he　home　of　Cheiron　the　Centaur　water…nymphs　are　tending；　though　he　still　craves　thy　mother　milk；　it　is　fated　that　he　be　the　husband　of　Medea；　Aeetes'　daughter；　do　thou　aid　thy　daughter…in…law　as　a　mother…in…law　should；　and　aid　Peleus　himself。　　Why　is　thy　wrath　so　steadfast？　He　was　blinded　by　folly。　　For　blindness　comes　even　upon　the　gods。　Surely　at　my　behest　I　deem　that　Hephaestus　will　cease　from　kindling　the　fury　of　his　flame；　and　that　Aeolus；　son　of　Hippotas；　will　check　his　swift　rushing　winds；　all　but　the　steady　west　wind；　until　they　reach　the　havens　of　the　Phaeacians；　do　thou　devise　a　return　without　bane。　　The　rocks　and　the　tyrannous　waves　are　my　fear；　they　alone；　and　them　thou　canst　foil　with　thy　sisters'　aid。　And　let　them　not　fall　in　their　helplessness　into　Charybdis　lest　she　swallow　them　at　one　gulp；　or　approach　the　hideous　lair　of　Scylla；　Ausonian　Scylla　the　deadly；　whom　night…wandering　Hecate；　who　is　called　Crataeis；　（6）　bare　to　Phoreys；　lest　swooping　upon　them　with　her　horrible　jaws　she　destroy　the　chiefest　of　the　heroes。　　But　guide　their　ship　in　the　course　where　there　shall　be　still　a　hair's　breadth　escape　from　destruction。〃
  （ll。　833…841）　　Thus　she　spake；　and　Thetis　answered　with　these　words：　〃If　the　fury　of　the　ravening　flame　and　the　stormy　winds　cease　in　very　deed；　surely　will　I　promise　boldly　to　save　the　ship；　even　though　the　waves　bar　the　way；　if　only　the　west　wind　blows　fresh　and　clear。　　But　it　is　time　to　fare　on　a　long　and　measureless　path；　in　quest　of　my　sisters　who　will　aid　me；　and　to　the　spot　where　the　ship's　hawsers　are　fastened；　that　at　early　dawn　the　heroes　may　take　thought　to　win　their　home…return。〃
  （ll。　842…855）　　She　spake；　and　darting　down　from　the　sky　fell　amid　the　eddies　of　the　dark　blue　sea；　and　she　called　to　aid　her　the　rest　of　the　Nereids；　her　own　sisters；　and　they　heard　her　and　gathered　together；　and　Thetis　declared　to　them　Hera's　behests；　and　quickly　sped　them　all　on　their　way　to　the　Ausonian　sea。　　And　herself；　swifter　than　the　flash　of　an　eye　or　the　shafts　of　the　sun；　when　it　rises　upwards　from　a　far…distant　land；　hastened　swiftly　through　the　sea；　until　she　reached　the　Aeaean　beach　of　the　Tyrrhenian　mainland。　　And　the　heroes　she　found　by　the　ship　taking　their　pastime　with　quoits　and　shooting　of　arrows；　and　she　drew　near　and　just　touched　the　hand　of　Aeaeus'　son　Peleus；　for　he　was　her　husband；　nor　could　anyone　see　her　clearly；　but　she　appeared　to　his　eyes　alone；　and　thus　addressed　him：
  （ll。　856…864）　　〃No　longer　now　must　ye　stay　sitting　on　the　Tyrrhenian　beach；　but　at　dawn　loosen　the　hawsers　of　your　swift　ship；　in　obedience　to　Hera；　your　helper。　　For　at　her　behest　the　maiden　daughters　of　Nereus　have　met　together　to　draw　your　ship　through　the　midst　of　the　rocks　which　are　called　Planctae；　（7）　for　that　is　your　destined　path。　　But　do　thou　show　my　person　to　no　one；　when　thou　seest　us　come　to　meet　time；　but　keep　it　secret　in　thy　mind；　lest　thou　anger　me　still　more　than　thou　didst　anger　me　before　so　recklessly。〃
  （ll。　865…884）　　She　spake；　and　vanished　into　the　depths　of　the　sea；　but　sharp　pain　smote　Peleus；　for　never　before　had　he　seen　her　come；　since　first　she　left　her　bridal　chamber　and　bed　in　anger；　on　account　of　noble　Achilles；　then　a　babe。　　For　she　ever　encompassed　the　child's　mortal　flesh　in　the　night　with　the　flame　of　fire；　and　day　by　day　she　anointed　with　ambrosia　his　tender　frame；　so　that　he　might　become　immortal　and　that　she　might　keep　off　from　his　body　loathsome　old　age。　　But　Peleus　leapt　up　from　his　bed　and　saw　his　dear　son　gasping　in　the　flame；　and　at　the　sight　he　uttered　a　terrible　cry；　fool　that　he　was；　and　she　heard　it；　and　catching　up　the　child　threw　him　screaming　to　the　ground；　and　herself　like　a　breath　of　wind　passed　swiftly　from　the　hall　as　a　dream　and　leapt　into　the　sea；　exceeding　wroth；　and　thereafter　returned　not　again。　　Wherefore　blank　amazement　fettered　his　soul；　nevertheless　he　declared　to　his　comrades　all　the　bidding　of　Thetis。　　And　they　broke　off　in　the　midst　and　hurriedly　ceased　their　contests；　and　prepared　their　meal　and　earth…strewn　beds；　whereon　after　supper　they　slept　through　the　night　as　aforetime。
  （ll。　885…921）　　Now　when　dawn　the　light…bringer　was　touching　the　edge　of　heaven；　then　at　the　coming　of　the　swift　west　wind　they　went　to　their　thwarts　from　the　land；　and　gladly　did　they　draw　up　the　anchors　from　the　deep　and　made　the　tackling　ready　in　due　order；　and　above　spread　the　sail；　stretching　it　taut　with　the　sheets　from　the　yard…arm。　　And　a　fresh　breeze　wafted　the　ship　on。　And　soon　they　saw　a　fair　island；　Anthemoessa；　where　the　clear…　voiced　Sirens；　daughters　of　Achelous；　used　to　beguile　with　their　sweet　songs　whoever　cast　anchor　there；　and　then　destroy　him。　　Them　lovely　Terpsichore；　one　of　the　Muses；　bare；　united　with　Achelous；　and　once　they　tended　Demeter's　noble　daughter　still　unwed；　and　sang　to　her　in　chorus；　and　at　that　time　they　were　fashioned　in　part　like　birds　and　in　part　like　maidens　to　behold。　And　ever　on　the　watch　from　their　place　of　prospect　with　its　fair　haven；　often　from　many　had　they　taken　away　their　sweet　return；　consuming　them　with　wasting　desire；　and　suddenly　to　the　heroes；　too；　they　sent　forth　from　their　lips　a　lily…like　voice。　　And　they　were　already　about　to　cast　from　the　ship　the　hawsers　to　the　shore；　had　not　Thracian　Orpheus；　son　of　Oeagrus；　stringing　in　his　hands　his　Bistonian　lyre；　rung　forth　the　hasty　snatch　of　a　rippling　melody　so　that　their　ears　might　be　filled　with　the　sound　of　his　twanging；　and　the　lyre　overcame　the　maidens'　voice。　　And　the　west　wind　and　the　sounding　wave　rushing　astern　bore　the　ship　on；　and　the　Sirens　kept　uttering　their　ceaseless　song。　　But　even　so　the　goodly　son　of　Teleon　alone　of　the　comrades　leapt　before　them　all　from　the　polished　bench　into　the　sea；　even　Butes；　his　soul　melted　by　the　clear　ringing　voice　of　the　Sirens；　and　he　swam　through　the　dark　surge　to　mount　the　beach；　poor　wretch。　　Quickly　would　they　have　robbed　him　of　his　return　then　and　there；　but　the　goddess　that　rules　Eryx；　Cypris；　in　pity　snatched　him　away；　while　yet　in　the　eddies；　and　graciously　meeting　him　saved　him　to　dwell　on　the　Lilybean　height。　　And　the　heroes；　seized　by　anguish；　left　the　Sirens；　but　other　perils　still　worse；　destructive　to　ships；　awaited　them　in　the　meeting…place　of　the　seas。
  （ll。　922…981）　　For　on　one　side　appeared　the　smooth　rock　of　Scylla；　on　the　other　Charybdis　ceaselessly　spouted　and　roared；　in　another　part　the　Wandering　rocks　were　booming　beneath　the　mighty　surge；　where　before　the　burning　flame　spurted　forth　from　the　top　of　the　crags；　above　the　rock　glowing　with　fire；　and　the　air　was　misty　with　smoke；　nor　could　you　have　seen　the　sun's　light。　　Then；　though　Hephaestus　had　ceased　from　his　toils；　the　sea　was　still　sending　up　a　warm　vapour。　　Hereupon　on　this　side　and　on　that　the　daughters　of　Nereus　met　them；　and　behind；　lady　Thetis　set　her　hand　to　the　rudder…blade；　to　guide　them　amid　the　Wandering　rocks。　And　as　when　in　fair　weather　herds　of　dolphins　come　up　from　the　depths　and　sport　in　circles　round　a　ship　as　it　speeds　along；　now　seen　in　front；　now　behind；　now　again　at　the　side　and　delight　comes　to　the　sailors；　so　the　Nereids　darted　upward　and　circled　in　their　ranks　round　the　ship　Argo；　while　Thetis　guided　its　course。　And　when　they　were　about　to　touch　the　Wandering　rocks；　straightway　they　raised　the　edge　of　their　garments　over　their　snow…white　knees；　and　aloft；　on　the　very　rocks　and　where　the　waves　broke；　they　hurried　along　on　this　side　and　on　that　apart　from　one　another。　　And　the　ship　was　raised　aloft　as　the　current　smote　her；　and　all　around　the　furious　wave　mounting　up　broke　over　the　rocks；　which　at　one　time　touched　the　sky　like　towering　crags；　at　another；　down　in　the　depths；　were　fixed　fast　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea　and　the　fierce　waves　poured　over　them　in　floods。　　And　the　Nereids；　even　as　maidens　near　some　sandy　beach　roll　their　garments　up　to　their　waists　out　of　their　way　and　sport　with　a　shapely…rounded　ball；　then　they　catch　it　one　from　another　and　send　it　high　into　the　air；　and　it　never　touches　the　ground；　so　they　in　turn　one　from　another　sent　the　ship　through　the　air　over　the　waves；　as　it　sped　on　ever　away　from　the　rocks；　and　round　them　the　water　spouted　and　foamed。　　And　lord　Hephaestus　himself　standing　on　the　summit　of　a　smooth　rock　and　resting　his　massy　shoulder　on　the　handle　of　his　hammer；　beheld　them；　and　the　spouse　of　Zeus　beheld　them　as　she　stood　above　the　gleaming　heaven；　and　she　threw　her　arms　round　Athena；　such　fear　seized　her　as　she　gazed。　　And　as　long　as　the　space　of　a　day　is　lengthened　out　in　springtime；　so　long　a　time　did　they　toil；　heaving　the　ship　between　the　loud…echoing　rocks；　then　again　the　heroes　caught　the　wind　and　sped　onward；　and　swiftly　they　passed　the　mead　of　Thrinacia；　where　the　kine　of　Helios　fed。　　There　the　nymphs；　like　sea…mews；　plunged　beneath　the　depths；　when　they　had　fulfilled　the　behests　of　the　spouse　of　Zeus。　　And　at　the　same　time　the　bleating　of　sheep　came　to　the　heroes　through　the　mist　and　the　lowing　of　kine；　near　at　hand；　smote　their　ears。　　And　over　the　dewy　leas　Phaethusa；　the　youngest　of　the　daughters　of　Helios；　tended　the　sheep；　bearing　in　her　hand　a　silver　crook；　while　Lampetia；　herding　the　kine；　wielded　a　staff　of　glowing　orichalcum　（8）　as　she　followed。　　These　kine　the　heroes　saw　feedi