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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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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
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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THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES
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
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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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。