tent. And as when bees hum round fair lilies
pouring forth from their hive in the rock, and all around the dewy
meadow rejoices, and they gather the sweet fruit, flitting from one to
another; even so the women eagerly poured forth, clustering round the
men with loud lament, and greeted each one with hands and voice, praying
the blessed gods to grant him a safe return. And so Hypsipyle too
prayed, seizing the hands of Aeson's son, and her tears flowed for the
loss of her lover:

"Go, and may heaven bring thee back again with thy comrades unharmed,
bearing to the king the golden fleece, even as thou wilt and thy heart
desireth; and this island and my father's sceptre will be awaiting thee,
if on thy return hereafter thou shouldst choose to come hither again;
and easily couldst thou gather a countless host of men from other
cities. But thou wilt not have this desire, nor do I myself forbode that
so it will be. Still remember Hypsipyle when thou art far away and when
thou hast returned; and leave me some word of bidding, which I will
gladly accomplish, if haply heaven shall grant me to be a mother."

And Aeson's son in admiration thus replied: "Hypsipyle, so may all these
things prove propitious by the favour of the blessed gods. But do thou
hold a nobler thought of me, since by the grace of Pelias it is enough
for me to dwell in my native land; may the gods only release me from my
toils. But if it is not my destiny to sail afar and return to the land
of Hellas, and if thou shouldst bear a male child, send him when grown
up to Pelasgian Iolcus, to heal the grief of my father and mother if so
be that he find them still living, in order that, far away from the
king, they may be cared for by their own hearth in their home."

He spake, and mounted the ship first of all; and so the rest of the
chiefs followed, and, sitting in order, seized the oars; and Argus
loosed for them the hawsers from under the sea-beaten rock. Whereupon
they mightily smote the water with their long oars, and in the evening
by the injunctions of Orpheus they touched at the island of Electra,[1]
daughter of Atlas, in order that by gentle initiation they might learn
the rites that may not be uttered, and so with greater safety sail over
the chilling sea. Of these I will make no further mention; but I bid
farewell to the island itself and the indwelling deities, to whom belong
those mysteries, which it is not lawful for me to sing.

[Footnote 1: Samothrac