n pretending to be
highly pleased with his nephew, Pelias entertained him sumptuously for five
days, during which time all was festivity and rejoicing. On the sixth,
Jason appeared before his uncle, and with manly firmness demanded from him
the throne and kingdom which were his by right. Pelias, dissembling his
true feelings, smilingly consented to grant his request, provided that, in
return, Jason would undertake an expedition for him, which his advanced age
prevented him from accomplishing himself. He informed his nephew that the
shade of Phryxus had appeared to him in his dreams, and entreated him to
bring back from Colchis his mortal remains and the Golden Fleece; and added
that if Jason succeeded in obtaining for him these sacred relics, throne,
kingdom, and sceptre should be his.

{215}

STORY OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE.

Athamas, king of Boeotia, had married Nephele, a cloud-nymph, and their
children were Helle and Phryxus. The restless and wandering nature of
Nephele, however, soon wearied her husband, who, being a mortal, had little
sympathy with his ethereal consort; so he divorced her, and married the
beautiful but wicked Ino (sister of Semele), who hated her step-children,
and even planned their destruction. But the watchful Nephele contrived to
circumvent her cruel designs, and succeeded in getting the children out of
the palace. She then placed them both on the back of a winged ram, with a
fleece of pure gold, which had been given to her by Hermes; and on this
wonderful animal brother and sister rode through the air over land and sea;
but on the way Helle, becoming seized with giddiness, fell into the sea
(called after her the Hellespont) and was drowned.

Phryxus arrived safely at Colchis, where he was hospitably received by king
Aetes, who gave him one of his daughters in marriage. In gratitude to Zeus
for the protection accorded him during his flight, Phryxus sacrificed to
him the golden ram, whilst the fleece he presented to Aetes, who nailed it
up in the Grove of Ares, and dedicated it to the god of War. An oracle
having declared that the life of Aetes depended on the safe-keeping of the
fleece, he carefully guarded the entrance to the grove by placing before it
an immense dragon, which never slept.

BUILDING AND LAUNCH OF THE ARGO.--We will now return to Jason, who eagerly
undertook the perilous expedition proposed to him by his uncle, who, well
aware of the dangers attending such an enterprise, hoped