Argonauts (Greek mythology); Jason -- (Mythological character); Medea, consort of Aegeus, King of Athens (Mythological character)
There is a lofty island inside the Propontis, a short distance from the
Phrygian mainland with its rich cornfields, sloping to the sea, where an
isthmus in front of the mainland is flooded by the waves, so low does it
lie. And the isthmus has double shores, and they lie beyond the river
Aesepus, and the inhabitants round about call the island the Mount of
Bears. And insolent and fierce men dwell there, Earthborn, a great
marvel to the neighbours to behold; for each one has six mighty hands to
lift up, two from his sturdy shoulders, and four below, fitting close to
his terrible sides. And about the isthmus and the plain the Doliones had
their dwelling, and over them Cyzicus son of Aeneus was king, whom
Aenete the daughter of goodly Eusorus bare. But these men the Earthborn
monsters, fearful though they were, in nowise harried, owing to the
protection of Poseidon; for from him had the Doliones first sprung.
Thither Argo pressed on, driven by the winds of Thrace, and the Fair
haven received her as she sped. There they cast away their small
anchorstone by the advice of Tiphys and left it beneath a fountain, the
fountain of Artacie; and they took another meet for their purpose, a
heavy one; but the first, according to the oracle of the Far-Darter, the
Ionians, sons of Neleus, in after days laid to be a sacred stone, as was
right, in the temple of Jasonian Athena.
Now the Doliones and Cyzicus himself all came together to meet them with
friendliness, and when they knew of the quest and their lineage welcomed
them with hospitality, and persuaded them to row further and to fasten
their ship's hawsers at the city harbour. Here they built an altar to
Ecbasian[1] Apollo and set it up on the beach, and gave heed to
sacrifices. And the king of his own bounty gave them sweet wine and
sheep in their need; for he had heard a report that whenever a godlike
band of heroes should come, straightway he should meet it with gentle
words and should have no thought of war. As with Jason, the soft down
was just blooming on his chin, nor yet had it been his lot to rejoice in
children, but still in his palace his wife was untouched by the pangs of
child-birth, the daughter of Percosian Merops, fair-haired Cleite, whom
lately by priceless gifts he had brought from her father's home from the
mainland opposite. But even so he left his chamber and bridal bed and
prepared a banquet among the strangers, casting all fears from his
heart. And they questioned one another in turn. Of them would he learn
the end of their voyage and the injunctions of Pelias; while they
enquired about the cities of the people round and all the gulf of the
wide Propontis; but further he could not tell them for all their desire
to learn. In the morning they climbed mighty Dindymum that they might
themselves behold the various paths of that sea; and they brought their
ship from its former anchorage to the harbour, Chytus; and the path they
trod is named the path of Jason.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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