at last, and no wood so thick but
it may be crawled through; no serpent so wary but he may be charmed, or
witch queen so fierce but spells may soothe her; and I may yet win the
golden fleece, if a wise maiden help bold men."

And he looked at Medeia cunningly, and held her with his glittering eye,
till she blushed and trembled, and said:

"Who can face the fire of the bulls' breath, and fight ten thousand
armed men?"

"He whom you help," said Jason, flattering her, "for your fame is spread
over all the earth. Are you not the queen of all enchantresses, wiser
even than your sister Circe, in her fairy island in the West?"

"Would that I were with my sister Circe in her fairy island in the West,
far away from sore temptation, and thoughts which tear the heart! But
if it must be so--for why should you die?--I have an ointment here; I
made it from the magic ice flower which sprang from Prometheus's wound,
above the clouds on Caucasus, in the dreary fields of snow. Anoint
yourself with that, and you shall have in you seven men's strength; and
anoint your shield with it, and neither fire nor sword can harm you. But
what you begin you must end before sunset, for its virtue lasts only one
day. And anoint your helmet with it before you sow the serpents' teeth;
and when the sons of earth spring up, cast your helmet among their
ranks, and the deadly crop of the War-god's field will mow itself, and
perish."

Then Jason fell on his knees before her, and thanked her and kissed her
hands; and she gave him the vase of ointment, and fled trembling through
the reeds. And Jason told his comrades what had happened, and showed
them the box of ointment; and all rejoiced but Idas and he grew mad with
envy.

And at sunrise Jason went and bathed, and anointed himself from head to
foot, and his shield, and his helmet, and his weapons, and bade his
comrades try the spell. So they tried to bend his lance, but it stood
like an iron bar; and Idas in spite hewed at it with his sword, but the
blade flew to splinters in his face. Then they hurled their lances at
his shield, but the spear points turned like lead; and Caineus tried to
throw him, but he never stirred a foot; and Polydeuces struck him with
his fist a blow which would have killed an ox; but Jason only smiled,
and the heroes danced about him with delight; and he leapt and ran, and
shouted, in the joy of that enormous strength, till the sun rose, and it
was time to go and to claim Aiete