The Argonautica

carrying to the king the newly severed Gorgon's head,

every dark drop of blood that reached the ground below

sprang forth as the whole breed of those deadly serpents.

Mopsus pressed the sole of his left foot on the serpent's spine-tip,

advancing that foot; the serpent coiled around the middle

between the shinbone and calf, as it writhed all around in pain,

bit and tore his flesh. Medea and all her maidservants

trembled; but Mopsus calmly examined the blood-red wound,

for no overwhelming pain was wearing him down yet.

Poor wretch! Already a coma was sinking beneath his skin,

loosening his limbs, and a heavy mist veiled both of his eyes.

At once his heavy limbs sank helpless to the ground,

he grew cold in helplessness; his companions gathered around,

and heroic Aeson's son, all stunned by his terrible doom.

Not even for a brief while after death was he fated

to lie under the sun; poison at once rotted his flesh within,

and rotting hair streamed loose away from all his skin.

With bronze mattocks they quickly dug a deep grave,

in haste; the men and maidens likewise tore their hair,

mourning the corpse cut down by pitiable death;

three times in armor they wheeled together round him,

and after due rites, they piled an earthen mound above.

At last they boarded while a southern wind blew strongly

across the sea; they tried to mark the channels leading