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queen of the witches； she wreathed them with green boughs from the
forest； and she prayed before each。 Then she made herself naked； and she
anointed herself with the brew she had made from the magical herbs and
grasses。 All marks of age and decrepitude left her； and when she stood
over the dark pool and looked down on herself she saw that her body was
white and shapely as before； and that her hair was soft and lovely。
She stayed all night between the tangled wood and the dark pool； and
with the first light the car drawn by the scaly dragons came to her。 She
mounted the car； and she journeyed back to Corinth。
Into Jason's mind a fear of Medea had come since the hour when he
had seen her mount the car drawn by the scaly dragons。 He could not think
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of her any more as the one who had been his companion on the Argo。 He
thought of her as one who could help him and do wonderful things for him；
but not as one whom he could talk softly and lovingly to。 Ah； but if Jason
had thought less of his kingdom and less of his triumphing with the Fleece
of Gold； Medea would not have had the dragons come to her。
And now that his love for Medea had altered； Jason noted the
loveliness of anotherof Glauce； the daughter of Creon； the King of
Corinth。 And Glauce； who had red lips and the eyes of a child； saw in
Jason who had brought the Golden Fleece out of Colchis the image of
every hero she had heard about in stories。 Creon； the king； often brought
Jason and Glauce together； for his hope was that the hero would wed his
daughter and stay in Corinth and strengthen his kingdom。 He thought that
Medea； that strange woman； could not keep a companionship with Jason。
Two were walking in the king's garden； and they were Jason and
Glauce。 A shadow fell betwen them； and when Jason looked up he saw
Medea's dragon car。 Down flew the dragons； and Medea came from the
car and stood between Jason and the princess。 Angrily she spoke to him。 〃I
have made the kingdom ready for your return；〃 she said； 〃but if you would
go there you must first let me deal in my own way with this pretty
maiden。〃 And so fiercely did Medea look upon her that Glance shrank
back and clung to Jason for protection。 〃O； Jason；〃 she cried； 〃 thou didst
say that I am such a one as thou didst dream of when in the forest with
Chiron； before the adventure of the Golden Fleece drew thee away from
the Grecian lands。 Oh； save me now from the power of her who comes in
the dragon car。〃 And Jason said： 〃I said all that thou hast said； and I will
protect thee； O Glauce。〃
And then Medea thought of the king's house she had left for Jason； and
of the brother whom she had let be slain； and of the plot she had carried
out to bring Jason back to Iolcus； and a great fury came over her。 In her
hand she took foam from the jaws of the dragons； and she cast the foam
upon Glauce； and the princess fell back into the arms of Jason with the
dragon foam burning into her。
Then； seeing in his eyes that he had forgotten all that he owed to her
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the winning of the Golden Fleece； and the safety of Argo； and the
destruction of the power of King Pelias seeing in his eyes that Jason had
forgotten all this； Medea went into her dragon…borne car and spoke the
words that made the scaly dragons bear her aloft。 She flew from Corinth；
leaving Jason in King Creon's garden with Glauce dying in his arms。 He
lifted her up and laid her upon a bed； but even as her friends came around
her the daughter of King Creon died。
And Jason？ For long he stayed in Corinth； a famous man indeed； but
one sorrowful and alone。 But again there grew in him the desire to rule
and to have possessions。 He called around him again the men whose home
was in Iolcusthose who had followed him as bright…eyed youths when he
first proclaimed his purpose of winning the Fleece of Gold。 He called
them around him； and he led them on board the Argo。 Once more they
lifted sails； and once more they took the Argo into the open sea。
Toward Iolcus they sailed； their passage was fortunate； and in a short
time they brought the Argo safely into the harbor of Pagasae。 Oh； happy
were the crowds that came thronging to see the ship that had the famous
Fleece of Gold upon her masthead； and green and sweet smelling were the
garlands that the people brought to wreathe the heads of Jason and his
companions！ Jason looked upon the throngs； and he thought that much had
gone from him； but he thought that whatever else had gone something
remained to himto be a king and a great ruler over a people。
And so Jason came back to Iolcus。 The Argo he made a blazing pile of
in sacrifice to Poseidon； the god of the sea。 The Golden Fleece he hung in
the temple of the gods。 Then he took up the rule of the kingdom that
Cretheus had founded； and he became the greatest of the kings of Greece。
And to Iolcus there came； year after year； young men who would look
upon the gleaming thing that was hung there in the temple of the gods。
And as they looked upon it； young man after young man； the thought
would come to each that he would make himself strong enough and heroic
enough to win for his country something as precious as Jason's GOLDEN
FLEECE。 And for all their lives they kept in mind the words that Jason
had inscribed upon a pillar that was placed beside the Fleece of Goldthe
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words that Triton spoke to the Argonauts when they were fain to win their
way out of the inland sea：
THAT IS THE OUTLET TO THE SEA； WHERE THE DEEP WATER
LIES UNMOVED AND DARK； ON EACH SIDE ROLL WHITE
BREAKERS WITH SHINING CRESTS； AND THE WAY BETWEEN
FOR YOUR PASSAGE OUT IS NARROW。 BUT GO IN JOY； AND AS
FOR LABOR LET THERE BE NO GRIEVING THAT LIMBS IN
YOUTHFUL VIGOR SHOULD STILL TOIL。
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