the
country shepherds left their countless flocks for dread of the
ships, for they deemed that they were beasts coming forth from the
monster-teeming sea. For never yet before had they seen seafaring ships,
neither the Scythians mingled with the Thracians, nor the Sigynni, nor
yet the Graucenii, nor the Sindi that now inhabit the vast desert plain
of Laurium. But when they had passed near the mount Angurum, and the
cliff of Cauliacus, far from the mount Angurum, round which Ister,
dividing his stream, falls into the sea on this side and on that, and
the Laurian plain, then indeed the Colchians went forth into the Cronian
sea and cut off all the ways, to prevent their foes' escape. And the
heroes came down the river behind and reached the two Brygean isles of
Artemis near at hand. Now in one of them was a sacred temple; and on the
other they landed, avoiding the host of Apsyrtus; for the Colchians
had left these islands out of many within the river, just as they were,
through reverence for the daughter of Zeus; but the rest, thronged by
the Colchians, barred the ways to the sea. And so on other islands too,
close by, Apsyrtus left his host as far as the river Salangon and the
Nestian land.

(ll. 338-349) There the Minyae would at that time have yielded in grim
fight, a few to many; but ere then they made a covenant, shunning a
dire quarrel; as to the golden fleece, that since Aeetes himself had so
promised them if they should fulfill the contests, they should keep it
as justly won, whether they carried it off by craft or even openly
in the king's despite; but as to Medea--for that was the cause of
strife--that they should give her in ward to Leto's daughter apart from
the throng, until some one of the kings that dispense justice should
utter his doom, whether she must return to her father's home or follow
the chieftains to the land of Hellas.

(ll. 350-354) Now when the maiden had mused upon all this, sharp anguish
shook her heart unceasingly; and quickly she called forth Jason alone
apart from his comrades, and led him aside until they were far away, and
before his face uttered her speech all broken with sobs:

(ll. 355-390) "What is this purpose that ye are now devising about me, O
son of Aeson? Has thy triumph utterly cast forgetfulness upon thee,
and reekest thou nothing of all that thou spakest when held fast by
necessity? Whither are fled the oaths by Zeus the suppliants' god,
whither are fled thy honied promise