and at once he
roused his comrades to go on board and make ready the oars. And a
strange cry did the harbour of Pagasae utter, yea and Pelian Argo
herself, urging them to set forth. For in her a beam divine had been
laid which Athena had brought from an oak of Dodona and fitted in the
middle of the stem. And the heroes went to the benches one after the
other, as they had previously assigned for each to row in his place, and
took their seats in due order near their fighting gear. In the middle
sat Ancaeus and mighty Heracles, and near him he laid his club, and
beneath his tread the ship's keel sank deep. And now the hawsers were
being slipped and they poured wine on the sea. But Jason with tears held
his eyes away from his fatherland. And just as youths set up a dance in
honour of Phoebus either in Pytho or haply in Ortygia, or by the waters
of Ismenus, and to the sound of the lyre round his altar all together in
time beat the earth with swiftly-moving feet; so they to the sound of
Orpheus' lyre smote with their oars the rushing sea-water, and the surge
broke over the blades; and on this side and on that the dark brine
seethed with foam, boiling terribly through the might of the sturdy
heroes. And their arms shone in the sun like flame as the ship sped on;
and ever their wake gleamed white far behind, like a path seen over a
green plain. On that day all the gods looked down from heaven upon the
ship and the might of the heroes, half-divine, the bravest of men then
sailing the sea; and on the topmost heights the nymphs of Pelion
wondered as they beheld the work of Itonian Athena, and the heroes
themselves wielding the oars. And there came down from the mountain-top
to the sea Chiron, son of Philyra, and where the white surf broke he
dipped his feet, and, often waving with his broad hand, cried out to
them at their departure, "Good speed and a sorrowless home-return!" And
with him his wife, bearing Peleus' son Achilles on her arm, showed the
child to his dear father.

Now when they had left the curving shore of the harbour through the
cunning and counsel of prudent Tiphys son of Hagnias, who skilfully
handled the well-polished helm that he might guide them steadfastly,
then at length they set up the tall mast in the mast-box, and secured it
with forestays, drawing them taut on each side, and from it they let
down the sail when they had hauled it to the top-mast. And a breeze came
down piping shrilly; and upon the deck they