The Argonautica

holding it in slender folds, her inmost heart rejoices

as she watches its lovely glow, so Jason in that hour,

joyful, lifted the mighty Fleece high in his hands,

his golden cheeks and forehead caught the wool's shimmer

the wool's shimmer cast a blush like living flame.

As large as the hide of a yearling cow or a deer

that hunters call in their own country speech an achaenian,

so broad was the Fleece every way, golden over the surface,

and heavy with thick wool; beneath it the ground everywhere

sparkled ahead of his feet as he steadily journeyed onward.

At times he went with the Fleece draped over his left shoulder,

hanging from high on his neck and extending down to his feet;

at other times he rolled and handled it, fearing greatly

lest any man or god he met should steal the golden treasure.

Dawn meanwhile spread over earth; they reached the companions,

and the young men marveled at seeing the mighty Fleece

blazing like lightning from Zeus; and each of them rose up,

each eager to touch it and hold it in his own hands.

But Jason held the eager men back; over the Fleece

Jason cloaked the Fleece, then set the girl astern,

with Medea aboard, at once he addressed the whole crew:

Friends, hold back no more: sail home to our native country.

For now the pressing need that made us undertake this grievous

voyage we bore through hard toil and deep misery