Argonauts (Greek mythology); Jason -- (Mythological character); Medea, consort of Aegeus, King of Athens (Mythological character)
[Footnote 1: i.e. god of disembarcation.]
But the Earthborn men on the other side rushed down from the mountain
and with crags below blocked up the mouth of vast Chytus towards the
sea, like men lying in wait for a wild beast within. But there Heracles
had been left behind with the younger heroes and he quickly bent his
back-springing bow against the monsters and brought them to earth one
after another; and they in their turn raised huge ragged rocks and
hurled them. For these dread monsters too, I ween, the goddess Hera,
bride of Zeus, had nurtured to be a trial for Heracles. And therewithal
came the rest of the martial heroes returning to meet the foe before
they reached the height of outlook, and they fell to the slaughter of
the Earthborn, receiving them with arrows and spears until they slew
them all as they rushed fiercely to battle. And as when woodcutters cast
in rows upon the beach long trees just hewn down by their axes, in order
that, once sodden with brine, they may receive the strong bolts; so
these monsters at the entrance of the foam-fringed harbour lay stretched
one after another, some in heaps bending their heads and breasts into
the salt waves with their limbs spread out above on the land; others
again were resting their heads on the sand of the shore and their feet
in the deep water, both alike a prey to birds and fishes at once.
But the heroes, when the contest was ended without fear, loosed the
ship's hawsers to the breath of the wind and pressed on through the
sea-swell. And the ship sped on under sail all day; but when night came
the rushing wind did not hold steadfast, but contrary blasts caught them
and held them back till they again approached the hospitable Doliones.
And they stepped ashore that same night; and the rock is still called
the Sacred Rock round which they threw the ship's hawsers in their
haste. Nor did anyone note with care that it was the same island; nor in
the night did the Doliones clearly perceive that the heroes were
returning; but they deemed that Pelasgian war-men of the Macrians had
landed. Therefore they donned their armour and raised their hands
against them. And with clashing of ashen spears and shields they fell on
each other, like the swift rush of fire which falls on dry brushwood and
rears its crest; and the din of battle, terrible and furious, fell upon
the people of the Doliones. Nor was the king to escape his fate and
return home from battle to his bridal chamber and bed. But Aeson's son
leapt upon him as he turned to face him, and smote him in the middle of
the breast, and the bone was shattered round the spear; he rolled
forward in the sand and filled up the measure of his fate. For that no
mortal may escape; but on every side a wide snare encompasses us. And
so, when he thought that he had escaped bitter death from the chiefs,
fate entangled him that very night in her toils while battling with
them; and many champions withal were slain; Heracles killed Telecles and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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