CHAPTER III. THE SON OF THE SUN. Soon will your eyes e'ta's towers survey Turns all around his circumspective eyes: O'er the bright spoil the strictest watch he keeps; He never slumbers, and he never sleeps. APOLLONIUS RHODIUS. - Translated by Fawkes.1 WAY in the regions of the distant East the ancients said the sun-god He'lios had his throne, and that every morning he set out in his shining car and drove his fiery horses through the sky, descending in the West at night. How he got back to the East again by morning, there are various tales that you shall some time 1 Appendix, Note 5. hear, as also of Pha'ethon, his reckless son, who one day nearly set the world afire. But 'tis of another son, Ee'tes, that I wish to tell you now, who was king of Colchis, sometimes called 'a, on the river Pha'sis. If you can get an ancient atlas you will find this river flows into the Pon'tus Euxi'nus - The Hospitable Sea - which you notice in your school geography lying south of Russia, and called theWhat is its name? Ee'tes was an unusually bright fellow, as we might imagine one would be who had the Sun for a father; he kept fierce bulls and dragons for his pets, and had among his treasures some of the teeth of the famous dragon that Cad'mus, I'no's father, slew. These were a gift from Athe'na,' and we shall hear more about them farther on. One day when e'tes was out walking in the public square, he noticed that the people were all staring upward in astonishment, and naturally he looked himself. It was a little after sundown; and he saw what at first he took to be 1 Minerva. the evening star in the West, though it seemed larger than usual. But in some wonderful way it increased still more in size until it looked like a comet broken loose; and at last, as it came nearer yet, all saw it was a living, glowing creature, flying through the air. Indeed, it was no other than our old friend Chrysomal'lus, who, with Phrix'us on his back, had come the whole way from Hellespon'tus to the river Pha'sis to fulfil the purpose of the Fates. Having now reached the end of his journey he alighted in the square and waited for his rider to dismount. Never since he left the altar in Boo'tia had he spoken a single word; and now he stood as silent as any other ram would have done, while the astonished people wondered at his shining wings and wool of gold. c'tes drew near and looked with greedy eye upon the splendid creature, and wished with all his heart that he could reckon him among his treasures. Now, this was a sort of riches which could fly away as an eagle toward heaven on ready-made wings nevertheless, e'tes went craftily at work to get Golden Fleece for his own. He accosted Phrix'us kindly and asked him whence he came. When the lad told him he stood amazed, and bade his followers conduct him to the palace. Chrysomal'lus meekly walked behind with folded wings; and when they reached the courtyard, King Æe'tes ordered him to be taken to the royal stables and fed upon the fragrant herbs that his father He'lios had brought him from the Islands of the Blessed in the West. Then he and Phrix'us went within the palace, where they soon reclined on jewelled couches round the table and partook of a princely feast. Though outwardly the king was very kind, he was secretly planning how he should get possession of the beautiful ram. He would have murdered Phrix'us had he dared, but every one believed the gods would bring a dreadful sorrow on the man who killed his guest. And so if one obtained food and shelter of another, even though he were an enemy, his life was generally safe. After all had eaten, and the wine was brought, Chalci'ope, the king's daughter, a beautiful young girl of about Hel'le's age, approached her father, and said: "I was in the great square when this fairhaired youth descended, having come, as he declares, from far beyond the nameless sea. I wonder much why he should take this journey, and long to hear him tell what wonders he has seen, and what the manners and the customs are in that strange, foreign land." Then King Æe'tes smiled upon his daughter, for he loved her much, and said: "Our unexpected guest will tell us, sweet Chalci'ope, I little doubt, what will delight your heart and satisfy your curiosity and mine." Then turning to the son of Ath'amas he continued: "Come, my brave youth, if food and wine. have cheered your heart and chased away fatigue, tell us what curious chance has brought you hither, and whence came your strange companion that lies now, with folded wings, within an ivory stall, feeding upon those fragrant herbs never before bestowed on any beast except the sun-god's steeds." |