Sacred Texts  Classics  Index  Previous  Next 
Buy this Book at Amazon.com

ARGONAUTICA BOOK 3 [210]

(3.210-259) And as they went Hera with friendly thought spread a thick mist through the city, that they might fare to the palace of Aeetes unseen by the countless hosts of the Colchians. But soon when from the plain they came to the city and Aeetes' palace, then again Hera dispersed the mist. And they stood at the entrance, marvelling at the king's courts and the wide gates and columns which rose in ordered lines round the walls; and high up on the palace a coping of stone rested on brazen triglyphs. And silently they crossed the threshold. And close by garden vines covered with green foliage were in full bloom, lifted high in air. And beneath them ran four fountains, ever-flowing, which Hephaestus had delved out. One was gushing with milk, one with wine, while the third flowed with fragrant oil; and the fourth ran with water, which grew warm at the setting of the Pleiads, and in turn at their rising bubbled forth from the hollow rock, cold as crystal. Such then were the wondrous works that the craftsman-god Hephaestus had fashioned in the palace of Cytaean Aeetes. And he wrought for him bulls with feet of bronze, and their mouths were of bronze, and from them they breathed out a terrible flame of fire; moreover he forged a plough of unbending adamant, all in one piece, in payment of thanks to Helios, who had taken the god up in his chariot when faint from the Phlegraean fight. And here an inner-court was built, and round it were many well-fitted doors and chambers here and there, and all along on each side was a richly-wrought gallery. And on both sides loftier buildings stood obliquely. In one, which was the loftiest, lordly Aeetes dwelt with his queen; and in another dwelt Apsyrtus, son of Aeetes, whom a Caucasian nymph, Asterodeia, bare before he made Eidyia his wedded wife, the youngest daughter of Tethys and Oceanus. And the sons of the Colchians called him by the new name of Phaethon, because he outshone all the youths. The other buildings the handmaidens had, and the two daughters of Aeetes, Chalciope and Medea. Medea then [they found] going from chamber to chamber in search of her sister, for Hera detained her within that day; but beforetime she was not wont to haunt the palace, but all day long was busied in Hecate's temple, since she herself was the priestess of the goddess. And when she saw them she cried aloud, and quickly Chalciope caught the sound; and her maids, throwing down at their feet their yarn and their thread, rushed forth all in a throng. And she, beholding her sons among them, raised her hands aloft through joy; and so they likewise greeted their mother, and when they saw her embraced her in their gladness; and she with many sobs spoke thus:

210     Τοῖσι δὲ νισσομένοις Ἥρη φίλα μητιόωσα
211 ἠέρα πουλὺν ἐφῆκε δι' ἄστεος, ὄφρα λάθοιεν
212 Κόλχων μυρίον ἔθνος ἐς Αἰήταο κιόντες.
213 ὦκα δ' ὅτ' ἐκ πεδίοιο πόλιν καὶ δώμαθ' ἵκοντο
214 Αἰήτεω, τότε δ' αὖτις ἀπεσκέδασεν νέφος Ἥρη.
215 ἔσταν δ' ἐν προμολῇσι τεθηπότες ἕρκε' ἄνακτος
216 εὐρείας τε πύλας καὶ κίονας, οἳ περὶ τοίχους
217 ἑξείνς ἄνεχον: θριγκὸς δ' ἐφύπερθε δόμοιο
218 λαΐνεος χαλκέῃσιν ἐπὶ γλυφίδεσσιν ἀρήρει.
219 εὔκηλοι δ' ὑπὲρ οὐδὸν ἔπειτ' ἔβαν. ἄγχι δὲ τοῖο
220 ἡμερίδες χλοεροῖσι καταστεφέες πετάλοισιν
221 ὑψοῦ ἀειρόμεναι μέγ' ἐθήλεον. αἱ δ' ὑπὸ τῇσιν
222 ἀέναοι κρῆναι πίσυρες ῥέον, ἃς ἐλάχηνεν
223 Ἥφαιστος. καί ῥ' ἡ μέν ἀναβλύεσκε γάλακτι,
224 ἡ δ' οἴνῳ, τριτάτη δὲ θυώδεϊ νᾶεν ἀλοιφῇ:
225 ἡ δ' ἄρ' ὕδωρ προρέεσκε, τὸ μέν ποθι δυομένῃσιν
226 θέρμετο Πληιάδεσσιν, ἀμοιβηδὶς δ' ἀνιούσαις
227 κρυστάλλῳ ἴκελον κοίλης ἀνεκήκιε πέτρης.
228 τοῖ' ἄρ' ἐνὶ μεγάροισι Κυταιέος Αἰήταο
229 τεχνήεις Ἥφαιστος ἐμήσατο θέσκελα ἔργα.
230 καί οἱ χαλκόποδας ταύρους κάμε, χάλκεα δέ σφεων
231 ἦν στόματ', ἐκ δὲ πυρὸς δεινὸν σέλας ἀμπνείεσκον:
232 πρὸς δὲ καὶ αὐτόγυον στιβαροῦ ἀδάμαντος ἄροτρον
233 ἤλασεν, Ἠελίῳ τίνων χάριν, ὅς ῥά μιν ἵπποις
234 δέξατο, Φλεγραίῃ κεκμηότα δηιοτῆτι.
235 ἔνθα δὲ καὶ μέσσαυλος ἐλήλατο: τῇ δ' ἐπὶ πολλαὶ
236 δικλίδες εὐπηγεῖς θάλαμοί τ' ἔσαν ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα:
237 δαιδαλέη δ' αἴθουσα παρὲξ ἑκάτερθε τέτυκτο.
238 λέχρις δ' αἰπύτεροι δόμοι ἕστασαν ἀμφοτέρωθεν.
239 τῶν ἤτοι ἄλλῳ μέν, ὅτις καὶ ὑπείροχος ἦεν,
240 κρείων Αἰήτης σὺν ἑῇ ναίεσκε δάμαρτι:
241 ἄλλῳ δ' Ἄψυρτος ναῖεν πάις Αἰήταο.
242 τὸν μὲν Καυκασίη νύμφη τέκεν Ἀστερόδεια
243 πρίν περ κουριδίην θέσθαι Εἰδυῖαν ἄκοιτιν,
244 Τηθύος Ὠκεανοῦ τε πανοπλοτάτην γεγαυῖαν.
245 καί μιν Κόλχων υἷες ἐπωνυμίην Φαέθοντα
246 ἔκλεον, οὕνεκα πᾶσι μετέπρεπεν ἠιθέοισιν.
247 τοὺς δ' ἔχον ἀμφίπολοί τε καὶ Αἰήταο θύγατρες
248 ἄμφω, Χαλκιόπη Μήδειά τε. τὴν μὲν ἄρ' οἵγε
249 ἐκ θαλάμου θάλαμόνδε κασιγνήτην μετιοῦσαν--
250 Ἥρη γάρ μιν ἔρυκε δόμῳ: πρὶν δ' οὔτι θάμιζεν
251 ἐν μεγάροις, Ἑκάτης δὲ πανήμερος ἀμφεπονεῖτο
252 νηόν, ἐπεί ῥα θεᾶς αὐτὴ πέλεν ἀρήτειρα--
253 καί σφεας ὡς ἴδεν ἆσσον, ἀνίαχεν: ὀξὺ δ' ἄκουσεν
254 Χαλκιόπη: δμωαὶ δὲ ποδῶν προπάροιθε βαλοῦσαι
255 νήματα καὶ κλωστῆρας ἀολλέες ἔκτοθι πᾶσαι
256 ἔδραμον. ἡ δ' ἅμα τοῖσιν ἑοὺς υἱῆας ἰδοῦσα
257 ὑψοῦ χάρματι χεῖρας ἀνέσχεθεν: ὧς δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ
258 μητέρα δεξιόωντο, καὶ ἀμφαγάπαζον ἰδόντες
259 γηθόσυνοι: τοῖον δὲ κινυρομένη φάτο μῦθον:

(3.260-267) "After all then, ye were not destined to leave me in your heedlessness and to wander far; but fate has turned you back. Poor wretch that I am! What a yearning for Hellas from some woeful madness seized you at the behest of your father Phrixus. Bitter sorrows for my heart did he ordain when dying. And why should ye go to the city of Orchomenus, whoever this Orchomenus is, for the sake of Athamas' wealth, leaving your mother alone to bear her grief?"

260      "Ἔμπης οὐκ ἄρ' ἐμέλλετ' ἀκηδείῃ με λιπόντες
261 τηλόθι πλάγξασθαι: μετὰ δ' ὑμέας ἔτραπεν αἶσα.
262 δειλὴ ἐγώ, οἷον πόθον Ἑλλάδος ἔκποθεν ἄτης
263 λευγαλέης Φρίξοιο ἐφημοσύνῃσιν ἕλεσθε
264 πατρός. ὁ μὲν θνῄσκων στυγερὰς ἐπετείλατ' ἀνίας
265 ἡμετέρῃ κραδίῃ. τί δέ κεν πόλιν Ὀρχομενοῖο,
266 ὅστις ὅδ' Ὀρχομενός, κτεάνων Ἀθάμαντος ἕκητι
267 μητέρ' ἑὴν ἀχέουσαν ἀποπρολιπόντες, ἵκοισθε;"

(3.268-274) Such were her words; and Aeetes came forth last of all and Eidyia herself came, the queen of Aeetes, on hearing the voice of Chalciope; and straightway all the court was filled with a throng. Some of the thralls were busied with a mighty bull, others with the axe were cleaving dry billets, and others heating with fire water for the baths; nor was there one who relaxed his toil, serving the king.

268     Ὧς ἔφατ': Αἰήτης δὲ πανύστατος ὦρτο θύραζε,
269 ἐκ δ' αὐτὴ Εἰδυῖα δάμαρ κίεν Αἰήταο,
270 Χαλκιόπης ἀίουσα: τὸ δ' αὐτίκα πᾶν ὁμάδοιο
271 ἕρκος ἐπεπλήθει. τοὶ μὲν μέγαν ἀμφιπένοντο
272 ταῦρον ἅλις δμῶες: τοὶ δὲ ξύλα κάγκανα χαλκῷ
273 κόπτον: τοὶ δὲ λοετρὰ πυρὶ ζέον: οὐδέ τις ἦεν,
274 ὃς καμάτου μεθίεσκεν, ὑποδρήσσων βασιλῆι.

(3.275-298) Meantime Eros passed unseen through the grey mist, causing confusion, as when against grazing heifers rises the gadfly, which oxherds call the breese. And quickly beneath the lintel in the porch he strung his bow and took from the quiver an arrow unshot before, messenger of pain. And with swift feet unmarked he passed the threshold and keenly glanced around; and gliding close by Aeson's son he laid the arrow-notch on the cord in the centre, and drawing wide apart with both hands he shot at Medea; and speechless amazement seized her soul. But the god himself flashed back again from the high-roofed hall, laughing loud; and the bolt burnt deep down in the maiden's heart like a flame; and ever she kept darting bright glances straight up at Aeson's son, and within her breast her heart panted fast through anguish, all remembrance left her, and her soul melted with the sweet pain. And as a poor woman heaps dry twigs round a blazing brand -- a daughter of toil, whose task is the spinning of wool, that she may kindle a blaze at night beneath her roof, when she has waked very early -- and the flame waxing wondrous great from the small brand consumes all the twigs together; so, coiling round her heart, burnt secretly Love the destroyer; and the hue of her soft cheeks went and came, now pale, now red, in her soul's distraction.

275     Τόφρα δ' Ἔρως πολιοῖο δι' ἠέρος ἷξεν ἄφαντος,
276 τετρηχώς, οἷόν τε νέαις ἐπὶ φορβάσιν οἶστρος
277 τέλλεται, ὅν τε μύωπα βοῶν κλείουσι νομῆες.
278 ὦκα δ' ὑπὸ φλιὴν προδόμῳ ἔνι τόξα τανύσσας
279 ἰοδόκης ἀβλῆτα πολύστονον ἐξέλετ' ἰόν.
280 ἐκ δ' ὅγε καρπαλίμοισι λαθὼν ποσὶν οὐδὸν ἄμειψεν
281 ὀξέα δενδίλλων: αὐτῷ ὑπὸ βαιὸς ἐλυσθεὶς
282 Αἰσονίδῃ γλυφίδας μέσσῃ ἐνικάτθετο νευρῇ,
283 ἰθὺς δ' ἀμφοτέρῃσι διασχόμενος παλάμῃσιν
284 ἧκ' ἐπὶ Μηδείῃ: τὴν δ' ἀμφασίη λάβε θυμόν.
285 αὐτὸς δ' ὑψορόφοιο παλιμπετὲς ἐκ μεγάροιο
286 καγχαλόων ἤιξε: βέλος δ' ἐνεδαίετο κούρῃ
287 νέρθεν ὑπὸ κραδίῃ, φλογὶ εἴκελον: ἀντία δ' αἰεὶ
288 βάλλεν ὑπ' Αἰσονίδην ἀμαρύγματα, καί οἱ ἄηντο
289 στηθέων ἐκ πυκιναὶ καμάτῳ φρένες, οὐδέ τιν' ἄλλην
290 μνῆστιν ἔχεν, γλυκερῇ δὲ κατείβετο θυμὸν ἀνίῃ.
291 ὡς δὲ γυνὴ μαλερῷ περὶ κάρφεα χεύατο δαλῷ
292 χερνῆτις, τῇπερ ταλασήια ἔργα μέμηλεν,
293 ὥς κεν ὑπωρόφιον νύκτωρ σέλας ἐντύναιτο,
294 ἄγχι μάλ' ἐγρομένη: τὸ δ' ἀθέσφατον ἐξ ὀλίγοιο
295 δαλοῦ ἀνεγρόμενον σὺν κάρφεα πάντ' ἀμαθύνει:
296 τοῖος ὑπὸ κραδίῃ εἰλυμένος αἴθετο λάθρῃ
297 οὖλος Ἔρως: ἁπαλὰς δὲ μετετρωπᾶτο παρειὰς
298 ἐς χλόον, ἄλλοτ' ἔρευθος, ἀκηδείῃσι νόοιο.

(3.299-303) Now when the thralls had laid a banquet ready before them, and they had refreshed themselves with warm baths, gladly did they please their souls with meat and drink. And thereafter Aeetes questioned the sons of his daughter, addressing them with these words:

299     Δμῶες δ' ὁππότε δή σφιν ἐπαρτέα θῆκαν ἐδωδήν,
300 αὐτοί τε λιαροῖσιν ἐφαιδρύναντο λοετροῖς,
301 ἀσπασίως δόρπῳ τε ποτῆτί τε θυμὸν ἄρεσσαν.
302 ἐκ δὲ τοῦ Αἰήτης σφετέρης ἐρέεινε θυγατρὸς
303 υἱῆας τοίοισι παρηγορέων ἐπέεσσιν:


Next: line 304