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ARGONAUTICA BOOK 2 [1123]

(2.1123-1133) "We beseech you, by Zeus the Beholder, whoever ye are, to be kindly and to help us in our need. For fierce tempests, falling on the sea, have shattered all the timbers of the crazy ship in which we were cleaving our path on business bent. Wherefore we entreat you, if haply ye will listen, to grant us just a covering for our bodies, and to pity and succour men in misfortune, your equals in age. Oh, reverence suppliants and strangers for Zeus' sake, the god of strangers and suppliants. To Zeus belong both suppliants and strangers; and his eye, methinks, beholdeth even us."

1123    "Ἀντόμεθα πρὸς Ζηνὸς Ἐποψίου, οἵτινές ἐστε
1124 ἀνδρῶν, εὐμενέειν τε καὶ ἀρκέσσαι χατέουσιν.
1125 πόντῳ γὰρ τρηχεῖαι ἐπιβρίσασαι ἄελλαι
1126 νηὸς ἀεικελίης διὰ δούρατα πάντ' ἐκέδασσαν,
1127 ᾗ ἔνι πείρομεν οἶμον ἐπὶ χρέος ἐμβεβαῶτες.
1128 τούνεκα νῦν ὑμέας γουναζόμεθ', αἴ κε πίθησθε,
1129 δοῦναι ὅσον τ' εἴλυμα περὶ χροός, ἠδὲ κομίσσαι
1130 ἀνέρας οἰκτείραντας ὁμήλικας ἐν κακότητι.
1131 ἀλλ' ἱκέτας ξείνους Διὸς εἵνεκεν αἰδέσσασθε
1132 Ξεινίου Ἱκεσίου τε: Διὸς δ' ἄμφω ἱκέται τε
1133 καὶ ξεῖνοι: ὁ δέ που καὶ ἐπόψιος ἄμμι τέτυκται."

(2.1134-1139) And in reply the son of Aeson prudently questioned him, deeming that the prophecies of Phineus were being fulfilled: "All these things will we straightway grant you with right good will. But come tell me truly in what country ye dwell and what business bids you sail across the sea, and tell me your own glorious names and lineage."

1134     Τὸν δ' αὖτ' Αἴσονος υἱὸς ἐπιφραδέως ἐρέεινεν,
1135 μαντοσύνας Φινῆος ὀισσάμενος τελέεσθαι:
1136 "Ταῦτα μὲν αὐτίκα πάντα παρέξομεν εὐμενέοντες.
1137 ἀλλ' ἄγε μοι κατάλεξον ἐτήτυμον, ὁππόθι γαίης
1138 ναίετε, καὶ χρέος οἷον ὑπεὶρ ἅλα νεῖσθαι ἀνώγει,
1139 αὐτῶν θ' ὑμείων ὄνομα κλυτόν, ἠδὲ γενέθλην."

(2.1140-1156) And him Argus, helpless in his evil plight, addressed: "That one Phrixus an Aeolid reached Aea from Hellas you yourselves have clearly heard ere this, I trow; Phrixus, who came to the city of Aeetes, bestriding a ram, which Hermes had made all gold; and the fleece ye may see even now. The ram, at its own prompting, he then sacrificed to Zeus, son of Cronos, above all, the god of fugitives. And him did Aeetes receive in his palace, and with gladness of heart gave him his daughter Chalciope in marriage without gifts of wooing. From those two are we sprung. But Phrixus died at last, an aged man, in the home of Aeetes; and we, giving heed to our father's behests, are journeying to Orehomenus to take the possessions of Athamas. And if thou dost desire to learn our names, this is Cytissorus, this Phrontis, and this Melas, and me ye may. call Argus."

1140     Τὸν δ' Ἄργος προσέειπεν ἀμηχανέων κακότητι:
1141 "Αἰολίδην Φρίξον τιν' ἀφ' Ἑλλάδος Αἶαν ἱκέσθαι
1142 ἀτρεκέως δοκέω που ἀκούετε καὶ πάρος αὐτοί,
1143 Φρίξον, ὅτις πτολίεθρον ἀνήλυθεν Αἰήταο,
1144 κριοῦ ἐπεμβεβαώς, τόν ῥα χρύσειον ἔθηκεν
1145 Ἑρμείας: κῶας δὲ καὶ εἰσέτι νῦν κεν ἴδοισθε.
1146 τὸν μὲν ἔπειτ' ἔρρεξεν ἑῇς ὑποθημοσύνῃσιν
1147 Φυξίῳ ἐκ πάντων Κρονίδῃ Διί. καί μιν ἔδεκτο
1148 Αἰήτης μεγάρῳ, κούρην τέ οἱ ἐγγυάλιξεν
1149 Χαλκιόπην ἀνάεδνον ἐυφροσύνῃσι νόοιο.
1150 τῶν ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων εἰμὲν γένος. ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν ἤδη
1151 γηραιὸς θάνε Φρίξος ἐν Λἰήταο δόμοισιν:
1152 ἡμεῖς δ' αὐτίκα πατρὸς ἐφετμάων ἀλέγοντες
1153 νεύμεθ' ἐς Ὀρχομενὸν κτεάνων Ἀθάμαντος ἕκητι.
1154 εἰ δὲ καὶ οὔνομα δῆθεν ἐπιθύεις δεδαῆσθαι,
1155 τῷδε Κυτίσσωρος πέλει οὔνομα, τῷ δέ τε Φρόντις,
1156 τῷ δὲ Μέλας: ἐμὲ δ' αὐτὸν ἐπικλείοιτέ κεν Ἄργον."

(2.1157-1159) Thus he spake, and the chieftains rejoiced at the meeting, and tended them, much marvelling. And Jason again in turn replied, as was fitting, with these words:

1157     Ὧς φάτ': ἀριστῆες δὲ συνηβολίῃ κεχάροντο,
1158 καί σφεας ἀμφίεπον περιθαμβέες. αὐτὰρ Ἰήσων
1159 ἐξαῦτις κατὰ μοῖραν ἀμείψατο τοῖσδ' ἐπέεσσιν:

(2.1160-1167) "Surely ye are our kinsmen on my father's side, and ye pray that with kindly hearts we succour your evil plight. For Cretheus and Athamas were brothers. I am the grandson of Cretheus, and with these comrades here I am journeying from that same Hellas to the city of Aeetes. But of these things we will converse hereafter. And do ye first put clothing upon you. By heaven's devising, I ween, have ye come to my hands in your sore need."

1160     "̂Ἠ ἄρα δὴ γνωτοὶ πατρώιοι ἄμμιν ἐόντες
1161 λίσσεσθ' εὐμενέοντας ἐπαρκέσσαι κακότητα.
1162 Κρηθεὺς γάρ ῥ' Ἀθάμας τε κασίγνητοι γεγάασιν.
1163 Κρηθῆος δ' υἱωνὸς ἐγὼ σὺν τοισίδ' ἑταίροις
1164 Ἑλλάδος ἐξ αὐτῆς νέομ' ἐς πόλιν Αἰήταο.
1165 ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν καὶ ̣̣αῦτις ἐνίφομεν ἀλλήλοισιν.
1166 νῦν δ' ἕσσασθε πάροιθεν: ὑπ' ἐννεσίῃσι δ' ὀίω
1167 ἀθανάτων ἐς χεῖρας ἐμὰς χατέοντας ἱκέσθαι."

(2.1168-1178) He spake, and out of the ship gave them raiment to put on. Then all together they went to the temple of Ares to offer sacrifice of sheep; and in haste they stood round the altar, which was outside the roofless temple, an altar built of pebbles; within a black stone stood fixed, a sacred thing, to which of yore the Amazons all used to pray. Nor was it lawful for them, when they came from the opposite coast, to burn on this altar offerings of sheep and oxen, but they used to slay horses which they kept in great herds. Now when they had sacrificed and eaten the feast prepared, then Aeson's son spake among them and thus began:

1168     ̂Ἠ ῥα, καὶ ἐκ νηὸς δῶκέ σφισιν εἵματα δῦναι.
1169 πασσυδίῃ δἤπειτα κίον μετὰ νηὸν Ἄρηος,
1170 μῆλ' ἱερευσόμενοι: περὶ δ' ἐσχάρῃ ἐστήσαντο
1171 ἐσσυμένως, ἥ τ' ἐκτὸς ἀνηρεφέος πέλε νηοῦ
1172 στιάων: εἴσω δὲ μέλας λίθος ἠρήρειστο
1173 ἱερός, ᾧ ποτε πᾶσαι Ἀμαζόνες εὐχετόωντο.
1174 οὐδέ σφιν θέμις ἦεν, ὅτ' ἀντιπέρηθεν ἵκοιντο,
1175 μήλων τ' ἠδὲ βοῶν τῇδ' ἐσχάρῃ ἱερὰ καίειν:
1176 ἀλλ' ἵππους δαίτρευον, ἐπηετανὸν κομέουσαι.
1177 αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ ῥέξαντες ἐπαρτέα δαῖτ' ἐπάσαντο,
1178 δὴ τότ ἄρ' Αἰσονίδης μετεφώνεεν, ἦρχέ τε μύθων:

(2.1179-1195) "Zeus' self, I ween, beholds everything; nor do we men escape his eye, we that be god-fearing and just, for as he rescued your father from the hands of a murderous step-dame and gave him measureless wealth besides; even so hath he saved you harmless from the baleful storm. And on board this ship ye may sail hither and thither, where ye will, whether to Aea or to the wealthy city of divine Orthomenus. For our ship Athena built and with axe of bronze cut her timbers near the crest of Pelion, and with the goddess wrought Argus. But yours the fierce surge hath shattered, before ye came nigh to the rocks which all day long clash together in the straits of the sea. But come, be yourselves our helpers, for we are eager to bring to Hellas the golden fleece, and guide us on our voyage, for I go to atone for the intended sacrifice of Phrixus, the cause of Zeus' wrath against the sons of Aeolus."

1179     "Ζεὺς ἐτεῇ τὰ ἕκαστ' ἐπιδέρκεται: οὐδέ μιν ἄνδρες
1180 λήθομεν ἔμπεδον, οἵ τε θεουδέες οὐδὲ δίκαιοι.
1181 ὡς μὲν γὰρ πατέρ' ὑμὸν ὑπεξείρυτο φόνοιο
1182 μητρυιῆς, καὶ νόσφιν ἀπειρέσιον πόρεν ὄλβον:
1183 ὧς δὲ καὶ ὑμέας αὖτις ἀπήμονας ἐξεσάωσεν
1184 χείματος οὐλομένοιο. πάρεστι δὲ τῆσδ' ἐπὶ νηὸς
1185 ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα νέεσθαι, ὅπῃ φίλον, εἴτε μετ' Αἶαν,
1186 εἶτε μετ' ἀφνειὴν θείου πόλιν Ὀρχομενοῖο.
1187 τὴν γὰρ Ἀθηναίη τεχνήσατο, καὶ τάμε χαλκῷ
1188 δούρατα Πηλιάδος κορυφῆς πέρι: σὺν δέ οἱ Ἄργος
1189 τεῦξεν. ἀτὰρ κείνην γε κακὸν διὰ κῦμ' ἐκέδασσεν,
1190 πρὶν καὶ πετράων σχεδὸν ἐλθεῖν, αἵ τ' ἐνὶ πόντῳ
1191 στεινωπῷ συνίασι πανήμεροι ἀλλήλῃσιν.
1192 ἀλλ' ἄγεθ' ὧδε καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐς Ἑλλάδα μαιομένοισιν
1193 κῶας ἄγειν χρύσειον ἐπίρροθοι ἄμμι πέλεσθε
1194 καὶ πλόου ἡγεμονῆες, ἐπεὶ Φρίξοιο θυηλὰς
1195 στέλλομαι ἀμπλήσων, Ζηνὸς χόλον Αἰολίδῃσιν."

(2.1196-1199) He spake with soothing words; but horror seized them when they heard. For they deemed that they would not find Aeetes friendly if they desired to take away the ram's fleece. And Argus spake as follows, vexed that they should busy themselves with such a quest:

1196     Ἴσκε παρηγορέων: οἱ δ' ἔστυγον εἰσαΐοντες.
1197 οὐ γὰρ ἔφαν τεύξεσθαι ἐνηέος Αἰήταο
1198 κῶας ἄγειν κριοῖο μεμαότας, ὧδε δ' ἔειπεν
1199 Ἄργος, ἀτεμβόμενος τοῖον στόλον ἀμφιπένεσθαι:


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