The Argonautica

beneath the open sky, in meadows clean and clear,

There first he bathed himself in the flowing river water,

reverently cleansing his tender body in sacred water;

then wrapped around himself the dark-blue robe that once

Hypsipyle of Lemnos gave, a keepsake of their many nights in bed.

Next he dug in the ground a pit a cubit deep,

stacked split billets, and cut through the throat of the ewe,

then stretched the whole ewe above and kindled the billets,

setting fire underneath, and poured on mingled libations,

calling Hecate Brimo, saving helper in the contest.

Once he had invoked her, he strode back; she heard the summons,

the dread goddess came from her deepest hidden recesses

to meet the rites of Aeson's son; all round the goddess

dreadful serpents twined in wreaths among the branches of oak.

An endless blaze of torches flashed on every side,

the earthbound dogs cried loudly with their piercing barks.

All the meadows trembled at her tread; and all the nymphs cried,

marsh-dwelling daughters of rivers, all circling that meadow

of Amarantian Phasis, now wheeling round in the dance.

Fear seized Aeson's son; nevertheless not even then

his feet bore him away, never turning backward, until

he joined his comrades; morning brightness crowned snow-covered

Caucasus as early-born Dawn arose and spread her light.

And then Aeetes clothed his chest in rigid armor,