for us all men and all
monsters with your magic harp and song?"

Then Orpheus sighed: "Have I not had enough of toil and of weary
wandering far and wide, since I lived in Cheiron's cave, above Iolcos by
the sea? In vain is the skill and the voice which my goddess mother gave
me; in vain have I sung and laboured; in vain I went down to the dead,
and charmed all the kings of Hades, to win back Eurydice my bride. For I
won her, my beloved, and lost her again the same day, and wandered away
in my madness, even to Egypt and the Libyan sands, and the isles of all
the seas, driven on by the terrible gadfly, while I charmed in vain the
hearts of men, and the savage forest beasts, and the trees, and the
lifeless stones, with my magic harp and song, giving rest, but finding
none. But at last Calliope, my mother, delivered me, and brought me home
in peace; and I dwell here in the cave alone, among the savage Cicon
tribes, softening their wild hearts with music and the gentle laws of
Zeus. And now I must go out again, to the ends of all the earth, far
away into the misty darkness, to the last wave of the Eastern Sea. But
what is doomed must be, and a friend's demand obeyed; for prayers are
the daughters of Zeus, and who honours them honours him."

Then Orpheus rose up sighing, and took his harp, and went over Strymon.
And he led Jason to the southwest, up the banks of Haliacmon and over
the spurs of Pindus, to Dodona the town of Zeus, where it stood by the
side of the sacred lake, and the fountain which breathed out fire, in
the darkness of the ancient oak wood, beneath the mountain of the
hundred springs. And he led him to the holy oak, where the black dove
settled in old times, and was changed into the priestess of Zeus, and
gave oracles to all nations round. And he bade him cut down a bough, and
sacrifice to Hera and to Zeus; and they took the bough and came to
Iolcos, and nailed it to the beak head of the ship.

And at last the ship was finished, and they tried to launch her down the
beach; but she was too heavy for them to move her, and her keel sank
deep in the sand. Then all the heroes looked at each other blushing; but
Jason spoke, and said, "Let us ask the magic bough; perhaps it can help
us in our need."

Then a voice came from the bough, and Jason heard the words it said, and
bade Orpheus play upon the harp, while the heroes waited round, holding
the pine-trunk rollers, to help her toward the sea.

Then Orpheus took