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of the bronze men had been destroyed。 Thrice a day would Talos stride
around the island； his brazen feet were tireless。
Now Talos saw the Argo drawing near。 He took up great rocks and he
hurled them at the heroes； and very quickly they had to draw their ship out
of range。
They were wearied and their thirst was consuming them。 But still that
bronze man stood there ready to sink their ship with the great rocks that he
took up in his hands。 Medea stood forward upon the ship； ready to use her
spells against the man of bronze。
In body and limbs he was made of bronze and in these he was
invulnerable。 But beneath a sinew in his ankle there was a vein that ran up
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to his neck and that was covered by a thin skin。 If that vein were broken
Talos would perish。
Medea did not know about this vein when she stood forward upon the
ship to use her spells against him。 Upon a cliff of Crete； all gleaming；
stood that huge man of bronze。 Then； as she was ready to fling her spells
against him； Medea thought upon the words that Arete； the wise queen；
had given her that she was not to use spells and not to practice against the
life of any one。
But she knew that there was no impiety in using spells and practicing
against Talos； for Zeus had already doomed all his race。 She stood upon
the ship； and with her Magic Song she enchanted him。 He whirled round
and round。 He struck his ankle against a jutting stone。 The vein broke； and
that which was the blood of the bronze man flowed out of him like molten
lead。 He stood towering upon the cliff。 Like a pine upon a mountaintop
that the woodman had left half hewn through and that a mighty wind
pitches against； Talos stood upon his tireless feet； swaying to and fro。 Then；
emptied of all his strength； Minos's man of bronze fell into the Cretan Sea。
The heroes landed。 That night they lay upon the land of Crete and
rested and refreshed themselves。 When dawn came they drew water from a
spring； and once more they went on board the Argo。
A day came when the helmsman said； 〃To…morrow we shall see the
shore of Thessaly； and by sunset we shall be in the harbor of Pagasae。
Soon； O voyagers； we shall be back in the city from which we went to
gain the Golden Fleece。〃
Then Jason brought Medea to the front of the ship so that they might
watch together for Thessaly； the homeland。 The Mountain Pelion came
into sight。 Jason exulted as he looked upon that mountain； again he told
Medea about Chiron； the ancient centaur； and about the days of his youth
in the forests of Pelion。
The Argo went on； the sun sank； and darkness came on。 Never was
there darkness such as there was on that night。 They called that night
afterward the Pall of Darkness。 To the heroes upon the Argo it seemed as if
black chaos had come over the world again； they knew not whether they
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were adrift upon the sea or upon the River of Hades。 No star pierced the
darkness nor no beam from the moon。
After a night that seemed many nights the dawn came。 In the sunrise
they saw the land of Thessaly with its mountain； its forests； and its fields。
They hailed each other as if they had met after a long parting。 They raised
the mast and unfurled the sail。
But not toward Pagasae did they go。 For now the voice of Argo came
to them； shaking their hearts： Jason and Orpheus； Castor and Polydeuces；
Zetes and Calais； Peleus and Telamon； Theseus； Admetus； Nestor； and
Atalanta； heard the cry of their ship。 And the voice of Argo warned them
not to go into the harbor of Pagasae。
As they stood upon the ship； looking toward Iolcus； sorrow came over
all the heroes； such sorrow as made their hearts nearly break。 For long
they stood there in utter numbness。
Then Admetus spokeAdmetus who was the happiest of all those who
went in quest of the Golden Fleece。 〃Although we may not go into the
harbor of Pagasae； nor into the city of Iolcus；〃 Admetus said； 〃still we
have come to the land of Greece。 There are other harbors and other cities
that we may go into。 And in all the places that we go to we will be honored；
for we have gone through toils and dangers； and we have brought to
Greece the famous Fleece of Gold。〃
So Admetus said； and their spirits came back again to the heroes
came back to all of them save Jason。 The rest had other cities to go to； and
fathers and mothers and friends to greet them in other places； but for Jason
there was only Iolcus。
Medea took his hand； and sorrow for him overcame her。 For Medea
could divine what had happened in Iolcus and why it was that the heroes
might not go there。
It was to Corinth that the Argo went。 Creon； the king of Corinth；
welcomed them and gave great honor to the heroes who had faced such
labors and such dangers to bring the world's wonder to Greece。
The Argonauts stayed together until they went to Calydon； to hunt the
boar that ravaged Prince Meleagrus's country。 After that they separated；
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each one going to his own land。 Jason came back to Corinth where Medea
stayed。 And in Corinth he had tidings of the happenings in Iolcus。
King Pelias now ruled more fearfully in Iolcus； having brought down
from the mountains more and fiercer soldiers。 And Aeson； Jason's father；
and Alcimide； his mother； were now dead； having been slain by King
Pelias。
This Jason heard from men who came into Corinth from Thessaly。 And
because of the great army that Pelias had gathered there； Jason might not
yet go into Iolcus； either to exact a vengeance； or to show the people THE
GOLDEN FLEECE that he had gone so far to gain。
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Part III。
The Heroes of the Quest
I。 ATALANTA THE HUNTRESS
I
They