he Floating
Island. There the Harpies sank down with wearied wings. Zetes and
Calais were upon them now, and they would have cut them to pieces with
their bright swords, if the messenger of Zeus, Iris, with the golden
wings, had not come between.

"Forbear to slay the Harpies, sons of Boreas," cried Iris warningly,
"forbear to slay the Harpies that are the hounds of Zeus. Let them
cower here and hide themselves, and I, who come from Zeus, will swear
the oath that the gods most dread, that they will never again come to
Salmydessus to trouble Phineus, the king."

The heroes yielded to the words of Iris. She took the oath that the
gods most dread--the oath by the Water of Styx--that never again would
the Harpies show themselves to Phineus. Then Zetes and Calais turned
back toward the city of Salmydessus. The island that they drove the
Harpies to had been called the Floating Island, but thereafter it was
called the Island of Turning. It was evening when they turned back, and
all night long the Argonauts and King Phineus sat in the hall of the
palace and awaited the return of Zetes and Calais, the sons of the
North Wind.

VIII. KING PHINEUS'S COUNSEL; THE LANDING IN LEMNOS

They came into King Phineus's hall, their bright swords in their hands.
The Argonauts crowded around them and King Phineus raised his head and
stretched out his thin hands to them. And Zetes and Calais told their
comrades and told the king how they had driven the Harpies down to the
Floating Island, and how Iris, the messenger of Zeus, had sworn the
great oath that was by the Water of Styx that never again would the
Snatchers show themselves in the palace.

Then a great golden cup brimming with wine was brought to the king. He
stood holding it in his trembling hands, fearful even then that the
Harpies would tear the cup out of his hands. He drank--long and deeply
he drank--and the dread shapes of the Snatchers did not appear. Down
amongst the heroes he came and he took into his the hands of Zetes and
Calais, the sons of the North Wind.

"O heroes greater than any kings," he said, "ye have delivered me from
the terrible curse that the gods had sent upon me. I thank ye, and I
thank ye all, heroes of the quest. And the thanks of Phineus will much
avail you all."

Clasping the hands of Zetes and Calais he led the heroes through hall
after hall of his palace and down into his treasure chamber. There he
bestowed upon the banishers of the Harpies cr