straightway prepare a feast. And until my thralls come, the overseers of
my steading, whose care it is to choose out oxen from the herd and drive
them hither, we will drag down the ship to the sea, and do ye place all
the tackling within, and draw lots for the benches for rowing. Meantime
let us build upon the beach an altar to Apollo Embasius[1] who by an
oracle promised to point out and show me the paths of the sea, if by
sacrifice to him I should begin my venture for King Pelias."

[Footnote 1: i.e. God of embarcation.]

He spake, and was the first to turn to the work, and they stood up in
obedience to him; and they heaped their garments, one upon the other, on
a smooth stone, which the sea did not strike with its waves, but the
stormy surge had cleansed it long before. First of all, by the command
of Argus, they strongly girded the ship with a rope well twisted
within,[1] stretching it tight on each side, in order that the planks
might be well compacted by the bolts and might withstand the opposing
force of the surge. And they quickly dug a trench as wide as the space
the ship covered, and at the prow as far into the sea as it would run
when drawn down by their hands. And they ever dug deeper in front of the
stem, and in the furrow laid polished rollers; and inclined the ship
down upon the first rollers, that so she might glide and be borne on by
them. And above, on both sides, reversing the oars, they fastened them
round the thole-pins, so as to project a cubit's space. And the heroes
themselves stood on both sides at the oars in a row, and pushed forward
with chest and hand at once. And then Tiphys leapt on board to urge the
youths to push at the right moment; and calling on them he shouted
loudly; and they at once, leaning with all their strength, with one push
started the ship from her place, and strained with their feet, forcing
her onward; and Pelian Argo followed swiftly; and they on each side
shouted as they rushed on. And then the rollers groaned under the sturdy
keel as they were chafed, and round them rose up a dark smoke owing to
the weight, and she glided into the sea; but the heroes stood there and
kept dragging her back as she sped onward. And round the thole-pins they
fitted the oars, and in the ship they placed the mast and the well-made
sails and the stores.

[Footnote 1: Or, reading [Greek: ektothen], "they strongly girded the
ship outside with a well-twisted rope." In either case there is probab