vexed　at　heart：　〃To　others　my　sorrows　are　a　jest；　nor　ought　I　to　tell　them　to　all；　I　know　them　too　well　myself。　　But　now；　since　this　pleases　you　both；　I　will　make　the　attempt　and　coax　him；　and　he　will　not　say　me　nay。〃
  （ll。　106…110）　　Thus　she　spake；　and　Hera　took　her　slender　hand　and　gently　smiling；　replied：　〃Perform　this　task；　Cytherea；　straightway；　as　thou　sayest；　and　be　not　angry　or　contend　with　thy　boy；　he　will　cease　hereafter　to　vex　thee。〃
  （ll。　111…128）　　She　spake；　and　left　her　seat；　and　Athena　accompanied　her　and　they　went　forth　both　hastening　back。　　And　Cypris　went　on　her　way　through　the　glens　of　Olympus　to　find　her　boy。　　And　she　found　him　apart；　in　the　blooming　orchard　of　Zeus；　not　alone；　but　with　him　Ganymedes；　whom　once　Zeus　had　set　to　dwell　among　the　immortal　gods；　being　enamoured　of　his　beauty。　　And　they　were　playing　for　golden　dice；　as　boys　in　one　house　are　wont　to　do。　　And　already　greedy　Eros　was　holding　the　palm　of　his　left　hand　quite　full　of　them　under　his　breast；　standing　upright；　and　on　the　bloom　of　his　cheeks　a　sweet　blush　was　glowing。　　But　the　other　sat　crouching　hard　by；　silent　and　downcast；　and　he　had　two　dice　left　which　he　threw　one　after　the　other；　and　was　angered　by　the　loud　laughter　of　Eros。　　And　lo；　losing　them　straightway　with　the　former；　he　went　off　empty　handed；　helpless；　and　noticed　not　the　approach　of　Cypris。　　And　she　stood　before　her　boy；　and　laying　her　hand　on　his　lips；　addressed　him：
  （ll。　129…144）　　〃Why　dost　thou　smile　in　triumph；　unutterable　rogue？　　Hast　thou　cheated　him　thus；　and　unjustly　overcome　the　innocent　child？　　Come；　be　ready　to　perform　for　me　the　task　I　will　tell　thee　of；　and　I　will　give　thee　Zeus'　all…beauteous　plaything　　the　one　which　his　dear　nurse　Adrasteia　made　for　him；　while　he　still　lived　a　child；　with　childish　ways；　in　the　Idaean　cavea　well…rounded　ball；　no　better　toy　wilt　thou　get　from　the　hands　of　Hephaestus。　　All　of　gold　are　its　zones；　and　round　each　double　seams　run　in　a　circle；　but　the　stitches　are　hidden；　and　a　dark　blue　spiral　overlays　them　all。　　But　if　thou　shouldst　cast　it　with　thy　hands；　lo；　like　a　star；　it　sends　a　flaming　track　through　the　sky。　　This　I　will　give　thee；　and　do　thou　strike　with　thy　shaft　and　charm　the　daughter　of　Aeetes　with　love　for　Jason；　and　let　there　be　no　loitering。　　For　then　my　thanks　would　be　the　slighter。〃
  （ll。　145…150）　　Thus　she　spake；　and　welcome　were　her　words　to　the　listening　boy。　　And　he　threw　down　all　his　toys；　and　eagerly　seizing　her　robe　on　this　side　and　on　that；　clung　to　the　goddess。　And　he　implored　her　to　bestow　the　gift　at　once；　but　she；　facing　him　with　kindly　words；　touched　his　cheeks；　kissed　him　and　drew　him　to　her；　and　replied　with　a　smile：
  （ll。　151…153）　　〃Be　witness　now　thy　dear　head　and　mine；　that　surely　I　will　give　thee　the　gift　and　deceive　thee　not；　if　thou　wilt　strike　with　thy　shaft　Aeetes'　daughter。〃
  （ll。　154…166）　　She　spoke；　and　he　gathered　up　his　dice；　and　having　well　counted　them　all　threw　them　into　his　mother's　gleaming　lap。　And　straightway　with　golden　baldric　he　slung　round　him　his　quiver　from　where　it　leant　against　a　tree…trunk；　and　took　up　his　curved　bow。　　And　he　fared　forth　through　the　fruitful　orchard　of　the　palace　of　Zeus。　　Then　he　passed　through　the　gates　of　Olympus　high　in　air；　hence　is　a　downward　path　from　heaven；　and　the　twin　poles　rear　aloft　steep　mountain　tops　the　highest　crests　of　earth；　where　the　risen　sun　grows　ruddy　with　his　first　beams。　　And　beneath　him　there　appeared　now　the　life…giving　earth　and　cities　of　men　and　sacred　streams　of　rivers；　and　now　in　turn　mountain　peaks　and　the　ocean　all　around；　as　he　swept　through　the　vast　expanse　of　air。
  （ll。　167…193）　　Now　the　heroes　apart　in　ambush；　in　a　back…water　of　the　river；　were　met　in　council；　sitting　on　the　benches　of　their　ship。　　And　Aeson's　son　himself　was　speaking　among　them；　and　they　were　listening　silently　in　their　places　sitting　row　upon　row：　〃My　friends；　what　pleases　myself　that　will　I　say　out；　it　is　for　you　to　bring　about　its　fulfilment。　　For　in　common　is　our　task；　and　common　to　all　alike　is　the　right　of　speech；　and　he　who　in　silence　withholds　his　thought　and　his　counsel；　let　him　know　that　it　is　he　alone　that　bereaves　this　band　of　its　home…return。　　Do　ye　others　rest　here　in　the　ship　quietly　with　your　arms；　but　I　will　go　to　the　palace　of　Aeetes；　taking　with　me　the　sons　of　Phrixus　and　two　comrades　as　well。　　And　when　I　meet　him　I　will　first　make　trial
  with　words　to　see　if　he　will　be　willing　to　give　up　the　golden　fleece　for　friendship's　sake　or　not；　but　trusting　to　his　might　will　set　at　nought　our　quest。　　For　so；　learning　his　frowardness　first　from　himself；　we　will　consider　whether　we　shall　meet　him　in　battle；　or　some　other　plan　shall　avail　us；　if　we　refrain　from　the　war…cry。　　And　let　us　not　merely　by　force；　before　putting　words　to　the　test；　deprive　him　of　his　own　possession。　　But　first　it　is　better　to　go　to　him　and　win　his　favour　by　speech。　　Oftentimes；　I　ween；　does　speech　accomplish　at　need　what　prowess　could　hardly　catty　through；　smoothing　the　path　in　manner　befitting。　　And　he　once　welcomed　noble　Phrixus；　a　fugitive　from　his　stepmother's　wiles　and　the　sacrifice　prepared　by　his　father。　　For　all　men　everywhere；　even　the　most　shameless；　reverence　the　ordinance　of　Zeus；　god　of　strangers；　and　regard　it。〃
  （ll。　194…209）　　Thus　he　spake；　and　the　youths　approved　the　words　of　Aeson's　son　with　one　accord；　nor　was　there　one　to　counsel　otherwise。　　And　then　he　summoned　to　go　with　him　the　sons　of　Phrixus；　and　Telamon　and　Augeias；　and　himself　took　Hermes'　wand；　and　at　once　they　passed　forth　from　the　ship　beyond　the　reeds　and　the　water　to　dry　land；　towards　the　rising　ground　of　the　plain。　The　plain；　I　wis；　is　called　Circe's；　and　here　in　line　grow　many　willows　and　osiers；　on　whose　topmost　branches　hang　corpses　bound　with　cords。　　For　even　now　it　is　an　abomination　with　the　Colchians　to　burn　dead　men　with　fire；　nor　is　it　lawful　to　place　them　in　the　　earth　and　raise　a　mound　above；　but　to　wrap　them　in　untanned　oxhides　and　suspend　them　from　trees　far　from　the　city。　　And　so　earth　has　an　equal　portion　with　air；　seeing　that　they　bury　the　women；　for　that　is　the　custom　of　their　land。
  （ll。　210…259）　　And　as　they　went　Hera　with　friendly　thought　spread　a　thick　mist　through　the　city；　that　they　might　fare　to　the　palace　of　Aeetes　unseen　by　the　countless　hosts　of　the　Colchians。　　But　soon　when　from　the　plain　they　came　to　the　city　and　Aeetes'　palace；　then　again　Hera　dispersed　the　mist。　　And　they　stood　at　the　entrance；　marvelling　at　the　king's　courts　and　the　wide　gates　and　columns　which　rose　in　ordered　lines　round　the　walls；　and　high　up　on　the　palace　a　coping　of　stone　rested　on　brazen　triglyphs。　And　silently　they　crossed　the　threshold。　　And　close　by　garden　vines　covered　with　green　foliage　were　in　full　bloom；　lifted　high　in　air。　　And　beneath　them　ran　four　fountains；　ever…flowing；　which　Hephaestus　had　delved　out。　　One　was　gushing　with　milk；　one　with　wine；　while　the　third　flowed　with　fragrant　oil；　and　the　fourth　ran　with　water；　which　grew　warm　at　the　setting　of　the　Pleiads；　and　in　turn　at　their　rising　bubbled　forth　from　the　hollow　rock；　cold　as　crystal。　　Such　then　were　the　wondrous　works　that　the　craftsman…god　Hephaestus　had　fashioned　in　the　palace　of　Cytaean　Aeetes。　　And　he　wrought　for　him　bulls　with　feet　of　bronze；　and　their　mouths　were　of　bronze；　and　from　them　they　breathed　out　a　terrible　flame　of　fire；　moreover　he　forged　a　plough　of　unbending　adamant；　all　in　one　piece；　in　payment　of　thanks　to　Helios；　who　had　taken　the　god　up　in　his　chariot　when　faint　from　the　Phlegraean　fight。　（1）　　And　here　an　inner…court　was　built；　and　round　it　were　many　well…fitted　doors　and　chambers　here　and　there；　and　all　along　on　each　side　was　a　richly…wrought　gallery。　　And　on　both　sides　loftier　buildings　stood　obliquely。　　In　one；　which　was　the　loftiest；　lordly　Aeetes　dwelt　with　his　queen；　and　in　another　dwelt　Apsyrtus；　son　of　Aeetes；　whom　a　Caucasian　nymph；　Asterodeia；　bare　before　he　made　Eidyia　his　wedded　wife；　the　youngest　daughter　of　Tethys　and　Oceanus。　　And　the　sons　of　the　Colchians　called　him　by　the　new　name　of　Phaethon；　（2）　because　he　outshone　all　the　youths。　　The　other　buildings　the　handmaidens　had；　and　the　two　daughters　of　Aeetes；　Chalciope　and　Medea。　　Medea　then　＇they　found＇　going　from　chamber　to　chamber　in　search　of　her　sister；　for　Hera　detained　her　within　that　day；　but　beforetime　she　was　not　wont　to　haunt　the　palace；　but　all　day　long　was　busied　in　Hecate's　temple；　since　she　herself　was　the　priestess　of　the　goddess。　　And　when　she　saw　them　she　cried　aloud；　and　quickly　Chalciope　caught　the　sound；　and　her　maids；　throwing　down　at　their　feet　their　yarn　and　their　thread；　rushed　forth　all　in　a　throng。　And　she；　beholding　her　sons　among　them；　raised　her　hands　aloft　through　joy；　and　so　they　likewise　greeted　their　mother；　and　when　they　saw　her　embraced　her　in　their　gladness；　and　she　with　many　sobs　spoke　thus：
  （ll。　260…267）　　〃After　all　then；　ye　were　not　destined　to　leave　me　in　your　heedlessness　and　to　wander　far；　but　fate　has　turned　you　back。　　Poor　wretch　that　I　am！　　What　a　yearning　for　Hellas　from　some　woeful　madness　seized　you　at　the　behest　of　your　father　Phrixus。　　Bitter　sorrows　for　my　heart　did　he　ordain　when　dying。　　And　why　should　ye　go　to　the　city　of　Orchomenus；　whoever　this　Orchomenus　is；　for　t