tears. And as a bondmaid
steals away from a wealthy house, whom fate has lately severed from her
native land, nor yet has she made trial of grievous toil, but still
unschooled to misery and shrinking in terror from slavish tasks, goes
about beneath the cruel hands of a mistress; even so the lovely maiden
rushed forth from her home. But to her the bolts of the doors gave way
self-moved, leaping backwards at the swift strains of her magic song.
And with bare feet she sped along the narrow paths, with her left hand
holding her robe over her brow to veil her face and fair cheeks, and
with her right lifting up the hem of her tunic. Quickly along the dark
track, outside the towers of the spacious city, did she come in fear;
nor did any of the warders note her, but she sped on unseen by them.
Thence she was minded to go to the temple; for well she knew the way,
having often aforetime wandered there in quest of corpses and noxious
roots of the earth, as a sorceress is wont to do; and her soul fluttered
with quivering fear. And the Titanian goddess, the moon, rising from a
far land, beheld her as she fled distraught, and fiercely exulted over
her, and thus spake to her own heart:

"Not I alone then stray to the Latmian cave, nor do I alone burn with
love for fair Endymion; oft times with thoughts of love have I been
driven away by thy crafty spells, in order that in the darkness of night
thou mightest work thy sorcery at ease, even the deeds dear to thee. And
now thou thyself too hast part in a like mad passion; and some god of
affliction has given thee Jason to be thy grievous woe. Well, go on, and
steel thy heart, wise though thou be, to take up thy burden of pain,
fraught with many sighs."

"Thus spake the goddess; but swiftly the maiden's feet bore her, hasting
on. And gladly did she gain the high bank of the river and beheld on the
opposite side the gleam of fire, which all night long the heroes were
kindling in joy at the contest's issue. Then through the gloom, with
clear-pealing voice from across the stream, she called on Phrontis, the
youngest of Phrixus' sons, and he with his brothers and Aeson's son
recognised the maiden's _voice_; and in silence his comrades wondered
when they knew that it was so in truth. Thrice she called, and thrice at
the bidding of the company Phrontis called out in reply; and meantime
the heroes were rowing with swift-moving oars in search of her. Not yet
were they casting the ship's hawsers