wing of kine, near at hand, smote their ears. And over the dewy
leas Phaethusa, the youngest of the daughters of Helios, tended the
sheep, bearing in her hand a silver crook; while Lampetia, herding the
kine, wielded a staff of glowing orichalcum [1408] as she followed.
These kine the heroes saw feeding by the river's stream, over the plain
and the water-meadow; not one of them was dark in hue but all were white
as milk and glorying in their horns of gold. So they passed them by
in the day-time, and when night came on they were cleaving a great
sea-gulf, rejoicing, until again early rising dawn threw light upon
their course.

(ll. 982-1013) Fronting the Ionian gulf there lies an island in the
Ceraunian sea, rich in soil, with a harbour on both sides, beneath which
lies the sickle, as legend saith--grant me grace, O Muses, not willingly
do I tell this tale of olden days--wherewith Cronos pitilessly mutilated
his father; but others call it the reaping-hook of Demeter, goddess of
the nether world. For Demeter once dwelt in that island, and taught the
Titans to reap the ears of corn, all for the love of Macris. Whence it
is called Drepane, [1409] the sacred nurse of the Phaeacians; and thus
the Phaeacians themselves are by birth of the blood of Uranus. To
them came Argo, held fast by many toils, borne by the breezes from the
Thrinacian sea; and Alcinous and his people with kindly sacrifice gladly
welcomed their coming; and over them all the city made merry; thou
wouldst say they were rejoicing over their own sons. And the heroes
themselves strode in gladness through the throng, even as though they
had set foot in the heart of Haemonia; but soon were they to arm and
raise the battle-cry; so near to them appeared a boundless host of
Colchians, who had passed through the mouth of Pontus and between the
Cyanean rocks in search of the chieftains. They desired forthwith to
carry off Medea to her father's house apart from the rest, or else they
threatened with fierce cruelty to raise the dread war-cry both then and
thereafter on the coming of Aeetes. But lordly Alcinous checked them
amid their eagerness for war. For he longed to allay the lawless strife
between both sides without the clash of battle. And the maiden in deadly
fear often implored the comrades of Aeson's son, and often with her
hands touched the knees of Arete, the bride of Aleinous:

(ll. 1014-1028) "I beseech thee, O queen, be gracious and deliver me not
to the Co