Joseph Jacobs

“ And they knew that they were come to Caucasus, at the end of all the earth: Caucasus the highest of all mountains, the father of the rivers of the East. On his peak lies chained the Titan, while a vulture tears his heart; and at his feet are piled dark forests round the magic Colchian land.
And they rowed three days to the eastward, while Caucasus rose higher hour by hour, till they saw the dark stream of Phasis rushing headlong to the sea, and, shining above the tree tops, the golden roofs of King Aietes, the child of the Sun. ”

“ And when he saw the maiden alone, he stopped; and she looked boldly up into his face without moving, and began her magic song:
"Life is short, though life is sweet; and even men of brass and fire must die. The brass must rust, the fire
THE BEGUILING OF TALUS
must cool, for time gnaws all things in their turn. Life is short, though life is sweet: but sweeter to live forever; sweeter to live ever youthful like the gods, who have ichor in their veins—ichor which gives life, and youth, and joy, and a bounding heart." ”

“ No man dare meet her or look on her, but only I her priestess, and she watches far and wide lest any stranger should come near."
"No wall so high but it may be climbed at last, and no wood so thick but it may be crawled through; no serpent so wary but he may be charmed, or witch-queen so fierce but spells may soothe her; and I may yet win the golden fleece, if a wise maiden help bold men."
And he looked at Medea cunningly, and held her with his glittering eye, till she blushed and trembled, and said:
"Who can face the fire of the bulls' breath, and fight ten thousand armed men?" ”

“ And when the maidens were dressed they sat and talked and laughed amongst themselves, but Hasan still stood gazing, drowned in the sea of his love. And he said to himself: "My sister forbade me open the door, for she feared lest I should fall in love with one of these damsels. Now, Hasan, how shalt thou woo and win her? Thou hast cast thyself into a bottomless sea, and snared thyself in a net whence there is no escape! I shall die desolate, and none shall know of my death." And ever he gazed on the chief damsel, for she surpassed all human beings in beauty. ”

“ Long was the island, and wide, and in the midst an immense open green. Upon this green were to be seen many hoof-prints of horses, and these were very large, every hoof-print as big as a ship's sail. Moreover, lying on the ground were nuts as big as headpieces, and remains of all kinds, vast and monstrous in size, as though giants had gone a-plundering and left their scattered spoil. So German and Diuran were much afraid, and, calling to their comrades in the boat to behold these things, they hastily returned, and sail was set that they might flee swiftly if need be. ”

“ Then a voice came from the bough, and Jason heard the words it said, and bade Orpheus play upon the harp, while the heroes waited round, holding the pinetrunk rollers to help her toward the sea.
Then Orpheus took his harp, and began his magic song: "How sweet it is to ride upon the surges, and to leap from wave to wave, while the wind sings cheerful in the cordage, and the oars flash fast among the foam! How sweet it is to roam across the ocean, and see new towns and wondrous lands, and to come home laden with treasure, and to win undying fame!" ”

“ Swifter than the wind was each horse, clamorous and deafening were the outcry and the din of the multitude. Maelduin and his men lay on their oars wondering, and they heard clearly the swish of the whips, and the thud of the horses' hoofs, and the eager shouting of the assembled throng, "Hither the gray steed." "Drive the dun horse there!" "Come on with the white horse!" "Mine is the fastest steed!" "My horse is the best jumper!" So the wanderers tarried no longer, but set sail hastily, for they felt sure it was a gathering of demons they beheld. ”

“ We are all good men and true, and all we ask is food and water;" but the giant cried the more:
"You are robbers, you are pirates all; I know you; and if you land, you shall die the death."
Then he waved his arms again as a signal, and they saw the people flying inland, driving their flocks before them, while a great flame arose among the hills. Then the giant ran up a valley and vanished, and the heroes lay on their oars in fear.
But Medea stood watching all from under her steep black brows, with a cunning smile upon her lips, and a cunning plot within her heart. ”

“ Why should I live for ever in this agony? Who will take my immortality, that I may die?"
Then Prometheus answered, the good Titan, whom Hercules had set free from Caucasus, "I will take your immortality and live forever, that I may help poor mortal men." So Chiron gave him his immortality, and died, and had rest from pain. And Hercules and Prometheus wept over him, and went to bury him on Pelion; but Zeus took him up among the stars, to live forever, grand and mild, low down in the far southern sky. ”

“ And whenever this doorway, as it turned around the island, came opposite to them they could see through it the whole island, and all its indwellers, even human beings, beautiful, abundant, wearing adorned garments and feasting with golden vessels in their hands. Pleasant was it to hearken unto their drinking songs, and long did the wanderers gaze upon this marvel, from which they might hardly depart, so delightful was it. ”

“ And he said: "In very sooth this Queen is either my wife or else the likest of all folk to my wife." And when Nur al-Huda heard this she said: "This stranger is either Jinn-mad or out of his mind, for he saith I am his wife," and she laughed, for she was unmarried. Then she asked: "What is it in thy wife that resembleth me?" And Hasan replied, "All that is in thee of beauty and loveliness, elegance and amorous grace. Thou art her very self in the way of speaking, in the fairness of thy favor, and the brilliancy of thy brow." ”

“ Then Aietes' rage rushed up like a whirlwind, and his eyes flashed fire as he heard; but he crushed his anger down in his breast, and spoke mildly a cunning speech:
"If you will fight for the fleece with my Colchians, then many a man must die. But do you indeed expect to win from me the fleece in fight? So few you are that if you be worsted I can load your ship with your corpses. But if you will be ruled by me, you will find it better far to choose the best man among you, and let him fulfil the labors which I demand. Then I will give him the golden fleece for a prize and a glory to you all." ”

“ And all the Minuai shouted; but Aietes bit his lips with rage, for the half of Jason's work was over, and the sun was yet high in heaven.
Then he took the serpents' teeth and sowed them, and waited what would befall. But Medea looked at him and at his helmet, lest he should forget the lesson she had taught.
And every furrow heaved and bubbled, and out of every clod arose a man. Out of the earth they rose by thousands, each clad from head to foot in steel, and drew their swords and rushed on Jason, where he stood in the midst alone. ”

“ He went up and up into the mountain, over marsh, and crag, and down, till the boy was tired and footsore, and Æson had to bear him in his arms, till he came to the mouth of a lonely cave, at the foot of a mighty cliff.
Above the cliff the snow wreaths hung, dripping and cracking in the sun; but at its foot around the cave's mouth grew all fair flowers and herbs, as if in a garden, ranged in order, each sort by itself. There they grew gayly in the sunshine, and the spray of the torrent from above; while from the cave came the sound of music, and a man's voice singing to the harp. ”

“ Only one walked apart and silent, Æsculapius, the too-wise child, with his bosom full of herbs and flowers, and round his wrist a spotted snake; he came with downcast eyes to Chiron, and whispered how he had watched the snake cast its old skin, and grow young again before his eyes, and how he had gone down into a village in the vale, and cured a dying man with a herb which he had seen a sick goat eat.
And Chiron smiled, and said, "To each Athené and Apollo give some gift, and each is worthy in his place; but to this child they have given an honor beyond all honors, to cure while others kill." ”

“ CIRCE AND MEDEA
But Lynceus the long-sighted called gaily from the bows: "Take heart again, brave sailors; for I see a pine-clad isle, and the halls of the kind Earth-mother, with a crown of clouds around them."
But Orpheus said: "Turn from them, for no living man can land there; there is no harbor on the coast, but steep-walled cliffs all round."
So Ancaios turned the ship away; and for three days more they sailed on, till they came to Aiaia, Circe's home, and the fairy island of the West.
And there Jason bid them land, and seek about for any sign of living man. ”

“ He sang how his brothers came to ruin by their folly, when they were mad with wine; and how they and the heroes fought, with fists, and teeth, and the goblets from which they drank; and how they tore up the pine trees in their fury, and hurled great crags of stone, while the mountains thundered with the battle, and the land was wasted far and wide; till the Lapithai drove them from their home in the rich Thessalian plains to the lonely glens of Pindus, leaving Chiron all alone. And the heroes praised his song right heartily; for some of them had helped in that great fight. ”

“ Then Phineus swore an oath to them, and drove out the wicked woman; and Jason took those two poor children, and cured their eyes with magic herbs.
But Zetes and Calais rose up sadly and said: "Farewell now, heroes all; farewell, our dear companions, with whom we played on Pelion in old times; for a fate is laid upon us, and our day is come at last, in which we must hunt the whirlwinds over land and sea forever; and if we catch them they die, and if not, we die ourselves." ”

“ Good food and wine were served them, a platter and drinking vessel for every three men, and one apart for Maelduin. The next morning, when they were about to depart the queen said, "Stay here and old age shall not fall on you, but you shall keep the age you now have; lasting life shall be yours alway, and every joy and delight. Why then go wandering longer from island to island over the wide and barren ocean?" ”

“ Then all the heroes cried, "What shall we do, wise Medea? We must have water, or we die of thirst. Flesh and blood we can face fairly; but who can face this red-hot brass?"
"I can face red-hot brass, if the tale I hear be true. For they say that he has but one vein in all his body, filled with liquid fire; and that this vein is closed with a nail; but I know not where that nail is placed. But if I can get it once into these hands, you shall water your ship here in peace."
Then she bade them put her on shore, and row off again, and wait what would befall. ”

“ The demons followed them and threw their poison at them. The sailors covered themselves with their hides and threw the venom back. One man, wishing to peep out of the hide, was touched by the poison, and his head was taken off as if it had been severed by a sword. Another who looked out of his hide was blinded by the poison which touched his eyes. Another had his arm withered as he thrust it out while unfolding the hide. We besought our gods to be kinder to us, but they took no notice, until I prayed to the Great God of the world, who sent us a clear sky and a peaceful voyage. ”

“ For beneath the trees lay short, red-colored animals, like to swine in shape, and at times they stood up and struck the trees with their hind legs, and greedily devoured the apples that fell. Strange were the ways of these beasts. From dawn to sunset they hid in caverns underground, but at sunset they came forth to feed, and as they did so many flocks of birds flew in from the sea and perched in the branches of the trees and fed on their fruit. ”

“ Then we came to another room, in which lay a still richer treasure and arms too great and too massive for men of this earth to bear. There, too, was a king's mantle, embroidered with rich and brilliant silks which shone like the colors of the rainbow, a hat adorned with the many-colored feathers of some rare bird, and a marvelously wrought belt intertwined with chains of the most costly jewels. ”

“ I am an angel, one of those who watch over Paradise. I was standing by you when you made the solemn vow to travel south over the world. By God's command I made you think of sailing to Micklegarth, where, through me, you believed the truth and were baptized. It was a blessed thing that you listened to the Greek Emperor's advice, received his letters, and afterwards bathed in the Jordan. God made me your guardian angel, and I have taken care of you on land and sea and through every danger of your journey. I have kept you from all evil. ”

“ A silver net hung down from the summit, through a single mesh of which the boat went, under full sail. And as they passed through it Diuran struck the mesh with the edge of his spear. "Destroy not the net," said Maelduin, "for what we see is the work of mighty men." But Diuran replied that he did it to the glory of God, and that his story might be the more believed; and he vowed if he ever reached Ireland he would offer this piece of mesh on the high altar of Armagh. ”

“ So Hasan mounted one steed and took a child before him, whilst his wife mounted a second and took the other child before her, and the old woman bestrode the third. And they rode on all through the night. And as they rode, Hasan caught sight of a black object, which as he drew nearer turned out to be an Ifrit, with a head like a huge dome, tusks like grapnels, jaws like a lane, nostrils like ewers, ears like leathern targes, a mouth like a cave, teeth like pillars of stone, hands like winnowing forks, and legs like masts ”