Long from the Woods and Forests are debarr’d,

With equal Pain and Labour is renew’d

Their savage Nature, as at first subdu’d.

The fair Lycaste thus resists in vain;

She rushes on him, as he press’d the Plain.

Catches the welling Blood, and to renew

His Wounds, by the loose Hair his Body drew.

But as Alcimede I first survey’d,

Her Sire’s pale Visage fix’d upon the Blade,

Fear shrunk my Sinews, and congeal’d my Blood,

And on my Head my Hair erected stood.

My Father’s Image fill’d my pious Mind,

Lest equal Years might equal Fortune find.

From thence in Haste I seek the regal Seat;

Fear aids my Course, and wings my tardy Feet:

My Sire I found perplex’d with Doubts and Fears,

(For now the Shouts and Groans awak’d his Ears,

And broke his Slumbers, tho’ the Palace stood

Sequester’d, and encompass’d with a Wood)

The Motives of my Flight I soon disclose,

And all the Series of preceding Woes:

‘Arise, arise, or you for ever fall;

‘Our female Foes approach the regal Hall:

‘Nor on our utmost Speed I much rely;

‘The Shaft may yet arrest us as we fly.’

Struck at the News, the hoary King arose,

And left the silent Mansion of Repose.

Thro’ the least peopled Parts we speed our Way,

And, in a sable Cloud obscur’d, survey

The Passages, and Streets around dispread

With Streams of Blood and Mountains of the dead.

Salvation for the now partnerless women of Lemnos came with the arrival of the Argonauts, the subject of the next story.

THE GOLDEN FLEECE

Argonautica

Apollonius Rhodius

Translated by E. V. Rieu, 1959

The Greek writer Apollonius was once head of the Great Library of Alexandria, in Egypt. He later settled at Rhodes. His Argonautica, which dates to the third century BC, is perhaps the most thrilling Greek epic to have been composed since Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. The poem is spread over only four books, reflecting the so-called ‘Hellenistic’ poets’ preference for concision over length. The extracts below reflect some key moments of the unfolding story.