Page:History of Greece Vol I.djvu/268

 236 HISTORY OF GREECE. ehut, with a swift and violent collision, so that it was difficult even for a bird to fly through during the short interval. When the Argo arrived at the dangerous spot, Euphemus let loose a dove, which flew through and just escaped with the loss of a few feath. ers of her tail. This was a signal to the Argonauts, according to the prediction of Phineus, that they might attempt the pas- sage with confidence. Accordingly they rowed with all theii might, and passed safely through: the closing rocks, held for a moment asunder by the powerful arms of Athene, just crushed the ornaments at the stern of their vessel. It had been decreed by the gods, that so soon as any ship once got through, the pas- sage should forever afterwards be safe and easy to all. The rocks became fixed in their separate places, and never again closed. 1 After again halting on the coast of the Maryandinians, where their steersman Tiphys died, as well as in the country of the Amazons, and after picking up the sons of Phryxus, who had been cast away by Poseidon in their attempt to return from Kol- chis to Greece, they arrived in safety at the river Phasis and the residence of JEetes. In passing by Mount Caucasus, they saw the eagle which gnawed the liver of Prometheus nailed to the rock, and heard the groans of the sufferer himself. The sons of Phryxus were cordially welcomed by their mother Chalciope. 5 Application was made to .ZEetes, that he would grant to the Ar- gonauts, heroes of divine parentage and sent forth by the man- date of the gods, possession of the golden fleece : their aid in return was proffered to him against any or all of his enemies. But the king was wroth, and peremptorily refused, except upon conditions which seemed impracticable. 3 Hephaestos had given him two ferocious and untamable bulls, with brazen feet, which breathed fire from their nostrils : Jason was invited, as a proof both of his illustrious descent and of the sanction of the gods to his voyage, to harness these animals to the yoke, so as to plough a large field and sow it with dragon's teeth. 4 Perilous as the condition was, each one of the heroes volunteered to make the 1 Apollodor. i. 9, 22. Apollon. Rhod. ii. 310-615. 4 Apollon. Rhod. iii. 410 Apollodor. i. 9, 11
 * Apollodor. i. 9, 23. Apollon. Rhod. ii. 850-1257.
 * Apollon. Rhod. iii. 320-385.