e ingloriously till we grow old
for naught."
(ll. 894-898) Thus he spake, but Ancaeus quickly undertook to guide the
swift ship; for he was stirred by the impulse of the goddess. And after
him Erginus and Nauplius and Euphemus started up, eager to steer.
But the others held them back, and many of his comrades granted it to
Ancaeus.
(ll. 899-910) So on the twelfth day they went aboard at dawn, for a
strong breeze of westerly wind was blowing. And quickly with the oars
they passed out through the river Acheron and, trusting to the wind,
shook out their sails, and with canvas spread far and wide they were
cleaving their passage through the waves in fair weather. And soon they
passed the outfall of the river Callichorus, where, as the tale goes,
the Nysean son of Zeus, when he had left the tribes of the Indians and
came to dwell at Thebes, held revels and arrayed dances in front of a
cave, wherein he passed unsmiling sacred nights, from which time the
neighbours call the river by the name of Callichorus [1204] and the cave
Aulion.[1205]
(ll. 911-929) Next they beheld the barrow of Sthenelus, Actor's son, who
on his way back from the valorous war against the Amazons--for he had
been the comrade of Heracles--was struck by an arrow and died there
upon the sea-beach. And for a time they went no further, for Persephone
herself sent forth the spirit of Actor's son which craved with many
tears to behold men like himself, even for a moment. And mounting on the
edge of the barrow he gazed upon the ship, such as he was when he went
to war; and round his head a fair helm with four peaks gleamed with its
blood-red crest. And again he entered the vast gloom; and they looked
and marvelled; and Mopsus, son of Ampycus, with word of prophecy urged
them to land and propitiate him with libations. Quickly they drew in
sail and threw out hawsers, and on the strand paid honour to the tomb of
Sthenelus, and poured out drink offerings to him and sacrificed sheep as
victims. And besides the drink offerings they built an altar to Apollo,
saviour of ships, and burnt thigh bones; and Orpheus dedicated his lyre;
whence the place has the name of Lyra.
(ll. 930-945) And straightway they went aboard as the wind blew strong;
and they drew the sail down, and made it taut to both sheets; then Argo
was borne over the sea swiftly, even as a hawk soaring high through the
air commits to the breeze its outspread wings and is borne on swiftly,
nor swerves
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