Argonauts (Greek mythology); Jason -- (Mythological character); Medea, consort of Aegeus, King of Athens (Mythological character)
Thus Argo cried through the darkness; and the sons of Tyndareus uprose,
and lifted their hands to the immortals praying for each boon: but
dejection held the rest of the Minyan heroes. And far on sped Argo under
sail, and entered deep into the stream of Eridanus; where once, smitten
on the breast by the blazing bolt, Phaëthon half-consumed fell from the
chariot of Helios into the opening of that deep lake; and even now it
belcheth up heavy steam clouds from the smouldering wound. And no bird
spreading its light wings can cross that water; but in mid-course it
plunges into the flame, fluttering. And all around the maidens, the
daughters of Helios, enclosed in tall poplars, wretchedly wail a piteous
plaint; and from their eyes they shed on the ground bright drops of
amber. These are dried by the sun upon the sand; but whenever the waters
of the dark lake flow over the strand before the blast of the wailing
wind, then they roll on in a mass into Eridanus with swelling tide. But
the Celts have attached this story to them, that these are the tears of
Leto's son, Apollo, that are borne along by the eddies, the countless
tears that he shed aforetime when he came to the sacred race of the
Hyperboreans and left shining heaven at the chiding of his father, being
in wrath concerning his son whom divine Coronis bare in bright Lacereia
at the mouth of Amyrus. And such is the story told among these men. But
no desire for food or drink seized the heroes nor were their thoughts
turned to joy. But they were sorely afflicted all day, heavy and faint
at heart, with the noisome stench, hard to endure, which the streams of
Eridanus sent forth from Phaethon still burning; and at night they heard
the piercing lament of the daughters of Helios, wailing with shrill
voice; and, as they lamented, their tears were borne on the water like
drops of oil.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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