent as an omen to them—an omen for their +marriage. And in memory of that omen Telamon named his +son <q>Aias</q>; that is, <q>Eagle.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then the walls of Troy were repaired and Heracles turned +toward Lydia, Omphale’s home. Not long would he have to +serve Omphale now, for his three years’ slavery was nearly +over. Soon he would go back to Calydon and wed Deianira. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As he went along the road to Lydia he thought of all the +pleasantries that had been made in Omphale’s house and he +laughed at the memory of them. Lydia was a friendly country, +and even though he had been in slavery Heracles had had his +good times there. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He was tired with the journey and made sleepy with the heat +of the sun, and when he came within sight of Omphale’s house +he lay down by the side of the road, first taking off his armor, +and laying aside his bow, his quiver, and his shield. He wakened +up to see two men looking down upon him; he knew that +these were the Cercopes, robbers who waylaid travelers upon +this road. They were laughing as they looked down on him, +and Heracles saw that they held his arms and his armor in +their hands. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They thought that this man, for all his tallness, would yield +to them when he saw that they had his arms and his armor. +But Heracles sprang up, and he caught one by the waist and +the other by the neck, and he turned them upside down and +tied them together by the heels. Now he held them securely +<pb n="247"/> +and he would take them to the town and give them over to +those whom they had waylaid and robbed. He hung them by +their heels across his shoulders and marched on. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But the robbers, as they were being bumped along, began +to relate pleasantries and mirthful tales to each other, and Heracles, +listening, had to laugh. And one said to the other, <q>O +my brother, we are in the position of the frogs when the mice +fell upon them with such fury.</q> And the other said, <q>Indeed +nothing can save us if Zeus does not send an ally to us as he +sent an ally to the frogs.</q> And the first robber said, <q>Who +began that conflict, the frogs or the mice?</q> And thereupon +the second robber, his head reaching down to Heracles’s waist, +began: +</p><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>The Battle of the Frogs and Mice</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> A warlike mouse came down to the brink of a pond for no +other reason than to take a drink of water. Up to him hopped +a frog. Speaking in the voice of one who had rule and authority, +the frog said: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Stranger to our shore, you may not know it, but I am Puff +Jaw, king of the frogs. I do not speak to common mice, but +you, as I judge, belong to the noble and kingly sort. Tell me +your race. If I know it to be a noble one I shall show you my +kingly friendship.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The mouse, speaking haughtily, said: <q>I am Crumb Snatcher, +and my race is a famous one. My father is the heroic Bread +<pb n="248"/> +Nibbler, and he married Quern Licker, the lovely daughter of a +king. Like all my race I am a warrior who has never been +wont to flinch in battle. Moreover, I have been brought up +as a mouse of high degree, and figs and nuts, cheese and honey-cakes +is the provender that I have been fed on.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Now this reply of Crumb Snatcher pleased the kingly frog +greatly. <q>Come with me to my abode, illustrious Crumb +Snatcher,</q> said he, <q>and I shall show you such entertainment +as may be found in the house of a king.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But the mouse looked sharply at him. <q>How may I get +to your house?</q> he asked. <q>We live in different elements, +you and I. We mice want to be in the driest of dry places, +while you frogs have your abodes in the water.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Ah,</q> answered Puff Jaw, <q>you do not know how favored +the frogs are above all other creatures. To us alone the gods +have given the power to live both in the water and on the land. +I shall take you to my land palace that is the other side of the +pond.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>How may I go there with you?</q> asked Crumb Snatcher the +mouse, doubtfully. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Upon my back,</q> said the frog. <q>Up now, noble Crumb +Snatcher. And as we go I will show you the wonders of the +deep.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He offered his back and Crumb Snatcher bravely mounted. +The mouse put his forepaws around the frog’s neck. Then +Puff Jaw swam out. Crumb Snatcher at first was pleased to +<pb n="249"/> +feel himself moving through the water. But as the dark waves +began to rise his mighty heart began to quail. He longed to +be back upon the land. He groaned aloud. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>How quickly we get on,</q> cried Puff Jaw; <q>soon we shall be +at my land palace.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heartened by this speech, Crumb Snatcher put his tail into +the water and worked it as a steering oar. On and on they +went, and Crumb Snatcher gained heart for the adventure. +What a wonderful tale he would have to tell to the clans of the +mice! +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But suddenly, out of the depths of the pond, a water snake +raised his horrid head. Fearsome did that head seem to both +mouse and frog. And forgetful of the guest that he carried +upon his back, Puff Jaw dived down into the water. He reached +the bottom of the pond and lay on the mud in safety. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But far from safety was Crumb Snatcher the mouse. He +sank and rose, and sank again. His wet fur weighed him down. +But before he sank for the last time he lifted up his voice and +cried out and his cry was heard at the brink of the pond: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Ah, Puff Jaw, treacherous frog! An evil thing you have done, +leaving me to drown in the middle of the pond. Had you faced +me on the land I should have shown you which of us two was +the better warrior. Now I must lose my life in the water. But +I tell you my death shall not go unavenged—the cowardly +frogs will be punished for the ill they have done to me who am +the son of the king of the mice.</q> +<pb n="250"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Crumb Snatcher sank for the last time. But Lick +Platter, who was at the brink of the pond, had heard his words. +Straightway this mouse rushed to the hole of Bread Nibbler +and told him of the death of his princely son. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Bread Nibbler called out the clans of the mice. The warrior +mice armed themselves, and this was the grand way of +their arming: +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> First, the mice put on greaves that covered their forelegs. +These they made out of bean shells broken in two. For shield, +each had a lamp’s centerpiece. For spears they had the long +bronze needles that they had carried out of the houses of men. +So armed and so accoutered they were ready to war upon the +frogs. And Bread Nibbler, their king, shouted to them: <q>Fall +upon the cowardly frogs, and leave not one alive upon the bank +of the pond. Henceforth that bank is ours, and ours only. +Forward!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And, on the other side, Puff Jaw was urging the frogs to +battle. <q>Let us take our places on the edge of the pond,</q> he +said, <q>and when the mice come amongst us, let each catch hold +of one and throw him into the pond. Thus we will get rid of +these dry bobs, the mice.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The frogs applauded the speech of their king, and straightway +they went to their armor and their weapons. Their legs +they covered with the leaves of mallow. For breastplates they +had the leaves of beets. Cabbage leaves, well cut, made their +strong shields. They took their spears from the pond side—deadly +<pb n="251"/> +pointed rushes they were, and they placed upon their +heads helmets that were empty snail shells. So armed and so +accoutered they were ready to meet the grand attack of the mice. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When the robber came to this part of the story Heracles +halted his march, for he was shaking with laughter. The robber +stopped in his story. Heracles slapped him on the leg and +said: <q>What more of the heroic exploits of the mice?</q> The +second robber said, <q>I know no more, but perhaps my brother +at the other side of you can tell you of the mighty combat between +them and the frogs.</q> Then Heracles shifted the first +robber from his back to his front, and the first robber said: +<q>I will tell you what I know about the heroical combat between +the frogs and the mice.</q> And thereupon he began: +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The gnats blew their trumpets. This was the dread signal +for war. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Bread Nibbler struck the first blow. He fell upon Loud +Crier the frog, and overthrew him. At this Loud Crier’s friend, +Reedy, threw down spear and shield and dived into the water. +This seemed to presage victory for the mice. But then Water +Larker, the most warlike of the frogs, took up a great pebble and +flung it at Ham Nibbler who was then pursuing Reedy. Down +fell Ham Nibbler, and there was dismay in the ranks of the +mice. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Cabbage Climber, a great-hearted frog, took up a clod +<pb n="252"/> +of mud and flung it full at a mouse that was coming furiously +upon him. That mouse’s helmet was knocked off and his forehead +was plastered with the clod of mud, so that he was well-nigh +blinded. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It was then that victory inclined to the frogs. Bread Nibbler +again came into the fray. He rushed furiously upon Puff Jaw +the king. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Leeky, the trusted friend of Puff Jaw, opposed Bread Nibbler’s +onslaught. Mightily he drove his spear at the king of the mice. +But the point of the spear broke upon Bread Nibbler’s shield, +and then Leeky was overthrown. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Bread Nibbler came upon Puff Jaw, and the two great +kings faced each other. The frogs and the mice drew aside, +and there was a pause in the combat. Bread Nibbler the +mouse struck Puff Jaw the frog terribly upon the toes. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Puff Jaw drew out of the battle. Now all would have been +lost for the frogs had not Zeus, the father of the gods, looked +down upon the battle. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Dear, dear,</q> said Zeus, <q>what can be done to save the +frogs? They will surely be annihilated if the charge of yonder +mouse is not halted.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> For the father of the gods, looking down, saw a warrior mouse +coming on in the most dreadful onslaught of the whole battle. +Slice Snatcher was the name of this warrior. He had come late +into the field. He waited to split a chestnut in two and to put +the halves upon his paws. Then, furiously dashing amongst +<pb n="253"/> +the frogs, he cried out that he would not leave the ground until +he had destroyed the race, leaving the bank of the pond a playground +for the mice and for the mice alone. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> To stop the charge of Slice Snatcher there was nothing for +Zeus to do but to hurl the thunderbolt that is the terror of +gods and men. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Frogs and mice were awed by the thunder and the flame. +But still the mice, urged on by Slice Snatcher, did not hold +back from their onslaught upon the frogs. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Now would the frogs have been utterly destroyed; but, as +they dashed on, the mice encountered a new and a dreadful +army. The warriors in these ranks had mailed backs and curving +claws. They had bandy legs and long-stretching arms. +They had eyes that looked behind them. They came on sideways. +These were the crabs, creatures until now unknown to +the mice. And the crabs had been sent by Zeus to save the +race of the frogs from utter destruction. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Coming upon the mice they nipped their paws. The mice +turned around and they nipped their tails. In vain the boldest +of the mice struck at the crabs with their sharpened spears. +Not upon the hard shells on the backs of the crabs did the +spears of the mice make any dint. On and on, on their queer +feet and with their terrible nippers, the crabs went. Bread +Nibbler could not rally them any more, and Slice Snatcher +ceased to speak of the monument of victory that the mice +would erect upon the bank of the pond. +<pb n="254"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> With their heads out of the water they had retreated to, the +frogs watched the finish of the battle. The mice threw down +their spears and shields and fled from the battleground. On +went the crabs as if they cared nothing for their victory, and +the frogs came out of the water and sat upon the bank and +watched them in awe. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heracles had laughed at the diverting tale that the robbers +had told him; he could not bring them then to a place where +they would meet with captivity or death. He let them loose +upon the highway, and the robbers thanked him with high-flowing +speeches, and they declared that if they should ever +find him sleeping by the roadway again they would let him lie. +Saying this they went away, and Heracles, laughing as he +thought upon the great exploits of the frogs and mice, went on +to Omphale’s house. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Omphale, the widow, received him mirthfully, and then set +him to do tasks in the kitchen while she sat and talked to him +about Troy and the affairs of King Laomedon. And afterward +she put on his lion’s skin, and went about in the courtyard dragging +the heavy club after her. Mirthfully and pleasantly she +made the rest of his time in Lydia pass for Heracles, and the +last day of his slavery soon came, and he bade good-by to +Omphale, that pleasant widow, and to Lydia, and he started +off for Calydon to claim his bride Deianira. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Beautiful indeed Deianira looked now that she had ceased to +<pb n="255"/> +mourn for her brother, for the laughter that had been under her +grief always now flashed out even while she looked priestesslike +and of good counsel; her dark eyes shone like stars, and her +being had the spirit of one who wanders from camp to camp, +always greeting friends and leaving friends behind her. Heracles +and Deianira wed, and they set out for Tiryns, where a +king had left a kingdom to Heracles. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They came to the River Evenus. Heracles could have crossed +the river by himself, but he could not cross it at the part he +came to, carrying Deianira. He and she went along the river, +seeking a ferry that might take them across. They wandered +along the side of the river, happy with each other, and they +came to a place where they had sight of a centaur. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heracles knew this centaur. He was Nessus, one of the +centaurs whom he had chased up the mountain the time when +he went to hunt the Erymanthean boar. The centaurs knew +him, and Nessus spoke to Heracles as if he had friendship for +him. He would, he said, carry Heracles’s bride across the +river. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Heracles crossed the river, and he waited on the other +side for Nessus and Deianira. Nessus went to another part of +the river to make his crossing. Then Heracles, upon the other +bank, heard screams—the screams of his wife, Deianira. He +saw that the centaur was savagely attacking her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Heracles leveled his bow and he shot at Nessus. Arrow +after arrow he shot into the centaur’s body. Nessus loosed his +<pb n="256"/> +hold on Deianira, and he lay down on the bank of the river, his +lifeblood streaming from him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Nessus, dying, but with his rage against Heracles unabated, +thought of a way by which the hero might be made to +suffer for the death he had brought upon him. He called to +Deianira, and she, seeing he could do her no more hurt, came +close to him. He told her that in repentance for his attack +upon her he would bestow a great gift upon her. She was to +gather up some of the blood that flowed from him; his blood, the +centaur said, would be a love philter, and if ever her husband’s +love for her waned it would grow fresh again if she gave to him +something from her hands that would have this blood upon it. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Deianira, who had heard from Heracles of the wisdom of the +centaurs, believed what Nessus told her. She took a phial and +let the blood pour into it. Then Nessus plunged into the river +and died there as Heracles came up to where Deianira stood. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She did not speak to him about the centaur’s words to her, +nor did she tell him that she had hidden away the phial that +had Nessus’s blood in it. They crossed the river at another +point and they came after a time to Tiryns and to the kingdom +that had been left to Heracles. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> There Heracles and Deianira lived, and a son who was named +Hyllos was born to them. And after a time Heracles was led +into a war with Eurytus—Eurytus who was king of Oichalia. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Word came to Deianira that Oichalia was taken by Heracles, +and that the king and his daughter Iole were held captive. + + + +<pb n="257"/> +Deianira knew that Heracles had once tried to win this maiden +for his wife, and she feared that the sight of Iole would bring +his old longing back to him. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i039.png"><anchor id="i039.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She thought upon the words that Nessus had said to her, and +even as she thought upon them messengers came from Heracles to +ask her to send him a robe—a beautifully woven robe that she +had—that he might wear it while making a sacrifice. Deianira +took down the robe; through this robe, she thought, the blood +of the centaur could touch Heracles and his love for her would +revive. Thinking this she poured Nessus’s blood over the robe. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heracles was in Oichalia when the messengers returned to +him. He took the robe that Deianira sent, and he went to a +mountain that overlooked the sea that he might make the sacrifice +there. Iole went with him. Then he put on the robe +that Deianira had sent. When it touched his flesh the robe +burst into flame. Heracles tried to tear it off, but deeper and +deeper into his flesh the flames went. They burned and burned +and none could quench them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Heracles knew that his end was near. He would die +by fire, and knowing that he piled up a great heap of wood and +he climbed upon it. There he stayed with the flaming robe +burning into him, and he begged of those who passed to fire +the pile that his end might come more quickly. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> None would fire the pile. But at last there came that way +a young warrior named Philoctetes, and Heracles begged of him +to fire the pile. Philoctetes, knowing that it was the will of +<pb n="258"/> +the gods that Heracles should die that way, lighted the pile. +For that Heracles bestowed upon him his great bow and his +unerring arrows. And it was this bow and these arrows, brought +from Philoctetes, that afterward helped to take Priam’s city. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The pile that Heracles stood upon was fired. High up, above +the sea, the pile burned. All who were near that burning fled—all +except Iole, that childlike maiden. She stayed and +watched the flames mount up and up. They wrapped the sky, +and the voice of Heracles was heard calling upon Zeus. Then +a great chariot came and Heracles was borne away to Olympus. +Thus, after many labors, Heracles passed away, a mortal passing +into an immortal being in a great burning high above the sea. +</p></div></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>V. Admetus</head><p rend="font-size: 120%">I</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capI.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">I</hi>T happened once that Zeus would punish +Apollo, his son. Then he banished him +from Olympus, and he made him put off +his divinity and appear as a mortal +man. And as a mortal Apollo sought to +earn his bread amongst men. He came +to the house of King Admetus and took +service with him as his herdsman. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> For a year Apollo served the young king, minding his herds +<pb n="259"/> +of black cattle. Admetus did not know that it was one of the +immortal gods who was in his house and in his fields. But he +treated him in friendly wise, and Apollo was happy whilst +serving Admetus. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Afterward people wondered at Admetus’s ever-smiling face +and ever-radiant being. It was the god’s kindly thought of +him that gave him such happiness. And when Apollo was leaving +his house and his fields he revealed himself to Admetus, +and he made a promise to him that when the god of the Underworld +sent Death for him he would have one more chance of +baffling Death than any mortal man. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> That was before Admetus sailed on the <emph>Argo</emph> with Jason and +the companions of the quest. The companionship of Admetus +brought happiness to many on the voyage, but the hero to +whom it gave the most happiness was Heracles. And often +Heracles would have Admetus beside him to tell him about +the radiant god Apollo, whose bow and arrows Heracles had +been given. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> After that voyage and after the hunt in Calydon Admetus +went back to his own land. There he wed that fair and loving +woman, Alcestis. He might not wed her until he had yoked +lions and leopards to the chariot that drew her. This was a +feat that no hero had been able to accomplish. With Apollo’s +aid he accomplished it. Thereafter Admetus, having the +love of Alcestis, was even more happy than he had been +before. +<pb n="260"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> One day as he walked by fold and through pasture field he +saw a figure standing beside his herd of black cattle. A radiant +figure it was, and Admetus knew that this was Apollo come to +him again. He went toward the god and he made reverence +and began to speak to him. But Apollo turned to Admetus a +face that was without joy. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>What years of happiness have been mine, O Apollo, through +your friendship for me,</q> said Admetus. <q>Ah, as I walked my +pasture land to-day it came into my mind how much I loved +this green earth and the blue sky! And all that I know of love +and happiness has come to me through you.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But still Apollo stood before him with a face that was without +joy. He spoke and his voice was not that clear and vibrant +voice that he had once in speaking to Admetus. <q>Admetus, +Admetus,</q> he said, <q>it is for me to tell you that you may no +more look on the blue sky nor walk upon the green earth. It is +for me to tell you that the god of the Underworld will have +you come to him. Admetus, Admetus, know that even now +the god of the Underworld is sending Death for you.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then the light of the world went out for Admetus, and he +heard himself speaking to Apollo in a shaking voice: <q>O Apollo, +Apollo, thou art a god, and surely thou canst save me! Save +me now from this Death that the god of the Underworld is +sending for me!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But Apollo said, <q>Long ago, Admetus, I made a bargain with +the god of the Underworld on thy behalf. Thou hast been +<pb n="261"/> +given a chance more than any mortal man. If one will go +willingly in thy place with Death, thou canst still live on. Go, +Admetus. Thou art well loved, and it may be that thou wilt +find one to take thy place.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Apollo went up unto the mountaintop and Admetus +stayed for a while beside the cattle. It seemed to him that a +little of the darkness had lifted from the world. He would go +to his palace. There were aged men and women there, servants +and slaves, and one of them would surely be willing to take +the king’s place and go with Death down to the Underworld. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Admetus thought as he went toward the palace. And +then he came upon an ancient woman who sat upon stones in +the courtyard, grinding corn between two stones. Long had +she been doing that wearisome labor. Admetus had known her +from the first time he had come into that courtyard as a little +child, and he had never seen aught in her face but a heavy +misery. There she was sitting as he had first known her, with +her eyes bleared and her knees shaking, and with the dust of the +courtyard and the husks of the corn in her matted hair. He +went to her and spoke to her, and he asked her to take the +place of the king and go with Death. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But when she heard the name of Death horror came into the +face of the ancient woman, and she cried out that she would +not let Death come near her. Then Admetus left her, and he +came upon another, upon a sightless man who held out a shriveled +hand for the food that the servants of the palace might +<pb n="262"/> +bestow upon him. Admetus took the man’s shriveled hand, +and he asked him if he would not take the king’s place and +go with Death that was coming for him. The sightless man, +with howls and shrieks, said he would not go. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Admetus went into the palace and into the chamber +where his bed was, and he lay down upon the bed and he lamented +that he would have to go with Death that was coming +for him from the god of the Underworld, and he lamented +that none of the wretched ones around the palace would take +his place. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> A hand was laid upon him. He looked up and he saw his tall +and grave-eyed wife, Alcestis, beside him. Alcestis spoke to +him slowly and gravely. <q>I have heard what you have said, +O my husband,</q> said she. <q>One should go in your place, for +you are the king and have many great affairs to attend to. +And if none other will go, I, Alcestis, will go in your place, +Admetus.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It had seemed to Admetus that ever since he had heard the +words of Apollo that heavy footsteps were coming toward him. +Now the footsteps seemed to stop. It was not so terrible for +him as before. He sprang up, and he took the hands of Alcestis +and he said, <q>You, then, will take my place?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>I will go with Death in your place, Admetus,</q> Alcestis said. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then, even as Admetus looked into her face, he saw a pallor +come upon her; her body weakened and she sank down upon +the bed. Then, watching over her, he knew that not he but + + + +<pb n="263"/> +Alcestis would go with Death. And the words he had spoken +he would have taken back—the words that had brought her +consent to go with Death in his place. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i040.png"><anchor id="i040.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Paler and weaker Alcestis grew. Death would soon be here +for her. No, not here, for he would not have Death come into +the palace. He lifted Alcestis from the bed and he carried her +from the palace. He carried her to the temple of the gods. +He laid her there upon the bier and waited there beside her. +No more speech came from her. He went back to the palace +where all was silent—the servants moved about with heads +bowed, lamenting silently for their mistress. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">II</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As Admetus was coming back from the temple he heard a +great shout; he looked up and saw one standing at the palace +doorway. He knew him by his lion’s skin and his great height. +This was Heracles—Heracles come to visit him, but come at a +sad hour. He could not now rejoice in the company of Heracles. +And yet Heracles might be on his way from the accomplishment +of some great labor, and it would not be right to say a +word that might turn him away from his doorway; he might +have much need of rest and refreshment. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Thinking this Admetus went up to Heracles and took his +hand and welcomed him into his house. <q>How is it with you, +friend Admetus?</q> Heracles asked. Admetus would only say +<pb n="264"/> +that nothing was happening in his house and that Heracles, his +hero-companion, was welcome there. His mind was upon a great +sacrifice, he said, and so he would not be able to feast with him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The servants brought Heracles to the bath, and then showed +him where a feast was laid for him. And as for Admetus, he +went within the chamber, and knelt beside the bed on which +Alcestis had lain, and thought of his terrible loss. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heracles, after the bath, put on the brightly colored tunic +that the servants of Admetus brought him. He put a wreath +upon his head and sat down to the feast. It was a pity, he +thought, that Admetus was not feasting with him. But this +was only the first of many feasts. And thinking of what companionship +he would have with Admetus, Heracles left the +feasting hall and came to where the servants were standing +about in silence. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Why is the house of Admetus so hushed to-day?</q> Heracles +asked. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>It is because of what is befalling,</q> said one of the servants. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Ah, the sacrifice that the king is making,</q> said Heracles. +<q>To what god is that sacrifice due?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>To the god of the Underworld,</q> said the servant. <q>Death +is coming to Alcestis the queen where she lies on a bier in the +temple of the gods.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then the servant told Heracles the story of how Alcestis had +taken her husband’s place, going in his stead with Death. Heracles +thought upon the sorrow of his friend, and of the great + + + +<pb n="265"/> +sacrifice that his wife was making for him. How noble it was +of Admetus to bring him into his house and give entertainment +to him while such sorrow was upon him. And then Heracles +felt that another labor was before him. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i041.png"><anchor id="i041.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>I have dragged up from the Underworld,</q> he thought, +<q>the hound that guards those whom Death brings down into +the realm of the god of the Underworld. Why should I not +strive with Death? And what a noble thing it would be to +bring back this faithful woman to her house and to her husband! +This is a labor that has not been laid upon me, and +it is a labor I will undertake.</q> So Heracles said to himself. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He left the palace of Admetus and he went to the temple of +the gods. He stood inside the temple and he saw the bier on +which Alcestis was laid. He looked upon the queen. Death +had not touched her yet, although she lay so still and so silent. +Heracles would watch beside her and strive with Death for her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Heracles watched and Death came. When Death entered the +temple Heracles laid hands upon him. Death had never been +gripped by mortal hands and he strode on as if that grip meant +nothing to him. But then he had to grip Heracles. In Death’s +grip there was a strength beyond strength. And upon Heracles +a dreadful sense of loss came as Death laid hands upon him—a +sense of the loss of light and the loss of breath and the loss +of movement. But Heracles struggled with Death although his +breath went and his strength seemed to go from him. He held +that stony body to him, and the cold of that body went through +<pb n="266"/> +him, and its stoniness seemed to turn his bones to stone, but +still Heracles strove with him, and at last he overthrew him +and he held Death down upon the ground. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Now you are held by me, Death,</q> cried Heracles. <q>You are +held by me, and the god of the Underworld will be made +angry because you cannot go about his business—either this +business or any other business. You are held by me, Death, +and you will not be let go unless you promise to go forth from +this temple without bringing one with you.</q> And Death, +knowing that Heracles could hold him there, and that the business +of the god of the Underworld would be left undone if +he were held, promised that he would leave the temple without +bringing one with him. Then Heracles took his grip off Death, +and that stony shape went from the temple. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Soon a flush came into the face of Alcestis as Heracles watched +over her. Soon she arose from the bier on which she had been +laid. She called out to Admetus, and Heracles went to her +and spoke to her, telling her that he would bring her back to her +husband’s house. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="font-size: 120%">III</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Admetus left the chamber where his wife had lain and stood +before the door of his palace. Dawn was coming, and as he +looked toward the temple he saw Heracles coming to the palace. +A woman came with him. She was veiled, and Admetus could +not see her features. +<pb n="267"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Admetus,</q> Heracles said, when he came before him, <q>Admetus, +there is something I would have you do for me. Here is +a woman whom I am bringing back to her husband. I won +her from an enemy. Will you not take her into your house +while I am away on a journey?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>You cannot ask me to do this, Heracles,</q> said Admetus. +<q>No woman may come into the house where Alcestis, only +yesterday, had her life.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>For my sake take her into your house,</q> said Heracles. +<q>Come now, Admetus, take this woman by the hand.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> A pang came to Admetus as he looked at the woman who +stood beside Heracles and saw that she was the same stature +as his lost wife. He thought that he could not bear to take +her hand. But Heracles pleaded with him, and he took her +by the hand. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Now take her across your threshold, Admetus,</q> said Heracles. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Hardly could Admetus bear to do this—hardly could he +bear to think of a strange woman being in his house and his +own wife gone with Death. But Heracles pleaded with him, +and by the hand he held he drew the woman across his threshold. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Now raise her veil, Admetus,</q> said Heracles. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>This I cannot do,</q> said Admetus. <q>I have had pangs +enough. How can I look upon a woman’s face and remind +myself that I cannot look upon Alcestis’s face ever again?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>Raise her veil, Admetus,</q> said Heracles. +<pb n="268"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Admetus raised the veil of the woman he had taken +across the threshold of his house. He saw the face of Alcestis. +He looked again upon his wife brought back from the grip of +Death by Heracles, the son of Zeus. And then a deeper joy +than he had ever known came to Admetus. Once more his wife +was with him, and Admetus the friend of Apollo and the friend +of Heracles had all that he cared to have. +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>VI. How Orpheus the Minstrel Went Down to the World of the Dead</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capM.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">M</hi>ANY were the minstrels who, in the early +days, went through the world, telling to +men the stories of the gods, telling of their +wars and their births. Of all these minstrels +none was so famous as Orpheus +who had gone with the Argonauts; none +could tell truer things about the gods, for +he himself was half divine. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But a great grief came to Orpheus, a grief that stopped his +singing and his playing upon the lyre. His young wife Eurydice +was taken from him. One day, walking in the garden, she was +bitten on the heel by a serpent, and straightway she went down +to the world of the dead. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then everything in this world was dark and bitter for the + + + +<pb n="269"/> +minstrel Orpheus; sleep would not come to him, and for him +food had no taste. Then Orpheus said: <q>I will do that which +no mortal has ever done before; I will do that which even the +immortals might shrink from doing: I will go down into the +world of the dead, and I will bring back to the living and to the +light my bride Eurydice.</q> +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i042.png"><anchor id="i042.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Orpheus went on his way to the valley of Acherusia which +goes down, down into the world of the dead. He would never +have found his way to that valley if the trees had not shown +him the way. For as he went along Orpheus played upon his +lyre and sang, and the trees heard his song and they were moved +by his grief, and with their arms and their heads they showed +him the way to the deep, deep valley of Acherusia. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Down, down by winding paths through that deepest and most +shadowy of all valleys Orpheus went. He came at last to the +great gate that opens upon the world of the dead. And the +silent guards who keep watch there for the rulers of the dead +were affrighted when they saw a living being, and they would +not let Orpheus approach the gate. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But the minstrel, knowing the reason for their fear, said: +<q>I am not Heracles come again to drag up from the world of the +dead your three-headed dog Cerberus. I am Orpheus, and all +that my hands can do is to make music upon my lyre.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And then he took the lyre in his hands and played upon it. +As he played, the silent watchers gathered around him, leaving +the gate unguarded. And as he played the rulers of the dead +<pb n="270"/> +came forth, Aidoneus and Persephone, and listened to the words +of the living man. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>The cause of my coming through the dark and fearful ways,</q> +sang Orpheus, <q>is to strive to gain a fairer fate for Eurydice, +my bride. All that is above must come down to you at last, +O rulers of the most lasting world. But before her time has +Eurydice been brought here. I have desired strength to endure +her loss, but I cannot endure it. And I come before you, +Aidoneus and Persephone, brought here by Love.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When Orpheus said the name of Love, Persephone, the queen +of the dead, bowed her young head, and bearded Aidoneus, the +king, bowed his head also. Persephone remembered how Demeter, +her mother, had sought her all through the world, and +she remembered the touch of her mother’s tears upon her face. +And Aidoneus remembered how his love for Persephone had led +him to carry her away from the valley in the upper world where +she had been gathering flowers. He and Persephone bowed +their heads and stood aside, and Orpheus went through the +gate and came amongst the dead. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Still upon his lyre he played. Tantalus—who, for his crimes, +had been condemned to stand up to his neck in water and yet +never be able to assuage his thirst—Tantalus heard, and for a +while did not strive to put his lips toward the water that ever +flowed away from him; Sisyphus—who had been condemned +to roll up a hill a stone that ever rolled back—Sisyphus heard +the music that Orpheus played, and for a while he sat still +<pb n="271"/> +upon his stone. And even those dread ones who bring to the +dead the memories of all their crimes and all their faults, even +the Eumenides had their cheeks wet with tears. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> In the throng of the newly come dead Orpheus saw Eurydice. +She looked upon her husband, but she had not the power to +come near him. But slowly she came when Aidoneus called her. +Then with joy Orpheus took her hands. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> It would be granted them—no mortal ever gained such +privilege before—to leave, both together, the world of the dead, +and to abide for another space in the world of the living. One +condition there would be—that on their way up through the +valley of Acherusia neither Orpheus nor Eurydice should look +back. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They went through the gate and came amongst the watchers +that are around the portals. These showed them the path that +went up through the valley of Acherusia. That way they went, +Orpheus and Eurydice, he going before her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Up and up through the darkened ways they went, Orpheus +knowing that Eurydice was behind him, but never looking back +upon her. But as he went, his heart was filled with things to +tell—how the trees were blossoming in the garden she had left; +how the water was sparkling in the fountain; how the doors of +the house stood open, and how they, sitting together, would +watch the sunlight on the laurel bushes. All these things were +in his heart to tell her, to tell her who came behind him, silent +and unseen. +<pb n="272"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And now they were nearing the place where the valley of +Acherusia opened on the world of the living. Orpheus looked on +the blue of the sky. A white-winged bird flew by. Orpheus +turned around and cried, <q>O Eurydice, look upon the world +that I have won you back to!</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He turned to say this to her. He saw her with her long +dark hair and pale face. He held out his arms to clasp her. +But in that instant she slipped back into the depths of the +valley. And all he heard spoken was a single word, <q>Farewell!</q> +Long, long had it taken Eurydice to climb so far, but +in the moment of his turning around she had fallen back to her +place amongst the dead. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Down through the valley of Acherusia Orpheus went again. +Again he came before the watchers of the gate. But now he +was not looked at nor listened to, and, hopeless, he had to return +to the world of the living. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The birds were his friends now, and the trees and the stones. +The birds flew around him and mourned with him; the trees +and stones often followed him, moved by the music of his lyre. +But a savage band slew Orpheus and threw his severed head +and his lyre into the River Hebrus. It is said by the poets that +while they floated in midstream the lyre gave out some mournful +notes and the head of Orpheus answered the notes with song. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And now that he was no longer to be counted with the living, +Orpheus went down to the world of the dead, not going now +by that steep descent through the valley of Acherusia, but going +<pb n="273"/> +down straightway. The silent watchers let him pass, and he +went amongst the dead and saw his Eurydice in the throng. +Again they were together, Orpheus and Eurydice, and as they +went through the place that King Aidoneus ruled over, they had +no fear of looking back, one upon the other. +</p></div><div><index index="toc"/><index index='pdf'/><head>VII. Jason and Medea</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capJ.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">J</hi>ASON and Medea, unable to win to Iolcus, +stayed at Corinth, at the court of King +Creon. Creon was proud to have Jason in +his city, but of Medea the king was fearful, +for he had heard how she had brought +about the death of Apsyrtus, her brother. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea wearied of this long waiting in +the palace of King Creon. A longing came upon her to exercise +her powers of enchantment. She did not forget what +Queen Arete had said to her—that if she wished to appease +the wrath of the gods she should have no more to do with +enchantments. She did not forget this, but still there grew in +her a longing to use all her powers of enchantment. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And Jason, at the court of King Creon, had his longings, too. +He longed to enter Iolcus and to show the people the Golden +Fleece that he had won; he longed to destroy Pelias, the murderer +<pb n="274"/> +of his mother and father; above all he longed to be a +king, and to rule in the kingdom that Cretheus had founded. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Once Jason spoke to Medea of his longing. <q>O Jason,</q> Medea +said, <q>I have done many things for thee and this thing also I +will do. I will go into Iolcus, and by my enchantments I will +make clear the way for the return of the <emph>Argo</emph> and for thy +return with thy comrades—yea, and for thy coming to the +kingship, O Jason.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He should have remembered then the words of Queen Arete +to Medea, but the longing that he had for his triumph and his +revenge was in the way of his remembering. He said, <q>O Medea, +help me in this with all thine enchantments and thou wilt be +more dear to me than ever before thou wert.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea then went forth from the palace of King Creon and +she made more terrible spells than ever she had made in Colchis. +All night she stayed in a tangled place weaving her spells. +Dawn came, and she knew that the spells she had woven had +not been in vain, for beside her there stood a car that was +drawn by dragons. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea the Enchantress had never looked on these dragon +shapes before. When she looked upon them now she was fearful +of them. But then she said to herself, <q>I am Medea, and +I would be a greater enchantress and a more cunning woman +than I have been, and what I have thought of, that will I carry +out.</q> She mounted the car drawn by the dragons, and in the +first light of the day she went from Corinth. + + + +<pb n="275"/> +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i043.png"><anchor id="i043.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> To the places where grew the herbs of magic Medea journeyed +in her dragon-drawn car—to the Mountains Ossa, Pelion, +Œthrys, Pindus, and Olympus; then to the rivers Apidanus, +Enipeus, and Peneus. She gathered herbs on the mountains +and grasses on the rivers’ banks; some she plucked up by the +roots and some she cut with the curved blade of a knife. +When she had gathered these herbs and grasses she went +back to Corinth on her dragon-drawn car. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Jason saw her; pale and drawn was her face, and her +eyes were strange and gleaming. He saw her standing by the +car drawn by the dragons, and a terror of Medea came into his +mind. He went toward her, but in a harsh voice she bade +him not come near to disturb the brewing that she was going +to begin. Jason turned away. As he went toward the palace +he saw Glauce, King Creon’s daughter; the maiden was coming +from the well and she carried a pitcher of water. He thought +how fair Glauce looked in the light of the morning, how the +wind played with her hair and her garments, and how far away +she was from witcheries and enchantments. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> As for Medea, she placed in a heap beside her the magic +herbs and grasses she had gathered. Then she put them in +a bronze pot and boiled them in water from the stream. Soon +froth came on the boiling, and Medea stirred the pot with a +withered branch of an apple tree. The branch was withered—it +was indeed no more than a dry stick, but as she stirred the +herbs and grasses with it, first leaves, then flowers, and lastly, +<pb n="276"/> +bright gleaming apples came on it. And when the pot boiled +over and drops from it fell upon the ground, there grew up out +of the dry earth soft grasses and flowers. Such was the power +of renewal that was in the magical brew that Medea had made. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She filled a phial with the liquid she had brewed, and she +scattered the rest in the wild places of the garden. Then, +taking the phial and the apples that had grown on the withered +branch, she mounted the car drawn by the dragons, and she went +once more from Corinth. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> On she journeyed in her dragon-drawn car until she came to +a place that was near to Iolcus. There the dragons descended. +They had come to a dark pool. Medea, making herself naked, +stood in that dark pool. For a while she looked down upon +herself, seeing in the dark water her white body and her lovely +hair. Then she bathed herself in the water. Soon a dread +change came over her: she saw her hair become scant and +gray, and she saw her body become bent and withered. She +stepped out of the pool a withered and witchlike woman; when +she dressed herself the rich clothes that she had worn before +hung loosely upon her, and she looked the more forbidding +because of them. She bade the dragons go, and they flew +through the air with the empty car. Then she hid in her dress +the phial with the liquid she had brewed and the apples that +had grown upon the withered branch. She picked up a stick +to lean upon, and with the gait of an ancient woman she went +hobbling upon the road to Iolcus. +<pb n="277"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> On the streets of the city the fierce fighting men that Pelias +had brought down from the mountains showed themselves; few +of the men or women of the city showed themselves even in the +daytime. Medea went through the city and to the palace of +King Pelias. But no one might enter there, and the guards +laid hands upon her and held her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea did not struggle with them. She drew from the folds +of her dress one of the gleaming apples that she carried and +she gave it to one of the guards. <q>It is for King Pelias,</q> she +said. <q>Give the apple to him and then do with me as the king +would have you do.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The guards brought the gleaming apple to the king. When +he had taken it into his hand and had smelled its fragrance, +old trembling Pelias asked where the apple had come from. +The guards told him it had been brought by an ancient +woman who was now outside seated on a stone in the courtyard. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> He looked on the shining apple and he felt its fragrance and +he could not help thinking, old trembling Pelias, that this apple +might be the means of bringing him back to the fullness of health +and courage that he had had before. He sent for the ancient +woman who had brought it that she might tell him where it +had come from and who it was that had sent it to him. Then +the guards brought Medea before him. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She saw an old man, white-faced and trembling, with shaking +hands and eyes that looked on her fearfully. <q>Who are you,</q> +<pb n="278"/> +he asked, <q>and from whence came the apple that you had them +bring me?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea, standing before him, looked a withered and shrunken +beldame, a woman bent with years, but yet with eyes that were +bright and living. She came near him and she said: <q>The +apple, O King, came from the garden that is watched over by +the Daughters of the Evening Land. He who eats it has a little +of the weight of old age taken from him. But things more wonderful +even than the shining apples grow in that far garden. +There are plants there the juices of which make youthful again +all aged and failing things. The apple would bring you a little +way toward the vigor of your prime. But the juices I have can +bring you to a time more wonderful—back even to the strength +and the glory of your youth.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> When the king heard her say this a light came into his heavy +eyes, and his hands caught Medea and drew her to him. <q>Who +are you?</q> he cried, <q>who speak of the garden watched over +by the Daughters of the Evening Land? Who are you who speak +of juices that can bring back one to the strength and glory of +his youth?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea answered: <q>I am a woman who has known many and +great griefs, O king. My griefs have brought me through the +world. Many have searched for the garden watched over by the +Daughters of the Evening Land, but I came to it unthinkingly, +and without wanting them I gathered the gleaming apples and +took from the plants there the juices that can bring youth back.</q> +<pb n="279"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Pelias said: <q>If you have been able to come by those juices, +how is it that you remain in woeful age and decrepitude?</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She said: <q>Because of my many griefs, king, I would not +renew my life. I would be ever nearer death and the end of +all things. But you are a king and have all things you desire +at your hand—beauty and state and power. Surely if any one +would desire it, you would desire to have youth back to you.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Pelias, when he heard her say this, knew that besides youth +there was nothing that he desired. After crimes that had gone +through the whole of his manhood he had secured for himself +the kingdom that Cretheus had founded. But old age had +come on him, and the weakness of old age, and the power he +had won was falling from his hands. He would be overthrown +in his weakness, or else he would soon come to die, and there +would be an end then to his name and to his kingship. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> How fortunate above all kings he would be, he thought, if it +could be that some one should come to him with juices that +would renew his youth! He looked longingly into the eyes of +the ancient-seeming woman before him, and he said: <q>How +is it that you show no gains from the juices that you speak of? +You are old and in woeful decrepitude. Even if you would +not win back to youth you could have got riches and state for +that which you say you possess.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Medea said: <q>I have lost so much and have suffered +so much that I would not have youth back at the price of facing +the years. I would sink down to the quiet of the grave. But +<pb n="280"/> +I hope for some ease before I die—for the ease that is in king’s +houses, with good food to eat, and rest, and servants to wait +upon one’s aged body. These are the things I desire, O Pelias, +even as you desire youth. You can give me such things, and I +have come to you who desire youth eagerly rather than to kings +who have a less eager desire for it. To you I will give the juices +that bring one back to the strength and the glory of youth.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Pelias said: <q>I have only your word for it that you possess +these juices. Many there are who come and say deceiving +things to a king.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Said Medea: <q>Let there be no more words between us, O +king. To-morrow I will show you the virtue of the juices I +have brought with me. Have a great vat prepared—a vat +that a man could lay himself in with the water covering +him. Have this vat filled with water, and bring to it the oldest +creature you can get—a ram or a goat that is the oldest of +their flock. Do this, O king, and you will be shown a thing to +wonder at and to be hopeful over.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So Medea said, and then she turned around and left the +king’s presence. Pelias called to his guards and he bade them +take the woman into their charge and treat her considerately. +The guards took Medea away. Then all day the king mused +on what had been told him and a wild hope kept beating about +his heart. He had the servants prepare a great vat in the lower +chambers, and he had his shepherd bring him a ram that was +the oldest in the flock. +<pb n="281"/> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Only Medea was permitted to come into that chamber with +the king; the ways to it were guarded, and all that took place +in it was secret. Medea was brought to the closed door by +her guard. She opened it and she saw the king there and the +vat already prepared; she saw a ram tethered near the vat. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Medea looked upon the king. In the light of the torches his +face was white and fierce and his mouth moved gaspingly. +She spoke to him quietly, and said: <q>There is no need for you +to hear me speak. You will watch a great miracle, for behold! +the ram which is the oldest and feeblest in the flock will become +young and invigorated when it comes forth from this vat.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She untethered the ram, and with the help of Pelias drew it +to the vat. This was not hard to do, for the beast was very +feeble; its feet could hardly bear it upright, its wool was yellow +and stayed only in patches on its shrunken body. Easily the +beast was forced into the vat. Then Medea drew the phial out +of her bosom and poured into the water some of the brew she +had made in Creon’s garden in Corinth. The water in the vat +took on a strange bubbling, and the ram sank down. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then Medea, standing beside the vat, sang an incantation. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <q>O Earth,</q> she sang, <q>O Earth who dost provide wise men +with potent herbs, O Earth help me now. I am she who can +drive the clouds; I am she who can dispel the winds; I am she +who can break the jaws of serpents with my incantations; I +am she who can uproot living trees and rocks; who can make +the mountains shake; who can bring the ghosts from their +<pb n="282"/> +tombs. O Earth, help me now.</q> At this strange incantation +the mixture in the vat boiled and bubbled more and more. +Then the boiling and bubbling ceased. Up to the surface came +the ram. Medea helped it to struggle out of the vat, and +then it turned and smote the vat with its head. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Pelias took down a torch and stood before the beast. Vigorous +indeed was the ram, and its wool was white and grew evenly +upon it. They could not tether it again, and when the servants +were brought into the chamber it took two of them to drag +away the ram. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The king was most eager to enter the vat and have Medea +put in the brew and speak the incantation over it. But Medea +bade him wait until the morrow. All night the king lay awake, +thinking of how he might regain his youth and his strength and +be secure and triumphant thereafter. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> At the first light he sent for Medea and he told her that he +would have the vat made ready and that he would go into it +that night. Medea looked upon him, and the helplessness that +he showed made her want to work a greater evil upon him, or, +if not upon him, upon his house. How soon it would have +reached its end, all her plot for the destruction of this king! +But she would leave in the king’s house a misery that would +not have an end so soon. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So she said to the king: <q>I would say the incantation over a +beast of the field, but over a king I could not say it. Let those +of your own blood be with you when you enter the vat that +<pb n="283"/> +will bring such change to you. Have your daughters there. +I will give them the juice to mix in the vat, and I will teach them +the incantation that has to be said.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> So she said, and she made Pelias consent to having his daughters +and not Medea in the chamber of the vat. They were sent for +and they came before Medea, the daughters of King Pelias. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> They were women who had been borne down by the tyranny +of their father; they stood before him now, two dim-eyed creatures, +very feeble and fearful. To them Medea gave the phial +that had in it the liquid to mix in the vat; also she taught +them the words of the incantation, but she taught them to use +these words wrongly. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The vat was prepared in the lower chambers; Pelias and his +daughters went there, and the chamber was guarded, and what +happened there was in secret. Pelias went into the vat; the +brew was thrown into it, and the vat boiled and bubbled as +before. Pelias sank down in it. Over him then his daughters +said the magic words as Medea had taught them. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Pelias sank down, but he did not rise again. The hours went +past and the morning came, and the daughters of King Pelias +raised frightened laments. Over the sides of the vat the mixture +boiled and bubbled, and Pelias was to be seen at the bottom +with his limbs stiffened in death. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then the guards came, and they took King Pelias out of the +vat and left him in his royal chamber. The word went through +the palace that the king was dead. There was a hush in the +<pb n="284"/> +palace then, but not the hush of grief. One by one servants +and servitors stole away from the palace that was hated by all. +Then there was clatter in the streets as the fierce fighting men +from the mountains galloped away with what plunder they +could seize. And through all this the daughters of King Pelias +sat crouching in fear above the body of their father. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And Medea, still an ancient woman seemingly, went through +the crowds that now came on the streets of the city. She told +those she went amongst that the son of Æson was alive and +would soon be in their midst. Hearing this the men of the +city formed a council of elders to rule the people until Jason’s +coming. In such way Medea brought about the end of King +Pelias’s reign. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> In triumph she went through the city. But as she was passing +the temple her dress was caught and held, and turning +around she faced the ancient priestess of Artemis, Iphias. <q>Thou +art Æetes’s daughter,</q> Iphias said, <q>who in deceit didst come +into Iolcus. Woe to thee and woe to Jason for what thou hast +done this day! Not for the slaying of Pelias art thou blameworthy, +but for the misery that thou hast brought upon his +daughters by bringing them into the guilt of the slaying. Go +from the city, daughter of King Æetes; never, never wilt thou +come back into it.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> But little heed did Medea pay to the ancient priestess, Iphias. +Still in the guise of an old woman she went through the streets +of the city, and out through the gate and along the highway + + + +<pb n="285"/> +that led from Iolcus. To that dark pool she came where she +had bathed herself before. But now she did not step into the +pool nor pour its water over her shrinking flesh; instead she +built up two altars of green sods—an altar to Youth and an +altar to Hecate, queen of the witches; she wreathed them with +green boughs from the forest, and she prayed before each. Then +she made herself naked, and she anointed herself with the brew +she had made from the magical herbs and grasses. All marks +of age and decrepitude left her, and when she stood over the dark +pool and looked down on herself she saw that her body was white +and shapely as before, and that her hair was soft and lovely. +</p> +<p rend="text-align: center"><figure rend="width: 100%" url="images/i044.png"><anchor id="i044.png"/><index index="fig"/><head/><figDesc>Illustration</figDesc></figure></p> +<p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> She stayed all night between the tangled wood and the dark +pool, and with the first light the car drawn by the scaly dragons +came to her. She mounted the car, and she journeyed back to +Corinth. +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Into Jason’s mind a fear of Medea had come since the hour +when he had seen her mount the car drawn by the scaly dragons. +He could not think of her any more as the one who had been +his companion on the <emph>Argo</emph>. He thought of her as one who could +help him and do wonderful things for him, but not as one whom +he could talk softly and lovingly to. Ah, but if Jason had thought +less of his kingdom and less of his triumphing with the Fleece of +Gold, Medea would not have had the dragons come to her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And now that his love for Medea had altered, Jason noted the +loveliness of another—of Glauce, the daughter of Creon, the +<pb n="286"/> +King of Corinth. And Glauce, who had red lips and the eyes +of a child, saw in Jason who had brought the Golden Fleece +out of Colchis the image of every hero she had heard about in +stories. Creon, the king, often brought Jason and Glauce together, +for his hope was that the hero would wed his daughter +and stay in Corinth and strengthen his kingdom. He thought +that Medea, that strange woman, could not keep a companionship +with Jason. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Two were walking in the king’s garden, and they were Jason +and Glauce. A shadow fell between them, and when Jason +looked up he saw Medea’s dragon car. Down flew the dragons, +and Medea came from the car and stood between Jason and +the princess. Angrily she spoke to him. <q>I have made the +kingdom ready for your return,</q> she said, <q>but if you would +go there you must first let me deal in my own way with this +pretty maiden.</q> And so fiercely did Medea look upon her that +Glauce shrank back and clung to Jason for protection. <q>O, +Jason,</q> she cried, <q>thou didst say that I am such a one as thou +didst dream of when in the forest with Chiron, before the adventure +of the Golden Fleece drew thee away from the Grecian +lands. Oh, save me now from the power of her who comes in +the dragon car.</q> And Jason said: <q>I said all that thou hast +said, and I will protect thee, O Glauce.</q> +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And then Medea thought of the king’s house she had left for +Jason, and of the brother whom she had let be slain, and of the +plot she had carried out to bring Jason back to Iolcus, and a +<pb n="287"/> +great fury came over her. In her hand she took foam from the +jaws of the dragons, and she cast the foam upon Glauce, and +the princess fell back into the arms of Jason with the dragon +foam burning into her. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Then, seeing in his eyes that he had forgotten all that he +owed to her—the winning of the Golden Fleece, and the safety +of <emph>Argo</emph>, and the destruction of the power of King Pelias—seeing +in his eyes that Jason had forgotten all this, Medea went +into her dragon-borne car and spoke the words that made the +scaly dragons bear her aloft. She flew from Corinth, leaving +Jason in King Creon’s garden with Glauce dying in his arms. +He lifted her up and laid her upon a bed, but even as her friends +came around her the daughter of King Creon died. +<pb n="288"/> +</p><milestone unit="tb"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> <figure rend="float: left; margin-top: 0em; margin-bottom: 0em; x-class: deco-letter;" url="images/capA2.png"><figDesc>Decorative first letter</figDesc></figure><hi rend="font-variant: small-caps; color:white; margin-left: -1em">A</hi>ND Jason? For long he stayed in +Corinth, a famous man indeed, but one +sorrowful and alone. But again there +grew in him the desire to rule and to have +possessions. He called around him again +the men whose home was in Iolcus—those +who had followed him as bright-eyed +youths when he first proclaimed his purpose of winning the Fleece +of Gold. He called them around him, and he led them on board +the <emph>Argo</emph>. Once more they lifted sails, and once more they took +the <emph>Argo</emph> into the open sea. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Toward Iolcus they sailed; their passage was fortunate, and +in a short time they brought the <emph>Argo</emph> safely into the harbor +of Pagasæ. Oh, happy were the crowds that came thronging +to see the ship that had the famous Fleece of Gold upon her +masthead, and green and sweet smelling were the garlands that +the people brought to wreathe the heads of Jason and his companions! +Jason looked upon the throngs, and he thought that +much had gone from him, but he thought that whatever else +had gone something remained to him—to be a king and a +great ruler over a people. +</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And so Jason came back to Iolcus. The <emph>Argo</emph> he made a +blazing pile of in sacrifice to Poseidon, the god of the sea. The +Golden Fleece he hung in the temple of the gods. Then he took +up the rule of the kingdom that Cretheus had founded, and he +became the greatest of the kings of Greece. +</p><pb n="289"/><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> And to Iolcus there came, year after year, young men who +would look upon the gleaming thing that was hung there in +the temple of the gods. And as they looked upon it, young +man after young man, the thought would come to each that he +would make himself strong enough and heroic enough to win for +his country something as precious as Jason’s <hi rend="font-variant: small-caps">Golden Fleece</hi>. +And for all their lives they kept in mind the words that Jason +had inscribed upon a pillar that was placed beside the Fleece +of Gold—the words that Triton spoke to the Argonauts when +they were fain to win their way out of the inland sea:— +</p><q rend="display"> +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. +BUT GO IN JOY, AND AS FOR LABOR LET THERE BE NO +GRIEVING THAT LIMBS IN YOUTHFUL VIGOR SHOULD +STILL TOIL. +</q></div></div></body><back><div rend="page-break-before: right; x-class: boxed"><head>Transcriber’s Note</head><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> The book received a Newbery Honor Award (1922).</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Illustrations in the original appear on separate, unnumbered pages. In this transcription, wherever an illustration would break a paragraph, it was moved after the paragraph.</p><p rend="margin-bottom: 0em;"> Obvious typographical errors were silently corrected.</p></div><div rend="page-break-before: right"><divGen type="pgfooter"/></div></back></text> + +</TEI.2> |