(1.306-316) He spake, and started forth to leave the house. And as Apollo goes forth from some fragrant shrine to divine Delos or Claros or Pytho or to broad Lyeia near the stream of Xanthus, in such beauty moved Jason through the throng of people; and a cry arose as they shouted together. And there met him aged Iphias, priestess of Artemis guardian of the city, and kissed his right hand, but she had not strength to say a word, for all her eagerness, as the crowd rushed on, but she was left there by the wayside, as the old are left by the young, and he passed on and was gone afar.
306 ̂Ἠ, καὶ ὁ μὲν προτέρωσε δόμων ἐξῶρτο νέεσθαι.
307 οἷος δ' ἐκ νηοῖο θυώδεος εἶσιν Ἀπόλλων
308 Δῆλον ἀν' ἠγαθέην, ἠὲ Κλάρον, ἢ ὅγε Πυθώ,
309 ἢ Αυκίην εὐρεῖαν, ἐπὶ Ξάνθοιο ῥοῇσιν,
310 τοῖος ἀνὰ πληθὺν δήμου κίεν: ὦρτο δ' ἀυτὴ
311 κεκλομένων ἄμυδις. τῷ δὲ ξύμβλητο γεραιὴ
312 Ἰφιὰς Ἀρτέμιδος πολιηόχου ἀρήτειρα,
313 καί μιν δεξιτερῆς χειρὸς κύσεν, οὐδέ τι φάσθαι
314 ἔμπης ἱεμένη δύνατο, προθέοντος ὁμίλου:
315 ἀλλ' ἡ μὲν λίπετ' αὖθι παρακλιδόν, οἷα γεραιὴ
316 ὁπλοτέρων, ὁ δὲ πολλὸν ἀποπλαγχθεὶς ἐλιάσθη.
(1.317-331) Now when he had left the well-built streets of the city, he came to the beach of Pagasae, where his comrades greeted him as they stayed together near the ship Argo. And he stood at the entering in, and they were gathered to meet him. And they perceived Aeastus and Argus coming from the city, and they marvelled when they saw them hasting with all speed, despite the will of Pelias. The one, Argus, son of Arestor, had cast round his shoulders the hide of a bull reaching to his feet, with the black hair upon it, the other, a fair mantle of double fold, which his sister Pelopeia had given him. Still Jason forebore from asking them about each point but bade all be seated for an assembly. And there, upon the folded sails and the mast as it lay on the ground, they all took their seats in order. And among them with goodwill spake Aeson's son:
317 Αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥα πόληος ἐυδμήτους λίπ' ἀγυιάς,
318 ἀκτὴν δ' ἵκανεν Παγασηίδα, τῇ μιν ἑταῖροι
319 δειδέχατ', Ἀργῴῃ ἄμυδις παρὰ νηὶ μένοντες.
320 στῆ δ' ἄρ' ἐπὶ προμολῇς: οἱ δ' ἀντίοι ἠγερέθοντο.
321 ἐς δ' ἐνόησαν Ἄκαστον ὁμῶς Ἄργον τε πόληος
322 νόσφι καταβλώσκοντας, ἐθάμβησαν δ' ἐσιδόντες
323 πασσυδίῃ Πελίαο παρὲκ νόον ἰθύοντας.
324 δέρμα δ' ὁ μὲν ταύροιο ποδηνεκὲς ἀμφέχετ' ὤμους
325 Ἄργος Ἀρεστορίδης λάχνῃ μέλαν: αὐτὰρ ὁ καλὴν
326 δίπλακα, τήν οἱ ὄπασσε κασιγνήτη Πελόπεια.
327 ἀλλ' ἔμπης τὼ μέν τε διεξερέεσθαι ἕκαστα
328 ἔσχετο: τοὺς δ' ἀγορήνδε συνεδριάασθαι ἄνωγεν.
329 αὐτοῦ δ' ἰλλομένοις ἐπὶ λαίφεσιν, ἠδὲ καὶ ἱστῷ
330 κεκλιμένῳ μάλα πάντες ἐπισχερὼ ἑδριόωντο.
331 τοῖσιν δ' Αἴσονος υἱὸς ἐυφρονέων μετέειπεν:
(1.332-340) "All the equipment that a ship needs for all is in due order -- lies ready for our departure. Therefore we will make no long delay in our sailing for these things' sake, when the breezes but blow fair. But, friends, -- for common to all is our return to Hellas hereafter, and common to all is our path to the land of Aeetes -- now therefore with ungrudging heart choose the bravest to be our leader, who shall be careful for everything, to take upon him our quarrels and covenants with strangers."
332 "Ἄλλα μὲν ὅσσα τε νηὶ ἐφοπλίσσασθαι ἔοικεν
333 --πάντα γὰρ εὖ κατὰ κόσμον--ἐπαρτέα κεῖται ἰοῦσιν.
334 τῶ οὐκ ἂν δηναιὸν ἐχοίμεθα τοῖο ἕκητι
335 ναυτιλίης, ὅτε μοῦνον ἐπιπνεύσουσιν ἀῆται.
336 ἀλλά, φίλοι,--ξυνὸς γὰρ ἐς Ἑλλάδα νόστος ὀπίσσω,
337 ξυναὶ δ' ἄμμι πέλονται ἐς Αἰήταο κέλευθοι--
338 τούνεκα νῦν τὸν ἄριστον ἀφειδήσαντες ἕλεσθε
339 ὄρχαμον ἡμείων, ᾧ κεν τὰ ἕκαστα μέλοιτο,
340 νείκεα συνθεσίας τε μετὰ ξείνοισι βαλέσθαι."
(1.341-344) Thus he spake; and the young heroes turned their eyes towards bold Heracles sitting in their midst, and with one shout they all enjoined upon him to be their leader; but he, from the place where he sat, stretched forth his right hand and said:
341 Ὧς φάτο: πάπτηναν δὲ νέοι θρασὺν Ἡρακλῆα
342 ἥμενον ἐν μέσσοισι: μιῇ δέ ἑ πάντες ἀυτῇ
343 σημαίνειν ἐπέτελλον: ὁ δ' αὐτόθεν, ἔνθα περ ἧστο,
344 δεξιτερὴν ἀνὰ χεῖρα τανύσσατο φώνησέν τε:
345 "Μήτις ἐμοὶ τόδε κῦδος ὀπαζέτω. οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε
346 πείσομαι: ὥστε καὶ ἄλλον ἀναστήσεσθαι ἐρύξω.
347 αὐτός, ὅτις ξυνάγειρε, καὶ ἀρχεύοι ὁμάδοιο."
348 ̂Ἠ ῥα μέγα φρονέων, ἐπὶ δ' ᾔνεον, ὡς ἐκέλευεν
349 Ἡρακλέης: ἀνὰ δ' αὐτὸς ἀρήιος ὤρνυτ' Ἰήσων
350 γηθόσυνος, καὶ τοῖα λιλαιομένοις ἀγόρευεν:
(1.351-362) "If ye entrust your glory to my care, no longer as before let our path be hindered. Now at last let us propitiate Phoebus with sacrifice and straightway prepare a feast. And until my thralls come, the overseers of my steading, whose care it is to choose out oxen from the herd and drive them hither, we will drag down the ship to the sea, and do ye place all the tackling within, and draw lots for the benches for rowing. Meantime let us build upon the beach an altar to Apollo Embasius who by an oracle promised to point out and show me the paths of the sea, if by sacrifice to him I should begin my venture for King Pelias."
351 "Εἰ μὲν δή μοι κῦδος ἐπιτρωπᾶτε μέλεσθαι,
352 μηκέτ' ἔπειθ', ὡς καὶ πρίν, ἐρητύοιτο κέλευθα.
353 νῦν γε μὲν ἤδη Φοῖβον ἀρεσσάμενοι θυέεσσιν
354 δαῖτ' ἐντυνώμεσθα παρασχεδόν. ὄφρα δ' ἴωσιν
355 δμῶες ἐμοὶ σταθμῶν σημάντορες, οἷσι μέμηλεν
356 δεῦρο βόας ἀγέληθεν ἐὺ κρίναντας ἐλάσσαι,
357 τόφρα κε νῆ' ἐρύσαιμεν ἔσω ἁλός, ὅπλα δὲ πάντα
358 ἐνθέμενοι πεπάλαχθε κατὰ κληῖδας ἐρετμά.
359 τείως δ' αὖ καὶ βωμὸν ἐπάκτιον Ἐμβασίοιο
360 θείομεν Ἀπόλλωνος, ὅ μοι χρείων ὑπέδεκτο
361 σημανέειν δείξειν τε πόρους ἁλός, εἴ κε θυηλαῖς
362 οὗ ἕθεν ἐξάρχωμαι ἀεθλεύων βασιλῆι."
(1.363-393) He spake, and was the first to turn to the work, and they stood up in obedience to him; and they heaped their garments, one upon the other, on a smooth stone, which the sea did not strike with its waves, but the stormy surge had cleansed it long before. First of all, by the command of Argus, they strongly girded the ship with a rope well twisted within, stretching it tight on each side, in order that the planks might be well compacted by the bolts and might withstand the opposing force of the surge. And they quickly dug a trench as wide as the space the ship covered, and at the prow as far into the sea as it would run when drawn down by their hands. And they ever dug deeper in front of the stem, and in the furrow laid polished rollers; and inclined the ship down upon the first rollers, that so she might glide and be borne on by them. And above, on both sides, reversing the oars, they fastened them round the thole- pins, so as to project a cubit's space. And the heroes themselves stood on both sides at the oars in a row, and pushed forward with chest and hand at once. And then Tiphys leapt on board to urge the youths to push at the right moment; and calling on them he shouted loudly; and they at once, leaning with all their strength, with one push started the ship from her place, and strained with their feet, forcing her onward; and Pelian Argo followed swiftly; and they on each side shouted as they rushed on. And then the rollers groaned under the sturdy keel as they were chafed, and round them rose up a dark smoke owing to the weight, and she glided into the sea; but the heroes stood there and kept dragging her back as she sped onward. And round the thole-pins they fitted the oars, and in the ship they placed the mast and the well-made sails and the stores.
363 Η ῥα, καὶ εἰς ἔργον πρῶτος τράπεθ̓: οἱ δ' ἐπανέσταν
364 πειθόμενοι: ἀπὸ δ' εἵματ' ἐπήτριμα νηήσαντο
365 λείῳ ἐπὶ πλαταμῶνι, τὸν οὐκ ἐπέβαλλε θάλασσα
366 κύμασι, χειμερίη δὲ πάλαι ἀποέκλυσεν ἅλμη.
367 νῆα δ' ἐπικρατέως Ἄργου ὑποθημοσύνῃσιν
368 ἔζωσαν πάμπρωτον ἐυστρεφεῖ ἔνδοθεν ὅπλῳ
369 τεινάμενοι ἑκάτερθεν, ἵν' εὖ ἀραροίατο γόμφοις
370 δούρατα καὶ ῥοθίοιο βίην ἔχοι ἀντιόωσαν.
371 σκάπτον δ' αἶψα κατ' εὖρος ὅσον περιβάλλετο χῶρον,
372 ἠδὲ κατὰ πρῴραν εἴσω ἁλὸς ὁσσάτιόν περ
373 ἑλκομένη χείρεσσιν ἐπιδραμέεσθαι ἔμελλεν.
374 αἰεὶ δὲ προτέρω χθαμαλώτερον ἐξελάχαινον
375 στείρης, ἐν δ' ὁλκῷ ξεστὰς στορέσαντο φάλαγγας:
376 τὴν δὲ κατάντη κλῖναν ἐπὶ πρώτῃσι φάλαγξιν,
377 ὥς κεν ὀλισθαίνουσα δι' αὐτάων φορέοιτο.
378 ὕψι δ' ἄρ' ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα μεταστρέψαντες ἐρετμὰ
379 πήχυιον προύχοντα περὶ σκαλμοῖσιν ἔδησαν.
380 τῶν δ' ἐναμοιβαδὶς αὐτοὶ ἐνέσταθεν ἀμφοτέρωθεν,
381 στέρνα θ' ὁμοῦ καὶ χεῖρας ἐπήλασαν. ἐν δ' ἄρα Τῖφυς
382 βήσαθ', ἵν' ὀτρύνειε νέους κατὰ καιρὸν ἐρύσσαι:
383 κεκλόμενος δ' ἤυσε μάλα μέγα: τοὶ δὲ παρᾶσσον
384 ᾧ κράτεϊ βρίσαντες ἰῇ στυφέλιξαν ἐρωῇ
385 νειόθεν ἐξ ἕδρης, ἐπὶ δ' ἐρρώσαντο πόδεσσιν
386 προπροβιαζόμενοι: ἡ δ' ἕσπετο Πηλιὰς Ἀργὼ
387 ῥίμφα μάλ': οἱ δ' ἑκάτερθεν ἐπίαχον ἀίσσοντες.
388 αἱ δ' ἄρ' ὑπὸ τρόπιδι στιβαρῇ στενάχοντο φάλαγγες
389 τριβόμεναι περὶ δέ σφιν ἀιδνὴ κήκιε λιγνὺς
390 βριθοσύνῃ, κατόλισθε δ' ἔσω ἁλός: οἱ δέ μιν αὖθι
391 ἂψ ἀνασειράζοντες ἔχον προτέρωσε κιοῦσαν.
392 σκαλμοῖς δ' ἀμφὶς ἐρετμὰ κατήρτυον: ἐν δέ οἱ ἱστὸν
393 λαίφεά τ' εὐποίητα καὶ ἁρμαλιὴν ἐβάλοντο.
(1.394-401) Now when they had carefully paid heed to everything, first they distributed the benches by lot, two men occupying one seat; but the middle bench they chose for Heracles and Ancaeus apart from the other heroes, Ancaeus who dwelt in Tegea. For them alone they left the middle bench just as it was and not by lot; and with one consent they entrusted Tiphys with guarding the helm of the well-stemmed ship.
394 Αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τὰ ἕκαστα περιφραδέως ἀλέγυναν,
395 κληῖδας μὲν πρῶτα πάλῳ διεμοιρήσαντο,
396 ἄνδρ' ἐντυναμένω δοιὼ μίαν: ἐκ δ' ἄρα μέσσην
397 ᾕρεον Ἡρακλῆι καὶ ἡρώων ἄτερ ἄλλων
398 Ἀγκαίῳ, Τεγέης ὅς ῥα πτολίεθρον ἔναιεν.
399 τοῖς μέσσην οἴοισιν ἀπὸ κληῖδα λίποντο
400 αὔτως, οὔτι πάλῳ: ἐπὶ δ' ἔτρεπον αἰνήσαντες
401 Τῖφυν ἐυστείρης οἰήια νηὸς ἔρυσθαι.