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THE

ARGONAUTICS

OF

APOLLONIUS RHODIUS.

INVOCATION.

BOOK THE FIRST.

ARGUMENT.

Subject proposed.-Jealousy of Pelias excited by an oracle.-Chance points out Jason, as the object.-Pelias determines to rid himself of Jason, by sending for the golden fleece.-Catalogue of heroes, who engaged in the enterprize.-Procession through the city to the shore.-Reflexions of the people as they pass of the women in particular.-Deplorable state of Jason's father.-Grief of his mother.

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-He endeavours to comfort them.-Pathetic address of Alcimede his mother.-Jason's reply.-He hastes to join his associates-meets by the way Iphias, priestess of Diana.-They are separated by the crowd.-Acastus, son of Pelias, unexpectedly joins the Argonauts, accompanied by Argus.-Address of Jason to the band. He proposes that they should choose a leader. All cast their eyes on Hercules.— He refuses the honour; and proposes Jason.-He being chosen, commences by directing his followers to propitiate, by sacrifice, Phebus, the adviser of the enterprize. The heroes launch the ship Argo, and assign the different stations at the oars by lot.-An altar erected on the shore to Phebus, who presides over embarkations. - Prayer of Jason.-Sacrifice described. A feast succeeds.-Prediction of Idmon.

B

-Petulance of Idas.

-A quarrel.. The tumult

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composed by Orpheus.-Adventurers clear out of the bay of Pagasa.-Prodigy.-The Argo speaks.-The Gods look down on the Argonauts and their vessel. -The nymphs appear on the tops of the hills to view this strange object. Chiron appears, with his wife, who bears the young Achilles in her arms, and shows him to Peleus.-The Argonauts arrive at Lemnos.-Episode of the Lemnian women.-Hypsipile, their queen, holds a council. Argonauts invited ashore.-Mantle of Jason described.-Artful speech of Hypsipile.-Hypsipile takes a pathetic leave of Jason. The Argonauts leave Lemnos.-Arrive at the Propontis. They are hospitably received by Cyzicus. Jason, with some of his companions, ascends mount Diudymus.-Hercules, with a small party is left to take care of the ship.-They are attacked by the barbarians, but defeat them.-The Argonauts set sail; but are driven back in the night by adverse winds.-Cyzicus and his people mistake them for enemies.-A violent conflict ensues.

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Cyzicus slain. His wife kills herself.-Grief of both parties.-Funeral rites of the prince.-Fason, by the direction of Mopsus, repairs to mount Dindymus, to propitiate Cybele.The winds become favourable. They reach Mysia.-Hercules, plying his oar with too much force breaks it. He goes to look for a new one,-meantime, Hylas, his favourite, is snatched away by the nymphs.Polyphemus hears the cries of the youth, and goes out, in hope of assisting him. He meets Hercules.-They pursue the search together.-Meantime, the vessel sails away. -Argonauts discover their loss in the morning.Their grief and confusion.-Sorrow of Jason. They wish to return and seek for the heroes.-Are prevented by Calais and Zetes.-Rage of Telamon.

-He accuses Jason of having left Hercules behind, through envy.-Glaucus appears from the waves, and foretels the fortunes of the Argonauts, and of Hercules and Polyphemus.-Strife appeased.-Hercules and his friend continue their search for Hylas, but in vain. The Argonauts arrive at Bebrycia, the country of Amycus.

held;

PARENT of sacred song, inform the rhymes,
Record the glorious men of other times,
Whose daring oars the vessel first impell'd,
And thro' th' astonish'd deeps their voyage
With search advent'rous on the Colchian shore,
To win the fleece replete with golden ore.
For Pelias, with insidious dark command,
To tasks of dang'rous daring urg'd the band.
Th' obscure prediction wak'd his jealous hate,
With doubtful warnings of untimely fate.
"A youth unshod amid the crowd appears,
"Cause of thy ruin, subject of thy fears.".
Object of terror accident supplied,

To point suspicions, that had wander'd wide.
The hallow'd banquet was to Neptune giv'n,
And all th' immortal habitants of Heav'n,
Save one. With bold contempt, the wife of Jove
Selected seem'd, th' irrev'rent slight to prove.
To Juno, Goddess of Pelasgic ground,
Nor vows are paid, nor pealing hymns resound.
To join the festive rites, with eager haste,
As youthful Jason o'er Anaurus past,
His sandal swallow'd by th' impetuous flood,
Unshod before the king the stripling stood.
By superstition fill'd with dire alarms,
He dooms th' imagin'd foe, to mortal harms;
To toils unknown, amid the billows' roar;
And endless wand'rings on a distant shore.

ΙΟ

20

Tis sung, that Argus, by Minerva taught,
The first of ships, a wonderous fabric, wrought.
With added memory, let the muse unfold,
What lives recorded, thro' the years of old,
The names and lineage of the godlike train,
Their weary wand'rings o'er the trackless main;
Illustrious Spirits, prov'd from clime to clime,
In deeds, that reach the heights of fame sublime.
Presiding muses, of historic song,

Recount the leaders of the daring throng.
A bard divine the brave associates led,
Whose tuneful soul the thirst of glory fed.
Sweet Orpheus, by the parent muse inspir'd;
A youth of Thrace her heav'nly bosom fir'd,
Near Pimple's tow'ring rock to him she bore
The mighty master of poetic lore.

The massy stones his magic song obey'd.
The torrents in their headlong fall were stay'd.
Pieria's beeches heard the measures flow,
And left their mountain for the vale below.
There, list'ning captives of his tuneful hand,
In order rang'd the green memorials stand.
Him, warn'd by Chiron, Eson's noble heir,
To join his labours and partake his care,
Call'd from Pieria, where he reign'd secure;
And glory's charms the martial bard allure.
Next came Asterion, from Cometes sprung;
With whirlpools boiling, and with woods o'erhung,
Where rolls Apidanus, in torrent force,

And bids Enipeus join his swelling course,

The youthful hero left his native bow'rs,

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Where cloath'd in shades the tall Phylleium tow'rs. 60

Then, lur'd by fame to fly where danger calls,

Brave Polyphemus quits Larissa's walls.

No stranger he to hardy feat of arms;

His early youth was giv'n to rude alarms,

When Centaurs brav'd the Lapithe to fight;
But creeping age had now relax'd his might.
Yet still the undaunted fire of youth remain'd,
And mental energy the frame sustain'd.
Nor Phylace, with all the charms of home,
Forbade the gallant Iphiclus to roam.
Attach'd to kindred, and alive to fame,
To share his nephew's glorious toils he came.
Affection's band the God of marriage tied,
For Eson's sister was his youthful bride.
From Phere, rich in many a snowy flock,
Where beacon-like the Chalcodonian rock,
With head sublime o'erlooks the subject plain,
Its chief, Admetus, joins th' advent'rous train.
The sons of Hermes, skill'd in many a wile,
In warfare nurtur'd, and enrich'd by spoil,
From Alopé, at golden hope's command,
Echion joins, with Eurytus, the band.
Them the fair daughter of Menatius bore;
Their brother shares their journey to the shore,
Ethalides, whom a Thessalian dame,

The beauteous offspring of a stealthy flame,
Bore to the winged messenger of Jove,
Amphrysus' banks were witness of their love.
From wealthy Gyrton with the band enroll'd,
Coronus came, in martial prowess bold.

Yet scarce he reach'd his father's warlike name,
Undaunted Ceneus, darling child of fame.

When Centaur hosts that matchless chief assail'd,
O'er crowding foes his single might prevail'd.
Dire was the conflict, horrible their ire,
Unmov'd, intrepid, scorning to retire,
With mind unbroken, and unwearied hands,
Hurling defiance the fierce warrior stands;
The baffled foes resort to missive war,
And fill the groaning air with weights from far,

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