straightway caught up of the chance earth at his feet a gift that he
would fain bestow. Nor was the hero unheeding, but leaping on the
shore and striking hand in hand he took to him the fateful clod.

But now I hear that it was washed down from the ship and departed into
the sea with the salt spray of evening, following the watery deep. Yet
verily often did I charge the labour-lightening servants that they
should keep it safe, but they forgat: and now upon this island[3]
is the imperishable seed of spacious Libya strown before the time
appointed; for if the royal son[4] of Poseidon, lord of horses, whom
Europa Tityos' child bare him on Kephisos' banks, had in his own home
thrown it down beside the mouth of Hades'[5] gulf, then in the fourth
generation of his sons his seed would have taken that wide continent
of Libya, for then they would have gone forth from mighty Lakedaimon,
and from the Argive gulf, and from Mykenai.

But now he shall in wedlock with a stranger-wife raise up a chosen
seed, who coming to this island with worship of their gods shall beget
one to be lord of the misty plains[6]. Him sometime shall Phoibos in
his golden house admonish by oracles, when in the latter days he shall
go down into the inner shrine at Pytho, to bring a host in ships to
the rich Nile-garden of the son of Kronos[7].'

So ran Medea's rhythmic utterance, and motionless in silence the
godlike heroes bowed their heads as they hearkened to the counsels of
wisdom.

Thee, happy son[8] of Polymnestos, did the oracle of the Delphian
bee[9] approve with call unasked to be the man whereof the word was
spoken, for thrice she bid thee hail and declared thee by decree of