Aeson

And with eyes that were full of majesty and wisdom, and limbs that were full of strength and speed, the king centaur stood above him.

Oh my lord, the slave said, I have come before thee sent by Aeson, my master, who told me where to come and what blasts to blow upon the horn.

And Aeson, once king of Iolcus, bade me to say to thee that if thou dost remember his ancient friendship with thee, thou wilt perchance take this child and guard and foster him, and as he grows instruct him with thy wisdom.

For Aeson's sake I will rear and foster this child, said Chiron the king centaur in a deep voice.

The child lying on the moss had been looking up at the four-footed and two-handed centaur.

Now the slave lifted him up and placed him in the centaur's arms.

He said, Aeson bade me tell thee that the child's name is Jason.

He bade me give thee this ring with the great ruby in it, that thou mayest give it to the child when he is grown.

And the wild oak-trees to this day, tokens of that magic strain that grow at Zone on the Thracian shore, stand in ordered ranks close together—the same which under the charm of his lyre he led down from Pieria.

Such then was Orpheus, whom Æson's son welcomed to share his toils, in obedience to the behest of Chiron, Orpheus' ruler of Paestonian Pieria.

Straightway came Asterion, whom Cometes begat by the waters of eddying Apidanus; he dwelt at Peirithoë near the Philean mountain, where mighty Apidanus and bright Enipeus join their streams, coming together from afar.

Next to them from Larissa came Polyphemus, son of Eletus, who aforetime, among the mighty Lapithæ, when they were arming themselves against the Centaurs, fought in his younger days; now his limbs were grown heavy with age, but his martial spirit still remained even as of old.

Nor was Iphiclus long left behind in Phylace, the uncle of Æson's son; for Æson had wedded his sister Alcimede, daughter of Phylacus; his kinship with her bade him be numbered in the host.

Nor did Admetus, the lord of Pheræ rich in sheep, stay behind beneath the peak of the Chalkidonian mount.

Nor at Alope stayed the sons of Hermes, rich in corn-land, well skilled in craftiness, Eurytus and Echiön; and with them on their departure their kinsman Ithalides went as the third.

After this, fierce tempests arose for twelve days and nights together and kept them there from sailing.

But the child wanted so much to see what the gods were like that he slipped away from her side, and now he stood gazing on them without the least fear, for indeed he was too young and too happy to be afraid of anything.

His father saw the little lad look up into the face of Zeus with such innocent wonder that the god smiled and laid his hand tenderly on the curly head.

"How say you now, Tantalus?" he said.

"Will you not own that you have kept back one treasure worth more than the wealth of your kingdom?" But Tantalus bent his head and could not answer, for a sudden fear froze his heart.

That honey bread, as you call it, is the bread of immortality, which in the speech of men is called ambrosia, and those who eat of it live forever.

Rich and great you may be, king of Lydia, but wise you are not, or you would know better than to ask if we immortals have such food as pleases your gross mortal appetite.

An ox roasted whole, perhaps, is what you hope for at my father's table." Tantalus knew that Athena was the wisest of all the gods, except her father Zeus, and he was ashamed that she had overheard his thoughtless words.

"Lady and Queen," he answered, "forgive what I have spoken in my ignorance.

"How say you now, Tantalus?" he said.

"Will you not own that you have kept back one treasure worth more than the wealth of your kingdom?" But Tantalus bent his head and could not answer, for a certain fear froze his heart.

In those days, no host would let his guests depart without some gift, and a generous man would offer them their choice of the treasures in his house.

Was it possible that the gods would choose their gift of his only son? And was that why Zeus had reproached him for not setting the best he had before the eyes of his guests? Alas, he saw plainly that the immortals took more delight in the child's beauty than in all the wonders of the golden palace.

The time now came for her to be wedded to the king of a neighboring land, and the golden palace was thronged by countless multitudes from far and near who were bidden to the marriage rejoicings.

Guests of every degree were feasted by thousands for a whole month before the wedding, for the king had sent heralds and messengers of three months' journey east, west, south, and north, proclaiming everywhere that all were welcome to this great festival.

Then, on the marriage day, having poured forth in abundance the treasures of his kingdom on all who came and filled their eyes with the sight of such royal splendor as the world never saw before or since, Tantalus held the crowning feast of all in his Hall of Roses.

And in the fullness of his glory, the fate his proud heart brought upon him was sealed at last.

And the beginning of all these happenings was in Iolcus, a city in Thessaly." Cretheus founded the city and had ruled over it in days before King Priam was born.

He left two sons, Æson and Pelias.

Æson succeeded his father, and because he was a mild and gentle man, the men of war did not love Æson.

They wanted a hard king who would lead them to conquests.

Pelias, the brother of Æson, was ever with the men of war.

He knew what mind they had toward Æson, and he plotted with them to overthrow his brother.

This they did, and they brought Pelias to reign as king in Iolcus.

The people loved Æson, and they feared Pelias.

And the wild oak trees to this day, tokens of that magic strain that grow at Zone on the Thracian shore, stand in order ranks close together, the same which under the charm of his lyre he led down from Pieria.

Such then was Orpheus, whom Aeson's son welcomed to share his toils in obedience to the behest of Chiron, Orpheus ruler of the Stonian Pieria.

Straightway came Asterion, whom Cometes begat by the waters of eddying Apidanus.

He dwelt at Peirithoë near the Philyaean mountain, where mighty Apidanus and bright Enipeus join their streams, coming together from afar.

Next to them from Larissa came Polyphemus, son of Eletus, who aforetime among the mighty Lapithae, when they were arming themselves against the Centaurs, fought in his younger days.

Now his limbs were grown heavy with age, but his martial spirit still remained even as of old.

Nor was Iphiclus long left behind in Phylace, the uncle of Aeson's son.

For Aeson had wedded his sister Alcimede, daughter of Phylacus.

And they sailed with Jason in the ship Argo and shared all those toils and perils set forth in the tale of the lad with one sandal.

Then when Argo was come home again and Jason had recovered the kingdom of his father, the twins harnessed their white horses that were left in Aeson's charge and journeyed southward to their own country.

Their road led them to a strong walled city with seven gates, and they entered one of the gates and asked the first man they met the name of the city, who told them it was Thebes.

"Then we are come to the city of a friend," cried Polydeuces, "for Thebes is the home of Heracles." "Is he here, stranger, or have you tidings of him since he sailed with the ship Argo?" "We are his shipmates, but he went not far on that voyage before he parted from us." "He has been seen in Thebes since then," answered the stranger, "but he is ever coming and going, for he never wearies of adventures, and he is not here now.