Sweet longing lit up their eyes: howbeit did awe withhold
Each one, though she yearned to lay but her hand on the wonder of gold.
And of that bright throng the river Aigaius’ daughters were some,
And some on the crests of Melitê dwelt in their mountain-home;
And forest-glen Nymphs of the plains were some: for Zeus’s bride,
Even Hêrê, had sent them for honour to Jason’s marriage-tide.
That cave is to this day named Medea’s Sacred Grot,
Forasmuch as to wedlock’s solemnities there these twain they brought,
When the odorous-sweet fine linen they spread. And the heroes without
Guarded them war-spear in hand, lest haply for battle the rout
Of their foes unawares should set on them, or ever the rites were sped.
And with sprays of bounteous leaf did they wreathe each man his head;
And in harmony all, while clear the harp of Orpheus rang,
At the entering-in of the cave the bridal hymn they sang.
Yet not in Alkinoüs’ home the hero Aison’s son,
But in halls of his father, the goal of marriage full fain had won,
When home he returned to Iolkos, and so withal was the mind
Of Medea, but hard compulsion constrained them now to be joined.
But even as never the tribes of the woe-stricken children of earth
May tread full-footed the path of delight, but still with our mirth
Hand in hand goeth pacing affliction bitter as gall,
So these, when melted with rapture of love were their souls, were thrall
Unto dread, what things of Alkinoüs’ sentence should haply befall.
So soon as the dawn with her beams ambrosial climbed heaven’s height,
And scattered the gloomy night through the welkin, and laughed in her light
The island-beaches, and all the paths through the plains that wound
Dew-gleaming afar, and awoke in the streets a murmur of sound,
And her folk were astir through the town, and astir was the Kolchian host
In their camp far off on the bounds of the Makrian sea-ringed coast.
Then straightway Alkinoüs hied him, by covenant-plight to hold,
To utter his purpose as touching the maiden. His sceptre of gold,
His staff of justice, he bare, wherewith to the multitude
Of the city were meted the statutes with righteousness endued.
And beside him, in ordered ranks arrayed in their harness of fight,
Squadron by squadron were marching Phaeacia’s chiefest of might.
And forth from the tower-girt city in throngs the women broke
To gaze on the heroes; and men therewithal of the country-folk
Met them, which heard the tidings; for Hêrê afar had sped
A rumour that erred not: and one a lamb unblemished led,
The choice of the sheep: with a heifer unlaboured one drew nigh;
And others were ranging the earthen jars of wine hard by
To mingle. The sacrifice-smoke was wafted far away.
Came women with webs of costly labour, as women may,
And with trinkets of gold, and with manifold ornaments therebeside,
Such gifts as be wont to be brought to the newly-wedded bride.
And they marvelled beholding the heroes’ stature and comeliness,
As they towered o’er the throng, and Oiagrius’ scion amidst of the press,
As in time to the harmony-ringing lyre and the chanted strain
Ever he smote and anon with his glittering sandal the plain.
And the Nymphs all blending their voices, when marriage-notes chimed on the string,
Uplifted the lovely bridal chant, and anon would they sing
Alone and unprompted the song, as the wreaths of their dances they twined.
O Hêrê, of thee was it done; for thou puttedst it into the mind
Of Arêtê to tell Alkinoüs’ prudent word of the night.
But so soon as the king had pronounced the decree of unswerving right,
And when now was the marriage accomplished proclaimed in all men’s ears,
Then took he heed that it so should abide: no deadly fears
Touched him, nor Aiêtes’ terrible wrath might his purpose shake;
But he held by the word he had plighted, the oath that he would not break.
And when now were the Kolchians ware that in vain they besought him to swerve,
And when now he commanded them—“Either obey my decree and observe,
Or forth of my havens and land afar shall your galleys sail”;—
Then in that hour for their own king’s threatenings ’gan they quail,
And besought him amongst his folk to receive them. So there in the land
Long time with the people Phaeacian dwelt the Kolchian band,
Till the Bacchiad lords, which by lineage sprang from Ephyrê,
As the years passed, settled amidst them, and they to the isle oversea
Sailed: thence to the Thunder-hills of Abantian men must they go,
And therefrom to the folk Nestaian, and on to Oricum so.
But the river of time ere then down many a year must flow.
But still to the altars the yearly sacrifice men bring
For the Fates and the Nymphs in the fane of Apollo the Shepherd-king,
Which altars Medea builded. And gifts, ere they passed o’er the wave,
Full many Alkinoüs gave them, and many Arêtê gave.
Thereafter withal on Medea Phaeacian handmaid-thralls
Twelve did the Queen bestow, to follow her forth of her halls.
On the seventh day sailed they away from Drepanê. Came with the morn
A fresh breeze sent of Zeus: and so by the wind’s breath borne
Onward and onward they ran. Howbeit not yet on the strand
Of Achaia by doom of the God might they tread, that hero-band,
Till yet they had toiled in the uttermost parts of Libya-land.
And now by the bay that is named the Ambracian Gulf had they sped,
And now had they left the Aetolian land with sail wide spread;
And thereafter the isles in the narrow Echinad strait that lie;
And Pelops’ land in the offing but now might they dimly descry:
Even then were they snatched away by the North-wind’s baleful blast
In mid course: on to the Libyan sea did it sweep them fast
Nine nights together, and days as many, until they had run
Into the Syrtis afar, wherefrom returning is none
For ships, when a storm-driven galley within that gulf shall be found.
For on every hand be shoals, and the tangled weed all round
Of the deep, and the salt foam-scum over all doth mantle and cling.
Into haziest distance stretcheth the land: no living thing
There moveth that creepeth or flieth. On that drear coast by the sweep
Of the flood-tide—for ofttimes the outrushing ebb draweth back to the deep
Far off from the land, and again
