hast not ended with splendour of life. Aeson too, ill-fated
man! Surely better had it been for him, if he were lying beneath the
earth, enveloped in his shroud, still unconscious of bitter toils. Would
that the dark wave, when the maiden Helle perished, had overwhelmed
Phrixus too with the ram; but the dire portent even sent forth a human
voice, that it might cause to Alcimede sorrows and countless pains
hereafter."

(ll. 261-277) Thus the women spake at the departure of the heroes. And
now many thralls, men and women, were gathered together, and his mother,
smitten with grief for Jason. And a bitter pang seized every woman's
heart; and with them groaned the father in baleful old age, lying on his
bed, closely wrapped round. But the hero straightway soothed their pain,
encouraging them, and bade the thralls take up his weapons for war; and
they in silence with downcast looks took them up. And even as the mother
had thrown her arms about her son, so she clung, weeping without stint,
as a maiden all alone weeps, falling fondly on the neck of her hoary
nurse, a maid who has now no others to care for her, but she drags on a
weary life under a stepmother, who maltreats her continually with ever
fresh insults, and as she weeps, her heart within her is bound fast
with misery, nor can she sob forth all the groans that struggle for
utterance; so without stint wept Alcimede straining her son in her arms,
and in her yearning grief spake as follows:

(ll. 278-291) "Would that on that day when, wretched woman that I am, I
heard King Pelias proclaim his evil behest, I had straightway given up
my life and forgotten my cares, so that thou thyself, my son, with thine
own hands, mightest have buried me; for that was the only wish left me
still to be fulfilled by time, all the other rewards for thy nurture
have I long enjoyed. Now I, once so admired among Achaean women,
shall be left behind like a bondwoman in my empty halls, pining away,
ill-fated one, for love of thee, thee on whose account I had aforetime
so much splendour and renown, my only son for whom I loosed my virgin
zone first and last. For to me beyond others the goddess Eileithyia
grudged abundant offspring. Alas for my folly! Not once, not even in nay
dreams did I forebode this, that the flight of Phrixus would bring me
woe."

(ll. 292-294) Thus with moaning she wept, and her handmaidens, standing
by, lamented; but Jason spake gently to her with comforting words:

(ll. 2