came bright lightning flashes bursting through.

Then the heroes took heart in obedience to the heavenly signs; and the
seer bade them strike into the water with their oars, while he spake
to them of happy hopes; and in their rapid hands the rowing sped
untiringly.

And with breezes of the South they came wafted to the mouth of the
Axine sea; there they founded a shrine and sacred close of Poseidon,
god of seas, where was a red herd of Thracian bulls, and a new-built
altar of stone with hollow top[13].

Then as they set forth toward an exceeding peril they prayed the lord
of ships that they might shun the terrible shock of the clashing
rocks: for they were twain that had life, and plunged along more
swiftly than the legions of the bellowing winds; but that travel of
the seed of gods made end of them at last[14].

After that they came to the Phasis; there they fought with dark-faced
Kolchians even in the presence of Aietes. And there the queen of
keenest darts, the Cyprus-born, first brought to men from Olympus the
frenzied bird, the speckled wry-neck[15], binding it to a four-spoked
wheel without deliverance, and taught the son of Aison to be wise in
prayers and charms, that he might make Medea take no thought to honour
her parents, and longing for Hellas might drive her by persuasion's
lash, her heart afire with love.

Then speedily she showed him the accomplishment of the tasks her
father set, and mixing drugs with oil gave him for his anointment
antidotes of cruel pain, and they vowed to be joined together in sweet