["DAPHNE Ovid\t alone\t tells\t this\t story.\t Only\t a\t Roman\t could\t have\t written\t it.\t A\t Greek\t poet would\tnever\thave\tthought\tof\tan\telegant\tdress\tand\tcoiffure\tfor\tthe\twood\tnymph. Daphne\t was\t another\t of\t those\t independent,\t love-and-marriage-hating\t young huntresses\t who\t are\t met\t with\t so\t often\t in\t the\t mythological\t stories.\t She\t is\t said\t to have\t been\t Apollo\u2019s\t first\t love.\t It\t is\t not\t strange\t that\t she\t fled\t from\t him.\t One unfortunate\t maiden\t after\t another\t beloved\t of\t the\t gods\t had\t had\t to\t kill\t her\t child secretly\t or\t be\t killed\t herself.\t The\t best\t such\t a\t one\t could\t expect\t was\t exile,\t and many\t women\t thought\t that\t worse\t than\t death.\t The\t ocean\t nymphs\t who\t visited Prometheus\t on\t the\t crag\t in\t the\t Caucasus\t spoke\t only\t the\t most\t ordinary\t common sense\twhen\tthey\tsaid\tto\thim:\u2014 May\tyou\tnever,\toh,\tnever\tbehold\tme Sharing\tthe\tcouch\tof\ta\tgod. May\tnone\tof\tthe\tdwellers\tin\theaven Draw\tnear\tto\tme\tever. Such\tlove\tas\tthe\thigh\tgods\tknow, From\twhose\teyes\tnone\tcan\thide, May\tthat\tnever\tbe\tmine. To\twar\twith\ta\tgod-lover\tis\tnot\twar, It\tis\tdespair. Daphne\twould\thave\tagreed\tcompletely.\tBut\tindeed\tshe\tdid\tnot\twant\tany mortal\tlovers\teither.\tHer\tfather,\tthe\triver-god\tPeneus,\twas\tgreatly\ttried\tbecause she\trefused\tall\tthe\thandsome\tand\teligible\tyoung\tmen\twho\twooed\ther.\tHe\twould scold\ther\tgently\tand\tlament,\t\u201cAm\tI\tnever\tto\thave\ta\tgrandson?\u201d\tBut\twhen\tshe threw\ther\tarms\taround\thim\tand\tcoaxed\thim,\t\u201cFather,\tdearest,\tlet\tme\tbe\tlike Diana,\u201d\the\twould\tyield\tand\tshe\twould\tbe\toff\tto\tthe\tdeep\twoods,\tblissful\tin\ther freedom. But\tat\tlast\tApollo\tsaw\ther,\tand\teverything\tended\tfor\ther.\tShe\twas\thunting, her\tdress\tshort\tto\tthe\tknee,\ther\tarms\tbare,\ther\thair\tin\twild\tdisarray.\tNevertheless she\twas\tenchantingly\tbeautiful.\tApollo\tthought,\t\u201cWhat\twould\tshe\tnot\tlook\tlike properly\tdressed\tand\twith\ther\thair\tnicely\tarranged?\u201d\tThe\tidea\tmade\tthe\tfire\tthat was\tdevouring\this\theart\tblaze\tup\teven\tmore\tfiercely\tand\the\tstarted\toff\tin\tpursuit.","Daphne\tfled,\tand\tshe\twas\tan\texcellent\trunner.\tEven\tApollo\tfor\ta\tfew\tminutes was\thard\tput\tto\tit\tto\tovertake\ther;\tstill,\tof\tcourse,\the\tsoon\tgained.\tAs\the\tran,\the sent\this\tvoice\tahead\tof\thim,\tentreating\ther,\tpersuading\ther,\treassuring\ther.\t\u201cDo not\tfear,\u201d\the\tcalled.\t\u201cStop\tand\tfind\tout\twho\tI\tam,\tno\trude\trustic\tor\tshepherd.\tI am\tthe\tLord\tof\tDelphi,\tand\tI\tlove\tyou.\u201d But\tDaphne\tflew\ton,\teven\tmore\tfrightened\tthan\tbefore.\tIf\tApollo\twas\tindeed following\ther,\tthe\tcase\twas\thopeless,\tbut\tshe\twas\tdetermined\tto\tstruggle\tto\tthe very\tend.\tIt\thad\tall\tbut\tcome;\tshe\tfelt\this\tbreath\tupon\ther\tneck,\tbut\tthere\tin\tfront of\ther\tthe\ttrees\topened\tand\tshe\tsaw\ther\tfather\u2019s\triver.\tShe\tscreamed\tto\thim, \u201cHelp\tme!\tFather,\thelp\tme!\u201d\tAt\tthe\twords\ta\tdragging\tnumbness\tcame\tupon\ther, her\tfeet\tseemed\trooted\tin\tthe\tearth\tshe\thad\tbeen\tso\tswiftly\tspeeding\tover.\tBark was\tenclosing\ther;\tleaves\twere\tsprouting\tforth.\tShe\thad\tbeen\tchanged\tinto\ta tree,\ta\tlaurel. Apollo\twatched\tthe\ttransformation\twith\tdismay\tand\tgrief.\t\u201cO\tfairest\tof maidens,\tyou\tare\tlost\tto\tme,\u201d\the\tmourned.\t\u201cBut\tat\tleast\tyou\tshall\tbe\tmy\ttree. With\tyour\tleaves\tmy\tvictors\tshall\twreathe\ttheir\tbrows.\tYou\tshall\thave\tyour\tpart in\tall\tmy\ttriumphs.\tApollo\tand\this\tlaurel\tshall\tbe\tjoined\ttogether\twherever\tsongs are\tsung\tand\tstories\ttold.\u201d The\tbeautiful\tshining-leaved\ttree\tseemed\tto\tnod\tits\twaving\thead\tas\tif\tin happy\tconsent.","ALPHEUS\tAND\tARETHUSA This\t story\t is\t told\t in\t full\t only\t by\t Ovid.\t There\t is\t nothing\t noteworthy\t in\t his treatment\tof\tit.\tThe\tverse\tat\tthe\tend\tis\ttaken\tfrom\tthe\tAlexandrian\tpoet\tMoschus. In\t Ortygia,\t an\t island\t which\t formed\t part\t of\t Syracuse,\t the\t greatest\t city\t of\t Sicily, there\tis\ta\tsacred\tspring\tcalled\tArethusa.\tOnce,\thowever,\tArethusa\twas\tnot\twater or\t even\t a\t water\t nymph,\t but\t a\t fair\t young\t huntress\t and\t a\t follower\t of\t Artemis. Like\t her\t mistress\t she\t would\t have\t nothing\t to\t do\t with\t men;\t like\t her\t she\t loved hunting\tand\tthe\tfreedom\tof\tthe\tforest. One\t day,\t tired\t and\t hot\t from\t the\t chase,\t she\t came\t upon\t a\t crystal-clear\t river deeply\t shaded\t by\t silvery\t willows.\t No\t more\t delightful\t place\t for\t a\t bath\t could\t be imagined.\t Arethusa\t undressed\t and\t slipped\t into\t the\t cool\t delicious\t water.\t For\t a while\tshe\tswam\tidly\tto\tand\tfro\tin\tutter\tpeace;\tthen\tshe\tseemed\tto\tfeel\tsomething stir\tin\tthe\tdepths\tbeneath\ther.\tFrightened,\tshe\tsprang\tto\tthe\tbank\u2014and\tas\tshe\tdid so\t she\t heard\t a\t voice:\t \u201cWhy\t such\t haste,\t fairest\t maiden?\u201d\t Without\t looking\t back she\t fled\t away\t from\t the\t stream\t to\t the\t woods\t and\t ran\t with\t all\t the\t speed\t her\t fear gave\ther.\tShe\twas\thotly\tpursued\tand\tby\tone\tstronger\tif\tnot\tswifter\tthan\tshe.\tThe unknown\tcalled\tto\ther\tto\tstop.\tHe\ttold\ther\the\twas\tthe\tgod\tof\tthe\triver,\tAlpheus, and\tthat\the\twas\tfollowing\ther\tonly\tbecause\the\tloved\ther.\tBut\tshe\twanted\tnone\tof him;\t she\t had\t but\t one\t thought,\t to\t escape.\t It\t was\t a\t long\t race,\t but\t the\t issue\t was never\t in\t doubt;\t he\t could\t keep\t on\t running\t longer\t than\t she.\t Worn\t out\t at\t last, Arethusa\t called\t to\t her\t goddess,\t and\t not\t in\t vain.\t Artemis\t changed\t her\t into\t a spring\tof\twater,\tand\tcleft\tthe\tearth\tso\tthat\ta\ttunnel\twas\tmade\tunder\tthe\tsea\tfrom Greece\t to\t Sicily.\t Arethusa\t plunged\t down\t and\t emerged\t in\t Ortygia,\t where\t the place\tin\twhich\ther\tspring\tbubbles\tup\tis\tholy\tground,\tsacred\tto\tArtemis. But\t it\t is\t said\t that\t even\t so\t she\t was\t not\t free\t of\t Alpheus.\t The\t story\t is\t that\t the god,\tchanging\tback\tinto\ta\triver,\tfollowed\ther\tthrough\tthe\ttunnel\tand\tthat\tnow\this water\t mingles\t with\t hers\t in\t the\t fountain.\t They\t say\t that\t often\t Greek\t flowers\t are seen\t coming\t up\t from\t the\t bottom,\t and\t that\t if\t a\t wooden\t cup\t is\t thrown\t into\t the Alpheus\tin\tGreece,\tit\twill\treappear\tin\tArethusa\u2019s\twell\tin\tSicily. Alpheus\tmakes\this\tway\tfar\tunder\tthe\tdeep\twith\this\twaters, Travels\tto\tArethusa\twith\tbridal\tgifts,\tfair\tleaves\tand\tflowers.","Teacher\tof\tstrange\tways\tis\tLove,\tthat\tknavish\tboy,\tmaker\tof\tmischief. With\this\tmagical\tspell\the\ttaught\ta\triver\tto\tdive.","III This\t is\t the\t title\t of\t a\t long\t poem,\t very\t popular\t in\t classical\t days,\t by\t the\t third- century\t poet\t Apollonius\t of\t Rhodes.\t He\t tells\t the\t whole\t story\t of\t the\t Quest\t except the\tpart\tabout\tJason\tand\tPelias\twhich\tI\thave\ttaken\tfrom\tPindar.\tIt\tis\tthe\tsubject of\t one\t of\t his\t most\t famous\t odes,\t written\t in\t the\t first\t half\t of\t the\t fifth\t century. Apollonius\tends\this\tpoem\twith\tthe\treturn\tof\tthe\theroes\tto\tGreece.\tI\thave\tadded the\t account\t of\t what\t Jason\t and\t Medea\t did\t there,\t taking\t it\t from\t the\t fifth-century tragic\tpoet\tEuripides,\twho\tmade\tit\tthe\tsubject\tof\tone\tof\this\tbest\tplays. These\tthree\twriters\tare\tvery\tunlike\teach\tother.\tNo\tprose\tparaphrase\tcan\tgive any\t idea\t of\t Pindar,\t except,\t perhaps,\t something\t of\t his\t singular\t power\t for\t vivid and\t minutely\t detailed\t description.\t Readers\t of\t the\t Aeneid\t will\t be\t reminded\t of Virgil\tby\tApollonius.\tThe\tdifference\tbetween\tEuripides\u2019\tMedea\tand\tApollonius\u2019 heroine\tand\talso\tVirgil\u2019s\tDido\tis\tin\tits\tdegree\ta\tmeasure\tof\twhat\tGreek\ttragedy was. The\t first\t hero\t in\t Europe\t who\t undertook\t a\t great\t journey\t was\t the\t leader\t of\t the Quest\tof\tthe\tGolden\tFleece.\tHe\twas\tsupposed\tto\thave\tlived\ta\tgeneration\tearlier than\tthe\tmost\tfamous\tGreek\ttraveler,\tthe\thero\tof\tthe\tOdyssey.\tIt\twas\tof\tcourse\ta journey\tby\twater.\tRivers,\tlakes,\tand\tseas\twere\tthe\tonly\thighways;\tthere\twere\tno roads.\tAll\tthe\tsame,\ta\tvoyager\thad\tto\tface\tperils\tnot\tonly\ton\tthe\tdeep,\tbut\ton\tthe","land\tas\twell.\tShips\tdid\tnot\tsail\tby\tnight,\tand\tany\tplace\twhere\tsailors\tput\tin\tmight harbor\t a\t monster\t or\t a\t magician\t who\t could\t work\t more\t deadly\t harm\t than\t storm and\t shipwreck.\t High\t courage\t was\t necessary\t to\t travel,\t especially\t outside\t of Greece. No\tstory\tproved\tthis\tfact\tbetter\tthan\tthe\taccount\tof\twhat\tthe\theroes\tsuffered who\t sailed\t in\t the\t ship\t Argo\t to\t find\t the\t Golden\t Fleece.\t It\t may\t be\t doubted, indeed,\tif\tthere\tever\twas\ta\tvoyage\ton\twhich\tsailors\thad\tto\tface\tso\tmany\tand\tsuch varied\t dangers.\t However,\t they\t were\t all\t heroes\t of\t renown,\t some\t of\t them\t the greatest\tin\tGreece,\tand\tthey\twere\tquite\tequal\tto\ttheir\tadventures. The\ttale\tof\tthe\tGolden\tFleece\tbegins\twith\ta\tGreek\tking\tnamed\tAthamas,\twho got\t tired\t of\t his\t wife,\t put\t her\t away,\t and\t married\t another,\t the\t Princess\t Ino. Nephele,\t the\t first\t wife,\t was\t afraid\t for\t her\t two\t children,\t especially\t the\t boy, Phrixus.\t She\t thought\t the\t second\t wife\t would\t try\t to\t kill\t him\t so\t that\t her\t own\t son could\t inherit\t the\t kingdom,\t and\t she\t was\t right.\t This\t second\t wife\t came\t from\t a great\tfamily.\tHer\tfather\twas\tCadmus,\tthe\texcellent\tKing\tof\tThebes;\ther\tmother and\t her\t three\t sisters\t were\t women\t of\t blameless\t lives.\t But\t she\t herself,\t Ino, determined\tto\tbring\tabout\tthe\tlittle\tboy\u2019s\tdeath,\tand\tshe\tmade\tan\telaborate\tplan how\t this\t was\t to\t be\t done.\t Somehow\t she\t got\t possession\t of\t all\t the\t seed-corn\t and parched\tit\tbefore\tthe\tmen\twent\tout\tfor\tthe\tsowing,\tso\tthat,\tof\tcourse,\tthere\twas no\tharvest\tat\tall.\tWhen\tthe\tKing\tsent\ta\tman\tto\task\tthe\toracle\twhat\the\tshould\tdo in\tthis\tfearful\tdistress,\tshe\tpersuaded\tor,\tmore\tprobably,\tbribed\tthe\tmessenger\tto say\t that\t the\t oracle\t had\t declared\t the\t corn\t would\t not\t grow\t again\t unless\t they offered\tup\tthe\tyoung\tPrince\tas\ta\tsacrifice. The\t people,\t threatened\t with\t starvation,\t forced\t the\t King\t to\t yield\t and\t permit the\tboy\u2019s\tdeath.\tTo\tthe\tlater\tGreeks\tthe\tidea\tof\tsuch\ta\tsacrifice\twas\tas\thorrible as\tit\tis\tto\tus,\tand\twhen\tit\tplayed\ta\tpart\tin\ta\tstory\tthey\talmost\talways\tchanged\tit into\t something\t less\tshocking.\t As\t this\ttale\thas\t come\t down\tto\tus,\twhen\tthe\t boy had\tbeen\ttaken\tto\tthe\taltar\ta\twondrous\tram,\twith\ta\tfleece\tof\tpure\tgold,\tsnatched him\tand\this\tsister\tup\tand\tbore\tthem\taway\tthrough\tthe\tair.\tHermes\thad\tsent\thim in\tanswer\tto\ttheir\tmother\u2019s\tprayer. While\tthey\twere\tcrossing\tthe\tstrait\twhich\tseparates\tEurope\tand\tAsia,\tthe\tgirl, whose\t name\t was\t Helle,\t slipped\t and\t fell\t into\t the\t water.\t She\t was\t drowned;\t and the\t strait\t was\t named\t for\t her:\t the\t Sea\t of\t Helle,\t the\t Hellespont.\t The\t boy\t came safely\t to\t land,\t to\t the\t country\t of\t Colchis\t on\t the\t Unfriendly\t Sea\t (the\t Black\t Sea, which\t had\t not\t yet\t become\t friendly).\t The\t Colchians\t were\t a\t fierce\t people. Nevertheless,\t they\t were\t kind\t to\t Phrixus;\t and\t their\t King,\t \u00c6etes,\t let\t him\t marry one\t of\t his\t daughters.\t It\t seems\t odd\t that\t Phrixus\t sacrificed\t to\t Zeus\t the\t ram\t that","had\tsaved\thim,\tin\tgratitude\tfor\thaving\tbeen\tsaved;\tbut\the\tdid\tso,\tand\the\tgave\tthe precious\tGolden\tFleece\tto\tKing\t\u00c6etes. Phrixus\t had\t an\t uncle\t who\t was\t by\t rights\t a\t king\t in\t Greece,\t but\t had\t had\t his kingdom\ttaken\taway\tfrom\thim\tby\this\tnephew,\ta\tman\tnamed\tPelias.\tThe\tKing\u2019s young\t son,\t Jason,\t the\t rightful\t heir\t to\t the\t kingdom,\t had\t been\t sent\t secretly\t away to\t a\t place\t of\t safety,\t and\t when\t he\t was\t grown\t he\t came\t boldly\t back\t to\t claim\t the kingdom\tfrom\this\twicked\tcousin. The\tusurper\tPelias\thad\tbeen\ttold\tby\tan\toracle\tthat\the\twould\tdie\tat\tthe\thands of\tkinsmen,\tand\tthat\the\tshould\tbeware\tof\tanyone\twhom\the\tsaw\tshod\twith\tonly\ta single\t sandal.\t In\t due\t time\t such\t a\t man\t came\t to\t the\t town.\t One\t foot\t was\t bare, although\t in\t all\t other\t ways\t he\t was\t well-clad\u2014a\t garment\t fitting\t close\t to\t his splendid\tlimbs,\tand\taround\this\tshoulders\ta\tleopard\u2019s\tskin\tto\tturn\tthe\tshowers.\tHe had\t not\t shorn\t the\t bright\t locks\t of\t his\t hair;\t they\t ran\t rippling\t down\t his\t back.\t He went\t straight\t into\t the\t town\t and\t entered\t the\t marketplace\t fearlessly,\t at\t the\t time when\tthe\tmultitude\tfilled\tit. None\tknew\thim,\tbut\tone\tand\tanother\twondered\tat\thim\tand\tsaid,\t\u201cCan\the\tbe Apollo?\t Or\t Aphrodite\u2019s\t lord?\t Not\t one\t of\t Poseidon\u2019s\t bold\t sons,\t for\t they\t are dead.\u201d\tSo\tthey\tquestioned\teach\tother.\tBut\tPelias\tcame\tin\thot\thaste\tat\tthe\ttidings and\t when\t he\t saw\t the\t single\t sandal\t he\t was\t afraid.\t He\t hid\t his\t terror\t in\t his\t heart, however,\t and\t addressed\t the\t stranger:\t \u201cWhat\t country\t is\t your\t fatherland?\t No hateful\t and\t defiling\t lies,\t I\t beg\t you.\t Tell\t me\t the\t truth.\u201d\t With\t gentle\t words\t the other\t answered:\t \u201cI\t have\t come\t to\t my\t home\t to\t recover\t the\t ancient\t honor\t of\t my house,\tthis\tland\tno\tlonger\truled\taright,\twhich\tZeus\tgave\tto\tmy\tfather.\tI\tam\tyour cousin,\tand\tthey\tcall\tme\tby\tthe\tname\tof\tJason.\tYou\tand\tI\tmust\trule\tourselves\tby the\tlaw\tof\tright\u2014not\tappeal\tto\tbrazen\tswords\tor\tspears.\tKeep\tall\tthe\twealth\tyou have\t taken,\t the\t flocks\t and\t the\t tawny\t herds\t of\t cattle\t and\t the\t fields,\t but\t the sovereign\tscepter\tand\tthe\tthrone\trelease\tto\tme,\tso\tthat\tno\tevil\tquarrel\twill\tarise from\tthem.\u201d Pelias\t gave\t him\t a\t soft\t answer.\t \u201cSo\t shall\t it\t be.\t But\t one\t thing\t must\t first\t be done.\t The\t dead\t Phrixus\t bids\t us\t bring\t back\t the\t Golden\t Fleece\t and\t thus\t bring back\this\tspirit\tto\this\thome.\tThe\toracle\thas\tspoken.\tBut\tfor\tme,\talready\told\tage\tis my\t companion,\t while\t the\t flower\t of\t your\t youth\t is\t only\t now\t coming\t into\t full bloom.\t Do\t you\t go\t upon\t this\t quest,\t and\t I\t swear\t with\t Zeus\t as\t witness\t that\t I\t will give\t up\t the\t kingdom\t and\t the\t sovereign\t rule\t to\t you.\u201d\t So\t he\t spoke,\t believing\t in his\theart\tthat\tno\tone\tcould\tmake\tthe\tattempt\tand\tcome\tback\talive. The\tidea\tof\tthe\tgreat\tadventure\twas\tdelightful\tto\tJason.\tHe\tagreed,\tand\tlet\tit be\t known\t everywhere\t that\t this\t would\t be\t a\t voyage\t indeed.\t The\t young\t men\t of","Greece\tjoyfully\tmet\tthe\tchallenge.\t They\tcame,\tall\tthe\tbest\tand\tnoblest,\tto\t join the\tcompany.\tHercules,\tthe\tgreatest\tof\tall\theroes,\twas\tthere;\tOrpheus,\tthe\tmaster musician;\t Castor\t with\t his\t brother\t Pollux;\t Achilles\u2019\t father,\t Peleus;\t and\t many another.\t Hera\t was\t helping\t Jason,\t and\t it\t was\t she\t who\t kindled\t in\t each\t one\t the desire\tnot\tto\tbe\tleft\tbehind\tnursing\ta\tlife\twithout\tperil\tby\this\tmother\u2019s\tside,\tbut even\tat\tthe\tprice\tof\tdeath\tto\tdrink\twith\this\tcomrades\tthe\tpeerless\telixir\tof\tvalor. They\t set\t sail\t in\t the\t ship\t Argo.\t Jason\t took\t in\t his\t hands\t a\t golden\t goblet\t and, pouring\t a\t libation\t of\t wine\t into\t the\t sea,\t called\t upon\t Zeus\t whose\t lance\t is\t the lightning\tto\tspeed\tthem\ton\ttheir\tway. Great\t perils\t lay\t before\t them,\t and\t some\t of\t them\t paid\t with\t their\t lives\t for drinking\tthat\tpeerless\telixir.\tThey\tput\tin\tfirst\tat\tLemnos,\ta\tstrange\tisland\twhere only\twomen\t lived.\t They\t had\t risen\tup\t against\t the\tmen\t and\t had\tkilled\t them\t all, except\t one,\t the\t old\t king.\t His\t daughter,\t Hypsipyle,\t a\t leader\t among\t the\t women, had\t spared\t her\t father\t and\t set\t him\t afloat\t on\t the\t sea\t in\t a\t hollow\t chest,\t which finally\t carried\t him\t to\t safety.\t These\t fierce\t creatures,\t however,\t welcomed\t the Argonauts,\t and\t helped\t them\t with\t good\t gifts\t of\t food\t and\t wine\t and\t garments before\tthey\tsailed\taway. Soon\t after\t they\t left\t Lemnos\t the\t Argonauts\t lost\t Hercules\t from\t the\t company. A\t lad\t named\t Hylas,\t his\t armor-bearer,\t very\t dear\t to\t him,\t was\t drawn\t under\t the water\t as\t he\t dipped\t his\t pitcher\t in\t a\t spring,\t by\t a\t water\t nymph\t who\t saw\t the\t rosy flush\tof\this\tbeauty\tand\twished\tto\tkiss\thim.\tShe\tthrew\ther\tarms\taround\this\tneck and\t drew\t him\t down\t into\t the\t depths\t and\t he\t was\t seen\t no\t more.\t Hercules\t sought him\tmadly\teverywhere,\tshouting\this\tname\tand\tplunging\tdeeper\tand\tdeeper\tinto the\t forest\t away\t from\t the\t sea.\t He\t had\t forgotten\t the\t Fleece\t and\t the\t Argo\t and\t his comrades:\t everything\t except\t Hylas.\t He\t did\t not\t come\t back,\t and\t finally\t the\t ship had\tto\tsail\twithout\thim. Their\t next\t adventure\t was\t with\t the\t Harpies,\t frightful\t flying\t creatures\t with hooked\t beaks\t and\t claws\t who\t always\t left\t behind\t them\t a\t loathsome\t stench, sickening\tto\tall\tliving\tcreatures.\tWhere\tthe\tArgonauts\thad\tbeached\ttheir\tboat\tfor the\tnight\tlived\ta\tlonely\tand\twretched\told\tman,\tto\twhom\tApollo,\tthe\ttruth-teller, had\t given\t the\t gift\t of\t prophecy.\t He\t foretold\t unerringly\t what\t would\t happen,\t and this\thad\tdispleased\tZeus,\twho\talways\tliked\tto\twrap\tin\tmystery\twhat\the\twould\tdo \u2014and\tvery\tsensibly,\ttoo,\tin\tthe\topinion\tof\tall\twho\tknew\tHera.\tSo\the\tinflicted\ta terrible\t punishment\t upon\t the\t old\t man.\t Whenever\t he\t was\t about\t to\t dine,\t the Harpies\t who\t were\t called\t \u201cthe\t hounds\t of\t Zeus\u201d\t swooped\t down\t and\t defiled\t the food,\t leaving\t it\t so\t foul\t that\t no\t one\t could\t bear\t to\t be\t near\t it,\t much\t less\t eat\t it. When\tthe\tArgonauts\tsaw\tthe\tpoor\told\tcreature\u2014his\tname\twas\tPhineus\u2014he\twas","like\t a\t lifeless\t dream,\t creeping\t on\t withered\t feet,\t trembling\t for\t weakness,\t and only\tthe\tskin\ton\this\tbody\theld\this\tbones\ttogether.\tHe\twelcomed\tthem\tgladly\tand begged\tthem\tto\thelp\thim.\tHe\tknew\tthrough\this\tgift\tof\tprophecy\tthat\the\tcould\tbe defended\tfrom\tthe\tHarpies\tby\ttwo\tmen\talone,\twho\twere\tamong\tthe\tcompany\ton the\t Argo\u2014the\t sons\t of\t Boreas,\t the\t great\t North\t Wind.\t All\t listened\t to\t him\t with pity\tand\tthe\ttwo\tgave\thim\teagerly\ttheir\tpromise\tto\thelp. While\tthe\tothers\tset\tforth\tfood\tfor\thim,\tBoreas\u2019\tsons\ttook\ttheir\tstand\tbeside him\twith\tdrawn\tswords.\tHe\thad\thardly\tput\ta\tmorsel\tto\this\tlips\twhen\tthe\thateful monsters\t darted\t down\t from\t the\t sky\t and\t in\t a\t moment\t had\t devoured\t everything and\twere\tflying\toff,\tleaving\tthe\tintolerable\todor\tbehind\tthem.\tBut\tthe\twind-swift sons\t of\t the\t North\t Wind\t followed\t them;\t they\t caught\t up\t with\t them\t and\t struck\t at them\twith\ttheir\tswords.\tThey\twould\tassuredly\thave\tcut\tthem\tto\tpieces\tif\tIris,\tthe rainbow\t messenger\t of\t the\t gods,\t gliding\t down\t from\t heaven,\t had\t not\t checked them.\t They\t must\t forbear\t to\t kill\t the\t hounds\t of\t Zeus,\t she\t said,\t but\t she\t swore\t by the\twaters\tof\tthe\tStyx,\tthe\toath\tthat\tnone\tcan\tbreak,\tthat\tthey\twould\tnever\tagain trouble\tPhineus.\tSo\tthe\ttwo\treturned\tgladly\tand\tcomforted\tthe\told\tman,\twho\tin his\tjoy\tsat\tfeasting\twith\tthe\theroes\tall\tthrough\tthe\tnight. He\t gave\t them\t wise\t advice,\t too,\t about\t the\t dangers\t before\t them,\t especially about\t the\t Clashing\t Rocks,\t the\t Symplegades,\t that\t rolled\t perpetually\t against\t one another\twhile\tthe\tsea\tboiled\tup\taround\tthem.\tThe\tway\tto\tpass\tbetween\tthem,\the said,\t was\t first\t to\t make\t trial\t with\t a\t dove.\t If\t she\t passed\t through\t safely,\t then\t the chances\twere\tthat\tthey\ttoo\twould\tget\tthrough.\tBut\tif\tthe\tdove\twere\tcrushed,\tthey must\tturn\tback\tand\tgive\tup\tall\thope\tof\tthe\tGolden\tFleece. The\tnext\tmorning\tthey\tstarted,\twith\ta\tdove,\tof\tcourse,\tand\twere\tsoon\tin\tsight of\t the\t great\t rolling\t rocks.\t It\t seemed\t impossible\t that\t there\t could\t be\t a\t way between\t them,\t but\t they\t freed\t the\t dove\t and\t watched\t her.\t She\t flew\t through\t and came\tout\tsafe.\tOnly\tthe\ttips\tof\ther\ttail-feathers\twere\tcaught\tbetween\tthe\trocks\tas they\t rolled\t back\t together;\t and\t those\t were\t torn\t away.\t The\t heroes\t went\t after\t her as\tswiftly\tas\tthey\tcould.\tThe\trocks\tparted,\tthe\trowers\tput\tforth\tall\ttheir\tstrength, and\t they,\t too,\t came\t through\t safely.\t Just\t in\t time,\t however,\t for\t as\t the\t rocks clashed\ttogether\tagain\tthe\textreme\tend\tof\tthe\tstern\tornament\twas\tshorn\toff.\tBy so\tlittle\tthey\tescaped\tdestruction.\tBut\tever\tsince\tthey\tpassed\tthem\tthe\trocks\thave been\t rooted\t fast\t to\t each\t other\t and\t have\t never\t any\t more\t brought\t disaster\t to sailors. Not\tfar\tfrom\tthere\twas\tthe\tcountry\tof\tthe\twarrior\twomen,\tthe\tAmazons\u2014the daughters,\tstrangely\tenough,\tof\tthat\tmost\tpeace-loving\tnymph,\tsweet\tHarmony. But\ttheir\tfather\twas\tAres,\tthe\tterrible\tgod\tof\twar,\twhose\tways\tthey\tfollowed\tand","not\ttheir\tmother\u2019s.\tThe\theroes\twould\tgladly\thave\thalted\tand\tclosed\tin\tbattle\twith them,\t and\t it\t would\t not\t have\t been\t a\t battle\t without\t bloodshed,\t for\t the\t Amazons were\t not\t gentle\t foes.\t But\t the\t wind\t was\t favorable\t and\t they\t hurried\t on.\t They caught\t a\t glimpse\t of\t the\t Caucasus\t as\t they\t sped\t past,\t and\t of\t Prometheus\t on\t his rock\thigh\tabove\tthem,\tand\tthey\theard\tthe\tfanning\tof\tthe\teagle\u2019s\thuge\twings\tas\tit darted\tdown\tto\tits\tbloody\tfeast.\tThey\tstopped\tfor\tnothing,\tand\tthat\tsame\tday\tat sunset\tthey\treached\tColchis,\tthe\tcountry\tof\tthe\tGolden\tFleece. They\tspent\tthe\tnight\tfacing\tthey\tknew\tnot\twhat\tand\tfeeling\tthat\tthere\twas\tno help\t for\t them\t anywhere\t except\t in\t their\t own\t valor.\t Up\t in\t Olympus,\t however,\t a consultation\twas\tbeing\theld\tabout\tthem.\tHera,\ttroubled\tat\tthe\tdanger\tthey\twere in,\twent\tto\task\tAphrodite\u2019s\thelp.\tThe\tGoddess\tof\tLove\twas\tsurprised\tat\tthe\tvisit, for\tHera\twas\tno\tfriend\tof\thers.\tStill,\twhen\tthe\tgreat\tQueen\tof\tOlympus\tbegged for\t her\t aid,\t she\t was\t awed\t and\t promised\t to\t do\t all\t she\t could.\t Together\t they planned\t that\t Aphrodite\u2019s\t son\t Cupid\t should\t make\t the\t daughter\t of\t the\t Colchian King\tfall\tin\tlove\twith\tJason.\tThat\twas\tan\texcellent\tplan\u2014for\tJason.\tThe\tmaiden, who\t was\t named\t Medea,\t knew\t how\t to\t work\t very\t powerful\t magic,\t and\t could undoubtedly\tsave\tthe\tArgonauts\tif\tshe\twould\tuse\ther\tdark\tknowledge\tfor\tthem. So\tAphrodite\twent\tto\tCupid\tand\ttold\thim\tshe\twould\tgive\thim\ta\tlovely\tplaything, a\tball\tof\tshining\tgold\tand\tdeep\tblue\tenamel,\tif\the\twould\tdo\twhat\tshe\twanted.\tHe was\t delighted,\t seized\t his\t bow\t and\t quiver,\t and\t swept\t down\t from\t Olympus through\tthe\tvast\texpanse\tof\tair\tto\tColchis. Meantime\t the\t heroes\t had\t started\t for\t the\t city\t to\t ask\t the\t King\t for\t the\t Golden Fleece.\tThey\twere\tsafe\tfrom\tany\ttrouble\ton\tthe\tway,\tfor\tHera\twrapped\tthem\tin\ta thick\t mist,\t so\t that\t they\t reached\t the\t palace\t unseen.\t It\t dissolved\t when\t they approached\t the\t entrance,\t and\t the\t warders,\t quick\t to\t notice\t the\t band\t of\t splendid young\tstrangers,\tled\tthem\tcourteously\twithin\tand\tsent\tword\tto\tthe\tKing\tof\ttheir arrival. He\tcame\tat\tonce\tand\tbade\tthem\twelcome.\tHis\tservants\thastened\tto\tmake\tall ready,\t build\t fires\t and\t heat\t water\t for\t the\t baths,\t and\t prepare\t food.\t Into\t this\t busy scene\tstole\tthe\tPrincess\tMedea,\tcurious\tto\tsee\tthe\tvisitors.\tAs\ther\teyes\tfell\tupon Jason,\tCupid\tswiftly\tdrew\this\tbow\tand\tshot\ta\tshaft\tdeep\tinto\tthe\tmaiden\u2019s\theart. It\t burned\t there\t like\t a\t flame\t and\t her\t soul\t melted\t with\t sweet\t pain,\t and\t her\t face went\tnow\twhite,\tnow\tred.\tAmazed\tand\tabashed\tshe\tstole\tback\tto\ther\tchamber. Only\t after\t the\t heroes\t had\t bathed\t and\t refreshed\t themselves\t with\t meat\t and drink\tcould\tKing\t\u00c6etes\task\tthem\twho\tthey\twere\tand\twhy\tthey\thad\tcome.\tIt\twas accounted\t great\t discourtesy\t to\t put\t any\t question\t to\t a\t guest\t before\t his\t wants\t had been\t satisfied.\t Jason\t answered\t that\t they\t were\t all\t men\t of\t noblest\t birth,\t sons\t or","grandsons\t of\t the\t gods,\t who\t had\t sailed\t from\t Greece\t in\t the\t hope\t that\t he\t would give\t them\t the\t Golden\t Fleece\t in\t return\t for\t whatever\t service\t he\t would\t ask\t of them.\tThey\twould\tconquer\this\tenemies\tfor\thim,\tor\tdo\tanything\the\twished. A\t great\t anger\t filled\t King\t \u00c6etes\u2019\t heart\t as\t he\t listened.\t He\t did\t not\t like foreigners,\tany\tmore\tthan\tthe\tGreeks\tdid;\the\twanted\tthem\tto\tkeep\taway\tfrom\this country,\t and\t he\t said\t to\t himself,\t \u201cIf\t these\t strangers\t had\t not\t eaten\t at\t my\t table\t I would\tkill\tthem.\u201d\tIn\tsilence\the\tpondered\twhat\the\tshould\tdo,\tand\ta\tplan\tcame\tto him. He\t told\t Jason\t that\t he\t bore\t no\t grudge\t against\t brave\t men\t and\t that\t if\t they proved\tthemselves\tsuch\the\twould\tgive\tthe\tFleece\tto\tthem.\t\u201cAnd\tthe\ttrial\tof\tyour courage,\u201d\t he\t said,\t \u201cshall\t be\t only\t what\t I\t myself\t have\t done.\u201d\t This\t was\t to\t yoke two\tbulls\the\thad,\twhose\tfeet\twere\tof\tbronze\tand\twhose\tbreath\twas\tflaming\tfire, and\t with\t them\t to\t plow\t a\t field.\t Then\t the\t teeth\t of\t a\t dragon\t must\t be\t cast\t into\t the furrows,\t like\t seed-corn\u2014which\t would\t spring\t up\t at\t once\t into\t a\t crop\t of\t armed men.\t These\t must\t be\t cut\t down\t as\t they\t advanced\t to\t the\t attack\u2014a\t fearful harvesting.\t\u201cI\thave\tdone\tall\tthis\tmyself,\u201d\the\tsaid;\t\u201cand\tI\twill\tgive\tthe\tFleece\tto no\t man\t less\t brave\t than\t I.\u201d\t For\t a\t time\t Jason\t sat\t speechless.\t The\t contest\t seemed impossible,\tbeyond\tthe\tstrength\tof\tanyone.\tFinally\the\tanswered,\t\u201cI\twill\tmake\tthe trial,\tmonstrous\tthough\tit\tis,\teven\tif\tit\tis\tmy\tdoom\tto\tdie.\u201d\tWith\tthat\the\trose\tup and\t led\t his\t comrades\t back\t to\t the\t ship\t for\t the\t night,\t but\t Medea\u2019s\t thoughts followed\t after\t him.\t All\t through\t the\t long\t night\t when\t he\t had\t left\t the\t palace\t she seemed\t to\t see\t him,\t his\t beauty\t and\t his\t grace,\t and\t to\t hear\t the\t words\t he\t had uttered.\tHer\theart\twas\ttormented\twith\tfear\tfor\thim.\tShe\tguessed\twhat\ther\tfather was\tplanning. Returned\t to\t the\t ship,\t the\t heroes\t held\t a\t council\t and\t one\t and\t another\t urged Jason\t to\t let\t him\t take\t the\t trial\t upon\t himself;\t but\t in\t vain,\t Jason\t would\t yield\t to none\t of\t them.\t As\t they\t talked\t there\t came\t to\t them\t one\t of\t the\t King\u2019s\t grandsons whose\t life\t Jason\t once\t had\t saved,\t and\t he\t told\t them\t of\t Medea\u2019s\t magic\t power. There\t was\t nothing\t she\t could\t not\t do,\t he\t said,\t check\t the\t stars,\t even,\t and\t the moon.\tIf\tshe\twere\tpersuaded\tto\thelp,\tshe\tcould\tmake\tJason\table\tto\tconquer\tthe bulls\t and\t the\t dragon-teeth\t men.\t It\t seemed\t the\t only\t plan\t that\t offered\t any\t hope and\t they\t urged\t the\t prince\t to\t go\t back\t and\t try\t to\t win\t Medea\t over,\t not\t knowing that\tthe\tGod\tof\tLove\thad\talready\tdone\tthat. She\t sat\t alone\t in\t her\t room,\t weeping\t and\t telling\t herself\t she\t was\t shamed forever\t because\t she\t cared\t so\t much\t for\t a\t stranger\t that\t she\t wanted\t to\t yield\t to\t a mad\tpassion\tand\tgo\tagainst\ther\tfather.\t\u201cFar\tbetter\tdie,\u201d\tshe\tsaid.\tShe\ttook\tin\ther hand\t a\t casket\t which\t held\t herbs\t for\t killing,\t but\t as\t she\t sat\t there\t with\t it,\t she","thought\tof\tlife\tand\tthe\tdelightful\tthings\tthat\tare\tin\tthe\tworld;\tand\tthe\tsun\tseemed sweeter\t than\t ever\t before.\t She\t put\t the\t casket\t away;\t and\t no\t longer\t wavering\t she determined\t to\t use\t her\t power\t for\t the\t man\t she\t loved.\t She\t had\t a\t magic\t ointment which\twould\tmake\thim\twho\trubbed\tit\ton\this\tbody\tsafe\tfor\tthat\tday;\the\tcould\tnot be\t harmed\t by\t anything.\t The\t plant\t it\t was\t made\t from\t sprang\t up\t first\t when Prometheus\u2019\t blood\t dripped\t down\t upon\t the\t earth.\t She\t put\t it\t in\t her\t bosom\t and went\tto\tfind\ther\tnephew,\tthe\tprince\twhom\tJason\thad\thelped.\tShe\tmet\thim\tas\the was\t looking\t for\t her\t to\t beg\t her\t to\t do\t just\t what\t she\t had\t already\t decided\t on.\t She agreed\t at\t once\t to\t all\t he\t said\t and\t sent\t him\t to\t the\t ship\t to\t tell\t Jason\t to\t meet\t her without\tdelay\tin\ta\tcertain\tplace.\tAs\tsoon\tas\the\theard\tthe\tmessage\tJason\tstarted, and\t as\t he\t went\t Hera\t shed\t radiant\t grace\t upon\t him,\t so\t that\t all\t who\t saw\t him marveled\tat\thim.\tWhen\the\treached\tMedea\tit\tseemed\tto\ther\tas\tif\ther\theart\tleft\ther to\tgo\tto\thim;\ta\tdark\tmist\tclouded\ther\teyes\tand\tshe\thad\tno\tstrength\tto\tmove.\tThe two\tstood\tface\tto\tface\twithout\ta\tword,\tas\tlofty\tpine\ttrees\twhen\tthe\twind\tis\tstill. Then\t again\t when\t the\t wind\t stirs\t they\t murmur;\t so\t these\t two\t also,\t stirred\t by\t the breath\tof\tlove,\twere\tfated\tto\ttell\tout\tall\ttheir\ttale\tto\teach\tother. He\t spoke\t first\t and\t implored\t her\t to\t be\t kind\t to\t him.\t He\t could\t not\t but\t have hope,\t he\t said,\t because\t her\t loveliness\t must\t surely\t mean\t that\t she\t excelled\t in gentle\tcourtesy.\tShe\tdid\tnot\tknow\thow\tto\tspeak\tto\thim;\tshe\twanted\tto\tpour\tout all\t she\t felt\t at\t once.\t Silently\t she\t drew\t the\t box\t of\t ointment\t from\t her\t bosom\t and gave\t it\t to\t him.\t She\t would\t have\t given\t her\t soul\t to\t him\t if\t he\t had\t asked\t her.\t And now\t both\t were\t fixing\t their\t eyes\t on\t the\t ground,\t abashed,\t and\t again\t were throwing\tglances\tat\teach\tother,\tsmiling\twith\tlove\u2019s\tdesire. At\tlast\tMedea\tspoke\tand\ttold\thim\thow\tto\tuse\tthe\tcharm\tand\tthat\twhen\tit\twas sprinkled\ton\this\tweapons\tit\twould\tmake\tthem\tas\twell\tas\thimself\tinvincible\tfor\ta day.\tIf\ttoo\tmany\tof\tthe\tdragon-teeth\tmen\trushed\tto\tattack\thim,\the\tmust\tthrow\ta stone\tinto\ttheir\tmidst,\twhich\twould\tmake\tthem\tturn\tagainst\teach\tother\tand\tfight until\t all\t were\t killed.\t \u201cI\t must\t go\t back\t to\t the\t palace\t now,\u201d\t she\t said.\t \u201cBut\t when you\t are\t once\t more\t safe\t at\t home\t remember\t Medea,\t as\t I\t will\t remember\t you forever.\u201d\t He\t answered\t passionately,\t \u201cNever\t by\t night\t and\t never\t by\t day\t will\t I forget\t you.\t If\t you\t will\t come\t to\t Greece,\t you\t shall\t be\t worshiped\t for\t what\t you have\tdone\tfor\tus,\tand\tnothing\texcept\tdeath\twill\tcome\tbetween\tus.\u201d They\tparted,\tshe\tto\tthe\tpalace\tto\tweep\tover\ther\ttreachery\tto\ther\tfather,\the\tto the\tship\tto\tsend\ttwo\tof\this\tcomrades\tfor\tthe\tdragon\u2019s\tteeth.\tMeantime\the\tmade trial\t of\t the\t ointment\t and\t at\t the\t touch\t of\t it\t a\t terrible,\t irresistible\t power\t entered into\t him\t and\t the\t heroes\t all\t exulted.\t Yet,\t even\t so,\t when\t they\t reached\t the\t field where\t the\t King\t and\t the\t Colchians\t were\t waiting,\t and\t the\t bulls\t rushed\t out\t from","their\t lair\t breathing\t forth\t flames\t of\t fire,\t terror\t overcame\t them.\t But\t Jason withstood\t the\t fearful\t creatures\t as\t a\t great\t rock\t in\t the\t sea\t withstands\t the\t waves. He\t forced\t first\t one\t and\t then\t the\t other\t down\t on\t its\t knees\t and\t fastened\t the\t yoke upon\t them,\t while\t all\t wondered\t at\t his\t mighty\t prowess.\t Over\t the\t field\t he\t drove them,\t pressing\t the\t plow\t down\t firmly\t and\t casting\t the\t dragon\u2019s\t teeth\t into\t the furrows.\t By\t the\t time\t the\t plowing\t was\t done\t the\t crop\t was\t springing\t up,\t men bristling\twith\tarms\twho\tcame\trushing\tto\tattack\thim.\tJason\tremembered\tMedea\u2019s words\t and\t flung\t a\t huge\t stone\t into\t their\t midst.\t With\t that,\t the\t warriors\t turned upon\t each\t other\t and\t fell\t beneath\t their\t own\t spears\t while\t the\t furrows\t ran\t with blood.\tSo\tJason\u2019s\tcontest\twas\tended\tin\tvictory,\tbitter\tto\tKing\t\u00c6etes. The\t King\t went\t back\t to\t the\t palace\t planning\t treachery\t against\t the\t heroes\t and vowing\t they\t should\t never\t have\t the\t Golden\t Fleece.\t But\t Hera\t was\t working\t for them.\t She\t made\t Medea,\t all\t bewildered\t with\t love\t and\t misery,\t determine\t to\t fly with\tJason.\tThat\tnight\tshe\tstole\tout\tof\tthe\thouse\tand\tsped\talong\tthe\tdark\tpath\tto the\tship,\twhere\tthey\twere\trejoicing\tin\ttheir\tgood\tfortune\twith\tno\tthought\tof\tevil. She\tfell\ton\ther\tknees\tbefore\tthem\tand\tbegged\tthem\tto\ttake\ther\twith\tthem.\tThey must\tget\tthe\tFleece\tat\tonce,\tshe\ttold\tthem,\tand\tthen\tmake\tall\thaste\taway\tor\tthey would\t be\t killed.\t A\t terrible\t serpent\t guarded\t the\t Fleece,\t but\t she\t would\t lull\t it\t to sleep\tso\tthat\tit\twould\tdo\tthem\tno\tharm.\tShe\tspoke\tin\tanguish,\tbut\tJason\trejoiced and\traised\ther\tgently\tand\tembraced\ther,\tand\tpromised\ther\tshe\twould\tbe\this\town wedded\t wife\t when\t once\t they\t were\t back\t in\t Greece.\t Then\t taking\t her\t on\t board they\t went\t where\t she\t directed\t and\t reached\t the\t sacred\t grove\t where\t the\t Fleece hung.\tThe\tguardian\tserpent\twas\tvery\tterrible,\tbut\tMedea\tapproached\tit\tfearlessly and\t singing\t a\t sweet\t magical\t song\t she\t charmed\t it\t to\t sleep.\t Swiftly\t Jason\t lifted the\tgolden\twonder\tfrom\tthe\ttree\tit\thung\ton,\tand\thurrying\tback\tthey\treached\tthe ship\t as\t dawn\t was\t breaking.\t The\t strongest\t were\t put\t at\t the\t oars\t and\t they\t rowed with\tall\ttheir\tmight\tdown\tthe\triver\tto\tthe\tsea. By\t now\t what\t had\t happened\t was\t known\t to\t the\t King,\t and\t he\t sent\t his\t son\t in pursuit\u2014Medea\u2019s\t brother,\t Apsyrtus.\t He\t led\t an\t army\t so\t great\t that\t it\t seemed impossible\t for\t the\t little\t band\t of\t heroes\t either\t to\t conquer\t it\t or\t to\t escape,\t but Medea\t saved\t them\t again,\t this\t time\t by\t a\t horrible\t deed.\t She\t killed\t her\t brother. Some\t say\t she\t sent\t him\t word\t that\t she\t was\t longing\t to\t go\t back\t to\t her\t home\t and that\tshe\thad\tthe\tFleece\tfor\thim\tif\the\twould\tmeet\ther\tthat\tnight\tat\ta\tcertain\tspot. He\t came\t all\t unsuspecting\t and\t Jason\t struck\t him\t down\t and\t his\t dark\t blood\t dyed his\t sister\u2019s\t silvery\t robe\t as\t she\t shrank\t away.\t With\t its\t leader\t dead,\t the\t army scattered\tin\tdisorder\tand\tthe\tway\tto\tthe\tsea\tlay\topen\tto\tthe\theroes. Others\t say\t that\t Apsyrtus\t set\t sail\t on\t Argo\t with\t Medea,\t although\t why\t he\t did","so\t is\t not\t explained,\t and\t that\t it\t was\t the\t King\t who\t pursued\t them.\t As\t his\t ship gained\t on\t them,\t Medea\t herself\t struck\t her\t brother\t down\t and\t cutting\t him\t limb from\tlimb\tcast\tthe\tpieces\tinto\tthe\tsea.\tThe\tKing\tstopped\tto\tgather\tthem,\tand\tthe Argo\twas\tsaved. By\tthen\tthe\tadventures\tof\tthe\tArgonauts\twere\talmost\tover.\tOne\tterrible\ttrial they\t had\t while\t passing\t between\t the\t smooth,\t sheer\t rock\t of\t Scylla\t and\t the whirlpool\t of\t Charybdis,\t where\t the\t sea\t forever\t spouted\t and\t roared\t and\t the furious\twaves\tmounting\tup\ttouched\tthe\tvery\tsky.\tBut\tHera\thad\tseen\tto\tit\tthat\tsea nymphs\tshould\tbe\tat\thand\tto\tguide\tthem\tand\tsend\tthe\tship\ton\tto\tsafety. Next\t came\t Crete\u2014where\t they\t would\t have\t landed\t but\t for\t Medea.\t She\t told them\t that\t Talus\t lived\t there,\t the\t last\t man\t left\t of\t the\t ancient\t bronze\t race,\t a creature\t made\t all\t of\t bronze\t except\t one\t ankle\t where\t alone\t he\t was\t vulnerable. Even\t as\t she\t spoke,\t he\t appeared,\t terrible\t to\t behold,\t and\t threatened\t to\t crush\t the ship\t with\t rocks\t if\t they\t drew\t nearer.\t They\t rested\t on\t their\t oars,\t and\t Medea kneeling\t prayed\t to\t the\t hounds\t of\t Hades\t to\t come\t and\t destroy\t him.\t The\t dread powers\tof\tevil\theard\ther.\tAs\tthe\tbronze\tman\tlifted\ta\tpointed\tcrag\tto\thurl\tit\tat\tthe Argo\the\tgrazed\this\tankle\tand\tthe\tblood\tgushed\tforth\tuntil\the\tsank\tand\tdied.\tThen the\theroes\tcould\tland\tand\trefresh\tthemselves\tfor\tthe\tvoyage\tstill\tbefore\tthem. Upon\t reaching\t Greece\t they\t disbanded,\t each\t hero\t going\t to\t his\t home,\t and Jason\twith\tMedea\ttook\tthe\tGolden\tFleece\tto\tPelias.\tBut\tthey\tfound\tthat\tterrible deeds\t had\t been\t done\t there.\t Pelias\t had\t forced\t Jason\u2019s\t father\t to\t kill\t himself\t and his\tmother\thad\tdied\tof\tgrief.\tJason,\tbent\tupon\tpunishing\tthis\twickedness,\tturned to\t Medea\t for\t the\t help\t which\t had\t never\t failed\t him.\t She\t brought\t about\t the\t death of\t Pelias\t by\t a\t cunning\t trick.\t To\t his\t daughters\t she\t said\t that\t she\t knew\t a\t secret, how\tto\tmake\tthe\told\tyoung\tagain;\tand\tto\tprove\ther\twords\tshe\tcut\tup\tbefore\tthem a\tram\tworn\tout\twith\tmany\tyears,\tand\tput\tthe\tpieces\tinto\ta\tpot\tof\tboiling\twater. Then\tshe\tuttered\ta\tcharm\tand\tin\ta\tmoment\tout\tfrom\tthe\twater\tsprang\ta\tlamb\tand ran\t frisking\t away.\t The\t maidens\t were\t convinced.\t Medea\t gave\t Pelias\t a\t potent sleeping-draught\tand\tcalled\tupon\this\tdaughters\tto\tcut\thim\tinto\tbits.\tWith\tall\ttheir longing\t to\t make\t him\t young\t again\t they\t could\t hardly\t force\t themselves\t to\t do\t so, but\tat\tlast\tthe\tdreadful\ttask\twas\tdone,\tthe\tpieces\tin\tthe\twater,\tand\tthey\tlooked\tto Medea\t to\t speak\t the\t magic\t words\t that\t would\t bring\t him\t back\t to\t them\t and\t to\t his youth.\tBut\tshe\twas\tgone\u2014gone\tfrom\tthe\tpalace\tand\tfrom\tthe\tcity,\tand\thorrified they\t realized\t that\t they\t were\t their\t father\u2019s\t murderers.\t Jason\t was\t revenged, indeed. There\tis\ta\tstory,\ttoo,\tthat\tMedea\trestored\tJason\u2019s\tfather\tto\tlife\tand\tmade\thim young\t again,\t and\t that\t she\t gave\t to\t Jason\t the\t secret\t of\t perpetual\t youth.\t All\t that","she\tdid\tof\tevil\tand\tof\tgood\twas\tdone\tfor\thim\talone,\tand\tin\tthe\tend,\tall\tthe\treward she\tgot\twas\tthat\the\tturned\ttraitor\tto\ther. They\tcame\tto\tCorinth\tafter\tPelias\u2019\tdeath.\tTwo\tsons\twere\tborn\tto\tthem\tand\tall seemed\twell,\teven\tto\tMedea\tin\ther\texile,\tlonely\tas\texile\tmust\talways\tbe.\tBut\ther great\t love\t for\t Jason\t made\t the\t loss\t of\t her\t family\t and\t her\t country\t seem\t to\t her\t a little\tthing.\tAnd\tthen\tJason\tshowed\tthe\tmeanness\tthat\twas\tin\thim,\tbrilliant\thero though\t he\t had\t seemed\t to\t be:\t he\t engaged\t himself\t to\t marry\t the\t daughter\t of\t the King\t of\t Corinth.\t It\t was\t a\t splendid\t marriage\t and\t he\t thought\t of\t ambition\t only, never\t of\t love\t or\t of\t gratitude.\t In\t the\t first\t amazement\t at\t his\t treachery\t and\t in\t the passion\t of\t her\t anguish,\t Medea\t let\t fall\t words\t which\t made\t the\t King\t of\t Corinth fear\t she\t would\t do\t harm\t to\t his\t daughter\u2014he\t must\t have\t been\t a\t singularly unsuspicious\tman\tnot\tto\thave\tthought\tof\tthat\tbefore\u2014and\the\tsent\ther\tword\tthat she\tand\ther\tsons\tmust\tleave\tthe\tcountry\tat\tonce.\tThat\twas\ta\tdoom\talmost\tas\tbad as\t death.\t A\t woman\t in\t exile\t with\t little\t helpless\t children\t had\t no\t protection\t for herself\tor\tthem. As\tshe\tsat\tbrooding\tover\twhat\tshe\tshould\tdo\tand\tthinking\tof\ther\twrongs\tand her\t wretchedness\u2014wishing\t for\t death\t to\t end\t the\t life\t she\t could\t no\t longer\t bear, sometimes\t remembering\t with\t tears\t her\t father\t and\t her\t home;\t sometimes shuddering\tat\tthe\tstain\tnothing\tcould\twash\tout\tof\ther\tbrother\u2019s\tblood,\tof\tPelias\u2019, too;\tconscious\tabove\tall\tof\tthe\twild\tpassionate\tdevotion\tthat\thad\tbrought\ther\tto this\tevil\tand\tthis\tmisery\u2014as\tshe\tsat\tthus,\tJason\tappeared\tbefore\ther.\tShe\tlooked at\t him;\t she\t did\t not\t speak.\t He\t was\t there\t beside\t her,\t yet\t she\t was\t far\t away\t from him,\talone\twith\ther\toutraged\tlove\tand\ther\truined\tlife.\tHis\tfeelings\thad\tnothing\tin them\t to\t make\t him\t silent.\t He\t told\t her\t coldly\t that\t he\t had\t always\t known\t how uncontrolled\t her\t spirit\t was.\t If\t it\t had\t not\t been\t for\t her\t foolish,\t mischievous\t talk about\t his\t bride\t she\t might\t have\t stayed\t on\t comfortably\t in\t Corinth.\t However,\t he had\tdone\this\tbest\tfor\ther.\tIt\twas\tentirely\tthrough\this\tefforts\tthat\tshe\twas\tonly\tto be\texiled,\tnot\tkilled.\tHe\thad\thad\ta\tvery\thard\ttime\tindeed\tto\tpersuade\tthe\tKing, but\the\thad\tspared\tno\tpains.\tHe\thad\tcome\tto\ther\tnow\tbecause\the\twas\tnot\ta\tman to\t fail\t a\t friend,\t and\t he\t would\t see\t that\t she\t had\t plenty\t of\t gold\t and\t everything necessary\tfor\ther\tjourney. This\twas\ttoo\tmuch.\tThe\ttorrent\tof\tMedea\u2019s\twrongs\tburst\tforth.\t\u201cYou\tcome\tto me?\u201d\tshe\tsaid\u2014 To\tme,\tof\tall\tthe\trace\tof\tmen? Yet\tit\tis\twell\tyou\tcame. For\tI\tshall\tease\tthe\tburden\tof\tmy\theart","If\tI\tcan\tmake\tyour\tbaseness\tmanifest. I\tsaved\tyou.\tEvery\tman\tin\tGreece\tknows\tthat. The\tbulls,\tthe\tdragon-men,\tthe\tserpent\twarder\tof\tthe\tFleece, I\tconquered\tthem.\tI\tmade\tyou\tvictor. I\theld\tthe\tlight\tthat\tsaved\tyou. Father\tand\thome\u2014I\tleft\tthem For\ta\tstrange\tcountry. I\toverthrew\tyour\tfoes, Contrived\tfor\tPelias\tthe\tworst\tof\tdeaths. Now\tyou\tforsake\tme. Where\tshall\tI\tgo?\tBack\tto\tmy\tfather\u2019s\thouse? To\tPelias\u2019\tdaughters?\tI\thave\tbecome\tfor\tyou The\tenemy\tof\tall. Myself,\tI\thad\tno\tquarrel\twith\tthem. Oh,\tI\thave\thad\tin\tyou A\tloyal\thusband,\tto\tbe\tadmired\tof\tmen. An\texile\tnow,\tO\tGod,\tO\tGod. No\tone\tto\thelp.\tI\tam\talone. His\tanswer\twas\tthat\the\thad\tbeen\tsaved\tnot\tby\ther,\tbut\tby\tAphrodite,\twho\thad made\ther\tfall\tin\tlove\twith\thim,\tand\tthat\tshe\towed\thim\ta\tgreat\tdeal\tfor\tbringing her\t to\t Greece,\t a\t civilized\t country.\t Also\t that\t he\t had\t done\t very\t well\t for\t her\t in letting\t it\t be\t known\t how\t she\t had\t helped\t the\t Argonauts,\t so\t that\t people\t praised her.\tIf\tonly\tshe\tcould\thave\thad\tsome\tcommon\tsense,\tshe\twould\thave\tbeen\tglad of\this\tmarriage,\tas\tsuch\ta\tconnection\twould\thave\tbeen\tprofitable\tfor\ther\tand\tthe children,\ttoo.\tHer\texile\twas\ther\town\tfault\tonly. Whatever\t else\t she\t lacked\t Medea\t had\t plenty\t of\t intelligence.\t She\t wasted\t no more\twords\tupon\thim\texcept\tto\trefuse\this\tgold.\tShe\twould\ttake\tnothing,\tno\thelp from\thim.\tJason\tflung\taway\tangrily\tfrom\ther.\t\u201cYour\tstubborn\tpride,\u201d\the\ttold\ther \u2014 It\tdrives\taway\tall\tthose\twho\twould\tbe\tkind. But\tyou\twill\tgrieve\tthe\tmore\tfor\tit. From\tthat\tmoment\tMedea\tset\therself\tto\tbe\trevenged,\tas\twell\tshe\tknew\thow.","By\tdeath,\toh,\tby\tdeath,\tshall\tthe\tconflict\tof\tlife\tbe\tdecided, Life\u2019s\tlittle\tday\tended. She\tdetermined\tto\tkill\tJason\u2019s\tbride,\tand\tthen\u2014then?\tBut\tshe\twould\tnot\tthink\tof what\telse\tshe\tsaw\tbefore\ther.\t\u201cHer\tdeath\tfirst,\u201d\tshe\tsaid. She\t took\t from\t a\t chest\t a\t most\t lovely\t robe.\t This\t she\t anointed\t with\t deadly drugs\tand\tplacing\tit\tin\ta\tcasket\tshe\tsent\ther\tsons\twith\tit\tto\tthe\tnew\tbride.\tThey must\t ask\t her,\t she\t told\t them,\t to\t show\t that\t she\t accepted\t the\t gift\t by\t wearing\t it\t at once.\tThe\tPrincess\treceived\tthem\tgraciously,\tand\tagreed.\tBut\tno\tsooner\thad\tshe put\tit\ton\tthan\ta\tfearful,\tdevouring\tfire\tenveloped\ther.\tShe\tdropped\tdead;\ther\tvery flesh\thad\tmelted\taway. When\tMedea\tknew\tthe\tdeed\twas\tdone\tshe\tturned\ther\tmind\tto\tone\tstill\tmore dreadful.\tThere\twas\tno\tprotection\tfor\ther\tchildren,\tno\thelp\tfor\tthem\tanywhere.\tA slave\u2019s\tlife\tmight\tbe\ttheirs,\tnothing\tmore.\t\u201cI\twill\tnot\tlet\tthem\tlive\tfor\tstrangers to\till-use,\u201d\tshe\tthought\u2014 To\tdie\tby\tother\thands\tmore\tmerciless\tthan\tmine. No;\tI\twho\tgave\tthem\tlife\twill\tgive\tthem\tdeath. Oh,\tnow\tno\tcowardice,\tno\tthought\thow\tyoung\tthey\tare, How\tdear\tthey\tare,\thow\twhen\tthey\tfirst\twere\tborn\u2014 Not\tthat\u2014I\twill\tforget\tthey\tare\tmy\tsons One\tmoment,\tone\tshort\tmoment\u2014then\tforever\tsorrow. When\t Jason\t came\t full\t of\t fury\t for\t what\t she\t had\t done\t to\t his\t bride\t and determined\t to\t kill\t her,\t the\t two\t boys\t were\t dead,\t and\t Medea\t on\t the\t roof\t of\t the house\t was\t stepping\t into\t a\t chariot\t drawn\t by\t dragons.\t They\t carried\t her\t away through\t the\t air\t out\t of\t his\t sight\t as\t he\t cursed\t her,\t never\t himself,\t for\t what\t had come\tto\tpass.","IV","PHA\u00cbTHON This\t is\t one\t of\t Ovid\u2019s\t best\t stories,\t vividly\t told,\t details\t used\t not\t for\t mere decoration,\tbut\tto\theighten\tthe\teffect. The\tpalace\tof\tthe\tSun\twas\ta\tradiant\tplace.\tIt\tshone\twith\tgold\tand\tgleamed\twith ivory\t and\t sparkled\t with\t jewels.\t Everything\t without\t and\t within\t flashed\t and glowed\t and\t glittered.\t It\t was\t always\t high\t noon\t there.\t Shadowy\t twilight\t never dimmed\tthe\tbrightness.\tDarkness\tand\tnight\twere\tunknown.\tFew\tamong\tmortals could\t have\t long\t endured\t that\t unchanging\t brilliancy\t of\t light,\t but\t few\t had\t ever found\ttheir\tway\tthither. Nevertheless,\t one\t day\t a\t youth,\t mortal\t on\t his\t mother\u2019s\t side,\t dared\t to approach.\tOften\the\thad\tto\tpause\tand\tclear\this\tdazzled\teyes,\tbut\tthe\terrand\twhich had\tbrought\thim\twas\tso\turgent\tthat\this\tpurpose\theld\tfast\tand\the\tpressed\ton,\tup to\t the\t palace,\t through\t the\t burnished\t doors,\t and\t into\t the\t throne-room\t where surrounded\t by\t a\t blinding,\t blazing\t splendor\t the\t Sun-god\t sat.\t There\t the\t lad\t was forced\tto\thalt.\tHe\tcould\tbear\tno\tmore. Nothing\tescapes\tthe\teyes\tof\tthe\tSun.\tHe\tsaw\tthe\tboy\tinstantly\tand\the\tlooked at\thim\tvery\tkindly.\t\u201cWhat\tbrought\tyou\there?\u201d\the\tasked.\t\u201cI\thave\tcome,\u201d\tthe\tother answered\t boldly,\t \u201cto\t find\t out\t if\t you\t are\t my\t father\t or\t not.\t My\t mother\t said\t you were,\tbut\tthe\tboys\tat\tschool\tlaugh\twhen\tI\ttell\tthem\tI\tam\tyour\tson.\tThey\twill\tnot believe\tme.\tI\ttold\tmy\tmother\tand\tshe\tsaid\tI\thad\tbetter\tgo\tand\task\tyou.\u201d\tSmiling, the\t Sun\t took\t off\t his\t crown\t of\t burning\t light\t so\t that\t the\t lad\t could\t look\t at\t him without\t distress.\t \u201cCome\t here,\t Pha\u00ebthon,\u201d\t he\t said.\t \u201cYou\t are\t my\t son.\t Clymene told\tyou\tthe\ttruth.\tI\texpect\tyou\twill\tnot\tdoubt\tmy\tword,\ttoo?\tBut\tI\twill\tgive\tyou a\tproof.\tAsk\tanything\tyou\twant\tof\tme\tand\tyou\tshall\thave\tit.\tI\tcall\tthe\tStyx\tto\tbe witness\tto\tmy\tpromise,\tthe\triver\tof\tthe\toath\tof\tthe\tgods.\u201d No\t doubt\t Pha\u00ebthon\t had\t often\t watched\t the\t Sun\t riding\t through\t the\t heavens and\thad\ttold\thimself\twith\ta\tfeeling,\thalf\tawe,\thalf\texcitement,\t\u201cIt\tis\tmy\tfather\tup there.\u201d\t And\t then\t he\t would\t wonder\t what\t it\t would\t be\t like\t to\t be\t in\t that\t chariot,","guiding\tthe\tsteeds\talong\tthat\tdizzy\tcourse,\tgiving\tlight\tto\tthe\tworld.\tNow\tat\this father\u2019s\t words\t this\t wild\t dream\t had\t become\t possible.\t Instantly\t he\t cried,\t \u201cI choose\tto\ttake\tyour\tplace,\tFather.\tThat\tis\tthe\tonly\tthing\tI\twant.\tJust\tfor\ta\tday,\ta single\tday,\tlet\tme\thave\tyour\tcar\tto\tdrive.\u201d The\tSun\trealized\this\town\tfolly.\tWhy\thad\the\ttaken\tthat\tfatal\toath\tand\tbound himself\t to\t give\t in\t to\t anything\t that\t happened\t to\t enter\t a\t boy\u2019s\t rash\t young\t head? \u201cDear\t lad,\u201d\t he\t said,\t \u201cthis\t is\t the\t only\t thing\t I\t would\t have\t refused\t you.\t I\t know\t I cannot\trefuse.\tI\thave\tsworn\tby\tthe\tStyx.\tI\tmust\tyield\tif\tyou\tpersist.\tBut\tI\tdo\tnot believe\t you\t will.\t Listen\t while\t I\t tell\t you\t what\t this\t is\t you\t want.\t You\t are Clymene\u2019s\t son\t as\t well\t as\t mine.\t You\t are\t mortal\t and\t no\t mortal\t could\t drive\t my chariot.\tIndeed,\tno\tgod\texcept\tmyself\tcan\tdo\tthat.\tThe\truler\tof\tthe\tgods\tcannot. Consider\t the\t road.\t It\t rises\t up\t from\t the\t sea\t so\t steeply\t that\t the\t horses\t can\t hardly climb\t it,\t fresh\t though\t they\t are\t in\t the\t early\t morning.\t In\t midheaven\t it\t is\t so\t high that\t even\t I\t do\t not\t like\t to\t look\t down.\t Worst\t of\t all\t is\t the\t descent,\t so\t precipitous that\t the\t Sea-gods\t waiting\t to\t receive\t me\t wonder\t how\t I\t can\t avoid\t falling headlong.\t To\t guide\t the\t horses,\t too,\t is\t a\t perpetual\t struggle.\t Their\t fiery\t spirits grow\thotter\tas\tthey\tclimb\tand\tthey\tscarcely\tsuffer\tmy\tcontrol.\tWhat\twould\tthey do\twith\tyou? \u201cAre\t you\t fancying\t that\t there\t are\t all\t sorts\t of\t wonders\t up\t there,\t cities\t of\t the gods\tfull\tof\tbeautiful\tthings?\tNothing\tof\tthe\tkind.\tYou\twill\thave\tto\tpass\tbeasts, fierce\t beasts\t of\t prey,\t and\t they\t are\t all\t that\t you\t will\t see.\t The\t Bull,\t the\t Lion,\t the Scorpion,\tthe\tgreat\tCrab,\teach\twill\ttry\tto\tharm\tyou.\tBe\tpersuaded.\tLook\taround you.\t See\t all\t the\t goods\t the\t rich\t world\t holds.\t Choose\t from\t them\t your\t heart\u2019s desire\t and\t it\t shall\t be\t yours.\t If\t what\t you\t want\t is\t to\t be\t proved\t my\t son,\t my\t fears for\tyou\tare\tproof\tenough\tthat\tI\tam\tyour\tfather.\u201d But\tnone\tof\tall\tthis\twise\ttalk\tmeant\tanything\tto\tthe\tboy.\tA\tglorious\tprospect opened\t before\t him.\t He\t saw\t himself\t proudly\t standing\t in\t that\t wondrous\t car,\t his hands\t triumphantly\t guiding\t those\t steeds\t which\t Jove\t himself\t could\t not\t master. He\tdid\tnot\tgive\ta\tthought\tto\tthe\tdangers\this\tfather\tdetailed.\tHe\tfelt\tnot\ta\tquiver of\tfear,\tnot\ta\tdoubt\tof\this\town\tpowers.\tAt\tlast\tthe\tSun\tgave\tup\ttrying\tto\tdissuade him.\t It\t was\t hopeless,\t as\t he\t saw.\t Besides,\t there\t was\t no\t time.\t The\t moment\t for starting\twas\tat\thand.\tAlready\tthe\tgates\tof\tthe\teast\tglowed\tpurple,\tand\tDawn\thad opened\t her\t courts\t full\t of\t rosy\t light.\t The\t stars\t were\t leaving\t the\t sky;\t even\t the lingering\tmorning\tstar\twas\tdim. There\twas\tneed\tfor\thaste,\tbut\tall\twas\tready.\tThe\tseasons,\tthe\tgatekeepers\tof Olympus,\tstood\twaiting\tto\tfling\tthe\tdoors\twide.\tThe\thorses\thad\tbeen\tbridled\tand yoked\t to\t the\t car.\t Proudly\t and\t joyously\t Pha\u00ebthon\t mounted\t it\t and\t they\t were\t off.","He\thad\tmade\this\tchoice.\tWhatever\tcame\tof\tit\the\tcould\tnot\tchange\tnow.\tNot\tthat he\twanted\tto\tin\tthat\tfirst\texhilarating\trush\tthrough\tthe\tair,\tso\tswift\tthat\tthe\tEast Wind\twas\tout-stripped\tand\tleft\tfar\tbehind.\tThe\thorses\u2019\tflying\tfeet\twent\tthrough the\tlow-banked\tclouds\tnear\tthe\tocean\tas\tthrough\ta\tthin\tsea\tmist\tand\tthen\tup\tand up\t in\t the\t clear\t air,\t climbing\t the\t height\t of\t heaven.\t For\t a\t few\t ecstatic\t moments Pha\u00ebthon\tfelt\thimself\tthe\tLord\tof\tthe\tSky.\tBut\tsuddenly\tthere\twas\ta\tchange.\tThe chariot\twas\tswinging\twildly\tto\tand\tfro;\tthe\tpace\twas\tfaster;\the\thad\tlost\tcontrol. Not\t he,\t but\t the\t horses\t were\t directing\t the\t course.\t That\t light\t weight\t in\t the\t car, those\t feeble\t hands\t clutching\t the\t reins,\t had\t told\t them\t their\t own\t driver\t was\t not there.\tThey\twere\tthe\tmasters\tthen.\tNo\tone\telse\tcould\tcommand\tthem.\tThey\tleft the\t road\t and\t rushed\t where\t they\t chose,\t up,\t down,\t to\t the\t right,\t to\t the\t left.\t They nearly\t wrecked\t the\t chariot\t against\t the\t Scorpion;\t they\t brought\t up\t short\t and almost\tran\tinto\tthe\tCrab.\tBy\tthis\ttime\tthe\tpoor\tcharioteer\twas\thalf\tfainting\twith terror,\tand\the\tlet\tthe\treins\tfall. That\t was\t the\t signal\t for\t still\t more\t mad\t and\t reckless\t running.\t The\t horses soared\tup\tto\tthe\tvery\ttop\tof\tthe\tsky\tand\tthen,\tplunging\theadlong\tdown,\tthey\tset the\tworld\ton\tfire.\tThe\thighest\tmountains\twere\tthe\tfirst\tto\tburn,\tIda\tand\tHelicon, where\t the\t Muses\t dwell,\t Parnassus,\t and\t heaven-piercing\t Olympus.\t Down\t their slopes\t the\t flame\t ran\t to\t the\t low-lying\t valleys\t and\t the\t dark\t forest\t lands,\t until\t all things\teverywhere\twere\tablaze.\tThe\tsprings\tturned\tinto\tsteam;\tthe\trivers\tshrank. It\tis\tsaid\tthat\tit\twas\tthen\tthe\tNile\tfled\tand\thid\this\thead,\twhich\tstill\tis\thidden.","","PLATE\tIV Phaethon\tand\this\tchariot,\tall\ton\tfire,\tfalling\tto\tearth","In\t the\t car\t Pha\u00ebthon,\t hardly\t keeping\t his\t place\t there,\t was\t wrapped\t in\t thick smoke\tand\theat\tas\tif\tfrom\ta\tfiery\tfurnace.\tHe\twanted\tnothing\texcept\tto\thave\tthis torment\t and\t terror\t ended.\t He\t would\t have\t welcomed\t death.\t Mother\t Earth,\t too, could\t bear\t no\t more.\t She\t uttered\t a\t great\t cry\t which\t reached\t up\t to\t the\t gods. Looking\t down\t from\t Olympus\t they\t saw\t that\t they\t must\t act\t quickly\t if\t the\t world was\tto\tbe\tsaved.\tJove\tseized\this\tthunderbolt\tand\thurled\tit\tat\tthe\trash,\trepentant driver.\tIt\tstruck\thim\tdead,\tshattered\tthe\tchariot,\tand\tmade\tthe\tmaddened\thorses rush\tdown\tinto\tthe\tsea. Pha\u00ebthon\t all\t on\t fire\t fell\t from\t the\t car\t through\t the\t air\t to\t the\t earth.\t The mysterious\t river\t Eridanus,\t which\t no\t mortal\t eyes\t have\t ever\t seen,\t received\t him and\tput\tout\tthe\tflames\tand\tcooled\tthe\tbody.\tThe\tnaiads,\tin\tpity\tfor\thim,\tso\tbold and\tso\tyoung\tto\tdie,\tburied\thim\tand\tcarved\tupon\tthe\ttomb:\u2014 Here\tPha\u00ebthon\tlies\twho\tdrove\tthe\tSun-god\u2019s\tcar. Greatly\the\tfailed,\tbut\the\thad\tgreatly\tdared. His\tsisters,\tthe\tHeliades,\tthe\tdaughters\tof\tHelios,\tthe\tSun,\tcame\tto\this\tgrave to\tmourn\tfor\thim.\tThere\tthey\twere\tturned\tinto\tpoplar\ttrees,\ton\tthe\tbank\tof\tthe Eridanus, Where\tsorrowing\tthey\tweep\tinto\tthe\tstream\tforever. And\teach\ttear\tas\tit\tfalls\tshines\tin\tthe\twater A\tglistening\tdrop\tof\tamber.","PEGASUS\tAND\tBELLEROPHON Two\tof\tthe\tepisodes\tin\tthis\tstory\tare\ttaken\tfrom\tthe\tearliest\tpoets.\tHesiod\tin\tthe eighth\tor\tninth\tcentury\ttells\tabout\tthe\tChimaera,\tand\tAnteia\u2019s\tlove\tand\tthe\tsad end\tof\tBellerophon\tare\tin\tthe\tIliad.\tThe\trest\tof\tthe\tstory\tis\ttold\tfirst\tand\tbest\tby Pindar\tin\tthe\tfirst\thalf\tof\tthe\tfifth\tcentury. In\t Ephyre,\t the\t city\t later\t called\t Corinth,\t Glaucus\t was\t King.\t He\t was\t the\t son\t of Sisyphus\twho\t in\t Hades\t must\t forever\t try\tto\t roll\ta\t stone\tuphill\t because\the\t once betrayed\ta\tsecret\tof\tZeus.\tGlaucus,\ttoo,\tdrew\tdown\ton\thimself\tthe\tdispleasure\tof heaven.\t He\t was\t a\t great\t horseman\t and\t he\t fed\t his\t horses\t human\t flesh\t to\t make them\t fierce\t in\t battle.\t Such\t monstrous\t deeds\t always\t angered\t the\t gods\t and\t they served\t him\t as\t he\t had\t served\t others.\t He\t was\t thrown\t from\t his\t chariot\t and\t his horses\ttore\thim\tto\tpieces\tand\tdevoured\thim. In\tthe\tcity\ta\tbold\tand\tbeautiful\tyoung\tman\tnamed\tBellerophon\twas\tgenerally held\t to\t be\t his\t son.\t It\t was\t rumored,\t however,\t that\t Bellerophon\t had\t a\t mightier father,\tPoseidon\thimself,\tthe\tRuler\tof\tthe\tSea,\tand\tthe\tyouth\u2019s\tsurpassing\tgifts\tof spirit\tand\tbody\tmade\tthis\taccount\tof\this\tbirth\tseem\tlikely.\tMoreover\this\tmother, Eurynome,\t although\t a\t mortal,\t had\t been\t taught\t by\t Athena\t until\t in\t wit\t and wisdom\t she\t was\t the\tpeer\t of\t the\tgods.\tIt\twas\tonly\tto\tbe\texpected\ton\tall\tscores","that\t Bellerophon\t should\t seem\t less\t mortal\t than\t divine.\t Great\t adventures\t would call\tto\tsuch\ta\tone\tas\the\tand\tno\tperil\twould\tever\thold\thim\tback.\tAnd\tyet\tthe\tdeed for\t which\t he\t is\t best\t known\t needed\t no\t courage\t at\t all,\t no\t effort,\t even.\t Indeed,\t it proved\tthat What\tman\twould\tswear\tcannot\tbe\tdone\u2014 Must\tnot\tbe\thoped\tfor\u2014the\tgreat\tPower\ton\thigh Can\tgive\tinto\this\thand,\tin\teasy\tmastery. More\tthan\tanything\ton\tearth\tBellerophon\twanted\tPegasus,\ta\tmarvelous\thorse which\t had\t sprung\t from\t the\t Gorgon\u2019s\t blood\t when\t Perseus\t killed\t her\t (see\t Part Three,\tChapter\tI).\tHe\twas A\twinged\tsteed,\tunwearying\tof\tflight, Sweeping\tthrough\tair\tswift\tas\ta\tgale\tof\twind. Wonders\t attended\t him.\t The\t spring\t beloved\t of\t poets,\t Hippocrene,\t on\t Helicon, the\t Muses\u2019\t mountain,\t had\t sprung\t up\t where\t his\t hoof\t had\t struck\t the\t earth.\t Who could\t catch\t and\t tame\t such\t a\t creature?\t Bellerophon\t suffered\t from\t hopeless longing. The\t wise\t seer\t of\t Ephyre\t (Corinth),\t Polyidus,\t to\t whom\t he\t told\t his\t desperate desire,\t advised\t him\t to\t go\t to\t Athena\u2019s\t temple\t and\t sleep\t there.\t The\t gods\t often spoke\t to\t men\t in\t their\t dreams.\t So\t Bellerophon\t went\t to\t the\t holy\t place\t and\t when he\t was\t lying\t deep\t in\t slumber\t beside\t the\t altar\t he\t seemed\t to\t see\t the\t goddess standing\t before\t him\t with\t some\t golden\t thing\t in\t her\t hand.\t She\t said\t to\t him, \u201cAsleep?\tNay,\twake.\tHere\tis\twhat\twill\tcharm\tthe\tsteed\tyou\tcovet.\u201d\tHe\tsprang\tto his\t feet.\t No\t goddess\t was\t there,\t but\t a\t marvelous\t object\t lay\t in\t front\t of\t him,\t a bridle\tall\tof\tgold,\tsuch\tas\tnever\thad\tbeen\tseen\tbefore.\tHopeful\tat\tlast\twith\tit\tin his\t hand,\t he\t hurried\t out\t to\t the\t fields\t to\t find\t Pegasus.\t He\t caught\t sight\t of\t him, drinking\tfrom\tthe\tfar-famed\tspring\tof\tCorinth,\tPirene;\tand\the\tdrew\tgently\tnear. The\t horse\t looked\t at\t him\t tranquilly,\t neither\t startled\t nor\t afraid,\t and\t suffered himself\t to\t be\t bridled\t without\t the\t least\t trouble.\t Athena\u2019s\t charm\t had\t worked. Bellerophon\twas\tmaster\tof\tthe\tglorious\tcreature. In\this\tfull\tsuit\tof\tbronze\tarmor\the\tleaped\tupon\this\tback\tand\tput\thim\tthrough his\tpaces,\tthe\thorse\tseeming\tto\tdelight\tin\tthe\tsport\tas\tmuch\tas\the\thimself.\tNow he\twas\tlord\tof\tthe\tair,\tflying\twherever\the\twould,\tenvied\tof\tall.\tAs\tmatters\tturned","out,\tPegasus\twas\tnot\tonly\ta\tjoy,\tbut\ta\thelp\tin\ttime\tof\tneed\tas\twell,\tfor\thard\ttrials lay\tbefore\tBellerophon. In\tsome\tway,\twe\tare\tnot\ttold\thow\texcept\tthat\tit\twas\tpurely\tthrough\taccident, he\t killed\t his\t brother;\t and\t he\t went\t to\t Argos\t where\t the\t King,\t Proteus,\t purified him.\t There\t his\t trials\t began\t and\t his\t great\t deeds\t as\t well.\t Anteia,\t the\t wife\t of Proteus,\t fell\t in\t love\t with\t him,\t and\t when\t he\t turned\t from\t her\t and\t would\t have nothing\tto\tdo\twith\ther,\tin\ther\tbitter\tanger\tshe\ttold\ther\thusband\tthat\this\tguest\thad wronged\ther\tand\tmust\tdie.\tEnraged\tthough\the\twas,\tProteus\twould\tnot\tkill\thim. Bellerophon\t had\t eaten\t at\t his\t table;\t he\t could\t not\t bring\t himself\t to\t use\t violence against\t him.\t However,\t he\t made\t a\t plan\t which\t seemed\t certain\t to\t have\t the\t same result.\t He\t asked\t the\t youth\t to\t take\t a\t letter\t to\t the\t King\t of\t Lycia\t in\t Asia\t and Bellerophon\t easily\t agreed.\t Long\t journeys\t meant\t nothing\t to\t him\t on\t Pegasus\u2019 back.\tThe\tLycian\tking\treceived\thim\twith\tantique\thospitality\tand\tentertained\thim splendidly\t for\t nine\t days\t before\t he\t asked\t to\t see\t the\t letter.\t Then\t he\t read\t that Proteus\twanted\tthe\tyoung\tman\tkilled. He\t did\t not\t care\t to\t do\t so,\t for\t the\t same\t reason\t that\t had\t made\t Proteus unwilling:\t Zeus\u2019s\t well-known\t hostility\t to\t those\t who\t broke\t the\t bond\t between host\tand\tguest.\tThere\tcould\tbe\tno\tobjection,\thowever,\tto\tsending\tthe\tstranger\ton an\t adventure,\t him\t and\t his\t winged\t horse.\t So\t he\t asked\t him\t to\t go\t and\t slay\t the Chimaera,\t feeling\t quite\t assured\t that\t he\t would\t never\t come\t back.\t The\t Chimaera","was\theld\tto\tbe\tunconquerable.\tShe\twas\ta\tmost\tsingular\tportent,\ta\tlion\tin\tfront,\ta serpent\tbehind,\ta\tgoat\tin\tbetween\u2014 A\tfearful\tcreature,\tgreat\tand\tswift\tof\tfoot\tand\tstrong, Whose\tbreath\twas\tflame\tunquenchable. But\t for\t Bellerophon\t riding\t Pegasus\t there\t was\t no\t need\t to\t come\t anywhere\t near the\t flaming\t monster.\t He\t soared\t up\t over\t her\t and\t shot\t her\t with\t his\t arrows\t at\t no risk\tto\thimself. When\t he\t went\t back\t to\t Proteus,\t the\t latter\t had\t to\t think\t out\t other\t ways\t of disposing\tof\thim.\tHe\tgot\thim\tto\tgo\ton\tan\texpedition,\tagainst\tthe\tSolymi,\tmighty warriors;\t and\t then\t when\t Bellerophon\t had\t succeeded\t in\t conquering\t these,\t on another\t against\t the\t Amazons,\t where\t he\t did\t equally\t well.\t Finally\t Proteus\t was won\tover\tby\this\tcourage\tand\this\tgood\tfortune,\ttoo;\the\tbecame\tfriends\twith\thim and\tgave\thim\this\tdaughter\tto\tmarry. He\tlived\thappily\tthus\tfor\ta\tlong\ttime;\tthen\the\tmade\tthe\tgods\tangry.\tHis\teager ambition\t along\t with\t his\t great\t success\t led\t him\t to\t think\t \u201cthoughts\t too\t great\t for man,\u201d\tthe\tthing\tof\tall\tothers\tthe\tgods\tobjected\tto.\tHe\ttried\tto\tride\tPegasus\tup\tto Olympus.\t He\t believed\t he\t could\t take\t his\t place\t there\t with\t the\t immortals.\t The horse\t was\t wiser.\t He\t would\t not\t try\t the\t flight,\t and\t he\t threw\t his\t rider.\t Thereafter Bellerophon,\t hated\t of\t the\t gods,\t wandered\t alone,\t devouring\t his\t own\t soul\t and avoiding\tthe\tpaths\tof\tmen\tuntil\the\tdied. Pegasus\t found\t shelter\t in\t the\t heavenly\t stalls\t of\t Olympus\t where\t the\t steeds\t of Zeus\t were\t cared\t for.\t Of\t them\t all\t he\t was\t foremost,\t as\t was\t proved\t by\t the extraordinary\t fact\t that\t poets\t report,\t that\t when\t Zeus\t wished\t to\t use\t his thunderbolt,\tit\twas\tPegasus\twho\tbrought\tthe\tthunder\tand\tlightning\tto\thim.","OTUS\tAND\tEPHIALTES This\t story\t is\t alluded\t to\t in\t the\t Odyssey\t and\t the\t Aeneid,\t but\t only\t Apollodorus tells\t it\t in\t full.\t He\t wrote,\t probably,\t in\t the\t first\t or\t second\t century\t A.D.\t A\t dull writer,\tbut\tless\tdull\tthan\tusual\tin\tthis\ttale. These\ttwin\tbrothers\twere\tGiants,\tbut\tthey\tdid\tnot\tlook\tlike\tthe\tmonsters\tof\told. They\twere\tstraight\tof\tform\tand\tnoble\tof\tface.\tHomer\tsays\tthey\twere Tallest\tof\tall\tthat\tthe\tlife-giving\tearth\twith\ther\tbread\tever\tnourished, Handsomest\ttoo,\tafter\tpeerless\tOrion\talone. Virgil\tspeaks\tchiefly\tof\ttheir\tmad\tambition.\tHe\tsays\tthey\twere Twins,\thuge-bodied,\twho\tstrove\twith\ttheir\thands\tto\tdestroy\tthe\thigh\theavens, Strove\tto\tpush\tJupiter\tdown\tfrom\this\tkingdom\tsupernal. They\twere\tthe\tsons\tof\tIphimedia,\tsome\tsay,\tothers,\tof\tCanace.\tAt\tall\tevents, whoever\t their\t mother\t was,\t their\t father\t was\t certainly\t Poseidon,\t although\t they went\t generally\t by\t the\t name\t of\t the\t Aloadae,\t the\t sons\t of\t Aloeus,\t their\t mother\u2019s husband. They\t were\t still\t very\t young\t when\t they\t set\t about\t proving\t that\t they\t were\t the gods\u2019\tsuperiors.\tThey\timprisoned\tAres,\tbound\thim\twith\tchains\tof\tbrass,\tand\tshut him\tup.\tThe\tOlympians\twere\treluctant\tto\ttry\tto\tfree\thim\tby\tforce.\tThey\tsent\tthe cunning\t Hermes\t to\t his\t assistance,\t who\t contrived\t stealthily\t by\t night\t to\t get\t him out\tof\this\tprison.\tThen\tthe\ttwo\tarrogant\tyouths\tdared\tstill\tmore.\tThey\tthreatened that\t they\t would\t pile\t Mount\t Pelion\t on\t Mount\t Ossa\t and\t scale\t the\t heights\t of heaven,\tas\tthe\tGiants\tof\told\thad\tpiled\tOssa\ton\tPelion.\tThis\tpassed\tthe\tendurance of\t the\t immortals,\t and\t Zeus\t got\t ready\t his\t thunderbolt\t to\t strike\t them.\t But\t before he\t hurled\t it\t Poseidon\t came\t begging\t him\t to\t spare\t them\t and\t promising\t to\t keep them\t in\t order.\t Zeus\t agreed\t and\t Poseidon\t was\t as\t good\t as\t his\t word.\t The\t twins stopped\t warring\t against\t heaven\t and\t Poseidon\t felt\t pleased\t with\t himself,\t but\t the fact\twas\tthat\tthe\ttwo\thad\tturned\tto\tother\tplans\twhich\tinterested\tthem\tmore.","Otus\t thought\t it\t would\t be\t an\t excellent\t adventure\t to\t carry\t Hera\t off,\t and Ephialtes\twas\tin\tlove\twith\tArtemis,\tor\tthought\the\twas.\tIn\ttruth\tthe\ttwo\tbrothers cared\tonly\tfor\teach\tother.\tTheirs\twas\ta\tgreat\tdevotion.\tThey\tdrew\tlots\tto\tdecide which\t should\t first\t seize\t his\t lady,\t and\t fortune\t favored\t Ephialtes.\t They\t sought Artemis\teverywhere\tover\tthe\thills\tand\tin\tthe\twoods,\tbut\twhen\tat\tlast\tthey\tcaught sight\tof\ther\tshe\twas\ton\tthe\tseashore,\tmaking\tdirectly\tfor\tthe\tsea.\tShe\tknew\ttheir evil\tpurpose\tand\tshe\tknew,\ttoo,\thow\tshe\twould\tpunish\tthem.\tThey\tsprang\tafter her,\t but\t she\t kept\t straight\t on\t over\t the\t sea.\t All\t of\t Poseidon\u2019s\t sons\t had\t the\t same power:\t they\t could\t run\t dry-shod\t on\t the\t sea\t as\t on\t the\t land,\t so\t the\t two\t followed her\t with\t no\t trouble.\t She\t led\t them\t to\t the\t wooded\t island\t of\t Naxos,\t and\t there, when\t they\t had\t all\t but\t caught\t up\t with\t her,\t she\t disappeared.\t They\t saw\t instead\t a most\tlovely\tmilk-white\thind\tspringing\tinto\tthe\tforest.\tAt\tthe\tsight\tthey\tforgot\tthe goddess\tand\tturned\tin\tpursuit\tof\tthe\tbeautiful\tcreature.\tThey\tlost\ther\tin\tthe\tthick woods\t and\t they\t separated\t in\t order\t to\t double\t the\t chance\t of\t finding\t her.\t At\t the same\t moment\t each\t suddenly\t saw\t her\t standing\t with\t ears\t pricked\t in\t an\t open glade,\t but\t neither\t saw\t that\t back\t in\t the\t trees\t just\t beyond\t her\t was\t his\t brother. They\tthrew\ttheir\tjavelins\tand\tthe\thind\tvanished.\tThe\tweapons\tsped\ton\tacross\tthe empty\t glade\t into\t the\t wood\t and\t there\t found\t their\t mark.\t The\t towering\t forms\t of the\tyoung\thunters\tcrashed\tto\tthe\tground,\teach\tpierced\tby\tthe\tspear\tof\tthe\tother, each\tslaying\tand\tbeing\tslain\tby\tthe\tonly\tcreature\the\tloved. Such\twas\tthe\tvengeance\tof\tArtemis.","DAEDALUS Both\tOvid\tand\tApollodorus\ttell\tthis\tstory.\tApollodorus\tlived\tprobably\tmore\tthan a\thundred\tyears\tafter\tOvid.\tHe\tis\ta\tvery\tpedestrian\twriter\tand\tOvid\tis\tfar\tfrom that.\tBut\tin\tthis\tcase\tI\thave\tfollowed\tApollodorus.\tOvid\u2019s\taccount\tshows\thim\tat his\tworst,\tsentimental\tand\texclamatory. Daedalus\twas\tthe\tarchitect\twho\thad\tcontrived\tthe\tLabyrinth\tfor\tthe\tMinotaur\tin Crete,\t and\t who\t showed\t Ariadne\t how\t Theseus\t could\t escape\t from\t it\t (see\t Part Three,\tChapter\tII).\tWhen\tKing\tMinos\tlearned\tthat\tthe\tAthenians\thad\tfound\ttheir way\t out,\t he\t was\t convinced\t that\t they\t could\t have\t done\t so\t only\t if\t Daedalus\t had helped\t them.\t Accordingly\t he\t imprisoned\t him\t and\t his\t son\t Icarus\t in\t the Labyrinth,\t certainly\t a\t proof\t that\t it\t was\t excellently\t devised\t since\t not\t even\t the maker\tof\tit\tcould\tdiscover\tthe\texit\twithout\ta\tclue.\tBut\tthe\tgreat\tinventor\twas\tnot at\ta\tloss.\tHe\ttold\this\tson, Escape\tmay\tbe\tchecked\tby\twater\tand\tland,\tbut\tthe\tair\tand\tthe\tsky\tare\tfree, and\the\tmade\ttwo\tpairs\tof\twings\tfor\tthem.\tThey\tput\tthem\ton\tand\tjust\tbefore\tthey took\t flight\t Daedalus\t warned\t Icarus\t to\t keep\t a\t middle\t course\t over\t the\t sea.\t If\t he flew\t too\t high\t the\t sun\t might\t melt\t the\t glue\t and\t the\t wings\t drop\t off.\t However,\t as stories\tso\toften\tshow,\twhat\telders\tsay\tyouth\tdisregards.\tAs\tthe\ttwo\tflew\tlightly and\twithout\teffort\taway\tfrom\tCrete\tthe\tdelight\tof\tthis\tnew\tand\twonderful\tpower went\t to\t the\t boy\u2019s\t head.\t He\t soared\t exultingly\t up\t and\t up,\t paying\t no\t heed\t to\t his father\u2019s\t anguished\t commands.\t Then\t he\t fell.\t The\t wings\t had\t come\t off.\t He dropped\t into\t the\t sea\t and\t the\t waters\t closed\t over\t him.\t The\t afflicted\t father\t flew safely\tto\tSicily,\twhere\the\twas\treceived\tkindly\tby\tthe\tKing. Minos\t was\t enraged\t at\t his\t escape\t and\t determined\t to\t find\t him.\t He\t made\t a cunning\t plan.\t He\t had\t it\t proclaimed\t everywhere\t that\t a\t great\t reward\t would\t be given\t to\t whoever\t could\t pass\t a\t thread\t through\t an\t intricately\t spiraled\t shell. Daedalus\ttold\tthe\tSicilian\tking\tthat\the\tcould\tdo\tit.\tHe\tbored\ta\tsmall\thole\tin\tthe closed\t end\t of\t the\t shell,\t fastened\t a\t thread\t to\t an\t ant,\t introduced\t the\t ant\t into\t the hole,\t and\t then\t closed\t it.\t When\t the\t ant\t finally\t came\t out\t at\t the\t other\t end,\t the","thread,\t of\t course,\t was\t running\t clear\t through\t all\t the\t twists\t and\t turns.\t \u201cOnly Daedalus\t would\t think\t of\t that,\u201d\t Minos\t said,\t and\t he\t came\t to\t Sicily\t to\t seize\t him. But\tthe\tKing\trefused\tto\tsurrender\thim,\tand\tin\tthe\tcontest\tMinos\twas\tslain.","PART III","","","I This\t is\t a\t story\t on\t the\t level\t of\t the\t fairy\t story.\t Hermes\t and\t Athena\t act\t like\t the fairy\t godmother\t in\t Cinderella.\t The\t magical\t wallet\t and\t cap\t belong\t to\t the properties\t fairy\t tales\t abound\t in\t everywhere.\t It\t is\t the\t only\t myth\t in\t which\t magic plays\ta\tdecisive\tpart,\tand\tit\tseems\tto\thave\tbeen\ta\tgreat\tfavorite\tin\tGreece.\tMany poets\t allude\t to\t it.\t The\t description\t of\t Dana\u00eb\t in\t the\t wooden\t chest\t was\t the\t most famous\tpassage\tof\ta\tfamous\tpoem\tby\tSimonides\tof\tCeos,\ta\tgreat\tlyric\tpoet\twho lived\tin\tthe\tsixth\tcentury.\tThe\tentire\tstory\tis\ttold\tby\tboth\tOvid\tand\tApollodorus. The\tlatter,\tprobably\ta\thundred\tyears\tlater\tthan\tOvid,\tis\there\tthe\tsuperior\tof\tthe two.\t His\t account\t is\t simple\t and\t straightforward;\t Ovid\u2019s\t extremely\t verbose\u2014for instance,\t he\t takes\t a\t hundred\t lines\t to\t kill\t the\t sea\t serpent.\t I\t have\t followed Apollodorus,\t but\t I\t have\t added\t the\t fragment\t from\t Simonides,\t and\t short quotations\tfrom\tother\tpoets,\tnotably\tHesiod\tand\tPindar. King\t Acrisius\t of\t Argos\t had\t only\t one\t child,\t a\t daughter,\t Dana\u00eb.\t She\t was beautiful\t above\t all\t the\t other\t women\t of\t the\t land,\t but\t this\t was\t small\t comfort\t to the\tKing\tfor\tnot\thaving\ta\tson.\tHe\tjourneyed\tto\tDelphi\tto\task\tthe\tgod\tif\tthere\twas any\thope\tthat\tsome\tday\the\twould\tbe\tthe\tfather\tof\ta\tboy.\tThe\tpriestess\ttold\thim no,\t and\t added\t what\t was\t far\t worse:\t that\t his\t daughter\t would\t have\t a\t son\t who would\tkill\thim. The\t only\t sure\t way\t to\t escape\t that\t fate\t was\t for\t the\t King\t to\t have\t Dana\u00eb","instantly\tput\tto\tdeath\u2014taking\tno\tchances,\tbut\tseeing\tto\tit\thimself.\tThis\tAcrisius would\t not\t do.\t His\t fatherly\t affection\t was\t not\t strong,\t as\t events\t proved,\t but\t his fear\t of\t the\t gods\t was.\t They\t visited\t with\t terrible\t punishment\t those\t who\t shed\t the blood\tof\tkindred.\tAcrisius\tdid\tnot\tdare\tslay\this\tdaughter.\tInstead,\the\thad\ta\thouse built\t all\t of\t bronze\t and\t sunk\t underground,\t but\t with\t part\t of\t the\t roof\t open\t to\t the sky\t so\t that\t light\t and\t air\t could\t come\t through.\t Here\t he\t shut\t her\t up\t and\t guarded her. So\tDana\u00eb\tendured,\tthe\tbeautiful, To\tchange\tthe\tglad\tdaylight\tfor\tbrass-bound\twalls, And\tin\tthat\tchamber\tsecret\tas\tthe\tgrave She\tlived\ta\tprisoner.\tYet\tto\ther\tcame Zeus\tin\tthe\tgolden\train. As\tshe\tsat\tthere\tthrough\tthe\tlong\tdays\tand\thours\twith\tnothing\tto\tdo,\tnothing to\t see\t except\t the\t clouds\t moving\t by\t overhead,\t a\t mysterious\t thing\t happened,\t a shower\tof\tgold\tfell\tfrom\tthe\tsky\tand\tfilled\ther\tchamber.\tHow\tit\twas\trevealed\tto her\t that\t it\t was\t Zeus\t who\t had\t visited\t her\t in\t this\t shape\t we\t are\t not\t told,\t but\t she knew\tthat\tthe\tchild\tshe\tbore\twas\this\tson. For\ta\ttime\tshe\tkept\this\tbirth\tsecret\tfrom\ther\tfather,\tbut\tit\tbecame\tincreasingly difficult\t to\t do\t so\t in\t the\t narrow\t limits\t of\t that\t bronze\t house\t and\t finally\t one\t day the\tlittle\tboy\u2014his\tname\twas\tPerseus\u2014was\tdiscovered\tby\this\tgrandfather.\t\u201cYour child!\u201d\t Acrisius\t cried\t in\t great\t anger.\t \u201cWho\t is\t his\t father?\u201d\t But\t when\t Dana\u00eb answered\tproudly,\t\u201cZeus,\u201d\the\twould\tnot\tbelieve\ther.\tOne\tthing\tonly\the\twas\tsure of,\tthat\tthe\tboy\u2019s\tlife\twas\ta\tterrible\tdanger\tto\this\town.\tHe\twas\tafraid\tto\tkill\thim for\t the\t same\t reason\t that\t had\t kept\t him\t from\t killing\t her,\t fear\t of\t Zeus\t and\t the Furies\t who\t pursue\t such\t murderers.\t But\t if\t he\t could\t not\t kill\t them\t outright,\t he could\tput\tthem\tin\tthe\tway\tof\ttolerably\tcertain\tdeath.\tHe\thad\ta\tgreat\tchest\tmade, and\tthe\ttwo\tplaced\tin\tit.\tThen\tit\twas\ttaken\tout\tto\tsea\tand\tcast\tinto\tthe\twater. In\tthat\tstrange\tboat\tDana\u00eb\tsat\twith\ther\tlittle\tson.\tThe\tdaylight\tfaded\tand\tshe was\talone\ton\tthe\tsea. When\tin\tthe\tcarven\tchest\tthe\twinds\tand\twaves Struck\tfear\tinto\ther\theart\tshe\tput\ther\tarms, Not\twithout\ttears,\tround\tPerseus\ttenderly She\tsaid,\t\u201cO\tson,\twhat\tgrief\tis\tmine.","But\tyou\tsleep\tsoftly,\tlittle\tchild, Sunk\tdeep\tin\trest\twithin\tyour\tcheerless\thome, Only\ta\tbox,\tbrass-bound.\tThe\tnight,\tthis\tdarkness\tvisible, The\tscudding\twaves\tso\tnear\tto\tyour\tsoft\tcurls, The\tshrill\tvoice\tof\tthe\twind,\tyou\tdo\tnot\theed, Nestled\tin\tyour\tred\tcloak,\tfair\tlittle\tface.\u201d Through\tthe\tnight\tin\tthe\ttossing\tchest\tshe\tlistened\tto\tthe\twaters\tthat\tseemed always\tabout\tto\twash\tover\tthem.\tThe\tdawn\tcame,\tbut\twith\tno\tcomfort\tto\ther\tfor she\t could\t not\t see\t it.\t Neither\t could\t she\t see\t that\t around\t them\t there\t were\t islands rising\thigh\tabove\tthe\tsea,\tmany\tislands.\tAll\tshe\tknew\twas\tthat\tpresently\ta\twave seemed\tto\tlift\tthem\tand\tcarry\tthem\tswiftly\ton\tand\tthen,\tretreating,\tleave\tthem\ton something\t solid\t and\t motionless.\t They\t had\t made\t land;\t they\t were\t safe\t from\t the sea,\tbut\tthey\twere\tstill\tin\tthe\tchest,\twith\tno\tway\tto\tget\tout. Fate\t willed\t it\u2014or\t perhaps\t Zeus,\t who\t up\t to\t now\t had\t done\t little\t for\t his\t love and\t his\t child\u2014that\t they\t should\t be\t discovered\t by\t a\t good\t man,\t a\t fisherman named\tDictys.\tHe\tcame\tupon\tthe\tgreat\tbox\tand\tbroke\tit\topen\tand\ttook\tthe\tpitiful cargo\t home\t to\t his\t wife\t who\t was\t as\t kind\t as\t he.\t They\t had\t no\t children\t and\t they cared\tfor\tDana\u00eb\tand\tPerseus\tas\tif\tthey\twere\ttheir\town.\tThe\ttwo\tlived\tthere\tmany years,\t Dana\u00eb\t content\t to\t let\t her\t son\t follow\t the\t fisherman\u2019s\t humble\t trade,\t out\t of harm\u2019s\tway.\tBut\tin\tthe\tend\tmore\ttrouble\tcame.\tPolydectes,\tthe\truler\tof\tthe\tlittle island,\twas\tthe\tbrother\tof\tDictys,\tbut\the\twas\ta\tcruel\tand\truthless\tman.\tHe\tseems to\thave\ttaken\tno\tnotice\tof\tthe\tmother\tand\tson\tfor\ta\tlong\ttime,\tbut\tat\tlast\tDana\u00eb attracted\t his\t attention.\t She\t was\t still\t radiantly\t beautiful\t even\t though\t Perseus\t by now\twas\tfull\tgrown,\tand\tPolydectes\tfell\tin\tlove\twith\ther.\tHe\twanted\ther,\tbut\the did\tnot\twant\ther\tson,\tand\the\tset\thimself\tto\tthink\tout\ta\tway\tof\tgetting\trid\tof\thim. There\t were\t some\t fearsome\t monsters\t called\t Gorgons\t who\t lived\t on\t an\t island and\t were\t known\t far\t and\t wide\t because\t of\t their\t deadly\t power.\t Polydectes evidently\t talked\t to\t Perseus\t about\t them;\t he\t probably\t told\t him\t that\t he\t would rather\thave\tthe\thead\tof\tone\tof\tthem\tthan\tanything\telse\tin\tthe\tworld.\tThis\tseems practically\t certain\t from\t the\t plan\t he\t devised\t for\t killing\t Perseus.\t He\t announced that\t he\t was\t about\t to\t be\t married\t and\t he\t called\t his\t friends\t together\t for\t a celebration,\t including\t Perseus\t in\t the\t invitation.\t Each\t guest,\t as\t was\t customary, brought\ta\tgift\tfor\tthe\tbride-to-be,\texcept\tPerseus\talone.\tHe\thad\tnothing\the\tcould give.\tHe\twas\tyoung\tand\tproud\tand\tkeenly\tmortified.\tHe\tstood\tup\tbefore\tthem\tall and\t did\t exactly\t what\t the\t King\t had\t hoped\t he\t would\t do,\t declared\t that\t he\t would give\t him\t a\t present\t better\t than\t any\t there.\t He\t would\t go\t off\t and\t kill\t Medusa\t and","bring\t back\t her\t head\t as\t his\t gift.\t Nothing\t could\t have\t suited\t the\t King\t better.\t No one\t in\t his\t senses\t would\t have\t made\t such\t a\t proposal.\t Medusa\t was\t one\t of\t the Gorgons. And\tthey\tare\tthree,\tthe\tGorgons,\teach\twith\twings And\tsnaky\thair,\tmost\thorrible\tto\tmortals. Whom\tno\tman\tshall\tbehold\tand\tdraw\tagain The\tbreath\tof\tlife, for\t the\t reason\t that\t whoever\t looked\t at\t them\t was\t turned\t instantly\t into\t stone.\t It seemed\tthat\tPerseus\thad\tbeen\tled\tby\this\tangry\tpride\tinto\tmaking\tan\tempty\tboast. No\tman\tunaided\tcould\tkill\tMedusa. But\t Perseus\t was\t saved\t from\t his\t folly.\t Two\t great\t gods\t were\t watching\t over him.\tHe\ttook\tship\tas\tsoon\tas\the\tleft\tthe\tKing\u2019s\thall,\tnot\tdaring\tto\tsee\this\tmother first\t and\t tell\t her\t what\t he\t intended,\t and\t he\t sailed\t to\t Greece\t to\t learn\t where\t the three\t monsters\t were\t found.\t He\t went\t to\t Delphi,\t but\t all\t the\t priestess\t would\t say was\tto\tbid\thim\tseek\tthe\tland\twhere\tmen\teat\tnot\tDemeter\u2019s\tgolden\tgrain,\tbut\tonly acorns.\t So\t he\t went\t to\t Dodona,\t in\t the\t land\t of\t oak\t trees,\t where\t the\t talking\t oaks were\twhich\tdeclared\tZeus\u2019s\twill\tand\twhere\tthe\tSelli\tlived\twho\tmade\ttheir\tbread from\tacorns.\tThey\tcould\ttell\thim,\thowever,\tno\tmore\tthan\tthis,\tthat\the\twas\tunder the\tprotection\tof\tthe\tgods.\tThey\tdid\tnot\tknow\twhere\tthe\tGorgons\tlived. When\tand\thow\tHermes\tand\tAthena\tcame\tto\this\thelp\tis\tnot\ttold\tin\tany\tstory, but\t he\t must\t have\t known\t despair\t before\t they\t did\t so.\t At\t last,\t however,\t as\t he wandered\t on,\t he\t met\t a\t strange\t and\t beautiful\t person.\t We\t know\t what\t he\t looked like\tfrom\tmany\ta\tpoem,\ta\tyoung\tman\twith\tthe\tfirst\tdown\tupon\this\tcheek\twhen youth\tis\tloveliest,\tcarrying,\tas\tno\tother\tyoung\tman\tever\tdid,\ta\twand\tof\tgold\twith wings\t at\t one\t end,\t wearing\t a\t winged\t hat,\t too,\t and\t winged\t sandals.\t At\t sight\t of him\thope\tmust\thave\tentered\tPerseus\u2019\theart,\tfor\the\twould\tknow\tthat\tthis\tcould\tbe none\tother\tthan\tHermes,\tthe\tguide\tand\tthe\tgiver\tof\tgood. This\tradiant\tpersonage\ttold\thim\tthat\tbefore\the\tattacked\tMedusa\the\tmust\tfirst be\t properly\t equipped,\t and\t that\t what\t he\t needed\t was\t in\t the\t possession\t of\t the nymphs\t of\t the\t North.\t To\t find\t the\t nymphs\u2019\t abode,\t they\t must\t go\t to\t the\t Gray Women\twho\talone\tcould\ttell\tthem\tthe\tway.\tThese\twomen\tdwelt\tin\ta\tland\twhere all\twas\tdim\tand\tshrouded\tin\ttwilight.\tNo\tray\tof\tsun\tlooked\tever\ton\tthat\tcountry, nor\t the\t moon\t by\t night.\t In\t that\t gray\t place\t the\t three\t women\t lived,\t all\t gray themselves\t and\t withered\t as\t in\t extreme\t old\t age.\t They\t were\t strange\t creatures, indeed,\tmost\tof\tall\tbecause\tthey\thad\tbut\tone\teye\tfor\tthe\tthree,\twhich\tit\twas\ttheir","custom\tto\ttake\tturns\twith,\teach\tremoving\tit\tfrom\ther\tforehead\twhen\tshe\thad\thad it\tfor\ta\ttime\tand\thanding\tit\tto\tanother. All\tthis\tHermes\ttold\tPerseus\tand\tthen\the\tunfolded\this\tplan.\tHe\twould\thimself guide\tPerseus\tto\tthem.\tOnce\tthere\tPerseus\tmust\tkeep\thidden\tuntil\the\tsaw\tone\tof them\ttake\tthe\teye\tout\tof\ther\tforehead\tto\tpass\tit\ton.\tAt\tthat\tmoment,\twhen\tnone of\tthe\tthree\tcould\tsee,\the\tmust\trush\tforward\tand\tseize\tthe\teye\tand\trefuse\tto\tgive it\tback\tuntil\tthey\ttold\thim\thow\tto\treach\tthe\tnymphs\tof\tthe\tNorth. He\t himself,\t Hermes\t said,\t would\t give\t him\t a\t sword\t to\t attack\t Medusa\t with\u2014 which\t could\t not\t be\t bent\t or\t broken\t by\t the\t Gorgon\u2019s\t scales,\t no\t matter\t how\t hard they\twere.\tThis\twas\ta\twonderful\tgift,\tno\tdoubt,\tand\tyet\tof\twhat\tuse\twas\ta\tsword when\tthe\tcreature\tto\tbe\tstruck\tby\tit\tcould\tturn\tthe\tswordsman\tinto\tstone\tbefore he\t was\t within\t striking\t distance?\t But\t another\t great\t deity\t was\t at\t hand\t to\t help. Pallas\t Athena\t stood\t beside\t Perseus.\t She\t took\t off\t the\t shield\t of\t polished\t bronze which\tcovered\ther\tbreast\tand\theld\tit\tout\tto\thim.\t\u201cLook\tinto\tthis\twhen\tyou\tattack the\t Gorgon,\u201d\t she\t said.\t \u201cYou\t will\t be\t able\t to\t see\t her\t in\t it\t as\t in\t a\t mirror,\t and\t so avoid\ther\tdeadly\tpower.\u201d Now,\t indeed,\t Perseus\t had\t good\t reason\t to\t hope.\t The\t journey\t to\t the\t twilight land\twas\tlong,\tover\tthe\tstream\tof\tOcean\tand\ton\tto\tthe\tvery\tborder\tof\tthe\tblack country\t where\t the\t Cimmerians\t dwell,\t but\t Hermes\t was\t his\t guide\t and\t he\t could not\tgo\tastray.\tThey\tfound\tthe\tGray\tWomen\tat\tlast,\tlooking\tin\tthe\twavering\tlight like\tgray\tbirds,\tfor\tthey\thad\tthe\tshape\tof\tswans.\tBut\ttheir\theads\twere\thuman\tand beneath\t their\t wings\t they\t had\t arms\t and\t hands.\t Perseus\t did\t just\t as\t Hermes\t had said,\t he\t held\t back\t until\t he\t saw\t one\t of\t them\t take\t the\t eye\t out\t of\t her\t forehead. Then\tbefore\tshe\tcould\tgive\tit\tto\ther\tsister,\the\tsnatched\tit\tout\tof\ther\thand.\tIt\twas a\tmoment\tor\ttwo\tbefore\tthe\tthree\trealized\tthey\thad\tlost\tit.\tEach\tthought\tone\tof the\tothers\thad\tit.\tBut\tPerseus\tspoke\tout\tand\ttold\tthem\the\thad\ttaken\tit\tand\tthat\tit would\tbe\ttheirs\tagain\tonly\twhen\tthey\tshowed\thim\thow\tto\tfind\tthe\tnymphs\tof\tthe North.\tThey\tgave\thim\tfull\tdirections\tat\tonce;\tthey\twould\thave\tdone\tanything\tto get\ttheir\teye\tback.\tHe\treturned\tit\tto\tthem\tand\twent\ton\tthe\tway\tthey\thad\tpointed out\tto\thim.\tHe\twas\tbound,\talthough\the\tdid\tnot\tknow\tit,\tto\tthe\tblessed\tcountry\tof the\tHyperboreans,\tat\tthe\tback\tof\tthe\tNorth\tWind,\tof\twhich\tit\tis\tsaid:\t\u201cNeither\tby ship\t nor\t yet\t by\t land\t shall\t one\t find\t the\t wondrous\t road\t to\t the\t gathering\t place\t of the\tHyperboreans.\u201d\tBut\tPerseus\thad\tHermes\twith\thim,\tso\tthat\tthe\troad\tlay\topen to\thim,\tand\the\treached\tthat\thost\tof\thappy\tpeople\twho\tare\talways\tbanqueting\tand holding\tjoyful\trevelry.\tThey\tshowed\thim\tgreat\tkindness:\tthey\twelcomed\thim\tto their\tfeast,\tand\tthe\tmaidens\tdancing\tto\tthe\tsound\tof\tflute\tand\tlyre\tpaused\tto\tget for\t him\t the\t gifts\t he\t sought.\t These\t were\t three:\t winged\t sandals,\t a\t magic\t wallet","which\t would\t always\t become\t the\t right\t size\t for\t whatever\t was\t to\t be\t carried\t in\t it, and,\t most\t important\t of\t all,\t a\t cap\t which\t made\t the\t wearer\t invisible.\t With\t these and\t Athena\u2019s\t shield\t and\t Hermes\u2019\t sword\t Perseus\t was\t ready\t for\t the\t Gorgons. Hermes\t knew\t where\t they\t lived,\t and\t leaving\t the\t happy\t land\t the\t two\t flew\t back across\tOcean\tand\tover\tthe\tsea\tto\tthe\tTerrible\tSisters\u2019\tisland. By\tgreat\tgood\tfortune\tthey\twere\tall\tasleep\twhen\tPerseus\tfound\tthem.\tIn\tthe mirror\tof\tthe\tbright\tshield\the\tcould\tsee\tthem\tclearly,\tcreatures\twith\tgreat\twings and\t bodies\t covered\t with\t golden\t scales\t and\t hair\t a\t mass\t of\t twisting\t snakes. Athena\t was\t beside\t him\t now\t as\t well\t as\t Hermes.\t They\t told\t him\t which\t one\t was Medusa\t and\t that\t was\t important,\t for\t she\t alone\t of\t the\t three\t could\t be\t killed;\t the other\t two\t were\t immortal.\t Perseus\t on\t his\t winged\t sandals\t hovered\t above\t them, looking,\thowever,\tonly\tat\tthe\tshield.\tThen\the\taimed\ta\tstroke\tdown\tat\tMedusa\u2019s throat\t and\t Athena\t guided\t his\t hand.\t With\t a\t single\t sweep\t of\t his\t sword\t he\t cut through\ther\tneck\tand,\this\teyes\tstill\tfixed\ton\tthe\tshield\twith\tnever\ta\tglance\tat\ther, he\t swooped\t low\t enough\t to\t seize\t the\t head.\t He\t dropped\t it\t into\t the\t wallet\t which closed\taround\tit.\tHe\thad\tnothing\tto\tfear\tfrom\tit\tnow.\tBut\tthe\ttwo\tother\tGorgons had\t awakened\t and,\t horrified\t at\t the\t sight\t of\t their\t sister\t slain,\t tried\t to\t pursue\t the slayer.\tPerseus\twas\tsafe;\the\thad\ton\tthe\tcap\tof\tdarkness\tand\tthey\tcould\tnot\tfind him. So\tover\tthe\tsea\trich-haired\tDana\u00eb\u2019s\tson, Perseus,\ton\this\twinged\tsandals\tsped, Flying\tswift\tas\tthought. In\ta\twallet\tof\tsilver, A\twonder\tto\tbehold, He\tbore\tthe\thead\tof\tthe\tmonster, While\tHermes,\tthe\tson\tof\tMaia, The\tmessenger\tof\tZeus, Kept\tever\tat\this\tside.","","PLATE\tV Medusa","On\this\tway\tback\the\tcame\tto\tEthiopia\tand\talighted\tthere.\tBy\tthis\ttime\tHermes had\t left\t him.\t Perseus\t found,\t as\t Hercules\t was\t later\t to\t find,\t that\t a\t lovely\t maiden had\t been\t given\t up\t to\t be\t devoured\t by\t a\t horrible\t sea\t serpent.\t Her\t name\t was Andromeda\tand\tshe\twas\tthe\tdaughter\tof\ta\tsilly\tvain\twoman, That\tstarred\tEthiop\tqueen\twho\tstrove To\tset\ther\tbeauty\u2019s\tpraise\tabove The\tsea-nymphs,\tand\ttheir\tpower\toffended. She\thad\tboasted\t that\tshe\t was\tmore\tbeautiful\tthan\tthe\tdaughters\tof\tNereus,\tthe Sea-god.\t An\t absolutely\t certain\t way\t in\t those\t days\t to\t draw\t down\t on\t one\t a wretched\t fate\t was\t to\t claim\t superiority\t in\t anything\t over\t any\t deity;\t nevertheless people\twere\tperpetually\tdoing\tso.\tIn\tthis\tcase\tthe\tpunishment\tfor\tthe\tarrogance the\tgods\tdetested\tfell\tnot\ton\tQueen\tCassiopeia,\tAndromeda\u2019s\tmother,\tbut\ton\ther daughter.\t The\t Ethiopians\t were\t being\t devoured\t in\t numbers\t by\t the\t serpent;\t and, learning\t from\t the\t oracle\t that\t they\t could\t be\t freed\t from\t the\t pest\t only\t if Andromeda\t were\t offered\t up\t to\t it,\t they\t forced\t Cepheus,\t her\t father,\t to\t consent. When\tPerseus\tarrived\tthe\tmaiden\twas\ton\ta\trocky\tledge\tby\tthe\tsea,\tchained\tthere to\twait\tfor\tthe\tcoming\tof\tthe\tmonster.\tPerseus\tsaw\ther\tand\ton\tthe\tinstant\tloved her.\tHe\twaited\tbeside\ther\tuntil\tthe\tgreat\tsnake\tcame\tfor\tits\tprey;\tthen\the\tcut\tits head\t off\t just\t as\t he\t had\t the\t Gorgon\u2019s.\t The\t headless\t body\t dropped\t back\t into\t the water;\t Perseus\t took\t Andromeda\t to\t her\t parents\t and\t asked\t for\t her\t hand,\t which they\tgladly\tgave\thim. With\ther\the\tsailed\tback\tto\tthe\tisland\tand\this\tmother,\tbut\tin\tthe\thouse\twhere he\thad\tlived\tso\tlong\the\tfound\tno\tone.\tThe\tfisherman\tDictys\u2019\twife\twas\tlong\tsince dead,\t and\t the\t two\t others,\t Dana\u00eb\t and\t the\t man\t who\t had\t been\t like\t a\t father\t to Perseus,\thad\thad\tto\tfly\tand\thide\tthemselves\tfrom\tPolydectes,\twho\twas\tfurious\tat Dana\u00eb\u2019s\t refusal\t to\t marry\t him.\t They\t had\t taken\t refuge\t in\t a\t temple,\t Perseus\t was told.\t He\t learned\t also\t that\t the\t King\t was\t holding\t a\t banquet\t in\t the\t palace\t and\t all the\t men\t who\t favored\t him\t were\t gathered\t there.\t Perseus\t instantly\t saw\t his opportunity.\t He\t went\t straight\t to\t the\t palace\t and\t entered\t the\t hall.\t As\t he\t stood\t at the\tentrance,\tAthena\u2019s\tshining\tbuckler\ton\this\tbreast,\tthe\tsilver\twallet\tat\this\tside, he\tdrew\tthe\teyes\tof\tevery\tman\tthere.\tThen\tbefore\tany\tcould\tlook\taway\the\theld up\tthe\tGorgon\u2019s\thead;\tand\tat\tthe\tsight\tone\tand\tall,\tthe\tcruel\tKing\tand\this\tservile courtiers,\t were\t turned\t into\t stone.\t There\t they\t sat,\t a\t row\t of\t statues,\t each,\t as\t it were,\tfrozen\tstiff\tin\tthe\tattitude\the\thad\tstruck\twhen\the\tfirst\tsaw\tPerseus. When\t the\t islanders\t knew\t themselves\t freed\t from\t the\t tyrant\t it\t was\t easy\t for","Perseus\tto\tfind\tDana\u00eb\tand\tDictys.\tHe\tmade\tDictys\tking\tof\tthe\tisland,\tbut\the\tand his\tmother\tdecided\tthat\tthey\twould\tgo\tback\twith\tAndromeda\tto\tGreece\tand\ttry to\t be\t reconciled\t to\t Acrisius,\t to\t see\t if\t the\t many\t years\t that\t had\t passed\t since\t he had\t put\t them\t in\t the\t chest\t had\t not\t softened\t him\t so\t that\t he\t would\t be\t glad\t to receive\t his\t daughter\t and\t grandson.\t When\t they\t reached\t Argos,\t however,\t they found\t that\t Acrisius\t had\t been\t driven\t away\t from\t the\t city,\t and\t where\t he\t was\t no one\t could\t say.\t It\t happened\t that\t soon\t after\t their\t arrival\t Perseus\t heard\t that\t the King\t of\t Larissa,\t in\t the\t North,\t was\t holding\t a\t great\t athletic\t contest,\t and\t he journeyed\t there\t to\t take\t part.\t In\t the\t discus-throwing\t when\t his\t turn\t came\t and\t he hurled\tthe\theavy\tmissile,\tit\tswerved\tand\tfell\tamong\tthe\tspectators.\tAcrisius\twas there\ton\ta\tvisit\tto\tthe\tKing,\tand\tthe\tdiscus\tstruck\thim.\tThe\tblow\twas\tfatal\tand\the died\tat\tonce. So\tApollo\u2019s\toracle\twas\tagain\tproved\ttrue.\tIf\tPerseus\tfelt\tany\tgrief,\tat\tleast\the knew\tthat\this\tgrandfather\thad\tdone\this\tbest\tto\tkill\thim\tand\this\tmother.\tWith\this death\ttheir\ttroubles\tcame\tto\tan\tend.\tPerseus\tand\tAndromeda\tlived\thappily\tever after.\tTheir\tson,\tElectryon,\twas\tthe\tgrandfather\tof\tHercules. Medusa\u2019s\t head\t was\t given\t to\t Athena,\t who\t bore\t it\t always\t upon\t the\t aegis, Zeus\u2019s\tshield,\twhich\tshe\tcarried\tfor\thim.","II This\t dearest\t of\t heroes\t to\t the\t Athenians\t engaged\t the\t attention\t of\t many\t writers. Ovid,\t who\t lived\t in\t the\t Augustan\t Age,\t tells\t his\t life\t in\t detail\t and\t so\t does Apollodorus,\tin\tthe\tfirst\tor\tsecond\tcentury\tA.D.\tPlutarch,\ttoo,\ttoward\tthe\tend\tof the\t first\t century\t A.D.\t He\t is\t a\t prominent\t character\t in\t three\t of\t Euripides\u2019\t plays and\t in\t one\t of\t Sophocles\u2019.\t There\t are\t many\t allusions\t to\t him\t in\t prose\t writers\t as well\tas\tpoets.\tI\thave\tfollowed\tApollodorus\ton\tthe\twhole,\tbut\tI\thave\tadded\tfrom Euripides\tthe\tstories\tof\tthe\tappeal\tof\tAdrastus,\tthe\tmadness\tof\tHercules,\tand\tthe fate\t of\t Hippolytus;\t from\t Sophocles\t his\t kindness\t to\t Oedipus;\t from\t Plutarch\t the story\tof\this\tdeath,\tto\twhich\tApollodorus\tgives\tonly\ta\tsentence. The\tgreat\tAthenian\thero\twas\tTheseus.\tHe\thad\tso\tmany\tadventures\tand\ttook\tpart in\t so\t many\t great\t enterprises\t that\t there\t grew\t up\t a\t saying\t in\t Athens,\t \u201cNothing without\tTheseus.\u201d He\twas\tthe\tson\tof\tthe\tAthenian\tKing,\tAegeus.\tHe\tspent\this\tyouth,\thowever, in\t his\t mother\u2019s\t home,\t a\t city\t in\t southern\t Greece.\t Aegeus\t went\t back\t to\t Athens before\t the\t child\t was\t born,\t but\t first\t he\t placed\t in\t a\t hollow\t a\t sword\t and\t a\t pair\t of shoes\tand\tcovered\tthem\twith\ta\tgreat\tstone.\tHe\tdid\tthis\twith\tthe\tknowledge\tof\this wife\t and\t told\t her\t that\t whenever\t the\t boy\u2014if\t it\t was\t a\t boy\u2014grew\t strong\t enough to\troll\taway\tthe\tstone\tand\tget\tthe\tthings\tbeneath\tit,\tshe\tcould\tsend\thim\tto\tAthens to\tclaim\thim\tas\this\tfather.\tThe\tchild\twas\ta\tboy\tand\the\tgrew\tup\tstrong\tfar\tbeyond","others,\tso\tthat\twhen\this\tmother\tfinally\ttook\thim\tto\tthe\tstone\the\tlifted\tit\twith\tno trouble\t at\t all.\t She\t told\t him\t then\t that\t the\t time\t had\t come\t for\t him\t to\t seek\t his father,\t and\t a\t ship\t was\t placed\t at\t his\t disposal\t by\t his\t grandfather.\t But\t Theseus refused\t to\t go\t by\t water,\t because\t the\t voyage\t was\t safe\t and\t easy.\t His\t idea\t was\t to become\ta\tgreat\thero\tas\tquickly\tas\tpossible,\tand\teasy\tsafety\twas\tcertainly\tnot\tthe way\tto\tdo\tthat.\tHercules\t(see\tnext\tchapter),\twho\twas\tthe\tmost\tmagnificent\tof\tall the\theroes\tof\tGreece,\twas\talways\tin\this\tmind,\tand\tthe\tdetermination\tto\tbe\tjust\tas magnificent\thimself.\tThis\twas\tquite\tnatural\tsince\tthe\ttwo\twere\tcousins. He\t steadfastly\t refused,\t therefore,\t the\t ship\t his\t mother\t and\t grandfather\t urged on\t him,\t telling\t them\t that\t to\t sail\t on\t it\t would\t be\t a\t contemptible\t flight\t from danger,\tand\the\tset\tforth\tto\tgo\tto\tAthens\tby\tland.\tThe\tjourney\twas\tlong\tand\tvery hazardous\t because\t of\t the\t bandits\t that\t beset\t the\t road.\t He\t killed\t them\t all, however;\t he\t left\t not\t one\t alive\t to\t trouble\t future\t travelers.\t His\t idea\t of\t dealing justice\t was\t simple,\t but\t effective:\t what\t each\t had\t done\t to\t others,\t Theseus\t did\t to him.\tSciron,\tfor\tinstance,\twho\thad\tmade\tthose\the\tcaptured\tkneel\tto\twash\this\tfeet and\tthen\tkicked\tthem\tdown\tinto\tthe\tsea,\tTheseus\thurled\tover\ta\tprecipice.\tSinis, who\t killed\t people\t by\t fastening\t them\t to\t two\t pine\t trees\t bent\t down\t to\t the\t ground and\tletting\tthe\ttrees\tgo,\tdied\tin\tthat\tway\thimself.\tProcrustes\twas\tplaced\tupon\tthe iron\t bed\t which\t he\t used\t for\t his\t victims,\t tying\t them\t to\t it\t and\t then\t making\t them the\t right\t length\t for\t it\t by\t stretching\t those\t who\t were\t too\t short\t and\t cutting\t off\t as much\t as\t was\t necessary\t from\t those\t who\t were\t too\t long.\t The\t story\t does\t not\t say which\t of\t the\t two\t methods\t was\t used\t in\t his\t case,\t but\t there\t was\t not\t much\t to choose\tbetween\tthem\tand\tin\tone\tway\tor\tthe\tother\tProcrustes\u2019\tcareer\tended. It\tcan\tbe\timagined\thow\tGreece\trang\twith\tthe\tpraises\tof\tthe\tyoung\tman\twho had\tcleared\tthe\tland\tof\tthese\tbanes\tto\ttravelers.\tWhen\the\treached\tAthens\the\twas an\t acknowledged\t hero\t and\t he\t was\t invited\t to\t a\t banquet\t by\t the\t King,\t who\t of course\twas\tunaware\tthat\tTheseus\twas\this\tson.\tIn\tfact\the\twas\tafraid\tof\tthe\tyoung man\u2019s\tgreat\tpopularity,\tthinking\tthat\the\tmight\twin\tthe\tpeople\tover\tto\tmake\thim king,\t and\t he\t invited\t him\t with\t the\t idea\t of\t poisoning\t him.\t The\t plan\t was\t not\t his, but\t Medea\u2019s,\t the\t heroine\t of\t the\t Quest\t of\t the\t Golden\t Fleece\t who\t knew\t through her\t sorcery\t who\t Theseus\t was.\t She\t had\t fled\t to\t Athens\t when\t she\t left\t Corinth\t in her\twinged\tcar,\tand\tshe\thad\tacquired\tgreat\tinfluence\tover\tAegeus,\twhich\tshe\tdid not\t want\t disturbed\t by\t the\t appearance\t of\t a\t son.\t But\t as\t she\t handed\t him\t the poisoned\t cup\t Theseus,\t wishing\t to\t make\t himself\t known\t at\t once\t to\t his\t father, drew\t his\t sword.\t The\t King\t instantly\t recognized\t it\t and\t dashed\t the\t cup\t to\t the ground.\tMedea\tescaped\tas\tshe\talways\tdid\tand\tgot\tsafely\taway\tto\tAsia. Aegeus\t then\t proclaimed\t to\t the\t country\t that\t Theseus\t was\t his\t son\t and\t heir.","The\t new\t heir\t apparent\t soon\t had\t an\t opportunity\t to\t endear\t himself\t to\t the Athenians. Years\tbefore\this\tarrival\tin\tAthens,\ta\tterrible\tmisfortune\thad\thappened\tto\tthe city.\tMinos,\tthe\tpowerful\truler\tof\tCrete,\thad\tlost\this\tonly\tson,\tAndrogeus,\twhile the\tyoung\tman\twas\tvisiting\tthe\tAthenian\tKing.\tKing\tAegeus\thad\tdone\twhat\tno host\t should\t do,\t he\t had\t sent\t his\t guest\t on\t an\t expedition\t full\t of\t peril\u2014to\t kill\t a dangerous\t bull.\t Instead,\t the\t bull\t had\t killed\t the\t youth.\t Minos\t invaded\t the country,\tcaptured\tAthens,\tand\tdeclared\tthat\the\twould\traze\tit\tto\tthe\tground\tunless every\t nine\t years\t the\t people\t sent\t him\t a\t tribute\t of\t seven\t maidens\t and\t seven youths.\tA\thorrible\tfate\tawaited\tthese\tyoung\tcreatures.\tWhen\tthey\treached\tCrete they\twere\tgiven\tto\tthe\tMinotaur\tto\tdevour. The\t Minotaur\t was\t a\t monster,\t half\t bull,\t half\t human,\t the\t offspring\t of\t Minos\u2019 wife\t Pasipha\u00eb\t and\t a\t wonderfully\t beautiful\t bull.\t Poseidon\t had\t given\t this\t bull\t to Minos\t in\t order\t that\t he\t should\t sacrifice\t it\t to\t him,\t but\t Minos\t could\t not\t bear\t to slay\tit\tand\thad\tkept\tit\tfor\thimself.\tTo\tpunish\thim,\tPoseidon\thad\tmade\tPasipha\u00eb fall\tmadly\tin\tlove\twith\tit. When\t the\t Minotaur\t was\t born\t Minos\t did\t not\t kill\t him.\t He\t had\t Daedalus,\t a great\t architect\t and\t inventor,\t construct\t a\t place\t of\t confinement\t for\t him\t from which\t escape\t was\t impossible.\t Daedalus\t built\t the\t Labyrinth,\t famous\t throughout the\tworld.\tOnce\tinside,\tone\twould\tgo\tendlessly\talong\tits\ttwisting\tpaths\twithout ever\t finding\t the\t exit.\t To\t this\t place\t the\t young\t Athenians\t were\t each\t time\t taken and\t left\t to\t the\t Minotaur.\t There\t was\t no\t possible\t way\t to\t escape.\t In\t whatever direction\t they\t ran\t they\t might\t be\t running\t straight\t to\t the\t monster;\t if\t they\t stood still\the\tmight\tat\tany\tmoment\temerge\tfrom\tthe\tmaze.\tSuch\twas\tthe\tdoom\twhich awaited\t fourteen\t youths\t and\t maidens\t a\t few\t days\t after\t Theseus\t reached\t Athens. The\ttime\thad\tcome\tfor\tthe\tnext\tinstallment\tof\tthe\ttribute. At\t once\t Theseus\t came\t forward\t and\t offered\t to\t be\t one\t of\t the\t victims.\t All loved\t him\t for\t his\t goodness\t and\t admired\t him\t for\t his\t nobility,\t but\t they\t had\t no idea\tthat\the\tintended\tto\ttry\tto\tkill\tthe\tMinotaur.\tHe\ttold\this\tfather,\thowever,\tand promised\thim\tthat\tif\the\tsucceeded,\the\twould\thave\tthe\tblack\tsail\twhich\tthe\tship with\t its\t cargo\t of\t misery\t always\t carried\t changed\t to\t a\t white\t one,\t so\t that\t Aegeus could\tknow\tlong\tbefore\tit\tcame\tto\tland\tthat\this\tson\twas\tsafe.","","PLATE\tVI The\tMinotaur\tand\tTheseus\tin\tthe\tLabyrinth"]
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