Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 02
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Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 02
Literature -- Collections
The heroes came first to Lemnos, where the women had risen in revolt and
slain fathers, brothers, and husbands. Here the voyagers lingered almost
a year; but at last, having taken leave, they came to the southern coast
of Propontis, where the Doliones dwelt under King Cyzicus. Their kind
entertainment among this people was marred by ill-fate; for having
weighed anchor in the night, they were driven back by a storm, and being
mistaken for foes, were fiercely attacked. Cyzicus himself fell by the
hand of Jason. They next touched at the country of the Bebrycians, where
the hero Pollux overcame the king in a boxing-match and bound him to a
tree; and thence to Salmydessus, to consult the soothsayer Phineus. In
gratitude for their freeing him from the Harpies, who, as often as his
table was set, descended out of the clouds upon his food and defiled it,
the prophet directed them safe to Colchis. The heroes rowing with might,
thus passed the Symplegades, two cliffs which opened and shut with such
swift violence that a bird could scarce fly through the passage. The
rocks were held apart with the help of Athena, and from that day they
became fixed and harmless. Further on, they came in sight of Mount
Caucasus, saw the eagle which preyed on the vitals of Prometheus, and
heard the sufferer's woeful cries. So their journey was accomplished,
and they arrived at Æa, and the palace of King Æetes.
When the king heard the errand of the heroes he was moved against them,
and refused to give up the fleece except on terms which he thought
Jason durst not comply with. Two bulls, snorting fire, with feet of
brass, Jason was required to yoke, and with them plow a field and sow
the land with dragon's teeth. Here the heavenly powers came to the
hero's aid, and Hera and Athena prayed Aphrodite to send the shaft of
Cupid upon Medea, the youthful daughter of the king. Thus it came about
that Medea conceived a great passion for the young hero, and with the
magic which she knew she made for him a salve. The salve rendered his
body invulnerable. He yoked the bulls, and ploughed the field, and sowed
the dragon's teeth. A crop of armed men sprang from the sowing, but
Jason, prepared for this marvel by Medea, threw among them a stone which
she had given him, whereupon they fell upon and slew one another.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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