Turn 4 (Strophe 4) 70-77

What, then, started them on that voyage?

What bound them with nails of adamant

to undertake the risk? 

The gods had ordained 

that Pelias would meet his death

at the hands of the proud Aiolidai,

or through their machinations:

an oracle had come to him 

at Delphi, near the omphalos of mother earth,

and his shrewd heart froze 

when he heard it: 

"Keep close watch 

against a man wearing a single sandal

when he comes from mountain lairs

to the sunlit land of famed Iolkos,

Counterturn 4 (Antistrophe 4) 78-85

whether a stranger or your countryman, beware."

In time, a man arrived, 

with two awesome spears in his hand

and wearing

Magnesian hunting garb 

wrapped about his powerful limbs,

and a leopard skin 

to ward the rain's barbs off.

The bright curls of his hair

had not yet vanished under the knife,

but streamed down his back.

He went straight on, 

exulting in his dauntless spirit,

and stood in the market place

where the crowd milled and thronged.

Stand 4 (Epode 4) 86-92

They knew him not, 

but said to one another, marveling:

"He wouldn't be Apollo--or do you think he is?"

"No, nor is he Ares, driver of the bronze chariot."

"I'd call him Otos, or even bold lord Epialtas,

had not those sons of Iphimedeia, as legend says,

died in shining Naxos." 

"And the arrows of Artemis,

springing from her deadly bow,

hunted down Tityos, 

so that men might learn 

to yearn for things that are within their grasp."

Turn 5 (Strophe 5) 93-100

So they spoke among themselves,

but Pelias arrived in haste,

driving his burnished mule car

at headlong speed. 

He was amazed 

when he saw that the stanger wore

a sandal on his right foot only.

But he hid the terror in his heart

and said: "What land do you claim

for your native country, stranger?

Who among earthborn women 

cast you forth 

out of her gray belly? 

Speak, and do not dishonor your birth

with odious lies." 

Counterturn 5 (Antistrophe 5) 101-8

And Jason, unintimidated, answered him

in gentle words: "This I have to say,

that I will show 

my upbringing by Chiron. 

Yes, I come from Chariklo and Philyra,

from the cavern 

where Centaur's daughters reared me:

for twenty years I lived with them,

not once, in word or deed, 

bringing them shame. 

Now I have returned, 

to claim the ancient honor 

of my father, the gift of Zeus

to Aiolos and his children, no longer

theirs to enjoy in justice.

Stand 5 (Epode 5) 109-15

For I have learned that the lawless Pelias,

pale with lust for power, stripped my parents

of their rightful rule. 

On the day of my birth, 

for fear of his brutal outrage, they pretended

a dark affliction had touched their house,

a death.

Under cover of night 

and women's wailing, they sent me forth,

wrapped in purple swaddling bands,

a child for Chiron Kronidas to nurture.

Turn 6 (Strophe 6) 116-23 

But now you know the highlights of the story.

Fellow citizens, point out to me clearly

the house of my fathers, 

riders of white horses: 

for I am he, the son of Aison,

a native of this country, 

no foreigner in a foreign land;

Chiron the sacred centaur 

called me by the name of Jason."

So he spoke.

And his father knew him 

when he entered the house: 

tears welled in the old man's eyes,

his soul brimmed with joy to see his son

the best, the handsomest of men.

Counterturn 6 (Strophe 6) 124-31

And at the news of his arrival

both Aison's brothers came 

and joined them: 

Pheres from nearby, 

leaving the Hyperian spring;

and Amythan from Messana. 

Admatos also came quickly, 

and Melampos, wishing their cousin well.

And Jason, warmly receiving them

at a common banquet, gave them

gifts proper to the occasion,

and drew festivity out 

to its full extent, 

culling the delight of hallowed feasting

for five full days and nights.

Stand 6 (Epode 6) 132-38

But on the sixth the man confided in his kinsmen,

set the whole affair in earnest down before them

and won their support. 

Quickly from the banquet room

they rose and followed him in haste to Pelias' hall.

There they took their stand.

And Pelias himself, 

born of Tyro careful of her braids, came before them

when he heard their clamor.

Jason, letting his words 

fall in mild intonations, laid the basis of a wise appeal.

"Son of Poseidon who split the rock of Tempe,

Turn 7 (Strophe 7) 139-46

men are too quick to spurn justice

for treacherous gain, though they hasten

to a harsh reckoning after.

You and I

should guide our passions rightly

as we weave our plans for happiness.

I believe you know what I mean.

A single woman was mother 

to Kretheus and bold Salmoneus.

In the third generation sprung from them,

we in our turn look upon 

the mighty gold of the sun.

May the Moirai turn away in disgust

if any enmity between kinsman

spoil their regard for one another!

Counterturn 7 (Antistrophe 7) 147-54

It does not befit us to let the blades

of brazen swords and spears make division

of our ample birthright. 

I leave to you 

the sheep, the dun herds of oxen,

all the fields 

you took from my parents 

and graze now, fattening your riches.

It is nothing to me, if you

and your house are glutted with these.

But the scepter of monarchy,

the throne where Kretheus sat

when he rendered strict justice to his knightly people--

both of these, without hurt to either of us,

Stand 7 (Epode 7) 155-61

you must give up, or some newer evil

comes between us on their account."

Thus Jason,

and Pelias answered, softly:

"I will do

as you say, and yet 

old age is upon me now 

while you, in the flower of your youth, can appease

the wrath of the underworld.

The spirit of Phrixos 

cries upon us to bring him home from Aietas' realm.

And we must also fetch the deep-fleeced hide of the ram

upon whose back he rode to safety from the sea

Turn 8 (Strophe 8) 162-69

and from the deadly thrusts of his stepmother.

A wondrous dream has told me all this,

and I inquired 

of the oracle at Delphi 

whether I should go ahead with it.

The answer: an expedition by ship,

and no delays. 

Do you, willingly, perform this task

and I swear that I will let you

rule as sole king here. 

Zeus, our ancestor, 

bear me witness, 

and be a mighty oath between us."

They agreed, and parted company.

And Jason himself forthwith

Counterturn 8 (Antistrophe 8) 170-77 

sent heralds to proclaim the voyage everywhere.

Soon three of Zeus Kronidas' sons arrived,

keen for battle: 

the one dark-eyed Alkmena's child,

the other two 

twin sons of Leda. 

Also a pair of tall men, 

sons of the Shaker of Earth,

Pylos and high Tainaros their homes:

Euphamos and you, mighty Periklymenos,

whose fame for noble deeds 

is now assured. 

And the father of songs arrived,

glorious Orpheus, 

master of the lyre by Apollo's gift.

Stand 8 (Epode 8) 177-84 

And Hermes Goldenwand sent both his sons

to meet that high challenge:

Echion and Erytos, 

clamorous in their youth. 

Zetas and Kalais 

were there at once, though they lived

far off among the foothills of Pangaion:

Boreas their father, the wind-king, willingly, quickly,

gladly dispatched them--

on both their backs 

bristled a pair of purple wings.

And Hera kindled 

in each of the demi-gods a sweet, all-conquering passion

Turn 9 (Strophe 9) 185-92

to sail aboard the Argo 

and not be left behind 

at his mother's side 

coddling a life 

free from danger, but to win,

together with his age-mates,

a cure for death itself 

in his own renown. 

So when that pick of sailors

had gathered in lolkos, 

Jason praised them one by one,

and Mopsos his seer 

augured by birds and sacred lots

that it was time to cast off:

the anchors hung from the ship's ram,

Counterturn 9 (Antistrophe 9) 193-200 

the captain, standing in the prow 

with a gold dish in his hand, called 

on Zeus who grips the thunder, 

on the swift 

pounding waves, the winds and nights,

the pathways of the deep, 

days of bright calm, 

and a final blessing in their return. 

From the clouds a voice 

bellowed in good omen 

and rays of lightning 

rained bursting down. 

The heroes caught their breath, 

moved by the god's signs, 

and the seer shouted to them

Stand 9 (Epode 9) 201-7

"Fall to the oars: our hopes are sweet!"

Under their swift hands then the oar blades

dipped insatiably, 

and the South Wind bore them

to the mouth of the Inhospitable Sea.

a grove to Poseidon 

A herd of tawny bulls, 

for use in the sacrifice, grazed nearby;

and on the altar they found, already fashioned,

a stone hollow to cup the blood.

Here they dedicated 

Then, swept onward 

into the peril of the deep, they called on the Lord of Ships

Turn 10 (Strophe 10) (208-15) 

to save them from the crash of boulders

rolling with a roar together:

two of them, rocks 

instinct with life, 

quicker than the winds' rumbling cohorts-

now they are still,

stopped when the heroes sailed between

and beached on the banks of the Phasis. 

Here, in the very domain of King Aietas,

they joined in battle

with the swarthy Kolchians.

And Aphrodite came,

queen of swiftest arrows, 

 bringing from Olympos the dappled wryneck

pinned to four spokes

on an inescapable wheel,

Counterturn 10 (Antistrophe) (216-23)

to work on men for the first time, the bird 

of madness: and she taught Jason 

skill in prayers and charms, 

to strip Medea 

of all care for her parents, 

that her longing for Hellas 

might turn her mind, already burning, 

and steer her with the goad of passion. 

And quickly Medea revealed the means 

of passing her father's ordeals: 

in a base of olive oil she mingled

antidotes for pain, 

and gave them to him, to anoint his limbs.

And they looked forward 

to the sweet embrace of love.

Stand 10 (Epode 10) (224-30)

But now Aietas threw down before him 

the adamantine plow, and brought out bulls 

snorting streams of blazing fire through their jaws, 

pawing the earth with brazen hooves.

Single-handed, he led them to the yoke, tied them in, and drove them 

plowing the furrows straight, digging a fathom deep 

into the earth's brown back.

And then he spoke: 

"Let the ship's master try his hand at this,

this first: and then the imperishable coverlet,

Turn 11 (Strophe 11) 231-38

the fleece fringed with gleaming gold."

So Aietas cast the challenge,

and Jason took it up. 

Trusting in the gods, 

he let his purple cloak drop to the ground.

Medea's skill in potions 

kept the fire from his flesh;

he gripped the plow, 

bound the bulls' necks to the yoke,

and, stabbing their stout-ribbed flanks

with a pointed goad, 

he toiled through 

his allotted measure. 

Aietas, astonished at his power,

uttered a wordless cry.

Counterturn 11 (Antistrophe 11) (239-46) 

But his comrades stretched their hands

toward the man in triumph, raining 

bayleaf garlands 

and warm shouts upon him. 

But grimly the son of Helios pointed the way to the shimmering fleece,

where Phrixos with his blade 

had flayed the ram and spread it out.

He had no inkling yet

that Jason would succeed, 

for the fleece lay in a thicket, 

and a dragon

loomed above it, foam 

dripping from its cruel jaws, huger

than a fifty-oared, iron-bolted ship.

Stand 11 (Epode 11) (247-53)

But it's a long way by the main road,

and time presses. 

I know a certain shortcut, for I am guide to many

in the turns of song. 

Arkesilas, Medea's wiles 

helped him past that green-eyed, speckle-backed serpent;

and she took part in her own abduction, she, Pelias' ruin.

And they sailed 

over Okeanos' breadth and Red Sea waves

into the arms of the Lemnian women, murderers

of the male sex. 

To them they showed their speed

in a contest with a cloak for prize,

Turn 12 (Strophe12) (254-61)

and then they led the women to their beds. 

On that eventful day or in the nights of love 

the seed of your greatness fell

in foreign furrows:

for then it was that Euphamos' race 

was sown to endure forever.

In time, they came to dwell 

at home in Lakedaimon,

 whence they colonized Kallista Island;

then Apollo joined the gods 

to honor them again: 

the plain of Libya 

he gave to you, to make it prosper, 

and the city of Kyrana throned in gold, 

yours to govern 

Counterturn 12 (Antistrophe 12) (262-69)

by devising fruitful policies. 

Observe, then, the wisdom 

in Oedipus' proverb:

If a man 

with sharp-edged axe 

hew away a tall oak's branches, 

spoiling its beauty, 

though it is ruined 

in fruit and foliage 

yet it will prove its worth 

one day, when it comes at last 

to the winter's fire, 

or when it stands beneath a king's firm portal, 

enduring sad toil amid foreign walls, 

far from its native place.

Stand 12 (Epode) (270-76)

You, Arkesilas, are a healer with a sense of timing--

Apollo Paian's honor shines in you.

Put, then, a soothing hand to the wound's affliction

and tend it.

Even men of no account 

can shake a city, but to set her on her feet again

is hard,

unless a god suddenly show the way.

I have spelled out these graces here for you

to be the author of them: 

be bold, then, 

and use all speed to win Kyrana's happiness.

Turn 13 (Strophe 13) (277-84)

Versed as you are in the lore of Homer, 

ponder this saying of his as well: 

"A good messenger 

furthers any enterprise." 

And the Muse herself prospers

through a message rightly phrased.

Kyrana and the high bright hall of Battos 

have had a chance to know and savor 

Damophilos' just intentions.

He's young of heart when with the young, 

but at the council table 

he's as good as an elder 

with a hundred years' experience behind him. 

No evil tongue waits on his encouragement,

no arrogant man basks in his regard,

Counterturn 13 (Antistophe 13) 285-92

he has no quarrel with the nobles, 

nor does he dally with a project, 

knowing opportunity 

is brief among men. 

And so he tends to it, a loyal servant, 

not a reluctant drudge. 

But men are agreed that this 

of all things is most galling: 

to know the right 

but refrain from doing it, under duress. 

He, a second Atlas, 

still bruises his shoulder 

against the sky, far from home and belongings. 

But immortal Zeus let the Titans go, 

and seamen change their sails

Stand 13 (Epode 13) 293-99

as the wind falls. 

All he prays for is to look one day

upon his home, having drained to the lees

his cup of affliction; 

to let his heart 

enjoy delights of youth, joining the symposium

beside Apollo's spring; 

and to find his peace 

playing the intricate lyre for cultivated friends:

causing no one any pain, himself unhurt by his neighbors.

Then would he tell you, Arkesilas, what a fountain

of immortal words he found, when lately entertained at Thebes