kindled exceeding courage in Ancaeus, whom
near the waters of Imbrasus Astypalaea bore to Poseidon; for especially
was he skilled in steering and eagerly did he address Peleus:

"Son of Aeacus, is it well for us to give up our toils and linger on in
a strange land? Not so much for my prowess in war did Jason take me with
him in quest of the fleece, far from Parthenia, as for my knowledge of
ships. Wherefore, I pray, let there be no fear for the ship. And so
there are here other men of skill, of whom none will harm our voyaging,
whomsoever we set at the helm. But quickly tell forth all this and
boldly urge them to call to mind their task."

Thus he spake; and Peleus' soul was stirred with gladness, and
straightway he spake in the midst of all: "My friends, why do we thus
cherish a bootless grief like this? For those two have perished by the
fate they have met with; but among our host are steersmen yet, and many
a one. Wherefore let us not delay our attempt, but rouse yourselves to
the work and cast away your griefs."

And him in reply Aeson's son addressed with helpless words: "Son of
Aeacus, where are these steersmen of thine? For those whom we once
deemed to be men of skill, they even more than I are bowed with vexation
of heart. Wherefore I forebode an evil doom for us even as for the dead,
if it shall be our lot neither to reach the city of fell Aeetes, nor
ever again to pass beyond the rocks to the land of Hellas, but a
wretched fate will enshroud us here ingloriously till we grow old for
naught."

Thus he spake, but Ancaeus quickly undertook to guide the swift ship;
for he was stirred by the impulse of the goddess. And after him Erginus
and Nauplius and Euphemus started up, eager to steer. But the others
held them back, and many of his comrades granted it to Ancaeus.

So on the twelfth day they went aboard at dawn, for a strong breeze of
westerly wind was blowing. And quickly with the oars they passed out
through the river Acheron and, trusting to the wind, shook out their
sails, and with canvas spread far and wide they were cleaving their
passage through the waves in fair weather. And soon they passed the
outfall of the river Callichorus, where, as the tale goes, the Nysean
son of Zeus, when he had left the tribes of the Indians and came to
dwell at Thebes, held revels and arrayed dances in front of a cave,
wherein he passed unsmiling sacred nights, from which time the
neighbours call the river by the name of