d hand at once. And then Tiphys leapt on
board to urge the youths to push at the right moment; and calling
on them he shouted loudly; and they at once, leaning with all their
strength, with one push started the ship from her place, and strained
with their feet, forcing her onward; and Pelian Argo followed swiftly;
and they on each side shouted as they rushed on. And then the rollers
groaned under the sturdy keel as they were chafed, and round them rose
up a dark smoke owing to the weight, and she glided into the sea; but
the heroes stood there and kept dragging her back as she sped onward.
And round the thole-pins they fitted the oars, and in the ship they
placed the mast and the well-made sails and the stores.

(ll. 394-401) Now when they had carefully paid heed to everything, first
they distributed the benches by lot, two men occupying one seat; but the
middle bench they chose for Heracles and Ancaeus apart from the other
heroes, Ancaeus who dwelt in Tegea. For them alone they left the middle
bench just as it was and not by lot; and with one consent they entrusted
Tiphys with guarding the helm of the well-stemmed ship.

(ll. 402-410) Next, piling up shingle near the sea, they raised there
an altar on the shore to Apollo, under the name of Actius [1103] and
Embasius, and quickly spread above it logs of dried olive-wood. Meantime
the herdsmen of Aeson's son had driven before them from the herd two
steers. These the younger comrades dragged near the altars, and the
others brought lustral water and barley meal, and Jason prayed, calling
on Apollo the god of his fathers:

(ll. 411-424) "Hear, O King, that dwellest in Pagasae and the city
Aesonis, the city called by my father's name, thou who didst promise me,
when I sought thy oracle at Pytho, to show the fulfilment and goal of my
journey, for thou thyself hast been the cause of my venture; now do thou
thyself guide the ship with my comrades safe and sound, thither and back
again to Hellas. Then in thy honour hereafter we will lay again on thy
altar the bright offerings of bulls--all of us who return; and other
gifts in countless numbers I will bring to Pytho and Ortygia. And now,
come, Far-darter, accept this sacrifice at our hands, which first of
all we have offered thee for this ship on our embarcation; and grant, O
King, that with a prosperous wind I may loose the hawsers, relying on
thy counsel, and may the breeze blow softly with which we shall sail
over the sea in