Hereupon　Jason　snatched　the　golden　fleece　from　the　oak；　at　the　maiden　bidding；　and　she；　standing　firm；　smeared　with　the　charm　the　monster's　head；　till　Jason　himself　bade　her　turn　back　towards　their　ship；　and　she　left　the　grove　of　Ares；　dusky　with　shade。　And　as　a　maiden　catches　on　her　finely　wrought　robe　the　gleam　of　the　moon　at　the　full；　as　it　rises　above　her　high…roofed　chamber；　and　her　heart　rejoices　as　she　beholds　the　fair　ray；　so　at　that　time　did　Jason　uplift　the　mighty　fleece　in　his　hands；　and　from　the　shimmering　of　the　flocks　of　wool　there　settled　on　his　fair　cheeks　and　brow　a　red　flush　like　a　flame。　　And　great　as　is　the　hide　of　a　yearling　ox　or　stag；　which　huntsmen　call　a　brocket；　so　great　in　extent　was　the　fleece　all　golden　above。　　Heavy　it　was；　thickly　clustered　with　flocks；　and　as　he　moved　along；　even　beneath　his　feet　the　sheen　rose　up　from　the　earth。　　And　he　strode　on　now　with　the　fleece　covering　his　left　shoulder　from　the　height　of　his　neck　to　his　feet；　and　now　again　he　gathered　it　up　in　his　hands；　for　he　feared　exceedingly；　lest　some　god　or　man　should　meet　him　and　deprive　him　thereof。
  （ll。　183…189）　　Dawn　was　spreading　over　the　earth　when　they　reached　the　throng　of　heroes；　and　the　youths　marvelled　to　behold　the　mighty　fleece；　which　gleamed　like　the　lightning　of　Zeus。　　And　each　one　started　up　eager　to　touch　it　and　clasp　it　in　his　hands。　But　the　son　of　Aeson　restrained　them　all；　and　threw　over　it　a　mantle　newly…woven；　and　he　led　the　maiden　to　the　stern　and　seated　her　there；　and　spake　to　them　all　as　follows：
  （ll。　190…205）　　〃No　longer　now；　my　friends；　forbear　to　return　to　your　fatherland。　　For　now　the　task　for　which　we　dared　this　grievous　voyage；　toiling　with　bitter　sorrow　of　heart；　has　been　lightly　fulfilled　by　the　maiden's　counsels。　　Herfor　such　is　her　willI　will　bring　home　to　be　my　wedded　wife；　do　ye　preserve　her；　the　glorious　saviour　of　all　Achaea　and　of　yourselves。　　For　of　a　surety；　I　ween；　will　Aeetes　come　with　his　host　to　bar　our　passage　from　the　river　into　the　sea。　　But　do　some　of　you　toil　at　the　oars　in　turn；　sitting　man　by　man；　and　half　of　you　raise　your　shields　of　oxhide；　a　ready　defence　against　the　darts　of　the　enemy；　and　guard　our　return。　　And　now　in　our　hands　we　hold　the　fate　of　our　children　and　dear　country　and　of　our　aged　parents；　and　on　our　venture　all　Hellas　depends；　to　reap　either　the　shame　of　failure　or　great　renown。〃
  （ll。　206…211）　　Thus　he　spake；　and　donned　his　armour　of　war；　and　they　cried　aloud；　wondrously　eager。　　And　he　drew　his　sword　from　the　sheath　and　cut　the　hawsers　at　the　stern。　　And　near　the　maiden　he　took　his　stand　ready　armed　by　the　steersman　Aneaeus；　and　with　their　rowing　the　ship　sped　on　as　they　strained　desperately　to　drive　her　clear　of　the　river。
  （ll。　212…235）　　By　this　time　Medea's　love　and　deeds　had　become　known　to　haughty　Aeetes　and　to　all　the　Colchians。　　And　they　thronged　to　the　assembly　in　arms；　and　countless　as　the　waves　of　the　stormy　sea　when　they　rise　crested　by　the　wind；　or　as　the　leaves　that　fall　to　the　ground　from　the　wood　with　its　myriad　branches　in　the　month　when　the　leaves　fallwho　could　reckon　their　tale？so　they　in　countless　number　poured　along　the　banks　of　the　river　shouting　in　frenzy；　and　in　his　shapely　chariot　Aeetes　shone　forth　above　all　with　his　steeds；　the　gift　of　Helios；　swift　as　the　blasts　of　the　wind。　　In　his　left　hand　he　raised　his　curved　shield；　and　in　his　right　a　huge　pine…torch；　and　near　him　in　front　stood　up　his　mighty　spear。　　And　Apsyrtus　held　in　his　hands　the　reins　of　the　steeds。　　But　already　the　ship　was　cleaving　the　sea　before　her；　urged　on　by　stalwart　oarsmen；　and　the　stream　of　the　mighty　river　rushing　down。　　But　the　king　in　grievous　anguish　lifted　his　hands　and　called　on　Helios　and　Zeus　to　bear　witness　to　their　evil　deeds；　and　terrible　threats　he　uttered　against　all　his　people；　that　unless　they　should　with　their　own　hands　seize　the　maiden；　either　on　the　land　or　still　finding　the　ship　on　the　swell　of　the　open　sea；　and　bring　her　back；　that　so　he　might　satisfy　his　eager　soul　with　vengeance　for　all　those　deeds；　at　the　cost　of　their　own　lives　they　should　learn　and　abide　all　his　rage　and　revenge。
  （ll。　236…240）　　Thus　spake　Aeetes；　and　on　that　same　day　the　Colchians　launched　their　ships　and　cast　the　tackle　on　board；　and　on　that　same　day　sailed　forth　on　the　sea；　thou　wouldst　not　say　so　mighty　a　host　was　a　fleet　of　ships；　but　that　a　countless　flight　of　birds；　swarm　on　swarm；　was　clamouring　over　the　sea。
  （ll。　241…252）　　Swiftly　the　wind　blew；　as　the　goddess　Hera　planned；　so　that　most　quickly　Aeaean　Medea　might　reach　the　Pelasgian　land；　a　bane　to　the　house　of　Pelias；　and　on　the　third　morn　they　bound　the　ship's　stern　cables　to　the　shores　of　the　Paphlagonians；　at　the　mouth　of　the　river　Halys。　　For　Medea　bade　them　land　and　propitiate　Hecate　with　sacrifice。　　Now　all　that　the　maiden　prepared　for　offering　the　sacrifice　may　no　man　know；　and　may　my　soul　not　urge　me　to　sing　thereof。　　Awe　restrains　my　lips；　yet　from　that　time　the　altar　which　the　heroes　raised　on　the　beach　to　the　goddess　remains　till　now；　a　sight　to　men　of　a　later　day。
  （ll。　253…256）　　And　straightway　Aeson's　son　and　the　rest　of　the　heroes　bethought　them　of　Phineus；　how　that　he　had　said　that　their　course　from　Aea　should　be　different；　but　to　all　alike　his　meaning　was　dim。　　Then　Argus　spake；　and　they　eagerly　hearkened：
  （ll。　257…293）　　〃We　go　to　Orchomenus；　whither　that　unerring　seer；　whom　ye　met　aforetime；　foretold　your　voyage。　　For　there　is　another　course；　signified　by　those　priests　of　the　immortal　gods；　who　have　sprung　from　Tritonian　Thebes。　　As　yet　all　the　stars　that　wheel　in　the　heaven　were　not；　nor　yet；　though　one　should　inquire；　could　aught　be　heard　of　the　sacred　race　of　the　Danai。　　Apidanean　Arcadians　alone　existed；　Arcadians　who　lived　even　before　the　moon；　it　is　said；　eating　acorns　on　the　hills；　nor　at　that　time　was　the　Pelasgian　land　ruled　by　the　glorious　sons　of　Deucalion；　in　the　days　when　Egypt；　mother　of　men　of　an　older　time；　was　called　the　fertile　Morning…land；　and　the　river　fair…flowing　Triton；　by　which　all　the　Morning…land　is　watered；　and　never　does　the　rain　from　Zeus　moisten　the　earth；　but　from　the　flooding　of　the　river　abundant　crops　spring　up。　　From　this　land；　it　is　said；　a　king　（1）　made　his　way　all　round　through　the　whole　of　Europe　and　Asia；　trusting　in　the　might　and　strength　and　courage　of　his　people；　and　countless　cities　did　he　found　wherever　he　came；　whereof　some　are　still　inhabited　and　some　not；　many　an　age　hath　passed　since　then。　　But　Aea　abides　unshaken　even　now　and　the　sons　of　those　men　whom　that　king　settled　to　dwell　in　Aea。　　They　preserve　the　writings　of　their　fathers；　graven　on　pillars；　whereon　are　marked　all　the　ways　and　the　limits　of　sea　and　land　as　ye　journey　on　all　sides　round。　　There　is　a　river；　the　uttermost　horn　of　Ocean；　broad　and　exceeding　deep；　that　a　merchant　ship　may　traverse；　they　call　it　Ister　and　have　marked　it　far　off；　and　for　a　while　it　cleaves　the　boundless　tilth　alone　in　one　stream；　for　beyond　the　blasts　of　the　north　wind；　far　off　in　the　Rhipaean　mountains；　its　springs　burst　forth　with　a　roar。　　But　when　it　enters　the　boundaries　of　the　Thracians　and　Scythians；　here；　dividing　its　stream　into　two；　it　sends　its　waters　partly　into　the　Ionian　sea；　（2）　and　partly　to　the　south　into　a　deep　gulf　that　bends　upwards　from　the　Trinaerian　sea；　that　sea　which　lies　along　your　land；　if　indeed　Achelous　flows　forth　from　your　land。〃
  （ll。　204…302）　　Thus　he　spake；　and　to　them　the　goddess　granted　a　happy　portent；　and　all　at　the　sight　shouted　approval；　that　this　was　their　appointed　path。　　For　before　them　appeared　a　trail　of　heavenly　light；　a　sign　where　they　might　pass。　　And　gladly　they　left　behind　there　the　son　of　Lyeus　and　with　canvas　outspread　sailed　over　the　sea；　with　their　eyes　on　the　Paphlagonian　mountains。　　But　they　did　not　round　Carambis；　for　the　winds　and　the　gleam　of　the　heavenly　fire　stayed　with　them　till　they　reached　Ister's　mighty　stream。
  （ll。　303…337）　　Now　some　of　the　Colchians；　in　a　vain　search；　passed　out　from　Pontus　through　the　Cyanean　rocks；　but　the　rest　went　to　the　river；　and　them　Apsyrtus　led；　and；　turning　aside；　he　entered　the　mouth　called　Fair。　　Wherefore　he　outstripped　the　heroes　by　crossing　a　neck　of　land　into　the　furthest　gulf　of　the　Ionian　sea。　　For　a　certain　island　is　enclosed　by　Ister；　by　name　Peuee；　three…cornered；　its　base　stretching　along　the　coast；　and　with　a　sharp　angle　towards　the　river；　and　round　it　the　outfall　is　cleft　in　two。　　One　mouth　they　call　the　mouth　of　Narex；　and　the　other；　at　the　lower　end；　the　Fair　mouth。　　And　through　this　Apsyrtus　and　his　Colchians　rushed　with　all　speed；　but　the　heroes　went　upwards　far　away　towards　the　highest　part　of　the　island。
  And　in　the　meadows　the　country　shepherds　left　their　countless　flocks　for　dread　of　the　ships；　for　they　deemed　that　they　were　beasts　coming　forth　from　the　monster…teeming　sea。　　For　never　yet　before　had　they　seen　seafaring　ships；　neither　the　Scythians　mingled　with　the　Thracians；　nor　the　Sigynni；　nor　yet　the　Graucenii；　nor　the　Sindi　that　now　inhabit　the　vast　desert　plain　of　Laurium。　　But　when　they　had　passed　near　the　mount　Angurum；　and　the　cliff　of　Cauliacus；　far　from　the　mount　Angurum；　round　which　Ister；　dividing　his　stream；　falls　into　the　sea　on　this　side　and　on　that；　and　the　Lauri