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ARGONAUTICA BOOK 3 [304]

(3.304-316) "Sons of my daughter and of Phrixus, whom beyond all strangers I honoured in my halls, how have ye come returning back to Aea? Did some calamity cut short your escape in the midst? Ye did not listen when I set before you the boundless length of the way. For I marked it once, whirled along in the chariot of my father Helios, when he was bringing my sister Circe to the western land and we came to the shore of the Tyrrhenian mainland, where even now she abides, exceeding far from Colchis. But what pleasure is there in words? Do ye tell me plainly what has been your fortune, and who these men are, your companions, and where from your hollow ship ye came ashore."

304     "Παιδὸς ἐμῆς κοῦροι Φρίξοιό τε, τὸν περὶ πάντων
305 ξείνων ἡμετέροισιν ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἔτισα,
306 πῶς Αἶάνδε νέεσθε παλίσσυτοι; ἦέ τις ἄτη
307 σωομένοις μεσσηγὺς ἐνέκλασεν; οὐ μὲν ἐμεῖο
308 πείθεσθε προφέροντος ἀπείρονα μέτρα κελεύθου.
309 ᾔδειν γάρ ποτε πατρὸς ἐν ἅρμασιν Ἠελίοιο
310 δινεύσας, ὅτ' ἐμεῖο κασιγνήτην ἐκόμιζεν
311 Κίρκην ἑσπερίης εἴσω χθονός, ἐκ δ' ἱκόμεσθα
312 ἀκτὴν ἠπείρου Τυρσηνίδος, ἔνθ' ἔτι νῦν περ
313 ναιετάει, μάλα πολλὸν ἀπόπροθι Κολχίδος αἴης.
314 ἀλλὰ τί μύθων ἦδος; ἃ δ' ἐν ποσὶν ὗμιν ὄρωρεν,
315 εἴπατ' ἀριφραδέως, ἠδ' οἵτινες οἵδ' ἐφέπονται
316 ἀνέρες, ὅππῃ τε γλαφυρῆς ἐκ νηὸς ἔβητε."

(3.317-319) Such were his questions, and Argus, before all his brethren, being fearful for the mission of Aeson's son, gently replied, for he was the elder-born:

317      Τοῖά μιν ἐξερέοντα κασιγνήτων προπάροιθεν
318 Ἄργος ὑποδδείσας ἀμφὶ στόλῳ Αἰσονίδαο
319 μειλιχίως προσέειπεν, ἐπεὶ προγενέστερος ἦεν:

(3.320-366) "Aeetes, that ship forthwith stormy blasts tore asunder, and ourselves, crouching on the beams, a wave drove on to the beach of the isle of Enyalius in the murky night; and some god preserved us. For even the birds of Ares that haunted the desert isle beforetime, not even them did we find. But these men had driven them off, having landed from their ship on the day before; and the will of Zeus taking pity on us, or some fate, detained them there, since they straightway gave us both food and clothing in abundance, when they heard the illustrious name of Phrixus and thine own; for to thy city are they faring. And if thou dost wish to know their errand, I will not hide it from time. A certain king, vehemently longing to drive this man far from his fatherland and possessions, because in might he outshone all the sons of Aeolus, sends him to voyage hither on a bootless venture; and asserts that the stock of Aeolus will not escape the heart-grieving wrath and rage of implacable Zeus, nor the unbearable curse and vengeance due for Phrixus, until the fleece comes back to Hellas. And their ship was fashioned by Pallas Athena, not such a one as are the ships among the Colchians, on the vilest of which we chanced. For the fierce waves and wind broke her utterly to pieces; but the other holds firm with her bolts, even though all the blasts should buffet her. And with equal swiftness she speedeth before the wind and when the crew ply the oar with unresting hands. And he hath gathered in her the mightiest heroes of all Achaea, and hath come to thy city from wandering far through cities and gulfs of the dread ocean, in the hope that thou wilt grant him the fleece. But as thou dost please, so shall it be, for he cometh not to use force, but is eager to pay thee a recompense for the gift. He has heard from me of thy bitter foes the Sauromatae, and he will subdue them to thy sway. And if thou desirest to know their names and lineage I will tell thee all. This man on whose account the rest were gathered from Hellas, they call Jason, son of Aeson, whom Cretheus begat. And if in truth he is of the stock of Cretheus himself, thus he would be our kinsman on the father's side. For Cretheus and Athamas were both sons of Aeolus; and Phrixus was the son of Athamas, son of Aeolus. And here, if thou hast heard at all of the seed of Helios, thou dost behold Augeias; and this is Telamon sprung from famous Aeacus; and Zeus himself begat Aeacus. And so all the rest, all the comrades that follow him, are the sons or grandsons of the immortals."

320     "Αἰήτη, κείνην μὲν ἄφαρ διέχευαν ἄελλαι
321 ζαχρηεῖς: αὐτοὺς δ' ἐπὶ δούρασι πεπτηῶτας
322 νήσου Ἐνυαλίοιο ποτὶ ξερὸν ἔκβαλε κῦμα
323 λυγαίῃ ὑπὸ νυκτί: θεὸς δέ τις ἄμμ' ἐσάωσεν.
324 οὐδὲ γὰρ αἳ τὸ πάροιθεν ἐρημαίην κατὰ νῆσον
325 ηὐλίζοντ' ὄρνιθες Ἀρήιαι, οὐδ' ἔτι κείνας
326 εὕρομεν. ἀλλ' οἵγ' ἄνδρες ἀπήλασαν, ἐξαποβάντες
327 νηὸς ἑῆς προτέρῳ ἐνὶ ἤματι: καί σφ' ἀπέρυκεν
328 ἡμέας οἰκτείρων Ζηνὸς νόος, ἠέ τις αἶσα,
329 αὐτίκ' ἐπεὶ καὶ βρῶσιν ἅλις καὶ εἵματ' ἔδωκαν,
330 οὔνομά τε Φρίξοιο περικλεὲς εἰσαΐοντες
331 ἠδ' αὐτοῖο σέθεν: μετὰ γὰρ τεὸν ἄστυ νέονται.
332 χρειὼ δ' ἢν ἐθέλῃς ἐξίδμεναι, οὔ σ' ἐπικεύσω.
333 τόνδε τις ἱέμενος πάτρης ἀπάνευθεν ἐλάσσαι
334 καὶ κτεάνων βασιλεὺς περιώσιον, οὕνεκεν ἀλκῇ
335 σφωιτέρῃ τάντεσσι μετέπρεπεν Αἰολίδῃσιν,
336 πέμπει δεῦρο νέεσθαι ἀμήχανον: οὐδ' ὑπαλύξειν
337 στεῦται ἀμειλίκτοιο Διὸς θυμαλγέα μῆνιν
338 καὶ χόλον, οὐδ' ἄτλητον ἄγος Φρίξοιό τε ποινὰς
339 Αἰολιδέων γενεήν, πρὶν ἐς Ἑλλάδα κῶας ἱκέσθαι.
340 νῆα δ' Ἀθηναίη Παλλὰς κάμεν, οὐ μάλα τοίην,
341 οἷαί περ Κόλχοισι μετ' ἀνδράσι νῆες ἔασιν,
342 τάων αἰνοτάτης ἐπεκύρσαμεν. ἤλιθα γάρ μιν
343 λάβρον ὕδωρ πνοιή τε διέτμαγεν: ἡ δ' ἐνὶ γόμφοις
344 ἴσχεται, ἢν καὶ πᾶσαι ἐπιβρίσωσιν ἄελλαι.
345 ἶσον δ' ἐξ ἀνέμοιο θέει καὶ ὅτ' ἀνέρες αὐτοὶ
346 νωλεμέως χείρεσσιν ἐπισπέρχωσιν ἐρετμοῖς.
347 τῇ δ' ἐναγειράμενος Παναχαιίδος εἴ τι φέριστον
348 ἡρώων, τεὸν ἄστυ μετήλυθε, πόλλ' ἐπαληθεὶς
349 ἄστεα καὶ πελάγη στυγερῆς ἁλός, εἴ οἱ ὀπάσσαις.
350 αὐτῷ δ' ὥς κεν ἅδῃ, τὼς ἔσσεται: οὐ γὰρ ἱκάνει
351 χερσὶ βιησόμενος: μέμονεν δέ τοι ἄξια τίσειν
352 δωτίνης, ἀίων ἐμέθεν μέγα δυσμενέοντας
353 Σαυρομάτας, τοὺς σοῖσιν ὑπὸ σκήπτροισι δαμάσσει.
354 εἰ δὲ καὶ οὔνομα δῆθεν ἐπιθύεις γενεήν τε
355 ἴδμεναι, οἵτινές εἰσιν, ἕκαστά γε μυθησαίμην.
356 τόνδε μέν, οἷό περ οὕνεκ' ἀφ' Ἑλλάδος ὧλλοι ἄγερθεν,
357 κλείουσ' Αἴσονος υἱὸν Ἰήσονα Κρηθεΐδαο.
358 εἰ δ' αὐτοῦ Κρηθῆος ἐτήτυμόν ἐστι γενέθλης,
359 οὕτω κεν γνωτὸς πατρώιος ἄμμι πέλοιτο.
360 ἄμφω γὰρ Κρηθεὺς Ἀθάμας τ' ἔσαν Αἰόλου υἷες:
361 Φρίξος δ' αὖτ' Ἀθάμαντος ἔην πάις Αἰολίδαο.
362 τόνδε δ' ἄρ', Ἠελίου γόνον ἔμμεναι εἴ τιν' ἀκούεις,
363 δέρκεαι Αὐγείην: Τελαμὼν δ' ὅγε, κυδίστοιο
364 Αἰακοῦ ἐκγεγαώς: Ζεὺς δ' Αἰακὸν αὐτὸς ἔτικτεν.
365 ὧς δὲ καὶ ὧλλοι πάντες, ὅσοι συνέπονται ἑταῖροι,
366 ἀθανάτων υἷές τε καὶ υἱωνοὶ γεγάασιν."

(3.367-371) Such was the tale of Argus; but the king at his words was filled with rage as he heard; and his heart was lifted high in wrath. And he spake in heavy displeasure; and was angered most of all with the son of Chalciope; for he deemed that on their account the strangers had come; and in his fury his eyes flashed forth beneath his brows:

367      Τοῖα παρέννεπεν Ἄργος: ἄναξ δ' ἐπεχώσατο μύθοις
368 εἰσαΐων: ὑψοῦ δὲ χόλῳ φρένες ἠερέθοντο.
369 φῆ δ' ἐπαλαστήσας: μενέαινε δὲ παισὶ μάλιστα
370 Χαλκιόπης: τῶν γάρ σφε μετελθέμεν οὕνεκ' ἐώλπει:
371 ἐκ δέ οἱ ὄμματ' ἔλαμψεν ὑπ' ὀφρύσιν ἱεμένοιο:

(3.372-381) "Begone from my sight, felons, straightway, ye and your tricks, from the land, ere someone see a fleece and a Phrixus to his sorrow. Banded together with your friends from Hellas, not for the fleece, but to seize my sceptre and royal power have ye come hither. Had ye not first tasted of my table, surely would I have cut out your tongues and hewn off both hands and sent you forth with your feet alone, so that ye might be stayed from starting hereafter. And what lies have ye uttered against the blessed gods!"

372     "Οὐκ ἄφαρ ὀφθαλμῶν μοι ἀπόπροθι, λωβητῆρες,
373 νεῖσθ' αὐτοῖσι δόλοισι παλίσσυτοι ἔκτοθι γαίης,
374 πρίν τινα λευγαλέον τε δέρος καὶ Φρίξον ἰδέσθαι;
375 αὐτίχ' ὁμαρτήσαντες ἀφ' Ἑλλάδος, οὐκ ἐπὶ κῶας,
376 σκῆπτρα δὲ καὶ τιμὴν βασιληίδα δεῦρο νέεσθε.
377 εἰ δέ κε μὴ προπάροιθεν ἐμῆς ἥψασθε τραπέζης,
378 ἦ τ' ἂν ἀπὸ γλώσσας τε ταμὼν καὶ χεῖρε κεάσσας
379 ἀμφοτέρας, οἴοισιν ἐπιπροέηκα πόδεσσιν,
380 ὥς κεν ἐρητύοισθε καὶ ὕστερον ὁρμηθῆναι,
381 οἷα δὲ καὶ μακάρεσσιν ἐπεψεύσασθε θεοῖσιν."

(3.382-385) Thus he spake in his wrath; and mightily from its depths swelled the heart of Aeacus' son, and his soul within longed to speak a deadly word in defiance, but Aeson's son checked him, for he himself first made gentle answer:

382     Φῆ ῥα χαλεψάμενος: μέγα δὲ φρένες Αἰακίδαο
383 νειόθεν οἰδαίνεσκον: ἐέλδετο δ' ἔνδοθι θυμὸς
384 ἀντιβίην ὀλοὸν φάσθαι ἔπος: ἀλλ' ἀπέρυκεν
385 Αἰσονίδης: πρὸ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἀμείψατο μειλιχίοισιν:

(3.386-395) "Aeetes, bear with this armed band, I pray. For not in the way thou deemest have we come to thy city and palace, no, nor yet with such desires. For who would of his own will dare to cross so wide a sea for the goods of a stranger? But fate and the ruthless command of a presumptuous king urged me. Grant a favour to thy suppliants, and to all Hellas will I publish a glorious fame of thee; yea, we are ready now to pay thee a swift recompense in war, whether it be the Sauromatae or some other people that thou art eager to subdue to thy sway."

386     "Αἰήτη, σχέο μοι τῷδε στόλῳ. οὔτι γὰρ αὔτως
387 ἄστυ τεὸν καὶ δώμαθ' ἱκάνομεν, ὥς που ἔολπας,
388 οὐδὲ μὲν ἱέμενοι. τίς δ' ἂν τόσον οἶδμα περῆσαι
389 τλαίη ἑκὼν ὀθνεῖον ἐπὶ κτέρας; ἀλλά με δαίμων
390 καὶ κρυερὴ βασιλῆος ἀτασθάλου ὦρσεν ἐφετμή.
391 δὸς χάριν ἀντομένοισι: σέθεν δ' ἐγὼ Ἑλλάδι πάσῃ
392 θεσπεσιην οἴσω κληηδόνα: καὶ δέ τοι ἤδη
393 πρόφρονές εἰμεν ἄρηι θοὴν ἀποτῖσαι ἀμοιβήν,
394 εἴτ' οὖν Σαυρομάτας γε λιλαίεαι, εἴτε τιν' ἄλλον
395 δῆμον σφωιτέροισιν ὑπὸ σκήπτροισι δαμάσσαι."

(3.396-400) He spake, flattering him with gentle utterance; but the king's soul brooded a twofold purpose within him, whether he should attack and slay them on the spot or should make trial of their might. And this, as he pondered, seemed the better way, and he addressed Jason in answer:

396     Ἴσκεν ὑποσσαίνων ἀγανῇ ὀπί: τοῖο δὲ θυμὸς
397 διχθαδίην πόρφυρεν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι μενοινήν,
398 ἤ σφεας ὁρμηθεὶς αὐτοσχεδὸν ἐξεναρίζοι,
399 ἦ ὅγε πειρήσαιτο βίης. τό οἱ εἴσατ' ἄρειον
400 φραζομένῳ: καὶ δή μιν ὑποβλήδην προσέειπεν:


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