ht will set at nought
our quest. For so, learning his frowardness first from himself, we will
consider whether we shall meet him in battle, or some other plan shall
avail us, if we refrain from the war-cry. And let us not merely by
force, before putting words to the test, deprive him of his own
possession. But first it is better to go to him and win his favour by
speech. Oftentimes, I ween, does speech accomplish at need what prowess
could hardly carry through, smoothing the path in manner befitting. And
he once welcomed noble Phrixus, a fugitive from his stepmother's wiles
and the sacrifice prepared by his father. For all men everywhere, even
the most shameless, reverence the ordinance of Zeus, god of strangers,
and regard it."

Thus he spake, and the youths approved the words of Aeson's son with one
accord, nor was there one to counsel otherwise. And then he summoned to
go with him the sons of Phrixus, and Telamon and Augeias; and himself
took Hermes' wand; and at once they passed forth from the ship beyond
the reeds and the water to dry land, towards the rising ground of the
plain. The plain, I wis, is called Circe's; and here in line grow many
willows and osiers, on whose topmost branches hang corpses bound with
cords. For even now it is an abomination with the Colchians to burn dead
men with fire; nor is it lawful to place them in the earth and raise a
mound above, but to wrap them in untanned oxhides and suspend them from
trees far from the city. And so earth has an equal portion with air,
seeing that they bury the women; for that is the custom of their land.

And as they went Hera with friendly thought spread a thick mist through
the city, that they might fare to the palace of Aeetes unseen by the
countless hosts of the Colchians. But soon when from the plain they came
to the city and Aeetes' palace, then again Hera dispersed the mist. And
they stood at the entrance, marvelling at the king's courts and the wide
gates and columns which rose in ordered lines round the walls; and high
up on the palace a coping of stone rested on brazen triglyphs. And
silently they crossed the threshold. And close by garden vines covered
with green foliage were in full bloom, lifted high in air. And beneath
them ran four fountains, ever-flowing, which Hephaestus had delved out.
One was gushing with milk, one with wine, while the third flowed with
fragrant oil; and the fourth ran with water, which grew warm at the
setting of the Plei