l. 6-10) Thus the heroes, unobserved, were waiting in ambush amid the
thick reed-beds; but Hera and Athena took note of them, and, apart
from Zeus and the other immortals, entered a chamber and took counsel
together; and Hera first made trial of Athena:

(ll. 11-16) "Do thou now first, daughter of Zeus, give advice. What must
be done? Wilt thou devise some scheme whereby they may seize the golden
fleece of Aeetes and bear it to Hellas, or can they deceive the king
with soft words and so work persuasion? Of a truth he is terribly
overweening. Still it is right to shrink from no endeavour."

(ll. 17-21) Thus she spake, and at once Athena addressed her: "I too
was pondering such thoughts in my heart, Hera, when thou didst ask me
outright. But not yet do I think that I have conceived a scheme to aid
the courage of the heroes, though I have balanced many plans."

(ll. 22-29) She ended, and the goddesses fixed their eyes on the ground
at their feet, brooding apart; and straightway Hera was the first to
speak her thought: "Come, let us go to Cypris; let both of us accost her
and urge her to bid her son (if only he will obey) speed his shaft at
the daughter of Aeetes, the enchantress, and charm her with love for
Jason. And I deem that by her device he will bring back the fleece to
Hellas."

(ll. 30-31) Thus she spake, and the prudent plan pleased Athena, and she
addressed her in reply with gentle words:

(ll. 32-35) "Hera, my father begat me to be a stranger to the darts of
love, nor do I know any charm to work desire. But if the word pleases
thee, surely I will follow; but thou must speak when we meet her."

(ll. 36-51) So she said, and starting forth they came to the mighty
palace of Cypris, which her husband, the halt-footed god, had built for
her when first he brought her from Zeus to be his wife. And entering the
court they stood beneath the gallery of the chamber where the goddess
prepared the couch of Hephaestus. But he had gone early to his forge and
anvils to a broad cavern in a floating island where with the blast
of flame he wrought all manner of curious work; and she all alone
was sitting within, on an inlaid seat facing the door. And her white
shoulders on each side were covered with the mantle of her hair and
she was parting it with a golden comb and about to braid up the long
tresses; but when she saw the goddesses before her, she stayed and
called them within, and rose from her seat and placed them on couch