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He was Orpheus； and he knew all the ways of the gods and all the stories
of the gods； when he sang to his lyre the trees would listen and the beasts
would follow him。 It was Chiron who had counseled Orpheus to go with
Jason； Chiron the centaur had met him as he was wandering through the
forests on the Mountain Pelion and had sent him down into Iolcus。
Then there came two men well skilled in the handling of ships
Tiphys and Nauplius。 Tiphys knew all about the sun and winds and stars；
and all about the signs by which a ship might be steered； and Nauplius had
the love of Poseidon； the god of the sea。
Afterward there came； one after the other； two who were famous for
their hunting。 No two could be more different than these two were。 The
first was Arcas。 He was dressed in the skin of a bear； he had red hair and
savage…looking eyes； and for arms he carried a mighty bow with
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
bronzetipped arrows。 The folk were watching an eagle as he came into the
city； an eagle that was winging its way far； far up in the sky。 Arcas drew
his bow； and with one arrow he brought the eagle down。
The other hunter was a girl； Atalanta。 Tall and brighthaired was
Atalanta； swift and good with the bow。 She had dedicated herself to
Artemis； the guardian of the wild things； and she had vowed that she
would remain unwedded。 All the heroes welcomed Atalanta as a comrade；
and the maiden did all the things that the young men did。
There came a hero who was less youthful than Castor or Polydeuces；
he was a man good in council named Nestor。 Afterward Nestor went to the
war against Troy； and then he was the oldest of the heroes in the camp of
Agamemnon。
Two brothers came who were to be special friends of Jason's Peleus
and Telamon。 Both were still youthful and neither had yet achieved any
notable deed。 Afterward they were to be famous； but their sons were to be
even more famous； for the son of Telamon was strong Aias； and the son of
Peleus was great Achilles。
Another who came was Admetus； afterward he became a famous king。
The God Apollo once made himself a shepherd and he kept the flocks of
King Admetus。
And there came two brothers； twins； who were a wonder to all who
beheld them。 Zetes and Calais they were named； their mother was
Oreithyia； the daughter of Erechtheus； King of Athens； and their father
was Boreas； the North Wind。 These two brothers had on their ankles wings
that gleamed with golden scales； their black hair was thick upon their
shoulders； and it was always being shaken by the wind。
With Zetes and Calais there came a youth armed with a great sword
whose name was Theseus。 Theseus's father was an unknown king； he had
bidden the mother show their son where his sword was hidden。 Under a
great stone the king had hidden it before Theseus was born。 Before he had
grown out of his boyhood Theseus had been able to raise the stone and
draw forth his father's sword。 As yet he had done no great deed； but he was
resolved to win fame and to find his unknown father。
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
On the day that the messengers had set out to bring through Greece the
word of Jason's going forth in quest of the Golden Fleece the woodcutters
made their way up into the forests of Mount Pelion； they began to fell
trees for the timbers of the ship that was to make the voyage to far
Colchis。
Great timbers were cut and brought down to Pagasae； the harbor of
Iolcus。 On the night of the day he had helped to bring them down Jason
had a dream。 He dreamt that she whom he had seen in the forest ways and
afterward by the River Anaurus appeared to him。 And in his dream the
goddess bade him rise early in the morning and welcome a man whom he
would meet at the city's gate … a tall and gray…haired man who would have
on his shoulders tools for the building of a ship。
He went to the city's gate and he met such a man。 Argus was his name。
He told Jason that a dream had sent him to the city of Iolcus。 Jason
welcomed him and lodged him in the king's palace； and that day the word
went through the city that the building of the great ship would soon be
begun。 But not with the timbers brought from Mount Pelion did Argus
begin。 Walking through the palace with Jason he noted a great beam in the
roof。 That beam； he said； had been shown him in his dream； it was from an
oak tree in Dodona； the grove of Zeus。 A sacred power was in the beam；
and from it the prow of the ship should be fashioned。 Jason had them take
the beam from the roof of the palace； it was brought to where the timbers
were； and that day the building of the great ship was begun。
Then all along the waterside came the noise of hammering； in the
street where the metalworkers were came the noise of beating upon metals
as the smiths fashioned out of bronze armor for the heroes and swords and
spears。 Every day； under the eyes of Argus the master； the ship that had in
it the beam from Zeus's grove was built higher and wider。 And those who
were building the ship often felt going through it tremors as of a living
creature。
When the ship was built and made ready for the voyage a name was
given to itthe Argo it was called。 And naming themselves from the ship
the heroes called themselves the Argonauts。 All was ready for the voyage；
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
and now Jason went with his friends to view the ship before she was
brought into the water。
Argus the master was on the ship； seeing to it that the last things were
being done before Argo was launched。 Very grave and wise looked Argus
Argus the builder of the ship。 And wonderful to the heroes the ship looked
now that Argus； for their viewing； had set up the mast with the sails and
had even put the oars in their places。 Wonderful to the heroes Argo looked
with her long oars and her high sails； with her timbers painted red and
gold and blue； and with a marvelous figure carved upon her prow。 All over
the ship Jason's eyes went。 He saw a figure standing by the mast； for a
moment he looked on it； and then the figure became shadowy。 But Jason
knew that he had looked upon the goddess whom he had seen in the ways
of the forest and had seen afterward by the rough Anaurus。
Then mast and sails were taken down and the oars were left in the ship；
and the Argo was launched into the water。 The heroes went back to the
palace of King Pelias to feast with the king's guests before they took their
places on the ship； setting out on the voyage to far Colchis。
When they came into the palace they saw that another hero had arrived。
His shield was hung in the hall； the heroes all gathered around； amazed at
the size and the beauty of it。 The shield shone all over with gold。 In its
center was the figure of Fearof Fear that stared backward with eyes
burning as with fire。 The mouth was open and the teeth were shown。 And
other figures were wrought around the figure of FearStrife and Pursuit
and Flight； Tumult and Panic and Slaughter。 The figure of Fate was there
dragging a dead man by the feet； on her shoulders Fate had a garment that
was red with the blood of men。
Around these figures were heads of snakes； heads with black jaws and
glittering eyes； twelve heads such as might affright any man。 And on other
parts of the shield were shown the horses of Ares； the grim god of war。
The figure of Ares himself was shown also。 He held a spear in his hand；
and he was urging the warriors on。
Around the inner rim of the shield the sea was shown； wrought in
white metal。 Dolphins swam in the sea； fishing for little fishes that were
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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
shown there in bronze。 Around the rim chariots were racing along with
wheels running close together； there were men fi