s who ministered all things to her. And within, Circe,
standing by the hearth, kept burning atonement-cakes without wine,
praying the while that she might stay from their wrath the terrible
Furies, and that Zeus himself might be propitious and gentle to them
both, whether with hands stained by the blood of a stranger or, as
kinsfolk, by the blood of a kinsman, they should implore his grace.

(ll. 718-738) But when she had wrought all her task, then she raised
them up and seated them on well polished seats, and herself sat near,
face to face with them. And at once she asked them clearly of their
business and their voyaging, and whence they had come to her land and
palace, and had thus seated themselves as suppliants at her hearth. For
in truth the hideous remembrance of her dreams entered her mind as she
pondered; and she longed to hear the voice of the maiden, her kinswoman,
as soon as she saw that she had raised her eyes from the ground. For
all those of the race of Helios were plain to discern, since by the far
flashing of their eyes they shot in front of them a gleam as of gold.
So Medea told her all she asked--the daughter of Aeetes of the gloomy
heart, speaking gently in the Colchian tongue, both of the quest and the
journeyings of the heroes, and of their toils in the swift contests, and
how she had sinned through the counsels of her much-sorrowing sister,
and how with the sons of Phrixus she had fled afar from the tyrannous
horrors of her father; but she shrank from telling of the murder of
Apsyrtus. Yet she escaped not Circe's ken; nevertheless, in spite of
all, she pitied the weeping maiden, and spake thus:

(ll. 739-748) "Poor wretch, an evil and shameful return hast thou
planned. Not for long, I ween, wilt thou escape the heavy wrath of
Aeetes; but soon will he go even to the dwellings of Hellas to avenge
the blood of his son, for intolerable are the deeds thou hast done. But
since thou art my suppliant and my kinswoman, no further ill shall
I devise against thee at thy coming; but begone from my halls,
companioning the stranger, whosoever he be, this unknown one that thou
hast taken in thy father's despite; and kneel not to me at my hearth,
for never will I approve thy counsels and thy shameful flight."

(ll. 749-752) Thus she spake, and measureless anguish seized the maid;
and over her eyes she cast her robe and poured forth a lamentation,
until the hero took her by the hand and led her forth from the hall