er soul from her breast and given it to him,
exulting in his desire; so wonderfully did love flash forth a sweet
flame from the golden head of Aeson's son; and he captivated her
gleaming eyes; and her heart within grew warm, melting away as the dew
melts away round roses when warmed by the morning's light. And now both
were fixing their eyes on the ground abashed, and again were throwing
glances at each other, smiling with the light of love beneath their
radiant brows. And at last and scarcely then did the maiden greet him:

(ll. 1026-1062) "Take heed now, that I may devise help for thee. When at
thy coming my father has given thee the deadly teeth from the dragon's
jaws for sowing, then watch for the time when the night is parted in
twain, then bathe in the stream of the tireless river, and alone, apart
from others, clad in dusky raiment, dig a rounded pit; and therein slay
a ewe, and sacrifice it whole, heaping high the pyre on the very edge
of the pit. And propitiate only-begotten Hecate, daughter of Perses,
pouring from a goblet the hive-stored labour of bees. And then, when
thou hast heedfully sought the grace of the goddess, retreat from the
pyre; and let neither the sound of feet drive thee to turn back, nor
the baying of hounds, lest haply thou shouldst maim all the rites and
thyself fail to return duly to thy comrades. And at dawn steep this
charm in water, strip, and anoint thy body therewith as with oil; and
in it there will be boundless prowess and mighty strength, and thou wilt
deem thyself a match not for men but for the immortal gods. And
besides, let thy spear and shield and sword be sprinkled. Thereupon the
spear-heads of the earthborn men shall not pierce thee, nor the flame of
the deadly bulls as it rushes forth resistless. But such thou shalt be
not for long, but for that one day; still never flinch from the contest.
And I will tell thee besides of yet another help. As soon as thou hast
yoked the strong oxen, and with thy might and thy prowess hast ploughed
all the stubborn fallow, and now along the furrows the Giants are
springing up, when the serpent's teeth are sown on the dusky clods, if
thou markest them uprising in throngs from the fallow, cast unseen among
them a massy stone; and they over it, like ravening hounds over their
food, will slay one another; and do thou thyself hasten to rush to the
battle-strife, and the fleece thereupon thou shalt bear far away from
Aea; nevertheless, depart where