Then Orpheus sighed, “Have I not had enough of toil and of weary wandering far and wide since I lived in Chiron’s cave, above Iolcos by the sea? In vain is the skill and the voice which my goddess mother gave me; in vain have I sung and labored; in vain I went down to the dead, and charmed all the kings of Hades, to win back Eurydice my bride. For I won her, my beloved, and lost her again the same day, and wandered away in my madness, even to Egypt and the Libyan sands, and the isles of all the seas, driven on by the terrible gadfly, while I charmed in vain the hearts of men, and the savage forest beasts, and the trees, and the lifeless stones, with my magic harp and song, giving rest, but finding none. But at last Calliope, my mother, delivered me and brought me home in peace; and I dwell here in the cave alone, among the savage Cicon tribes, softening their wild hearts with music and the gentle laws of Jupiter. And now I must go out again to the ends of all the earth, far away into the misty darkness, to the last wave of the Eastern sea. But what is doomed must be, and a friend’s demand obeyed; for prayers are the daughters of Jupiter, and who honors them honors him.” Then Orpheus rose up sighing, and took his harp, and went over Strymon. And he led Jason to the southwest, up the banks of Haliacmon and over the spurs of Pindus, to Dodona the town of Jupiter, where it stood by the side of the sacred lake, and the fountain which breathed out fire, in the darkness of the ancient oak-wood, beneath the mountain of the hundred springs. And he led them to the Talking Oak, where the black dove settled in old times, and was changed into the priestess of Jupiter, and gave oracles to all nations round. And he bade him cut down a bough, and sacrifice to Juno and to Jupiter, and they took the bough and came to Iolcos, and nailed it to the beakhead of the ship. At last the ship was finished and they tried to launch her down the beach; but she was too heavy for them to move her, and her keel sank deep into the sand. Then all the heroes looked at each other blushing; but Jason spoke and said, “Let us ask the magic bough; perhaps it can help us in our need.” Then a voice came from the bough, and Jason heard the words it said, and bade Orpheus play upon the harp, while the heroes waited round, holding the pine-trunk rollers, to help her toward the sea. So Orpheus took his harp, and began his magic song: “How sweet it is to ride upon the surges, and to leap from wave to wave, while the wind sings cheerful in the cordage, and the oars flash fast among the foam! How sweet it is to roam across the ocean, and see new towns and wondrous lands, and to come home laden with treasure, and to win undying fame!”