e ship close to the shore, a little away from
the back-water.

(ll. 576-608) But straightway Aeetes held an assembly of the Colchians
far aloof from his palace at a spot where they sat in times before, to
devise against the Minyae grim treachery and troubles. And he threatened
that when first the oxen should have torn in pieces the man who had
taken upon him to perform the heavy task, he would hew down the oak
grove above the wooded hill, and burn the ship and her crew, that so
they might vent forth in ruin their grievous insolence, for all their
haughty schemes. For never would he have welcomed the Aeolid Phrixus as
a guest in his halls, in spite of his sore need, Phrixus, who surpassed
all strangers in gentleness and fear of the gods, had not Zeus himself
sent Hermes his messenger down from heaven, so that he might meet with
a friendly host; much less would pirates coming to his land be let go
scatheless for long, men whose care it was to lift their hands and seize
the goods of others, and to weave secret webs of guile, and harry the
steadings of herdsmen with ill-sounding forays. And he said that besides
all that the sons of Phrixus should pay a fitting penalty to himself for
returning in consort with evildoers, that they might recklessly drive
him from his honour and his throne; for once he had heard a baleful
prophecy from his father Helios, that he must avoid the secret treachery
and schemes of his own offspring and their crafty mischief. Wherefore he
was sending them, as they desired, to the Achaean land at the bidding
of their father--a long journey. Nor had he ever so slight a fear of
his daughters, that they would form some hateful scheme, nor of his
son Apsyrtus; but this curse was being fulfilled in the children of
Chalciope. And he proclaimed terrible things in his rage against the
strangers, and loudly threatened to keep watch over the ship and its
crew, so that no one might escape calamity.

(ll. 609-615) Meantime Argus, going to Aeetes' palace, with manifold
pleading besought his mother to pray Medea's aid; and Chalciope herself
already had the same thoughts, but fear checked her soul lest haply
either fate should withstand and she should entreat her in vain, all
distraught as she would be at her father's deadly wrath, or, if Medea
yielded to her prayers, her deeds should be laid bare and open to view.

(ll. 616-635) Now a deep slumber had relieved the maiden from her
love-pains as she lay upon her cou