and
borne back to the rocky isle of Electra. And straightway on a sudden
there called to them in the midst of their course, speaking with a human
voice, the beam of the hollow ship, which Athena had set in the centre
of the stem, made of Dodonian oak. And deadly fear seized them as
they heard the voice that told of the grievous wrath of Zeus. For it
proclaimed that they should not escape the paths of an endless sea
nor grievous tempests, unless Circe should purge away the guilt of the
ruthless murder of Apsyrtus; and it bade Polydeuces and Castor pray to
the immortal gods first to grant a path through the Ausonian sea where
they should find Circe, daughter of Perse and Helios.

(ll. 592-626) Thus Argo cried through the darkness; and the sons of
Tyndareus uprose, and lifted their hands to the immortals praying for
each boon: but dejection held the rest of the Minyan heroes. And far
on sped Argo under sail, and entered deep into the stream of Eridanus;
where once, smitten on the breast by the blazing bolt, Phaethon
half-consumed fell from the chariot of Helios into the opening of that
deep lake; and even now it belcheth up heavy steam clouds from the
smouldering wound. And no bird spreading its light wings can cross that
water; but in mid-course it plunges into the flame, fluttering. And all
around the maidens, the daughters of Helios, enclosed in tall poplars,
wretchedly wail a piteous plaint; and from their eyes they shed on the
ground bright drops of amber. These are dried by the sun upon the sand;
but whenever the waters of the dark lake flow over the strand before
the blast of the wailing wind, then they roll on in a mass into Eridanus
with swelling tide. But the Celts have attached this story to them, that
these are the tears of Leto's son, Apollo, that are borne along by the
eddies, the countless tears that he shed aforetime when he came to the
sacred race of the Hyperboreans and left shining heaven at the chiding
of his father, being in wrath concerning his son whom divine Coronis
bare in bright Lacereia at the mouth of Amyrus. And such is the story
told among these men. But no desire for food or drink seized the heroes
nor were their thoughts turned to joy. But they were sorely afflicted
all day, heavy and faint at heart, with the noisome stench, hard to
endure, which the streams of Eridanus sent forth from Phaethon still
burning; and at night they heard the piercing lament of the daughters
of Helios, wailing wit