at　spear　even　a　little；　but　it　remained　firm　in　their　stalwart　hands　unbroken　as　before。　But　in　furious　rage　with　them　Idas；　Aphareus'　son；　with　his　great　sword　hewed　at　the　spear　near　the　butt；　and　the　edge　leapt　back　repelled　by　the　shock；　like　a　hammer　from　the　anvil；　and　the　heroes　shouted　with　joy　for　their　hope　in　the　contest。　　And　then　he　sprinkled　his　body；　and　terrible　prowess　entered　into　him；　unspeakable；　dauntless；　and　his　hands　on　both　sides　thrilled　vigorously　as　they　swelled　with　strength。　　And　as　when　a　warlike　steed　eager　for　the　fight　neighs　and　beats　the　ground　with　his　hoof；　while　rejoicing　he　lifts　his　neck　on　high　with　ears　erect；　in　such　wise　did　Aeson's　son　rejoice　in　the　strength　of　his　limbs。　　And　often　hither　and　thither　did　he　leap　high　in　air　tossing　in　his　hands　his　shield　of　bronze　and　ashen　spear。　　Thou　wouldst　say　that　wintry　lightning　flashing　from　the　gloomy　sky　kept　on　darting　forth　from　the　clouds　what　time　they　bring　with　them　their　blackest　rainstorm。　　Not　long　after　that　were　the　heroes　to　hold　back　from　the　contests；　but　sitting　in　rows　on　their　benches　they　sped　swiftly　on　to　the　plain　of　Ares。　　And　it　lay　in　front　of　them　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　city；　as　far　off　as　is　the　turning…post　that　a　chariot　must　reach　from　the　starting…point；　when　the　kinsmen　of　a　dead　king　appoint　funeral　games　for　footmen　and　horsemen。　　And　they　found　Aeetes　and　the　tribes　of　the　Colchians；　these　were　stationed　on　the　Caucasian　heights；　but　the　king　by　the　winding　brink　of　the　river。
  （ll。　1278…1325）　　Now　Aeson's　son；　as　soon　as　his　comrades　had　made　the　hawsers　fast；　leapt　from　the　ship；　and　with　spear　and　shield　came　forth　to　the　contest；　and　at　the　same　time　he　took　the　gleaming　helmet　of　bronze　filled　with　sharp　teeth；　and　his　sword　girt　round　his　shoulders；　his　body　stripped；　in　somewise　resembling　Ares　and　in　somewise　Apollo　of　the　golden　sword。　　And　gazing　over　the　field　he　saw　the　bulls'　yoke　of　bronze　and　near　it　the　plough；　all　of　one　piece；　of　stubborn　adamant。　　Then　he　came　near；　and　fixed　his　sturdy　spear　upright　on　its　butt；　and　taking　his　helmet；　off　leant　it　against　the　spear。　　And　he　went　forward　with　shield　alone　to　examine　the　countless　tracks　of　the　bulls；　and　they　from　some　unseen　lair　beneath　the　earth；　where　was　their　strong　steading；　wrapt　in　murky　smoke；　both　rushed　out　together；　breathing　forth　flaming　fire。　　And　sore　afraid　were　the　heroes　at　the　sight。　　But　Jason；　setting　wide　his　feet；　withstood　their　onset；　as　in　the　sea　a　rocky　reef　withstands　the　waves　tossed　by　the　countless　blasts。　　Then　in　front　of　him　he　held　his　shield；　and　both　the　bulls　with　loud　bellowing　attacked　him　with　their　mighty　horns；　nor　did　they　stir　him　a　jot　by　their　onset。　And　as　when　through　the　holes　of　the　furnace　the　armourers'　bellows　anon　gleam　brightly；　kindling　the　ravening　flame；　and　anon　cease　from　blowing；　and　a　terrible　roar　rises　from　the　fire　when　it　darts　up　from　below；　so　the　bulls　roared；　breathing　forth　swift　flame　from　their　mouths；　while　the　consuming　heat　played　round　him；　smiting　like　lightning；　but　the　maiden's　charms　protected　him。　　Then　grasping　the　tip　of　the　horn　of　the　right…　hand　bull；　he　dragged　it　mightily　with　all　his　strength　to　bring　it　near　the　yoke　of　bronze；　and　forced　it　down　on　to　its　knees；　suddenly　striking　with　his　foot　the　foot　of　bronze。　　So　also　he　threw　the　other　bull　on　to　its　knees　as　it　rushed　upon　him；　and　smote　it　down　with　one　blow。　　And　throwing　to　the　ground　his　broad　shield；　he　held　them　both　down　where　they　had　fallen　on　their　fore…knees；　as　he　strode　from　side　to　side；　now　here；　now　there；　and　rushed　swiftly　through　the　flame。　　But　Aeetes　marvelled　at　the　hero's　might。　　And　meantime　the　sons　of　Tyndareus　　　for　long　since　had　it　been　thus　ordained　for　them　　near　at　hand　gave　him　the　yoke　from　the　ground　to　cast　round　them。　　Then　tightly　did　he　bind　their　necks；　and　lifting　the　pole　of　bronze　between　them；　he　fastened　it　to　the　yoke　by　its　golden　tip。　　So　the　twin　heroes　started　back　from　the　fire　to　the　ship。　But　Jason　took　up　again　his　shield　and　cast　it　on　his　back　behind　him；　and　grasped　the　strong　helmet　filled　with　sharp　teeth；　and　his　resistless　spear；　wherewith；　like　some　ploughman　with　a　Pelasgian　goad；　he　pricked　the　bulls　beneath；　striking　their　flanks；　and　very　firmly　did　he　guide　the　well　fitted　plough　handle；　fashioned　of　adamant。
  （ll。　1326…1339）　　The　bulls　meantime　raged　exceedingly；　breathing　forth　furious　flame　of　fire；　and　their　breath　rose　up　like　the　roar　of　blustering　winds；　in　fear　of　which　above　all　seafaring　men　furl　their　large　sail。　　But　not　long　after　that　they　moved　on　at　the　bidding　of　the　spear；　and　behind　them　the　rugged　fallow　was　broken　up；　cloven　by　the　might　of　the　bulls　and　the　sturdy　ploughman。　　Then　terribly　groaned　the　clods　withal　along　the　furrows　of　the　plough　as　they　were　rent；　each　a　man's　burden；　and　Jason　followed；　pressing　down　the　cornfield　with　firm　foot；　and　far　from　him　he　ever　sowed　the　teeth　along　the　clods　as　each　was　ploughed；　turning　his　head　back　for　fear　lest　the　deadly　crop　of　earthborn　men　should　rise　against　him　first；　and　the　bulls　toiled　onwards　treading　with　their　hoofs　of　bronze。
  （ll。　1340…1407）　　But　when　the　third　part　of　the　day　was　still　left　as　it　wanes　from　dawn；　and　wearied　labourers　call　for　the　sweet　hour　of　unyoking　to　come　to　them　straightway；　then　the　fallow　was　ploughed　by　the　tireless　ploughman；　four　plough…gates　though　it　was；　and　he　loosed　the　plough　from　the　oxen。　　Them　he　scared　in　flight　towards　the　plain；　but　he　went　back　again　to　the　ship；　while　he　still　saw　the　furrows　free　of　the　earthborn　men。　And　all　round　his　comrades　heartened　him　with　their　shouts。　　And　in　the　helmet　he　drew　from　the　river's　stream　and　quenched　his　thirst　with　the　water。　　Then　he　bent　his　knees　till　they　grew　supple；　and　filled　his　mighty　heart　with　courage；　raging　like　a　boar；　when　it　sharpens　its　teeth　against　the　hunters；　while　from　its　wrathful　mouth　plenteous　foam　drips　to　the　ground。　　By　now　the　earthborn　men　were　springing　up　over　all　the　field；　and　the　plot　of　Ares；　the　death…dealer；　bristled　with　sturdy　shields　and　double…pointed　spears　and　shining　helmets；　and　the　gleam　reached　Olympus　from　beneath；　flashing　through　the　air。　　And　as　when　abundant　snow　has　fallen　on　the　earth　and　the　storm　blasts　have　dispersed　the　wintry　clouds　under　the　murky　night；　and　all　the　hosts　of　the　stars　appear　shining　through　the　gloom；　so　did　those　warriors　shine　springing　up　above　the　earth。　　But　Jason　bethought　him　of　the　counsels　of　Medea　full　of　craft；　and　seized　from　the　plain　a　huge　round　boulder；　a　terrible　quoit　of　Ares　Enyalius；　four　stalwart　youths　could　not　have　raised　it　from　the　ground　even　a　little。　　Taking　it　in　his　hands　he　threw　it　with　a　rush　far　away　into　their　midst；　and　himself　crouched　unseen　behind　his　shield；　with　full　confidence。　　And　the　Colchians　gave　a　loud　cry；　like　the　roar　of　the　sea　when　it　beats　upon　sharp　crags；　and　speechless　amazement　seized　Aeetes　at　the　rush　of　the　sturdy　quoit。　　And　the　Earthborn；　like　fleet…footed　hounds；　leaped　upon　one　another　and　slew　with　loud　yells；　and　on　earth　their　mother　they　fell　beneath　their　own　spears；　likes　pines　or　oaks；　which　storms　of　wind　beat　down。　　And　even　as　a　fiery　star　leaps　from　heaven；　trailing　a　furrow　of　light；　a　portent　to　men；　whoever　see　it　darting　with　a　gleam　through　the　dusky　sky；　in　such　wise　did　Aeson's　son　rush　upon　the　earthborn　men；　and　he　drew　from　the　sheath　his　bare　sword；　and　smote　here　and　there；　mowing　them　down；　many　on　the　belly　and　side；　half　risen　to　the　airand　some　that　had　risen　as　far　as　the　shouldersand　some　just　standing　upright；　and　others　even　now　rushing　to　battle。　　And　as　when　a　fight　is　stirred　up　concerning　boundaries；　and　a　husbandman；　in　fear　lest　they　should　ravage　his　fields；　seizes　in　his　hand　a　curved　sickle；　newly　sharpened；　and　hastily　cuts　the　unripe　crop；　and　waits　not　for　it　to　be　parched　in　due　season　by　the　beams　of　the　sun；　so　at　that　time　did　Jason　cut　down　the　crop　of　the　Earthborn；　and　the　furrows　were　filled　with　blood；　as　the　channels　of　a　spring　with　water。　　And　they　fell；　some　on　their　faces　biting　the　rough　clod　of　earth　with　their　teeth；　some　on　their　backs；　and　others　on　their　hands　and　sides；　like　to　sea…　monsters　to　behold。　　And　many；　smitten　before　raising　their　feet　from　the　earth；　bowed　down　as　far　to　the　ground　as　they　had　risen　to　the　air；　and　rested　there　with　the　damp　of　death　on　their　brows。　　Even　so；　I　ween；　when　Zeus　has　sent　a　measureless　rain；　new　planted　orchard…shoots　droop　to　the　ground；　cut　off　by　the　root　the　toil　of　gardening　men；　but　heaviness　of　heart　and　deadly　anguish　come　to　the　owner　of　the　farm；　who　planted　them；　so　at　that　time　did　bitter　grief　come　upon　the　heart　of　King　Aeetes。　And　he　went　back　to　the　city　among　the　Colchians；　pondering　how　he　might　most　quickly　oppose　the　heroes。　　And　the　day　died；　and　Jason's　contest　was　ended。
  ENDNOTES：　（1）　　i。e。　the　fight　between　the　gods　and　the　giants。　（2）　　i。e。　the　Shining　One。　（3）　　A　name　of　Ares。　（4）　　i。e。　the　liquid　that　flows　in　the　veins　of　gods。　（5）　　Or；　reading　MENIM；　〃took　no　heed　of　the　cause　of　wrath　with　　　　　　the　stranger…folk。〃
  BOOK　IV
  （ll。　1…5）　　Now　do　thou　thyself；　godd