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followed her； was changed also； he became the sea eagle that； with beak
and talons ever ready to strike； flies above the sea。
〃And the golden ram with wings outspread flew on and on。 Over the
sea it flew while the wind whistled around the children。 On and on they
went； and the children saw only the blue sea beneath them。 Then poor
Helle； looking downward； grew dizzy。 She fell off the golden ram before
her brother could take hold of her。 Down she fell； and still the ram flew on
and on。 She was drowned in that sea。 The people afterward named it in
memory of her； calling it 'Hellespont''Helle's Sea。'
〃On and on the ram flew。 Over a wild and barren country it flew and
toward a river。 Upon that river a white city was built。 Down the ram flew；
and alighting on the ground； stood before the gate of that city。 It was the
city of Aea； in the land of Colchis。
〃The king was in the street of the city； and he joined with the crowd
that gathered around the strange golden creature that had a youth upon its
back。 The ram folded its wings and then the youth stood beside it。 He
spoke to the people； and then the king Aeetes was his namespoke to
him； asking him from what place he had come； and what was the strange
creature upon whose back he had flown。
〃To the king and to the people Phrixus told his story； weeping to tell of
Helle and her fall。 Then King Aeetes brought him into the city； and he
gave him a place in the palace； and for the golden ram he had a special
fold made。
〃Soon after the ram died； and then King Aeetes took its golden fleece
and hung it upon an oak tree that was in a place dedicated to Ares； the god
of war。 Phrixus wed one of the daughters of the king； and men say that
afterward he went back to Thebes； his own land。
〃And as for the Golden Fleece it became the greatest of King Aeetes's
treasures。 Well indeed does he guard it； and not with armed men only； but
with magic powers。 Very strong and very cunning is King Aeetes； and a
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
terrible task awaits those who would take away from him that Fleece of
Gold。〃 So Alcimide spoke； sorrowfully telling to the women the story of
the Golden Fleece that her son Jason was going in quest of。 So she spoke；
and the night waned； and the morning of the sailing of the Argo came on。
And when the Argonauts beheld the dawn upon the high peaks of
Pelion they arose and poured out wine in offering to Zeus； the highest of
the gods。 Then Argo herself gave forth a strange cry； for the beam from
Dodona that had been formed into her prow had endued her with life。 She
uttered a strange cry； and as she did the heroes took their places at the
benches； one after the other； as had been arranged by lot； and Tiphys； the
helmsman； went to the steering place。 To the sound of Orpheus's lyre they
smote with oars the rushing sea water； and the surge broke over the oar
blades。 The sails were let out and the breeze came into them； piping shrilly；
and the fishes came darting through the green sea； great and small； and
followed them； gamboling along the watery paths。 And Chiron； the king…
centaur； came down from the Mountain Pelion； and standing with his feet
in the foam cried out； 〃Good speed； O Argonauts； good speed； and a
sorrowless return。〃
THE BEGINNING OF THINGS
Orpheus sang to his lyre； Orpheus the minstrel； who knew the ways
and the stories of the gods； out in the open sea on the first morning of the
voyage Orpheus sang to them of the beginning of things。
He sang how at first Earth and Heaven and Sea were all mixed and
mingled together。 There was neither Light nor Darkness then； but only a
Dimness。 This was Chaos。 And from Chaos came forth Night and Erebus。
From Night was born Aether； the Upper Air； and from Night and Erebus
wedded there was born Day。
And out of Chaos came Earth； and out of Earth came the starry
Heaven。 And from Heaven and Earth wedded there were born the Titan
gods and goddessesOceanus； Coeus； Crius； Hyperion； Iapetus； Theia；
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
Rhea； Themis； Mnemosyne； gold…crowned Phoebe； and lovely Tethys。 And
then Heaven and Earth had for their child Cronos； the most cunning of all。
Cronos wedded Rhea； and from Cronos and Rhea were born the gods
who were different from the Titan gods。
But Heaven and Earth had other childrenCottus； Briareus； and Gyes。
These were giants； each with fifty heads and a hundred arms。 And Heaven
grew fearful when he looked on these giant children； and he hid them
away in the deep places of the Earth。
Cronos hated Heaven； his father。 He drove Heaven； his father； and
Earth； his mother； far apart。 And far apart they stay； for they have never
been able to come near each other since。 And Cronos married to Rhea had
for children Hestia； Demeter； Hera； Aidoneus； and Poseidon； and these all
belonged to the company of the deathless gods。 Cronos was fearful that
one of his sons would treat him as he had treated Heaven； his father。 So
when another child was born to him and his wife Rhea he commanded that
the child be given to him so that he might swallow him。 But Rhea wrapped
a great stone in swaddling clothes and gave the stone to Cronos。 And
Cronos swallowed the stone； thinking to swallow his latest…born child。
That child was Zeus。 Earth took Zeus and hid him in a deep cave and
those who minded and nursed the child beat upon drums so that his cries
might not be heard。 His nurse was Adrastia； when he was able to play she
gave him a ball to play with。 All of gold was the ball； with a dark…blue
spiral around it。 When the boy Zeus would play with this ball it would
make a track across the sky； flaming like a star。
Hyperion the Titan god wed Theia the Titan goddess； and their
children were Hellos； the bright Sun； and Selene； the clear Moon。 And
Coeus wed Phoebe； and their children were Leto； who is kind to gods and
men； and Asteria of happy name； and Hecate； whom Zeus honored above
all。 Now the gods who were the children of Cronos and Rhea went up unto
the Mountain Olympus； and there they built their shining palaces。 But the
Titan gods who were born of Heaven and Earth went up to th