FOREWORD
THIS is a tale of heroes and their fearless deeds, of
grievous wrongs not wholly righted, and of a strange
first voyage through perilous seas. Whether it be true
or untrue, of that you must judge for yourselves; but
it is not very different from certain old, old stories
which wise men once believed and which poets and
scholars have repeated in many varying forms. When you
have read it, you surely will agree that the heroes
performed their parts with courage and right good will,
as manful men would act when moved by adventurous and
worthy aims. They lived when the world was in its
childhood and life was a wondrous holiday. Therefore
they aw in earth and air many strange and awe-inspiring
things invisible to us of this workaday age, and they
were stirred by heroic impulses unknown to men whose
lives are cast in these later times of science and
unpoetic fact.
6
THE GOLDEN FLEECE
AD VENTURE I
DRIVEN INTO EXILE
THERE was in Greece a very old city called Orchomenus,
which was famous for neither its houses nor its walls,
but for its men. It had been built in the early days by
the Minyan folk, whom King lEolus had brought from a
distant land beyond the western mountains. /Eolus
himself had ruled over it many, many years, and the
people had prospered mightily and were happy.
But now the good king was dead, and his son, Athamas
the false-hearted, ruled in his stead. Things were no
longer as they should be in the ola city of the Minyx,
and men went about the streets with downcast eyes and
heavy hearts. For a beautiful woman, Ino of Thebes, had
bewitched King Athamas and so wrought upon his feeble
mind that it was her hand and not his that wielded the
power. The white-walled palace that had been the home
of joy and peace was now a place of confusion and
7
8	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
dread. The voices of strangers were heard in the halls.
The faces of those best loved by the Minya2 were no
longer seen.
To the lad Cretheus, the youngest of the sons of
JEolus, all this seemed unbearable. He missed the
friends of former days. He missed their loving service.
He shrank before the cold looks and harsh words that
greeted him day by day.
At length he said to his brother the king: " I have no
longer a home. I would rather go out into the great
woods and live with the wild things there than dwell in
this cheerless place."
The face of Athamas grew black with anger, and he
answered: " Begone, and be it so! Go, live with the
wild things, and let not to-morrow's sun see you within
the city walls."
The young prince had no mind to disobey. At the break
of day he set out, to journey he knew not whither. With
a stout stick in his hand and his father's sword by his
side, he went forth to seek his fortune among
strangers. Yet no fear had he of the end, for in those
early days no man nor boy knew what fear was.
Down the narrow streets of the Minyan city he strode,
whistling a careless tune and taking no thought of what
the day might bring to him. He neither paused nor
looked behind, for he knew that
DRIVEN INTO EXILE	9
evil eyes were watching him and that bitter hate was
tracking his footsteps.
The hour was yet early, and but few people were
stirring. Yet soon it was whispered that the young
prince had been driven from home and that even now he
was on his way to some distant land. But whither was he
bound ? Would he seek his fortune in the wild regions
of the West, or would he take ship and sail to the
pleasant islands of the eastern sea ? He himself could
not answer. He knew only that he was going away, and
that he would meet things as they came and trust to the
Mighty Ones for victory.
Young men watched him secretly from the street corners
and whispered, " Would that we might follow him !" And
one more daring than the rest called, " Let me be your
henchman."
Mothers and maidens peeping from their doorways
murmured, " May the Mighty Ones keep him safe from harm
!" But none dared call aloud or greet the young prince
openly, lest the spies of Athamas should hear. And to
none of them did Cretheus give any sign or answer, but
he strode straight onward along the way that led out to
the hills and the wild western woods.
As he drew near to the city gate he saw that which
pleased him much and brought back many
10	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
a pleasant memory. It was a shady grove where as a
child he had often played beneath the blossoming trees.
In this grove there was a little temple where men and
women prayed to Diana, the queen of hunters and of the
woods, and beyond it was a little meadow where yellow
daffodils were in bloom.
So peaceful seemed the place that Cretheus paused to
look. Then, remembering that he might need help when
journeying through savage places, he went in to pay his
duty to the huntress queen.
" 0 swift-footed one, who careth even for the beasts
and the birds in the pathless woods," he prayed, " be
thou my guide and protector as I pass alone through thy
wild domains."
As he raised his eyes he was aware that some one was
calling his name. He looked, and in the little meadow
behind the temple he saw a sight so strange that for a
moment he stood spellbound, unable to move or speak.
For there, grazing among the daffodils, stood a mighty
ram, the most wonderful that has ever lived. He was
large, so large that he seemed the king of all his
kind. His horns were of whitest ivory, and from his
shoulders grew two wings which looked as though wrought
of beaten gold. His fleece was the richest that men
have ever seen, for it was all of yellow gold, and it
grew in soft folds a hand's breadth in thick-
ness, like layers of finest lace doubled a thousand
times.
And who was the sad-faced shepherdess who stood beside
the ram and was at that moment calling the name of
Cretheus softly, as though in fear ?
Nephele was her name, and she was by right the queen of
the Minyan people. Until three months ago she was the
mistress of the white-walled palace, and she it was who
sat on the ivory throne by the side of false Athamas.
But now she was so changed that Cretheus scarcely knew
her. Quickly he bounded forward to greet her.
" 0 Nephele, fair sister," he cried, "who would have
thought to find you here ? Is this the task that my
cruel brother has imposed upon you ? "
" Speak softly, prince," said Nephele, " for even the
walls and trees have ears. It is indeed my task to care
for this noble beast, which Neptune, the lord of the
sea, presented to the king. Each day I bring him red
clover blossoms and sweet herbs and every dainty food.
I comb his wondrous fleece and polish his ivory horns.
And for my poor service he loves me. See him lick my
hand. Hear him bleat with joy as I speak his name. He
comes at my call. He obeys my slightest wish. I do
believe that he would go to the world's end for me if I
did but ask it."
I 2	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
" Surely he is a rare beast," said Cretheus, " but I
cannot stop to admire him. I am, like you, an outcast
from home. I have been bidden not to let the rising sun
find me within the city."
" Ah, brother," said Nephele, ". I would pity you, were
you not so strong and brave. Let us not judge King
Athamas too harshly. There was a time when he was
loving and true, a man of honor and fair fame. Then it
was that both you and I lived happily with our loved
ones in the white-walled palace that King iEolus
builded. But in an evil day came that dark-haired
beauty, Ino, the daughter of the Theban king, and then
all was changed."
" Call her not a beauty," cried young Cretheus; " call
her a wicked witch; for it was she who caused all our
woe. It was she who turned the heart of your husband
against you. It was she who drove you and your two
children out of house and home to toil in the fields
and eat the bread of strangers. And it is she who now
sits in your place on the ivory throne by the side of
the king."
" All that you say is true," answered Nephele, "and you
need not tell me that it is she also who drives you
into exile. Blame not King Athamas too harshly. He may
be weak, he may be false; but when he was himself he
was loving and kind."
DRIVEN INTO EXILE	13
" Yes, when he was himself," said Cretheus, bitterly. "
Yesterday I saw your son Phrixus, the lad who ought
some day to be king of the Minyx, pulling weeds in the
garden of his master. I saw also his sister, beautiful
little Helle, drudging in the kitchen of a sordid
farmer, and like any other slave shrinking and
shivering for fear of the lash. And yet you say that we
must not judge too harshly the father who has condemned
his children to this bondage. They told me that you
were helping the reapers in the wheat fields of the
king."
"So I was until ten days ago," answered Nephele. " But
when this ram was brought to Athamas from some strange
place across the sea and given to him in the name of
Neptune, there was no man among the Minyw who dared go
near him. Then Ino, thinking she might thus bring about
my death, whispered to the king, Let Nephele be the
shepherdess of this royal sheep !' The king consented,
and the ram, instead of trampling me under his feet,
welcomed me as his mistress. You know the rest."
" I know that evil shall not always prevail," said
Cretheus. " But see, the sun is rising and I must
hasten."
" Then go, young brother," said Nephele, " go out into
exile, and be strong. Win friends. Make your-
14	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
self a name. Afterwards, if the gods will it, come back
and avenge your wrongs and mine. Farewell."
She turned sadly away to gather sweet herbs for the
golden ram; and Cretheus, with a bold heart, resumed
his journey.
AD VENTURE II
THE FOREST JOURNEY
IT was indeed a savage land through which young
Cretheus journeyed. Day after day he wandered in the
wildwood, where the trees stood close together and the
sunlight scarcely found its way through the tangled
mass of leaves and branches. Day after day he toiled
along untraveled ways. He climbed hills and mountains.
He waded rivers. He lost himself in the silent places
of the forest.
Everywhere there were wild things. Wolves snarled at
him in the thickets. He startled the wild boar from its
lair. The mountain lion growled defiance as he passed.
Strange, uncanny creatures peered from their hiding
places among the rocks and trees.
Sometimes the lad fancied that he saw wood nymphs
dancing in some sunny glade, or horned satyrs with
cloven hoofs scampering across his pathway. But he was
not afraid; he was not so much as surprised. For, even
as he had said to King Athamas, life was pleasanter
with these creatures
15
THE GOLDEN FLEECE
than it had been in the white-walled palace with all
its confusion and cruel words.
As for food, there was no lack of wild fruits and juicy
nuts and the eggs of partridges and wood pigeons. When
Cretheus was thirsty, he drank from some gushing
spring. When darkness came, he found a bed of moss or
leaves under some sheltering tree, and slept without
thought of fear.
Thus, for many days, he journeyed, scarcely wishing to
reach any particular place, and yet feeling that he
must go forward, that he must find a country of busy
men and win a name among them. And so, although he was
never stirred by haste, a nameless something spurred
him on and would not let him tarry.
One day, in a wild glen among the mountains, he
suddenly heard the baying of hounds and the winding
notes of a hunting horn. In a moment a herd of deer
swept like a whirlwind past him, with the hounds close
on their track; and behind them followed, in swift
pursuit, a band of fleet-footed maidens more beautiful
than dreams had ever pictured.
So sudden and so dazzling was the vision that the lad
had scarcely time to look ere it had vanished. But, in
the forefront of the flying company, he was aware of
one maiden taller and fairer than the rest,
GOLDEN FLEECE - 2
18	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
so splendid in form and feature that no eyes could long
bear to look at her.
" It is the huntress queen ! " cried Cretheus,
joyfully. " It is Diana, the lady of the woods,— Diana,
the bright, the fair, the pure, — Diana, the matchless
mistress of the wild ! "
Already the sound of the chase had melted away in the
far distance; but the wild dash of the deer, the music
of the horn and hounds, the bewitching beauty of the
swift huntresses — what a peerless vision ! As,
nowadays, some grand old painting or some glorious
burst of music often lifts our thoughts and touches our
hearts, so did this vision fill the mind of the young
prince with noble aims and nameless longings never felt
before.
" I have been told," said he to himself, " that in
Dodona, the great father of gods and men whispers true
answers to the questions of earnest people who ask for
wisdom. I will seek him there. I will ask him what my
duty is, and then I will try to be something and
somebody."
So, with firmer steps than before, he went on his way,
shaping his course toward the northwest, where he knew
Dodona lay. Little by little the dense forest gave way
to more thinly wooded tracts and to flowery meadows
between the slopes of rugged
THE FOREST JOURNEY	19
hills. At length the woodland seemed to cease, and the
lad knew that he had reached the boundaries of the
famed Thessalian land. On his right, stretching for
miles and miles, was a vast level plain where droves of
wild horses roamed and fed, and knew neither bit nor
master. In the blue distance, the wooded slopes of
Mount Pelion showed dark against the morning sky, and
the gray sea lay silent in the sunlight. Cretheus gazed
long upon this scene, and as his eyes rested upon the
fertile land where as yet there were no dwellings, he
cried, " What a grand place in which to build a city
and found a kingdom !"
On his left the country was still broken and hilly, and
in the distance a long range of mountains rose to meet
the western sky. Thitherward the wanderer turned his
steps, for to reach Dodona he must cross these rugged
heights.
And now he was in the land of the Centaurs, the rough
riders of those ancient times, who dwelt in the
fastnesses of the hills, and pastured their herds on
the grassy plains. A strange, wise people were they,
and many were the strange stories that were told of
their cunning and their prowess. Seldom were they seen
except on horseback, and so skillful were they when
riding that man and beast seemed one; and therefore to
this day the Centaur is pic-
20	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
tured as human to the waist, but with the body and legs
of a horse.
Still farther on, where the mountains rose abrupt and
steep, the young prince came among the Lapiths, a rude
tribe, the remnants of an older race. They dwelt in
caves and in rude huts hidden deep among the rocks and
in the gorges where no foe might follow them. They were
stone throwers, hunters of birds and beasts, and
neither tilled the ground nor pastured flocks or herds.
Among all these wild, uncultured people, Cretheus
passed unharmed, as safe as he had been among the wild
creatures of the woods. Whether he sought shelter in
the but of a Centaur or paused for rest in the cave of
a Lapith, he was always welcome. He was given the
warmest seat by the fire; the best food that could be
procured was set before him; the softest bed was his.
For who among any of these ancient peoples would dare
to turn a stranger from his door, or treat him with
neglect ? That humble stranger, for aught they knew,
might be some Mighty One come down to live awhile with
men; he might, indeed, be great Jupiter himself, the
ruler of earth and sky. And so it was an unwritten law
among them to be always mindful of strangers; and this
law was enforced by their own kindness of heart.
			
	THE FOREST JOURNEY	21		
Thus the young traveler was helped on his journey, and
when he asked the way to Dodona, there were always
willing hands to point out the road.			
At length the ridge of the mountains was passed, and
the land began to slope the other way. Soon Cretheus
perceived that the streams flowed toward the west; the
air was milder; the fruits and flowers seemed more
abundant than before. The way was easier now, for each
step was downward.			
Suddenly, as the lad came out upon an open space, he
saw that which filled him with delight. Below him was a
broad plain with green fields of corn and many a
pleasant orchard; and not far away, nestling in a
narrow valley between overhanging hills, were the white
cottages of a little village. He knew at once that the
land before him was the ancient home of his race, and
he rightly guessed that the drowsy village in the
valley was none other than Dodona, the object of his
quest.			
With quickened steps he went forward, trilling a little
song of gladness because his long journey was nigh its
end. It was a perfect afternoon. The air was crisp and
bracing. The sun was none too warm. Soft breezes
floated up from the meadows. The birds were singing,
and the cicadas were re-			
22	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
hearsing their old, old tunes. Was it any wonder that
the tired young hero felt merry ?
But, ere he was halfway down into the valley, the face
of nature was changed. The sky was suddenly overcast.
In the west, black clouds arose and like moving
mountains rolled upward to the zenith. The sun was
hidden; dense shadows came hurtling over the plain;
the hills and crags were wrapped in mist.
Then from cloud to mountain peak, and from peak to
floating cloud, the lightnings flashed; the whole
valley was lit up by their dazzling glow. Far away the
thunder muttered. It came nearer, crashing first here,
then there. With peal on peal it shook the very ground
; it echoed long in the glens and gorges; then,
growing feebler, it died slowly away among the mountain
tops. Cretheus had scarcely time to find shelter under
an overhanging rock before the rain began to fall.
For a few moments the big drops pattered noisily down;
then the storm ceased as suddenly as it had begun. The
sun came out; the clouds melted away; the blue sky
smiled merrily upon the fields; and the fields,
new-washed, looked up with sparkling faces to the sky.
Cretheus went on, thoughtfully, down into the valley.
THE FOREST JOURNEY	23
" Men speak the truth," he said to himself, " when they
call this place the favorite haunt of mighty Jupiter.
For have I not seen the gleam of his thunderbolts as he
cast them hither and thither from the clouds ? And have
I not heard his fearful voice filling the valley and
shaking the mountains as he spoke ?"
•
ADVENTURE III
THE OAKS OF DODONA
IT was a pleasant road that led into the little
village. On each side of the way grew rows of elms and
oaks whose branches met and formed a leafy canopy
overhead. Like a green arch, supported by a hundred
columns in two long rows, it seemed. How cool and
restful it was, like the entrance to some wonderful
temple not made with hands !
As Cretheus went slowly along he was aware of a gentle
cooing among the branches overhead. It was not a
mournful and complaining sound, but it was soothing and
kind, like a mother's lullaby. The lad looked up and
listened There was a rustling among the leaves. Soft,
small eyes peered down upon him, not at all afraid.
Gray wings flitted from branch to branch; and mother
doves looked out from their nests • and cooed to their
mates.
Suddenly a company of young girls, robed in
THE OAKS OF DODONA	25
white and bearing garlands of wild olives, came up the
path to meet him.
" Noble stranger," said one, " the doves of Dodona
welcome you. Are you a messenger from Father Jupiter?
Or are you a mortal like ourselves, come hither to ask
for wisdom at his sacred shrine ? "
" I am an exile, without home or friends," answered
Cretheus. " I have come to Dodona to learn what the
Fates have destined me to do."
" Then the doves will teach you, for they speak the
messages which Jupiter gives them," answered the
tallest of the maidens. " Do but tell us your name and
your ancestry, and we will interpret what the wise
birds say."
" My name is Cretheus, and I am the son of
world-renowned IEolus, who for a long time was king of
the Minyan folk in distant Orchomenus. Well beloved of
Jupiter he was and blessed beyond the lot of common
men. But now he is dead, and sorrow rules in his
halls."
Then there was a great cooing among the doves, and a
flash of light as from the sun lit up the green
archway. And the maidens, dancing and scattering
flowers before him, took the young prince by the hand
and led him toward the village.
" What do the doves say ? " he asked.
" We will tell you later on," they answered.
26	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
" Father Jupiter is not hasty in imparting wisdom. You
must wait."
Then Cretheus saw that he was already in the midst of
the village. On either side of the way moss. covered
cottages nestled half hidden among vines and shrubs.
Children were playing on the lawns, and men and women
stood in the doorways and with smiles welcomed the
young stranger to Dodona. At the end of the short
street was a white temple, so beautiful in form and
outline that when Cretheus saw it he forgot everything
else — he could do nothing but stand and gaze. On the
right and left of this marvelous building grew two rows
of ancient trees, • their gnarled branches covered with
lichens and gray moss. Very old were they, for they had
been planted in the golden days of Saturn, ere men had
learned to live in houses or build temples to the gods.
From the drooping branches of these trees hung many a
tripod of brass and polished bronze, the gifts of kings
and heroes who in times gone by had sought in this
sacred place to learn the will of the Mighty Ones who
shape the lives of men.
As the lad stood wondering and admiring, three gray
women came out of the grove to greet him. Their faces
were pale and wrinkled with age, their lips were thin
and pinched, and their eyes sparkled strangely beneath
their knitted brows. They were
THE OAKS OF DODONA	27
the priestesses who kept the world-old shrine of
Jupiter in the darksome shadows of the wood.
" Hail to the young prince ! Hail to the son of King
ZEolus ! " they cried. " We know you, and we bid you
welcome to Dodona. If you would know the will of
Jupiter, ask him. He will answer you through the
singing tripods."
" Indeed, good mothers," said the lad, "it is to learn
his will that I have come to Dodona. I wish to know my
duty and the destiny that is before me."
While he yet spoke he was aware that a gentle breeze
was beginning to blow through the valley. It stirred
the leaves of the oaks and bent the tall grass by the
roadside. It grew stronger until the twigs and slender
branches of the trees swayed back and forth, and the
gnarled trunks themselves quivered. The tripods,
swinging to and fro, clashed one against another and
gave forth a shrill, weird music like the jangling of
sweet bells out of tune.
" Hearken," said the first of the gray women, " the
tripods are singing."
" They are voicing the will of mighty Jupiter," said
the second.
" They are revealing your destiny," said the third. "
What do they say?" asked Cretheus. " Tell me the
secrets they are whispering."
" Have patience," was the answer. " Do not
28	TEE GOLDEN FLEECE
hasten to know what the future has in store. Stay for a
while in Dodona, and in due time we will interpret the
song of the tripods."
As Cretheus went nearer to the temple he saw that in
front of its great door there stood an oak much larger
and more ancient than any of the rest. Its long,
low-spreading branches made a canopy tinder which a
thousand men might find shelter from the scorching sun
or the beating rain. Within its green shadows the birds
nested and sang, and from its gray branches hung many
rich offerings, the gifts of famous men from every town
in Greece.
From beneath this oak a white-haired priest came forth
to meet the young stranger. He was old, very old, but
he stood straight as a mountain pine, and his eyes
shone bright with the fire of youth.
" Welcome, welcome, prince of the Minyan folk," he
said. " Welcome to the home of your fathers. You have
been expected long; the guest chamber waits for you;
the feast is ready, and your seat is prepared. But
first, let us make our due offerings to mighty Jupiter,
the lord of all."
" I should like to offer him some rich gift like those
which hang from the oak," said Cretheus; "but I have
nothing of the kind. All that I own is this old sword
which my father aforetime wielded in many a hard-fought
battle."
THE OAKS OF DODONA	29
He drew the weapon from his belt. He glanced at its
sun-bright edge and its hilt of bronze so richly
carved. Then he went boldly forward and hung it upon
one of the branches of the ancient oak.
" It is a noble gift," said the priest, " and it is
quite worthy of its giver."
Then suddenly a wonderful thing took place. Every leaf
on the great tree began to quiver and dance, and each
seemed to have a voice, sweet, low, and full of
meaning. But what the voices whispered Cretheus could
in no wise guess.
" Come," said the priest, " come now into the temple
with me. At another time I will tell you the message
which the Mighty One sends through the leaves of the
sacred oak. You must not know it now."
The lad followed his guide into the dimly lighted
temple. He followed him to the altar, and. stood with
bared head while wine and oil and white barley were
burned as an oblation to the Mighty Ones. Then the
priest raised his hands and prayed : —
" 0 Father Jupiter, bless this young wanderer, the son
of that iEolus who in days now long past worshiped thee
at this same altar. . Make him wise and strong and fit
to become the founder of a race of heroes."
As he ceased, a sudden flash of lightning lit up
30	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
the whole interior of the temple. A fearful crash of
thunder followed, seeming to shake the very walls and
the massive roof above. Cretheus, looking out, saw that
another storm had gathered. The sky was hidden, the
wind blew furiously, the rain was falling in torrents;
mountains and valley were wrapped in darkness.
Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the whole uproar
ceased. The sun burst out and shone warm and bright
through the dripping branches. The twittering of birds
and the laughter of children were heard in the joyous
outdoors.
" Jupiter has spoken again," said the priest. " Come,
let us be going."
Cretheus followed him to his home, which was one of the
cottages he had before seen among the trees. At the
door they were met by the old man's wife and children,
all eager to welcome the stranger.
" This lad," said the priest, " is of the race of
heroes. He shall dwell with us until the time is ripe
for him to go forth to the doing of worthy deeds."
Thus Cretheus found a home and friends in Dodona. And
there he lived for five whole years, until the down
began to darken on his cheeks and lip, and he had grown
to the full strength and valor of manhood.
AD VENTURE IV
THE CURSE OF ATHAMAS
ON a day when the orchards were white with blossoms and
the oaks were purple with young leaves, a stranger came
to Dodona. He was of the race of minstrels whom all men
honor, and he came singing songs of the golden age and
telling the news of the world, even of every town and
country of Greece.
" How fares it with Athamas, the king of the Minyan
folk ? " asked Cretheus. " How fares it with him who
sits on the throne of ./Eolus, the hero ?"
" Have -you not heard?" answered the minstrel. " Why,
the story is in everybody's mouth. There is nothing
talked of in Greece but the curse of Athamas."
" We have heard nothing," said Cretheus. " Dodona is
but a little place hidden far away from the busy haunts
of men. Seldom do we have any news from the rest of the
world. We know how Athamas took the witch Ino into his
house and was
31
32	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
ruled by her; and we know how he drove Queen Nephele
from his door, and forced her and her children to toil
in the fields. But five summers have passed since these
things happened, and we have heard no further word from
Orchomenus. Come, if there be anything in the tale of
the curse of Athamas, tell it to us."
" Right willingly will I do so," said the minstrel.
Then, sitting under the whispering oak, with the men
and women of Dodona as his hearers, he told this
wonderful tale : —
I
Sad was the day for the Minyan folk when Ino, the
beauteous Theban, came into the palace of their king.
Sad, indeed, was the lot of Nephele and her children,
doomed to wander homeless in the city where it should
have been their right to rule. But who dared murmur
when Ino was wedded to Athamas as his second wife, and
sat smiling beside him on the ivory throne ?
In time there came into the palace two lovely babes, —
a girl much like her mother in beauty, and a boy so
strong and noble that men likened him to his grandsire
iEolus. As Ino looked upon these babes her hate grew
stronger toward Nephele's children, Phrixus and Helle.
THE CURSE OF ATHAMAS
" What if the king should die ? " she said. " Would not
the people rise up and say that Phrixus must sit upon
the throne ? And then what would become of me and mine
? But if Phrixus were out of the way, then my child
would be king."
And so each day she pondered and plotted how she might
destroy young Phrixus and his sister Helle. At last she
hit upon a plan as strange as it was cruel.
It was near the time of the spring sowing, and all the
men were in the fields getting the ground ready for the
seed. Ino called certain of the women to her and said,
" Last year the corn did not grow well in your fields,
did it ? "
" Ah, no," they answered. " The seed was poor, and full
half of it rotted in the ground. The other half seemed
lacking, too; for the stalks grew up thin and weak,
and bore but little grain. We have had but small loaves
the past year."
" Is the seed corn you expect to plant this spring any
better ? " asked Ino.
" Alas ! we fear it is not," was the answer. " The
grains are small and ill-formed."
" Then you should do something to make them stronger of
life," said Ino. " I can tell you how to make every
grain grow and produce large and
GOLDEN FLEECE - 3
33
healthy stalks. Indeed, I can tell you how your
husbands may raise this year the finest crops that were
ever known."
" Oh, tell us, tell us!" cried the women.
" It is a secret," answered crafty Ino.
" But we will never tell. We will never whisper it even
to our husbands."
" Then I will tell you," said Ino; " and if you forget
your promise, you shall be punished. For if even one
man is told, the charm will not work."
" We swear to keep the secret," said the women.
Then Ino told them to take all the seed corn that was
in their houses and steep it in boiling water.
" This is the secret," she said; " and you must do it
while your husbands are in the field or while they are
asleep; for they must never know."
The women thanked her and went to their homes. That
very night all the seed corn in the country was scalded
with boiling water. Of course the life of the grain was
killed, and it could not grow.
Great, indeed, was the dismay of the farmers that
spring. They had planted with more care than ever
before, and yet the grain lay in the ground and showed
no signs of sprouting. Neither the soft showers of the
early spring nor the warm sun
THE CURSE OF ATHAMAS
and coaxing breezes of the later months could bring
forth a single stalk. Midsummer came and passed, and
the fields were bare.
" The Mighty Ones are angry with us ! The Mighty Ones
are angry with us! " cried every one, in despair.
Then men and women went weeping and wailing to King
Athamas, and begged him to do something to turn away
the wrath of the Mighty Ones.
" What have you done that they should be offended ? "
he asked.
" Alas ! we do not know," they answered. " We have all
tried to be just and true and honest. But we have been
told that our grandfathers, ages ago, did something
that displeased Jupiter; and it must be for this that
we are punished."
" I do not doubt it," said the king. " And I will ask
the soothsayers what we must do to win back the favor
of the Mighty Ones."
But cunning Ino had already seen the soothsayers. She
had given a piece of gold to each, and had told them
the very words they were to speak. And so, when the
king came, they were ready with an answer.
" It is Diana, the huntress queen, who is angry," said
they. " For Nephele was a long time ago one of her
maidens and followed the chase with her in
36	THE GULDEN FLEECE
the green wood. Then, without asking leave, she threw
aside her quiver and bow and wedded Athamas. For this
the huntress queen is greatly grieved, and for this she
has vowed to punish the Minyan folk most grievously."
" And is there no way by which to appease her wrath ? "
" There is one way, and only one. Nephele has two
children, Phrixus and Helle. Let them be offered as a
sacrifice to Diana, and the guilt of their mother will
be forgotten. Then the fields will grow green again and
there will be an abundant harvest."
When Athamas heard this answer he was grieved to the
heart; for weak and wicked though he was, he loved his
children and was secretly planning how, in time, he
would restore them to their home.
" It shall never be done," he cried. " Let Diana punish
us as she will, her vengeance shall not fall upon these
two innocent children."
Then Ino with her beautiful babes came weeping before
him. " 0 King," she said, " will you thus defy the
mighty huntress queen and so bring famine into the land
and death to all your people ? For the sake of these
babes I pray you to obey the will of the gods."
And then there was a great outcry by the palace
gates, and Athamas looking out saw the street filled
with a clamoring mob.
" Down with the king !" he heard the angry people cry.
" Down with the king who will do naught to lessen our
distress! "
The weak man bowed his head. " Tell them that I will do
as they wish," he said. " Tell them to disperse to
their homes, and the deed' which Diana requires will be
performed."
Forthwith the king's jailer with a band of men was sent
to find Phrixus and Helle and fetch them for the
sacrifice. The boy, now grown to be a tall and comely
lad, they found driving his master's oxen along the
dusty road. The girl, fair Helle, was seated at a loom,
wearily doing the task which her heartless mistress had
meted out for her. With rude words and much lack of
gentleness, these two innocent ones were led to the
king's prison to await the hour of their sacrifice.
There, sitting side by side, they cheered each other's
sorrow, wondering for what fault they were thus so
roughly treated, and never dreaming of the fate that
was before them.
" Since this thing must be done," said King Athamas, "
let there be no delay. The sooner it were finished, the
better."
" It shall be at noon to-morrow," said Ino, beaming
with glad content.
38	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
" Yes, it shall be at noon to-morrow," said her hired
minions, the false soothsayers.
II
The sun stood high above the white-walled palace of
King Athamas, and men and women with solemn faces
turned their footsteps toward Diana's shrine. In the
heat and the dust a strange procession marched slowly
down the street. In front were the minstrels and the
singing girls, all clad in white and decked most
beautifully with garlands of roses and many dainty
flowers. Then followed Diana's maidens, with bared
feet, and skirts tucked up to the knees, and long hair
floating in the wind. Each bore in her hand a bow
entwined with flowering vines, and on her shoulder was
a golden quiver filled with arrows.
Behind these walked the soothsayers and the priests,
all robed in flowing white. One carried a knife of
bronze, new-whetted; one bore in his hands a bowl
daintily carved with figures of the gods; and one had
in his arms a bundle of sacred twigs cut from the
whispering oak at Dodona. These men walked with slow
and solemn steps, chanting a hymn to Jupiter and the
huntress queen, while the maidens danced and the
singing girls joined wildly in the chorus.
THE CURSE OF ATHAMAS	39
let
The king himself came next, with bowed head and folded
hands and brows knit hard as though in pain. Beside him
walked Ino, her dark eyes sparkling and her cheeks
flushed with the joy of victory. And following these
two marched the king's guards, their short swords in
their hands, and their horsehide shields athwart their
breasts.
Then came the victims, hand in hand and wonderingly.
Young Phrixus, straight and tall and comely, walked
with firm step as became a prince, and with steady eye
looked into the faces of the curious crowd. But Helle,
whom they had clad in garments rich with jewels as a
princess going to a feast, walked sobbing by his side,
her cheeks all wet with weeping.
" Courage, sister," said brave Phrixus. " Diana will
yet save us. She will not suffer us to be harmed for
her sake."
But Helle sobbed all the more piteously, while the
low-browed guards who watched them hung their heads in
shame of their task and tried to look the severity they
did not feel.
At length they reached the grove wherein the temple
stood. The minstrels and the singing girls and Diana's
dancing maidens paused at the gate. The priests and
soothsayers raised their hands and began to chant a
louder hymn before ascending to
" The ram rose swiftly from the earth."
THE CURSE OF ATHAMAS	41
the altar. Then suddenly a wondrous thing took place.
Out from the shadows of the grove the wondrous ram,
which some say Neptune gave to Athamas, came bounding
forth to meet the victims, with Nephele, the one-time
queen, running swiftly by his side.
" Now do as I have bidden thee, sweet beast," she
cried, and with that he leaped into the crowd.
The soothsayers fled in terror, knowing their guilt.
But all the rest stood still in dumb amazement, moving
neither hand nor foot. The ram paused not until he
reached' the side of Phrixus. There he knelt gently and
bleated softly, as though he would say, " I will
deliver you; come with me."
Phrixus understood. He lifted his fainting sister upon
the creature's back. He seated himself quickly between
those marvelous golden wings. Then, like an eagle, the
glorious ram rose swiftly from the earth. For a few
moments he circled in the air, rising higher with every
movement of his wings. Then, with the two children
clinging to his yellow fleece, he struck out boldly
toward the sea.
The assembled people stood spellbound, neither moving
nor speaking, but watching with strained eyes the
flight of the wondrous beast. Very rapidly did he speed
through the. air; smaller and smaller he seemed to
become as he left the city of the
Minya2 behind him; at length he appeared as a mere
speck in the sky, and then he was lost to sight
forever.
Suddenly the astonished lookers-on regained their
senses. There was a murmur as of wonder and relief, and
most of them were glad that things had happened so.- "
It was not right," they said, half fearfully, " that
those two innocent children should suffer for the crime
some other has committed."
" And who is that other? " cried a strange, wild voice.
" Whose crime has been the cause of all this woe ? "
They looked and saw that it was the king who spoke.
But, oh, how changed he was ! His face was pale, his
lips were set, his eyes gleamed like those of a madman.
He glanced swiftly about him. He gazed one moment upon
Ino, cowering pale and speechless before him. Then he
cried, " Ah, this is the cunning, cruel serpent that
has brought ruin and grief upon us all. Where is my
sword ? Death to the serpent !"
Ino, screaming in her terror, fled through the gaping
crowd, and was out of reach ere he could lay his hands
upon her. He snatched a sword from one of the guardsmen
standing near and rushed in hot pursuit of her. Then
all the horror-
-atimMINIM11^1^1111=1^11Milli
THE CURSE OF ATIMMAS	43
stricken people saw that their king was indeed bereft
of his senses, and none dared lift a hand to hinder his
wild course.
Like a hare before the hound, Ino fled across the
meadows, and ever as she looked over her shoulder she
saw the king pursuing, with his whetted blade held high
in air to strike her down. She looked to right and
left, but no place of safety could she discover. And
now the gray sea was before her, and the lapping waves
were at her feet.
" I have thee now, vile serpent !" cried the madman,
leaping forward.
Then she, to save herself, sprang into the pitiless
deep. The waves closed over her; and the wild-eyed
king, looking down, saw only a dolphin swimming out
toward the open sea. He stood a moment as if in a
trance. Then he wiped the sword blade upon his hand and
stuck it in his belt. He turned and looked calmly back
at the distracted crowd that had followed him,
fearfully, to see what he would do.
" Hearken, 0 people ! " he cried. " The curse of
madness is upon me. It will rest upon me and the
firstborn of my house until some hero rises to make
amends for the evil deeds of this day. Thus it is that
the Mighty Ones deal punishment to the doers of wrong."
44	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
Then the wild look came again into his face, and with
terrible shoutings and savage gestures he drove the
people back into the city. With leaps and strides he
returned alone to his white-walled palace. He closed
the great gate behind him. He entered the silent hall,
and, moaning as one in terror and distress, sat down
upon his ivory throne. And men say that he still sits
there, harmless to those who come to minister to him,
but always moaning and refusing to be comforted.
You will wonder what became of Phrixus and Helle and
the golden ram, and so did the people of the Minyan
city for many and many a day. The ram, as you have
heard, flew straight out over the eastern sea. Then it
winged its way northward many a league, looking down
upon pleasant islands and shores which no man of Greece
had ever visited. And right bravely did Phrixus and his
little sister cling to their places on his back.
" Do not look downward, Helle," said the lad; " but
look always upward at the sheltering sky and the
hopeful stars."
" That I will do, brother," said the little princess;
and then they talked pleasantly together, wondering
whither the ram would carry them.
Thus for hours they sped onward, swifter than the
summer clouds when driven by the strong
south wind. But toward evening Helle began to grow
tired. Her arms ached with holding on to the golden
fleece, and her hands were numb. Her eyes, too, were
heavy, and she felt very drowsy.
" I wonder how soon we shall come to land," she said.
" Have courage, Helle, and be patient," said her
brother.
But she was not patient, for how could she be so ? At
length she leaned over a little and looked down. Far,
far below she saw the raging waters of the sea. How
they tumbled and tossed in wild uproar! She grew dizzy
as she looked, yet she could not lift her eyes from the
fearful scene.
The ram swerved suddenly to the right, and Helle lost
her balance. With her numbed hands and stiffened arms
she could not regain her place. She felt that she was
falling.
" 0 brother, help ! " she screamed.
He reached quickly back to save her, but, alas! he was
too late. His hand grasped her girdle as she fell; it
broke, and, like a star dropping from the dome of the
sky, she shot swiftly down into the sea. The waves
closed over her, and her eyes beheld no more the light
of day.
But the kind creatures of the sea bore up the beauteous
body of the child, that no rude thing
46	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
should touch it. They carried her gently to the
southern shore of that narrow sea which men call
evermore in her honor the Hellespont. There they laid
her on the dry, white beach, wrapped like a king's
child in her jeweled robes. And there some country
people found her that same day as they were wandering
by the sea.
" How sad that one so beautiful should perish thus ! "
they said, sorrowing.
They built a pyre of sweet-scented woods upon the shore
and poured oil and costly wine upon it. Then they laid
the body of fair Helle thereon and consumed it with
fire, while all wept because of her untimely fate.
In the meanwhile the golden ram, with Phrixus still
clinging between his wings, flew onward past Propontis
and the stream Bosphorus, and over the great sea that
lies at the rising of the sun. All night he pursued his
way with steady wings, and in the early morning
alighted near a fair, rich city with strong walls and
many a well-built tower. Dizzy and stiffened with the
cold, Phrixus joyfully set his feet once more upon the
solid earth. Slowly, through avenues of trees, he
walked to the city gate, while like a dog the ram
followed in his steps.
" Who are you, and what city is this ? " he asked of
the watchers at the gate.
1'
re
THE CURSE OF ATHAMAS
" More seemly it would have been for us to ask who you
are and whence you come," was the answer. " For surely
you must be a rare stranger not to know that this city
is called lEa, and that our country is known as Colchis
by the Sea. And now, if you would enter, tell us of
yourself and of. that strange beast that seems to love
you so."
Then Phrixus told them his whole story, just as I have
told it to you. And when fEetes, the king of the city,
came out to sit in the gate and deal justice to those
who asked for it, he saw the manly lad still waiting
outside, and the ram standing by him and licking his
hand.
" Ah, what do I see ? " asked the king. " What rare
animal has this boy brought to gladden my poor eyes ?
It is surely a ram, but so gloriously bright it is that
I would almost believe it a piece of the sun brought
down by my father Helios to illumine our city."
Phrixus repeated his story while the king and his wise
men listened spellbound with wonder. And when he had
finished, IEetes bade him come and sit beside him while
his servants brought strengthening food and drink that
he might break his long fast.
" Thou shalt live with me and be as one of my own
sons," said the king; " and in time of war thou
47
48	THE GOLDEN PLLECE
shalt be our standard bearer. As for this strange
beast, there is gold enough in his fleece to buy
another kingdom like my own. We must consider what to
do with him."
" It were a pity," said one of the wise men, " to let
such wealth wander at will about the streets. It might
spread its wings and fly suddenly away."
" True," answered the king; " and for that reason his
young master shall lead him to the palace, where we
must keep him close confined behind bolts and bars."
But the wise men declared that even then the golden
prize might escape. " Some careless keeper might leave
the gate ajar," they said, " and then in a twinkling
the creature might leap out into the darkness and soar
away like a summer cloud. Would it not be better to
sacrifice the ram to Father Jupiter ? The ruler of
earth and sky will be pleased with the tender flesh and
the juicy fat, offered smoking upon his altar; and the
priceless fleece shall be yours, 0 King, to keep,
safe-guarded, among your other treasures."
These words won favor with iEetes, for indeed he loved
the sight of yellow gold. Therefore, with much ado, the
ram was led into the noble temple that stood beside the
market place; and there it was slain upon the altar of
Jupiter, and the glori-
THE CURSE OF AD/JAMAS	49
ous fleece was given to iEetes. And Phrixus, grieving
for the kind creature's death, was clothed in princely
garments and given a home in the lordly palace of the
king, where he was not long in winning love and honor
and troops of friends.
Such is the story of the curse of Athamas as it is told
in Orchomenus, the city of the Minyan folk. But it does
not end here, for Athamas still sits stricken with
madness and moaning upon his ivory throne, and the
people are without a ruler. The story will not be ended
until some hero arises to undo the evil that has been
done, and thereby remove the curse that rests upon the
house of the unhappy king.
With these words the stranger ceased speaking, and his
hearers arose and went thoughtfully to their homes. But
young Cretheus betook himself into the temple and there
whispered a prayer to great Jupiter to answer the
desires of his heart and tell him of his duty and his
destiny.
GOLDEN FLEECE - 4
ADVENTURE V
SALMONEUS THE THUNDERER
THE next day at peep of dawn Cretheus was awakened by a
voice softly calling his name. Opening his eyes, he saw
in the purple haze of the morning the dim outlines of a
glorious being too ethereal for mortal mould. The
figure was that of a lady clad in bright armor with a
helmet of bronze upon her head and a burnished shield
in her hand. Her eyes were gray and sparkling, and to
look at them was like looking into the depths of the
summer sky. Her face was plain but nobly beautiful;
and her voice, though strong, was sweeter than any
music.
" Young prince," said the lady, " you may pray Jupiter
to tell you of your destiny, but it is I alone who can
tell you of your duty. Tarry no longer in Dodona, but
go forth this very hour to seek a field of worthy
labor, to do the deeds that are expected of you, and to
win a name among men. Fear not, for I will be with you
to guide and instruct. Only be brave and steadfast in
right doing. Arise, gird yourself, and be gone."
50
SALMONEUS THE THUNDERER	51
Then a cloud of amber light inwrapped the glorious lady
and the vision faded from his sight; and Cretheus knew
that it was Athena, the queen of wisdom, who had spoken
to him.
He arose from his couch quickly, and as he did so he
was aware of princely garments lying beside him; and by
them were strong sandals such as travelers wear, and a
jeweled belt, and a new sword, short and sharp-edged
and- strong. He knew that these were the gift of
Athena, and so, without fear or doubt, he clad himself
in the raiment, and with the sword by his side sallied
forth as a prince in quest of a kingdom.
No sooner was he out of doors than he perceived that
all the folk of Dodona were assembled in the street to
bid him farewell and cheer him on his way. The old
priest, his white hair streaming in the morning breeze,
was the first to speak.
" Son of ZEolus," said he, " you have sought wisdom at
the sacred oak, and you have waited long. Hear now the
words of the whispering leaves : —
" If o'er the Minyan folk the prince would reign, He
first must build a city on the plain.'
Go forth, and may Jupiter and Athena protect and guide
you!"
52	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
Cretheus, with many thanks on his lips, both to the
priest and to the good people of Dodona, passed on
between the rows of purpling oaks. Then the three gray
women, priestesses of the wood, met him with
outstretched hands and mystic greetings, such as only
the wise can understand.
" Son of the west wind and of the morning's calm," said
they, " may your journey be happy and the end of it
glorious. Would you know now what the singing tripods
of Dodona say in answer to your questions propounded
long years ago?
" By old Mount Pelion near the surging sea,
There shall the city of the future be:,
There's wisdom for you. Ponder it well."
" I doubt you not," said Cretheus, " but such mystic
sayings are hard to understand."
" If every one could understand them, they would lose
their value," was the answer. " But speed you forth,
and in good time all mysteries will become plain."
Then Cretheus went on until he came to the leafy arcade
at the entrance to the village. There the air was
odorous with spring blossoms, and the trees were
populous with birds making ready for the merry summer
time and the nesting duties of an-
SALMONEUS THE THUNDERER	53
other year. And now the dancing maidens came to bid the
young prince .godspeed on his journey. They scattered
violets in his pathway, and sang a song of hope and joy
and the overbrimming life of youth.
" It has been long," they said, " since you asked the
cooing doves to make known the destiny of your life.
You have waited patiently and bravely, and now we will
tell you the message which they murmur in their nests
:—
" In kingly hall, some day, thou'It stand arrayed, And
fame and fortune both shall wait on thee,
From thy true love thou shalt not be delayed; A
captive to a captive thou shalt be.'
It is the message of Father Jupiter. Ponder it well as
you go on your lonely way. Farewell !"
" Farewell," answered Cretheus, warmly. " Your message
is at least longer and more like a riddle than that of
the others, and I shall not forget it."
Then he went onward and upward across the great
mountain ridge, while the people of Dodona returned to
their homes and the daily rounds of a quiet life.
The course which the young prince took was eastward,
for he knew that the promise of his life lay toward the
rising sun. It is not for us to follow
54	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
him in all his wanderings, for they were many and
tedious and do not concern the purpose of our story.
At length, however, he came into a pleasant land
watered by many streams and walled in by rolling hills,
while toward the south the rich plains of Thessaly lay
like a green carpet beneath the sun. And all around
were guardian mountains: Olympus, favored of the gods,
and gray-topped Ossa, and wooded Pelion battling
evermore with the restless sea.
There, one day, he saw in a narrow valley a little
city, with new-built walls and gray towers half
concealed among the trees. As he went on boldly toward
the city gate, he was suddenly aware of a strange noise
approaching along the road which skirted the river
below him. It was a sound unlike any other, and yet
like all others combined — a rattling, a banging, a
squealing, a shrieking, a booming, a roaring, a
snapping, a clapping. Cretheus, in surprise, concealed
himself and waited to see the cause of this uncommon
uproar. Soon he beheld a chariot with four horses
rushing down the dusty road. A warrior stood in it,
beating his shield with a club, while the driver
shouted wildly and with furious lashings urged his team
to greater speed. As the chariot passed with its
deafening noise, Cretheus saw that upon it and also
upon the horses were .hung all sorts
SALMONEUS THE THUNDERER	55
of things that could make a noise. There were bells,
and pots, and pans, and drums; and rolling behind was
a cylinder of brass, with dried oxhides stretched
tightly across the ends of it like a huge drum. Added
to the noise of all these were the shoutings of the
men, the cracking of the driver's whip, the rattling of
the harness, the squeaking of the axles, and the
rumbling of the great chariot itself.
Cretheus held his hands to his ears, the uproar was so
fearful., The chariot sped right onward and made no
pause until it passed through the city gate, which was
opened to receive it. A moment later the noise ceased,
and a strange and peaceful quiet seemed to settle down
upon the beautiful valley.
" 'What river is this, and whose little city is it that
nestles there so cozily among the trees ? " asked
Cretheus of a countryman who was passing by.
" You must, indeed, be a stranger in Thessaly,"
answered the man; " for everybody knows that this
river is the Peneius and that it flows through the Vale
of Tempe into the sea. And this little city is but
newly built by great Salmoneus, who until of late was
king of certain of the Minya who dwell in far-away
Elis."
This answer pleased Cretheus more than he was willing
to let appear. For he had often heard of
56	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
Salmoneus and knew that he was of the family of IEolus
and a near kinsman of his own. He felt that in this
little city he would find friends and perhaps the means
to carry out some worthy enterprise that would win
renown and the esteem of men. So he asked the
countryman still other questions.
" Who is that senseless fellow who rode this way just
now with such horrid clamor ? "
" It is well that we are where you cannot be
overheard," was the answer; "for the man in the
chariot was none other than King Salmoneus himself."
" Indeed ! And why does he conduct himself in that
strange fashion ? "
" Well, if you will have me tell you," said the man,
looking cautiously about him, " it is said that
Salmoneus is a man who has no fear of the gods. He has
come to this place to challenge the power of great
Jupiter who sits enthroned above Mount Olympus and
rules the earth and sky. And so when he drives out, he
makes as great a noise as he can and dares Jupiter to
make as much with his thunderbolts."
" How strange !" said Cretheus.
" Yes, it is strange," answered the countryman; " and
he must be a brave man to dare act so wickedly. Yet
they say that the gods are kind and long-suffering."
SALMONEUS THE THUNDERER	57
" How many people are there in this new city of
Salmoneus ? " asked the prince.
" As yet there are only a few hundreds," was the
reply,. "for the place is very new. But every man is of
the Minyan race, some being from distant Elis and some
from the old city of Orchomenus."
As Cretheus and the countryman talked, they approached
the city gate, and the young traveler was challenged by
the guard.
" Who are you, stranger ? And what is your errand to
this city of Salmoneus ?" he demanded.
" I am a Minyan like yourself, and I am the son of a
Minyan hero," answered Cretheus. " I come from Dodona,
the ancient home of our race, and I have much to say to
King Salmoneus, who is my near kinsman."
When the gatekeeper heard these words and observed the
princely bearing of him who spoke them, he quickly
threw open the barriers and bade the young traveler
enter.
" Never yet has our king been rude to strangers or
refused them shelter and food," he said.
As Cretheus passed through the gate, he saw that the
city was indeed new. There were neither streets nor
market place nor temple of any kind, and the only
completed building was the king's palace. Great piles
of stone and timber filled every
58	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
open space; and about them were workingmen of all
sorts, busy with ax and saw and trowel and spade. In
the square behind the palace were clustered the little
huts in which the people ate and slept and found
shelter from the storm.
" Welcome ! Welcome to this new city of the Minya,"
said King Salmoneus, as Cretheus made himself known. "
The more heroes I can gather into this place, the
better; and you, being my kinsman, are thrice
welcome."
" May the Mighty Ones prosper you and your city," said
Cretheus, warmly. " I am here to serve you in
whatsoever way I may."
The old king stroked his gray beard and muttered a
hitter curse:
" As for the Mighty Ones, as you call them," he said,
"they are no friends of mine, neither do I wish them to
be. Of what use are they to any man ? Summer and
winter, seedtime and harvest, daylight and darkness,
all come and go, and the gods neither help nor hinder.
As for that old fellow Jupiter, does any one know where
he is or what he is? Men say that he makes the thunder
and hurls the lightning hither and thither. But what of
that ? I can do the same; and I challenge this king of
air and earth, as they call him, to make more thunder
than I make with my chariot."
SALMONEUS THE TH (INDERE'?		59
		
" You are certainly a. powerful king," said Cretheus.
" Yes," answered the old man; " there is none in
Greece that can be likened to me. But come, you shall
make your home with me and see for yourself how much
mightier I am than any of the so-called Mighty Ones."
ADVENTURE VI
THE MAIDEN AND THE RIVER GOD
THERE is in Thessaly a little river of uncertain name,
which takes its rise among the low-lying hills of the
south and then, meandering through leafy woods and
broad, grassy meadows, finds its way at last into the
Peneius. To the banks of this river, Tyro, the
beautiful daughter of old Salmoneus, often wandered;
for it was a pleasant stream and not far from her
father's new-built city. Dressed in the garb of one of
Diana's maidens, her feet bare and skirts gathered up
out of the way, she delighted to wade in its shallow
pools, to pluck the flowers that grew by its reedy
brink, to pass whole days under the drooping trees upon
its banks. No better pastime could there be for a girl
who, having no playmates, had grown up half wild in
that new and half-wild land.
One day as she was sitting thoughtlessly upon the bank
and bathing her feet in the sunny ripples of the
stream, she was startled by a slight splashing of the
water among some reeds before her. She looked
60
THE MAIDEN AND THE RIVER GOD	61
up quickly and saw that which made her heart beat
lustily and the red blood rush quickly to her cheeks;
for there, where parted reeds made a green frame as for
a picture, she saw the face and shoulders of a young
man more noble and fair than any she had ever looked
upon in her father's little kingdom. In her surprise
she uttered a maidenly scream and rose quickly, as
though she would flee away. Then, looking again, she
saw that the vision had vanished, and she beheld only
the green wall of reeds and the checkered shadows of
the trees dancing upon the water.
" It was a river god," she whispered to herself as she
hastened home.
That evening, as she sat on her father's knee and
lovingly stroked his beard, she asked, " Father, did
you ever see a river god ?" And the rude old fellow
laughed and said : " Nonsense, child ! How often must I
tell you that there are no gods ? "
The next day, and every day for a week, Tyro returned
to the same spot, hoping to catch sight of her river
god again. But the reeds stood close and thick and
tall, every one in its place, and no ripple disturbed
the shadows on the pool. On the eighth day, however, as
she was sitting there and feeling sorely disappointed,
she heard a light foot-
62	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
step behind her. She turned quickly, and there was her
river god standing on the bank !
He was tall, very tall; and he was dressed in the gray
garb of a stone-throwing Lapith. His black hair hung
thickly about his neck and shoulders, and his eyes
beamed kindly as they looked upon the maiden. In one
hand he carried a small net, such as fishermen use, and
in the other a string of speckled fish.
" Are you a river god ? " asked Tyro.
" You may think so if you wish," he said. " My name is
Enipeus, and for the present I live in this beautiful
stream."
" Oh, I am so glad to meet a river god," said the girl.
" Do you know that my father says there are no gods ? "
Enipeus laughed heartily, and soon the two were sitting
side by side on the river bank and talking of the
thousand nothings which all people talk about when they
have no thoughts to tell and there is nothing worth
saying.
When Tyro went home she carried the string of fish with
her. "See, father," she said; " see what a river god
gave me to-day."
The brow of the old king darkened, and he said, " My
child, beware of such gods and take no gifts from
them."
THE MAIDEN AND THE RIVER GOD	63
Every day after that, until the summer began to wane,
Tyro went out to meet Enipeus by the river, which he
said was his own. Most commonly she found him at their
trysting place, but sometimes, after vainly waiting
long hours for his coming, she went home sad at heart,
and wondering if he had forgotten her.
Then, one evening, she did not come home at all, and
Salmoneus, now sobbing with grief and now storming with
anger, paced his lonely halls and anxiously listened
for her footsteps.
" I wonder if the river god has carried her away," he
said, and early in the morning he sent out men to
search the country through for the child whom he loved.
That very evening, in the house of a stone-throwing
Lapith hidden deep in the fastnesses of the hills,
there was a merry wedding to which but few guests were
invited. The bride was beautiful Tyro, and the groom
was the so-called Enipeus, no river god at all, but a
rude and lawless mountain chief.
" Now you may call me Neptune, the god of the sea," he
said boastfully.
When the men of King Salmoneus returned, they said
that, although they had searched in every nook and
corner of Thessaly for the lost maiden,
64	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
they could nowhere learn any word of her or find any
person who had so much as heard of her. They declared
that either some beast had devoured her or the Mighty
Ones had carried her away to dwell with them in bliss
on high Olympus.
Then the king grew more and more morose, and his
bitterness toward the gods waxed greater every day. "
There is now no one in all the world for me to love,"
he said to himself. " There is no one in all the world
that cares aught for me." And he shook his fists toward
Mount Olympus, and muttered aloud his defiance of great
Jupiter.
AN UNEQUAL CONTEST
IT was scarcely a week after this that young Cretheus
came, as we have seen, to the new-built city by the
Peneius. At once the old man's heart warmed toward him,
and in the cheerful companionship of the prince he
seemed for a time to forget his grief. He made known to
Cretheus all his plans for the building of his city,
and told him how it was his purpose to found, in the
very shadow of Olympus, a kingdom so grand that Jupiter
in his high abode would look down upon it with envious
despair.
" Yet if it were not for dealing despite to the hated
gods," he said, " I would not toil to bring these
things about. For I am old, and I have no son to
succeed me, nor any child save lovely Tyro, whom
perhaps these very gods have stolen from me."
And then he fell into a great fit of anger and grief
and dared great Jupiter to come down and
GOLDEN FLEECE - 5	65
66	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
meet him in fair fight with weapons which both could
wield. Afterward, when he grew calmer, he upbraided
himself for his folly, and said: " Why should I be
angry with that which does not exist ? For there is no
Jupiter, there are no gods."
Little by little his confidence in Cretheus increased
until at last he intrusted him with the management of
all his affairs. Then, one day,.he called his people
together and said: —
" Men of the Minyan race, hearken to your king. Behold,
I am growing old, and although none may excel me in
power, yet I am not immortal. Some (lay you will say
among yourselves, The king is dead,' and you will look
around for another hero to rule over you. Lo, here he
is, Cretheus my kinsman, whom I now declare to be my
heir. Obey him, for he shall be your king."
Then all the men who heard- him shouted their joy, and
declared that they would be true to Cretheus as they
were true to Salmoneus, although they could never
believe that the old king would be vanquished, even by
death.
That very afternoon a dark storm cloud was seen
gathering among the peaks of Mount Olympus. Blacker and
blacker it grew, and it spread to right and left until
it covered the mountain tops and rolled with
threatening murmurs up into the path-
ich i	way of the sun. From one cloud fold to another
swift lightnings darted, and the roll of distant
thun.11	der foretold a fearful storm.
" Ha!" cried old Salmoneus, " my challenge has been
accepted. Now for the grand fight !"
He called for his chariot, with its drums and
5:	kettles and all its noisy hangings. Torches con-
ca	taining oil-soaked balls of flax were placed upon
it
at his command. Then, with his sword in his belt,
he leaped up beside the driver and gave the word.
The charioteer wielded his long whip. The horses
i.  sprang forward. The car, with unearthly uproar,
rolled out through the gate and sped away in the
gathering gloom to meet the storm. And the old king,
standing upright like a warrior in the fierce charge of
battle, cast one flaming torch after another into the
clouds and shouted bitter defiance to the wielder of
the thunderbolts.
The storm thickened. The tumult in the air grew louder.
It became so deafening that all the noise which the
king could make was drowned into silence. The
lightnings were so vivid that his brightest torches
seemed like shadowy blotches against a background of
flame. Soon there came a deafening crash which shook
the earth. From his high seat Jupiter hurled a
thunderbolt straight at his foe, and in that same
moment the vaunting
Salmoneus shouting Defiance to Jupiter.
	AN UNEQUAL CONTEST	69										
											
king, with his horses and chariot and strange
trappings, was laid low.											
Seared and senseless and silent, he lay prone upon the
earth, while the rain beat upon his gray face and the
wind howled derision in his ear. Nevermore would the
fallen boaster breathe the sweet air or see the light
of day.											
Again a blinding flash lit up the heavens and glowed
among the rocks and trees; another stunning crash
shook the mountains and jarred the earth, and another
bolt sped from Jupiter's unerring hand. It struck the
mark, and the roomy palace with its gray towers and all
that had been reared within the gates of the new-built
city were shattered and cast down in hopeless ruin.
Then, in the wake of the thundering uproar, came the
wind, tearing up trees by the roots, hurling rocks from
the mountain side, and leveling to the ground the four
high walls which the workmen of the king had raised
with long and painful labor.											
Fortunate, indeed, were the few who escaped that
terrible storm which men still remember as the
punishment of Salmoneus. When, at length, the tumult
ceased and the sunlight struggled down through the
quivering trees, Cretheus found himself standing alone
near a disordered pile of timber and stone and ruined
mason work. Then, one by one, as the											
											
											
											
											
											
											
											
											
											
											
											
											
											
											
											
											
											
											
											
70	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
gloom lifted, men came creeping out from beneath rocks
and from holes in the ground where they had taken
refuge. Women also came, and a few children, saved by
some wonderful chance from the falling beams and posts
of their humble dwellings. Some came with scarred and
bleeding bodies, and some with broken limbs, and all
making most piteous moans, not so much for their own
hurts as for the loved ones who were lying mangled and
dead beneath the tangled ruins.
When all who were still alive had been gathered
together, it was found that they numbered scarcely a
hundred. With beseeching eyes and despairing voices,
they stood before Cretheus like frightened sheep
looking up to their shepherd for protection.
" 0 King," they said, "for now thou art indeed our
king, have pity on us and save us from the Thunderer's
wrath. For behold he has destroyed our homes and all
that we had, and nothing is spared to us but our lives.
Do but lead us away from this accursed spot, and we
will serve thee as thou wilt have us. We will be thy
faithful slaves."
Then there came into the mind of the young man the
words which the old priest of Dodona had repeated as
coming from the whispering oak:-
" If o'er the Minyan folk the prince would reign, He
first must build a city on the plain."
AN UNEQUAL CONTEST	71
As he whispered these words to himself, other memories
came crowding into his mind. He thought of his first
view of the Thessalian plain, years ago, when, standing
on a hilltop, he looked eastward over it and saw the
wild horses roaming undisturbed in its green pastures,
and there were no dwellings nor sign of man in all its
wide extent. He remembered how at the same time he had
seen -Mount Pelion with its wooded slopes rising
grandly against the morning sky, while the sea lay calm
and gray in the more distant background.
" What a glorious place to build a city and found a
kingdom !" he .repeated; and then the words of the
singing tripods, as interpreted by the three gray
women, came into his mind :—
" By old Mount Pelion near the surging sea, There shall
the city of the future be."
He stood silent, as in a trance, while all these
memories came rushing upon him. At length, rousing up
suddenly, he was aware of the distracted people
crowding around him and still beseeching him to lead
them away to some place of safety.
" Have courage," he cried, • " and soon your troubles
will be ended. Follow me, and we will build a new city
and found a kingdom."
ADVENTURE VIII
" A CAPTIVE TO A CAPTIVE "
THUS Cretheus, with his little company of Minym who had
escaped the storm, went down into the unsettled plain.
They came at length to a pleasant spot between the foot
of old Mount Pelion and a bay of the sea, and there
they began to build their city. The sound of the ax and
the hammer and the voices of busy men echoed among the
trees and in the mountain glens, and startled the wild
horses pasturing upon the plain. Soon the walls were
built, and then houses arose and spaces were marked off
for streets and a market place and a temple to Father
Jupiter.
" What shall we name our new city ? " asked the busy
toilers, as they laid stone upon stone, and raised the
lordly towers of the king's palace.
" It shall be called Iolcus," answered Cretheus, "and
we will build it so well that men in foreign lands
shall hear of its strength and beauty, and shall come
to make their homes within its walls."
72
"A CAPTIVE TO A CAPTIVE"	73
And it was so; for the news was carried in ships to the
towns along the coasts of Greece, and men talked of
nothing else but the new city of Iolcus by the sea.
When the Minyan people in old Orchomenus heard of it,
and learned that its king was none other than Cretheus,
whom they had once known and loved, they wondered
greatly. Then a ship load of young men sailed secretly
fOr Iolcus; and after this, many of the Minyx took
their wives and their children and stole out of
Orchomenus by night and made their way, some by land
and some by sea, to the same city of promise.
Thus Cretheus soon found himself the ruler of a rich
and powerful people. The plain before Iolcus was no
longer a wild and solitary waste, but it was dotted
with fields and orchards and many pleasant homes. But
farther away the wild herds still roamed in their
boundless pastures; in the mountain valleys the
rough-riding Centaurs lived, enjoying their native
freedom; and among the remoter hills the Lapiths clung
to their ancient homes and held to the rude manners of
their fathers.
Now there was a lasting enmity between the Centaurs and
Lapiths, and many were the deeds of blood that were
committed by them. Sometimes the stone throwers,
creeping stealthily up at night, would capture and lead
away whole droves
74	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
of the rough riders' horses. Sometimes the Centaurs,
with savage yells and death-dealing clubs, would swoop
suddenly upon a Lapith village to slay the men and
carry the women and maidens into captivity. It was a
wild and pitiless warfare, and no man knew the cause of
it or remembered its beginning.
One day there came down into Iolcus a Centaur
chieftain, leading by the hand a beautiful captive.
This Centaur was unlike any other of his race. He was
very tall, and as straight as the mountain pine. His
eyes were sharp and piercing; his white beard fell in
glossy waves to his waist; his face shone with
kindliness and wisdom. His name was Cheiron, and he
claimed kinship with the gods. He held himself aloof
from others of his race, and dwelt alone in a royal
cavern near the summit of Mount Pelion. And all men
honored him for his noble manners and the uprightness
of his life.
The captive whom he led into Iolcus was a lady, tall
and very fair, who walked beside him with tear-filled
eyes and trembling footsteps, like one going to some
sorrowful doom. He led her into the king's great hall,
and without waste of words began his story.
"Yesterday, 0 King," he said, " a band of my people
rode into a secluded glen on the farther side of
"A CAPTIVE TO A CAPTIVE"	75
the mountain, where they found a stronghold of the
Lapiths. The place was but poorly guarded, because no
enemy was expected. The Lapith chief, however, fought
bravely, and not until three of our riders were slain
was he himself laid low. Then the Centaurs destroyed
all that came into their hands, not sparing any save
this woman, whom they brought away as captive. Her twin
babes they had not the heart to slay, but they left
them by the roadside to perish. Now, 0 King, I have
brought the captive to you, for, as you can see, she is
not of the race of the stone throwers; but her face and
speech declare that she is a Minyan and your own
kinswoman. I leave her with you, knowing that you will
do that which is just and right."
Then, as Cretheus looked at the trembling lady, he
thought that in all the world he had never seen any one
so lovely. His heart went out in pity towards her as he
took her by the hand and asked her to tell her name and
story.
" My name," she said, " is Tyro, and my father was King
Salmoneus, who ruled for a long time both in Thessaly
and in distant Elis. My husband was a mountain chief,
who wooed me under the name of Enipeus, persuading me
that he was a river god, or perhaps great Neptune
himself. But, though he deceived me and stole me from
my
76	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
doting father, yet he was ever kind and mindful of my
comfort. Two noble boys we had. They were twins, the
one dark-haired and swarthy and grasping, like his
father, the other fair-skinned and very loving. But,
alas! they are now no more, and I am all alone."
And with that she fell to weeping with such violence
that the king could not restrain his tears for very
sympathy.
But sorrow is fleeting, and time heals the deepest
wounds. Twelve months had scarcely fled when there was
great rejoicing in Iolcus, with merrymaking such as the
Minyan folk had never known before. For there was a
grand wedding in the halls of the king, and lovely Tyro
was again a bride. And thus the cooing of the Dodonan
doves came true:—
"In kingly hall, some day, thou'lt stand arrayed,
And fame and fortune both shall wait on thee,
From thy true love thou shalt not be delayed; A
captive to a captive thou shalt be."
ADVENTURE IX
THE LAD WITH THE LIVID FACE
AT Iolcus the years passed swiftly, and every day was
so fraught with pleasant labor and duties well
performed that the time seemed to Cretheus like one
perpetual summer. In all Greece there was no happier
king than he, and in all the world there was no
lovelier queen than Tyro, the gentle mistress of his
home.
Three children came to them in their marble halls. They
were all boys. The eldest was iEson, so gentle and
forgiving that he would suffer great wrong rather than
contend for his just dues; the second was Pheres,
sturdy and strong-willed; the youngest was Amythaon,
gay-hearted and brimming with mirth. Each had his own
winning ways that caused all who knew him to love and
admire him. But the wiser of the Minyx shook their
heads and said, " What a pity that JEson is not more
like Pheres! The lad that is to be a king should have a
steady hand and a determined mind."
77
78	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
It chanced one day in midsummer that there was a
strange uproar in the streets of Iolcus. Some
countrymen had brought game and fruit to be sold at the
market, and among them was a tall lad one side of whose
face was marked by a large and livid scar. The sight of
such a deformity was new to the Minyan boys, and one
after another, as they were passing, stopped to stare
at the ragged fellow, who stood barefooted and scowling
beside his small basket of wild plums.
" Buy a plum! Buy a plum!" mockingly cried the Minyan
boys.
"He's turning to a plum," said the wit among them. "
One side of his face is already of the color of the
fruit," and they all laughed at the unmannerly joke.
Then one of the bolder ones ran up and snatched a
handful of the fruit. Quick as an arrow, the country
boy was in the midst of his tormentors, raining blows
this way and that and raging like a wild beast in his
fury. But they were many and he was but one, and he
would soon have been overcome by numbers had not a
lithe, white-haired lad whom he called his brother
rushed in to help him. The tussle now began in earnest,
and more than one young ruffian was sent tumbling into
the dust. Then the father of the boys, a lubberly
herdsman
THE LAD WITH THE LIVID FACE
79
ray
from the northern pastures, joined in the fray, and the
fight would soon have been a bloody one had not two
soldiers of the king chanced to be passing that way.
They ran forward with their clubs, and in a moment the
countryman and his sons were overcome and helpless.
" We'll teach you how to come into the city and attack
our unoffending children," they said. "Come, now ! You
shall plead your case before the king, and if we
mistake not, you will have sorrow for many a day."
The three, with their hands bound behind them, were
roughly led away, while a hooting crowd of boys and men
followed them to the very gates of the palace.
" Ha! What have we here?" said Cretheus, as, with
lovely Tyro on his arm, he walked into his hall and saw
the culprits ranged up against the wall and the
soldiers standing guard over them.
" We found these fellows fighting in the street,"
answered the soldiers; "and, worst of all, they were
fighting helpless children. Their very looks will
tell you that they are dangerous fellows. In fact—"
A startled cry from Queen Tyro interrupted the
accuser. All eyes were turned toward her in sur-
prise. She was very pale and leaned heavily upon
the arm of the king. She was gazing fixedly at the
8o	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
two lads, as though recalling some half-forgotten
memory of other days.
" What is it, my dear?" asked Cretheus.
" Pardon me, it is nothing but a foolish thought," she
answered. " Those faces, those eyes, those lips — I
remember them as though they were painted in my soul,
and these seem the very same. But it cannot be so — it
cannot be so."
" Tell me what you mean, Tyro," said the king, leading
her to a seat. " Your words seem rambling, and I do not
understand them."
" Oh, it is nothing," answered the queen, now grown
quite calm again. " It was only a passing fancy, a
silly freak of the mind. I pray you heed me not, but
hear the rest of this case."
The king, assured by her words, sat down upon his
judgment seat and began to question the prisoners.
" Are these two lads your sons ?" he asked the
herdsman.
" They pass for such," was the answer; " but in truth
they are not. I found them when they were barely twelve
months old, and I have brought them up as though they
were my own."
The queen's hand was resting heavily upon the king's
shoulder. She was trembling. She breathed heavily as
though the air oppressed her.
THE LAD WITH THE LIVID FACE	81
" Tell us how you found them," she said hoarsely, and
never lifting her eyes from the faces of the affrighted
lads.
" Well, it is a short story," said the man. " Twelve
years ago this very month my brother and I were taking
a drove of horses to a new pasture far up the glen
where the river Anaurus takes its rise. At one place we
came upon the smoking ruins of some Lapith huts, and I
judged that a marauding band of Centaurs had lately
been that way. So we turned aside to go by a longer and
steeper path to another pasture which I knew of on the
other slope of the mountain. But just as we reached the
beginning of the path the horses became frightened at
something in the grass; they shied suddenly and then
went on quite orderly, as I would have them. It must be
a serpent in the grass,' I said to myself, and I went
forward to see. How surprised I was when I found that
it was no serpent at all, but two baby boys! The
light-haired one looked up at me with his blue eyes and
smiled. But the black-haired one was squirming
fearfully and screaming with all his might as though in
pain.
" I picked him up and saw at once the cause of his
distress. One of the horses had stepped on his face,
making an ugly scar from which the blood was slowly
trickling. It was a painful wound, but luck-
GOLDEN FLEECE - 6
82	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
ily neither eye nor nose was harmed. I bade my brother
go on with the horses, while I wrapped the babies in my
cloak and carried them home to my wife.
" We had never had any babies of our own, and so you
may be sure that we took good care of these foundlings.
We laid a salve of sweet herbs on the wounded face of
the black-eyed one, and it healed quickly, leaving of
course the big hoof mark. It left, also, more than the
scar; for that whole side of the child's face became
livid, and, in spite of all that we could do, it
remained livid as you see it now." Then addressing the
lad, he said sharply, " Turn your face this way,
Pelias, and let them see it."
The lad obeyed, and the queen saw for the first time
the livid cheek and the strange scar that had brought
about the trouble in the market place. She shuddered as
she looked; and the king, now knowing the whole cause
of her excitement, gently caressed her.
" You called him Pelias," said the king. " Is that his
name ? "
"Yes," answered the herdsman, "we named him Pelias,
because that is the word which means livid, and it is
easy to remember. The other lad, with the long, white
hair, we named Neleus. I told my wife that they were
only the children of some wild
THE LAD WITH THE LIVID FACE	83
Lapith; but she would never believe me. She said that
they looked like the gods; but I could see no
resemblance. As Pelias grew up, he made plenty of
trouble in the house, for he wanted everything for
himself. But Neleus was exactly the other way, and so
we have managed to bring them up quite well."
And now the mother could restrain herself no longer.
She rushed forward and with loving cries threw her arms
about the necks of the two astonished lads. The
soldiers and the herdsman were alarmed, for they
thought that she had lost her senses; but Cretheus
understood the whole matter, and he was scarcely less
joyful than she. And so the herdsman instead of being
punished was dismissed with a rich present, and the two
lads were received into the king's household as the
sons of Queen Tyro. How odd it must have seemed to them
to lay aside the rags in which they had been clothed
and to don in place of them the princely garb becoming
their new-found rank ! How strange the first days of
their life in the palace after their childhood years in
the squalid but of their foster parents!
But Pelias took all his new-found honors as belonging
to him by right, and though he tried to keep the
scarred side of his face well out of view,
84	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
he was never backward at taking the foremost place. And
whenever it was hinted that he was not the king's son,
he would draw himself up proudly and say : "What does
that matter ? My father was greater than a king. He was
a river god."
As the years passed, and he grew into a swarthy,
dark-browed young man, his wild and reckless nature led
him into many selfish acts and many wicked deeds. And
the men of Iolcus whispered among themselves : " What a
pity that our prince yEson is not stronger! This
stepbrother of his will never be content until he has
wrested his heritage from him." And all the people
prayed that Jupiter would grant to King Cretheus a long
life and an old age full of honor and renown.
ADVENTURE X
A GARDEN BETTER THAN A THRONE
IN IO1CUS at the foot of old Mount Pelion there was
great grief, and for thirty days there was mourning in
every house. For Cretheus, the good, the wise, the
founder of the city, was dead, having ruled wisely and
well for more than fifty years. Scarcely, however, were
the days of mourning ended when the troubles which men
had long feared began to arise in the once happy city.
iEson, who by right became king in place of his father,
was mild-hearted and kind and too ready to please
others, even to his own hurt. Moreover, he liked not
the bustle and the worrying cares of public life, but
would tiever spend his days in his garden, pruning his
vines and weeding his beds of choice flowers.
" I like not this governing of men," he said; " yet
since it is my fate to rule, I will try to serve my
people well, anci thus honor the memory of my father."
85
86	THE GOLDEN FLEECE		
But all the while Pelias, the king's stepbrother, was
plotting to do him harm. For he was selfish and
grasping and full of guile; and like a young cuckoo in
a sparrow's nest he was ever striving to cast out those
who had received and nurtured him, that so he might
possess all things for himself.		`.11
One day, having bribed the soldiers and the younger men
of the city, he walked boldly into the king's council
hall and seated himself upon the throne. Then when
yEson entered to take his accustomed place, the usurper
bade him begone.		
" Know you," said he, " that I, Pelias, the son of
Neptune, am king of Iolcus, and no man shall dare
dispute my right."		
And yEson, pale and trembling, though not through fear,
stood before him and lifted not a hand in his own
defense.		
" If you are indeed king," he said, "grant that I may
ask one little boon of you."		
" Say on," said Pelias, " but beware that you do not
ask too much."		
" I pray you give me leave," said iEson, " to		
spend my days in my quiet country home near		
where the rushing stream of Anaurus pours down		
into the plain. There I would fain till my garden		
in peace and forget that I am the son of a king."		
"'Tis well," answered Pelias. " Get you gone to		
A GARDEN BETTER THAN A THRONE 87
ro;'	your garden, and remember that should you ever
self	again set your foot within the gates of Iolcus,
your
life shall pay the forfeit."
And JEson, sad-hearted and yet feeling relieved of a
distressing burden, went out of the halls which his
father had made so glorious and turned his steps toward
the humble home that was sweeter to him than kingly
power.
Then Pelias sent out his armed men and drove his other
stepbrothers, Pheres and Amythaon, from the city. But
Pheres gathered a company of noble young men about him,
and they built in the midst of the Thessalian plain a
walled city, strong and great, which they named Pherx.
As for fair-haired Neleus, the twin brother of Pelias,
he took ship and sailed far away to the land of
Messenia, where he built the afterward famous city of
Pylos on the sandy shore of the western sea.
When at length Pelias had rid himself of all that might
do him harm in Iolcus, he began to fear that some
secret foe might arise to drive him from his throne.
The longer he thought about this the more was he
troubled. Whenever he stepped outside of his door he
trembled lest some one with dagger or club should
suddenly leap upon him. At night he lay awake for
hours, fearing to close his eyes lest an assassin might
attack him unawares.
88	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
His distress became so great that at last he called a
trusted friend into his bedroom and said : " I am sadly
perplexed because of something that I wish to know. No
mortal, but the gods alone, can answer the question I
would ask. To which one of them, think you, would it be
better to apply ? "
" They all tell that which is true," was the answer, "
but some speak more plainly than others. Now there are
the doves and the oaks at Dodona — "
" I will ask nothing of them," interrupted Pelias. "
They speak only in riddles."
" Then why not send to the oracle at Delphi ? Send a
goodly gift to the priestess there, and she will ask
Apollo to answer your question."
" It shall be done," cried Pelias; and that very day
-a messenger was sent with rich offerings to the famous
oracle at Delphi. " The question I would have
answered," said the king, "is this: Will any one do
Pelias harm or ever drive him from his kingdom ? '"
Anxious days and weary months passed by, and then the
messenger returned.
" Did you ask the oracle the question that I gave you
to propound ? " asked Pelias.
" I did," said the messenger, " and after long delays
and the giving of other presents I received Apollo's
answer."
A GARDEN BETTER THAN A THRONE 89
" Let me hear it quickly," demanded the king. " Well,
it was this : —
" Rest easy, Pelias, now; but of that man beware
Who comes with one foot sandaled and the other bare.' "
" Ha 1 " cried Pelias, as his dark face lighted up with
joy. " All is well with me, and no half-sandaled man
shall ever wrest 'my kingdom from me."
Then he gave orders that if any man should ever be
found walking on the streets of Iolcus with one foot
bare and the other covered, he should at once and
without trial be thrown into prison.
Now /Eson, after he had been driven from his throne,
went peacefully through the city on his way to the
little country place that was hereafter to be his home.
Very many were the sad eyes that followed him as he
walked along the dusty street. Many also were the
whispered farewells that fell upon his ear from
darkened doorways, while from the half-closed windows
sweet flowers and other tokens were rained upon him to
tell how dear he yet was held in the hearts of his
loving people.
When at length he reached the gateway which opened into
his garden, Alcimede, his wife, came forth to meet him,
leading by the hand their little son, Jason.
•• He lifted little Jason in his arms."
A GARDEN BETTER THAN A THRONE 91
" Now, indeed," cried iEson, greeting them, " we shall
live happily in this quiet place. For at last I am free
from all those distressing things that have of late
made life so joyless."
He lifted little Jason in his arms, and thence upon his
shoulders, and with the boy astride of his neck he
carried him, merrily laughing, toward the house. And as
Alcimede walked trippingly beside him, he told her all
that had happened. He told her how Pelias had pushed
him from the throne, thus taking upon himself the
burdensome cares that bear so heavily upon a king. But
when he spoke of the silent acts by which the people
had assured him of their love, his voice trembled and
the tears came unbidden to his eyes.
" I am glad for your sake that it has happened so,"
said Alcimede. " Pelias, knowing that you are better
pleased to be a gardener than a king, , will never
think to do you any further harm. But there is another
one of whom we should think, rather than of ourselves."
" Yes, I know of whom you are thinking," said jEson. "
You are thinking of this little lad," and he set the
child down in the doorway and played that he was a
hungry bear from some mountain cave, ready to devour
the little princely morsel. But the child, with his
fists and toy sword, drove
92	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
the make-believe beast from the door, and all joined in
merry laughter at his brave deed.
" He will be a noble warrior when he grows up," said
the proud mother.
" I will be a king," lisped the child.
The parents looked one at the other, and neither spoke
; but it was easy to guess the thoughts that disturbed
their minds.
That evening, when the child was asleep in his bed,
Alcimede said to her husband : " Jason says he will be
a king, and indeed we must not hinder him. His father
and his grandfather, and all his ancestors back to
Jupiter himself, were kings. No cruel Pelias shall keep
him from the throne that is rightfully his."
"Speak softly, wife," said FEson, while anxious shadows
darkened his kindly face. " I see now my mistake in
yielding so readily to the demands of Pelias. Even
though I cared not for the kingdom for myself, I ought
to have held it for the boy's sake. And now another
fearful thought has taken hold of me. Pelias is not the
man to take any dangerous risks. He will seek to
destroy our child, who has a better right to be king of
Iolcus than he himself can ever have."
" That is the very thought that has troubled me from
the start," said Alcimede. " Pelias may send
A GARDEN BETTER THAN A THRONE 93
for him this very night, and we must save our child."
" We must," said /Eson; " but how ? "
" Take the lad and carry him up the mountain to the
cave of Cheiron the Centaur. He will be safe there;
for Cheiron is your friend, and he will suffer no harm
to befall your child. Make haste, and do not delay, for
every moment brings the danger nearer."
" You are wise, Alcimede," said tEson. " Get the lad
ready, and I will go at once."
ADVENTURE XI
THE HIDING OF THE PRINCE
AT daybreak of the second day, iEson, with little Jason
in his arms, stood at the foot of a gray cliff far up
the side of mighty Pelion. Below them were thick woods
of oak and chestnut and dark undergrowths of vine and
shrub, through which they had made their perilous way
in the silence of the night. On their left, far away,
the gray sea lay sleeping in the morning twilight. On
their right, in the misty distance, they could see the
wild plains and the dark, low woods that border the
narrow valley of the Anaurus. Behind them, looming up
against the horizon, were the dim and gloomy outlines
of the famous mountains, Ossa and Olympus.
" Shall we go farther, father ? " said little Jason..
" No, my child," said i€son, " we will rest here, and
wait till the sun rises upon the sea."
They sat in silence by the side of the great rock, the
tired lad pillowing his head upon his father's bosom.
The day grew brighter every moment.
94
THE HIDING OF THE PRINCE	95
The gray eastern clouds became golden, and then changed
to a fleeting crimson and melted softly into
nothingness. A ray of gold shot quickly upward, and
then another and another and thousands more, and like a
flash the sun peeped out of the sea far away at its
meeting with the sky.
At that same moment a voice was heard at the mouth of a
cavern in an angle of the cliff. It was the voice of a
man, full, rich, and attuned to most wonderful
harmonies.
" What is that, father ? " asked Jason, wearily.
" It is Cheiron, the good Centaur, singing his morning
hymn," answered izEson.
They listened spellbound, for never had they heard a
song so restful and so beautiful. It spoke of the sun,
and of the day's dawning, and of the boundless sea, and
of the wonderful earth and the protecting sky, and,
last of all, of the Mighty Ones who sit in heavenly
places and determine the destinies of men. It was a
song which when once heard could never be forgotten,
for it spoke of the things that are dearest to every
man's heart and sweetest to the mind of every child.
When the song was finished, the singer stepped out from
the shadows that had hitherto concealed him and stood
in front of his dwelling in the full rays of the
morning sun. He was very tall,
THE GOLDEN FLEECE
and every line of his body spoke of nobility and
strength. His head was bare and his flowing hair was
white as the drifted snow. His long beard fell in waves
to his waist. His eyes were gray and piercing, and his
face beamed with kindliness and wisdom.
Then iEson arose, and, carrying the child in his arms,
went forward to meet the wonderful Centaur.
When Cheiron saw them approaching, he held out his
hands in welcome, and said: " Hail, king that was and
king that is to be ! I know your errand, and it shall
not be in vain. The lad shall dwell with me, and no
finger shall be raised to do him harm. He shall grow up
in my mountain home, and I will teach him the lore of
the world and train him in the ways of heroic men. And
when the time is ripe for action and the voices of his
kingly ancestors call to him, he shall go forth to
claim his rightful heritage and to do the deeds that
will cause his name to be remembered to the end of
time."
IEson, with tears streaming from his eyes, kissed the
lad on his cheeks and lips, and silently gave him into
the arms of the aged Centaur. Then without pausing or
uttering a word, he turned and went with faltering
steps down the rocky path that led to the foot of the
mountain.
THE HIDING OF THE PRINCE	97
When, early on the following morning, he arrived at his
cottage home, thinking how lonely the place would be
without the child to gladden it, he was surprised to
see an earthen jar with water in it standing before the
door. The jar was unlike any other in the house. It was
painted red, with stripes and squares of jet black
encircling it at the top and the bottom; and around
the edge were mystic figures intertwined with delicate
leaves and vines. yEson started in alarm when he saw
it, for it told that there was mourning in the house.
" Woe is me," he said to himself. " Can it be that
Alcimede is dead ?"
But at that moment Alcimede herself, dressed in the
garb of mourning, with tear-wet face and hair all
tangled, came out to meet him.
" Who is it ? " he asked hoarsely.
" Alas ! alas ! " cried she, in loud, shrill tones,
broken by her sobs, " it is our darling Jason. Would
that you had been here when he died."
Then, still weeping, she leaned her head on lEson's
shoulder and whispered very low : " You know it is not
so. But it is thus that we must deceive our enemies,"
and with that she again broke forth into loud
lamentations.
/Eson led her into the house and into the chamber that
had been little Jason's. All round the
GOLDEN FLEECE - 7
98	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
room the faithful servants stood, with reddened eyes
and faces drawn with grief. Upon a bed strewn with
spring flowers and sweet-smelling garden herbs lay what
seemed to be the body of a child, dressed in robes of
flowing white. Garlands of leafy vines encircled and
concealed the face, which was turned toward the wall;
and the folded hands were hidden beneath a wreath of
orchard blossoms.
As lEson drew near and lifted one of the garlands as
though looking at the face of the dead, all the women
who were standing around began to weep most piteously.
He replaced the flowers carefully, covered his face
with his hands, and stood silent for a while by the
side of the bed. Then he turned away and, going to his
own chamber, shut the door behind him.
All that day and far into the following night the house
was filled with mourning. Then, very early on the
second morning, a sad procession moved away from the
cottage and wound slowly down the pathway toward a
distant part of the garden. First went the musicians,
clad in white and garlanded with leaves of wild olives,
playing mournful tunes upon their flutes. Behind these
were four trusted slaves bearing the bed upon which the
supposed dead body lay. The bed and its burden were
cov-
THE HIDING OF THE PRINCE	99
ered with a rich purple pall strewn with wood violets
and white meadow blossoms. Behind walked other slaves,
bearing vessels of oil and an urn in which to place the
ashes of the dead. Then followed IEson and Alcimede and
the older women of the household, with bowed heads and
well-simulated grief.
In a pleasant corner of the garden stood the funeral
pyre, built of sweet-scented woods and twined about
with flowering vines. The bed was lifted upon it. The
oil was poured over the dried branches at its base.
Ornaments and gifts, such as a child would like, were
hung here and there around the bed. While the company
stood at a distance, the flutes began to play a
mournful dirge, and a lighted torch was thrown among
the heaped-up branches. The flames spread quickly, and
as the sun arose and gilded the top of Mount Pelion,
the consuming fire shot upward and in-wrapped the pyre
as with a blazing mantle.
Two days thereafter an officer of the king, with a
guard of soldiers, rode out to yEson's humble home. He
came boldly into the house without invitation.
" Where is Jason, your young son ? " he asked. " I have
come to carry him to the king."
Alcimede silently arose, and going into an inner room,
returned, bearing a funeral urn. Upon its side were
painted the symbols of Jason's name.
100	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
" Behold his ashes," she said.
Then the officer observed the signs of mourning about
the house and the black garbs and solemn faces of the
serving women. He turned without further words and went
back to Iolcus, bearing the report to Pelias that the
child whom he sought to destroy was already dead.
AD VENTURE XII
THE TRAINING OF A HERO
Now Jason, far from being dead, was safe and well in
Cheiron's fair-hewn cavern, high on the rugged steeps
of Pelion. Into that rocky home the morning sun shone
brightly, driving the shadows far back and causing the
walls and low-vaulted roof to glisten as though set
with a thousand diamonds. Upon the uneven floor
fragrant leaves and sweet-smelling herbs were cast, and
here and there soft furry rugs were laid, the skins of
mountain lions and of shaggy bears. Around the walls
couches and pleasant seats were placed; and in the
corner farthest from the door a great fireplace yawned,
where, on chilly days or when the sun was hidden, a
cheerful fire glowed and crackled and cast its ruddy
light upon all within that comfortable place.
The wise Cheiron and the guileless child lived happily,
like two devoted friends whom naught could separate.
Sometimes a herdsman or a wild Centaur from the glens
below would come, bring-
MI
102	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
ing them meat and fruit, or some rare delicacy as honey
from the wood bees' hive, or speckled trout from the
mountain brooks. Sometimes others of his race would
visit Cheiron, and these would dance on the moss-grown
lawn before the door, while he would offer sweet
sacrifice to their gods and tell them many a tale of
ancient days.
Thus did Jason pass the joyous days of childhood, nor
did he long remember his doting father or his gentle
mother, whose prayers for him never ceased. Each day he
grew in strength and comeliness, and each day he
learned some new lesson of skill or wisdom. For Cheiron
taught him the lore of the older days : how the world
was formed, and how men came to live thereon; and he
told him of the heroes who battled valiantly for the
things that are just and true, and how they won lasting
fame thereby.
He taught him also how to exercise his body so that his
form would be graceful and his limbs strong and
beautiful. He walked with him in the wild-wood and
showed him how the birds built their nests, and how the
plants grew and each had its own nature and use. They
wandered together in the wild glens of the mountain,
they descended into rocky gorges, and climbed to the
tops of dizzy peaks; and wherever they went, the lad
performed
THE TRAINING OF A HERO	103
some act or learned some lesson that added to his
strength or his stature or his wisdom.
He learned how to choose the best wood for a bow, and
how to shape it and season it into a useful and deadly
thing. He learned what reeds were the best for arrows,
and how to tip them with points of stone, and feather
them so they would fly straight to the mark.
Then as he grew older he loved to ramble in the deeper
and more dangerous parts of the woods, hunting the
fiercest beasts from their hiding places; and woe to
the surly bear or the lurking mountain lion that
crossed his path. To the gentle things among the trees
and rocks he was always gentle; but to things savage
and rude he gave no mercy, dealing with them as he
thought they deserved. Sometimes he carried home some
nestling wood pigeons or a brace of baby squirrels,
which he petted and taught to love him. Once he brought
to the cavern a young leopard, spitting and fighting,
which he tamed into such gentleness that it followed
him like a dog. Thus all the wild things of the
mountain came to know the young hero, and he lived in
their midst and scarcely wished it otherwise.
At length, however, after he had grown to the stature
of a man and the down on his cheek had begun to darken,
his love for the woody solitudes grew
104	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
less. Sometimes he spent whole days gazing out upon the
sea and wondering what mysteries were hidden far away
beyond the ken of his eye. Sometimes, from the opposite
slope of the mountain, he looked down upon the green
pastures and blossoming orchards of the plain and upon
the city of Iolcus nestling close at Pelion's base; and
he wondered what manner of life was there. But all this
time Cheiron had told him nothing of his birth or his
parents or the mighty race from which he had sprung.
One day, in the very early spring, as he wandered
lonely through the budding woods, he was suddenly aware
of a sweetness in the air pleasanter by far than the
perfume of rarest flowers. Then a burst of music fell
upon his ear, so low, so full of all the harmonies,
that he stood entranced and forgetful of his very self.
As he listened, he saw a maiden with sandaled feet and
skirts tucked up tripping down the path to meet him.
Her long hair fell in golden waves upon her shoulders,
and her cheeks were fairer than the dawn of a summer
day. In her hands she held an unstrung bow, and on her
back was a quiver filled with sharp-tipped arrows.
" It is one of Diana's maidens," thought Jason; " or
mayhap it is Diana herself," and with thumping heart he
stepped aside, not knowing how• to greet her.
THE TRAINING OF A HERO	'95
" Tell me," she said, " have you seen any of my folk go
down this way to-day ? "
Then Jason saw that her eyes were heavenly blue; and
when he looked into them he was filled with trembling
wonder and awe. He stammered. His tongue seemed
palsied. He could not speak a word.
Then she, smiling, but with a half-reproachful air,
spoke again: " Is this the place for one like you to
spend his days ? Why do you stand here idle in the
shade while the world is waiting for you to do some
noble deed ? Tell me your name and why you mingle not
with other men; for surely your looks betray that you
are of the race of heroes."
The young man, grown braver, answered her awkwardly as
one unused to talk with ladies. " My name is Jason," he
said; " and I live in a cave up here with mighty
Cheiron. I know not what you mean by noble deeds; and
it is pleasanter, I think, to spend the days here in
the free air of Pelion than to mingle with men in the
crowded town."
" Hear me, Jason," said the lady. " Life is not
pleasure; it is duty. Labor is the lot of man, and fame
is for him who will win it. Tarry here no longer. Go,
and tell Cheiron that the time has come for you to be a
man and the doer of worthy things. Tell him that I,
Juno, the queen of gods and men,
106	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
have bidden you to go forth and win a name that shall
never be forgotten."
As she spoke these words a cloud of rainbow hue
inwrapped the glorious lady, and when Jason raised his
eyes she had vanished. He stood for a while, dazed and
trembling, like one awaking from a wondrous dream. Then
he turned and went thoughtfully home. There he found
Cheiron, sitting in his great armchair before the
blazing fire and chanting a hymn to the gods.
" My good father," said Jason, "the time has come that
I must leave you; " and then he told him all that he
had seen and heard.
" It is well," answered the Centaur. " This is the day
to which I have long looked forward. You must know now
who you are and what the duty is that lies before you."
Then he told the young man the story of his birth and
lineage, and how iEson, his father, had hidden him away
from false Pelias until he should be strong enough to
claim his heritage and win it. " When your father
brought you to me and placed you in my arms, I knew
you," said Cheiron, " and I knew that your life was to
be a glorious one. So I taught you the lore of the gods
and whatsoever might make you both wise and strong, a
lover of truth and justice, and a doer of noble deeds.
And
THE TRAINING OF A HERO	107
now your schooldays are ended and you are ready for the
battle that you must fight and win. Tomorrow you shall
leave me. Go boldly down into Iolcus, demand your
kingdom from Pelias, and the Mighty Ones will help you
to victory."
The Centaur arose from his chair, and going to his
treasure chest took therefrom some glittering jewels
which he handed to Jason. " Here," said he, " is a
slender golden chain with precious stones attached to
it and a tiny horn and ring hanging thereto. It was
around your neck when your father brought you hither.
Take the precious trinkets with you; they will be the
sign by which your father and mother will know you."
All the rest of that day the two sat on the couches in
that pleasant, lighted place, talking of the things
that had been and the things that should be, and
singing for the last time together the songs that had
gladdened' them so often before. And when the evening
came they betook themselves with quiet minds to rest,
feeling no regrets for the past and having no fears for
the morrow.
ADVENTURE XIII
THE FORDING OF THE TORRENT
WHEN at length the sun again sent his morning beams
through the broad door of Cheiron's cavern, Jason arose
and clad himself for his journey. Over his shoulders he
threw a short cloak, dyed richly blue and embroidered
with threads of gold, and on his head he placed a
jaunty cap, dark gray, with an eagle's plume above it.
On his feet he buckled light sandals which Cheiron
himself had fashioned from a wild boar's hide. In his
hands he took the bow that had been his joy in many a
hunt; and on his shoulder he slung his well-filled
quiver, gay with the feathered tips of deadly arrows.
Then, bidding farewell to Cheiron, bowing his head for
the old man's blessing, he started forth to enter the
busy world of which he had seen so little.
There had been rain during the night. The trees dripped
moisture upon his head as he hopefully journeyed along
the crooked path which led through the well-known wood.
The earth and the crannies in the rocks were charged
with water. Every moun-
m8
THE FORDING OF THE TORRENT	109
tain stream was a roaring torrent. But from the soil
the sweet odors of spring arose, and the woods were
vocal with the blithesome music of birds and waterfalls
and whispering breezes.
The way was long and hard. It was past noon when Jason
reached the lower and gentler slopes of the mountain.
The sun was halfway down to its place of setting when
he left the forest behind and came out into the opener
country. His road was still only a narrow footpath
winding among rocks and trees, but he knew that by
following it he was drawing nearer every moment to
Iolcus.
At length, however, he came to that which seemed to bar
his going farther. It was the Anaurus, in summer a
shallow brook trickling in the sand, but now a mighty
torrent rushing toward the sea. Jason stood on the bank
and watched the dashing, yellow waves as they raged and
swirled in the rocky channel. He went first up the
stream and then down, looking for a place where the
water flowed less furiously. As he was standing under
the lee of a great rock and watching the eddies where
the torrent paused in its swiftness, he heard a shrill,
cracked voice behind him. He turned and saw an old, old
woman approaching. She was wrinkled and gray and
toothless, and she hobbled awkwardly along on a single
'crutch.
110	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
She came up trembling and breathless, and mumbling
Complaints from between her thin lips.
" Nobody has pity on a poor old thing like me," she
said. " I might drown in this muddy stream and nobody
would care."
" Good mother," said Jason, " I am only a stranger
here, but I will help you if I can. What do you wish me
to do ? "
" Carry me across the Anaurus," was the answer. " I am
old and lame and but a woman, and I cannot swim."
" Indeed," said Jason, " how can I carry you across ?
The finest swimmer in Greece would have enough to do to
stem those eddies alone, and how could he carry another
? "
" You may think so," answered the old woman, " but you
have not tried it. If you leave me on this side of the
stream, I shall perish with hunger and cold. But it is
always so. Nobody cares for the ugly and the old," and
with that she fell to weeping most bitterly.
The heart of the young hero was touched. " Come here,
then," he said. " Put your arms about my neck, and as I
leap into the torrent throw yourself upon my
shoulders."
The old woman did so, and as Jason felt her long, gaunt
arms about him, and saw her skinny
" He leaped boldly into the swirling eddies."
II2	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
hands clasped across his breast, he muttered a brief
prayer to Jupiter to save him from the flood. Then he
leaped boldly into the swirling eddies and struck out
with all his strength for the farther shore. At first
the weight of the old woman upon his shoulders hindered
him and dragged him down; but as he battled with the
waves she seemed to grow lighter, and soon, when he was
almost overwhelmed in the fury of a whirlpool, he felt
the scrawny arms holding him up and bearing him safely
along.
At length the farther bank was reached. Jason,
breathless and dazed, crept out upon the dry land and
fell gasping upon the grass. He felt the arms of the
old woman relax; he heard her mumbled thanks as she
shook the water from her garments; but for some
moments he was too weak to stir or look around.
As strength returned to him, however, he opened his
eyes and arose staggering, as one just roused from
sleep. He glanced toward the place where the woman
stood, and to ! instead of an old hag, he saw the
glorious being who had accosted him on the mountain
side. Her face beamed with heavenly beauty, and her
blue eyes smiled sweetly upon him as she spoke.
" Jason," she said, " I thank you again for carrying me
across the raging stream. He that is mind-
THE FORDING OF THE TORRENT	113
ful of the old and poor knows not whom he is
befriending."
But Jason stood trembling and amazed before the
wondrous lady, and his lips could find no words for
utterance. Then she spoke again : —
 " The time is ripe for action, Jason, and I will be
your strong helper. Rest to-night at some wayside
cottage, and to-morrow go bravely into the city. Seek
the king as he sits in his great hall, and demand from
him the kingdom that he wrested from your father,
tEson. I will go before you and prepare the people to
receive you. And no matter what perils may threaten
you, remember that I, Juno, am always near to help
you."
Then suddenly she faded in a cloud of violet mist, and
Jason found himself shivering with cold and standing
alone on the bank of raging Anaurus. And now he noticed
for the first time that he had lost one of his sandals
while struggling with the stream. But he was not unused
to such accidents, and he scarcely deemed it worth a
thought, whether his feet were bare or shod.
He easily regained the footpath, which soon widened
into a pleasant road; and walking briskly onward he
came at sunset to the brow of a little hill from which
he could see the walls and the high towers of Iolcus.
Below the hill there was a gray
GOLDEN FLEECE - 8
t 14	PRE GOLDEN FLEECE
farmhouse nestling among fruit trees, and around it was
a pretty garden, gay with the first flowers of spring.
In the garden an old man with kindly face was leaning
upon his hoe, seeming pleased with the day's work just
completed. When Jason drew near and asked him for a
night's lodging, his eyes looked the welcome which his
tongue expressed, and he led the young man straightway
into the cottage.
" We live a simple life," said he, " far from the
city's busy strife; and it gladdens our hearts to
entertain travelers whether they be known to us or
strange."
Then the old man's wife came forward to welcome their
guest. She was tall and fair and seeming younger than
her years, and her words and manners plainly showed
that she was gentle born.
With these kind people Jason spent the night. And as
they sat at meals they talked of many things both
strange and common, and neither asked the other any
questions concerning his name or history. Yet Jason
knew that it was his father and mother who were his
hosts that night; and strange memories that had lain
long slumbering in his mind came dimly to him as he
looked around upon the varied objects which his
childhood had known so well.
ADVENTURE XIV
"ONE FOOT SANDALED AND THE OTHER
BARE"
EARLY on the morrow Jason made ready to renew his
journey. He stood in the doorway, hesitating whether he
should make himself known to his parents or wait until
another time. It was then that old zEson first noticed
that his guest wore a single sandal, and he spoke of
it, delicately, as fearing to give offense.
" It does not matter," said Jason, lightly.	" I
lost the other in the Anaurus, and I would cast this
one away were it not a keepsake from my foster father."
" Let me lend you a pair of my own," said the old man;
but as he looked at Jason's broad ankles and sturdy
limbs, and thought how large the sandals must be to fit
such feet, he saw the foolishness of his offer.
". I thank you," answered Jason. " To walk with one
foot bare does not trouble me half so much as
115
116	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
the thought of going alone to Iolcus. Come, put on your
cloak and bear me company awhile."
The old man cheerfully assented and, leaning upon his
staff, went hobbling along by the side of his guest,
talking garrulously about his garden vegetables and the
prospects of the growing crops. To walk with one so
young and strong and, withal, so pleasant and
attentive, was a thing so rare to him that he forgot
himself entirely. It was not until the high walls and
the city gates loomed up before them that he realized
how far he had come.
" Alas ! " he said, stopping short in the middle of the
road, " I must now bid you good-by. It is many years
since I last passed through those gates, banished from
my kingdom by the usurping Pelias. I dare not go a step
farther."
Then Jason took from his neck the jeweled chain and the
ring and horn that Cheiron had given him, and held them
up before the eyes of zEson.
" Father," he cried, " do you remember these and the
lisping child who wore them round his neck when you hid
him away with wise Cheiron on Pelion's woody heights ?
"
The old man gazed speechless, first at the princely
trinkets and then into the eyes of his princely son.
Then, with a wild cry, he threw his arms about Jason's
neck and kissed him again and again, softly
"ONE FOOT SANDALED, THE OTHER BARE" 117
murmuring the pet names by which he had called him in
his babyhood. And Jason, supporting his bent and
trembling form, spoke soothingly to him and returned
his loving caresses.
" Now come with me," he said, as iEson grew calmer and
he himself regained his courage. "Come with me, and
this day shall Pelias restore your rights and mine."
" I have no mind of my own, my son," answered zEson. "
I will go wherever you may lead."
So the two went boldly through the gates, and no man
questioned them.
As they passed along the street they saw the people
standing here and there in anxious groups and talking
low among themselves as if fearful of being overheard.
They noticed that the shops were closed and no labor
was being done, while idle workingmen lounged in the
doorways, muttering and complaining about the tyranny
of the rich. Then, as they came to the market place,
they observed a• great crowd gathered around an old,
white-haired man, who was speaking to them from the
base of Jupiter's statue.
" In the days of Cretheus and of iEson," he was saying,
" men lived happily in Iolcus, nor ever felt the touch
of poverty or feared the tyrant's hand; but since this
false-hearted Pelias seized the throne,
118	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
all is changed. You are scourged to your tasks, your
wives and children perish with hunger, the gods
themselves are forgotten. Will you endure such things
longer? Will you suffer this tyrant still to crush you
in the dust ? "
" No, no, no!" cried the crowd.
" Down with Pelias, the usurper! " cried some. The old
man went on speaking.
" This day," he said, " there is a hero in your midst,
none other than Jason, the son of King iEson, whom all
supposed to be dead. He will restore the glorious
kingdom of his grandfather. He will free you from the
chains of bondage. Stand by him. Trust him to deliver
you."
The crowd shouted and swayed hither and thither, and
every man seemed as though bereft of his senses. In the
midst of the great tumult the speaker disappeared, and
Jason, as he looked to see which way he had gone, was
aware of a glorious being passing near him,— blue-eyed
and golden-haired, and with garments more beautiful
than the rainbow or the sunset clouds in summer.
" Did I not say that I would prepare the way for you ?
" she whispered.
Then she was gone; but Jason knew that it was Juno,
and that she and the old man haranguing the people were
the same.
"ONE FOOT SANDALED, THE OTHER BARE"
The surging crowd became denser and wilder; but as
Jason mingled with the multitude there were few who
noticed that he was a stranger in Iolcus. Fully a head
taller than any of those who jostled against him,
strong-limbed and broad-shouldered, he was the very man
whom you would have chosen for a hero. Yet none who
observed him in his uncouth garb or heard his soft, low
words deemed him anything but an awkward herdsman fresh
from the green pastures of Thessaly. Nevertheless, full
of his high purpose, he strode onward toward the palace
of the king; while his father, poor old iEson, clung to
his arm and hobbled helplessly by his side.
As though moved by one thought the crowd was already
gathering before the palace. But Jason pushed his way
through, and with a look that spoke of power, strode
past the guards and straight into the hall where Pelias
sat unmindful of the storm without.
Clad in scarlet robes, with a jeweled crown upon his
head, the false king looked down from his ivory throne
and gayly jested with his friends.
" I am told that the people want their rights," he
said. " Tell them they shall have the only right
that belongs to them, — the right to labor like
slaves and to die like dogs at the king's command."
Just then a noise at the door caused him to look
120	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
around. There, striding toward the throne, was a tall,
young stranger clad in a blue cloak and a cap of gray
and — and " with one foot sandaled and the other bare
!"
In his surprise and fright the king sprang up, as
though to rush in terror from his throne. Then
bethinking himself, he sat down again and roughly
accosted the intruder.
" Who are you that dare come into the presence of the
king without his due permission ? " he cried.
But Jason paused not until he stood with his unsandaled
foot on the marble step before the throne. Then, while
the people came crowding in behind him, he answered:
"Pelias, I am he whose heritage you have stolen, and I
have come to bid you give up the throne that you have
held so long by fraud and force. I am Jason, the son of
your brother yEson. He is the rightful king of Iolcus,
and he it is who stands here by my side. Come down from
the high seat from which you drove him so unlawfully,
and let him be restored to the place that is justly his
own."
Pelias saw the crowd of angry workingmen surging into
the hall, and as he heard their mutterings and
half-concealed threats, his heart failed him through
fear. " Surely," he thought to himself, " it will
profit nothing to resist by force this one-
"ONE FOOT SANDALED, THE OTHER BARE" 121
sandaled man of whom the gods warned me long time ago."
He tried to appear calm and unconcerned. He tried to
appear terrible, like a king dealing vengeance upon his
foes. But his hands trembled, and the livid scar upon
his cheek glowed horribly in its ghastly ugliness. He
was about to speak, but his lips trembled, and he knew
not what to say. Then an officer who stood behind him
whispered : " Put them off with fair promises, if you
can. It is your only hope, for all Iolcus has risen
against you."
Now Pelias was well skilled in cunning, and this advice
pleased him well. So with well-pretended joy he stepped
down from his high seat and grasped the hand of Jason.
" 0 nephew, so long mourned as dead," he cried warmly,
" I greet you as a hero returned to claim and enjoy
that which is his own. Right gladly will I lay aside
the burdens that have so long robbed me of the joys of
life. Right gladly will I resign to your father the
throne which he long ago gave up to me, and which I
have held in loving trust for .him and you."
Then, seeing old iEson standing pale and trembling
before him, he embraced him lovingly and said: " And
you, my dear honored brother, let me welcome you also
to the halls wherein your face has
I 22	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
been too long a stranger. How happy you must be that
thus your noble son has at length returned to be the
prop of your declining years ! This throne is still
yours, and in due time you shall again sit upon it."
Poor IEson feebly returned the false king's greetings,
forgetting all the past and remembering only that it
was his brother who stood before him.
" I thank you, Pelias, for your welcome," he said. " I
thank you also for your offer of the throne. But I have
no wish to change my present way of life or try again
the 'thankless task of ruling men. Here is my son; the
heritage is his. Resign the throne in due time to him,
but be not overhasty. Hold the trust a little longer,
if you wish, until Jason shall become acquainted with
the city and the people, and shall know their needs. A
day or two, or a week, will make little difference."
" True, brother," said Pelias, " it is not well that so
great a business should be performed too hastily. We
are old men, and our years are few. But this your son
has long life before him, and there is much glory for
him to win outside of the narrow walls of Iolcus. As
for the matter of the kingship, it can well rest, as
you say, for a day or two, while you sit as guests in
my halls and we recall the memories of
at
"ONE FOOT SANDALED, -THE OTHER BARE" 123
other years. Then I will step quietly down, and Jason
shall have his own."
This smooth-tongued speech seemed well pleasing both to
Jason and his father, and it had no small effect upon
the men of Iolcus, who stood listening and wondering
whether, after all, Pelias were so bad a king as they
had thought. One by one the leaders of the crowd, who
had come expecting to make trouble, turned silently
around and went homeward, saying to one another, " Let
us trust the young hero, Jason. He will redress our
wrongs."
Thus Jason and his father became the guests of Pelias
in the pleasant halls that were by right their own. But
the thought that lay uppermost in the mind of the false
king was how he might rid himself of the troublesome
young hero who had come so suddenly to disturb his
pleasure. " I shall have no peace nor safety," he said,
" while this one-sandaled man remains in Iolcus."
ADVENTURE XV
THE PERILOUS QUEST
As the sun went down that day, there was much merriment
in the marble home of Pelias; for the false king had
made a feast in honor of his nephew, whose name was on
every tongue in Iolcus. Merrily the hours passed. The
torches were lighted, and as darkness filled the
streets they flared and smoked and glowed redly in the
high-roofed halls. Flute and harp made music to the
flitting feet of dancing maidens, and minstrels sang
wondrous songs of the glory of ancient days or told of
the deeds of deathless heroes and the doings of the
gods. Young Jason, unconcerned, sat by his uncle's
side, enjoying the strange, new pleasures of the hour;
and the man of the livid face amused him with many an
idle jest and many a tale of mirth that made him half
forget the noble aims which had hitherto urged him
forward.
" I will next tell you a story which will make you weep
rather than laugh," said Pelias. " It is of old
124
THE PERILOUS QUEST	I25
King Athamas, your grandfather's brother, and of the
wonderful golden ram that carried his two children,
Phrixus and Helle, over the sea. It is a rare, good
story which stirs the heart of every one that listens
to it."
" I have already heard it often," said Jason. " Cheiron
the Centaur used to tell it to me as we sat by the
cheerful fire in his cave far up the side of Pelion.
But there are two things which his story did not
explain and which I have often wished to know."
" What are they ? " asked Pelias.
" First, I should like to know what was the end of mad
King Athamas; and second, I should like to hear what
became of Phrixus and of the golden fleece," answered
Jason.
" Well, as for King Athamas," said Pelias, " his story
is soon told. When you last heard of him was he not
sitting in his white-walled palace, moaning and weeping
and utterly bereft of his senses ? Well, matters soon
grew worse and worse in Orchomenus, and the people
loudly complained because they had no king. At last the
soothsayers declared that all their misfortunes had
befallen them because of the anger of Jupiter
concerning the fate of Phrixus and Helle; and they said
that the Mighty One could never be appeased until
126	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
Athamas himself had been offered as a sacrifice on his
altar.
" Then the Minyan people loudly demanded that this
thing should be done. ' For what is the life of a mad
king,' said they, `compared with the lives of our
children ?' But when the soothsayers went to fetch poor
Athamas to the sacrifice, behold, he had fled into the
forest.
-" He wandered long through the great woods, moaning
and weeping and praying the Mighty Ones to remove the
curse of madness from him. At length Jupiter took pity
on him and declared that whenever the wild beasts
should feed him, his senses would be restored, even
though the curse against his family might not be
removed.
" Now as Athamas was passing through a lone and savage
place he saw some wolves devouring the body of a deer.
He ran toward them, shouting, and the beasts fled,
leaving the half-eaten carcass behind. Athamas, being
almost famished with hunger, knelt down and greedily
gnawed the flesh from the bones; and to 1 his senses
returned to him —the wild beasts had fed him.
" Nevertheless the curse that was laid upon his house
remained. For it was decreed that no one of his race
should sit upon his throne, and that all who claimed to
be descended from him should be sacri-
THE PEPILOUS QUEST	127
ficed upon the altar of Jupiter, the relentless father
of the gods. But this curse may be removed and the
family of Athamas forgiven if only some hero shall
bring back to Greece the golden fleece that hangs in
the treasure house of King zEetes in the distant land
of Colchis."
When Pelias had ended this story, he looked straight
into the eyes of Jason to read if possible the thoughts
that were stirring in his mind. But Jason seemed
unmoved, and carelessly asked whether it was known to a
certainty that the fleece was still in Colchis among
the treasures of the king.
" There is no doubt about it," answered Pelias. " For
not three months ago a man came to Iolcus who said that
he was the son of Phrixus. I questioned him with much
care and found that he spoke the truth. His name is
Argus, and he was then on his way to Orchomenus to
claim the kingdom of his grandfather, Athamas. He it
was who told me all about the life of Phrixus in /Ea.
It seems that old King yEetes took a great fancy to him
and gave him his eldest daughter, Chalciope, to be his
wife. As the king's son-in-law he won great renown, and
bore the standard of the Colchian folk in many a
hard-fought battle with the savage people of the
neighboring hills. At last, as he lay on his bed of
death, he bade this same Argus, his son, to come to
Greece
128	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
and claim his heritage from the Minyan folk of old
Orchomenus.
" Now I doubt if Argus can make good his claim, for the
curse of Athamas rests on him also. But he is a
truthful man, and he told me all about the wondrous
fleece, a treasure more precious than all the riches of
Greece. He told me how it still hangs where old IEetes
placed it, in the inner chamber of his treasure house.
There it is guarded day and night by a fierce dragon
that never sleeps."
And now when Pelias looked into the eyes of the young
hero, he saw that strange thoughts were moving him and
that a heroic purpose was being formed within his mind.
" If I were a young man, strong and ambitious as I once
was," Pelias went on, " I would gather the young heroes
of Greece together and lead them to distant tEa, and I
would bring home the golden fleece. Thus I would remove
the curse from the house of Athamas, and at the same
time win great wealth and never-dying fame. But I am
old, and they say that the race of heroes is dying out,
and that young men no longer aspire to make themselves
a name."
Then Jason arose, his face all aglow and his heart
beating fast because of the resolve which had suddenly
taken hold of him. Silent, he strode up
THE PERILOUS QUEST	129
and down through the length of the spacious hall, while
the torches flared brightly and the maidens danced
merrily and the music swelled into a mighty chorus.
Thrice he strode to and fro as though forgetful of
everything save the mighty thought that had come into
his mind. Then he seated himself again by the false
king's side, and said : —
" You are right, Pelias. To go in quest of the golden
fleece and to bring it in triumph back to Greece is a
deed the worthiest of any that I know. I, Jason, the
son of izEson, will undertake that quest, and mayhap if
only ten brave men will aid me, we shall win glory
thereby, and everlasting fame."
The false king leaped to his feet and seized his
nephew's hand. " Jason," he said, "may Father Jupiter
bless your undertaking and bring you safe again to your
kingdom and your friends! Surely great honor shall be
yours, and power such as no king before you has ever
known. To-morrow your father iEson shall take my place
on the throne to rule over Iolcus in his own right till
your return."
" Nay, uncle," said Jason, warmly, " my father has no
joy in ruling men. It is you who must still govern
Iolcus and hold my kingdom in trust for me while I make
this perilous quest. Perhaps I shall die in a foreign
land, perhaps the waves of some unknown sea shall roll
above my head; but
GOLDEN FLEECE - 9
130	THE GOLDEN FLEECE .
never until I return with the precious fleece will I
require my heritage at your hand."
Pelias had gained all that he desired. His face beamed
with pleasure and his words were honeyed and kind as he
hung a rich, golden chain about Jason's neck, and
cried, " Behold, here is the hero who will bring to us
the golden fleece."
Then all the people shouted their delight, and the
strains of music waxed louder and louder, while the
praise of Jason and of his comeliness and valor was
upon every tongue.
ADVENTURE XVI
THE BUILDING OF THE ARGO
FORTHWITH Pelias sent messengers into every town of
Greece to invite the heroes to come and join Jason in
his perilous quest. The first to hear the call was
Argus, the son of Phrixus. For his kinsmen in old
Orchomenus would not receive him, but said that he must
atone on the altar of Jupiter for the evil deeds of his
grandsire, Athamas. He had escaped from them barely
with his life, and now he made haste to offer his help
to Jason.
" Welcome, cousin Argus, welcome," said Jason. " Surely
the gods have sent you; for among all the Minyan
heroes there is none other that knows so much about the
golden fleece and the city wherein it is kept."
" Let me build the ship that is to carry you and your
heroes to distant iEa," said Argus.
" Gladly will I have you do so," answered the prince. "
See that you make it large and strong and
swift-sailing. For no other ship has ever ventured upon
those wild and unknown seas."
131
132	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
So Argus went out with ax and saw and square and
measuring line, and cut down trees with which to build
the ship. He drew them to the beach and with patient
labor hewed and framed them, marking out the keel and
shaping the hull as he had often seen them on the small
boats that sailed the narrow bays of Greece.
One day as he was toiling painfully at his task, and
but little pleased with what he had done, he was
surprised to see a lady walking toward him and looking
at the timbers that lay scattered on the beach. She was
tall and stately. She wore a long, gray cloak, and her
hood, which was drawn loosely over her head, concealed
her face and features. She came slowly toward the spot
where Argus was at work, and now and then she stopped
to scan some roughhewn beam or look at the
half-finished hull that lay close by the water's edge.
" What sort of thing is this which you are trying to
build ? " she asked.
" I am building a ship," said Argus, doubtfully. " I am
building a ship to carry Prince Jason and the heroes of
the Minyan race when they sail in quest of the golden
fleece."
" Indeed ! " said the lady, and her voice seemed full
of scorn, " and how long do you think so rude a hulk
will hold together when buffeted by the waves
THE BUILDING OF THE ARGO	133
of the open sea ? How many heroes do you think can sit
on its benches, plying the long oars ? "
" Gent le lady," answered Argus, humbly, "this hulk, as
you call it, may be rude and frail, and the benches for
the rowers may be few, yet I do the best I can and
trust the rest to the Mighty Ones above us. I know not
how many heroes will embark for /Ea, neither do I know
what storms they will encounter; but I build with true
intent, hoping — "
He ended his speech abruptly, for as he looked at the
lady she seemed to vanish suddenly, and in her stead
there stood a maiden, clad in flowing robes, with a
spear in her hand and a wondrous shield upon her left
arm. Upon her head was a helmet of brass, and she wore
a breastplate on which was painted the face of the
dread-inspiring Gorgon surrounded by twining serpents.
The face of the maiden was full of beauty and sweet
dignity, and her gray eyes beamed with the light that
glows only in the hearts of those who plan and do noble
things. Argus knew at once that she was none other than
Athena, in whom all wisdom dwells, and he stood with
uncovered head, wrapt in wonder.
" Argus," said the glorious maiden, " I know the wishes
of your heart, and I will help you. • Throw now all
these puny, awkward things away, and begin your ship
anew, and upon a larger and better pattern. For many
are the heroes who will undertake
THE GOLDEN FLEECE
the quest with Jason, and the way to /Ea, as you know,
lies over perilous seas where no sail has ever yet been
spread. Come with me and I will show you where to find
the materials for your vessel and how to put them
together so as to secure strength, beauty, and speed."
So Argus went with her, and she taught him all the lore
of the builders of ships. For the hull and the beams of
his vessel he chose the goodliest oaks from the slopes
of old Mount Pelion; for the oars, he found no lack of
cedars, straight-grained and without knots or flaws;
and for the mast, he cut a noble pine, slender and
tall, and supple as a sword of steel. All these things,
with whatsoever else was needed, he caused to be
carried down to the shore of the sea, where it
approaches nearest to Iolcus, and soon there appeared
upon the sands the framework of a ship the like of
which, for size and strength, no man had ever seen.
When at length the hull was finished and the long
benches for the rowers were arranged and the tholes for
the oars were set in their places, Argus fashioned a
rudder and hung it, as Athena directed, from the stern.
Then from an oaken branch which she gave him he carved
the image of a face — the face of Athena herself — and
fastened it upon the prow of the vessel.
134
Argus and Athena.
136	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
" The branch from which you have formed this image,"
said the wise maiden, " is from the sacred talking oak
that grows by the temple of Jupiter in far-away Dodona.
In times of danger or of doubt it will speak to the
heroes, answering their questions and pointing out the
way that they must go."
At last the wonderful ship was finished, and its
builder stood proudly beside it and surveyed his
handiwork. From stem to stern there was no flaw nor
imperfection, nor was anything lacking that could make
it more beautiful or strong or swift.
" What shall we name this greatest of all ships ? "
asked Jason, when he came down to the shore one day to
view the finished work.
Then to his great surprise the oaken image on the prow
spoke out and answered, " Call it Argo, in honor of its
worthy builder."
" That we will do," cried Jason, " and so long as ships
sail the sea, the name of the son of Phrixus shall not
be forgotten."
Now while the Argo was being built and equipped, the
heroes began to arrive in Iolcus. The most of them were
of the Minyan race, and they came singly and by twos
and by threes. Many made their journey on foot,
traveling by devious ways over the mountains and
through lands seldom visited and little known to men. A
few came on horseback, riding fear-
THE BUILDING OF THE ARGO	137
lessly through forests and fens and frightful
solitudes. But the greater number came in small ships,
keeping always within sight of the shore and loitering
awhile at every little seaport on their way.
No pains were spared in Iolcus to entertain these
strangers in a manner befitting their noble rank. In
the palace of the king, false Pelias welcomed them with
every show of friendship, and left nothing undone that
could add to their comfort or enjoyment. Even in
IEson's country home, where Jason spent his leisure
hours, lodgings were provided for not a few, and good
cheer and happy fellowship gave pleasure to the
fleeting hours. The streets of Iolcus were gay with
banners; and the people were again happy and
contented, for every one profited in some way by the
presence of the heroes.
ADVENTURE XVII
THE DEPARTURE OF THE HEROES
AT length the day arrived when all things were ready
for the sailing. Scarcely had the dim dawn appeared
when every one in Iolcus was astir. The long street
through which the heroes were to pass, as well as the
road that led to the beach where Argo lay, was lined
with throngs of people anxious to see Prince Jason and
his noble comrades. They had not long to wait; for,
just as the sun's first rays gilded the top of Mount
Pelion, the sound of a trumpet was heard far up the
street, mingled with the shouting of many voices. It
was the signal of the coming of the heroes.
Between the surging crowds they marched, in orderly
array, nor has the world ever seen a company more
glorious. Their helmets and shields were wreathed with
twining vines and flowers, and from their spears
floated bright ribbons or other rich tokens, the
farewell gifts of loving friends. Their armor was
polished till it shone like the
138
••^••••^
THE DEPARTURE OF THE HEROES	139
sun, and their steel-bright swords glittered in the
gray light of the morning. The young men shouted with
joy as they passed, and the girls cast red roses at
their feet and sang rare songs of battle and of
victory.
First and foremost in that grand company was Jason.
Taller by a hand's breadth than any other of the heroes
save one alone, he walked with head erect and eyes
flashing with joy and pride of that promising hour. He
was clad in princely garb. A helmet of reddest bronze
was upon his head, and the bow which Cheiron had given
him was in his hands. Like a young lion he walked
between the throngs of admiring people, while they with
one accord shouted their good wishes and prayed that he
might have a happy voyage and a quick return.
Next in the place of honor came Hercules, whose deeds
even then were the talk of all the world. He was taller
by far than Jason, and in courage and strength he
excelled all other men. He wore upon his shoulders a
lion's skin which he had taken from the beast itself in
far Nemea. In his hand he carried a huge club, knotted
and gnarled and showing signs of much use. He wore no
helmet, but his head was covered with long, black curls
held in place by a band of brass curiously inwrought
with figures of beasts and fearful monsters.
140	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
On each side of this matchless hero walked a young man,
carrying his arms and ready to perform any service he
should require. The one on the right was Hylas, the
favorite of Hercules. His face was as fair as that of
any maiden, and his form was as perfect as that of
Apollo. His yellow hair, curled thick about his head,
seemed like a golden crown; and he was richly clad in
garments of blue, embroidered with silver thread.
Besides his master's short sword, he carried his own
bow and a quiver of sharp-pointed arrows. On the other
side of the hero walked Ephebus, a slender warrior but
well skilled with the sword and brave beyond his
fellows. As these two marched beside their master the
tips of the long plumes in their helmets scarcely
reached the level of his shoulders, so tall was he
compared with other men.
Next in the grand array came those world-famous twins,
Castor and Pollux, whose love for each other was such
that never for a day could they be separated. They
walked erect and proud, their polished helmets
glittering in the sun, and their horse-hair plumes
floating in the morning wind above their shoulders.
Behind them walked another pair of twins, less famous,
who were destined at a future time to be their bane.
The one was Idas, a great boaster, who next to Hercules
was said to be the
THE DEPARTURE OF THE HEROES	141
strongest of men. The other was Lynceus, whose sharp
eyes could see through a wall of stone, or find
treasures buried deep beneath the soil.
Behind these walked Neleus, the fair-faced brother of
Pelias, whom Jason's call had lured from his seaside
home in distant Pylos. His long hair was white with
age, but his eyes were bright with heroic fire, and his
step was as firm and quick as on that day when he ran
to the succor of his livid-faced brother in the market
place of Iolcus. By his side was his son Nestor, a
young man, lithe and strong, who in after years would
be the counselor of other heroes scarcely less renowned
than these with whom he was now adventuring.
Then followed, in the order of their rank, many other
heroes whose deeds are related in ancient story :
Laertes, the king of Ithaca, whose thoughts were all at
home with his baby son, Ulysses, and his vines and
blossoming orchards; Meleager, the fair-haired prince
of the Calydonian woods; IEsculapius, who first taught
men the art of healing sickness; Arcas, the famous
hunter, with his bow of wood and brass and his quiver
of leopard's skin well filled with death-dealing arrows
; Peleus and Telamon, two brothers of renown, the
grandsons of Cheiron the Centaur; Polyphemus, the
friend of Hercules; Mopsus, the soothsayer, who
understood
142	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
the language of birds; Tiphys and Ancus, seamen of
wide repute; Admetus, the husband of Alcestis, fairest
of the daughters of false King Pelias; and Theseus,
the black-haired prince of Athens, already famous for
deeds of valor surpassing those of others of his age.
There were also men of lesser note — young heroes
fearless and discreet — whose names I need not now
recount. But toward the rear, where King Pelias rode in
his gilded car, there walked a few heroes whose fame
was scarcely surpassed by that of Hercules himself.
Among them was Atalanta, the swift-running maiden from
the Arcadian hills. Golden-haired, gray-eyed, and tall
she was, and in her hands she carried the well-shaped
bow with which she was wont to follow Diana in many a
wild chase of timid deer or savage beast.
By her side walked Orpheus, the sweetest singer that
the world has ever known. Neither arms nor armor did he
bear, but in his hands he carried a wondrous lyre the
like of which no man has ever seen. And it is said that
when he sang, playing upon this lyre, the birds and
beasts would come to listen, the trees and rocks would
follow him, and the hearts of savage men would melt
with tenderness and awe.
Last of all came two brothers, less famed than
THE DEPARTURE OF THE HEROES	143
some, and yet of more than mortal mold. They were Zetes
and Calais, the sons of the North Wind. Upon the ankles
of each were strong wings radiant with scales of gold;
their eyes glowed like living coals beneath their
shaggy brows; and their long, black hair grew in
glossy masses from their heads and necks, and even
halfway down their backs. They followed, floating in
the air, as a sort of rear guard to the procession of
heroes, their wings keeping time with the music of
flute and lyre, and their hair streaming far behind
them in the morning breeze.
Thus onward the heroes marched, with steady steps and
clanging armor and hearts filled with thoughts of the
daring quest that was now biggun. They passed out of
the city through the south gateway and down the dusty
road that led to the shore of the sea. There, high on
the beach, sat the mighty Argo, new-painted and bright
with bands of blue and gold, shining in the light of
the morning sun. When the heroes saw her, they shouted
till the woods and hills rang with the echoes, and the
gray sea answered with many enticing calls.
" Let nothing delay us," cried Jason. " Let nothing
hinder our sailing. Behold, here is the ship ready for
the launching, and the smooth waters
144	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
invite her to float upon their bosom. Let all lay hold,
and with might and main push her into the sea."
They obeyed and ran quickly to the vessel. With their
shoulders against her mighty hull, they strained their
utmost to move her. But not all the strength of
Hercules or of Theseus or of boasting Idas, or of the
heroes combined, could stir the giant ship from her
resting place on the sands. At length they tried
another plan. They dug a trench from the bows of the
Argo to the water's edge so as to undermine the vessel.
Then they placed rollers beneath her keel and tilted
her forward until her weight rested upon them. But
still, although the strength of fifty mighty heroes was
again exerted, she sat stubbornly in her place and
refused to slide into the sea.
Then Orpheus went and stood by the water's edge, where
it was desired to launch the ship. While the other
heroes waited near, he tuned his lyre and began to sing
; and his song was full of sweetness and joy, breathing
of all things noble and true and worthy of love. He
sang of the Mighty Ones on Mount Olympus and of their
wondrous power. He sang of the heroes of old, who did
valiant deeds for the good of their fellows and
despised all selfishness and greed. He sang of
THE DEPARTURE OF THE HEROES	145
the nourishing earth, of the sheltering sky, and of the
all-embracing sea. And he sang of the good that is in
men's hearts, teaching them to be kind and true and
forgiving, and above all to aspire to heavenly things.
No sooner had he touched his lyre than the Argo began
to tremble from stem to stern, and every timber in her
hull responded to the bewitching music. Then, as he
proceeded, she began to move slowly toward the spot
where he was standing. He changed his theme and sang of
the thunderous waves that beat forever against the
rocky shore, of the laughing ripples that chase each
other in the calm sunlight, and of the blue depths of
the quiet sea lying unruffled beneath the summer sky,
With a bound the Argo leaped forward and slid without a
sound into the water before him, and there she floated
like a living thing waiting to perform a pleasant duty.
Forthwith, through the watchful care of her builder,
strong ropes were thrown, one from the vessel's prow
and one from her stern, so as to moor her fast to the
shore. The long oars were placed in the tholes across
the gunwales; but the mast, with the well-made sails,
was left lying across the benches in the middle of the
ship.
And now the heroes, still standing on the shore,
GOLDEN FLEECE- 10
146	TIlE GOLDEN FLEECE
cast lots for the oars. The right-hand oar midway
between the stem and the stern was given to Hercules,
for that was the place of honor. The helm was assigned
to Tiphys, the skillfulest of sailors, who could
foretell the coming of a storm, and could guide the
vessel's course by observing the sun and stars. The
single seat at the prow was reserved for Orpheus, the
sweet singer, for the hands of such as he were little
fitted to toil with the oar.
" To your places	To your places !" cried
Jason; and one by one the heroes leaped joyfully
aboard and each sat down upon his allotted bench. The
ropes were drawn in, and-a cup of mead was poured into
the sea to appease the weird creatures of the deep and
speed the voyage to a happy end.
Each man laid his hands upon his oar and sat in silence
awaiting Jason's command. As thus they waited, all
turned their faces landward, and tears were in the eyes
of some as they thought of the dear friends left
behind, and of their loved homes which they might never
behold again. But Jason, standing beside the helmsman,
delayed to give the word; for his thoughts were all
upon the shore with his kinsmen and his people, who
were lamenting his departure.
There, beside a new-built altar, stood his father and
mother and false Pelias, offering sacrifices to
THE DEPARTURE OF THE HEROES	147
Neptune, the lord of the sea. White bulls and
coal-black horses without spot or blemish were offered,
one after another, by the white-robed priests, while
Pelias poured wine into the flames and iEson scattered
white barley upon the glowing coals. Farther away the
people stood in great companies, lifting their hands
skyward and whispering prayers for the heroes' safe
return.
So, for a little while, the rowers sat listening to the
varied sounds that came to them on the morning air.
They heard the lowing of the beasts that were being led
to the sacrifice. They heard the plaintive songs of the
priests around the altar. They heard the sorrowful
cries of their friends, beseeching the gods to bless
their voyage. They heard the distant sound of flute and
lyre and maidens' voices making merry in the city
streets. Then, as they listened, they lifted up their
hearts in prayer, and each man vowed to do his whole
duty and shrink from no toil or hardship.
Suddenly, from the cloudless sky, a peal of thunder
rolled, awaking the echoes in the woods and glens of
Pelion. A brisk breeze sprang up from the west. Jason
felt that Neptune was making known his pleasure, and he
quickly gave the word of command. As if moved by a
single hand, the fifty oars dipped quickly into the
waves, and the
148	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
Argo glided proudly away from the shore. Then the mast
was set up and the sails were spread to the wind.
Swiftly did the sharp prow cut the rolling waves, and
madly did the white foam boil in the wake of the mighty
ship.
Forthwith Orpheus began again to make sweet music on
his lyre, and the rowers bending to their task kept
time with the gleeful melody. As the Argo rounded the
headland of the bay and ventured into the wide, open
sea, even the gods looked down in admiration. From the
topmost peaks of Pelion the mountain nymphs gazed
wondering, and with cries of joy cheered the heroes on
their way. At the foot of the mountain, where the waves
beat forever against the towering cliffs, wise Cheiron
stood to watch the ship sail by. The ripples of the sea
licked his bare feet and the birds of the shore circled
around his head as the Argo with her heroic crew went
speeding past him. With his hands raised aloft and his
white beard streaming in the wind, he called aloud to
Jason and bade him godspeed on his perilous voyage.
Then the heroes shouted joyfully and plied their oars
with renewed vigor, and the Argo flew onward swifter
than the white-winged sea gulls that nest among the
reeds by the shore. All day they rowed, and all day a
fresh, fair wind filled the sails while
THE DEPARTURE OF THA HEROES	149
the waves fled before them in despair, and the fishes
great and small followed through the watery ways. They
feared, as yet, to lose sight of the land, and so they
kept ever within easy call of the shore with the tall
cliffs of Pelion hard upon their left. When, at length,
the sun sank low, Tiphys steered the vessel into a
quiet haven overshadowed with spreading green trees,
and there they rested through the night.
ADVENTURE X VIII
THE CRY OF THE KINGFISHER
THUS, day after day, the Argo sailed onward, passing
many a towering headland, and many a bleak and stony
strand. One by one, the landmarks known to the sailors
of Greece were left behind. The woody slopes of Pelion,
the gray peaks of Ossa, and then the cloud-capped
heights of Olympus faded from view, and the heroes
found themselves sailing in strange and unknown seas.
But Tiphys stood by the helm and guided the Argo
skillfully through ways hitherto untried, and all
hearts were glad, for no one doubted the issue of the
voyage.
They tarried awhile at the island of Samothrace, where
there was a sheltered harbor; and there they built an
altar and offered a sacrifice to Neptune, the lord of
the sea. For this reason no seaman who visits
Samothrace ever fails to pay there his dues to the
Mighty Ones who have the winds and the waves in their
keeping.
150
THE CRY OF THE KINGFISHER	151
And now, having rested themselves, the heroes rowed
onward many days, steering the ship straight toward the
rising sun. On their left was the land of Thrace,
seeming a mere shadow in the dim distance; while on
their right a low-lying savage shore arose nearer and
nearer each day. At length, to the joy of all, they
entered the narrow sea where beauteous Helle, falling
from the back of the golden ram, had met her sad,
untimely fate.
Night closed around them while yet the Argo was in the
midst of the Hellespont. But the rowers still labored
manfully at the oars, while Orpheus played sweetly on
his lyre, and Tiphys steered the vessel by the light of
the stars. Thus they sailed onward into the sea, which
they called Propontis, but which in our day is known as
the sea of Marmora. There, at the dawn, they saw a
pleasant, wooded shore inclosing a land-locked bay, and
on the farther side of the bay was a white-walled town
nestling at the foot of green hills. The only entrance
to the bay was through a narrow channel, on one side of
which arose a rocky headland, bare almost to the top
and dotted with the mouths of many little caverns.
As the helmsman steered the Argo into the channel,
strange, wild-looking creatures came out of the caverns
and sat on the rocks to watch the vessel
152	THE GOLDEN FI FFCE
pass. Whether they were men or beasts, the heroes could
not tell; but as they sat gaping and grinning in the
morning sun, they seemed to be the fearsome children of
the old, old race of giants. They had somewhat the form
of men; but each had six masterful hands, two on his
shoulders and four upon his sides below, and over his
dark face fell a mass of tangled hair reaching to his
waist.
The heroes shouted, and pulling their oars right
manfully, they drove the Argo swiftly forward into the
safe and quiet bay. There, amidst blooming gardens and
pleasant orchards, stood a little city of the Doliones,
a peaceful people well known by hearsay to the Greeks.
" If I mistake not," said Argus, " this is the city
where a young king named Cyzicus bears sway."
And so it was, for as they neared the shore the king
himself came forth to see them, and to inquire who they
were, and what errand had brought them to his shores.
He was of about the same age as Jason. His beard was
just beginning to sprout. His face beamed with
kindliness, and his eyes glowed with fearless courage.
When the heroes had made answer to his questions, he
bade them row a little farther and moor their ship by
the busy wharf in the middle of the town.
THE CRY OF THE KINGFISHER	153
" Now come ashore," he said, " and rest yourselves
awhile. Your voyage has been long and tiresome, and no
doubt you have escaped many dire perils. It will seem
to you good to stand again upon the solid land and
offer thanks to the Mighty Ones who have preserved and
guided you."
So they built an altar of loose stones by the shore and
offered gifts to Apollo, the bright being who guards
the lives of those who sail upon the sea. And King
Cyzictis gave them sweet mead for the sacrifice and
many white-wooled sheep; for he had had a dream of
heroes such as these, and a voice had bidden him to
treat them graciously and help them on their way.
When the sacrifice was ended, the king took Jason by
the hand and led him through shady streets to his own
white-walled palace; and there he entertained the
heroes with feast and song and every form of wholesome
merriment. And all rested from their long rowing and
were glad. But when Jason asked which way they should
sail to reach Colchis and the fair city of /Ea, the
king could not tell him; for the Doliones knew but
little of the world outside of their own small city.
Gladly would the heroes have tarried long in the palace
of Cyzicus, and gladly would the young king
154	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
have persuaded them to do so; but duty urged them
onward. So, early on the morrow, they returned to their
ship, and each of the rowers laid his hands upon his
oar. Then, at a word from Tiphys, the Argo glided
swiftly from the land, while Cyzicus stood upon the
wharf and with uplifted hands besought the gods to
bless them on their voyage.
Now, as they were about to sail again through the
narrow channel that led into the open sea, they saw
that the six-handed creatures of the headland had
blocked the passage with huge stones, and were waiting
by the shore like wild beasts crouching for their prey.
The heroes ceased their rowing. They quickly landed,
and with arrows and swords soon drove the savages back
into their hiding places. There the fearsome creatures
crouched in dread, shivering with fright, and in their
brutish way begging for their lives.
Then Hercules waded out into the channel and with his
great strength rolled the rocks aside and cleared the
way. With shouts the heroes sat down again upon the
rowers' benches, and the Argo floated safely out into
the open sea. And from that day unto this the
rock-strewn channel has been known as Jason's Way, and
the headland has been called the Hill of Bears. But no
man knows the fate of the six-handed creatures that
dwelt there, nor whether
THE CRY OF THE KINGFISHER	155
they ever again ventured out of their rock-built
caverns.
The sails of the Argo were spread, and the wind carried
her merrily forward all day long. But when the sun went
down she was still far from land, and not even Lynceus,
the sharp-sighted, could see the low-lying shore. Soon
darkness fell, and then the wind ceased. The ship lay
becalmed in the midst of the quiet sea.
" Let us all betake ourselves to rest," said Jason, "
and at dawn we will renew our rowing."
At midnight, however, when all but Argus were asleep, a
black cloud arose in the east and soon overspread the
sky. The wind blew furiously and drove the Argo before
it like a helpless leaf in the bosom of the storm. The
heroes awoke; but not even Hercules could do anything
to check the headlong course of the vessel as it was
driven onward through the inky darkness. Anxiously and
helplessly they sat upon the benches, not knowing what
fate might be in store for them. At length, to their
dismay, they heard the breakers dashing upon a rocky
shore. Then, while they listened in terror, the Argo
drifted into a sheltered bay; and as the wind died
down, the moon peeped fitfully out from among the
flying clouds.
" Where are we now, Tiphys ? " asked Jason.
156	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
But the pilot could not tell him. He steered the vessel
close upon the sandy shore and commanded the anchor to
be cast overboard. The heroes landed. They built a fire
upon the beach and began to dry their water-soaked
clothing and to rest their tired limbs.
Suddenly a beacon light flashed up before them, and
then another and another all along the shore. Soon
torches were seen flitting this way and that in the
darkness. The cries of men were heard in the distance,
but rapidly drawing nearer. The sound of many footsteps
in the sand, and then low voices speaking words of
command, all came to the ears of the waiting heroes.
They grasped their weapons and stood grimly still
around their camp fire. Dark forms rushed forward into
the dim light. Fierce cries resounded. The clash of
spears, the twanging of bows, the whistling of arrows,
and the shouts of fighting men were now heard on every
hand.
The heroes could not guess what manner of men their
foes could be, but they stood their ground and fought
furiously. Just as the gray, cold dawn was beginning to
drive away the darkness the strangers made a fierce
dash toward the heroes. Then Jason with might and main
hurled his spear at the leader of the attacking band.
The deadly weapon passed through shield and
breastplate, it pierced the
THE CRY OF THE KINGFISHER	157
heart of the unknown warrior. He fell dead on the sand,
and his followers with wails of grief and fear turned
and fled and were soon lost to sight in the rising
mists of the morning.
" Let us see what manner of man he is," said Jason.
He stooped and raised the helmet that half concealed
the dead man's face. He staggered back as from a blow;
for, lo 1 it was the face of his friend, King Cyzicus.
Not until then did the heroes perceive that the bay
into which the storm had driven them was the selfsame
harbor from which they had sailed the day before and
that they were close beside the city of the Doliones.
Not until then did the Doliones perceive that the
strangers on their shores were not a band of savages as
they had supposed, but the Minyan heroes whom their
king had entertained so royally.
Great was the grief of both because of their cureless
error. Both together built, midway between the seashore
and the wooded hills, a pyre of spicy woods and
sweet-smelling herbs, and upon this they laid the body
of the helpless king. Over all they placed rich wreaths
of wild flowers and leafy vines, and each of the heroes
hung beside it some precious gift to show the sorrow
that he felt. Then they set fire to the pyre, and while
it burned they stood afar
158	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
off weeping. The flames at length died away. The
mourning friends of the king gathered up his ashes and
put them in a golden vessel, richly carved, which had
been brought from the treasure house of some Grecian
king.
For three whole days the heroes mourned for Cyzicus;
and on the fourth day a storm arose that kept them back
from venturing on the sea. A week passed, and still
they lay idle upon the shore, while the winds raged
aloft and the waves rolled mountain high over the deep.
One night, while all the men were sleeping save only
Jason and the two who stood on guard, the cry of a
kingfisher was heard. The winds howled, and the waves
tossed the Argo even as she lay fast to her moorings,
and soon the cry of the bird was heard a second time
from among the drifting clouds.
" What means that cry of the kingfisher ? " asked
Jason. " What message does the bird bring to us ? "
Then Mopsus, the soothsayer, who was one of the
watchers, answered, "That cry foretells good fortune to
the Argo and her crew, and the bird's message is a
command. It bids us to go forthwith to the top of
yonder mountain and there do reverence to the Great
Mother whose voice is heard in the air, the sea, and
even the halls of mighty Jupiter. When
THE CRY OF THE KINGFISHEI?	159
we shall have done this, the storm that has delayed us
so long will cease and we may go forward on our
voyage."
Jason listened to these words with right willing heart,
and at the dawn of day he awoke the heroes and told
them of the message of the kingfisher. At once they
began to climb the steep mountain, leaving only a few
of their number behind to guard the ship.
Soon, from the summit of the topmost peak, they looked
down upon the far-reaching sea and the boundless earth.
Almost beneath them they saw the dim entrance to the
Bosphorus, where in after ages the master city of the
Turks would stand. Beyond it lay the mighty Pontus,
known in our day as the Black Sea — a vast wilderness
of waters over which no ship had ever sailed. On their
left, beyond the smaller Propontis, stretched the
forests and the savage mountain lands of Thrace. On
their right, far in the distance, they beheld the green
fields and blossoming orchards of many an Asiatic
kingdom.
On the very crest of the mountain they heaped up an
altar of stones, which they wreathed with oak leaves
and crowns of laurel. Upon this they offered two white
oxen without spot or blemish, at the same time calling
upon the name of the Great
160	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
Mother, even upon her whom some call Earth and others
know as Nature.
" 0 thou Mighty One," prayed Jason, " look now upon us
and bless us. Turn away this direful storm and bid the
winds to cease and the waves to slumber, that so we may
renew our voyage, and, in right good time, come to the
end of our toilsome quest."
Then he poured wine upon the blazing sacrifice, while
Orpheus sang wonderful songs and the younger heroes
danced in full armor, striking their swords and shields
in tune with the music of the lyre.
The Great Mother heard, and signs of her pleasure were
seen on every side. Flowers and tender plants sprang
with a bound from the brown earth. Ripe fruits of every
kind dropped from the branches of the trees. The wild
beasts left their lairs in the mountain caves and came
forth, wagging their tails and purring with joy, to
meet the astonished heroes. Then a spring of sweet,
running water gushed out from the rocky side of the
peak — a spring to be known forever thereafter as
Jason's fountain.
At the same time the wind ceased blowing and the sea
became calm. The heroes, hastening back to the shore,
took their accustomed seats in the
THE CRY OF THE KINGFISHER	161
Argo. The moorings were cast loose. The helmsman gave
the word of command. The oars dipped briskly, keeping
time to the tune of the lyre. The sails were spread to
the western breeze. The mighty ship again flew forward
on her adventurous way.
GOLDEN FLEECE - fI
ADVENTURE XIX
THE LOSING OF HYLAS
ALL day the rowers bent to their oars. For the breeze
soon ceased to blow, and the sails hung useless upon
the slender mast. The waves were lulled to rest, and
not a ripple roughened the surface of the sea. So, with
a will, the heroes drove the ship along; and so
swiftly did she fly that not even Neptune's famous
horses could have overtaken her.
" Who of us will be the first to weary of the rowing?"
asked one of the younger men.
" Not I," spoke up Hylas, the young squire of Hercules.
" Not I !" cried this one and that until the words had
gone round the circuit of the ship.
" No man shall outdo me with the oar, or sit longer at
the rowing," said Idas, the boaster.
But Hercules sat grim and silent on the midmost bench,
saying not a word. He swung his oar with steady sweep,
and the fire in his .eyes told plainly that never would
he yield or give up his place as first among the
rowers.
162
THE LOSING OF HYLAS	163
Thus through the morning hours and through the noon and
till the sun had almost dipped into the western sea did
the fifty heroes sit stubbornly on their benches, each
loath to be the first to stop his rowing. At length
white-haired Neleus, with a sigh, drew in his oar. Then
another gave up the task, and then another; for nearly
all were overdone with toil.
But Hercules still sat, grim and silent, and swung his
oar with the same steady sweep as at the beginning. And
even after all the rest had given over, he alone drove
the ship forward with all her former swiftness, nor
seemed to feel fatigue.
The sun was setting when they neared the pleasant land
where the river Cios pours its clear waters into the
sea. No better spot in which to rest could the heroes
hope to find; and Tiphys, straining upon the helm,
steered the Argo sharply towards the shore. At the same
moment Hercules, pulling mightily at his oar, broke it
squarely in the middle. He fell backward among the
benches, still grasping the upper fragment and glaring
upward at the sky. The heroes would fain have laughed
at this sudden ending of his long day's labor, yet none
dared even give place to a smile, so great was the awe
they had of him.
The proud Argo glided slowly onward and stopped
164	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
not until her sides gently brushed the shore. Then
quickly the great ropes were thrown out, and she was
fast moored close by the land. Some people of that
country were already there, ready to welcome the
voyaging strangers. A few ran for sticks with which to
build a fire; others brought soft grass with which to
make beds for the heroes; still others hastened to
bring sheep and wine and to make ready a feast upon the
shore.
While the rest were sitting about the fire and waiting
for the supper, Hercules went alone into the woods, in
search of something with which to make an oar to
replace the one he had broken. Near the edge of a
grove, a mile or so from the shore, he came upon a
slender pine, well stripped of its branches. " This,"
said he to himself, " will make the oar that I wish."
He drew off his lion-skin cloak and threw it upon the
ground. By its side he laid his great club and his
quiver of sharp arrows. Then he gripped the tree firmly
with both hands, he planted his broad shoulder against
it, he wrenched it this way and that, and lifted with
all his might. And behold, as he tugged and pulled, the
tree came right out of the ground, the clods still
clinging to its roots. He hummed a merry tune to
himself as he donned his lion skin again and picked up
his quiver and his
THE LOSING OF BYLAS	165
club. Then he threw the pine tree lightly across his
shoulder and strode back toward the place where his
companions were still waiting for the feast.
Now, not far from the shore, there was a sacred spring
where the water bubbled up and then fell into a clear,
deep pool. Around this pl5o1 were bowers of matted
vines and flowering shrubs; and all about its edges
were tall rushes and green parsley and dainty
maiden-hair ferns. To this spring Hylas, the young
squire of Hercules, went alone with a brazen pitcher to
draw water for himself and his master. The place was
beautiful, and he loitered long on the way, picking
wild flowers and listening to the song of some
night-singing bird.
" This is a rare, pleasant spot," he said to himself. "
The nymphs who guard the woods and watch the mountain
streams dwell near here, I think; " and then he
fancied that he heard sweet voices far up the slope of
the hill, singing an evening hymn to Diana, the
huntress queen.
He found the spring. Above it the moon looked down,
casting her round, bright image into the depths of the
pool. He leaned over and dipped the wide-mouthed
pitcher into the water. But, to ! as he did so, he saw
the lovely nymph herself who guarded that sacred
fountain. She seemed to him more beautiful than any
dream. Her blushing face was
166	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
turned upward to the soft moonlight, and her long
tresses fell like a shower of gold about her shoulders.
The nymph looked into his eyes and smiled, for she had
never seen a human form so graceful and so full of
manly courage as that which was now bending above her
sacred spring. For a while they gazed at each other and
smiled in silence. Then the nymph beckoned with her
lily hands, and said : " Noble stranger, sail no more
upon the stormy sea, but come with me to my home in
fairyland. For there the winds blow softly and the air
is sweet with the breath of flowers. There no snow nor
chilling frost e'er falls to blight the beauty which
fair summer brings; but gladness brightens every hour,
and sorrow and care are never known. Come, come with
me."
Hylas could not answer. His eyes were fixed upon the
radiant creature, and he could not tear himself away.
He could not so much as lift the pitcher which he had
filled.
Then the nymph reached up from the water and seized his
hands. She drew him down into the bottomless pool. The
young man cried aloud as he felt himself sinking, but
he had no strength nor will to struggle. Soon the water
closed above him, and not a ripple told of the strange
fate that had overtaken him.
11.111111111.1.:: 
Hylas and the Nymph.
i68	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
It chanced, meanwhile, that Polyphemus, the
gray-bearded hero of many a hard-fought battle, was
walking out that way, hoping to meet his friend
Hercules returning from the woods. He heard the cry of
Hylas, and, like a wild beast rushing through tangled
thickets, he hurried hither and thither, calling the
name of the luckless youth. Soon, as chance would have
it, he met Hercules coming down from the hills with the
pine tree on his shoulder.
" Ah, friend," cried Polyphemus, " I have a tale of
grief to tell you. For Hylas is lost. I saw him come
this way with a pitcher in his hand to draw water at
the spring. Soon I heard him cry out as though in
terror. I hastened to help him, but nowhere could I
find him. I fear that he has been slain by some
ravenous beast, or that savage men have waylaid him and
carried him far into the wild woods."
Then Hercules with a groan cast the pine tree upon the
ground. With his great club in his hand he hurried
toward the sacred spring. There, indeed, were the
footprints of Hylas in the soft earth; but the pool
lay silent in the night, and the reeds stood motionless
upon its brink and kept well the secret which they
knew. Then, through brush and brier and among the tall
trees of the forest, the two
THE LOSING OF HYLAS	169
heroes wandered all the night, calling aloud the name
of Hylas. And often, in some tangled thicket or
secluded glen, they fancied that they heard him answer;
but it was only the voice of some mountain nymph
seeking to draw them farther and farther away from the
shore where their comrades were sweetly sleeping,
unmindful of their absence.
At length the morning star shone bright above the
hilltops, and the welcome dawn began to spread its
light upon the sea.
" Up, men !" cried Tiphys, " the day has begun and the
wind is fair for sailing. Let us make an early start,
that so we may take our ease when the sun grows hot."
Many of the rowers, however, still lay sleeping beneath
the benches, or in the hold of the Argo, closely
wrapped in their long cloaks, and but few arose to lay
their hands upon the oars; for all were overdone with
the hard rowing of the day before, and would fain rest
a little longer. The wind blew fresh and strong from
the west, and the sails being spread, there was little
need of rowing. Swiftly the Argo glided away from the
Cian strand, and soon many a rocky headland and many a
mile of low green shore were left behind.
It was not until the sun was high in the sky that all
the heroes roused themselves from sleep and
170	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
took their accustomed places. Then, for the first time,
they saw that three of their number had been left
behind.
" Where is Hercules ? Where is Polyphemus ? Where is
brave young Hylas ? " These were the anxious questions
which all asked, but none could answer.
The sails were furled. The oars backed water. The Argo
was brought to a stop.
" Let us row back," said some.
" It would be a wearisome task in the face of this
strong wind," said others.
Then they fell to quarreling among themselves, each
blaming the other, and all grieving because the best of
the crew had been left behind. But Jason sat in his
seat beside the helmsman and said not a word, so dazed
was he by what had happened.
At length Telamon arose and with harsh words upbraided
him.
"Shame upon you! " he cried. " It is for you to say
what shall be done, and yet you keep silence. You would
willingly leave great Hercules behind. You fear that if
he should go on to Colchis, he may do braver deeds than
you, and thus take somewhat away from the fame which
you hope to win by this quest. But Hercules shall not
be left behind."
With that, he pushed Tiphys aside and seized the
THE LOSING OF HYLAS	171
helm. His breath came hard and quick and his eyes
glowed with anger. Yet Jason sat dumb in his place,
unable to move his lips.
" To your oars, heroes ! " cried Telamon. " To your
oars, and in spite of the wind and waves and this
fellow Jason, we will row back to the Cian shore."
The heroes obeyed, some willingly and some with
downcast looks and sullen murmurings. But Zetes and
Calais, the sons of the North Wind, openly rebelled,
and seizing Telamon by the shoulders, they forced him
from the helmsman's seat. Then suddenly a stormy gust,
which had been gathering among the headlands, overtook
the Argo and drove her helplessly before it through
blinding mists of rain and salt sea spray. As the
rowers sat powerless on the benches with their idle
oars beside them, all voices were hushed, for no one
knew whither the vessel was being drifted. And as they
sat and wondered, a marvelous thing occurred that
soothed the minds of all and sent them hopeful on their
way.
For in the midst of the dashing spray a light shone out
from the oaken figure on the prow, and the carved image
of Athena's face, which Argus had fastened there,
glowed like the morning star. Then from the lips of the
image a voice spoke loudly to the wondering heroes.
172	PRE GOLDEN FLEECE
" Think no more of the heroes left behind," it said;
"for great Jupiter wills it not that Hercules shall go
farther with you. There are tasks for him to do in
Greece, and the voice of duty calls him back to his
native land. As for Polyphemus, the Fates decree that
he shall build a city and found a kingdom not far from
the Cian shore whereon you left him. See that you
hinder him not. And Hylas needs no more your loving
friendship, for he dwells in joyous peace among the
nymphs and naiads and those other beauteous forms that
haunt the watery world."
The heroes heard these words with glad hearts; and
those who had so lately spoken harshly and with anger
to each other shook hands and pledged anew their
friendship. The mist lifted, and the sun shone brightly
upon the waters; but the wind still blew and drove
them swiftly eastward. All that day the rowers lounged
at their ease in the vessel's hold, while their oars
lay idle across the benches; and at evening the Argo
was anchored in a safe harbor on the farther shore of
the Propontis.
ADVENTURE XX
BLIND PHINEUS AND THE HARPIES
EARLY on the following day, the Argo sailed into the
narrow strait known then and now as the Bosphorus.
There the waves rose high and heaped themselves up in
the path of the gallant ship. They beat against her and
tossed her this way and that, as though to overwhelm
her with their might. It was little that the rowers
could do in such a sea. They sat, silent and dismayed,
upon the benches, fearing lest every moment would be
their last. But Tiphys stood bravely by the helm and,
to the wonder and joy of all, deftly steered the vessel
into a quiet harbor.
" If signs are true," said Argus, " this is the place
where old King Phineus dwells, the wisest soothsayer in
all the world."
The heroes leaped ashore and looked around them. Along
the beach were clusters of small houses with gardens
around them, and in their midst was one much larger
which seemed to be the palace of the
173
174	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
king. Hearing the noise and seeing the Argo at anchor,
the men of the place left their gardens and, with their
rakes and hoes in their hands, came running to the
beach. They crowded curiously around the heroes, eager
to see what sort of folk they were, and seeming in no
wise unfriendly.
" What place is this where men live so peacefully? "
asked Jason.
" We call it Salmydessa," was the answer.
" Then tell me," said the hero, " is not this the home
of Phineus, the soothsayer king, to whom all things
both present and to come are known ? "
With saddened faces and downcast eyes, the gardeners
answered, " Truly, Phineus lives among us, but he is as
one accursed and hopeless; for mighty Jupiter has
bereft him of every joy."
Then the heroes were aware of an old, old man coming
slowly along the pathway between the blossoming
gardens. It was easy to know that he was blind; for,
leaning upon his long staff, he reached out with his
trembling right hand and felt each step of the way.
Over his shoulders he wore a long, dark cloak that fell
in loose folds about his shriveled body and trailed in
the dust behind him. His face was gaunt and pale, and
his sightless eyes were fixed and motionless. His
wrinkled feet were bare, and his limbs trembled with
weakness and pal-
"It was easy to know that he was blind."
176	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
sied old age. So feeble and thin was he that he seemed
like a slender shadow creeping along between the garden
walls.
Very slowly he felt his way toward the beach, where the
astonished heroes stood awaiting him. He paused, and
one of the gardeners ran to help him. Then, leaning
upon the gardener's arm, he approached, gasping for
breath and holding up one trembling hand as though in
sign of greeting. At length he found strength to speak.
" Welcome to you, ye heroes of the Minyan race," he
said; " for I know you. This is Jason, the prince of
Iolcus, and these are his comrades who are sailing with
him on the good ship Argo in quest of the golden
fleece. Hail to you all Welcome to the unhappy home of
one from whom all joy of life is fled ! "
The heroes, each in his turn, grasped the feeble hand
of old Phineus and thanked him for his welcome, while
wonder and pity filled their hearts.
" I knew that you were coming," he said. " Indeed, I
have known it long, for Apollo has given me wisdom
exceeding that of other men. Old and blind and
miserable though I am, yet I have the gift of
foretelling the things that are to be, and I know that
you will free me from the cursed creatures that fill my
days with wretchedness and woe."
BLIND PHINEUS AND THE HARPIES	177
" Only tell us what to do," answered Jason, " and every
one of us will lend a hand to help you; " for he was
deeply touched by the old man's plaintive words.
" I cannot tell you what to do," said Phineus. " I have
no plan for anything. The Harpies, the hounds of
Jupiter— they are the cause of all my woe. Never am I
able to touch a morsel of food but they swoop down and
snatch it from my hand, and my people dare not drive
them away for fear of the wrath of mighty Jupiter. Thus
I live in the midst of plenty, and yet am daily dying
with starvation. My house, which was once the home of
delight, is become the den of unclean monsters. My days
are full of weariness and loathing, and my nights are
given to darksome fears."
" But surely," said Jason, " there is a reason for all
this. No man suffers or is wretched, unless the gods so
will it. What have you done that has caused them to
punish you so severely ? "
" It is because of my boasting that they afflict me,"
answered the old man. " For when Apollo gave me the
rare gift of foretelling unknown things, my heart was
full of pride, and I declared that not even the secrets
of Father Jupiter could be hidden from me. And then
these loathsome creatures were sent to torment me."
GOLDEN FLEECE - 12
178	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
The heroes listened in awe, and none knew what answer
to make; but Zetes, the son of the North Wind, spoke up
and said, " Most gladly would I and my brother drive
these monsters away and rid you of their presence, but
we also fear the wrath of Jupiter."
" I know your fear, I know your fear!" cried old
Phineus, and he raised his hands and turned his
sightless eyes toward heaven. " Yet I have inquired
into the matter, and I know that no punishment will
ever come to you for what you may do to aid me."
" Will you swear that we shall not be harmed ? " asked
Calais, the brother of Zetes.
" I swear it," answered the king. " But come now into
my house and see for yourselves the things that I am
forced to endure."
With that, he caused the heroes to be led into the
house, where he bade them wait a little while until a
feast fit for a king should be prepared. The servants
hastened to do their duty, and with downcast eyes and
doubtful shakings of the head placed upon the table
rich food and drink enough for all. When everything was
ready, old Phineus was led to his place, and his
two-edged sword was laid on the table close by his
hand. Then the heroes gathered round, each sitting down
in the order of his rank, with Jason next to the king.
BLIND PHINEUS AND THE HARPIES	179
" Now see what happens every time I try to satisfy my
hunger," said old Phineus.
He reached out his trembling hand toward the dish of
savory food that had been set before him. At once there
was a flapping, as of mighty wings, above the table,
and the hall was darkened with black shadows that
chilled the hearts of all upon whom they fell. Then the
heroes saw the Harpies swooping down from the rafters
and windows.
Never were any creatures more hideous and loathsome.
Their faces were like the faces of women, but their
bodies were those of vultures. Their eyes were red and
watery; their thin and ghastly lips were spread apart
by horrid, shapeless tusks. About their necks fell
matted locks of coarse, red hair. Their breasts and
wings were but half covered with gray feathers, ragged
and soiled and stained with blood.
The heroes, when they saw these fearful creatures, sat
spellbound, wondering what would happen next. Down upon
the table the Harpies flew. They seized the food that
had been set before the king, and with horrid snapping
and snarling devoured it. They overturned the wine
cups. They swept the dishes from the table. So
loathsome were they to look upon, so fearful was the
uproar which they made, that the king and all who were
8o	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
with him arose, and shading their faces with their
hands, fled from the hall of terror.
Forthwith, Zetes and Calais, the sons of the North
Wind, drew their swords, and with loud shouts leaped
into air. The Harpies heard them and saw their shining
blades. They flew quickly forth from the hall and fled
screaming across the sea; and Zetes and Calais, borne
aloft by the golden wings upon their ankles, as quickly
pursued them. Swifter than the wind, yes, swifter than
the stars that shoot across the sky, they sped through
the 'moonlit air. The swords of the sons of the North
Wind gleamed like lightning as they struck, time and
again, at the fleeing monsters. But the hateful
creatures, although seeming often within their grasp,
sprang suddenly forward and with new speed escaped
them.
Thus they winged their way over many a dark and silent
sea and over strange, unpeopled lands; and so rapid was
their flight that there was no reckoning of the time.
Soon they came to the floating islands in the far
Sicilian Sea, and there the Harpies paused, overspent
with weariness. And there they would most surely have
met their doom had not a voice called from the clouds
to stay the hands of their pursuers.
" Ye sons of the North Wind," said the voice, " it
BLIND PHINEUS AND THE HARPIES	181
is not for you to slay the hounds of Jupiter with the
sword. Turn back now, and seek your comrades; for it is
ordained that the Harpies shall never more come nigh to
King Phineus to annoy him or do him harm."
So Zetes and Calais withheld their hands and turned
back; and for that reason the floating islands are unto
this day called Strophades, or the Isles of Turning.
Meanwhile, in the halls of Phineus, the heroes sat
awaiting the return of the swift-winged brothers. And
with them sat the aged king, clothed now in his royal
robes, with the flush of hope upon his cheeks and the
joy of returning strength in his wasted form. They sat
again at the long supper table, and no loathsome
monsters disturbed their feast. They sat, rejoicing,
through the silent hours of the night, while the
torches flared and sputtered, and black wreaths of
smoke encircled the rafters overhead; and blind
Phineus told them of everything that would happen to
them ere they should behold the high walls of /Ea and
gaze upon the long-sought fleece of gold.
Suddenly, as the morning star was rising from the sea,
a shout was heard in the clear air above them. It was
the shout of Zetes and Calais, returned from
182	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
their long and tireless chase. Soon they were in the
midst of the hall, receiving the greetings of their
friends. But no one gave them heartier thanks, or
blessed them more sincerely, than blind King Phineus,
whom they had freed from the dreadful curse of the
Harpies.
" If I could wish you still greater joy," said 'Jason
to the king, " it would be that your eyes might regain
their sight."
" Oh, think not of that," answered Phineus. " It is the
mind that gives joy; and even in darkness the
contented soul may find delight."
ADVENTURE XXI
THE PERIL OF THE CLASHING ROCKS
ON the third day, as the sun was rising, the heroes
made ready to sail away from Salmydessa. It was with
sad hearts, however, that they bade King Phineus
good-by; for he had made their stay so pleasant, with
feasting and song and dance, that they would gladly
have tarried longer with him. But Tiphys, the faithful
pilot, would permit no further delaying.
" The sky is clear, the wind is fair," he cried. " The
good ship Argo waits impatiently by the shore. Let
every man hasten to his own place."
So they went on board; and there was not one among
them who did not bear in his hands some rich present
from blind King  Phineus. They carried brazen pitchers
and great bowls most beautifully carved with twining
vines and figures of the gods. Some had costly tripods
of bronze, and others had belts of rare leather and
curious workmanship. Still others had breastplates and
quaint ornaments of polished brass inlaid with precious
183
184	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
stones. All these things had Phineus given them in
token of his love and gratitude; and to Jason he gave
a golden chain and a two-edged sword with a snow-white
ivory hilt.
As the heroes sat on the rowers' benches, waiting for
the moorings to be loosed, the old king stood on the
shore, telling them of the dangers they must shun, and
giving them many a word of counsel.
" Above all," said he, "beware of the Clashing Rocks,
which forever beat against each other at the entrance
to the great sea, Pontus. Beware how you venture
between them, for between them you must go. And that
reminds me that I have still another present for you."
Then he called to one of his servants and said, " Go
quickly and bring the bird."
Thereupon the man ran swiftly to the king's house, and
soon returned with a green cage in which sat a cooing
dove.
" Now who among you is the keenest eyed ? " asked the
king.
All answered with one voice, " Lynceus; for he can see
farther than the mountain eagle, and not even the
rockbuilt walls of prisons can hide anything from his
sight."
Then the king took the cage and gave it into the hands
of Lynceus.
THE PERIL OF THE CLASHING ROCKS 185
" Soon," said he, "you will come to the Clashing Rocks
of which I spoke. The Argo must pass between them
before you can enter the sea called Pontus; and yet no
vessel has ever dared to try that perilous gateway.
Keep your eyes upon the rocks, Lynceus, and when they
slide apart then let loose the dove. Straight she will
fly into that dreadful opening, and if the Fates so
will it, she will pass safely through to the open sea.
Then do you all bend to your oars most manfully, for so
you also will escape the dashers. But if the bird shall
be caught between the rocks, then know that it is not
for you to sail on the great sea beyond. Turn back,
while yet you can, and return with speed to Salmydessa.
Here you shall find a home and peaceful rest, and here
you may remain, safe from the perils of the deep."
" Wise king," said Jason, "we thank you heatItily for
your gifts and most of all for your many words of kind
advice. But as for turning back, that we will never do.
No perils on sea or land, nay, naught but death itself,
shall cause us ever to give up this quest of the golden
fleece."
Then, as the heroes shouted, the moorings were cast
off. The Argo, like a living thing, glided out of the
harbor and was soon buffeting her way over the swirling
waters of Bosphorus. And until she
186	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
was lost to sight in the distance, blind Phineus stood
upon the shore and with uplifted hands prayed the
Mighty Ones to prosper the voyage of the heroes and
bring it to a happy end.
Soon, driven by sail and oar, the ship drew near the
mouth of the narrow strait and the gateway into Pontus.
Then the heroes began to hear the pounding of the great
rocks. Louder and louder grew the noise until it
sounded like sudden bursts of thunder repeated
regularly as the beating of the waves upon the shore.
Before them, at some distance, a mist-like cloud hung
low upon the water and seemed to bar their way; and as
often as the giant rocks clashed together, streams of
white spray shot upward in gushing masses, spouting to
the sky.
" What see you, Lynceus ? " asked Jason.
And Lynceus, sitting in the prow and gazing forward,
answered : " I see the huge blue rocks, taller by far
than Argo's mast. I see them strike each other, like
two fierce rams battling for the mastery. And now I see
them rebound through the surging waves, and, quick as
the lightning's flash, rush together again."
The heroes could hear, but they could not see. Boom !
boom ! boom ! Fearful was the sound of the rocks,
forever clashing together in the midst of the seething,
gushing waters.
THE PERIL OF THE CLASHING ROCKS I 87
Quickly, at Jason's command, the rowers backed hard
upon their oars and stopped the Argo in midstream. Then
Lynceus, taking the dove in his hands, peered through
the cloud of mist and vapor, and waited for the rocks
to strike once more and then rebound.
" Now, go ! " he cried; and the bird, springing
forward, darted into the midst of the dashing spray,
straight toward the open gateway. The heroes leaned
forward and with straining eyes watched her flight.
Swiftly she sped, but not more swiftly than the
returning rocks. They clashed together with thunderous
sound, and all supposed that the bird was crushed
between them. But as they rebounded Lynceus shouted : "
Lo I there she goes unharmed. She has lost only a
single feather from her tail."
No eyes but his were sharp enough to see her skimining
joyously through the air, high above the quiet waters
of the great sea, Pontus.
Suddenly and sharply Tiphys gave the word. Every man
bent to his oar, and with might and main drove the Argo
forward. All around the oaken image on the prow a
golden light shone out, and a voice cried, " Onward
with speed, and have no fear 1"
And now the heroes see the rocks rising straight
188	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
before them and rushing for another onset. They hear
the fearful crash. They are drenched with the flying,
gushing spray. They are choked with the salt water.
Their breath comes hard, and their arms grow feeble
with fear.
But Orpheus, the godlike musician, touches his lyre,
and strains of entrancing music mingle with the fearful
din of rocks and waves. And, looking upward, the heroes
see, towering above their heads, — yes, towering high
above the great rocks themselves,.— a glorious lady,
fair-haired and blue-eyed, and with face more beautiful
than any mortal being. She reaches forth her round,
white arms; she places a hand on the summit of each of
the clashing rocks; she pushes them far apart. As she
does this, a rainbow rises from the mist and arches the
open gateway; and with a mighty shout, the heroes
drive the Argo through and the next moment find
themselves floating on the green waters of mighty
Pontus.
" Hail, hail to Juno, our queen and our helper ! "
cries Jason; for he knows that it is she who smiles
upon them from above the rainbow. And, looking back, he
sees the great rocks standing firm in their places,
while the water at their feet lies smooth and quiet,
and the once fearful passage between them is unruffled
by any wave.
THE PERIL OF THE CLASHING ROCKS 189
" They are set so firmly that they cannot move," •
cries Mopsus, the soothsayer, " and never again shall
they clash together in midstream."
The heroes shout again. They raise the weather-beaten
sails. They bend with a will to their oars. The Argo,
like a bird let loose, sails swiftly over the summer
sea.
ADVENTURE XXII
THE VOYAGE ACROSS THE PONTUS
FOR many days the voyaging heroes held on their course
across the great sea, Pontus. Eastward they sailed,
passing headland after headland, and keeping always
within sight of the shore. Each night they anchored in
some quiet cove, or moored the Argo hard by some sandy
beach; and at dawn they spread their sails again to
the western breeze and, without the use of oars, went
speeding toward the Colchian land and their journey's
end.
Thus they skirted many a wild and savage coast. They
visited the green island where men say Apollo, the
mighty archer, once rested when on his journey to far
northern lands. They saw the lovely haunts of the sea
nymphs, and sometimes, on moonlit nights, heard them
calling to one another in the distance. They passed the
grim cliffs where Pluto has a cavern roofed in with
trees and rocks—a cavern from which even in midsummer a
chilling blast rushes forth night and day, turning the
water around it into ice.
190
THE VOYAGE ACROSS THE PONTUS	191
They came at length to the land of the Bebryces, a rude
and half-savage people, and there they tarried many
days. While some rested themselves by the green shore,
others went into the woods in search of game, and many
were the deer which the swift-footed archers brought to
the ground.
Now, on a certain day, Castor and Pollux, the noble
twins, wandered far up the mountain side, gathering
wild flowers and admiring the many beautiful trees.
Near the foot of a steep cliff they found a spring of
clear water, which flowed into a deep pool lined with
the whitest of pebbles. All around the pool were
fragrant blossoms of every sort, while overhead swayed
the leafy branches of many an ancient tree.
As the twins drew near to this delightful spot, they
saw a grim giant sitting by the pool and bathing his
feet in the limpid water. Huge and hard-fisted was he,
and the muscles on his arms stood out like ropes of
iron. Upon his shoulders and breast he wore a lion's
skin, with its great claws dangling about his waist.
Fiercely he stared at the young heroes, but not a word
did he speak as they approached him.
" Good luck to you, stranger," said Pollux. " Are you
one of the men of this island ? "
" Good luck it is when such men as you come in my way,"
growled the giant.
192	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
" Indeed, we wish you no harm," said Pollux. " You have
nothing to fear from us."
" Fear ! fear ! " cried the giant, roaring with
laughter. " What sort of men do you claim to be that
Amycus should be afraid of you ? "
" We are strangers who would fain be on friendly terms
with all in this place," answered Castor. " If you are
Amycus, the king of the Bebryces, we would even give
you rich gifts, that so you may go to your home
rejoicing."
" Give me no gifts," said surly Amycus; "for surely
you shall have none from me."
" Grant at least," said Pollux, " that we may taste of
the water from this spring, for we are very thirsty."
Amycus shook his fist and answered hoarsely, " Not a
drop shall you have, nor any other favor from me save
one blow with this strong arm."
" Ha!" cried Pollux, " is it a boxing match that you
wish to try ? Surely, I am ready for that, and with
right good will. But what prize shall be given to the
winner ? "
" There is little need of a prize," said Amycus, " but
if you win, I promise to be your man; and if I win —
why, there is the end of it. I shall do as I please."
" It is well," answered Pollux. " Let us call our
friends to witness the match."
THE VOYAGE ACROSS 7'HE PONT US	193
The giant made no answer, but took a hollow shell that
hung by a cord about his neck, and blew a loud blast
upon it. At once a thousand longhaired Bebryces came
hastening out of the shadows of the woods. Then Castor,
with a shout that echoed from the trees and rocks,
aroused the heroes, who were taking their ease on the
beach. With loud cries they came running up the
mountain side, eager to know the cause of the uproar.
Soon they beheld grim Amycus and skillful Pollux
arrayed against each other in their quickly-made boxing
ring. They hastened to the spot and stood around to
watch the issue of the combat.
With ox-skin gloves upon their fists and long leathern
thongs about their arms, the two champions stood in the
ring. They glared at each other, and Amycus loudly
boasted of his strength and skill.
" There is no man in the world who can withstand me in
a bout at boxing," he cried. " Woe to him who feels the
weight of my fist." And with that he struck savagely at
his foe.
But Pollux nimbly warded the blow, and the giant
stumbled forward, maddened and confused. Then the
contest began in fair earnest, and long and fiercely
did it rage. With loud shouts the Bebryces cheered
their king; but the heroes stood silent in their
places, well knowing what the outcome
GOLDEN FLEECE- 13
THE GOLDEN FLEECE
would be. For of what avail is brute strength when
matched against well-trained skill and manly valor ? At
length the giant fell headlong among the weeds and
flowers, fainting and holding out both his hands in
token of defeat.
" Spare me !" he cried, while his breath came thick and
fast, " spare me, and I swear that I will never again
be rude to strangers who visit my shores."
Thus Pollux triumphed over the savage king of this most
savage island; and the heroes with much rejoicing
returned to their ship.
The next day they set sail, and again the Argo sped
swiftly over the sea. Far, very far did she sail, for
the wind blew steadily and no storm arose to turn her
from her course.
At length the wooded shores of a large island appeared
on their right, and the heroes rejoiced, for they knew
that it was the land in which Lycus, a prophet king,
held sway. They cast anchor in a pleasant cove and
leaped ashore; for blind Phineus had told them that
here they would find a kindly welcome and rest from
their long sea voyage. And it was so; for when Lycus
heard of their coming, he sent messengers to invite
them to his kingly halls. There they tarried many days
and were entertained in most royal fashion. King Lycus
THE VOYAGE ACROSS THE PONTUS	195
told them much concerning /Ea, the Colchian city, and
its mighty king lEetes, and to each of the heroes he
gave a costly gift.
But in the midst of their joyance a great sorrow
overtook them, for, on the tenth day, Tiphys the good
helmsman died, having been bitten by a poisonous snake.
Great indeed was the grief of the heroes. " We shall
never see his like again," they said; and they threw
themselves prone upon the sand and wept • until the sun
went down.
" Now indeed we are undone," said Jason; "for there is
no man among us who can steer the Argo over this
untraveled sea. All that we have done is in vain, for
we shall never behold the shores of Colchis or the high
towers of /Ea. Never shall we feast our eyes with the
ruddy beauty of the golden fleece. Neither shall we be
able to return to our dear homes and waiting friends in
Greece. But we are doomed to tarry here, idle and
without fame, till old age ends our useless lives."
He laid himself down in the hold of the ship and moaned
with despair; but in the middle of the night a great
light shone around, and he was aware that Juno, the
blue-eyed queen, was near him.
" Jason," she said, and her face, though beautiful as a
summer morning, was stern and reproachful, " Jason, are
you a hero ? Brave men do not behave
196	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
in this way. None but the cowardly give up to despair.
Have you not Ancaeus with you — the skillfullest sailor
that ever pulled an oar ? In all the world there is no
one who can excel him, and for that reason men call him
the son of Neptune. Let him be your pilot."
So, when the morning dawned, all arose with cheerful
hearts. They sat upon the benches and with sturdy arms
wielded the long oars. They drove the Argo swiftly away
from the shore; and Ancwus, the gray-bearded son of
the sea, stood by the helm. Soon a brisk wind arose,
the sails were spread, and the ship flew lightly over
the waves — lightly, and yet with such speed that even
the eagle which flies with the storm could not have
overtaken her.
Long and far did the heroes sail. They counted not the
days, they measured not the leagues, they reckoned
neither distance nor time.
They passed the outlet of the Parthenius, the gentlest
of rivers, the favorite stream of Diana, the huntress
queen.
They passed the land of the Amazons, where only women
dwelt — women whose thoughts were all on war.
They passed the mountainous shores of the Chalybes,
where men dig iron from the earth and
THE VOYAGE ACROSS THE PONTUS	197
spend all their days in dark caves amid smoke and
flame.
They skirted the reedy inlets of the island of Mars.
There the fierce birds of the god of war had their
nesting places, secure from men or beasts that might do
them harm. These birds fiercely attacked the heroes,
shooting down sharp feathers into the ship until it
seemed as though the clouds were raining arrows.
Forthwith the heroes donned their brazen helmets with
blood-red plumes waving above them; and they beat upon
their shields and shouted with all their might, till
the birds in wild alarm arose by thousands high in the
air and flew screaming away.
Onward sailed the Argo. The summer sun shone brightly
over sea and land, and at length the heroes beheld with
wonder the snow-clad peaks of Caucasus towering high
before them. As they gazed spellbound at the gray
cliffs and mighty rocks that seemed to rise even above
the sky, they saw a great bird flying toward the
mountains — a bird so mighty that when it flapped its
wings the sails of the ship and even the ship itself
trembled.
" It is the vulture that torments forever the great
hero, Prometheus," said Mopsus, the soothsayer.
And then some fancied that they saw Prometheus himself,
chained and helpless on one of the highest
198	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
peaks, patiently waiting for the day when godlike
Hercules would come and set him free.
Soon the wind changed. The Argo veered to the
southward, and the snowy mountain heights at length
faded in the distance. On the left lay a low, green
shore with meadows level as the sea itself, but farther
back were fair rolling hills and fields and pastures
and pleasant homesteads nestling among orchard trees.
The heroes furled the sails and laid the mast in its
place between the benches. Then taking their oars they
rowed slowly along the shore, peering into every inlet
and carefully feeling their way from point to point.
For they knew that this was the land of Colchis, and
that the city of ./Ea could not be far away.
Ere long they beheld a quiet cove with sandy beaches on
both sides and groves of willow trees beyond. Into this
cove a slow-flowing river emptied its yellow water
through a deep and narrow channel.
" This stream is the Phasis," said Argus, for now he
saw the well-remembered landmarks among which, as a
boy, he had wandered on many an idle day. " The city of
izEa is on its banks not more than three leagues away."
Then Ancoeus the helmsman deftly steered the ship into
the stream, while the oarsmen with gentle
THE VOYAGE ACROSS THE PONTUS
199
strokes drove her forward against the sluggish current.
Quietly and without sound the Argo floated onward
between the low shores and then through a reed-bordered
channel so narrow that the long oars reached almost
from bank to bank. Soon she emerged into an open place,
and the heroes, peering through the reeds, saw that
they had come into a pleasant land. On the right and
the left were wooded pastures and fields of ripening
grain, and on the hill slopes quite near were snug
farmhouses such as they had already seen from a
distance. Then suddenly as the ship rounded a bend in
the stream, the white walls and high towers of famous
!Ea burst upon their sight, scarcely half a league
away.
Jason forthwith bade the rowers draw in their oars, and
the Argo was made fast to the low-lying bank, where
drooping willow branches and tall reeds hid her from
sight.
" Here we will rest for the night," said the prince of
heroes. " In the morning we will see what sort of
welcome we shall receive in the city of old fEetes."
ADVENTURE XXIII
IN THE HALLS OF KING IEETES
VERY impatiently did Jason and his companions await the
passing of the night. At length, however, as the sun
arose and gilded the high towers of !Ea, the heroes sat
down on the benches of the Argo to plan how they might
best approach the city and win the long-desired fleece
of gold.
" I will tell you what seems good to me," said Jason;
" but if any other has a better plan, let him make it
known. For we all share alike in this quest."
" Yes, tell us your plan," said the rest.
" It is this," answered Jason. " I will take with me
Argus, the son of Phrixus, and two others, and we alone
will go to the halls of the king while all of you
remain here in hiding. I will tell .Fetes truthfully
who I am and why I have come. I will offer him a goodly
price for the fleece, for it will not be right to take
it by force if he can be persuaded to part with it
willingly. But if I cannot
200
IN THE HALLS OF KING ,FETES	201
prevail upon him, or if he treats me rudely, then it
will be for you to show your skill in strategy and your
strength in battle."
" You have spoken wisely and well," cried all the
heroes. " Your plan is a good one, and we have no
other."
So Jason, clad in princely garments and with the wand
of Mercury in his hand, went out toward the city; and
behind him walked Argus and two other heroes of renown.
As they crossed the fields and came to the road by the
great gates, a heavy fog fell all around and wrapped
them in darkness; and neither the watchmen on the
walls nor the people in the streets saw the four
strangers who walked so near them. But Argus led the
way by paths well known to him, and soon they stood at
the door of the mighty palace of ./Eetes.
They went in quietly, filled with wonder at what they
saw. For no man in Greece had ever dreamed of such a
hall. The pillars that upheld the lofty roof were of
gold and silver inlaid with precious stones. The
ceiling was of some rare spicy wood, carved beautifully
and stained red and purple and golden like the sunset
clouds of an autumn day.
Just beyond the threshold a mass of flowering vines
twined upward, filling the hall with sweet perfumes and
entrancing every eye with their beauty.
202	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
About the roots of these vines flowed the wondrous
springs which Vulcan, the smith of smiths, digged in
the golden days of old. From the first of these springs
milk gushed forth; from the second, wine; from the
third, a fragrant oil; and from the fourth, water
which to-day was hot and to-morrow was cold as ice.
In the midst of the hall stood two bulls of polished
brass, and beside them was a plow of hardest rock.
These bulls were the wonder of all men, for twelve
times each day they breathed forth fearful flames and
their eyes gleamed with light too dazzling to behold.
They, too, had been shaped by the deft hands of Vulcan.
The inner hall was both beautiful and grand. The walls
were hung with finest tapestry on which was pictured
many a story of the old, old times. Above, and all
around the painted ceiling, was a cornice of gold on
which were carved the figures of gods and goddesses, of
nymphs and satyrs, and of every other strange being
that lives beneath the sun. The floor was inlaid with
precious stones so placed as to make it look like a
green meadow spangled thick with gorgeous flowers.
On the farther side of this hall was the open inner
court around which were the private chambers of the
king and queen and of Prince Absyrtus, their
i
ii-
204	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
son. Above and beyond these were the rooms of the two
daughters of the king, Chalciope and Medea; and still
farther away were the doors leading to the kitchen and
the places for the servants.
As Jason and his three comrades stood wondering and
silent in the inner hall, the princess Medea came
hastily in, not knowing they were there. Her hair was
black as a raven's wing, and her eyes snapped and
glowed beneath her dark brows like twin stars gleaming
in the midnight sky. Her cheeks were ruddy with the
flush of youth, and her cherry lips were parted with a
bewitching smile. She was looking for her sister, and
she held in her hands a dainty piece of embroidery with
which she had been whiling the morning hours. When her
surprised eyes saw the strangers in the hall, she
started quickly back and shrieked with alarm.
In a moment the maidservants came running from the
weaving room with their spindles and yarn in their
hands; and following them came Medea's elderly sister,
Chalciope, the mother of Argus. When they beheld the
strange young prince, so noble in form and so richly
clad, they stopped suddenly and stood speechless for
wonder. Then, all at once, Chalciope, looking beyond,
saw her son Argus standing in the hall, and with a cry
of glad surprise she ran to meet him.
IN THE HALLS OF KING ,EETES	205
" 0 Argus, my child !" she cried, " bast thou indeed
come home again ? Hast thou had enough of savage
Orchomenus, and hast thou come back to stay with thy
mother in her old age ? "
While she was clinging to his neck and sobbing aloud
for joy, the king himself came into the hall.
JEetes was very old, yet he walked erect and proud, and
his eyes blazed like balefires beneath his gray
forehead. Men said that he was the child of the Sun,
and none could remember the time when he began to rule
over the people of /Ea. Like a lion roused in his lair,
he strode forward, eager to learn what was the cause of
the commotion. But when he saw the strangers and among
them his grandson Argus, he curbed his anger, and in
pleasant tones bade each of them welcome. Then, without
further words, he went back the way he had come,
calling aloud to his servants.
Forthwith there was running to and fro throughout the
palace. some hastened to carry wood into the kitchen;
some quickly rekindled the smouldering fires; others
hurried to slay the fatted beeves and to prepare a
feast for the unexpected guests. One of Chalciope's
maidens led them to pleasant chambers set apart for
strangers; another brought them clean linen and warm
water for the bath; another dusted their clothes and
stood ready to do
206	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
any service they might wish. But no one asked them
questions or sought to know the reason of their coming.
At length, when they had rested and refreshed
themselves, they were led into the long dining hall,
where meat and drink for the mightiest were placed
before them. There, with the old king as their host,
they feasted merrily, while soft music, played by
unseen hands, filled their hearts with joy and drove
all fear of danger from their minds. From a curtained
gallery above, dark eyes looked down upon them — the
eyes of Chalciope and of her young maiden sister. And
as Medea gazed upon the faultless form of Jason, she
thought that nowhere in the world could there be
another prince so full of grace and noble courage and
all that goes to the making of a perfect man.
When the meal was finished, and it was right and
courteous to ask the questions that were uppermost in
his mind, iEetes said to Argus, " Now tell me, my
grandson, why have you returned to /Ea, and who are
these noble strangers whom you have brought hither to
be my guests ? "
Then Argus answered humbly, as becomes a young man
speaking to his grandsire : " iEetes, I went, as you
did bid me, to Orchomenus to claim the kingdom which
should be mine. But the Minyx
IN THE HALLS OF KING iEETES	207
in that city would not receive me, and I barely escaped
from them with my life. The race of Athamas is
accursed, and it is decreed that no one of his
descendants shall sit upon his throne until the golden
fleece is carried back to Greece."
" Ah, indeed," said iEetes, scornfully. " Then I
suppose that your errand here is to rob your grand-
sire of his richest treasure; and you have brought
these strangers to help you. Is it not so ? "
" Judge me not so harshly, grandfather," answered
Argus. " I will tell you the truth. The young prince
who sits beside us is Jason, whose grandfather was
Cretheus, the brother of Athamas. He is therefore my
own cousin. He is heir to the rich kingdom of Iolcus,
which lies at the foot of old Mount Pelion by the sea.
But a certain lawless man robbed him of his birthright
while he was still a lad, and bade him win it back by
bringing the golden fleece from 'Ea. So we together
built a ship, greater than any other that has ever
sailed the sea. And Jason gathered around him all the
chosen heroes of the Minyan race for a quest the like
of which no other man has ever undertaken. He has come
hither to Colchis and the city of /Ea, bringing great
treasures with which to buy the golden fleece."
" Indeed, indeed !" muttered IEetes, and his face
208	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
began to grow purple with rage. Then Jason arose and
spoke soothingly to him.
" Great king," he said, " the words that Argus has
spoken are true. And now, that we may remove the curse
which rests so heavily upon the house of Athamas, we
come to you as merchants with a fair store of goodly
things to offer you in exchange for the fleece. We have
in the hold of our ship rich golden cups and
well-wrought arms, and brazen tripods, and rare
dyestuffs from distant Tyre, and much else to please
the eyes of kings and deck their lordly halls. Take
these and let us have the fleece that hangs useless in
your treasure house. Then the curse will be removed
from the family of Athamas, and your son Argus will be
awarded his just rights."
The old face of 7Eetes changed from purple to an ashen
hue as he listened to these words. But he checked his
anger and answered cunningly; for he planned not only
to keep the fleece, but also to possess himself of all
the riches of which Jason had spoken.
" I am no merchant that I should trade with you," he
said. " The fleece is not for sale; and even though it
were, there is not merchandise enough in the world to
pay for it. As for the curse that rests on the house of
Athamas, what do I care ? Let it
IN THE HALLS OF KING ,FETES	209
abide there, I say. Nor is it worth your while to try
to get the fleece by force; for all the heroes of
Greece cannot stand against my power. Nevertheless, I
hold the gods in reverence and will do as they may
direct. So I will set a task for you, and if you
perform it I shall know that father Jupiter wills you
to possess the fleece. If you fail, let the
consequences fall upon your head."
" Tell me what the task is," said Jason, "and I will
not shrink from it, even though I should die."
" Then hear it," answered 7Eetes. " In the Field of
Mars, close by the city gate, two bulls are grazing,
the like of which no man has ever seen. They are as
wild as the winds of winter; they breathe hot flames
from their nostrils. Your task shall be to yoke these
oxen to my plow and with it to turn up an acre of the
rough sod in the Field of Mars. Then you shall sow the
field not with grain, but with the teeth of a dragon.
These teeth will at once spring up as armed men, and
you must slay them or be slain by them."
When Jason heard these words he was dumb with wonder
and knew not what to say; and the more he thought about
the task, the harder did it seem. Yet there was but one
answer for him to make, and at length he spoke it
bravely as became a leader of heroes.
GOLDEN FLEECE 14
tea
210	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
" The task is an over hard one," he said, " and no man
may undertake it and hope to live. Yet I will not
shrink from it. To-morrow at the hour of noon I will
try it, and if I die no man shall say that Jason was a
coward."
" It is well," said the king. " To-morrow the trial
shall be made."
Then Jason and his comrades arose and went forth from
the hall. And from her place in the curtained gallery,
Medea, with wondering eyes, looked down at the young
hero. She watched him until his form was lost to view
in the narrow street; then she hastened to her chamber
and closed the door behind her.
" Ah, me I " she said, while hot tears gushed from her
eyes. " Ah, me ! that he should perish thus! For never
was there a man like him, so young, so strong, so noble
in form and feature."
Then as she mourned for him she thought of his
beautiful raiment, she thought of his witching voice,
she thought of the way that he sat at the table and how
he went out of the door. His face seemed even then
before her eyes, and his words seemed to be ringing in
her ears.
" 0 Hecate," she prayed between her sobs, " have pity
on the fair young prince. Help him to escape, for he
can never do the task that is set for him. Or,
IN THE HALLS OF KING ./EE7ES	211
if he must die, let him know that I, at least, do
grieve for his sad fate."
Meanwhile Jason and his comrades went swiftly back to
the spot where the Argo lay hidden by the shore. There
they found the other heroes waiting anxiously to learn
the outcome of their visit to the king.
" iEetes has set me a hard task," said Jason, " and the
certain end of it is death. His heart is bitter toward
us, and so great is his power that we shall not win the
golden fleece from him. Yet I will not shrink from the
trial, nor shall men ever say that the prize was lost
through any neglect of mine. As for you, my fellows, be
wary and strong, and swift to avenge my untimely fate."
" We will stand by you to the end," shouted all the
heroes; and they declared that, come what might, they
would never despair of the golden fleece so long as one
of them was left alive.
ADVENTURE XXIV
THE BREWING OF THE MAGIC LOTION
IN her chamber all night long the maiden Medea lay
thinking of the noble stranger who on the morrow would
go out to yoke the fire-breathing bulls. At first only
pity was in her heart— pity that one so young and
handsome should perish in his prime. Then, little by
little, she formed a plan by which to help him in his
dreadful task. At length her mind was fully made up to
save the hero, even at the risk of her own life.
As soon as the early dawn began to drive the shadows
from her room she arose. She smoothed out her long,
black tresses and bathed her tear-stained face in
refreshing water. Next she donned a long black robe and
fastened it about her neck with ebony brooches. Then,
having thrown a thick veil over her face, she went
softly out of her chamber.
At the threshold her maidens met her, — twelve fair
girls of her own age, who were ever ready to do
212
TEE' PREWING OF TEE MAGIC LOTION 213
her bidding. It was no new thing that they should rise
thus early, for it was Medea's custom to go often at
earliest dawn to do service at the shrine of Hecate,
the goddess of enchantment and magic arts.
" Bring quickly the wagon and the mules," she said; "
for even now it is broad daylight, and we shall be late
at the temple."
Then, while some ran to yoke the beasts, she drew two
of the trustiest maidens aside and whispered.: "
Hearken to me. In a sheltered nook of the river, not
far below the city walls, there lies a ship, with many
heroes from distant Greece on board. Do you make your
way quickly thither and inquire for Jason, their
leader. Then say to him that if he would win his quest
he must not fail to meet the king's daughter at the
shrine of Hecate sharply at the rising of the sun."
The maidens promised, and glided swiftly away through
the shadowy streets.
And now as Medea came to the outer door she found the
wagon waiting. She stepped into it and took the reins.
Two of her maidens stood beside her, but the rest, with
their black robes lifted to the knee, ran behind. Medea
waved her whip, and the swift mules sped lightly
through the town. The hour was so early that not many
people had risen;
214	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
but those who heard the rattling car knew well that it
was carrying the king's daughter to the shrine of the
witch goddess, and few dared look at her, lest she
might work some magic spell upon them.
Soon she left the narrow streets. Soon she passed the
great temple of Jupiter and the high towers by the
market place. The eastern gate of the city swung open
before her, and she drove out. Swiftly in her noisy car
she sped across the plain, while her surefooted maidens
followed closely behind. To a grove of blasted oaks,
where two roads crossed, she drove her team. There, in
the dim shadows where noxious shrubs grew rank, the lOw
walls of Hecate's temple stood half concealed. The
mules checked their speed, and Medea leaped lightly
from the wagon.
" Now listen to me, my maidens," she whispered,
standing in the gloom. " Yesterday you saw the noble
stranger who sat at my father's table, and you heard of
the beautiful and costly things which he has brought
over the sea to /Ea. Among them are rings of gold and
brooches set with rarest gems, and many a fair ornament
such as princesses wear in distant Greece. Now, if you
are discreet and do. as I say, you shall have some of
these rich gifts for yourselv6. For the young hero is
even now on his way to meet me here, and he will bring
many
THE BREWING OF THE MAGIC LOTION 215
ornaments with him, which he will give me if I help him
in the fearful task he is to do to-day. All these
beautiful things shall be yours if you will but keep my
secret and betray me not."
" Trust us ! We will be faithful," cried the maidens,
with one accord.
" Then watch here, and move not away until I call you,"
said Medea, and with that she turned and went into the
darksome temple.
The room was small and dimly lighted. The floor was
only the bare earth made smooth and hard by the
trampling of feet. The walls were hung with dark
tapestry wherein was woven many a picture of direful
things and creatures of the night. Upon a platform at
the farther side stood the three-faced image of Hecate,
holding in her hands a smoking torch, a key, and a
two-edged knife. At her feet, a black lamb was
tethered, waiting to be sacrificed. Above her head,
bats were flitting in the gloom, while on the rafters
an owl, solemn and gray, sat blinking at the feeble
light.
Medea was alone. From the folds of her black robe she
drew a basket filled with things used in the magic
arts. With the tip of her finger she drew a circle on
the ground, and in the center of this she kindled a
fire of twigs and scented leaves and mystic herbs. It
burned slowly, and the small
216	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
tongues of flame shone dimly red and blue and purple in
the darkness, seeming to make the gloomy place still
gloomier.
Next, from her basket, Medea drew a bowl, black on the
outside, but within carved most wondrously with figures
of toads and snakes and other hideous things. Into this
bowl she poured a dark liquid from a larger bowl that
sat beside the three-faced image of Hecate. To this she
added many bits of leaves and roots of unknown names
and curious forms, and when the mixture was complete,
she set the bowl amidst the flames.
Soon strange fumes began to rise, and clouds of thick
white smoke floated in the heavy air. And as Medea
watched them eagerly, noting how they changed their
forms, she muttered the magic words of enchantment
which none but Hecate herself could understand. Then,
lifting her hands to the image, she prayed, " Dread
goddess, help me this day, and grant that the charm I
am brewing may work most wondrously and bring about
those things that I desire most."
This ended, she drew the vessel from the fire and let
the mixture cool awhile. Then, still muttering
enchantments, she poured the magic stuff into a vial
shaped like an apple with golden figures wrought upon
it.
218	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
" It is done," she said, and at that moment the first
rays of the sun peeped over the eastern hills.
In the meanwhile, Jason, having received the message
which Medea's maidens carried to him, hastened to go
also to the temple of Hecate. Argus showed him the way,
and Mopsus the soothsayer followed. Never had Jason
seemed so graceful and godlike as on that eventful day,
and all the heroes wondered as they watched his shining
figure crossing the fields in the dull, gray light of
the dawn.
The three hurried along the narrow path, that so they
might reach the temple before the sun should rise above
the mountain tops. Soon they approached the crossing of
the roads, and there they saw the dark, low building
huddled in the shadow of a blasted tree. Upon the tree
a number of crows were perched, and they were cawing to
each other as only crows can caw.
" What are those birds saying ? " asked Jason.
" They are talking about you," answered Mopsus. " The
first one says, Here comes the hero who seeks the
fleece of gold.' The old one on the topmost branch
says, Hard, indeed, is the task that King JEetes has
set for him to perform.' Then the younger ones all
answer, Yes, but if he will trust to Medea's charms, he
shall succeed.' "
THE BREWING OF THE MAGIC LOTION 219
Suddenly, as the heroes drew nearer, the birds flapped
their wings and made a great outcry.
" What did they say then ? " asked Jason.
" They said," answered Mopsus, " that if more than one
of us shall enter Hecate's temple, the charm that Medea
has laid will be broken. So go you in alone, and Argus
and I will stand and wait outside."
But as Jason was about to pass in at the door, he met
Medea on the threshold. Quickly she started back,
trembling as one afraid. Her face grew pale, and she
stood gasping for breath beneath the sputtering torch
that faintly lighted up the gloomy place.
For a moment the hero stood also abashed, and then
smiling as though speaking to an old friend, he said :
" Wherefore should you be afraid of me, Medea? I have
come hither by your request, hoping that you will help
me in my hour of need. For without such help I shall
never perform the task that your father has set for
me."
Then courage came into her heart, and she looked
straight into his eyes. Yet her hand still shook as she
drew forth from her girdle the precious, apple-shaped
vial into which she had poured her magic mixture.
" The help that I give you is this," she said. " It is
a magic lotion — an ointment of Hecate's
220	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
own brewing. Anoint yourself with it, and great
strength and valor will be yours, and you will think
yourself a match even for the gods. Sprinkle, also,
your sword with it, and your shield and your spear.
Then be bold and fear not, for neither the
fire-breathing bulls nor the fierce onslaught of the
earth-born men can do you harm."
" I will obey every word that you say," answered Jason.
"Then hearken," said Medea, "and do this. When you have
plowed the Field of Mars, take the dragon's teeth that
my father will give you, and as you walk along the
furrow cast them by handfuls over your shoulder. At
once they will spring up, a host of fierce men in
armor. Watch them closely and then slyly throw a stone
among them. You need do nothing more; for they will
forthwith destroy each other like famished wolves
fighting for food."
" I thank you heartily," said Jason, "and gladly would
I make some return for all your kindness. Tell me if
there is anything that I can do to prove my gratitude."
The maiden smiled sadly and laid her hand in his. "
Only this," she answered : " remember the name of Medea
when haply you shall return some day to your home
beyond the sea. And I, too, will
THE BREWING OF THE MAGIC LOTION 221
remember the name of Jason when you are gone away."
" Truly," said Jason, " I will never forget you. And if
perchance I live to return to my own sweet country, all
the world shall hear of you, and the name of Medea
shall be remembered as long as the sun endures."
Then they parted. Jason, with Mopsus and Argus,
hastened joyfully back to the ship, and Medea went
forth to call her maidens.
" The hour is growing late," she said, " and my father
will be expecting me."
She stepped into the swift wagon. In one hand she took
the reins, and with the other she wielded the long
whip. The mules sprang forward, and with clattering
speed carried her homeward.
ADVENTURE XXV
IN THE FIELD OF MARS
IT was noon in /Ea. The hour had come for the great
contest in the Field of Mars. The whole city was astir.
From above the doorway of the king's palace the
trumpets were sounded. The people poured forth into the
streets. They hastened eagerly out through the market
gate and along the great country road, all eager to see
the fate of the bold stranger who had dared so fearful
a task.
The king, with Medea by his side, drove through the
town in his bronze-wheeled chariot. Upon his head he
wore a sun-bright helmet with four long plumes nodding
in the wind. Over his shoulder hung a rawhide shield
which no weapon could pierce, and in his belt he wore
the wondrous sword that Mars himself had given him.
Forth he drove through the streets and out into the
open meadows; and Medea, clad in the white robes of a
princess, talked lightly of the rare sport
222
IN THE FIELD OF MARS	223
they were going to see in the Field of Mars. But, all
the while, the maiden's heart was a-tremble, and her
fingers grasped the precious black charm that she had
taken from the shrine of Hecate.
The Field of Mars was soon reached. It was a level
space fenced in by strong stone walls. On the south
side was a high platform with long rows of benches
overtopping the wall, and in the midst was a white
pavilion for the king. Thither lEetes mounted, leading
Medea by the hand, while his son, the noble young
Absyrtus, walked behind. As the three sat down in the
well-cushioned seats that overlooked the field, the
drums beat loudly, the trumpets sounded, and all the
people shouted for joy.
At the same moment Jason		and his band of	
heroes came marching to	the	field.	Now Jason
had	bathed	himself	with	the	magic	lotion,	as
Medea had bidden him,	and	dauntless courage	
tilled his heart. As the gate of bronze opened to let
him pass into the fateful place where his task was to
be performed, many a fair maiden sighed and thought she
had never seen a hero whose form was so perfect or
whose bearing was so grand. And even iEetes, seeing how
fearless he was, grew faint at heart and wondered
whether indeed this glorious youth were not some god
come down to mock him. But soon he rallied and raised
his
224	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
hand to give the signal that the contest should begin.
The trumpets sounded. The people were hushed and
silent, as though a great fear had fallen upon them.
With spear and shield Jason ran forward. Upon the
ground before him he saw the brazen yoke and the mighty
plow; but where were the beasts which he had come to
conquer?
Under a mass of rocks near by there was a dark cavern,
from the mouth of which dense smoke was pouring, and
the hero rightly guessed that the bulls were within. He
shouted aloud. He beat upon his shield. He threw stones
into the cavern's mouth.
Out rushed the fearful beasts, bellowing as they came.
Streams of fire spouted from their nostrils, and clouds
of stifling vapor filled the air around them. Fearful
was their onset, but Jason leaped swiftly forward to
meet them halfway. For a moment he seemed wrapped in
flames. Then, to the great wonder of the beholders, he
came striding across the field, wreathed in smoke and
dragging the bulls by the horns.
With might and main he forced them to the spot where he
would have them go. Little good did it do them to
struggle; they soon learned they had met their master.
When Jason raised the massive yoke to set it on their
necks, they meekly
226	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
bowed their heads and let him do his will. Then quickly
the heavy plow with its long pole was harnessed to the
yoke, and the hero with commanding shouts drove his
team across the field. The mighty plowshare cleaved the
tough sward, it cleaved the very rocks, and the
rattling clods and crumbling stones were scattered
right and left. Back and forth, from this end of the
field to that, and from that end to this, the bellowing
beasts toiled unwillingly; and at each turning a
broad, deep furrow was left behind.
The Colchians from their high seats on the wall looked
on with dumb amazement, and the heroes of the Argo
stood up boldly and shouted for gladness. But the face
of the old king grew ashy pale, and he knew not what to
think. " No man could do that wondrous thing," he
muttered, " unless he were helped by some trick of
magic," and he glared so fiercely at his daughter Medea
that her face grew pale and her heart trembled with
fear.
At length the plowing was finished. With a shout of
triumph, Jason loosed the oxen from the yoke and waved
his arms to drive them back to their cavern. Then, to !
the fire ceased to spout from their mouths, the smoke
no longer rose from their nostrils. The creatures
uttered no sound, they made no movement. They stood
rooted to the
IN THE FIELD OF MARS	227
ground, and seemed only another pair of lifeless
statues like those that stood in the king's great hall.
Then Jason came forward to get the dragon's teeth from
the king's officer who had them in charge. There were
so many of the white, pointed things that they filled a
brazen helmet to the brim. " They are fair, good seed,
and they shall be sown well," said the hero. With long
and measured steps, like a practiced farmer, he walked
back and forth over the rough-plowed land, at every
step throwing a handful of the baleful teeth over his
shoulder.
Scarcely was his task finished when a faint muttering
sound was heard beneath the upturned earth. It grew
louder, and soon the clods and turf and broken stones
began to move about and form themselves into little
mounds and hillocks. Then from each hillock was pushed
forth, first a mailed fist, and after it an arm encased
in iron, and at last the head and body of a giant
warrior clad in glittering armor, and bearing a shield
and spear. With strange shouts and dreadful clamor the
warriors sprang to their feet and looked around them.
Then, indeed, would Jason have been lost had he not
remembered Medea's words. But while the armored giants
were gazing wildly around them, he secretly threw a
round, smooth stone among them.
228	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
At once each began to fight his neighbor, and with loud
yells to thrust his spear about him. Fearful, indeed,
was the uproar, and fierce was the battle. Blindly the
warriors struck this way and that, not caring whom they
slew. They fell like the ripened wheat before the
sickle of the reaper. Soon not one of the great
multitude was left alive.
As the sun went down in the hazy west, Jason stood
alone in the Field of Mars. His fearful task was ended.
Then a great shout went up from all the lookers-on, and
the king beckoned for the hero to draw near.
" Now, Jason," he said, " we know that you are favored
of the gods; for no man without such favor could
perform the deeds of valor that we have seen done here
to-day. The fleece of gold shall in due time be yours,
for I have promised it. But there is no need of haste.
Come and feast with me in my house to-night, and
to-morrow you shall sail for Greece, carrying back the
object of your quest."
As he spoke, his eyes glowed with an evil light, and
his face betrayed the falseness of his heart. Yet Jason
answered him with thanks and words of praise.
" 0 King," he said, " you are both kind and wise,
and it would be but ill of me to ask still further
IN THE FIELD OF MARS	229
favors or to refuse to be your guest to-night. First, I
will send my comrades back to their ship, and then I
will go with you as you bid."
So, while zEetes tarried in his place with fair Medea
by his side, Jason hastened to speak to the heroes, who
stood a little way apart, expecting his commands.
" My friends," said he, " tEetes still plots mischief
in his heart, and it becomes us to be wary and alert. I
am to be his guest to-night. But go you straightway to
the ship. Turn her prow toward the sea. Make everything
ready for instant flight. Then wait and see what may
happen."
With these words he turned away and sought the king.
Then, sitting by his side in his chariot of polished
brass, he rode like a conqueror back into the town. But
Medea, with her brother Absyrtus, returned by another
way.
ADVENTURE XXVI
THE WINNING OF THE FLEECE
THE feast in the long hall of old IEetes was ended. The
guests had gone their several ways. The musicians and
the dancing girls had disappeared. The torchbearers,
too, had departed, and the palace was in darkness. The
great doors were shut and bolted, and the guards stood
in their places nodding and asleep.
In the best guest room above the court, Jason stood
alone. He was clad in full armor, as when he subdued
the fiery bulls, and his fingers toyed with his sword
hilt as he waited impatiently for some hoped-for signal
from Medea.
In his secret council chamber the king sat with all his
men of might around him; and his heart was hot with
fury as he talked of the deeds that Jason had
performed. Then an old soothsayer in whom he placed
great trust arose and begged leave to speak.
" It is plain," said he, " that this Jason could
230
THE ITYNNING OF THE FLEECE
never have performed the task that you set for him had
not some magic power aided him. Now here is something
that may help us solve the mystery. It is a tassel of
gold thread finely wrought, such as these Greeks wear
upon their sword belts. No man in /Ea ever wore its
like. This noon as I paused at the crossing of the
roads to breathe a prayer to Hecate, I saw this
precious thing lying at the threshold of her temple;
and as I stooped to pick it up, I saw close by it, but
half hidden in the shadow of the door, this bowl, with
Medea's name within it wrought curiously in white and
black."
" Say no more ! say no more ! " cried the king. " It is
as I suspected, and my ungrateful daughter is the cause
of our defeat. No other magic than that which she
herself wields through the aid of mighty Hecate could
have done this thing. But her punishment shall be swift
and terrible."
Then in hoarse, low whispers he made known a plan by
which to make an end of all the business, to destroy
Jason and his comrades, and to seize upon the Argo and
her treasures. Little did he think that light-footed
Medea was at that moment standing by the door and
listening to every word.
She did not listen long. She knew that her own death
was planned, and that vile treachery was devised
against the heroes. So, wrapped in her long,
black cloak, she stole silently through the darkened
halls to the place where the keys of the king's	:11
treasure house were kept. The secret cabinet wherein
they lay was closed fast with threefold
bolts of brass.
" Now help me, Hecate," she said; and from her bosom
she drew a yellow herb which she laid upon the lock,
muttering strange words and passing her hand to and fro
before it.
Scarcely had she begun the spell when the bolts slid
backward, the door flew open silently, and there before
her lay the seven golden keys. She seized them quickly
and hid them within the folds of her cloak. Then with a
smile she hastened back to the deserted inner court.
She climbed the stairway to Jason's room. She tapped
lightly at his door. It opened softly, and by the dim
moonlight that struggled in she saw the hero standing
armed before her.
" Follow me !" she whispered. And without delay or
further words the two went noiselessly through the
halls. The great bronze doors opened at Medea's touch,
and soon they found themselves in the quiet street.
Silently Medea glided onward, shunning the moonlight.
Silently Jason followed her, wondering but saying
nothing. She led him to the grove of
THE WINNING OF THE FLEECE	233
ancient oaks that stood around the gray old temple of
Jupiter. There, deep hidden among the shadows, was the
massive outside wall of the king's treasure house. At
the door Medea paused and for the first time lightly
spoke.
" Within this place, encircled by seven walls, is the
precious thing for which you have come so far and dared
so much. Be brave and fear not, for you have to face
the direst danger of all. Before you can lay hands on
the fleece you must pass the sleepless dragon that
guards it day and night. No witchery of mine can give
you strength to conquer it as you conquered the brazen
bulls to-day."
" Lead on," answered Jason. " I have no fears," and he
laid his hand upon his sword.
" Put up your sword," said Medea. " I will lead, but do
you keep silent until the prize is won."
Then with the golden keys she unlocked the doors one
after the other, and silently the two passed on through
the seven encircling walls. As the last door was opened
they saw before them a great chamber lighted with a
golden glow that seemed to issue from a glorious object
hanging on the wall. But right in their path lay the
dragon, motionless, with staring eyes wide open and
yellow claws outstretched as though ready to seize some
helpless victim.
234	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
A hideous thing he was. His scaly form was stretched
out to a wondrous length. His red jaws were parted just
enough to show the double row of pointed teeth within
his cavernous mouth. What mortal could withstand a
beast so huge and pitiless? He seemed to be preparing
to spring upon them.
But Medea stood fearless before the monster, gazing
steadfastly into his bloodshot eyes. Then from the
folds of her cloak she took a tiny harp of wondrous
workmanship, which men said Vulcan, in the ancient
days, had wrought for one of the Muses. Deftly her
fingers strayed hither and thither over the golden
strings. The whole place was filled with music so sweet
that even Orpheus could not have excelled it.
The dragon heard, and soon forgot all else but the
bewitching strains. His eyes began to close as though
he were being lulled to sleep. His yellow claws relaxed
as little by little he glided nearer and nearer to the
fair musician. Slowly and more slowly he came, while
she stood unmoved and drew her fingers with swiftness
through the strings. At last the horrid head rested on
the floor beside her, and the half-closed eyes looked
up into the maiden's face, robbed of their fierceness
by the wondrous power of music. Then without pausing or
looking
THE iliMMNG OF THE FLEECE	235
round, Medea whispered, " Go now, softly, quickly, and
take the fleece of gold."
Silently and with a brave heart, Jason glided forward,
right past the dragon into the glowing light of the
treasure chamber. His eyes were dazzled with the glory
of the object that hung before him. He reached out his
arms, he plunged his hands deep into the wondrous folds
of the golden fleece. Quickly he lifted it from its
place. Silently he glided back to the door, brushing
the dragon's scaly side as he passed.
" Be still ! Make haste ! " Medea whispered. " The
terror is asleep. Look not back, but hasten."
And so the two went swiftly from the dreadful place,
closing each door behind them, and pausing not till
they had reached the street. Then Jason saw that the
ruddy light which issued from the fleece shone bright
as day around them, while they must needs keep hidden;
and he tried in vain to thrust it beneath his armor.
" Conceal it with this," said Medea, and loosing her
long cloak she slipped it from her shoulders and threw
it lightly over the glowing treasure.
" Now hasten," she said. " Hasten to your ship and your
friends; and then make all speed away, for my father
will not let you easily escape. As for
ws
of
at
r,
236	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
me, my hours are numbered, and I go to meet my doom.
Before the sun of to-morrow rises, my eyes shall be
closed in death. But as you sail swiftly over the sea,
will you not think sometimes of her who died that you
might win your quest ? Will you not now and then speak
the name of Medea, who gave her life in order that your
name might be remembered forever ? "
Jason took her hand in his own and said: " Never will I
sail again on the good ship Argo unless you sail with
me. Never will I return to my sweet country and my home
and friends unless you go with me and I can say, Here
is Medea, who won the golden fleece for me.' Come, the
Argo waits for us. Come, let us hasten to escape from
the wrath of King IEetes."
What could Medea do but obey ?
Together the two fled silently through the shadowy
streets. Together they left the sleeping town behind
them and hurried across the moonlit fields. And all
this while the glorious fleece lay on Jason's arm
concealed beneath Medea's cloak. Soon they came in
sight of the Argo, lying in plain view close by the
bank. Her bright gunwales and ready oars glistened in
the moonlight, and the figure of Athena glowed redly at
her prow.
•••
lr
ADVENTURE XXVII
THE FLIGHT AND THE PURSUIT
How the heroes shouted when Jason drew the folded cloak
aside and gave them one glimpse of the hard-won fleece
before laying it in the hold beside their other
treasures ! How they gazed in wonder as he lifted Medea
into the Argo and led her to the seat of safety beneath
the small deck at the prow! But they had little time
for asking questions. A beacon fire flamed suddenly
from the tower above the market place. It was answered
by another, and then another and another, till the
river banks from the city to the sea seemed ablaze with
signals.
" They have discovered our flight," said Jason. And
Ancxus the good helmsman shouted: " To your oars,
heroes ! To your oars!"
The rumbling of chariot wheels and the clatter of
galloping hoofs resounded on the streets. Lights
glimmered among the boats along the wharfs, and soon
the splashing of a hundred oars disturbed the quiet of
the sleeping river. The heroes must be
237
238	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
prompt and swift if they would escape with their
treasure.	he
As Ancxus gave the word, the rowers, as one man, bent
to their task. In a moment the Argo was in midstream;
in another moment she was speeding like an arrow toward
the sea. But on both sides balefires gleamed, and the
shouts of men and the galloping of horses along the
shore seemed to keep even pace with the fleeing ship.
The heroes shouted in triumph and defiance. For in the
hold they saw the yellow gleam of the priceless fleece,
and at the prow in queenly raiment sat the daughter of
the king.
Then Orpheus tuned his lyre and sang a new song. He
sang of love and hope and faith. He sang of beauty and
of honor and renown. He sang of the curse of gold that
withers and blights the human heart and checks the
noblest impulses of the soul. Then he sang of the
restless sea and of loved ones far away, and of the
joys of home and the blessings of peace. And as he
sang, the rowers kept time with his music, and their
eyes swam in tears as they remembered the sweet
homeland which they might never see again.
Swiftly the Argo sped onward between the green banks of
the Phasis; but ever the sound of pursuit came nearer
and nearer. At length the dawn
						
						
		THE FLIGHT AND THE PURSUIT			239	
						
appeared, and soon the sun rose in the yellow east. At
the same moment they saw the mouth of the river just
before them, and the silvery waters of the sea dancing
and rippling beyond. But both banks were lined with
armed warriors, some of whom had waded far out into the
stream, ready to hurl their spears at the fleeing
heroes; while directly in front of them one of the
king's warships guarded the narrow outlet to the sea.
" Forward ! " cried Jason; and the heroes, leaning
low, pulled hard upon their oars.
As they drew nearer their foes, whom should they see
standing in the king's ship but young Absyrtus, the
brother of Medea. His form was very noble. The brazen
armor in which he was clad shone like gold in the beams
of the sun, and the four red plumes on his helmet
nodded gayly to the freshening breeze.
" Ye men of Greece," he cried, " I command you to come
no farther. You have taken from my father the fleece of
gold, the wonder of the world, and I bid you return it
to him, and give yourselves up to be dealt with as he
shall deem just and right."
With that he poised his long spear and made as though
he would hurl it into the midst of the heroes. But
Jason coolly answered him : " Who are you that we
should obey you ? Move aside and
			
	240	THE GOLDEN FLEECE		
let our ship pass through this narrow channel into the
sea."			
Forthwith bold Ancxus at the helm turned the Argo
straight toward the Colchian vessel, and those of the
heroes who were not rowing bent their bows and made
ready to let fly their arrows. Seeing this, young
Absyrtus with the strength of a giant threw his spear.
It grazed the armor of Jason and stuck in the deck
close by the head of Medea. Fierce shouts filled the
air, and spears and darts flew thick as the flakes of
snow on a wintry day. Then, indeed, did the heroes
thank their well-built armor and their strong shields
of oxhide; for although the Argo's hull was stuck full
of deadly missiles, yet not one of those on board was
injured.			
With a mighty cry, Jason leaped forward and hurled his
spear at Absyrtus, and at the same time Arcas, the wild
archer, let fly his unerring arrow. Both struck the
young prince, piercing his breast-			
,			
plate and his heavy armor. With a shriek of agony he
threw up his arms and fell into the dark stream.			
The next moment the mighty Argo, driven with the utmost
speed, struck the king's vessel squarely amidships.
There was a dreadful crash, a flying of broken timbers,
a shrieking of desperate and drowning men, and then all
that could be seen of			
THE FLIGHT AND THE PURSUIT	241
the hapless warship were a few splintered boards and
bits of rigging floating in the midst of the swirling
waves. The Argo, unharmed, glided onward through the
narrow channel and was soon riding upon the green
waters of the sea.
The rowers rested upon their oars, and all looked back.
The shores were black with Colchian war-
; riors, some weeping, some shouting and waving their
arms, and all rushing to and fro like mad men. Down the
river came a fleet of Colchian vessels, —a hundred
small ships with a dozen warriors in each; and in the
foremost of these stood iEetes himself, waving his
sword in the air and crying for vengeance upon the
Greeks. But when he reached the spot where young
Absyrtus had been overthrown, he caused his fleet to
halt in midstream, that all might search for the body
of the ill-fated prince.
" To your oars, heroes!" cried Jason.
Swiftly then did the Argo speed away. A brisk wind
sprang up, and the sails were spread. Never did vessel
glide so rapidly over the sea. And the thought that was
uppermost in the mind of every hero was his home. But
Medea's heart was heavy with the memory of loved ones
left behind in "Ea, and most of all with sadness for
her brother's untimely death.
GOLDEN FLEECE - 16
ADVENTURE XX VIII
THE VOYAGE UP THE ISTER
THROUGH all that summer day, the Argo with her noble
crew sailed onward. For many days did she sail, favored
by fair winds behind and sunny skies above. But when
the heroes at length supposed that they were very near
the entrance to the straits where the clashing rocks
stood guard, a thick fog fell suddenly around and hid
all things from their sight. Slowly and timidly, like a
blind man groping in strange places, they felt their
way in the gray, bewildering gloom. But whether they
were going northward or southward or eastward or
westward, the wisest among them could not tell. Vainly,
therefore, did they row hither and thither for many
days; and when the fog lifted at last, they
found themselves near a strange coast very far from
•
the passage they had been seeking. Then suddenly Jason
remembered that blind old Phineus had warned them to
return to Greece by another way.
242
THE VOYAGE UP THE ISTER	243
" Yet is there another way ? " he asked.
"In truth there is," answered Argus; "for I have often
heard it spoken of in lEa by those whose fathers
learned of it from the Egyptian priests. It is through
a river called the Ister, a broad, deep stream that has
its springs in the mountains of the far-distant West.
The stream by its many branches finds its way into many
seas. By following one, we may reach the waters that
lave the shores of Thessaly and the isles of Greece. By
following another, we may pass through Thrace and
thence into the far western sea that bounds the savage
coasts of Sicily."
This speech pleased Jason mightily, and he gave
commands to sail northward in search of one of the
mouths of the Ister. At once a bright light flashed
forth from the oaken image at the prow, and a voice was
heard to say, " I will show you the way."
So with glad hearts the heroes sailed onward, with the
round, green hills of Paphlagonia on their left. And
the radiant light shone out before them day and night,
pointing the way, while the brisk south wind urged them
ever onward. At length they reached the spot where a
broad river emptied its yellow flood into the sea; and
since it seemed to come out of the West, they deemed
that it must be the Ister. When Jason asked the figure
at the prow,
244	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
it made no answer. Nevertheless, the light still shone,
and so the helmsman steered the ship into the smoothly
flowing stream.
How many days they held on this course, or how far they
sailed against the gentle current of that river, no man
has told. At first they floated between low, grassy
banks, where broad meadows lay on either side like seas
of waving green stretching away and away to meet the
bending sky. Then they rowed between higher banks,
where trees grew large and tall, seeming to hedge them
in with walls through which even the eyes of Lynceus
could see but little way. Later on they came into an
opener country, with pleasant groves, and many a sunny
glade, and upland hillocks where herds of deer were
pasturing. There for a time they tarried, while Arcas
and swift Atalanta and a dozen other skillful archers
went out to try their fortune in the chase. Right glad
they were to roam once more in the wild greenwood. Many
a savage beast was slain that day by their unerring
arrows; and at evening they bore full many a carcass
of deer or other timid creature back to the Argo.
After that they rowed onward many days, while the
stream became narrower and narrower, and the forest
grew more and more dense, until the gnarled branches of
the trees almost met above their heads.
THE VOYAGE UP THE ISTER	245
But still the light glowed from the oaken image of
Athena, and still the heroes bravely toiled and felt no
fear of failure. At last, however, the river dwindled
to a mere brook, flowing sullenly through boggy ground,
and the banks were scarcely more than an oar's length
apart. Then Jason, and, indeed, all the rest, began to
lose hope, for plainly they could row no farther.
" Alas ! " said the heroes, half angrily, and each
seeking to throw the blame upon another. " Is this to
be the end of our quest ? Shall we remain here and
perish in this savage wood, or shall we float back to
the sea from whence we came and try to find some other
passage homeward ? "
Then all went ashore, and while some built a campfire
under the trees and sat around it, telling old stories
of the golden age, others wandered far into the woods
to see what new thing they might discover.
Among these last was Argus. With his bow in his hand,
and watching eagerly for any sign of game, he pushed
his way alone through the tangled under-woods. Suddenly
he heard a rustling of leaves and branches near him,
and he drew his arrow ready for a shot.
Then, to his great surprise, he saw a maiden walking
beneath the trees. Her limbs were clad
246	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
in polished armor, and upon her feet she wore strong
sandals bound about with straps of well-tanned leather.
From her shoulders fell a cloak of cloth, full rich and
soft, and embroidered beautifully with gold. On her
head she wore a helmet, and in her hands she carried a
mighty bow. Her face was very fair, and her eyes
twinkled with laughter as she spoke to Argus.
"What luck have you had to-day, huntsman ? " she asked,
seeming not surprised to meet a stranger in that
solitary place.
Then Argus, quaking in every limb, answered, " Neither
bird nor beast have I met, fair lady, nor do I think
that this wood affords much game for the huntsman."
" Then why do you wander in a place so bare of that
which tempts heroic men like you ? " asked the maiden.
" It is not of my free choice," answered Argus. " But
some ill fate has brought me and my comrades to this
spot, hoping that we might find a passage to the
western sea. Lo, yonder, grounded in the shallow
stream, is our ship Argo, which no strength of oar can
drive farther. No western sea have we found, but only
this desolate forest, forsaken even by the beasts."
" I might show you the way to that western sea,"
THE VOYAGE UP THE ASTER	247
said the maiden, smiling; " but you still must voyage
many leagues before you find it. Indeed, you must
wander long and face many and dire perils before you
see the shores of Greece again. For Jupiter is angry
with you because of the death of young Absyrtus, and
scarcely will he permit you to carry home the golden
fleece. But come with me."
She turned, and Argus followed her through the tangled
woods. Very soon she paused in an open space where the
ground sloped downward and no trees were seen beyond,
but only the clear blue sky.
" Come hither, Argus," she said, " and see what lies
beyond; and then remember that it was Iris, the
messenger of Queen Juno, that led you to this spot."
While she spoke, a great change came over her; and now
she seemed no longer a warrior maiden cased in armor,
but a dainty fairy floating in the summer air. Her arms
were bare. Her yellow hair like sunbeams streamed
behind. From her shoulders rose two gauzy wings that
bore her swiftly upward toward the sky; and her long
raiment, trailing in the air, glimmered with all the
colors of the rainbow.
For only a moment did Argus see her thus, and then she
vanished. He looked toward the spot
248	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
where she had last stood, and there, to his surprise,
he saw not trees nor green grass, bui a broad, deep
river flowing silently to some distant, unknown sea.
" Oh, if only the Argo were launched upon that noble
stream !" he cried; and he hastened back to tell his
comrades of all that he had seen.
cl
ADVENTURE XXIX
THE ISLAND OF CIRCE
FOR many days the heroes toiled with a will, clearing a
roadway from the spot where the Argo lay to the banks
of the new-found river. When this was done they built a
broad platform of hewn timbers well framed together,
and underneath it they placed huge wheels sawn from the
trunk of an ancient oak. With infinite labor and by
main strength alone, they lifted the mighty Argo, inch
by inch, and slid her thereon.
" Now, forward!" cried Jason. " Yo ! heave, ho!" and
every hero strained his utmost to move the ponderous
car.
" Now, yo ! heave, ho !" The wheels began to creak, and
very slowly the great platform with its water-soaked
burden began to move. Then Orpheus, playing his lyre,
walked on before, and the hearts of the heroes grew
light as they put their shoulders to the work. Faster
and faster the lumbering wheels went round, and Argo,
like
249
250	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
a living thing, glided onward between the trees.
Nevertheless, the road was rough, and many a mishap
caused delays; therefore ten days elapsed before the
ship-laden wagon stood upon the bank of the broad river
which Jason hoped would bear them homeward.
Soon, once more, the Argo was floating like a bird upon
the water, and all the heroes shouted for joy. They
broke up the planks and beams and wheels of the now
useless car, and with them built an altar to mighty
Jupiter. Then they laid barley thereon, and cakes and
spices and many costly things pleasing to the father of
the gods. At length, when all things were in readiness,
they poured wine upon the timbers and set fire to the
huge pile. The flames shot upward; the heroes with a
shout bent to their oars; and Argo joyfully glided away
on her voyage down the unknown river.
Onward with the stream the heroes sailed, and their
hearts were light within them; for they felt that
surely they would soon behold the welcome shores of
Greece. But when they came to the mouth of the river
and to the open sea, the whole world was strange, and
no man could tell which way to steer the vessel's
course. So they sailed onward at haphazard, trusting to
discover some well-known
4ari
T
•Re
:an
Tt
THE ISLAND OF CIRCE	251
headland or other landmark by which to find their
bearings.
They passed the wooded shores of Corcyra and the
pleasant isle of Melite, lands then unknown to the men
of Greece. They sailed close by the steep cliffs of
Cerossus, where Queen Calypso, a daughter of the gods,
dwelt happily. There the heroes fancied they saw, far
away, the shadowy Hills of Thunder, well known to all
seafaring men; but when they would have sailed
thither, a storm arose and drove them out of their
course.
All night long they drifted before the wind, and in the
morning they heard the breakers dashing against the
rock-bound shores of the island of Electra. Then did
the oaken image on Argo's prow find its voice again,
and the face of Athena glowed with a dazzling light.
The image cried out in the midst of the storm, and told
of the wrath of Jupiter.
 " Thus shall the waves drive you hither and thither,"
it said, " and thus shall you be carried through
unknown seas until you have appeased the anger of the
mighty father of gods. For he is displeased with you on
account of the death of young Absyrtus, whom Jason slew
at the mouth of the river Phasis. Seek now the island
home of Circe, the daughter of the Sun; for she alone
2 5 2	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
can help you, and she alone can purge away the guilt of
Jason and the sinful folly of Medea."
So cried the image in the darkness of the storm, and a
deadly fear came upon all -the heroes. But Castor and
Pollux, the godlike twins, lifted up their hands in
prayer, and the Argo leaped forward through the angry
sea.
Not long thereafter the storm abated, and the hearts of
the voyagers were cheered by pleasant skies and
favoring breezes. Fearfully they sailed through
unremembered seas and along many a strange and savage
coast. They saw the deep river Eridanus, where Phaethon
fell on the day that he rashly tried to drive the sun
car through the sky; and all night long they heard the
voices of his sisters, among the poplars on the banks,
loudly lamenting his untimely death.
At length their eyes were gladdened with the sight of
bold, white cliffs and between them a pleasant shore,
which seemed unlike any other they had ever beheld. As
they gazed wonderingly through the sunlit mist which
hung over the sea, they knew that this place could be
none other than the secret island home of Circe, the
sorceress queen. Therefore, with hopeful hearts, they
steered the Argo into a quiet harbor and moored her
fast to the low-lying shore.
wv
THE ISLAND OF C'IRCE	253
Then Medea, with words befitting a princess, bade the
heroes be cautious. " Have a care," said she, " that
none of you leave the ship. For this Circe is the
sister of my father JEetes, and she is the wisest of
women. But she is as pitiless as she is wise; for those
upon whom she casts her magic spells can never hope to
see home or friends or the dear shores of Greece. Wait
here in the ship, and Jason and I, who are the only
guilty ones, will go to her house and beseech her to
remove the stain that so darkens our lives."
So the heroes sat still on the rowers' benches and
gazed with longing eyes at the green meadows and
fruit-bearing orchards that lined the harbor's shore.
The air seemed full of languid music, and the breezes
were laden with sweet perfumes, and each man thought to
himself that he had never seen so lovely a land.
But Jason, with Medea by his side, stepped ashore and
walked silently down the path that led to a marble
palace dimly visible in a distant grove. As they
walked, strange creatures came leaping from the hedges
and orchards to meet them. Tigers and leopards and
mountain lions and many an unknown beast ramped and
roared around them; and a drove of grunting swine
followed in their tracks and made as if to devour them.
Then
254	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
Jason, more afraid than he had been in the Field of
Mars, half drew his sword; but Medea bade him let it
be.
" These beasts are not of flesh and blood," she
whispered; " and no weapons can avail you in this land
of magic charms. But see this wreath of withered leaves
that I carry on my arm. No harm can befall us while
that is near; for the leaves are of the herb moly,
which is proof against all creatures born of witchery
or of Circe's spells."
So to the grove and between the trees they passed,
while the beasts leaped and snarled around them or
fawned humbly at their feet. At length they stood at
the door of a wondrous house, the walls of which were
covered over with carvings and pictures of all
marvelous things. There, in the hallway, they saw the
sorceress herself, dread Circe, pouring a magic liquid
from a vial, while two strange beasts whined and made
their complaints before her. Her amber hair, worn
loosely, seemed like a crown of gold when touched by
the mellow sunlight, and she was clad in raiment of
finest silk most delicately adorned.
She smiled as she saw the strangers standing at her
door. Then, quickly dismissing the beasts, she hastened
forward to greet them.
" Welcome, welcome, wanderers of the sea," she
			
			
			
			
	Painting by Sir E. Burne-Jouec.	The Witchery of
Circe.	Photograph by Berlin Photographic Company.		
256	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
said. " I know you, maiden; for you, like me, have
kinship with the Sun, and you are most dear to me."
Then with kindly gestures she bade them enter and seat
themselves within her hall. But they, without
answering, glided swiftly past her and knelt upon her
hearth as was the wont of suppliants. There, as they
remained kneeling, they covered their faces with their
hands and lifted not their eyes nor spoke any word to
the sorceress. Circe knew their errand. She knew that
they sought to be cleansed from blood guiltiness, and
forthwith she hastened to offer the sacrifices that
were due.
First, she brought a wooden bowl around which were
carven mystic figures whose meaning no one knew. Then
with a silver knife she slew a suckling pig, holding it
above the bowl so that the fresh blood would trickle
therein. This being done, she dipped the hands of the
suppliants into the blood, calling meanwhile upon the
name of Jupiter.
Afterward she made other libations, standing by the
hearth and praying to the Mighty Ones. And she poured
honey and milk and oil, and scattered meal around the
suppliants. All these she burned with fire, trusting to
appease the spirits of the dead and soothe the wrath of
the avenging gods.
When she had finished, she took Medea and Jason by the
hands and raised them up. She led
THE ISLAND OF CIRCE	257
them toward the door, showing no wish to detain them in
her halls. To Medea she spoke in words of deep
reproach, although it was plain that even she pitied
the girl's unhappy fate.
" Your story is not unknown to me," she said; "
neither is the dark future that lies before you. Your
name through all the coming ages shall be a byword of
reproach. Men shall forget how wise and fair you have
been, and none shall praise you for this deed that you
have done. Now, farewell ! •Hasten with all speed from
this place. Take with you this fellow who has sold his
kingdom for a name and brought sorrow into your
father's house and woes unspeakable. Hasten and begone,
lest I relent!"
Then Medea, shuddering, covered her face and wept. But
Jason took her by the hand and led her with hurrying
footsteps out of that enchanted place. Through the long
avenue of trees they hastened, while the snarling
beasts pursued, and from every shadowy nook persuasive
voices cried out entreating them to stay. Yet they
paused not nor looked around; and when, at length,
they reached the shore, they leaped breathless aboard
the Argo, like hunted hares fleeing before the hounds.
" Loose the moorings quickly," cried Jason, "and row
with all speed from this dreadful shore."
GOLDEN FLEECE - 17
258	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
Some would fain have tarried even then; but Medea
warned them. " No man has power to escape from Circe's
witchery," she said; " and all who yield to her are
changed to brutish forms, to swine and howling beasts
and shadowy forms bereft of reason. Hasten, or we shall
all perish through her magic power."
,	•	,••••••,...,	- ••^•••••••
•
•
stea
beh
eve
anc
sh(
Pr to
ADVENTURE XXX
THE SIRENS AND THE PERILOUS STRAITS
FOR three days and nights the Argo sailed steadily upon
an unknown sea, nor did the heroes behold any sign of
land. On the fourth day, however, they approached the
long north shore of Sicily and sighted a snug harbor
half hidden by wooded shores. There they rested a
little while and gave thanks to Jupiter and all the
Mighty Ones who had preserved them from so many perils.
Then they took ship again and rowed eastward, with the
green Sicilian headlands always on their right.
At length they drew near an island of surpassing
beauty, carpeted from shore to shore with flowers of
every hue. The heroes were entranced with its
loveliness, and some said, " Here we will abide in
idleness until we have forgotten the toils of this most
wearisome voyage."
But when Medea had scanned the enticing shore, she
cried out: " Do not land there, but row quickly far out
to sea. For this is the home of the Sirens,
259
260	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
of whom my father taught me, long time ago, in /Ea."
The heroes smiled at her earnestness, but still rowed
toward the shore. "Who are those Sirens?" they asked. "
Who are they that we should fear them ?"
" They are the daughters of the Muse, Terpsichore,"
answered Medea. " They stand upon the shore and watch
for passing vessels, and many are the seafarers whom
they have lured to death. For they sing so sweetly that
whoso listens to them forgets his home, his country,
and his life, and he perishes while yet the melody is
in his ears."
Even then the heroes could see the lovely creatures
walking on the beach, their white garments fluttering
in the wind and their golden hair gleaming in the soft
sunlight.
" Take the helm, 0 Jason ! " cried Medea. " Take the
helm and steer Argo seaward. For if we come within the
spell of their sweet singing, your perilous quest will
be ended in shame and death."
While she was speaking, the Sirens began to sing; and
as the oarsmen listened to the bewitching melody, they
ceased rowing and wished only that the song would never
end. But Jason, spurred by Medea's words, leaped to the
stern and took the helm from the nerveless hands of old
Ancxus, who.
Wlt
In the gli
th
61
THE SIRENS AND THE PERILOUS STRAITS 261
with dreamy eyes was steering the Argo shoreward. In
that very moment the wind filled the sail, and the
mighty vessel veered sharply to the left and glided out
into the deep sea.
The entranced heroes would have leaped into the sea had
not Orpheus seized his lyre and quickly begun an
answering song. Swiftly his fingers swept the twanging
chords, and the sound of the Sirens' song was drowned
in the glorious music of the lyre. Onward the Argo
flew, driven by the strong west wind, and soon the
heroes were beyond the reach of the Sirens' deadly
melody. But the witchery of it still lingered in the
hearts of some, and fain would they have returned to
listen to it and die.
Then Butes, the handsomest of all the heroes, sprang up
suddenly and threw himself into the waves. Swiftly he
swam through the gray surf, shoreward, while his
comrades watched him from the ship. They watched him as
he breasted the foaming breakers. They watched him till
his feet struck the firm sands and he began to wade
through the shallowing water. Then suddenly a blue
cloud in-wrapped him, and their eyes saw him no more.
But the cloud rose up gently and floated away toward
the tall headland of Lilybxum in the distant west.
Whether Butes were alive or dead, his comrades
262	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
never knew. But old stories tell us that Venus was in
the cloud, and that she carried him in her arms to her
pleasant home on Lilybum. There he lived long and
happily in the blessed company of the immortals.
Meanwhile the rising wind drove Argo swiftly from the
land of the Sirens; but in her path were perils
scarcely less fearful than those she had escaped. For
on the morrow the shore bent to the southward, and the
helmsman knew that the ship was in the strait that lies
between Sicilia and the Italian land. There two seas
meet, and the shores draw very close together.
On this side the dread whirlpool Charybdis rushes,
hissing and roaring, forever sucking in the sea and
forever casting it forth again. On that side looms a
high cliff wherein is a cave, the home of Scylla, the
monster of the shore. At the farther end of the strait
are the Wandering Rocks, which buffet each other among
the waves and hammer the shore with an unceasing din.
As the Argo drew near this perilous passage the nymphs
of the deep sea came from their homes to meet her. The
water was white with them as they swam this way and
that to shield her from harm. And Thetis, their queen,
took hold of the rudder underneath to steer her safely
through.
THE SIRENS AND THE PERILOUS STRAITS 263
So now the oarsmen rowed with all their might. Like a
creature of the sea, the ship leaped through the
seething waves. The heroes looked to their right and
saw Charybdis yawning to swallow them up. She spit and
spouted and roared most furiously as Argo glided onward
past the very brink of her dreadful, whirling funnel.
A cry from Medea caused all eyes to look upward. There
they saw the grisly monster Scylla straining to get at
them. Her six long necks were stretched out to their
fullest length, and the jaws of her six heads gaped
horribly as she tried in vain to reach and snap up the
venturesome vessel. But, guarded on both sides by the
friendly nymphs and guided by the unerring hand of
Thetis, the Argo kept the safe middle course. She
swerved neither this way nor that, but like an arrow
from Diana's bow shot straight forward through that
perilous way.
Scarcely, however, did the heroes find themselves
beyond the reach of Scylla's jaws when they heard the
Wandering Rocks clashing furiously around them. On
every side the wild surf foamed and roared, while
clouds of steaming mist hid rocks and sea and sky from
view. Long did the oarsmen toil, heaving the ship
forward through the boiling waves. And Thetis still
held the rudder, and her
264	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
maids, dashing hither and thither, kept the vessel
clear of the pointed rocks.
At length, suddenly, the Argo glided like a swan
out into the smooth, calm sea. The sun shone brightly
down from the cloudless sky, and the air seemed filled
with a holy restfulness. From the green meadow on the
near-by shore the sound of tinkling bells and bleating
lambs was borne to the gladdened ears of the heroes.
Merrily, therefore, the sails were spread, and with
bold Anczeus again
at the helm the mighty ship sped onward while all	sl
her crew rejoiced.
1
ADVENTURE XXXI
THE GARDEN OF THE HESPERIDES
ONE morning, as the sun was rising, the heroes beheld a
long, low shore in the distance. It stretched far to
the right and the left, and was so distant that it
seemed like a blue cloud resting between the sea and
the sky. With eager eyes each man gazed steadily
forward, wondering what land it could be. Suddenly old
Neleus, with a shout that frightened the circling sea
gulls, leaped upon his bench and waved his arms like a
man bereft of reason.
" Home, home at last ! " he cried. " I see the sandy
beach and the green pasture lands of Messenia! I see my
own fair city of Pylos!"
Then sharp-eyed Lynceus also looked. Through the gray
mists of the morning he saw the streets of the town,
and the little ships lying at the wharfs, and even the
cattle browsing in the far-distant pastures. The hearts
of all the heroes were filled with gladness, and their
eyes swam with tears;
265
266	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
for they felt that soon their long voyage would be
ended.
At the next moment, however, the sky was darkened with
clouds. The North Wind swooped suddenly down and,
catching the Argo in his grasp, drove her far and
swiftly from her course. The shore faded from sight. A
furious blast swept over the sea. The heroes could do
nothing but cower, helpless, beneath the benches and
wonder to what dreadful fate they were being carried.
For nine long nights and as many days the Argo drifted
before the storm. Then, in a twinkling, the wind
ceased, and Jason and his comrades found themselves
floating in a shallow bay, with sandy shoals and green
patches of seaweed all around. Before them was a
shelving shore and a low-lying land, stretching to the
right and the left until it was lost in the hazy
distance.
was but the work of a moment to drive the Argo forward
till her keel grated upon the shell-strewn beach. Then
all on board leaped out and looked around them.
" What place is this that looks so like a dream ? "
asked Jason.
But not even Ancus, the helmsman, nor Mop-sus, with his
soothsaying, could answer. All stood amazed, and none
dared so much as guess the name
THE GARDEN OF THE HESPERIDES	267
of the land. No sound was heard along the shore. Even
the lapping of the waves against the rocks was
noiseless, and the voices of the heroes were like
softest whispers.
Soon courage revived in the hearts of the weary
voyagers, and like children let out from school they
ran eagerly forward. For they had been pent up long in
the pitching Argo, and the freedom of the shore seemed
very sweet to them. Scarcely, however, were they well
beyond the sloping beach when all stopped short in dumb
amazement. For before them lay the loveliest scene
their eyes had ever looked upon, and as they gazed they
forgot their weariness and their hunger and thirst, and
thought only of its wondrous beauty.
Here were fields glorious with every flower that
blooms. Here were orchard trees laden with all kinds of
ripe and ripening fruits. Here were pleasant groves and
plashing waterfalls, and little brooks winding like
silver ribbons through flower-bespangled meadows.
The air was dense with the perfume of roses and the
drowsy odors of thousands of blossoming herbs.
Countless birds flitted and sang among the green
boughs. Savage beasts and the timid creatures of the
woods romped and played together beneath the trees. The
lamb walked fearlessly by the lion's
268	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
side, and the spotted deer gamboled with the leopard's
cubs.
Strangest of all strange things was a green terrace
which seemed no work of nature and yet not made with
hands. Surrounding it was a low, marble wall inlaid
with ivory and pearls and carved with many a picture of
the ancient days when innocence and mirth prevailed. In
the center of this terrace stood a tree the like of
which there was never another on earth. For from every
bough hung apples more beautiful than you or I have
ever dreamed of seeing, and every apple was of pure red
gold.
" They are the apples that were given to Juno on her
wedding day," whispered Jason to Medea, "and this place
is the garden of the Hesperides."
Then beneath the tree Medea saw the scaly folds of a
dragon glistening green and yellow in the sunlight, and
she knew that it was Ladon, the sleepless beast that
watched those precious apples day and night. His
hundred heads looked forth in a fiery circle, while his
hundred flaming tongues leaped within his jaws like
whips of blood.
But this fearsome creature was not the only guardian of
the golden fruit. For now three maidens came tripping
across the lawn. Their faces were as fair as a June
morning, and they were clad in silken raiment white as
falling snow. The
^
THE GARDEN OF THE HESPERIDES	269
heroes stood spellbound; for they knew that these were
the Hesperides, the deathless nymphs whose task it was
to keep this garden of the gods.
" Who are those puny men who dare to intrude where even
the immortals fear to come ?" asked Hespera, the eldest
of the sisters.
" Methinks they are those robber Greeks on their way
home from Colchis," answered Erytheis, the second.
Better for them had they remained at home," said IEgle,
the youngest.
" Yes, better, indeed," responded Hespera; " for
little happiness will that fleece of gold ever bring to
its possessor."
Hand in hand the maidens stood beside the tree, their
sun-bright hair floating in the breeze and their great,
round eyes gazing calmly and fearlessly at the
intruding heroes. Then they began to dance upon the
lawn, and as they danced they sang a wonderful melody,
sweeter by far than any that Orpheus ever knew. The
voyagers listened, scarcely daring to breathe; and
each began to forget himself, his comrades, his home,
yes, even life itself. For the song had in it a charm
more powerful even than the song of the Sirens.
Then Jason, with a mighty effort, aroused himself. "
Back to the ship, comrades," he hoarsely
270	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
whispered. " Back to the Argo ere it is too late ! This
is no place for living men."
By sheer force he turned their faces seaward and drove
them like a flock of dumb sheep into the Argo. And
they, as senseless as the oars which he placed in their
hands, sat silent on the benches, having no will nor
power of their own.
Very softly now the music was carried to their ears,
and soon it ceased. A nameless silence filled the air,
and not even the splashing of the waves or the rushing
of the breeze through the rigging made the slightest
sound. Jason, unaided, trimmed the sails, and then he
took the helm in his own hands. A brisk wind came up
from over the Hesperian fields, and the Argo glided
silently away from that haven of dreams.
One by one the heroes, after a time, awoke from the
spell that had so strangely dulled their senses. At
length fifty oars were dipping with a will into the
salty waves, and the good ship was flying northward
swifter than the wind.
Not far did she sail, however; for the misty shore
seemed to approach on either side and hem her in; and
now it rose sheer before her, like a gray green wall
through which there was no way of passing.
" How now ? " cried Ancaeus, scanning the land, the
water, and the sky. " This is not the open sea,
THE GARDEN OF THE HESPERIDES	27
as we supposed. It is the great lake Tritonis, from
which there is but one passage whereby to escape; and
that passage is a well-hidden strait which no man may
find without the aid of the gods."
The hearts of the voyagers were heavy with despair. "
Alas!" they cried, " it were better to have perished
long ago; for now there is no hope."
But Jason, seeing a fair harbor before them, steered
the Argo thither, and again all leaped ashore. There,
on the surface of a huge gray rock, they saw the
footprints of a man, and from one of them a spring of
clear cold water was gushing. The sight of the bubbling
spring cheered their spirits, and soon every man was
sprawling on hands and knees, eagerly supping the
life-giving fluid. For there had been neither water nor
meat in the ship's hold for two days, and all were
well-nigh famished.
After this, some hastened to fill the water bottles and
stow them under the rowers' benches; but the braver
ones ran into the woods, hoping to find a deer or
perhaps some smaller game to satisfy their hunger.
One by one they returned, each bringing the prize that
he had captured. Atalanta brought a shambling bear;
Lynceus, the sharp-sighted, brought two panther's cubs;
and the North Wind's sons
272	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
drove before them a flock of sheep which they had
bought of friendly shepherds among the hills. But
Canthus, one of the younger heroes, was less fortunate
; for he brought back no prize, but his comrades found
him on the hills lying pale and dead, with face
upturned to the sky. A shepherd whose sheep he was
trying to drive away by stealth had slain him with a
swift stone.
Sorrowful, indeed, were the heroes when they carried
the bleeding body of Canthus down to the shore and
buried it in the sand. But this was not the end of
their grief; for on that same day Mop-sus was bitten
by a• snake and died. Not all his skill at soothsaying
could save him from his doom.
" Surely," said Jason to his lamenting comrades, " this
is but the beginning. For to the same sad end shall we
all come unless we can win the favor of the gods who
rule these shores."
Then Orpheus brought out from the hold a fair tripod of
polished brass and set it upon the shore for Triton,
the god of the lake. And others brought forth the
whitest of the sheep for Jason to offer up in
sacrifice. They built a little altar of stones by the
stern of the ship, and when the smoke of the fire began
to hide the sacrifice, all joined in singing a hymn of
praise to the rulers of the sea. Then
THE GARDEN OF THE HESPERIDES	273
Jason lifted up his hands and prayed, " 0 thou Triton,
who hast dominion of this shore, have pity on us and
lead us out of this lake of thine into the open sea."
Forthwith, even as he prayed, the Argo began to move,
and the heroes leaped quickly aboard. They looked over
into the water and saw the mighty Triton, with his
hands upon the keel, guiding the ship whither he would
• have her go. He was a wondrous creature; for his
head and arms and breast were like those of a strong
man, but below the waist he was formed like a fish,
with scales and fins and a mighty tail with which he
pushed his way through the water. He guided the ship
right onward through the secret strait and out into the
open sea. Then suddenly he plunged deep downward, and
the heroes saw him no more.
GOLDEN FLEECE - 18
ADVENTURE XXXII
THE MAN OF BRASS
THE weather-worn sails were again spread to the wind.
The long oars were placed in the tholes, and the
oarsmen again bent to their task. And so the Argo, with
her prow turned northward, sailed again over unknown
seas; but for how many days or with what varying
hopes, I know not.
At length, on a summer evening, the good ship entered a
pleasant sea dotted with green islands and bounded on
the north by a rocky coast. Then the helmsman, Ancxus,
shouted for joy; for he had often sailed on these
waters, and he knew the name of every shore and of
every towering headland.
Onward sped the Argo until she approached a great
island which stood high above the waves and seemed to
be the queen of the sea.
" What land is that ? " asked Jason.
" It is the island of Crete, the kingdom of mighty
Minos," answered Ancxus.
274
THE MAN OF BRASS	275
Then the helmsman steered the ship shoreward, hoping to
anchor in some safe harbor for the night. But as they
drew nearer to the land, the heroes saw a mighty giant
standing on the cliffs and hurling huge stones toward
them. The name of the giant was Talus, and he was the
last of that old, old race whom men say sprang from ash
trees when the world was young.
His arms and legs and body were of the strongest brass.
His eyes glowed like burning coals, and his breath was
like the breath of a furnace. All the blood in his body
flowed through a single vein, and this vein was
everywhere covered with brass save at one spot beneath
the tendon of his ankle.
He taunted the heroes with mocking words. He hurled
rock after rock at the Argo, at one time grazing the
prow, and at another breaking off the tip of mast.
" Begone, you robber Greeks !" he cried. " Begone, and
think not to find another golden fleece in this island
which I guard. Three times every day I walk around the
coast, watching it well for my master, King Minos.
Nowhere will you find a landing place without being
seen by me. So, begone! Begone !"
Unwillingly the helmsman turned the ship about,
fir
276	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
for the voyagers were overdone with toil and all had
hoped to rest themselves on shore awhile.
Then Medea stood up on the prow of the Argo and bade
the oarsmen stop rowing. About her shoulders was
wrapped the black cloak which she had been wont to wear
in Hecate's temple, and in her hands she held the magic
herbs which had served her so wonderfully in her
father's halls. Raising her white arms aloft, she
muttered many a witching spell, crying aloud and
calling upon the fearful creatures that flit in
darkness.
Three times she muttered these charms. Three times she
sprinkled the air and the sea with the dust of dead
bones and the dried blood of uncanny things. And all
the while she prayed to dread Hecate, the queen of
witchery and of magic arts.
" Help us this once, 0 queen of darkness," she cried. "
Help us this once, and rid us of the senseless monster
that now drives us back into the sea."
Even as she ended the third recital of her spell, the
mighty giant met his doom. For, as he was madly seeking
heavy stones to hurl at the Argo, he struck his foot
against the jagged corner of a rock, making a deep
wound in his ankle. The one vein in his body was cut
asunder, and the blood poured out in torrents. Helpless
he stood for a moment, while his life fled from him.
Then, like a great pine
THE MAN OF BRASS	277
tree which the woodcutters have hewn through at the
base, he staggered and fell, and with a fearsome crash
tumbled into the sea.
The heroes, without more ado, rowed forward, rejoicing,
into the harbor; and there they rested two nights and
a day. Then with impatient hearts they again took their
places upon the benches and dipped their long oars in
the briny waves. The helmsman turned the ship's prow
once more toward Greece, the storm-beaten sails were
raised to the wind, and Argo sped over the sea.
ADVENTURE XXXIII
THE HOME-COMING
THE way was clear, the sailing was easy, and the
heroes' hearts were cheered with thoughts of home. Soon
the well-known coast of Greece appeared on their left,
and every man shouted a glad welcome to the fair land
from which he had so long been a wanderer. And now the
perils that had been endured and the labors that had
been performed seemed like the shadows of dreams soon
past and soon forgotten.
So the heroes sailed onward, past Thera's island and to
the long Laconian shore. There the noble twins, Castor
and Pollux, and the swift huntress, Atalanta, would
fain leave them, seeing that their homes were near at
hand. Therefore they parted with them, and, weighing
anchor again, they rowed steadily along the coast and
across the mouth of the bay, where Theseus knew that
his own fair city of Athens stood. But Jason would not
turn aside, and so Theseus and others of the heroes
were set ashore
278
THE HOME-COMING	279 •
on the nearest point of the mainland. Then the rowers,
with renewed will, bent to their oars and drove the
ship right onward into the narrow channel of Euripus.
Without tarrying or slacking speed they passed Aulis
and Chalcis and came into the broader Eubcean Sea. On
their left were the green woods of Baeotia, and a day's
journey inland was the old Minyan city of Orchomenus.
" Let us go thither and put Argus on the throne which
by right belongs to him," said some.
But the rest were impatient to reach their homes, and
Jason would not permit any delaying. He bade them press
onward, and soon, to their joy, the peaks of Pelion
were seen in the dim distance.
Early one morning in autumn an old weather-stained ship
silently entered the little bay before Iolcus. Her hull
was scarred and worm-eaten, and slimy with seaweed and
clinging shells. Her rotten sails hung in tatters from
her storm-strained mast. Her helm was split, and held
together by old ropes and bits of rigging. Her few oars
were bent and worn, and half the tholes along the
gunwales were broken. The oaken image on her prow was
splintered and jammed, battered out of shape, and
stained by the waters of many seas.
			
		280	THE GOLDEN FLEECE	
		" What old hulk is that ? " asked a sailor who was
lounging on the beach.	
		" She looks like some trading ship from Tyre,'
answered his companion; " but she is bigger than any
other I have ever seen."	
		" She has had a rough time of it," said the first
speaker. " Methinks she has come in for repairs, and
yet, I dare say, her masters will let no chance for
trading slip by."	
		By this time quite a crowd of fishermen and sailors
and idlers from the town had gathered on the beach, and
many were the guesses concerning the strange vessel.	
		" She is almost as large as the Argo was," said an
old Minyan fisherman, "and she has much the same shape.
But the Argo was a beautiful vessel, and it would be a
sin to compare this ugly old hulk with her."	
		" Ah, yes," said an Athenian sailor. " I think I
have heard of the Argo. Does any one know what became
of her ? "	
		" Why, she sailed from this very spot with Prince
Jason and fifty other heroes on board. They were going
in quest of a ram's fleece that was said to be in some
country near the rising of the sun. But that was a long
time ago, and no word of her has ever come back to
Iolcus."	
THE HOME-COMING	281
Meanwhile the old ship was anchored by the beach and
the crew leaped ashore. They were rough-looking
fellows. Their faces were browned and tanned by the
winds and the sun of many climes. Their hair was long,
and their grisly beards were untrimmed. Their once rich
clothing was in shreds and tatters. Their armor was
battered with much use and rusted by the salt sea
spray. Yet they bore themselves right nobly and seemed
not at all like traders from Tyre. Their eyes sparkled
with the joy of a sweet home-coming, and they shouted
like victors returning with spoils.
Soon it was noised in Iolcus that Jason and his
comrades had come back with the ship Argo and were
landed at the farther end of the beach. Great, indeed,
was the surprise, and great the joy. All other thoughts
were forgotten, and men, women, and children hurried
down to the shore to see the Argo and her famous crew.
Among those who went out on foot was a white-haired old
gardener whose span of life seemed nearly at an end. As
he hobbled along with the aid of a staff, the rude
crowd jostled against him and threw him from his feet.
Some of the gentler ones kindly raised him up and
helped him on his way; yet he was feeble and lame, and
the eager multitude soon left him far behind. But while
he
282	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
was still a great way off, Jason saw him and ran to
meet him.
" Father," he cried, " rejoice with me, for I have come
back to you and have brought the golden fleece."
Old IEson sprang forward and threw his arms about the
neck of his hero son. He spoke not a word, he uttered
not a sound, but lay silent and motionless on Jason's
breast. And when Jason at length loosened his arms and
looked into his face, lo, the poor old man was dead !
His joy had been greater than he could bear.
Then down the road a chariot came rumbling, and in it
sat Pelias, the false king. Very old and feeble he was.
His scarred face was pale as ashes, and his wrinkled
skin seemed to cling to his very bones. His body was
bundled up in many folds of blankets and furry robes.
His hairless head nodded to this side and to that, made
helpless with palsy. His long, gaunt arms hung
trembling and useless from his shoulders. He was the
very image of a man to whom life has become a burden.
" Is this our dear nephew Jason? " he asked in
quavering tones; "and has he brought to us the famous
fleece of gold ? "
" Yes, Pelias," answered Jason. " I am your nephew
Jason, and I have brought from Colchis
THE HOME-COMING	283
the famous fleece of gold. Now give up the crown to me,
for I am the rightful king of Iolcus."
" I have kept the crown for you a long time, Jason,"
said Pelias; " and I would fain let you have it. But
wait a little while. I pray you wait a little while,
and let my eyes look upon that wondrous fleece."
They brought the fleece from the ship's hold, still
wrapped in Medea's cloak. They laid it down before the
old false king, and the heroes stood silent around it.
Then they removed its covering, but, to ! it no longer
shone with the ruddy, golden light that had made it the
wonder of the world. The glory had departed from it.
" You have played me false. You have cheated me and
have brought no golden fleece from Colchis," said
Pelias, wrathfully. " I will keep the crown yet a
little longer." And he commanded his charioteer to
drive back into the city.
When he reached his palace and was lifted out of his
chariot, who do you think met him at the door of his
great hall ? It was none other than Medea, the heroic
maiden of /Ea. The eyes of Pelias were dim and he
fancied that she was a beautiful witch lately come to
Iolcus and already well known in the palace. She was
robed in a loose-fitting gown black as darkest
midnight; her
284	THE GOLDEN FLEECE
hair fell in wavy masses over her shoulders; her eyes
sparkled like diamonds beneath her arching brows; in
her hands she held the magic herbs of Hecate.
" Great king," she said, " the gods have given me the
power to grant you the dearest wish of your heart. Tell
me what it is that you most desire, and to-morrow you
shall be gratified."
" Let me see," said Pelias, trying to raise his palsied
hand. " Let me see. The thing that I most desire is to
be young again and strong as I once was, so that I may
hold this kingdom against the upstart Jason. Grant me
this wish, and you shall sit beside me on my ivory
throne."
" You shall have your desire," answered Medea; and she
vanished, smiling.
But on the morrow the old false king was dead, and
Jason sat upon the throne that was rightfully his own.
And Medea sat by his side.
AFTER WORD
So ends the story of the Golden Fleece. It is a story
which singers of songS and tellers of strange tales
have repeated in thousands of forms to delighted
listeners of every age and almost every clime. Of
stories of heroism and adventure, it is not only the
oldest, but it is the one most widely known. Parts of
it were familiar to Homer when he composed that noblest
of all poems, the " Iliad." For more than thirty
centuries it has been retold and re-retold in kings'
palaces and peasants' huts, and wherever men have loved
to hear of things wonderful and heroic. Not only is it
popular in enlightened Europe and America, but it is
current in crude and varying versions among the natives
of half-civilized lands in Asia and Africa and even
among the islanders of the South Sea. It is a tale that
never tires; and as long as the world endures, men and
children will find pleasure in reading it and in
listening to its recital.
In repeating this story to you, I have borrowed from
many sources, coloring the narrative to suit my own
fancy, and adding or omitting as seemed
285
286	AFTER WORD
best and most proper. For thus has it been repeated
from the beginning, each teller relating it as his own
imaginings have prompted, while the essential thread of
the tale is left unaltered and unalterable. Just so
have many singers often sung the same song with widely
varying tones and diverse effects : yet the substance
of the song remains unchanged. It is the singing that
restores life and beauty to the time-worn melody; it
is the telling that gives newness to the old, old
story.
Should you be curious to know of the later deeds of
Jason and Medea, and how they lived in their hard-won
kingdom of Iolcus, I can only remind you that there is
nothing further to be told about the Golden Fleece. It
would be pleasant to end our story, as many a fairy
tale is ended, by saying that our hero and heroine
lived happily together forever afterward. But the old
poets and dramatists say quite differently; and so we
shall leave them, sitting side by side on the ivory
throne.
PERSONS AND PLACES MENTIONED IN THE
STORY
Ab sYetus	Casitor	HeTle	Min'y an
Ad metus	Cau'ci sus	Henes pont	IsTeleas
A'a (e'a)	centaur	Her'cu lei	Ne'me a
.	e'tes	ce ros'sus	Hes'pe ra	Isleph'e le
.iEg'le (egile)	€hal ci'o pe	Hes per'i des	Neptune
izE'6 lus	Charcis	Hy'las	Nestor
!Es cu la'pi us	Chal'y be§	I'das	O lymipus
IE'son	€ha ryb'dis	I'no	Or-chom'e nus
Al cim'e de	€hei'ron	I 61'cus	Or'pheiis
Am'a zon	cl'os	I'ris	Os'sa,
Am'y cuss	grice	Is'ter	Paphla go/ni a
Am y tha'on	Corehis	Ith'i ca	Par the'ni a
A nau'rus	Cor cY'ra	Jason	Pe'lefis
A p6Plo	Cre'theiis	Juno	Pe'li as
Ar'cas	cyz'i cus	Ju'pi ter	Pe'li on
Ar'g6	Delphi	La co'ni an	Pe nel'us
Ar'gus	Di afna	La'don	Pha'e thon
At a Unita	Do dO'na	La er'tes	Pha'sis
Atha ma's	Do li'o ne§	La'p'ith	Phe'rae
A theina	E lec'tra	Lily bce/um	Phe're§
Au 'lis	E'lis	Ly'cus	Phin'e us
13613'1 Os	E ni'pefis	Lyniceris	Phrix'us
Bce o'tia	E rid'a nus	Marimo ra	PlU'to
Bos'pho rus	hey theris	Me cle'a	Pollux
Bil'te§	Eu bce'an	Me'le alger	Pol'y phe-mus
Call'a is	Eu ri'pus	to	Pon itus
Cal y Mini an	Hec'a to	Mes seni	Pro me'thetis
Can'thils	He'li os	Min'y ae	Pro pon'tis
287
288	PERSONS AND PLACES MENTIONED
Py'los	Str6phia des	Thera	Ti'phys
Sal mO'nefis	Tagus	The'seds	Teton
Sal'my desfsa	Tel'a mon	Thes sal an	Tri to'nis
Sam'o thrake	Tem'pe	Thes'sa ly	Trro
Sat'urn	Terp sich'o re	Thetis	U rYs'ses
SO1'16.	Thebes	Thrace	Zeites
I~
1
To avoid fine, this book should be returned on
or before the date last stamped below
1011--6 4 0
Baldwin, James	602941				c--) r
The golden fleece				r-
				C7
				zz.
				r-
				r.
				bi
DATE		NAME	DATE