cannot simply hand over my throne to the first man who comes along, claiming to be my poor dead brother's son. This is a delicate matter which requires some deliberation.' He turned to speak with the high priest.
'I await your answer, Pelias!' Jason shouted after a moment, growing impatient.
'He will get his answer in a spear between his ribs,' the soldier in charge of inspecting feet said. 'And then, doubtless, I shall make the long journey to Hades with him.'
'Perhaps,' said Delaney, 'you would be best served by making another long journey before the king has time to think about your fate.'
'You offer sound advice, stranger,' said the soldier. 'My thanks. The wandering urge is suddenly upon me. I think I will depart at once.'
As the soldier hastily pushed his way through the crowd, Pelias turned to Jason while the people waited expectantly to see how their king would deal with the impetuous youth.
'I have consulted with my high priest about the best way to deal with this matter,' he said, speaking loudly enough for all to hear. 'If, as you claim, you are truly my brother Aeson's son, then you are indeed the rightful king of Iolchos. But, on the other hand, if you are not my brother's son and I were to step down in your favor, then not only would I have acted foolishly, putting the fate of the people of Iolchos into the hands of an imposter, I will have angered the gods, as well. As king, I must do what is right and just, both for the sake of the people of Iolchos and to appease the gods.'
'If you do what is right and just,' said Jason, 'you have no need to fear the gods.'
'But we are mortals and not gods,' said Pelias, smiling. 'We cannot always see the truth of things as the Immortals can. If we could, then we would be as gods ourselves. Surely you would not utter blasphemy by suggesting it were otherwise?'
Jason frowned, giving the matter careful thought-something which did not seem to come easily to him. 'I would never blaspheme against the gods,' he said, uncertainly.
Pelias smiled. 'Very well, then. Since we are but mortals who cannot always see the truth of things, would it not be best to let the gods guide us in our decision? I will abide by the wishes of the gods. Will you do the same?'
Jason could not very well answer that he would not.
'You claim to be my brother's son,' said Pelias. 'So be it. You appear to be an honorable young man. For the sake of my departed brother, I will put my trust in you. I will act in good faith and accept your word. Let all gathered here be witness that I step down from the throne of Iolchos in favor of my brother Aeson's son, King Jason.'
The crowd gasped with disbelief.
'However,' Pelias continued, 'since I have acted in good faith, you must do likewise. You have made the claim, so it is you who must provide the opportunity for the gods to reveal their decision to us, as we have agreed. For the sake of the people of Iolchos, there must be a test. I can think of no more fitting test than for you to bring back the golden fleece from Colchis. It will be an arduous journey, but if the gods mean for you to rule in Iolchos, you cannot fail. In the meantime, I will keep your throne safe. When you return, then all will know that we have acted in accordance with the wishes of the gods.'
'It looks like Pelias just found a loophole in the prophecy,' Delaney said.
'And our boy Jason fell right through it,' Steiger said. 'Things are proceeding right on schedule.'
'That's what worries me,' said Andre. 'Is this what you call being at the right place in the wrong time?'
Jason's first three recruits accompanied him to the shrine at Delphi. Jason had not been surprised when they offered to go with him on his journey. Rather, he was surprised that there had not been more volunteers. With the exception of the three temporal agents, no one had stepped forward when he announced from the temple steps that he required a crew for the voyage to bring back the golden fleece from Colchis. Apparently, the citizens of Iolchos preferred to wait for the decision of the gods.
It was dusk when they arrived at Delphi and started up the hillside trail which led to the shrine. The journey had been made at the suggestion of the high priest of Iolchos.
'If you are indeed the son of Aeson,' the high priest had said, 'you would do well to go to the Oracle of Delphi and ask the gods for guidance. The journey to Colchis will be hard, even for one who has the favor of the gods.'
'Though you may mock me, priest,' said Jason, 'I shall do as you advise. I know why Pelias sends me on this quest. He thinks that I shall not return. But I shall return, for my cause is just. I will bring back the golden fleece. Then Pelias will have no choice but to step down, for he has sworn to do so before a throng of witnesses. If he denies me then, none shall dispute my right to challenge him.'
The shrine of the Oracle of Delphi was a small marble altar set before an ancient oak tree that grew at the summit of a hill. A semicircular wall of white brick was built around the giant oak, closing it off at the back and sides, so that its base and trunk were visible only from the front, where the altar had been placed.
'The Speaking Oak,' said Jason, reverently. 'I have heard tell of it from my teacher, Chiron. We must place an offering of food upon the altar and see if the Oracle will speak.'
'You mean the offering itself is not a guarantee?' said Steiger, smiling.
'It is said that the Oracle speaks only to those who are deemed worthy,' Jason replied. 'My cause is just and so I must be worthy. She will speak to us.'
Jason placed an offering of fruits and sweetmeats on the altar, then kneeled before it with his head bowed and his arms held out in supplication. 'Oh, wise, all-knowing Oracle!' he said reverently. 'Jason, son of Aeson, King of Iolchos, humbly comes seeking guidance from the gods. I am commanded to seek the golden fleece to prove my worthiness to rule in Iolchos. How may I best fulfill my task?'
For a moment, nothing happened, then flames suddenly blazed up from the altar. In the glow of the firelight, a shape seemed to come out of the oak, a figure draped in dark robes with a hood covering its head and hiding its face.
'Your petition has been heard, Jason of Iolchos,' said the Oracle. She spoke with a strong and resonant voice. 'The gods have deemed you worthy of the task now set before you. Hear now their words. Seek out Argus, the shipwright, and bid him build a galley with fifty oars. Look not among the people of Iolchos for your crew, for they are plain folk and not suited to the undertaking. Send out a call throughout the land for heroes to go with you on your quest. When you have done so, cut down the stoutest branch of the Speaking Oak and bid Argus carve it into a figurehead for your ship, which you shall call the Argo. When you have gathered your crew of Argonauts, set sail across the Aegean Sea. Follow a course through the Hellespont to the Sea of Marmora. Pass through the Bosporous to the Euxine Sea and set course along the coastline of Mysia, Bithynia and Pontus for the land of Colchis. You will find that which you seek in the Sacred Grove of Ares in the kingdom of Aietes.'
The flames abruptly disappeared and in the moment it took their eyes to become reaccustomed to the darkness, the figure behind the altar vanished. Delaney ran to the altar and looked around, but there was no sign of the woman. With the wall surrounding the Speaking Oak on all sides except the front, there was no way she could have gone except past them and there was no break in the wall. Steiger examined the altar and found nothing to indicate where the flames had come from. The heat must have been intense. The offering was completely crisped.
'The gods have spoken through the Oracle,' said Jason. 'My course is clear.'
Delaney frowned. 'I wish to hell ours was,' he mumbled.
Andre examined the tree, but it seemed solid, with no hollow space where the woman could have hidden. She glanced at Steiger. 'Technology?' she said softly. 'Or magic?'
3
Jason was faced with the same problem following the Oracle's advice as he had with coming to Iolchos and confronting Pelias in the first place, namely, lack of forethought. It apparently had not occurred to him that Pelias might have had grave reservations about giving up the throne and could easily have ordered him killed. In the same manner, it did not occur to him that he did not possess the means to spread the word throughout the countryside
