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ed the heroes; for his father had been one of Cheiron's scholars; so he welcomed them; and feasted them; and stored their ship with corn and wine; and cloaks and rugs; the songs say; and shirts; of which no doubt they stood in need。
But at night; while they lay sleeping; came down on them terrible men; who lived with the bears in the mountains; like Titans or giants in shape; for each of them had six arms; and they fought with young firs and pines。 But Heracles killed them all before morn with his deadly poisoned arrows; but among them; in the darkness; he slew Cyzicus the kindly prince。
Then they got to their ship and to their oars; and Tiphys bade them cast off the hawsers and go to sea。 But as he spoke a whirlwind came; and spun the ARGO round; and twisted the hawsers together; so that no man could loose them。 Then Tiphys dropped the rudder from his hand; and cried; 'This comes from the Gods above。' But Jason went forward; and asked counsel of the magic bough。
Then the magic bough spoke; and answered; 'This is because you have slain Cyzicus your friend。 You must appease his soul; or you will never leave this shore。'
Jason went back sadly; and told the heroes what he had heard。 And they leapt on shore; and searched till dawn; and at dawn they found the body; all rolled in dust and blood; among the corpses of those monstrous beasts。 And they wept over their kind host; and laid him on a fair bed; and heaped a huge mound over him; and offered black sheep at his tomb; and Orpheus sang a magic song to him; that his spirit might have rest。 And then they held games at the tomb; after the custom of those times; and Jason gave prizes to each winner。 To Ancaeus he gave a golden cup; for he wrestled best of all; and to Heracles a silver one; for he was the strongest of all; and to Castor; who rode best; a golden crest; and Polydeuces the boxer had a rich carpet; and to Orpheus for his song a sandal with golden wings。 But Jason himself was the best of all the archers; and the Minuai crowned him with an olive crown; and so; the songs say; the soul of good Cyzicus was appeased and the heroes went on their way in peace。
But when Cyzicus' wife heard that he was dead she died likewise of grief; and her tears became a fountain of clear water; which flows the whole year round。
Then they rowed away; the songs say; along the Mysian shore; and past the mouth of Rhindacus; till they found a pleasant bay; sheltered by the long ridges of Arganthus; and by high walls of basalt rock。 And there they ran the ship ashore upon the yellow sand; and furled the sail; and took the mast down; and lashed it in its crutch。 And next they let down the ladder; and went ashore to sport and rest。
And there Heracles went away into the woods; bow in hand; to hunt wild deer; and Hylas the fair boy slipt away after him; and followed him by stealth; until he lost himself among the glens; and sat down weary to rest himself by the side of a lake; and there the water nymphs came up to look at him; and loved him; and carried him down under the lake to be their playfellow; for ever happy and young。 And Heracles sought for him in vain; shouting his name till all the mountains rang; but Hylas never heard him; far down under the sparkling lake。 So while Heracles wandered searching for him; a fair breeze sprang up; and Heracles was nowhere to be found; and the ARGO sailed away; and Heracles was left behind; and never saw the noble Phasian stream。
Then the Minuai came to a doleful land; where Amycus the giant ruled; and cared nothing for the laws of Zeus; but challenged all strangers to box with him; and those whom he conquered he slew。 But Polydeuces the boxer struck him a harder blow than he ever felt before; and slew him; and the Minuai went on up the Bosphorus; till they came to the city of Phineus; the fierce Bithynian king; for Zetes and Calais bade Jason land there; because they had a work to do。
And they went up from the shore toward the city; through forests white with snow; and Phineus came out to meet them with a lean and woful face; and said; 'Welcome; gallant heroes; to the land of bitter blasts; the land of cold and misery; yet I will feast you as best I can。' And he led them in; and set meat before them; but before they could put their hands to their mouths; down came two fearful monsters; the like of whom man never saw; for they had the faces and the hair of fair maidens; but the wings and claws of hawks; and they snatched the meat from off the table; and flew shrieking out above the roofs。
Then Phineus beat his breast and cried; 'These are the Harpies; whose names are the Whirlwind and the Swift; the daughters of Wonder and of the Amber…nymph; and they rob us night and day。 They carried off the daughters of Pandareus; whom all the Gods had blest; for Aphrodite fed them on Olympus with honey and milk and wine; and Hera gave them beauty and wisdom; and Athene skill in all the arts; but when they came to their wedding; the Harpies snatched them both away; and gave them to be slaves to the Erinnues; and live in horror all their days。 And now they haunt me; and my people; and the Bosphorus; with fearful storms; and sweep away our food from off our tables; so that we starve in spite of all our wealth。'
Then up rose Zetes and Calais; the winged sons of the North… wind; and said; 'Do you not know us; Phineus; and these wings which grow upon our backs?' And Phineus hid his face in terror; but he answered not a word。
'Because you have been a traitor; Phineus; the Harpies haunt you night and day。 Where is Cleopatra our sister; your wife; whom you keep in prison? and where are her two children; whom you blinded in your rage; at the bidding of an evil woman; and cast them out upon the rocks? Swear to us that you will right our sister; and cast out that wicked woman; and then we will free you from your plague; and drive the whirlwind maidens to the south; but if not; we will put out your eyes; as you put out the eyes of your own sons。'
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 for ever; and if we catch them they die; and if not; we die ourselves。'
At that all the heroes wept; but the two young men sprang up; and aloft into the air after the Harpies; and the battle of the winds began。
The heroes trembled in silence as they heard the shrieking of the blasts; while the palace rocked and all the city; and great stones were torn from the crags; and the forest pines were hurled earthward; north and south and east and west; and the Bosphorus boiled white with foam; and the clouds were dashed against the cliffs。
But at last the battle ended; and the Harpies fled screaming toward the south; and the sons of the North…wind rushed after them; and brought clear sunshine where they passed。 For many a league they followed them; over all the isles of the Cyclades; and away to the south…west across Hellas; till they came to the Ionian Sea; and there they fell upon the Echinades; at the mouth of the Achelous; and those isles were called the Whirlwind Isles for many a hundred years。 But what became of Zetes and Calais I know not; for the heroes never saw them again: and some say that Heracles met them; and quarrelled with them; and slew them with his arrows; and some say that they fell down from weariness and the heat of the summer sun; and that the Sun…god buried them among the Cyclades; in the pleasant Isle of Tenos; and for many hundred years their grave was shown there; and over it a pillar; which turned to every wind。 But those dark storms and whirlwinds haunt the Bosphorus until this day。
But the Argonauts went eastward; and out into the open sea; which we now call the Black Sea; but it was called the Euxine then。 No Hellen had ever crossed it; and all feared that dreadful sea; and its rocks; and shoals; and fogs; and bitter freezing storms; and they told strange stories of it; some false and some half…true; how it stretched northward to the ends of the earth; and the sluggish Putrid Sea; and the everlasting night; and the regions of the dead。 So the heroes trembled; for all their courage; as they came into that wild Black Sea; and saw it stretching out before them; without a shore; as far as eye could see。
And first Orpheus spoke; and warned them; 'We shall come now to the wandering blue rocks; my mother warned me of them; Calliope; the immortal muse。'
And soon they saw the blue rocks shining like spires and castles of gray glass; while an ice…cold wind blew from them and chilled all the heroes' hearts。 And as they neared they could see them heaving; as they rolled upon the long sea… waves; crashing and grinding together; till the roar went up to heaven。 The sea sprang up in spouts between them; and swept round them in w