Argonauts (Greek mythology); Jason -- (Mythological character); Medea, consort of Aegeus, King of Athens (Mythological character)
And now her handmaids, glancing at them from a distance, were grieving
in silence; and the time of day required that the maiden should return
home to her mother's side. But she thought not yet of departing, for her
soul delighted both in his beauty and in his winsome words, but Aeson's
son took heed, and spake at last, though late: "It is time to depart,
lest the sunlight sink before we know it, and some stranger notice all;
but again will we come and meet here."
So did they two make trial of one another thus far with gentle words;
and thereafter parted. Jason hastened to return in joyous mood to his
comrades and the ship, she to her handmaids; and they all together came
near to meet her, but she marked them not at all as they thronged
around. For her soul had soared aloft amid the clouds. And her feet of
their own accord mounted the swift chariot, and with one hand she took
the reins, and with the other the whip of cunning workmanship, to drive
the mules; and they rushed hasting to the city and the palace. And when
she was come Chalciope in grief for her sons questioned her; but Medea,
distraught by swiftly-changing thoughts, neither heard her words nor was
eager to speak in answer to her questions. But she sat upon a low stool
at the foot of her couch, bending down, her cheek leaning on her left
hand, and her eyes were wet with tears as she pondered what an evil deed
she had taken part in by her counsels.
Now when Aeson's son had joined his comrades again in the spot where he
had left them when he departed, he set out to go with them, telling them
all the story, to the gathering of the heroes; and together they
approached the ship. And when they saw Jason they embraced him and
questioned him. And he told to all the counsels of the maiden and showed
the dread charm; but Idas alone of his comrades sat apart biting down
his wrath; and the rest joyous in heart, at the hour when the darkness
of night stayed them, peacefully took thought for themselves. But at
daybreak they sent two men to go to Aeetes and ask for the seed, first
Telamon himself, dear to Ares, and with him Aethalides, Hermes' famous
son. So they went and made no vain journey; but when they came, lordly
Aeetes gave them for the contest the fell teeth of the Aonian dragon
which Cadmus found in Ogygian Thebes when he came seeking for Europa and
there slew--the warder of the spring of Ares. There he settled by the
guidance of the heifer whom Apollo by his prophetic word granted him to
lead him on his way. But the teeth the Tritonian goddess tore away from
the dragon's jaws and bestowed as a gift upon Aeetes and the slayer. And
Agenor's son, Cadmus, sowed them on the Aonian plains and founded an
earthborn people of all who were left from the spear when Ares did the
reaping; and the teeth Aeetes then readily gave to be borne to the ship,
for he deemed not that Jason would bring the contest to an end, even
though he should cast the yoke upon the oxen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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