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ARGONAUTICA BOOK 4 [1014]

(4.1014-1028) "I beseech thee, O queen, be gracious and deliver me not to the Colchians to be borne to my father, if thou thyself too art one of the race of mortals, whose heart rushes swiftly to ruin from light transgressions. For my firm sense forsook me -- it was not for wantonness. Be witness the sacred light of Helios, be witness the rites of the maiden that wanders by night, daughter of Perses. Not willingly did I haste from my home with men of an alien race; but a horrible fear wrought on me to bethink me of flight when I sinned; other device was there none. Still my maiden's girdle remains, as in the halls of my father, unstained, untouched. Pity me, lady, and turn thy lord to mercy; and may the immortals grant thee a perfect life, and joy, and children, and the glory of a city unravaged!"

1014     "Γουνοῦμαι, βασίλεια: σὺ δ' ἵλαθι, μηδέ με Κόλχοις
1015  ἐκδώῃς ᾧ πατρὶ κομιζέμεν, εἴ νυ καὶ αὐτὴ
1016 ἀνθρώπων γενεῆς μία φέρβεαι, οἷσιν ἐς ἄτην
1017 ὠκύτατος κούφῃσι θέει νόος ἀμπλακίῃσιν.
1018 ὡς ἐμοὶ ἐκ πυκιναὶ ἔπεσον φρένες, οὐ μὲν ἕκητι
1019 μαργοσύνης. ἴστω δ' ἱερὸν φάος Ἠελίοιο,
1020  ἴστω νυκτιπόλου Περσηίδος ὄργια κούρης,
1021 μὴ μὲν ἐγὼν ἐθέλουσα σὺν ἀνδράσιν ἀλλοδαποῖσιν
1022 κεῖθεν ἀφωρμήθην: στυγερὸν δέ με τάρβος ἔπεισεν
1023 τῆσγε φυγῆς μνήσασθαι, ὅτ' ἤλιτον: οὐδέ τις ἄλλη
1024 μῆτις ἔην. ἔτι μοι μίτρη μένει, ὡς ἐνὶ πατρὸς
1025  δώμασιν, ἄχραντος καὶ ἀκήρατος. ἀλλ' ἐλέαιρε,
1026 πότνα, τεόν τε πόσιν μειλίσσεο: σοὶ δ' ὀπάσειαν
1027 ἀθάνατοι βίοτόν τε τελεσφόρον ἀγλαΐην τε
1028 καὶ παῖδας καὶ κῦδος ἀπορθήτοιο πόληος."

(4.1029-1030) Thus did she implore Arete, shedding tears, and thus each of the chieftains in turn:

1029     Τοῖα μὲν Ἀρήτην γουνάζετο δάκρυ χέουσα:
1030  τοῖα δ' ἀριστήων ἐπαμοιβαδὶς ἄνδρα ἕκαστον:

(4.1031-1052) "On your account, ye men of peerless might, and on account of my toils in your ventures am I sorely afflicted; even I, by whose help ye yoked the bulls, and reaped the deadly harvest of the earthborn men; even I, through whom on your homeward path ye shall bear to Haemonia the golden fleece. Lo, here am I, who have lost my country and my parents, who have lost my home and all the delights of life; to you have I restored your country and your homes; with eyes of gladness ye will see again your parents; but from me a heavy-handed god has raft all joy; and with strangers I wander, an accursed thing. Fear your covenant and your oaths, fear the Fury that avenges suppliants and the retribution of heaven, if I fall into Aeetes' hands and am slain with grievous outrage. To no shrines, no tower of defence, no other refuge do I pay heed, but only to you. Hard and pitiless in your cruelty! No reverence have ye for me in your heart though ye see me helpless, stretching my hands towards the knees of a stranger queen; yet, when ye longed to seize the fleece, ye would have met all the Colchians face to thee and haughty Aeetes himself; but now ye have forgotten your courage, now that they are all alone and cut off."

1031     "Ὑμέων, ὦ πέρι δὴ μέγα φέρτατοι, ἀμφί τ' ἀέθλοις
1032 ὧν κάμον ὑμετέροισιν, ἀτύζομαι: ἧς ἰότητι
1033 ταύρους τ' ἐζεύξασθε, καὶ ἐκ θέρος οὐλοὸν ἀνδρῶν
1034 κείρατε γηγενέων: ἧς εἵνεκεν Αἱμονίηνδε
1035  χρύσεον αὐτίκα κῶας ἀνάξετε νοστήσαντες.
1036 ἥδ' ἐγώ, ἣ πάτρην τε καὶ οὓς ὤλεσσα τοκῆας,
1037 ἣ δόμον, ἣ σύμπασαν ἐυφροσύνην βιότοιο:
1038 ὔμμι δὲ καὶ πάτρην καὶ δώματα ναιέμεν αὖτις
1039 ἤνυσα: καὶ γλυκεροῖσιν ἔτ' εἰσόψεσθε τοκῆας
1040  ὄμμασιν: αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ ἀπὸ δὴ βαρὺς εἵλετο δαίμων
1041 ἀγλαΐας: στυγερὴ δὲ σὺν ὀθνείοις ἀλάλημαι.
1042 δείσατε συνθεσίας τε καὶ ὅρκια, δείσατ' Ἐρινὺν
1043 Ἱκεσίην, νέμεσίν τε θεῶν, ἐς χεῖρας ἰοῦσαν
1044 Αἰήτεω λώβῃ πολυπήμονι δῃωθῆναι.
1045  οὐ νηούς, οὐ πύργον ἐπίρροθον, οὐκ ἀλεωρὴν
1046 ἄλλην, οἰόθι δὲ προτιβάλλομαι ὑμέας αὐτους.
1047 σχέτλιοι ἀτροπίης καὶ ἀνηλέες: οὐδ' ἐνὶ θυμῷ
1048 αἰδεῖσθε ξείνης μ' ἐπὶ γούνατα χεῖρας ἀνάσσης
1049 δερκόμενοι τείνουσαν ἀμήχανον: ἀλλά κε πᾶσιν,
1050  κῶας ἑλεῖν μεμαῶτες, ἐμίξατε δούρατα Κόλχοις
1051 αὐτῷ τ' Αἰήτῃ ὑπερήνορι: νῦν δ' ἐλάθεσθε
1052 ἠνορέης, ὅτε μοῦνοι ἀποτμηγέντες ἔασιν."

(4.1053-1067) Thus she spake, beseeching; and to whomsoever she bowed in prayer, that man tried to give her heart and to check her anguish. And in their hands they shook their sharp pointed spears, and drew the swords from their sheaths; and they swore they would not hold back from giving succour, if she should meet with an unrighteous judgement. And the host were all wearied and Night came on them, Night that puts to rest the works of men, and lulled all the earth to sleep; but to the maid no sleep brought rest, but in her bosom her heart was wrung with anguish. Even as when a toiling woman turns her spindle through the night, and round her moan her orphan children, for she is a widow, and down her cheeks fall the tears, as she bethinks her how dreary a lot hath seized her; so Medea's cheeks were wet; and her heart within her was in agony, pierced with sharp pain.

1053    Ὧς φάτο λισσομένη: τῶν δ' ὅντινα γουνάζοιτο,
1054 ὅς μιν θαρσύνεσκεν ἐρητύων ἀχέουσαν.
1055  σεῖον δ' ἐγχείας εὐήκεας ἐν παλάμῃσιν,
1056 φάσγανά τ' ἐκ κολεῶν. οὐδὲ σχήσεσθαι ἀρωγῆς
1057 ἔννεπον, εἴ κε δίκης ἀλιτήμονος ἀντιάσειεν.
1058 στρευγομένοις δ' ἀν' ὅμιλον ἐπήλυθεν εὐνήτειρα
1059 Νὺξ ἔργων ἄνδρεσσι, κατευκήλησε δὲ πᾶσαν
1060  γαῖαν ὁμῶς: τὴν δ' οὔτι μίνυνθά περ εὔνασεν ὕπνος,
1061 ἀλλά οἱ ἐν στέρνοις ἀχέων εἱλίσσετο θυμός.
1062 οἷον ὅτε κλωστῆρα γυνὴ ταλαεργὸς ἑλίσσει
1063 ἐννυχίη: τῇ δ' ἀμφὶ κινύρεται ὀρφανὰ τέκνα
1064 χηροσύνῃ πόσιος: σταλάει δ' ὑπὸ δάκρυ παρειὰς
1065  μνωομένης, οἵη μιν ἐπὶ σμυγερὴ λάβεν αἶσα:
1066 ὧς τῆς ἰκμαίνοντο παρηίδες: ἐν δέ οἱ ἦτορ
1067 ὀξείῃς εἰλεῖτο πεπαρμένον ἀμφ' ὀδύνῃσιν.

(4.1068-1072) Now within the palace in the city, as aforetime, lay lordly Alcinous and Arete, the revered wife of Alcinous, and on their couch through the night they were devising plans about the maiden; and him, as her wedded husband, the wife addressed with loving words:

1068     Τὼ δ' ἔντοσθε δόμοιο κατὰ πτόλιν, ὡς τὸ πάροιθεν,
1069 κρείων Ἀλκίνοος πολυπότνιά τ' Ἀλκινόοιο
1070  Ἀρήτη ἄλοχος, κούρης πέρι μητιάασκον
1071 οἷσιν ἐνὶ λεχέεσσι διὰ κνέφας: οἷα δ' ἀκοίτην
1072 κουρίδιον θαλεροῖσι δάμαρ προσπτύσσετο μύθοις:

(4.1073-1095) "Yea, my friend, come, save the woe-stricken maid from the Colchians and show grace to the Minyae. Argos is near our isle and the men of Haemonia; but Aeetes dwells not near, nor do we know of Aeetes one whit: we hear but his name; but this maiden of dread suffering hath broken my heart by her prayers. O king, give her not up to the Colchians to be borne back to her father's home. She was distraught when first she gave him the drugs to charm the oxen; and next, to cure one ill by another, as in our sinning we do often, she fled from her haughty sire's heavy wrath. But Jason, as I hear, is bound to her by mighty oaths that he will make her his wedded wife within his halls. Wherefore, my friend, make not, of thy will, Aeson's son to be forsworn, nor let the father, if thou canst help, work with angry heart some intolerable mischief on his child. For fathers are all too jealous against their children; what wrong did Nycteus devise against Antiope, fair of face! What woes did Danae endure on the wide sea through her sire's mad rage! Of late, and not far away, Echetus in wanton cruelty thrust spikes of bronze in his daughter's eyes; and by a grievous fate is she wasting away, grinding grains of bronze in a dungeon's gloom."

1073     "Ναὶ φίλος, εἰ δ' ἄγε μοι πολυκηδέα ῥύεο Κόλχων
1074 παρθενικήν, Μινύῃσι φέρων χάριν. ἐγγύθι δ' Ἄργος
1075  ἡμετέρης νήσοιο καὶ ἀνέρες Αἱμονιῆες:
1076 Αἰήτης δ' οὔτ' ἂρ ναίει σχεδόν, οὐδέ τι ἴδμεν
1077 Αἰήτην, ἀλλ' οἶον ἀκούομεν: ἥδε δὲ κούρη
1078 αἰνοπαθὴς κατά μοι νόον ἔκλασεν ἀντιόωσα.
1079 μή μιν, ἄναξ, Κόλχοισι πόροις ἐς πατρὸς ἄγεσθαι.
1080  ἀάσθη, ὅτε πρῶτα βοῶν θελκτήρια δῶκεν
1081 φάρμακά οἱ: σχεδόθεν δὲ κακῷ κακόν, οἷά τε πολλὰ
1082 ῥέζομεν ἀμπλακίῃσιν, ἀκειομένη ὑπάλυξεν
1083 πατρὸς ὑπερφιάλοιο βαρὺν χόλον. αὐτὰρ Ἰήσων,
1084 ὡς ἀίω, μεγάλοισιν ἐνίσχεται ἐξ ἕθεν ὅρκοις,
1085  κουριδίην θήσεσθαι ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἄκοιτιν,
1086 τῶ, φίλε, μήτ' οὖν αὐτὸν ἑκὼν ἐπίορκον ὀμόσσαι
1087 θείης Αἰσονίδην, μήτ' ἄσχετα σεῖο ἕκητι
1088 παῖδα πατὴρ θυμῷ κεκοτηότι δηλήσαιτο.
1089 λίην γὰρ δύσζηλοι ἑαῖς ἐπὶ παισὶ τοκῆες:
1090  οἷα μὲν Ἀντιόπην εὐώπιδα μήσατο Νυκτεύς:
1091 οἷα δὲ καὶ Δανάη πόντῳ ἔνι πήματ' ἀνέτλη,
1092 πατρὸς ἀτασθαλίῃσι: νέον γε μέν, οὐδ' ἀποτηλοῦ,
1093 ὑβριστὴς Ἔχετος γλήναις ἔνι χάλκεα κέντρα
1094 πῆξε θυγατρὸς ἑῆς: στονόεντι δὲ κάρφεται οἴτῳ
1095  ὀρφναίῃ ἐνὶ χαλκὸν ἀλετρεύουσα καλιῇ."

(4.1096-1097) Thus she spake, beseeching; and by his wife's words his heart was softened, and thus he spake:

1096     Ὧς ἔφατ' ἀντομένη: τοῦ δὲ φρένες ἰαίνοντυ
1097 ἧς ἀλόχου μύθοισιν, ἔπος δ' ἐπὶ τοῖον ἔειπεν:

(4.1098-1109) "Arete, with arms I could drive forth the Colchians, showing grace to the heroes for the maiden's sake. But I fear to set at nought the righteous judgment of Zeus. Nor is it well to take no thought of Aeetes, as thou sayest: for none is more lordly than Aeetes. And, if he willed, he might bring war upon Hellas, though he dwell afar. Wherefore it is right for me to deliver the judgement that in all men's eyes shall be best; and I will not hide it from thee. If she be yet a maid I decree that they carry her back to her father; but if she shares a husband's bed, I will not separate her from her lord; nor, if she bear a child beneath her breast, will I give it up to an enemy."

1098     "Ἀρήτη, καί κεν σὺν τεύχεσιν ἐξελάσαιμι
1099 Κόλχους, ἡρώεσσι φέρων χάριν, εἵνεκα κούρης.
1100  ἀλλὰ Διὸς δείδοικα δίκην ἰθεῖαν ἀτίσσαι.
1101 οὐδὲ μὲν Αἰήτην ἀθεριζέμεν, ὡς ἀγορεύεις,
1102 λώιον: οὐ γάρ τις βασιλεύτερος Αἰήταο.
1103 καί κ' ἐθέλων, ἕκαθέν περ, ἐφ' Ἑλλάδι νεῖκος ἄγοιτο.
1104 τῶ μ' ἐπέοικε δίκην, ἥτις μετὰ πᾶσιν ἀρίστη
1105  ἔσσεται ἀνθρώποισι, δικαζέμεν: οὐδέ σε κεύσω.
1106 παρθενικὴν μὲν ἐοῦσαν ἑῷ ἀπὸ πατρὶ κομίσσαι
1107 ἰθύνω: λέκτρον δὲ σὺν ἀνέρι πορσαίνουσαν
1108 οὔ μιν ἑοῦ πόσιος νοσφίσσομαι: οὐδέ, γενέθλην
1109 εἴ τιν' ὑπὸ σπλάγχνοισι φέρει, δῄοισιν ὀπάσσω."


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