The Argonautica

for this heart of mine. Why go to the city of Orchomenus,

whatever sort of place this Orchomenus may be, for Athamas' wealth,

leaving your mother behind in grief, and come to that city?

So she spoke; and Aeetes rose last of them all and came outward,

and Eidyia herself came forth, the wedded wife of Aeetes,

hearing Chalciope's voice; at once all the courtyard was filled

with clamor. Busy throngs of servants labored round the great

bull; others chopped dry billets with their bronze;

others heated the water for baths over fire, and no servant

ceased from his labor; each one kept serving the king.

Meanwhile, Eros came through the gray air, wholly unseen,

wild with turmoil, just like a gadfly rising against young heifers,

the stinging fly that the herdsmen of cattle call the horsefly.

Quickly beneath the lintel, there in the forehall, he strung his bow,

and chose from his quiver an unshot arrow, source of many groans.

With swift-running feet, unseen by all, he passed over the threshold,

casting sharp glances; tiny in form, he crouched at the feet of

Aeson's son, and notched his arrow at the bowstring's center.

Then, stretching it straight with his two hands far apart,

he shot at Medea; sheer speechlessness seized her spirit.

But he leapt backward again from the hall with its high roof,

laughing aloud; and deep in the maiden the arrow was burning,

deep under her heart, like flame; continually she cast straight toward

Aeson's son the bright, quick-flashing glances of her eyes,