r back to Aea; he
thought that when she had been left by the Argonauts he could force her
to come with him. So he went over to the island. Jason, secretly
leaving his companions, went to the island from the other side.

Before the temple of Artemis Jason and Apsyrtus came face to face. Both
men, thinking they had been betrayed to their deaths, drew their
swords. Then, before the vestibule of the temple and under the eyes of
Medea, Jason and Apsyrtus fought. Jason's sword pierced the son of
AEetes as he fell Apsyrtus cried out bitter words against Medea, saying
that it was on her account that he had come on his death. And as he
fell the blood of her brother splashed Medea's silver veil.

Jason lifted Medea up and carried her to the Argo. They hid the maiden
under the Fleece of Gold and they sailed past the ships of the
Colchians. When darkness came they were far from the island of Artemis.
It was then that they heard a loud wailing, and they knew that the
Colchians had discovered that their prince had been slain.

The Colchians did not pursue them. Fearing the wrath of AEetes they made
settlements in the lands of the kings who had supported A Apsyrtus;
they never went back to Aea; they called themselves Apsyrtians
henceforward, naming themselves after the prince they had come with.

They had escaped the danger that had hemmed them in, but the Argonauts,
as they sailed on, were not content; covenants had been broken, and
blood had been shed in a bad cause. And as they went on through the
darkness the voice of the ship was heard; at the sound of that voice
fear and sorrow came upon the voyagers, for they felt that it had a
prophecy of doom.

Castor and Polydeuces went to the front of the ship; holding up their
hands, they prayed. Then they heard the words that the voice uttered:
in the night as they went on the voice proclaimed the wrath of Zeus on
account of the slaying of Apsyrtus.

What was their doom to be? It was that the Argonauts would have to
wander forever over the gulfs of the sea unless Medea had herself
cleansed of her brother's blood. There was one who could cleanse
Medea--Circe, the daughter of Helios and Perse. The voice urged the
heroes to pray to the immortal gods that the way to the island of Circe
be shown to them.

V. MEDEA COMES TO CIRCE

They sailed up the River Ister until they came to the Eridanus, that
river across which no bird can fly. Leaving the Eridanus they entered
the Rhodanus,