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where shall I find fifty bold youths； who will take each of them an oar of
my galley？ They must have sturdy arms to row； and brave hearts to
encounter perils； or we shall never win the Golden Fleece。〃
〃Go；〃 replied the oaken image； 〃go； summon all the heroes of Greece。〃
And； in fact； considering what a great deed was to be done； could any
advice be wiser than this which Jason received from the figure…head of his
vessel？ He lost no time in sending messengers to all the cities； and making
known to the whole people of Greece； that Prince Jason； the son of King
Jason； was going in quest of the Fleece of Gold； and that he desired the
help of forty…nine of the bravest and strongest young men alive； to row his
vessel and share his dangers。 And Jason himself would be the fiftieth。
At this news； the adventurous youths； all over the country； began to
bestir themselves。 Some of them had already fought with giants； and slain
dragons； and the younger ones； who had not yet met with such good
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fortune； thought it a shame to have lived so long without getting astride of
a flying serpent； or sticking their spears into a Chimaera； or； at least；
thrusting their right arms down a monstrous lion's throat。 There was a fair
prospect that they would meet with plenty of such adventures before
finding the Golden Fleece。 As soon as they could furbish up their helmets
and shields； therefore； and gird on their trusty swords； they came
thronging to Iolchos； and clambered on board the new galley。 Shaking
hands with Jason； they assured him that they did not care a pin for their
lives； but would help row the vessel to the remotest edge of the world； and
as much farther as he might think it best to go。
Many of these brave fellows had been educated by Chiron； the four…
footed pedagogue； and were therefore old schoolmates of Jason； and knew
him to be a lad of spirit。 The mighty Hercules； whose shoulders afterwards
upheld the sky； was one of them。 And there were Castor and Pollux； the
twin brothers； who were never accused of being chicken…hearted； although
they had been hatched out of an egg； and Theseus； who was so renowned
for killing the Minotaur； and Lynceus； with his wonderfully sharp eyes；
which could see through a millstone； or look right down into the depths of
the earth； and discover the treasures that were there； and Orpheus； the very
best of harpers； who sang and played upon his lyre so sweetly； that the
brute beasts stood upon their hind legs； and capered merrily to the music。
Yes； and at some of his more moving tunes； the rocks bestirred their moss…
grown bulk out of the ground； and a grove of forest trees uprooted
themselves； and； nodding their tops to one another； performed a country
dance。
One of the rowers was a beautiful young woman； named Atalanta。 who
had been nursed among the mountains by a bear。 So light of foot was this
fair damsel； that she could step from one foamy crest of a wave to the
foamy crest of another； without wetting more than the sole of her sandal。
She had grown up in a very wild way； and talked much about the rights of
women； and loved hunting and war far better than her needle。 But in my
opinion； the most remarkable of this famous company were two sons of
the North Wind （airy youngsters； and of rather a blustering disposition）
who had wings on their shoulders； and； in case of a calm； could puff out
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their cheeks； and blow almost as fresh a breeze as their father。 I ought not
to forget the prophets and conjurors； of whom there were several in the
crew； and who could foretell what would happen to…morrow or the next
day； or a hundred years hence； but were generally quite unconscious of
what was passing at the moment。
Jason appointed Tiphys to be helmsman because he was a star…gazer；
and knew the points of the compass。 Lynceus； on account of his sharp
sight； was stationed as a look…out in the prow； where he saw a whole day's
sail ahead； but was rather apt to overlook things that lay directly under his
nose。 If the sea only happened to be deep enough； however； Lynceus could
tell you exactly what kind of rocks or sands were at the bottom of it； and
he often cried out to his companions； that they were sailing over heaps of
sunken treasure； which yet he was none the richer for beholding。 To
confess the truth； few people believed him when he said it。
Well！ But when the Argonauts； as these fifty brave adventurers were
called； had prepared everything for the voyage； an unforeseen difficulty
threatened to end it before it was begun。 The vessel； you must understand；
was so long； and broad； and ponderous； that the united force of all the fifty
was insufficient to shove her into the water。 Hercules； I suppose； had not
grown to his full strength； else he might have set her afloat as easily as a
little boy launches his boat upon a puddle。 But here were these fifty heroes；
pushing； and straining； and growing red in the face； without making the
Argo start an inch。 At last； quite wearied out； they sat themselves down on
the shore exceedingly disconsolate； and thinking that the vessel must be
left to rot and fall in pieces； and that they must either swim across the sea
or lose the Golden Fleece。
All at once； Jason bethought himself of the galley's miraculous figure…
head。
〃O； daughter of the Talking Oak；〃 cried he； 〃how shall we set to work
to get our vessel into the water？〃
〃Seat yourselves；〃 answered the image （for it had known what had
ought to be done from the very first； and was only waiting for the question
to be put）；〃 seat yourselves； and handle your oars； and let Orpheus play
upon his harp。〃
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Immediately the fifty heroes got on board； and seizing their oars； held
them perpendicularly in the air； while Orpheus （who liked such a task far
better than rowing） swept his fingers across the harp。 At the first ringing
note of the music； they felt the vessel stir。 Orpheus thrummed away briskly；
and the galley slid at once into the sea； dipping her prow so deeply that the
figure…head drank the wave with its marvelous lips； and rising again as
buoyant as a swan。 The rowers plied their fifty oars； the white foam boiled
up before the prow； the water gurgled and bubbled in their wake； while
Orpheus continued to play so lively a strain of music； that the vessel
seemed to dance over the billows by way of keeping time to it。 Thus
triumphantly did the Argo sail out of the harbor； amidst the huzzas and
good wishes of everybody except the wicked old Pelias； who stood on a
promontory； scowling at her； and wishing that he could blow out of his
lungs the tempest of wrath that was in his heart； and so sink the galley
with all on board。 When they had sailed above fifty miles over the sea；
Lynceus happened to cast his sharp eyes behind； and said that there was
this bad…hearted king； still perched upon the promontory； and scowling so
gloomily that it looked like a black thunder…cloud in that quarter of the
horizon。
In order to make the time pass away more pleasantly during the
voyage； the heroes talked about the Golden Fleece。 It originally belonged；
it appears； to a Boeotian ram； who had taken on his back two children；
when in danger of their lives； and fled with them over land and sea as far
as Colchis。 One of the children； whose name was Helle； fell into the sea
and was drowned。 But the other （a little boy； named Phrixus） was brought
safe ashore by the faithful ram； who； however； was so exhausted that he
immediately lay down and died。 In memory of this good deed； and as a
token of his true heart； the fleece of the poor dead ram was miraculously
changed to gold； and became one of the most beautiful objects ever seen
on earth。 It was hung upon a tree in a sacred grove； where it had n