hetis, one of the fifty Nereids, or sea-nymphs, though she
changed herself into all sorts of forms when he caught her first--fire,
water, a serpent, and a lioness; but he held her fast through all, and at
last she listened to him, and all the gods and goddesses had come to the
wedding feast. They had one son, named Achilles, whom Thetis had tried
to make immortal after Ceres' fashion, by putting him on the fire at
night; but, like Triptolemus' mother, Peleus had cried out and spoilt the
spell. Then she took the boy to the river Styx, and bathed him there, so
that he became invulnerable all over, except in the heel by which she
held him. The child was now in Chiron's cave, being fed with the marrow
of lions and bears, to make him strong and brave.

One more Argonaut must be mentioned, namely, the minstrel Orpheus. He
was the son of the muse Calliope, and was looked on as the first of the
many glorious singers of Greece, who taught the noblest and best lessons.
His music, when he played on the lyre, was so sweet, that all the
animals, both fierce and gentle, came round to hear it; and not only
these, but even the trees and rocks gathered round, entranced by the
sweetness.

All these and more, to the number of fifty, joined Jason in his
enterprise. The Argo, the ship which bore them, had fifty oars, and in
the keel was a piece of wood from the great oak of Dodona, which could
speak for the oracles. When all was ready, Jason stood on the poop, and
poured forth a libation from a golden cup, praying aloud to Jupiter, to
the Winds, the Days, the Nights, and to Fate to grant them a favourable
voyage. Old Chiron came down from his hills to cheer them, and pray for
their return; and as the oars kept measured time, Orpheus struck his lyre
in tune with their splash in the blue waters.

They had many adventures. After passing the Hellespont, they found in
the Propontis, which we call the Sea of Marmora, an islet called the
Bears' Hill, inhabited by giants with six arms, whom they slew.

In Mysia a youth named Hylas went ashore to fetch water, but was caught
by the nymphs of the stream and taken captive. Hercules, hearing his
cry, went in search of him, and, as neither returned, the Argo sailed
without them. No more was heard of Hylas, but Hercules went back to
Argos.

They next visited Phineus, a wise old blind king, who was tormented by
horrid birds called Harpies, with women's faces. These monsters always
came down