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ARGONAUTICA BOOK 3 [1225]

(3.1225-1245) Then Aeetes arrayed his breast in the stiff corslet which Ares gave him when he had slain Phlegraean Mimas with his own hands; and upon his head he placed a golden helmet with four plumes, gleaming like the sun's round light when he first rises from Ocean. And he wielded his shield of many hides, and his spear, terrible, resistless; none of the heroes could have withstood its shock now that they had left behind Heracles far away, who alone could have met it in battle. For the king his well-fashioned chariot of swift steeds was held near at hand by Phaethon, for him to mount; and he mounted, and held the reins in his hands. Then from the city he drove along the broad highway, that he might be present at the contest; and with him a countless multitude rushed forth. And as Poseidon rides, mounted in his chariot, to the Isthmian contest or to Taenarus, or to Lerna's water, or through the grove of Hyantian Onchestus, and thereafter passes even to Calaureia with his steeds, and the Haemonian rock, or well-wooded Geraestus; even so was Aeetes, lord of the Colchians, to behold.

1225     Καὶ τότ' ἄρ' Αἰήτης περὶ μὲν στήθεσσιν ἕεστο
1226 θώρηκα στάδιον, τόν οἱ πόρεν ἐξεναρίξας
1227 σφωιτέραις Φλεγραῖον Ἄρης ὑπὸ χερσὶ Μίμαντα:
1228 χρυσείην δ' ἐπὶ κρατὶ κόρυν θέτο τετραφάληρον,
1229 λαμπομένην οἷόν τε περίτροχον ἔπλετο φέγγος
1230 ἠελίου, ὅτε πρῶτον ἀνέρχεται Ὠκεανοῖο.
1231 ἂν δὲ πολύρρινον νώμα σάκος, ἂν δὲ καὶ ἔγχος
1232 δεινόν, ἀμαιμάκετον: τὸ μὲν οὔ κέ τις ἄλλος ὑπέστη
1233 ἀνδρῶν ἡρώων, ὅτε κάλλιπον Ἡρακλῆα
1234 τῆλε παρέξ, ὅ κεν οἶος ἐναντίβιον πολέμιξεν.
1235 τῷ δὲ καὶ ὠκυπόδων ἵππων εὐπηγέα δίφρον
1236 ἔσχε πέλας Φαέθων ἐπιβήμεναι: ἂν δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς
1237 βήσατο, ῥυτῆρας δὲ χεροῖν ἔχεν. ἐκ δὲ πόληος
1238 ἤλασεν εὐρεῖαν κατ' ἀμαξιτόν, ὥς κεν ἀέθλῳ
1239 παρσταίη: σὺν δέ σφιν ἀπείριτος ἔσσυτο λαός.
1240 οἷος δ' Ἴσθμιον εἶσι Ποσειδάων ἐς ἀγῶνα
1241 ἅρμασιν ἐμβεβαώς, ἢ Ταίναρον, ἢ ὅγε Λέρνης
1242 ὕδωρ, ἠὲ κατ' ἄλσος Ὑαντίου Ὀγχηστοῖο,
1243 καί τε Καλαύρειαν μετὰ δῆθ' ἅμα νίσσεται ἵπποις,
1244 Πέτρην θ' Αἱμονίην, ἢ δενδρήεντα Γεραιστόν:
1245 τοῖος ἄρ' Αἰήτης Κόλχων ἀγὸς ἦεν ἰδέσθαι.

(3.1246-1277) Meanwhile, prompted by Medea, Jason steeped the charm in water and sprinkled with it his shield and sturdy spear, and sword; and his comrades round him made proof of his weapons with might and main, but could not bend that spear even a little, but it remained firm in their stalwart hands unbroken as before. But in furious rage with them Idas, Aphareus' son, with his great sword hewed at the spear near the butt, and the edge leapt back repelled by the shock, like a hammer from the anvil; and the heroes shouted with joy for their hope in the contest. And then he sprinkled his body, and terrible prowess entered into him, unspeakable, dauntless; and his hands on both sides thrilled vigorously as they swelled with strength. And as when a warlike steed eager for the fight neighs and beats the ground with his hoof, while rejoicing he lifts his neck on high with ears erect; in such wise did Aeson's son rejoice in the strength of his limbs. And often hither and thither did he leap high in air tossing in his hands his shield of bronze and ashen spear. Thou wouldst say that wintry lightning flashing from the gloomy sky kept on darting forth from the clouds what time they bring with them their blackest rainstorm. Not long after that were the heroes to hold back from the contests; but sitting in rows on their benches they sped swiftly on to the plain of Ares. And it lay in front of them on the opposite side of the city, as far off as is the turning-post that a chariot must reach from the starting-point, when the kinsmen of a dead king appoint funeral games for footmen and horsemen. And they found Aeetes and the tribes of the Colchians; these were stationed on the Caucasian heights, but the king by the winding brink of the river.

1246     Τόφρα δὲ Μηδείης ὑποθημοσύνῃσιν Ἰήσων
1247 φάρμακα μυδήνας ἠμὲν σάκος ἀμφεπάλυνεν
1248 ἠδὲ δόρυ βριαρόν, περὶ δὲ ξίφος: ἀμφὶ δ' ἑταῖροι
1249 πείρησαν τευχέων βεβιημένοι, οὐδ' ἐδύναντο
1250 κεῖνο δόρυ γνάμψαι τυτθόν γέ περ, ἀλλὰ μάλ' αὔτως
1251 ἀαγὲς κρατερῇσιν ἐνεσκλήκει παλάμῃσιν.
1252 αὐτὰρ ὁ τοῖς ἄμοτον κοτέων Ἀφαρήιος Ἴδας
1253 κόψε παρ' οὐρίαχον μεγάλῳ ξίφει: ἆλτο δ' ἀκωκὴ
1254 ῥαιστὴρ ἄκμονος ὥστε, παλιντυπές: οἱ δ' ὁμάδησαν
1255 γηθόσυνοι ἥρωες ἐπ' ἐλπωρῇσιν ἀέθλου.
1256 καὶ δ' αὐτὸς μετέπειτα παλύνετο: δῦ δέ μιν ἀλκὴ
1257 σμερδαλέη ἄφατός τε καὶ ἄτρομος: αἱ δ' ἑκάτερθεν
1258 χεῖρες ἐπερρώσαντο περὶ σθένεϊ σφριγόωσαι.
1259 ὡς δ' ὅτ' ἀρήιος ἵππος ἐελδόμενος πολέμοιο
1260 σκαρθμῷ ἐπιχρεμέθων κρούει πέδον, αὐτὰρ ὕπερθεν
1261 κυδιόων ὀρθοῖσιν ἐπ' οὔασιν αὐχέν' ἀείρει:
1262 τοῖος ἄρ' Αἰσονίδης ἐπαγαίετο κάρτεϊ γυίων.
1263 πολλὰ δ' ἄρ' ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα μετάρσιον ἴχνος ἔπαλλεν,
1264 ἀσπίδα χαλκείην μελίην τ' ἐν χερσὶ τινάσσων.
1265 φαίης κε ζοφεροῖο κατ' αἰθέρος ἀίσσουσαν
1266 χειμερίην στεροπὴν θαμινὸν μεταπαιφάσσεσθαι
1267 ἐκ νεφέων, ὅτ' ἔπειτα μελάντατον ὄμβρον ἄγωνται.
1268 καὶ τότ' ἔπειτ' οὐ δηρὸν ἔτι σχήσεσθαι ἀέθλων
1269 μέλλον: ἀτὰρ κληῖσιν ἐπισχερὼ ἱδρυνθέντες
1270 ῥίμφα μάλ' ἐς πεδίον τὸ Ἀρήιον ἠπείγοντο.
1271 τόσσον δὲ προτέρω πέλεν ἄστεος ἀντιπέρηθεν,
1272 ὅσσον τ' ἐκ βαλβῖδος ἐπήβολος ἅρματι νύσσα
1273 γίγνεται, ὁππότ' ἄεθλα καταφθιμένοιο ἄνακτος
1274 κηδεμόνες πεζοῖσι καὶ ἱππήεσσι τίθενται.
1275 τέτμον δ' Αἰήτην τε καὶ ἄλλων ἔθνεα Κόλχων,
1276 τοὺς μὲν Καυκασίοισιν ἐφεσταότας σκοπέλοισιν,
1277 τὸν δ' αὐτοῦ παρὰ χεῖλος ἑλισσόμενον ποταμοῖο.

(3.1278-1325) Now Aeson's son, as soon as his comrades had made the hawsers fast, leapt from the ship, and with spear and shield came forth to the contest; and at the same time he took the gleaming helmet of bronze filled with sharp teeth, and his sword girt round his shoulders, his body stripped, in somewise resembling Ares and in somewise Apollo of the golden sword. And gazing over the field he saw the bulls' yoke of bronze and near it the plough, all of one piece, of stubborn adamant. Then he came near, and fixed his sturdy spear upright on its butt, and taking his helmet, off leant it against the spear. And he went forward with shield alone to examine the countless tracks of the bulls, and they from some unseen lair beneath the earth, where was their strong steading, wrapt in murky smoke, both rushed out together, breathing forth flaming fire. And sore afraid were the heroes at the sight. But Jason, setting wide his feet, withstood their onset, as in the sea a rocky reef withstands the waves tossed by the countless blasts. Then in front of him he held his shield; and both the bulls with loud bellowing attacked him with their mighty horns; nor did they stir him a jot by their onset. And as when through the holes of the furnace the armourers' bellows anon gleam brightly, kindling the ravening flame, and anon cease from blowing, and a terrible roar rises from the fire when it darts up from below; so the bulls roared, breathing forth swift flame from their mouths, while the consuming heat played round him, smiting like lightning; but the maiden's charms protected him. Then grasping the tip of the horn of the right- hand bull, he dragged it mightily with all his strength to bring it near the yoke of bronze, and forced it down on to its knees, suddenly striking with his foot the foot of bronze. So also he threw the other bull on to its knees as it rushed upon him, and smote it down with one blow. And throwing to the ground his broad shield, he held them both down where they had fallen on their fore-knees, as he strode from side to side, now here, now there, and rushed swiftly through the flame. But Aeetes marvelled at the hero's might. And meantime the sons of Tyndareus for long since had it been thus ordained for them -- near at hand gave him the yoke from the ground to cast round them. Then tightly did he bind their necks; and lifting the pole of bronze between them, he fastened it to the yoke by its golden tip. So the twin heroes started back from the fire to the ship. But Jason took up again his shield and cast it on his back behind him, and grasped the strong helmet filled with sharp teeth, and his resistless spear, wherewith, like some ploughman with a Pelasgian goad, he pricked the bulls beneath, striking their flanks; and very firmly did he guide the well fitted plough handle, fashioned of adamant.

1278     Αἰσονίδης δ', ὅτε δὴ πρυμνήσια δῆσαν ἑταῖροι,
1279 δή ῥα τότε ξὺν δουρὶ καὶ ἀσπίδι βαῖν' ἐς ἄεθλον,
1280 νηὸς ἀποπροθορών: ἄμυδις δ' ἕλε παμφανόωσαν
1281 χαλκείην πήληκα θοῶν ἔμπλειον ὀδόντων
1282 καὶ ξίφος ἀμφ' ὤμοις, γυμνὸς δέμας, ἄλλα μὲν Ἄρει
1283 εἴκελος, ἄλλα δέ που χρυσαόρῳ Ἀπόλλωνι.
1284 παπτήνας δ' ἀνὰ νειὸν ἴδε ζυγὰ χάλκεα ταύρων
1285 αὐτόγυόν τ' ἐπὶ τοῖς στιβαροῦ ἀδάμαντος ἄροτρον.
1286 χρίμψε δ' ἔπειτα κιών, παρὰ δ' ὄβριμον ἔγχος ἔπηξεν
1287 ὀρθὸν ἐπ' οὐριάχῳ, κυνέην δ' ἀποκάτθετ' ἐρείσας.
1288 βῆ δ' αὐτῇ προτέρωσε σὺν ἀσπίδι νήριτα ταύρων
1289 ἴχνια μαστεύων: οἱ δ' ἔκποθεν ἀφράστοιο
1290 κευθμῶνος χθονίου, ἵνα τέ σφισιν ἔσκε βόαυλα
1291 καρτερὰ λιγνυόεντι πέριξ εἰλυμένα καπνῷ,
1292 ἄμφω ὁμοῦ προγένοντο πυρὸς σέλας ἀμπνείοντες.
1293 ἔδδεισαν δ' ἥρωες, ὅπως ἴδον. αὐτὰρ ὁ τούσγε,
1294 εὖ διαβάς, ἐπιόντας, ἅ τε σπιλὰς εἰν ἁλὶ πέτρη
1295 μίμνει ἀπειρεσίῃσι δονεύμενα κύματ' ἀέλλαις.
1296 πρόσθε δέ οἱ σάκος ἔσχεν ἐναντίον: οἱ δέ μιν ἄμφω
1297 μυκηθμῷ κρατεροῖσιν ἐνέπληξαν κεράεσσιν:
1298 οὐδ' ἄρα μιν τυτθόν περ ἀνώχλισαν ἀντιόωντες.
1299 ὡς δ' ὅτ' ἐνὶ τρητοῖσιν ἐύρρινοι χοάνοισιν
1300 φῦσαι χαλκήων ὁτὲ μέν τ' ἀναμαρμαίρουσιν,
1301 πῦρ ὀλοόν πιμπρᾶσαι, ὅτ' αὖ λήγουσιν ἀυτμῆς,
1302 δεινὸς δ' ἐξ αὐτοῦ πέλεται βρόμος, ὁππότ' ἀίξῃ
1303 νειόθεν: ὧς ἄρα τώγε θοὴν φλόγα φυσιόωντες
1304 ἐκ στομάτων ὁμάδευν, τὸν δ' ἄμφεπε δήιον αἶθος
1305 βάλλον ἅ τε στεροπή: κούρης δέ ἑ φάρμακ' ἔρυτο.
1306 καί ῥ' ὅγε δεξιτεροῖο βοὸς κέρας ἄκρον ἐρύσσας
1307 εἷλκεν ἐπικρατέως παντὶ σθένει, ὄφρα πελάσσῃ
1308 ζεύγλῃ χαλκείῃ, τὸν δ' ἐν χθονὶ κάββαλεν ὀκλάξ,
1309 ῥίμφα ποδὶ κρούσας πόδα χάλκεον. ὧς δὲ καὶ ἄλλον
1310 σφῆλεν γνὺξ ἐπιόντα, μιῇ βεβολημένον ὁρμῇ.
1311 εὐρὺ δ' ἀποπροβαλὼν χαμάδις σάκος, ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα
1312 τῇ καὶ τῇ βεβαὼς ἄμφω ἔχε πεπτηῶτας
1313 γούνασιν ἐν προτέροισι, διὰ φλογὸς εἶθαρ ἐλυσθείς.
1314 θαύμασε δ' Αἰήτης σθένος ἀνέρος. οἱ δ' ἄρα τείως
1315 Τυνδαρίδαι--δὴ γάρ σφι πάλαι προπεφραδμένον ἦεν--
1316 ἀγχίμολον ζυγά οἱ πεδόθεν δόσαν ἀμφιβαλέσθαι.
1317 αὐτὰρ ὁ εὖ ἐνέδησε λόφους: μεσσηγὺ δ' ἀείρας
1318 χάλκεον ἱστοβοῆα, θοῇ συνάρασσε κορώνῃ
1319 ζεύγληθεν. καὶ τὼ μὲν ὑπὲκ πυρὸς ἂψ ἐπὶ νῆα
1320 χαζέσθην. ὁ δ' ἄρ' αὖτις ἑλὼν σάκος ἔνθετο νώτῳ
1321 ἐξόπιθεν, καὶ γέντο θοῶν ἔμπλειον ὀδόντων
1322 πήληκα βριαρὴν δόρυ τ' ἄσχετον, ᾧ π̔' ὑπὸ μέσσας
1323 ἐργατίνης ὥς τίς τε Πελασγίδι νύσσεν ἀκαίνῃ
1324 οὐτάζων λαγόνας: μάλα δ' ἔμπεδον εὖ ἀραρυῖαν
1325 τυκτὴν ἐξ ἀδάμαντος ἐπιθύνεσκεν ἐχέτλην.


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