the fourth
generation of his sons his seed would have taken that wide continent
of Libya, for then they would have gone forth from mighty Lakedaimon,
and from the Argive gulf, and from Mykenai.

But now he shall in wedlock with a stranger-wife raise up a chosen
seed, who coming to this island with worship of their gods shall beget
one to be lord of the misty plains[6]. Him sometime shall Phoibos in
his golden house admonish by oracles, when in the latter days he shall
go down into the inner shrine at Pytho, to bring a host in ships to
the rich Nile-garden of the son of Kronos[7].'

So ran Medea's rhythmic utterance, and motionless in silence the
godlike heroes bowed their heads as they hearkened to the counsels of
wisdom.

Thee, happy son[8] of Polymnestos, did the oracle of the Delphian
bee[9] approve with call unasked to be the man whereof the word was
spoken, for thrice she bid thee hail and declared thee by decree of
fate Kyrene's king, what time thou enquiredst what help should be from
heaven for thy labouring speech. And verily even now long afterward,
as in the bloom of rosy-blossomed spring, in the eighth descent from
Battos the leaf of Arkesilas is green. To him Apollo and Pytho have
given glory in the chariot-race at the hands of the Amphiktyons: him
will I commend to the Muses, and withal the tale of the all-golden
fleece; for this it was the Minyai sailed to seek when the god-given
glories of their race began.

What power first drave them in the beginning to the quest? What
perilous enterprise clenched them with strong nails of adamant?

There was an oracle of God which said that Pelias should die by force
or by stern counsels of the proud sons of Aiolos, and there had come
to him a prophecy that froze his cunning heart, spoken at the central
stone of tree-clad mother Earth, that by every means he should keep
safe guard against the man of one sandal, whensoever from a homestead
on the hills he shall have come to the sunny land of glorious Iolkos,
whether a stranger or a citizen he be.

So in the fulness of time he came, wielding two spears, a wondrous
man; and the vesture that was upon him was twofold, the garb of the
Magnetes' country close fitting to his splendid limbs, but above he
wore a leopard-skin to turn the hissing showers; nor were the bright
locks of his hair shorn from him but over all his back ran rippling
down. Swiftly he went straight on, and took his stand, making trial of
his dauntle