nour the gods? Other words of
comfort there are with which a man might encourage his comrade; but thou
hast spoken with utter recklessness. Such taunts, the tale goes, did the
sons of Aloeus once blurt out against the blessed gods, and thou dost no
wise equal them in valour; nevertheless they were both slain by the
swift arrows of Leto's son, mighty though they were."

Thus he spake, and Aphareian Idas laughed out, loud and long, and eyeing
him askance replied with biting words:

"Come now, tell me this by thy prophetic art, whether for me too the
gods will bring to pass such doom as thy father promised for the sons of
Aloeus. And bethink thee how thou wilt escape from my hands alive, if
thou art caught making a prophecy vain as the idle wind."

Thus in wrath Idas reviled him, and the strife would have gone further
had not their comrades and Aeson's son himself with indignant cry
restrained the contending chiefs; and Orpheus lifted his lyre in his
left hand and made essay to sing.

He sang how the earth, the heaven and the sea, once mingled together in
one form, after deadly strife were separated each from other; and how
the stars and the moon and the paths of the sun ever keep their fixed
place in the sky; and how the mountains rose, and how the resounding
rivers with their nymphs came into being and all creeping things. And he
sang how first of all Ophion and Eurynome, daughter of Ocean, held the
sway of snowy Olympus, and how through strength of arm one yielded his
prerogative to Cronos and the other to Rhea, and how they fell into the
waves of Ocean; but the other two meanwhile ruled over the blessed
Titan-gods, while Zeus, still a child and with the thoughts of a child,
dwelt in the Dictaean cave; and the earthborn Cyclopes had not yet armed
him with the bolt, with thunder and lightning; for these things give
renown to Zeus.

He ended, and stayed his lyre and divine voice. But though he had ceased
they still bent forward with eagerness all hushed to quiet, with ears
intent on the enchanting strain; such a charm of song had he left behind
in their hearts. Not long after they mixed libations in honour of Zeus,
with pious rites as is customary, and poured them upon the burning
tongues, and bethought them of sleep in the darkness.

Now when gleaming dawn with bright eyes beheld the lofty peaks of
Pelion, and the calm headlands were being drenched as the sea was
ruffled by the winds, then Tiphys awoke from sleep;