s of wave, and
rolled mast-high about them, and spun them round and round; and they
could go neither back nor forward, while the whirlpool sucked them in.

And while they struggled they saw near them, on the other side of the
strait, a rock stand in the water, with a peak wrapt round in clouds; a
rock which no man could climb, though he had twenty hands and feet, for
the stone was smooth and slippery, as if polished by man's hand; and
half way up a misty cave looked out toward the west.

And when Orpheus saw it, he groaned, and struck his hands together. And
"Little will it help to us," he cried, "to escape the jaws of the
whirlpool; for in that cave lives Scylla, the sea-hag with a young
whelp's voice; my mother warned me of her ere we sailed away from
Hellas; she has six heads, and six long necks, and hides in that dark
cleft. And from her cave she fishes for all things which pass by, for
sharks, and seals, and dolphins, and all the herds of Amphitrite. And
never ship's crew boasted that they came safe by her rock; for she bends
her long necks down to them, and every mouth takes up a man And who will
help us now? For Hera and Zeus hate us, and our ship is foul with guilt;
so we must die, whatever befalls."

Then out of the depths came Thetis, Peleus's silver-footed bride, for
love of her gallant husband, and all her nymphs around her; and they
played like snow-white dolphins, diving on from wave to wave, before the
ship, and in her wake, and beside her, as dolphins play. And they caught
the ship, and guided her, and passed her on from hand to hand, and
tossed her through the billows, as maidens toss the ball. And when
Scylla stooped to seize her, they struck back her ravening heads, and
foul Scylla whined, as a whelp whines, at the touch of their gentle
hands. But she shrank into her cave affrighted; for all bad things
shrink from good; and Argo leapt safe past her, while a fair breeze rose
behind. Then Thetis and her nymphs sank down to their gardens of green
and purple, where live flowers of bloom all the year round; while the
heroes went on rejoicing, yet dreading what might come next.

After that they rowed on steadily for many a weary day, till they saw a
long high island, and beyond it a mountain land. And they searched till
they found a harbour, and there rowed boldly in. But after awhile they
stopped, and wondered; for there stood a great city on the shore, and
temples and walls and gardens, and castles hig