to have wisdom equal to
the wisdom of the gods. Now ye all see my misery. Never do I strive to
put food to my lips but these foul things, the Harpies, the Snatchers,
swoop down and scatter or devour what I would eat. Crumbs they leave me
that my life may not altogether go from me, but these crumbs they make
foul to my taste and my smell."

And one of the Harpies perched herself on the back of the king's throne
and looked upon the heroes with red eyes. "Hah," she screamed, "you
bring armed men into your feasting hall, thinking to scare us away.
Never, Phineus, can you scare us from you! Always you will have us, the
Snatchers, beside you when you would still your ache of hunger. What
can these men do against us who are winged and who can travel through
the ways of the air?"

So said the unsightly Harpy, and the heroes drew together, made fearful
by these awful shapes. All drew back except Zetes and Calais, the sons
of the North Wind. They laid their hands upon their swords. The wings
on their shoulders spread out and the wings at their heels trembled.
Phineus, the king, leaned forward and panted: "By the wisdom I have I
know that there are two amongst you who can save me. O make haste to
help me, ye who can help me, and I will give the counsel that you
Argonauts have come to me for, and besides I will load down your ship
with treasure and costly stuffs. Oh, make haste, ye who can help me!"

Hearing the king speak like this, the Harpies gathered together and
gnashed with their teeth, and chattered to one another. Then, seeing
Zetes and Calais with their hands upon their swords, they rose up on
their wings and flew through the wide doors of the hall. The king cried
out to Zetes and Calais. But the sons of the North Wind had already
risen with their wings, and they were after the Harpies, their bright
swords in their hands.

On flew the Harpies, screeching and gnashing their teeth in anger and
dismay, for now they felt that they might be driven from Salmydessus,
where they had had such royal feasts. They rose high in the air and
flew out toward the sea. But high as the Harpies rose, the sons of the
North Wind rose higher. The Harpies cried pitiful cries as they flew
on, but Zetes and Calais felt no pity for them, for they knew that
these dread Snatchers, with the stains of blood upon their breasts and
wings, had shown pity neither to Phineus nor to any other.

On they flew until they came to the island that is called t