will we
straightway grant you with right good will. But come tell me truly in
what country ye dwell and what business bids you sail across the sea,
and tell me your own glorious names and lineage."

And him Argus, helpless in his evil plight, addressed: "That one Phrixus
an Aeolid reached Aea from Hellas you yourselves have clearly heard ere
this, I trow; Phrixus, who came to the city of Aeetes, bestriding a ram,
which Hermes had made all gold; and the fleece ye may see even now. The
ram, at its own prompting, he then sacrificed to Zeus, son of Cronos,
above all, the god of fugitives. And him did Aeetes receive in his
palace, and with gladness of heart gave him his daughter Chalciope in
marriage without gifts of wooing.[1] From those two are we sprung. But
Phrixus died at last, an aged man, in the home of Aeetes; and we, giving
heed to our father's behests, are journeying to Orchomenus to take the
possessions of Athamas. And if thou dost desire to learn our names, this
is Cytissorus, this Phrontis, and this Melas, and me ye may call Argus."

[Footnote 1: i.e. without exacting gifts from the bridegroom. So in the
Iliad (ix. 146) Agamemnon offers Achilles any of his three daughters
[Greek: anhaednos]]

Thus he spake, and the chieftains rejoiced at the meeting, and tended
them, much marvelling. And Jason again in turn replied, as was fitting,
with these words:

"Surely ye are our kinsmen on my father's side, and ye pray that with
kindly hearts we succour your evil plight. For Cretheus and Athamas were
brothers. I am the grandson of Cretheus, and with these comrades here I
am journeying from that same Hellas to the city of Aeetes. But of these
things we will converse hereafter. And do ye first put clothing upon
you. By heaven's devising, I ween, have ye come to my hands in your sore
need."

He spake, and out of the ship gave them raiment to put on. Then all
together they went to the temple of Ares to offer sacrifice of sheep;
and in haste they stood round the altar, which was outside the roofless
temple, an altar built of pebbles; within a black stone stood fixed, a
sacred thing, to which of yore the Amazons all used to pray. Nor was it
lawful for them, when they came from the opposite coast, to burn on this
altar offerings of sheep and oxen, but they used to slay horses which
they kept in great herds. Now when they had sacrificed and eaten the
feast prepared, then Aeson's son spake among them and thus began:

"Zeus