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025 - Legends The Argonauts · Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome

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Speaker 1: Section twenty four of Myths and Legends. This is a
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Speaker 1: LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
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Speaker 1: Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome by E. M.
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Speaker 1: Barons the Argonauts. Aeson, king of Yolpis, was forced to
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Speaker 1: fly from his dominions, which had been usurped by his
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Speaker 1: younger brother Pelias, and with difficulty, succeeded in saving the
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Speaker 1: life of his young son, Jason, who was at that
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Speaker 1: time only ten years of age. He entrusted him to
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Speaker 1: the care of the centaur Chiron, by whom he was
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Speaker 1: carefully trained, in company with other noble youths, who, like himself,
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Speaker 1: afterwards signalized themselves by their bravery and heroic exploits. For
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Speaker 1: ten years, Jason remained in the cave of the centaur,
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Speaker 1: by whom he was instructed in all useful and warlike arts.
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Speaker 1: But as he approached manhood, he became filled with an
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Speaker 1: unconquerable desire to regain his paternal inheritance. He therefore took
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Speaker 1: leave of his kind friend and preceptor, and set out
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Speaker 1: for Yolcus to demand from his uncle Pelias the kingdom
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Speaker 1: which he had so unjustly usurped. In the course of
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Speaker 1: his journey, he came to a broad and foaming river,
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Speaker 1: on the banks of which he perceived an old woman
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Speaker 1: who implored him to help her across. At first, he hesitated,
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Speaker 1: knowing that even alone he would find some difficulty in
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Speaker 1: stemming the fierce torrent, But pitying her forlorn condition, he
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Speaker 1: raised her in his arms and succeeded with a great
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Speaker 1: effort in reaching the opposite shore. But as soon as
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Speaker 1: her feet had touched the earth, she became transformed into
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Speaker 1: a beautiful words woman, who, looking kindly at the bewildered youth,
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Speaker 1: informed him that she was the goddess Hera, and that
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Speaker 1: she would henceforth guide and protect him throughout his career.
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Speaker 1: She then disappeared, and, full of hope and courage at
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Speaker 1: his divine manifestation, Jason pursued his journey. He now perceived
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Speaker 1: that in crossing the river he had lost one of
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Speaker 1: his sandals, but as it could not be recovered, he
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Speaker 1: was obliged to proceed without it. On his arrival at Yulkus,
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Speaker 1: he found his uncle in the market place offering up
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Speaker 1: a public sacrifice to Poseidon. When the king had concluded
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Speaker 1: his offering, his eye fell upon the distinguished stranger, whose
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Speaker 1: manly beauty and heroic bearing had already attracted the attention
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Speaker 1: of his people. Observing that one foot was unshot, he
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Speaker 1: was reminded of an oracular prediction, which foretold to him
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Speaker 1: the loss of his kingdom by a man wearing only
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Speaker 1: one sandal. He, however, disguised his fears, conversed kindly with
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Speaker 1: the youth, and drew from him his name an errand, then,
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Speaker 1: pretending to be highly pleased with his nephew, Pelias entertained
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Speaker 1: him sumptuously for five days, during which time all was
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Speaker 1: festivity and rejoicing. On the sixth Jason appeared before his uncle,
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Speaker 1: and with manly firmness, demanded from him the throne and kingdom,
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Speaker 1: which were his by right. Pelias, dissembling his true feelings, smilingly,
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Speaker 1: consented to grant his request, provided that in return, Jason
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Speaker 1: would undertake an expedition for him, which his advanced age
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Speaker 1: prevented him from accomplishing himself. He informed his nephew that
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Speaker 1: the shade of Phrygis had appeared to him in his
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Speaker 1: dreams and entreated him to bring back from Colchis his
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Speaker 1: mortal remains and the golden fleece, and added that if
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Speaker 1: Jason's succeeded in obtaining for him these sacred relics, throne,
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Speaker 1: kingdom and scepter, would be his story of the Golden Fleece. Athamas,
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Speaker 1: king of Ghosha, had married Nephili, a cloud nymph, and
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Speaker 1: their children were Helli and Phryxis. The restless and wandering
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Speaker 1: nature of Nephili, however, soon wearied her husband, who, being immortal,
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Speaker 1: had little sympathy with his ethereal consort, so he divorced
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Speaker 1: her and married the beautiful but wicked Io, sister of Semele,
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Speaker 1: who hated her stepchildren and even planned their destruction. But
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Speaker 1: the watchful Nephili contrived to circumvent her cruel designs and
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Speaker 1: succeeded in getting the children out of the palace. She
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Speaker 1: then placed them both on the back of the winged
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Speaker 1: ram with a fleece of pure gold, which had been
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Speaker 1: given to her by Hermes, and on this wonderful animal,
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Speaker 1: brother and sister rode through the air, over land and sea,
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Speaker 1: but on the way, Helli becoming seized with Giddiness, fell
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Speaker 1: into the sea called after her the Hellespont, and was drowned.
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Speaker 1: Phryxis arrived safely at Colchis, where he was hospitably received
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Speaker 1: by King Eighties, who gave him one of his daughters
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Speaker 1: in marriage, and gratitude to Zeus for the protection accorded
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Speaker 1: him during his flight, Pryxis sacrificed to him the Golden ramp,
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Speaker 1: whilst the fleece he presented to Eighties, who nailed it
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Speaker 1: up in the grove of Ares and dedicated it to
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Speaker 1: the god of war an oracle. Having declared that the
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Speaker 1: life of Eighties depended on the safe keeping off the fleece,
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Speaker 1: he carefully guarded the entrance to the grove by placing
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Speaker 1: before it an immense dragon, which never slept, building and
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Speaker 1: launch off the argo. We will now return to Jason,
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Speaker 1: who eagerly undertook the perilous ex expedition proposed to him
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Speaker 1: by his uncle, who, while aware of the dangers attending
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Speaker 1: such an enterprise, hoped by this means to rid himself
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Speaker 1: forever of the unwelcome intruder. Jason accordingly began to arrange
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Speaker 1: his plans without delay, and invited the young heroes whose
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Speaker 1: friendship he had formed whilst under the care of Chirn,
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Speaker 1: to join him in the perilous expedition. None refused the invitation,
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Speaker 1: all feeling honored at being allowed the privilege of taking
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Speaker 1: part in so noble and heroic an undertaking. Jason now
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Speaker 1: applied to Argos, one of the Cleverest's ship builders of
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Speaker 1: this time, who under the guidance of Pallas Athene, built
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Speaker 1: for him a splendid fifty oared galley, which was called
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Speaker 1: the Argo after the builder. In the upper deck of
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Speaker 1: the vessel, the goddess had embedded a board from the
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Speaker 1: speaking oak of the oracle of Zeus at Dodona, which ever,
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Speaker 1: retained its powers of prophecy. The exterior of the ship
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Speaker 1: was ornamented with magnificent carvings, and the whole vessel was
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Speaker 1: so strongly built that it defied the power of the
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Speaker 1: winds and weaves, and was nevertheless so light that the heroes,
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Speaker 1: when necessary, were able to carry it on their shoulders.
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Speaker 1: When the vessel was completed, the Argonauts so called, after
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Speaker 1: their ship assembled and their places were distributed by lot,
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Speaker 1: Jason was appointed commander in chief of the expedition. Typhus
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Speaker 1: acted as steerman Lynceus as pilot in the bow of
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Speaker 1: the vessel, sat the renowned hero Heracles in the stern, Pelaeus,
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Speaker 1: father of Achilles, and Telamon, the father of Ajax the Great.
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Speaker 1: In the inner space were Castor and Pollux, Nelius the
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Speaker 1: father of Nestor, Admetus, the husband of Alcists the Leaguer,
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Speaker 1: the slayer of the Caledonian boar, Orpheus, the renowned singer, Menoctius,
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Speaker 1: the father of Patroclus, Theseus afterwards king of Athens, and
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Speaker 1: his friend Pirithius, the son of Ysian, Hylas, the adopted
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Speaker 1: son of Heracles, Euphemus the son of Poseidon, Oelius, father
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Speaker 1: of Ajax, the Lesser, Zitis, and Calais, the winged sons
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Speaker 1: of Boreas, Idemen the Seir, the son of Apollo, Mopsus,
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Speaker 1: the Thessalian prophet, et cetera, et cetera. Before their departure,
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Speaker 1: Jason offered a solemn sacrifice to Poseidon and all the
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Speaker 1: other seed deities. He also invoked the protection of Zeus
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Speaker 1: and the fates, and then Mopsus, having taken the auguris
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Speaker 1: and found them auspicious, the heroes stepped on board, and
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Speaker 1: now a favorable breeze having sprung up, they take their
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Speaker 1: allotted places. The anchors wade, and the ship glides like
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Speaker 1: a bird out of the harbor into the waters of
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Speaker 1: the great Sea. Arrival at Lemns, the Argo, with her
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Speaker 1: brave crew of fifty heroes, was soon out of sight,
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Speaker 1: and the sea breeze only waffed to the shore, a
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Speaker 1: faint echo of the sweet strains of Orpheus. For a
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Speaker 1: time all went smoothly, but the vessel was soon driven
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Speaker 1: by stress of weather to take refuge in a harbor
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Speaker 1: in the island of Lemnos. This island was inhabited by
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Speaker 1: women only, who the year before, in a fit of
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Speaker 1: mad jealousy, had killed all the male population of the island,
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Speaker 1: with the exception of the father of the queen, Hypsipoly.
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Speaker 1: As the protection of their island now devolved upon themselves,
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Speaker 1: they were always on the lookout for danger. When therefore
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Speaker 1: they sighted the Argo from afar, they armed themselves and
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Speaker 1: rushed to the shore, the determined to repel any invasion
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Speaker 1: of their territory. On arriving in port, the Argonauts, astonished
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Speaker 1: at beholding an armed crowd of women, dispatched a herald
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Speaker 1: in one of their boats bearing the staff of Peace
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Speaker 1: and Friendship. Hypsippily, the Queen proposed that food and presents
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Speaker 1: should be sent to the strangers in order to prevent
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Speaker 1: their landing, but her old nurse, who stood beside her,
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Speaker 1: suggested that this would be a good opportunity to provide
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Speaker 1: themselves with noble husbands who would act as their defenders
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Speaker 1: and thus put an end to their constant fears. Hypsippily
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Speaker 1: listened attentively to the advice of her nurse, and after
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Speaker 1: some consultation, decided to invite the strangers into the city.
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Speaker 1: Robed in his purple mantle the gift of pallas Athene, Jason,
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Speaker 1: accompanied by some of his companions, stepped on shore, where
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Speaker 1: he was met by a deputation consisting of the most
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Speaker 1: beautiful of the Lemnian women, and, as commander of the expedition,
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Speaker 1: was invited into the palace of the Queen. When he
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Speaker 1: appeared before Hypsipoly, she was so struck with his godlike
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Speaker 1: and heroic presence that she presented him with her father's
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Speaker 1: scepter and invited him to seat himself on the throne
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Speaker 1: beside her. Jason thereupon took up his residence in the
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Speaker 1: royal castle, whilst his companions scattered themselves through the town,
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Speaker 1: spending their time in feasting and pleasure. Heracles, with a
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Speaker 1: few chosen comrades, also remained on board from day to day.
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Speaker 1: Their departure was delayed, and the Argonauts, in their new
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Speaker 1: life of dissipation, had almost forgotten the object of the expedition,
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Speaker 1: when Heracles suddenly appeared amongst them and at last recalled
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Speaker 1: them to a sense of their duties. Giants and dolionas
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Speaker 1: the Argonauts now pursued their voyage till contrary winds drove
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Speaker 1: them toward an island inhabited by the Delions, whose king
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Speaker 1: Sysypus received them with great kindness and hospitality. The Delions
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Speaker 1: were descendants of Poseidon, who protected them against the frequent
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Speaker 1: attacks of their fears and formidable neighbors, the earth born
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Speaker 1: giants monsters with six arms. Whilst his companions were attending
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Speaker 1: a banquet given by King Sisisicus, Heracles, who as usual
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Speaker 1: had remained behind to guard the ship, observed that these
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Speaker 1: giants were busy blocking up the harbor with huge rocks.
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Speaker 1: He at once realized the danger, and attacking them with
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Speaker 1: his arrews succeeded in considerably thinning their numbers. Then, assisted
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Speaker 1: by the Heroes, who at length came to his aid,
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Speaker 1: he victually destroyed the remainder. The argo now steered out
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Speaker 1: of the harbor and set sail, but, in consequence of
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Speaker 1: a severe storm which arose at night, was driven back
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Speaker 1: once more to the shores of the kindly Delioness. Unfortunately, however,
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Speaker 1: owing to the darkness of the night, the inhabitants failed
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Speaker 1: to recognize their former guests, and, mistaking them for enemies,
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Speaker 1: commenced to attack them. Those who had so recently parted
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Speaker 1: as friends were now engaged in mortal combat, and in
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Speaker 1: the battle which ensued, Jason himself pierced to the heart
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Speaker 1: his friend King Sisissicus, whereupon the Delioness, being deprived of
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Speaker 1: their leader, fled to their city and closed the gates.
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Speaker 1: When morning dawned and both sides perceived their error, they
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Speaker 1: were filled with the deepest sorrow and remorse, and for
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Speaker 1: three days the heroes remained with the Delioness, celebrating the
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Speaker 1: funeral rites of the slain with every demonstration of mourning
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Speaker 1: and solemnity. Heracles left behind. The Argonauts once more set sail,
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Speaker 1: and after a stormy voyage arrived at Messia, where they
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Speaker 1: were hospitably received by the inhabitants, who spread before them
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Speaker 1: plentiful banquets and sumptuously regaled them. While his friends were feasting, Heracles,
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Speaker 1: who had declined to join them, went into the forest
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Speaker 1: to seek a fir tree, which he required for an oar,
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Speaker 1: and was missed by his adopted son Hylas, who set
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Speaker 1: out to seek it. When the youth arrived at a
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Speaker 1: spring in the most secluded part of the forest, the
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Speaker 1: nymph of the fountain was so struck by his beauty
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Speaker 1: that she drew him down beneath the waters, and he
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Speaker 1: was seen no more. Polyphemus, one of the heroes, who
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Speaker 1: happened to be also in the forest, heard his cry
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Speaker 1: for help, and on me eating Heracles, and formed him
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Speaker 1: of the circumstance. They at once set out in search
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Speaker 1: of the missing youth, no traces of whom were to
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Speaker 1: be found, and whilst they were engaged looking for him,
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Speaker 1: the argos set sail and left them behind. The ship
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Speaker 1: had proceeded some distance before the absence of Heracles was observed.
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Speaker 1: Some of the heroes were in favor of returning for him,
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Speaker 1: others wished to proceed on their journey, when in the
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Speaker 1: midst of a dispute, the sea god Clochus arose from
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Speaker 1: the waves and informed them that it was the will
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Speaker 1: of Zeus that Heracles, having another mission to perform, should
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Speaker 1: remain behind. The Argonauts continued their voyage without their companions.
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Speaker 1: Heracles returned to Argos, whilst Polyphemus remained with the Messians,
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Speaker 1: where he founded a city and became its king. Contest
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Speaker 1: with Amicus. Next morning, the argo touched at the country
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Speaker 1: of the Bebrycians, whose king Amicus was a famous fudlists
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Speaker 1: and permitted no strangers to leave his shores without matching
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Speaker 1: their strength with his. When the heroes therefore demanded permission
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Speaker 1: to land, they were informed that they could only do
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Speaker 1: so provided that one of their number should engage in
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Speaker 1: a boxing match with the king. Pollux, who was the
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Speaker 1: best feudalist in Greece, was selected as their champion, and
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Speaker 1: a contest took place, which, after a tremendous struggle, proved
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Speaker 1: fatal to Amicus, who had hitherto been victorious in all
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Speaker 1: similar encounters Phineas and the Harpies. They now proceeded towards Bithynia,
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Speaker 1: where rain declined old prophet King Phineas, son of Agenore.
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Speaker 1: Phineas had been punished by the gods with premature old
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Speaker 1: age and blindness for having abused the gift of prophecy.
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Speaker 1: He was also prevented by the harpies, who swooped down
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Speaker 1: upon his food, which they either devoured or so defiled
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Speaker 1: as to render it unfit to be eaten. This poor
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Speaker 1: old man, trembling with the weakness of age and faint
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Speaker 1: with hunger, appeared before the Argonauts and implored their assistance
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Speaker 1: against the fiendish tormentors, whereupon Cytis and Calais, the winged
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Speaker 1: sons of Boreeus, recognizing in him the husband of their
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Speaker 1: sister Cleopatra, affectionately embraced him and promised to rescue him
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Speaker 1: from his painful position. The heroes prepared a banquet on
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Speaker 1: the sea shore, to which they invited Phineas, But no
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Speaker 1: sooner had he taken his place than the harpies appeared
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Speaker 1: and devoured all the viands. Ztis and Calais now rose
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Speaker 1: up into the air, drove the harpies away, and were
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Speaker 1: pursuing them with drawn swords, when Iris, the swift footed
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Speaker 1: messenger of the gods appeared and desired them to desist
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Speaker 1: from their work of vengeance, promising that Phineas should be
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Speaker 1: no longer molested. Freed at length from his tormentors, the
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Speaker 1: old man sat down and enjoyed a plentiful repast with
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Speaker 1: his kind friends, the Argonauts, who now informed him of
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Speaker 1: the object of their voyage. Ingratitude for his deliverance, Phineas
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Speaker 1: gave them much useful information concerning their journey, and not
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Speaker 1: only warned them of the many fold dangers awaiting them,
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Speaker 1: but also instructed them how they might be overcome passage
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Speaker 1: of the Simple Gates. After a fortnight's sojourn in Bithynia,
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Speaker 1: the Argonauts once more set sail, but had not proceeded
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Speaker 1: far on their course when they heard a fearful and
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Speaker 1: tremendous crash. This was caused by the meaning of two
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Speaker 1: great rocky islands called the Simplebates, which floated about in
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Speaker 1: the sea and constantly met and separated. Before leaving Bithynia,
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Speaker 1: the blind old seer Phineas had informed them that they
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Speaker 1: would be compelled to pass between these two terrible rocks,
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Speaker 1: and he instructed them how to do so with safety.
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Speaker 1: As they now approached the scene of danger, they remembered
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Speaker 1: his advice and acted upon it. Typhus, the steersman, stood
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Speaker 1: at the helm, whilst the femis held in his hand
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Speaker 1: a dove ready to be let loose, For Phineas had
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Speaker 1: told them that if the dove ventured to fly through,
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Speaker 1: they might safely follow. If Femus now dispatched a bird,
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Speaker 1: which passed swiftly through the islands, yet not without losing
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Speaker 1: some of the feathers off her tail, so speedily that
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Speaker 1: they reunite. Seizing the moment when the rocks once more separated,
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Speaker 1: the Argonauts worked at their oars with all their might
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Speaker 1: and achieved the perilous passage and safety. After the miraculous
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Speaker 1: passage of the Argo, the simple gates became permanently united
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Speaker 1: and attached to the bottom of the sea the Stymphalidies.
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Speaker 1: The Argo pursued her course along the southern coast of
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Speaker 1: the Pontus and arrived at the islands of Arretius, which
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Speaker 1: was inhabited by birds, who, as they flew through the air,
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Speaker 1: discharged from their wings of feathers sharp as arrows. As
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Speaker 1: the ship was gliding along, Poleus was wounded by one
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Speaker 1: of these birds, whereupon the Argonauts held a council, and,
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Speaker 1: by the advice of Amphidimus, an experienced hero, all put
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Speaker 1: on their helmets and held up their glittering shields, uttering
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Speaker 1: at the same time such fearful cries that the birds
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Speaker 1: flew away in terror, and the Argonauts were enabled to
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Speaker 1: land with safety on the island. Here they found four
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Speaker 1: shipwrecked youths who prove to be the sons of Friars,
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Speaker 1: and were greeted by Jason as his cousins. On ascertaining
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Speaker 1: the object of the expedition, they volunteered to accompany the
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Speaker 1: argo and to show the heroes the way to Colchis.
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Speaker 1: They also informed them that the golden fleece was guarded
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Speaker 1: by a fearful dragon, that King Adiges was extremely cruel,
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Speaker 1: and as the son of Apollo was possessed of superhuman strength.
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Speaker 1: Arrival at Colchis, taking with them the four newcomers, they
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Speaker 1: journeyed on and soon came in sight of the snow
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Speaker 1: capped peaks of the Caucasus, when towards evening, the loud
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Speaker 1: flapping of wings was heard overhead. It was the giant
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Speaker 1: eagle of Prometheus on his way to torture the noble
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Speaker 1: and long suffering Titan, whose fearful groans soon afterwards fell
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Speaker 1: upon their ears. That night they reach their journey's end,
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Speaker 1: and anchored in the smooth waters of the river Faces
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Speaker 1: on the left bank of this river, they beheld Ceuta,
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Speaker 1: the capital of Colchis, and on their right a wide
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Speaker 1: field and the sacred grove of Ares, where the golden fleece,
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Speaker 1: suspended from a magnificent oak tree, was glittering in the sun.
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Speaker 1: Jason now filled a golden cup with wine and offered
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Speaker 1: a libation to Mother Earth, the gods of the country,
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Speaker 1: and the shades of those of the heroes who had
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Speaker 1: died on the voyage. Next morning, a council was held
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Speaker 1: in which it was decided that before resorting to forcible measures,
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Speaker 1: kind and conciliatory overtures should first be made to King Athies,
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Speaker 1: in order to induce him to resign the golden fleece.
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Speaker 1: It was arranged that Jason, with a few chosen companions,
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Speaker 1: should proceed to the royal castle, leaving the remainder of
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Speaker 1: the crew to guard the argo. Accompanied therefore by Pelamon
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Speaker 1: and Oggias and the four sons of Ryss, he set
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Speaker 1: out for the palace. When they arrived inside of the pastle,
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Speaker 1: they were struck by the vastness and massiveness of the
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Speaker 1: building at the entrance to which sparkling fountains played in
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Speaker 1: the midst of luxuriant and park like gardens. Here, the
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Speaker 1: king's daughters, Chalciope and Medeia, who were walking in the
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Speaker 1: grounds of the palace, met them. The former, to her
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Speaker 1: great joy, recognized in the youths who accompanied the hero
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Speaker 1: her own long lost sons, whom she had mourned as dead,
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Speaker 1: whilst the young and lovely Medeia was struck with the
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Speaker 1: noble and manly form of Jason. The news of the
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Speaker 1: return of the sons of Rysis soon spread through the
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Speaker 1: palace and brought Eight himself to the scene, whereupon the
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Speaker 1: strangers were presented to him and were invited to a banquet,
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Speaker 1: which the King ordered to be prepared in their honor.
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Speaker 1: All the most beautiful ladies of the court were present
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Speaker 1: at this entertainment, but in the eyes of Jason, none
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Speaker 1: could compare with the King's daughter, the young and lovely Medeia.
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Speaker 1: When the banquet was ended, Jason related to the King
24:27
Speaker 1: his various adventures and also the object of his expedition
24:31
Speaker 1: with the circumstances which had led to his undertaking it.
24:36
Speaker 1: Eighties listened in silent indignation to this recital, and then
24:41
Speaker 1: burst out into a torrent of inventives against the Argonauts
24:47
Speaker 1: and his grandchildren, declaring that the fleece was his rightful property,
24:53
Speaker 1: and that on no consideration would he consent to relinquish it. Jason,
24:59
Speaker 1: how however, with mild and persuasive words, contrived so far
25:04
Speaker 1: to conciliate him that he was induced to promise that
25:08
Speaker 1: if the heroes could succeed in demonstrating their divine origin
25:12
Speaker 1: by the performance of some task requiring superhuman power, the
25:17
Speaker 1: fleece should be theirs. The task proposed by Eighties to
25:23
Speaker 1: Jason was that he should yoke the two brazen footed,
25:27
Speaker 1: fire breathing oxen off the King, which had been made
25:31
Speaker 1: for him by Hephaestus, to his ponderous iron plow. Having
25:37
Speaker 1: done this, he must still with them the stony fields
25:40
Speaker 1: of Aris, and then so in the furs the poisonous
25:45
Speaker 1: teeth of a dragon, from which armed men would rise.
25:50
Speaker 1: These he must destroyed to a man, or he himself
25:55
Speaker 1: would perish at their hands. When Jason heard what was
25:59
Speaker 1: expected of him. His heart for a moment sank within him,
26:04
Speaker 1: but he determined nevertheless not to flinch from his task,
26:08
Speaker 1: but to trust to the assistance of the gods and
26:12
Speaker 1: to his own courage and energy. Jason plows the field
26:17
Speaker 1: of ares, accompanied by his two friends, Telamon and Ogis,
26:22
Speaker 1: and also by Argus, the son of Chalciope. Jason returned
26:26
Speaker 1: to the vessel for the purpose of holding a consultation
26:30
Speaker 1: as to the best means of accomplishing these perilous feats.
26:36
Speaker 1: Argus explained to Jason all the difficulties of the superhuman
26:40
Speaker 1: task which lay before him, and pronounced it as his
26:44
Speaker 1: opinion that the only means by which success was possible
26:49
Speaker 1: was to enlist the assistance of the Princess Medea, who
26:53
Speaker 1: was a priestess of Hecate and a great enchantress Justine
27:01
Speaker 1: meeting with approval, he returned to the palace, and by
27:04
Speaker 1: the aid of his mother, an interview was arranged between
27:08
Speaker 1: Jason and Medea, which took place at an early hour
27:12
Speaker 1: next morning in the temple of Hecate. A confession of
27:17
Speaker 1: mutual attachment took place, and Medeia, trembling for her lover's safety,
27:23
Speaker 1: presented him with a magic salve, which possessed the property
27:27
Speaker 1: of rendering any person anointed with it invulnerable for the
27:31
Speaker 1: space of one day against fire and steel, and invincible
27:37
Speaker 1: against any adversary however powerful. With this salve, she instructed
27:43
Speaker 1: him to anoint his spear and shield on the day
27:47
Speaker 1: of his great undertaking. She further added that when after
27:52
Speaker 1: having plowed the field and sown the teeth, armed men
27:56
Speaker 1: should arise from the Pharaohs, he must on no account
28:00
Speaker 1: to lose heart, but remembered to throw among them a
28:03
Speaker 1: huge rock, over the possession of which they would fight
28:07
Speaker 1: amongst themselves, and their attention, being thus diverted, he would
28:12
Speaker 1: find it an easy task to destroy them. Overwhelmed with gratitude,
28:18
Speaker 1: Jason thanked her in the most earnest manner for her
28:22
Speaker 1: wise counsel and timely aid. At the same time, he
28:26
Speaker 1: offered her his hand and promised her he would not
28:31
Speaker 1: return to Greece without taking her with him as his wife.
28:37
Speaker 1: Next morning, eighties in all, the pomp of state, surrounded
28:42
Speaker 1: by his family and the members of his court, repaired
28:45
Speaker 1: to a spot, whence a full view of the approaching
28:49
Speaker 1: spectacle could be obtained. Soon Jason appeared in the field
28:55
Speaker 1: of ares, looking as noble and majestic as the God
28:58
Speaker 1: of War himself. In a distant part of the field,
29:02
Speaker 1: the brazen yokes and the massive plow met his view,
29:07
Speaker 1: but as yet the dread animals themselves were nowhere to
29:10
Speaker 1: be seen. He was about to go in quest of
29:14
Speaker 1: them when they suddenly rushed out from a subterranean cave,
29:19
Speaker 1: breathing flames of fire and enveloped in a thick smoke.
29:25
Speaker 1: The friends of Jason trembled, but the undaunted hero, relying
29:30
Speaker 1: on the magic powers with which he was imbued by Medea,
29:34
Speaker 1: seized the oxen one after the other by the horns
29:38
Speaker 1: and forced them to the yoke. Near the plow was
29:43
Speaker 1: a helmet full of dragons teeth, which he sowed as
29:47
Speaker 1: he plowed the field, whilst with sharp pricks from his lands,
29:51
Speaker 1: he compelled the monstrous creatures to draw the plow over
29:56
Speaker 1: the stony ground, which was thus speedily tilt. While Jason
30:01
Speaker 1: was engaged sowing the dragon's teeth in the deep furrows
30:05
Speaker 1: of the field, he kept a cautious lookout lest the
30:08
Speaker 1: germinating giant brood might grow too quickly for him, And
30:13
Speaker 1: as soon as the four acres of land had been filled.
30:16
Speaker 1: He unyoked the oxen and succeeded in frightening them so
30:21
Speaker 1: effectually with his weapons that they rushed back in terror
30:25
Speaker 1: to their subterranean stables. Meanwhile, armed men had sprung up
30:31
Speaker 1: out of the furrows, and the whole field now bristled
30:35
Speaker 1: with lances. But Jason, remembering the instructions of Medea, seized
30:40
Speaker 1: an immense rock and hurled it into the midst of
30:44
Speaker 1: these earth born warriors, who immediately began to attack each other.
30:49
Speaker 1: Jason then rushed furiously upon them, and after a terrible struggle,
30:54
Speaker 1: not one of the giants remained alive. Furious at seeing
30:59
Speaker 1: his murderous scheme thus defeated, eighties not only perfidiously refused
31:05
Speaker 1: to give Jason the fleece which he had so bravely earned, but,
31:09
Speaker 1: in his anger, determined to destroy all the Argonauts and
31:14
Speaker 1: to burn their vessel. Jason secures the golden fleece. Becoming
31:20
Speaker 1: aware of the treacherous designs of her father, Medeia at
31:25
Speaker 1: once took measures to baffle them. In the darkness of night,
31:29
Speaker 1: she went on board the argo and warned the heroes
31:32
Speaker 1: of their approaching danger. She then advised Jason to accompany her,
31:37
Speaker 1: without loss of time, to the sacred grove in order
31:40
Speaker 1: to possess himself of the long coveted treasure. They set
31:45
Speaker 1: out together, and Medeia, followed by Jason, led the way
31:49
Speaker 1: and advanced boldly into the grove. The tall oak tree
31:54
Speaker 1: was soon discovered from the topmost boughs of which hung
31:58
Speaker 1: the beautiful golden fleas. At the foot of this tree,
32:03
Speaker 1: keeping his ever wakeful watch, lay the dreadful, sleepless dragon, who,
32:08
Speaker 1: at sight of them, bounded forward, opening his huge jaws.
32:14
Speaker 1: Medea now called in to play her magic powers, and
32:17
Speaker 1: quietly approaching the monster, threw over him a few drops
32:21
Speaker 1: of a potion, which soon took effect and sent him
32:24
Speaker 1: into a deep sleep, whereupon Jason, seizing the opportunity, climbed
32:30
Speaker 1: the tree and secured the fleece. Their perilous task being
32:34
Speaker 1: now accomplished, Jason and Medea quitted the grove and hastened
32:39
Speaker 1: on board the argo, which immediately put to sea. Murder
32:44
Speaker 1: of Absurtus. Meanwhile, Eighties, having discovered the loss of his
32:50
Speaker 1: daughter and the golden fleece, dispatched a large fleet under
32:54
Speaker 1: the command of his son Absurtus in pursuit of the fugitives.
32:59
Speaker 1: After some day's sail, they arrived at an island at
33:03
Speaker 1: the mouth of the River Eyster, where they found the
33:06
Speaker 1: Argo at anchor and surrounded her with their numerous ships.
33:12
Speaker 1: They then dispatched a herald on board of her, demanding
33:15
Speaker 1: the surrender of Medeia and the fleece. Medea now consulted Jason,
33:21
Speaker 1: and with his consent, carried out the following stratagem. She
33:25
Speaker 1: sent the message to her brother Absurtus to the effect
33:29
Speaker 1: that she had been carried off against her will, and
33:31
Speaker 1: promised that if he would meet her in the darkness
33:34
Speaker 1: of night in the temple of Artemis, she would assist
33:38
Speaker 1: him in regaining possession of the Golden fleece. Relying on
33:43
Speaker 1: the good faith of his sister, Absurtus fell into the
33:47
Speaker 1: snare and duly appeared at the appointed twisting place, And
33:51
Speaker 1: whilst Medea kept her brother engaged in conversation, Jason rushed
33:56
Speaker 1: forward and slew him. Then, according to a price deconcerted signal,
34:01
Speaker 1: he held aloft a litid torch, whereupon the Argonauts attacked
34:06
Speaker 1: the Colkins, put them to flight, and entirely defeated them.
34:11
Speaker 1: The Argonauts now returned to their ship, when the prophetic
34:15
Speaker 1: board from the Doudean Oak thus addressed them. The cruel
34:20
Speaker 1: murder of Absurdness was witnessed by the Arines, and you
34:25
Speaker 1: will not escape the wrath of Zeus until the Goddess
34:29
Speaker 1: Circe has purified you from your crime. Let Castor and
34:34
Speaker 1: Pollux pray to the gods that you may be enabled
34:37
Speaker 1: to find the abode of the Sorceress. In obedience to
34:41
Speaker 1: the boys. The twin brothers invoke divine assistance, and the
34:45
Speaker 1: heroes set out in search of the Isle of Cerce.
34:50
Speaker 1: They arrive at the island of Circe. The good ship
34:55
Speaker 1: Argo sped on her way, and after passing safely through
34:59
Speaker 1: the foaming waters of the river Eridanus, at length arrived
35:04
Speaker 1: in the harbor of the island of Circe, where she
35:07
Speaker 1: cast Anchor, commanding his companions to remain on board. Jason
35:13
Speaker 1: landed with Medea and conducted her to the palace of
35:16
Speaker 1: the Sorceress. The goddess of charms and magic arts received
35:20
Speaker 1: them kindly and invited them to be seated, but instead
35:24
Speaker 1: of doing so, they assumed a supplicating attitude and humbly
35:28
Speaker 1: besought her protection. They then informed her of the dreadful
35:33
Speaker 1: crime which they had committed, and implored her to purify
35:37
Speaker 1: them from it. This Circe promised to do. She forthwith
35:42
Speaker 1: commanded her attendant aids to kindle the fire on the
35:46
Speaker 1: altar and to prepare everything necessary for the performance of
35:50
Speaker 1: the mystic rites, after which a dog was sacrificed and
35:54
Speaker 1: the sacred cakes were burned. Having thus duly purified the criminals,
36:00
Speaker 1: she severely reprimanded them for the horrible murder of which
36:04
Speaker 1: they had been guilty. Whereupon Medea, with veiled head and
36:09
Speaker 1: weeping bitterly, was reconducted by a jason to the argo
36:15
Speaker 1: further adventures of the Argonauts. Having left the island of Circe,
36:20
Speaker 1: they were waved by gentle zephirs towards the abode of
36:23
Speaker 1: the Sirens, whose enticing strains soon fell upon their ears.
36:29
Speaker 1: The Argonauts, powerfully effected by the melody, were making ready
36:33
Speaker 1: to land when Orpheus perceived danger, and, to the accompaniment
36:39
Speaker 1: of his magic, lyre commenced one of his enchanting songs,
36:43
Speaker 1: which so completely absorbed his listeners that they passed the
36:47
Speaker 1: island in safety. But not before buttes one of their number,
36:53
Speaker 1: lured by the seductive music of the sirens, had sprung
36:57
Speaker 1: from the vessel into the waves below. Aphrodite, however, in
37:02
Speaker 1: pity for his youth, landed him gently on the island
37:06
Speaker 1: of Libybin before the sirens could reach him, and there
37:10
Speaker 1: he remained for many years. And now the argonauts approached
37:16
Speaker 1: new dangers, for on one side of them seethed and
37:19
Speaker 1: foamed the whirlpool of Sharpness, whilst on the other towered
37:24
Speaker 1: the Mighty Rock. Whence the monster Scylla swooped down upon
37:28
Speaker 1: unfortunate mariners. But here the goddess Hira came to their
37:33
Speaker 1: assistants and sent to them the sea nymph Thethhus, who
37:38
Speaker 1: guided them safely through these dangerous straits. The argo next
37:42
Speaker 1: arrived at the island of Fasis, where they were hospitably
37:46
Speaker 1: entertained by King Alcinous and his Queen ARETI. But the
37:51
Speaker 1: banquet prepared for them by their kind host was unexpectedly
37:56
Speaker 1: interrupted by the appearance of a large army of cold Dikins,
38:00
Speaker 1: sent by Eighties to demand the restoration of his daughter.
38:05
Speaker 1: Medea threw herself at the feet of the queen and
38:08
Speaker 1: implored her to save her from the anger of her father,
38:12
Speaker 1: and Ereti, in her kindness of heart, promised her her protection.
38:17
Speaker 1: Next morning, in an assembly of the people, at which
38:21
Speaker 1: the Colkiins were invited to be present, the latter were
38:25
Speaker 1: informed that, as Medea was the lawful wife of Jason,
38:29
Speaker 1: they could not consent to deliver her up. Whereupon, the Colkiins,
38:35
Speaker 1: seeing that the resolution of the king was not to
38:37
Speaker 1: be shaken, and fearing to face the anger of eighties
38:42
Speaker 1: should they return to Colchis without her, sought permission of
38:46
Speaker 1: Alcinous to settle in his kingdom, which request was accorded them.
38:52
Speaker 1: After these events, the Argonauts once more set sail and
38:57
Speaker 1: steered for Yolkis. But in the course of a terrible
39:01
Speaker 1: and fearful night, a mighty storm arose, and in the
39:04
Speaker 1: morning they found themselves stranded on the treacherous quick sands
39:08
Speaker 1: of Curtis, on the shores of Libya. Here all was
39:13
Speaker 1: a waste and barren desert, unpenanted by any living creature
39:18
Speaker 1: save the venomous snakes which had sprung from the blood
39:22
Speaker 1: of the Medusa when borne by Perseus over these arid plains.
39:27
Speaker 1: They had already passed several days in this abode of
39:31
Speaker 1: desolation beneath the rays of the scorching sun, and had
39:35
Speaker 1: abandoned themselves to the deepest despair when the Libyan queen,
39:39
Speaker 1: who was a prophetess of divine origin, appeared to Jason
39:43
Speaker 1: and informed him that a sea horse would be sent
39:47
Speaker 1: by the gods to act as his guide. Scarcely had
39:51
Speaker 1: she departed when a gigantic hippocamp was seen in the
39:56
Speaker 1: distance making its way towards the argo. Jason now related
40:01
Speaker 1: to his companions the particulars of his interview with the
40:04
Speaker 1: Libyan prophetess, and after some deliberation, it was decided to
40:10
Speaker 1: carry the argo on their shoulders and to follow wherever
40:13
Speaker 1: the sea horse should lead them. They then commenced a
40:18
Speaker 1: long and weary journey through the desert, and at last,
40:22
Speaker 1: after twelve days of severe toil and terrible suffering, the
40:26
Speaker 1: welcome sight of the sea greeted their view. In gratitude
40:31
Speaker 1: for having been saved from their many full dangers, they
40:34
Speaker 1: offered up sacrifices to the gods and launched their ship
40:38
Speaker 1: once more into the deep waters of the ocean, arrival
40:44
Speaker 1: at Crete with heartfelt joy and gladness, they proceeded on
40:49
Speaker 1: their homeward voyage, and after some days arrived at the
40:53
Speaker 1: island of Crete, where they purposed to furnish themselves with
40:58
Speaker 1: fresh provisions. And their landing, however, was opposed by a
41:03
Speaker 1: parable giant, who guarded the island against all intruders. This giant,
41:08
Speaker 1: whose name was Talus, was the last of the Brazen race, and,
41:13
Speaker 1: being formed of brass, was invulnerable except in his right ankle,
41:19
Speaker 1: where there was a sinew of flesh in a vein
41:21
Speaker 1: of blood. As he saw the argo nearing the coast,
41:26
Speaker 1: he hurled huge rocks at her, which would inevitably have
41:30
Speaker 1: sunk the vessel had not. The crew beat a hasty retreat.
41:34
Speaker 1: Although sadly in want of food and water, the Argonauts
41:38
Speaker 1: had decided to proceed on their journey rather than face
41:42
Speaker 1: so powerful an opponent. When Medeia came forward and assured
41:47
Speaker 1: them that if they would trust to her, she would
41:51
Speaker 1: destroy the giant envelope in the folds of a rich
41:54
Speaker 1: purple mantle. She stepped on deck, and, after invoking the
41:58
Speaker 1: aid of the fates, uttered a magic incantation which had
42:03
Speaker 1: the effect of throwing Talus into a deep sleep. He
42:07
Speaker 1: stretched himself at full length upon the ground, and in
42:11
Speaker 1: doing so grazed his vulnerable ankle against the point of
42:15
Speaker 1: a sharp rock, whereupon a mighty stream of blood gushed
42:20
Speaker 1: forth from the wound. Awakened by the pain, he tried
42:25
Speaker 1: to rise, but in vain and with a mighty groan
42:28
Speaker 1: of anguish, the giant fell dead, and his enormous body
42:33
Speaker 1: rolled heavily over into the deep. The heroes, being now
42:38
Speaker 1: able to land, provisioned their vessel, after which they resumed
42:43
Speaker 1: their homeward voyage arrival at ulcis after a terrible night
42:50
Speaker 1: of storm and darkness. They passed the island of Aegina,
42:54
Speaker 1: and at length reached in safety the port of Julcus,
42:58
Speaker 1: where the recital of their numerous adventures and hair breath
43:01
Speaker 1: escapes was listened to with wandering admiration by their fellow countrymen.
43:08
Speaker 1: The argo was consecrated to Poseidon and was carefully preserved
43:12
Speaker 1: from many generations till no vestige of it remained when
43:17
Speaker 1: it was placed in the heavens as a brilliant constellation.
43:21
Speaker 1: On his arrival at Yultus, Jason conducted his beautiful bride
43:26
Speaker 1: to the palace of his uncle Pelias, taking with him
43:30
Speaker 1: the golden fleece for the sake of which this perilous
43:34
Speaker 1: expedition had been undertaken. But the old King, who had
43:38
Speaker 1: never expected that Jason would return alive, basely refused to
43:42
Speaker 1: fulfill his part of the compact and decline to abdicate
43:47
Speaker 1: the throne. Indignant at the wrongs of her husband, Medea
43:53
Speaker 1: avenged them in a most shocking manner. She made friends
43:57
Speaker 1: with the daughters of the king and feigned great interest
44:01
Speaker 1: in all their concerns. Having gained their confidence, she informed
44:06
Speaker 1: them that among her numerous magic arts, she possessed the
44:10
Speaker 1: power of restoring to the aged all the vigor and
44:13
Speaker 1: strength of youth, And in order to give them a
44:17
Speaker 1: convincing proof of the truth of her assertion, she cut
44:21
Speaker 1: up an old ram, which she boiled in a cauldron, whereupon,
44:26
Speaker 1: after uttering various mystic incantations, there came forth from the
44:31
Speaker 1: vessel a beautiful young lamb. She then assured them that
44:36
Speaker 1: in a similar manner, they could restore to their old
44:39
Speaker 1: father his former youthful frame and vigor. The fond and
44:44
Speaker 1: credulous daughters of Pelias lent an all too willing ear
44:48
Speaker 1: to the wicked sorceress, and thus the old king perished
44:52
Speaker 1: at the hands of his innocent children death of Jason.
44:58
Speaker 1: Medea and Jason now fled to Corinth, where at length
45:02
Speaker 1: they found for a time peace and tranquility, their happiness
45:06
Speaker 1: being completed by the birth of three children. As time
45:10
Speaker 1: passed on, however, and Medea began to lose the beauty
45:14
Speaker 1: which had won the love of her husband, he grew
45:17
Speaker 1: weary of her and became attracted by the youthful charms
45:20
Speaker 1: of Class, the beautiful daughter of Creon, King of Corinth.
45:25
Speaker 1: Jason had obtained her father's consent to their union, and
45:29
Speaker 1: the wedding day was already fixed before he disclosed to
45:33
Speaker 1: Medeia the treachery which he mediated against her. He used
45:38
Speaker 1: all his persuasive powers in order to induce her to
45:41
Speaker 1: consent to his union with Glass, assuring her that his
45:45
Speaker 1: affection had in no way diminished, but that for the
45:49
Speaker 1: sake of the advantages which would thereby accrue to their children,
45:53
Speaker 1: he had decided on forming this alliance with the royal house.
45:58
Speaker 1: Though justly enraged at his deceitful conduct, Medeia dissembled her wrath, and,
46:04
Speaker 1: feigning to be satisfied with this explanation, sent as a
46:08
Speaker 1: wedding gift to her rival, a magnificent robe of cloth
46:12
Speaker 1: of gold. This robe was imbued with a deadly poison,
46:17
Speaker 1: which penetrated to the flesh and bone of the wearer
46:20
Speaker 1: and burned them as though with a consuming fire. Pleased
46:25
Speaker 1: with the beauty and costliness of the garment, the unsuspecting
46:29
Speaker 1: Glaws lost no time in dawning it. But no sooner
46:33
Speaker 1: had she done so than the fell poison began to
46:36
Speaker 1: take effect. In vain, she tried to tear the robe away,
46:40
Speaker 1: it defied all efforts to be removed, and after horrible
46:44
Speaker 1: and protracted sufferings, she expired, maddened at the loss of
46:49
Speaker 1: her husband's love. Medeia next put to death her three sons,
46:55
Speaker 1: and when Jason, thirsting for revenge, left the chamber of
46:59
Speaker 1: his dead and flew to his own house in search
47:02
Speaker 1: of Medeia, the ghastly spectacle of his murdered children met
47:07
Speaker 1: his view. He rushed frantically to seek the murderess, but
47:12
Speaker 1: nowhere could she be found. At length, hearing a sound
47:16
Speaker 1: above his head, he looked up and beheld Medeia gliding
47:20
Speaker 1: through the air in a golden chariot drawn by dragons.
47:26
Speaker 1: In a fit of despair, Jason threw himself on his
47:29
Speaker 1: own sword, and perished on the threshold of his desolate
47:34
Speaker 1: and deserted home. End of Section twenty four