the golden fleece(署剪谷)-及23准
梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ○ 賜 ★ 辛酔堀貧和鍬匈梓囚徒貧議 Enter 囚辛指欺云慕朕村匈梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ● 辛指欺云匈競何
!!!!隆堋響頼紗秘慕禰厮宴和肝写偬堋響
stranger from the brazen bulls in the contest on the morrow
So Chalciope came to the very thing that was in Medea's mind。 Her
heart bounded with joy and she embraced her。 ;Chalciope察─ she said察 I
declare that I am your sister察indeedaye察and your daughter察too察for did
you not care for me when I was an infant拭I will strive to save your sons。 I
will strive to save the strangers who came with your sons。 Send one to the
strangerssend him to the leader of the strangers察and tell him that I would
see him at daybreak in the temple of Hecate。;
When Medea said this Chalciope embraced her again。 She was amazed
to see how Medea's tears were flowing。 ;Chalciope察─she said察 no one will
know the dangers that I shall go through to save them。;
Swiftly then Chalciope went from the chamber。 But Medea stayed
there with her head bowed and the blush of shame on her face。 She
thought that already she had deceived her sister察making her think that it
was Phrontis and Melas and not Jason that was in her mind to save。 And
she thought on how she would have to plot against her father and against
her own people察and all for the sake of a stranger who would sail away
without thought of her察without the image of her in his mind。
Jason察with Peleus and Telamon察went back to the Argo。 His comrades
asked how he had fared察and when he spoke to them of the fire´breathing
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bulls with feet of brass察of the dragon's teeth that had to be sown察and of
the Earth´born Men that had to be overcome察the Argonauts were greatly
cast down察 for this task察 they thought察 was one that could not be
accomplished。 He who stood before the fire´breathing bulls would perish
on the moment。 But they knew that one amongst them must strive to
accomplish the task。 And if Jason held back察 Peleus察Telamon察 Theseus察
Castor察Polydeuces察or any one of the others would undertake it。
But Jason would not hold back。 On the morrow察 he said察 he would
strive to yoke the fire´breathing察 brazen´footed bulls to the plow of
adamant。 If he perished the Argonauts should then do what they thought
was bestmake other trials to gain the Golden Fleece察or turn their ship
and sail back to Greece。
While they were speaking察Phrontis察Chalciope's son察came to the ship。
The Argonauts welcomed him察 and in a while he began to speak of his
mother's sister and of the help she could give。 They grew eager as be
spoke of her察all except rough Arcas察who stood wrapped in his bear's skin。
;Shame on us察─rough Arcas cried察 shame on us if we have come here to
crave the help of girls Speak no more of this Let us察the Argonauts察go
with swords into the city of Aea察 and slay this king察 and carry off the
Fleece of Gold。;
Some of the Argonauts murmured approval of what Arcas said。 But
Orpheus silenced him and them察 for in his prophetic mind Orpheus saw
something of the help that Medea would give them。 It would be well察
Orpheus said察to take help from this wise maiden察Jason should go to her
in the temple of Hecate。 The Argonauts agreed to this察 they listened to
what Phrontis told them about the brazen bulls察and the night wore on。
When darkness came upon the earth察 when察 at sea察 sailors looked to
the Bear arid the stars of Orion察when察in the city察there was no longer the
sound of barking dogs nor of men's voices察Medea went from the palace。
She came to a path察she followed it until it brought her into the part of the
grove that was all black with the shadow that oak trees made。
She raised up her hands and she called upon Hecate察the Moon。 As she
did察 there was a blaze as from torches all around察 and she saw horrible
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serpents stretching themselves toward her from the branches of the trees。
Medea shrank back in fear。 But again she called upon Hecate。 And now
there was a howling as from the hounds of Hades all around her。 Fearful察
indeed察Medea grew as the howling came near her察almost she turned to
flee。 But she raised her hands again and called upon Hecate。 Then the
nymphs who haunted the marsh and the river shrieked察 and at those
shrieks Medea crouched down in fear。
She called upon Hecate察 the Moon察 again。 She saw the moon rise
above the treetops察and then the hissing and shrieking and howling died
away。 Holding up a goblet in her hand Medea poured out a libation of
honey to Hecate察the Moon。
And then she went to where the moon made a brightness upon the
ground。 There she saw a flower that rose above the other flowersa flower
that grew from two joined stalks察 and that was of the color of a crocus。
Medea cut the stalks with a brazen knife察and as she did there came a deep
groan out of the earth。
This was the Promethean flower。 It had come out of the earth first
when the vulture that tore at Prometheus's liver had let fall to earth a drop
of his blood。 With a Caspian shell that she had brought with her Medea
gathered the dark juice of this flowerthe juice that went to make her most
potent charm。 All night she went through the grove gathering the juice of
secret herbs察 then she mingled them in a phial that she put away in her
girdle。
She went from that grove and along the river。 When the sun shed its
first rays upon snowy Caucasus she stood outside the temple of Hecate。
She waited察 but she had not long to wait察 for察 like the bright star Sirius
rising out of Ocean察soon she saw Jason coming toward her。 She made a
sign to him察and he came and stood beside her in the portals of the temple。
They would have stood face to face if Medea did not have her head
bent。 A blush had come upon her face察and Jason seeing it察and seeing how
her head was bent察knew how grievous it was to her to meet and speak to a
stranger in this way。 He took her hand and he spoke to her reverently察as
one would speak to a priestess。
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;Lady察─he said察 I implore you by Hecate and by Zeus who helps all
strangers and suppliants to be kind to me and to the men who have come
to your country with me。 Without your help I cannot hope to prevail in the
grievous trial that has been laid upon me。 If you will help us察Medea察your
name will be renowned throughout all Greece。 And I have hopes that you
will help us察for your face and form show you to be one who can be kind
and gracious。;
The blush of shame had gone from Medea's face and a softer blush
came over her as Jason spoke。 She looked upon him and she knew that she
could hardly live if the breath of the brazen bulls withered his life or if the
Earth´born Men slew him。 She took the charm from out her girdle察
ungrudgingly she put it into Jason's hands。 And as she gave him the charm
that she had gained with such danger察the fear and trouble that was around
her heart melted as the dew melts from around the rose when it is warmed
by the first light of the morning。
Then they spoke standing close together in the portal of the temple。
She told him how he should anoint his body all over with the charm察 it
would give him察she said察boundless and untiring strength察and make him
so that the breath of the bulls could not wither him nor the horns of the
bulls pierce him。 She told him also to sprinkle his shield and his sword
with the charm。
And then they spoke of the dragon's teeth and of the Earth´born Men
who would spring from them。 Medea told Jason that when they arose out
of the earth he was to cast a great stone amongst them。 The Earth´born
Men would struggle about the stone察and they would slay each other in the
contest。
Her dark and delicate face was beautiful。 Jason looked upon her察and it
came into his mind that in Colchis there was something else of worth
besides the