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〃Athamas was wedded first to Nephele； the mother of Phrixus and
Helle； the youth and maiden。 But Athamas married again while the mother
of these children was still living； and Ino； the new queen； drove Nephele
and her children out of the king's palace。
〃And now was Nephele most unhappy。 She had to live as a servant；
and her children were servants to the servants of the palace。 They were
clad in rags and had little to eat； and they were beaten often by the
servants who wished to win the favor of the new queen。
〃But although they wore rags and had menial tasks to do； Phrixus and
Helle looked the children of a queen。 The boy was tall； and in his eyes
there often came the flash of power； and the girl looked as if she would
grow into a lovely maiden。 And when Athamas； their father； would meet
them by chance he would sigh； and Queen Ino would know by that sigh
that he had still some love for them in his heart。 Afterward she would have
to use all the power she possessed to win the king back from thinking
upon his children。
〃And now Queen Ino had children of her own。 She knew that the
people reverenced the children of Nephele and cared nothing for her
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
children。 And because she knew this she feared that when Athamas died
Phrixus and Helle； the children of Nephele； would be brought to rule in
Thebes。 Then she and her children would be made to change places with
them。
〃This made Queen Ino think on ways by which she could make
Phrixus and Helle lose their lives。 She thought long upon this； and at last a
desperate plan came into her mind。
〃When it was winter she went amongst the women of the countryside；
and she gave them jewels and clothes for presents。 Then she asked them to
do secretly an unheard…of thing。 She asked the women to roast over their
fires the grains that had been left for seed。 This the women did。 Then
spring came on； and the men sowed in the fields the grain that had been
roasted over the fires。 No shoots grew up as the spring went by。 In summer
there was no waving greenness in the fields。 Autumn came； and there was
no grain for the reaping。 Then the men； not knowing what had happened；
went to King Athamas and told him that there would be famine in the land。
〃The king sent to the temple of Artemis to ask how the people might
be saved from the famine。 And the guardians of the temple； having taken
gold from Queen Ino； told them that there would be worse and worse
famine and that all the people of Thebes would die of hunger unless the
king was willing to make a great sacrifice。
〃When the king asked what sacrifice he should make he was told by
the guardians of the temple that he must sacrifice to the goddess his two
children； Phrixus and Helle。 Those who were around the king； to save
themselves from famine after famine； clamored to have the children
sacrificed。 Athamas； to save his people； consented to the sacrifice。
〃They went toward the king's palace。 They found Helle by the bank of
the river washing clothes。 They took her and bound her。 They found
Phrixus； half naked； digging in a field； and they took him； too； and bound
him。 That night they left brother and sister in the same prison。 Helle wept
over Phrixus； and Phrixus wept to think that he was not able to do
anything to save his sister。
〃The servants of the palace went to Nephele； and they mocked at her；
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telling her that her children would be sacrificed on the morrow。 Nephele
nearly went wild in her grief。 And then； suddenly； there came into her
mind the thought of a creature that might be a helper to her and to her
children。
〃This creature was a ram that had wings and a wonderful fleece of
gold。 The god of the sea； Poseidon； had sent this wonderful ram to
Athamas and Nephele as a marriage gift。 And the ram had since been kept
in a special fold。
〃To that fold Nephele went。 She spent the night beside the ram praying
for its help。 The morning came and the children were taken from their
prison and dressed in white； and wreaths were put upon their heads to
mark them as things for sacrifice。 They were led in a procession to the
temple of Artemis。 Behind that procession King Athamas walked； his head
bowed in shame。
〃But Queen Ino's head was not bowed； rather she carried it high； for
her thought was all upon her triumph。 Soon Phrixus and Helle would be
dead； and then； whatever happened； her own children would reign after
Athamas in Thebes。
〃Phrixus and Helle； thinking they were taking their last look at the sun；
went on。 And even then Nephele； holding the horns of the golden ram； was
making her last prayer。 The sun rose and as it did the ram spread out its
great wings and flew through the air。 It flew to the temple of Artemis。
Down beside the altar came the golden ram； and it stood with its horns
threatening those who came。 All stopped in surprise。 Still the ram stood
with threatening head and great golden wings spread out。 Then Phrixus ran
from those who were holding him and laid his hands upon the ram。 He
called to Helle and she； too； came to the golden creature。 Phrixus mounted
on the ram and he pulled Helle up beside him。 Then the golden ram flew
upward。 Up； up； it went； and with the children upon its back it became like
a star in the day…lit sky。
〃Then Queen Ino； seeing the children saved by the golden ram；
shrieked and fled away from that place。 Athamas ran after her。 As she ran
and as he followed hatred for her grew up within him。 Ino ran on and on
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until she came to the cliffs that rose over the sea。 Fearing Athamas who
came behind her she plunged down。 But as she fell she was changed by
Poseidon； the god of the sea。 She became a seagull。 Athamas； who
followed her； was changed also； he became the sea eagle that； with beak