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one and that of your companions was of their divine race。〃
Telamon and Peleus strode forward with angry hearts； they would have
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laid their hands upon King Aeetes only Jason held them back。 And then
speaking to the king in a quiet voice； Jason said：
〃Bear with us； King Aeetes； I pray you。 We have not come with such
evil intent as you think。 Ah； it was the evil command of an evil king that
sent me forth with these companions of mine across dangerous gulfs of the
sea； and to face your wrath and the armed men you can bring against us。
We are ready to make great recompense for the friendliness you may show
to us。 We will subdue for you the Sauromatae； or any other people that you
would lord it over。〃
But Aeetes was not made friendly by Jason's words。 His heart was
divided as to whether he should summon his armed men and have them
slain upon the spot； or whether he should put them into danger by the trial
he would make of them。
At last he thought that it would be better to put them to the trial that he
had in mind； slaying them afterward if need be。 And then he spoke to
Jason； saying：
〃Strangers to Colchis； it may be true what my nephews have said。 It
may be that ye are truly of the seed of the immortals。 And it may be that I
shall give you the Golden Fleece to bear away after I have made trial of
you。〃
As he spoke Medea； brought there by his messenger so that she might
observe the strangers； came into the chamber。 She entered softly and she
stood away from her father and the four who were speaking with him。
Jason looked upon her； and even although his mind was filled with the
thought of bending King Aeetes to his will； he saw what manner of
maiden she was； and what beauty and what strength was hers。
She had a dark face that was made very strange by her crown of
golden hair。 Her eyes； like her father's； were wide and full of light； and her
lips were so full and red that they made her mouth like an opening rose。
But her brows were always knit as if there was some secret anger within
her。
〃With brave men I have no quarrel；〃 said Aeetes 〃I will make a trial of
your bravery； and if your bravery wins through the trial； be very sure that
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you will have the Golden Fleece to bring back in triumph to Iolcus。
〃But the trial that I would make of you is hard for a great hero even。
Know that on the plain of Ares yonder I have two fire…breathing bulls with
feet of brass。 These bulls were once conquered by me； I yoked them to a
plow of adamant； and with them I plowed the field of Ares for four plow…
gates。 Then I sowed the furrows； not with the seed that Demeter gives； but
with teeth of a dragon。 And from the dragon's teeth that I sowed in the
field of Ares armed men sprang up。 I slew them with my spear as they rose
around me to slay me。 If you can accomplish this that I accomplished in
days gone by I shall submit to you and give you the Golden Fleece。 But if
you cannot accomplish what I once accomplished you shall go from my
city empty…handed； for it is not right that a brave man should yield aught
to one who cannot show himself as brave。〃
So Aeetes said。 Then Jason； utterly confounded； cast his eyes upon the
ground。 He raised them to speak to the king； and as he did he found the
strange eyes of Medea upon him。 With all the courage that was in him he
spoke：
〃I will dare this contest； monstrous as it is。 I will face this doom。 I
have come far； and there is nothing else for me to do but to yoke your
firebreathing bulls to the plow of adamant； and plow the furrows in the
field of Ares； and struggle with the Earth…born Men。〃 As he said this he
saw the eyes of Medea grow wide as with fear。
Then Aeetes； said； 〃Go back to your ship and make ready for the trial。〃
Jason； with Peleus and Telamon； left the chamber； and the king smiled
grimly as he saw them go。 Phrontis and Melas went to where their mother
was。 But Medea stayed； and Aeetes looked upon her with his great
leopard's eyes。 〃My daughter； my wise Medea；〃 he said； 〃go； put spells
upon the Moon； that Hecate may weaken that man in his hour of trial。〃
Medea turned away from her father's eyes； and went to her chamber。
II。 Medea The Sorceress
She turned away from her father's eyes and she went into her own
chamber。 For a long time she stood there with her hands clasped together。
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She heard the voice of Chalciope lamenting because Aeetes had taken a
hatred to her sons and might strive to destroy them。 She heard the voice of
her sister lamenting； but Medea thought that the cause that her sister had
for grieving was small compared with the cause that she herself had。
She thought on the moment when she had seen Jason for the first time…
…in the courtyard as the mist lifted and the dove flew to her； she thought of
him as he lifted those bright eyes of his； then she thought of his voice as
he spoke after her father had imposed the dreadful trial upon him。 She
would have liked then to have cried out to him； 〃O youth； if others rejoice
at the doom that you go to； I do not rejoice。〃
Still her sister lamented。 But how great was her own grief compared to
her sister's！ For Chalciope could try to help her sons and could lament for
the danger they were in and no one would blame her。 But she might not
strive to help Jason nor might she lament for the danger he was in。 How
terrible it would be for a maiden to help a stranger against her father's
design！ How terrible it would be for a woman of Colchis to help a stranger
against the will of the king！ How terrible it would be for a daughter to plot
against King Aeetes in his own palace！
And then Medea hated Aea； her city。 She hated the furious people who
came together in the assembly； and she hated the brazen bulls that
Hephaestus had given her father。 And then she thought that there was
nothing in Aea except the furious people and the fire…breathing bulls。 O
how pitiful it was that the strange hero and his friends should have come
to such a place for the sake of the Golden Fleece that was watched over by
the sleepless serpent in the grove of Ares！
Still Chalciope lamented。 Would Chalciope come to her and ask her；
Medea； to help her sons？ If she should come she might speak of the
strangers； too； and of the danger they were in。 Medea went to her couch
and lay down upon it。 She longed for her sister to come to her or to call to
her。
But Chalciope stayed in her own chamber。 Medea； lying upon her
couch； listened to her sister's laments。 At last she went near where
Chalciope was。 Then shame that she should think so much about the
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stranger came over her。 She stood there without moving； she turned to go
back to the couch； and then trembled so much that she could not stir。 As
she stood between her couch and her sister's chamber she heard the voice
of Chalciope calling to her。
She went into the chamber where her sister stood。 Chalciope flung her
arms around her。 〃Swear；〃 said she to Medea； 〃swear by Hecate； the Moon；
that you will never speak of something I am going to ask you。〃 Medea
swore that she would never speak of it。
Chalciope spoke of the danger her sons were in。 She asked Medea to
devise a way by which they could escape with the stranger from Aea。 〃In
Aea and in Colchis；〃 she said； 〃there will be no safety for my sons
henceforth。〃 And to save Phrontis and Melas； she said； Medea would have
to save the strangers also。 Surely she knew of a charm that would save the
stranger from the brazen bulls in the contest on the morrow！
So Chalciope came to t