Hypsipyle

They chased the wild beasts of the island, and they tilled the fields, and they kept in good repair the houses that were built before the banishing of the men.

The older women served those who were younger, and they had a queen, a girl whose name was Hypsipyle.

The women who watched with bows in their hands would have shot their arrows at the Argonauts, if Hypsipyle's nurse, Polyxo, had not stayed them.

She forbade them to shoot at the strangers, until she had brought to them the queen's commands.

She hastened to the palace and she found the young queen weaving at a loom.

She told her about the ship and the strangers on board the ship, and she asked the queen what word she should bring to the guardian maidens.

Before you give a command, Hypsipyle, said Polyxo the nurse, consider these words of mine.

We the elder women are becoming ancient now.

O hapless women, and insatiate in jealousy to their own ruin! Not their husbands alone with the captives did they slay on account of the marriage bed, but all the males at the same time, that they might thereafter pay no retribution for the grim murder.

And of all the women Hypsipyle alone spared her aged father Toas, who was king over the people, and she sent him in a hollow chest to drift over the sea, if haply he should escape.

And fishermen dragged him to shore at the island of Enoe, formerly Enoe.

but afterwards called Sisyphus, from Sisyphus, whom the water-nymph Oenoe bore to Thoas.

Now for all the women to tend kine, to don armour of bronze, and to cleave with the plough-share the wheat-bearing fields, was easier than the works of Athena, with which they were busied aforetime.

Yet for all that did they often gaze over the broad sea, in grievous fear against the Thracians' coming.

So when they saw Argo being rowed near the island, straightway crowding in multitude from the gates of Myrine and clad in their harness of war, they poured forth to the beach like ravening Thyiades; for they deemed that the Thracians were come, and with them Hypsipyle daughter of Thoas donned her father's harness.

And they streamed down speechless with dismay: such fear was wafted about them.

Section 6 of Ovid's Heroides, translated by an unknown translator, first published in 1813.

Hypsipyle to Jason.

You are said to have reached the Thessalian coasts in your returning bark, enriched with the prize of the Golden Fleece.

I congratulate your safety, as far as I am permitted.

But I ought to have known this by a letter from yourself.

For, though unfavorable winds might have hindered you from landing in my kingdom had you even desired it, yet a letter might have been sealed and sent.

Surely Hypsipyle deserved this testimony of your love.

Why is fame the first messenger of your success? Why did I first hear from report that the bulls sacred to the stern god of war had submitted to the yoke? That harvests of armed men sprang from the sowing of the dragon's teeth, and did not want your right hand to cut them off? That the yellow fleecy spoils, though guarded by a vigilant dragon, were yet a prey to your valiant arm? If I could assure those who believe with diffidence that all this was confirmed to me by a letter from yourself, how great would be my happiness! Why do I complain that my husband, by so long an absence, has failed in the respect he owes me? If your heart continues mine, I have still all I ask.

They chased the wild beasts of the island, and they tilled the fields, and they kept in good repair the houses that were built before the banishing of the men.

The older women served those who were younger, and they had a queen, a girl whose name was Hypsipyle.

The women who watched with bows in their hands would have shot their arrows at the Argonauts if Hypsipyle's nurse, Polyxo, had not stayed them.

She forbade them to shoot at the strangers until she had brought to them the queen's commands.

She hastened to the palace, and she found the young queen weaving at a loom.

She told her about the ship and the strangers on board the ship, and she asked the queen what word she should bring to the guardian maidens.

Before you give a command, Hypsipyle, said Polyxo the nurse, consider these words of mine.

We, the elder women, are becoming ancient now.

O hapless women, and insatiate in jealousy to their own ruin! Not their husbands alone with the captives did they slay on account of the marriage bed, but all the males at the same time, that they might thereafter pay no retribution for the grim murder.

And of all the women Hypsipyle alone spared her aged father Thoas, who was king over the people; and she sent him in a hollow chest to drift over the sea, if haply he should escape.

And fishermen dragged him to shore at the island of Enoe, formerly Enoe, but afterwards called Sicyonus, from Sicyonus, whom the water-nymph Enoe bore to Thoas.

Now for all the women to tend kine, to don armour of bronze, and to cleave with the ploughshare the wheat-bearing fields, was easier than the works of Athena, with which they were busied aforetime.

Yet for all that did they often gaze over the broad sea, in grievous fear against the Thracians' coming.

So when they saw Argo being rowed near the island, straightway crowding in multitude from the gates of Myrine and clad in their harness of war, they poured forth to the beach like ravening Thyiades; for they deemed that the Thracians were come, and with them Hypsipyle, daughter of Thoas, donned her father's harness.

And they streamed down speechless with dismay; such fear was wafted about them.

Meantime from the ship the chiefs had sent Aethalides, the swift herald, to whose care they entrusted their messages and the wand of Hermes his sire, who had granted him a memory of all things, that never grew dim; and not even now, though he has entered the unspeakable whirlpools of Acheron, has forgetfulness swept over his soul; but its fixed doom is to be ever changing its abode, at one time to be numbered among the dwellers beneath the earth, at another to be in the light of the sun among living men.

They chased the wild beasts of the island, and they tilled the fields, and they kept in good repair the houses that were built before the banishing of the men.

The older women served those who were younger, and they had a queen, a girl whose name was Hypsipyle.

The women who watched with bows in their hands would have shot their arrows at the Argonauts, if Hypsipyle's nurse, Polyxo, had not stayed them.

She forbade them to shoot at the strangers until she had brought to them the queen's commands.

She hastened to the palace and she found the young queen weaving at a loom.

She told her about the ship and the strangers on board the ship, and she asked the queen what word she should bring to the guardian maidens.

Before you give a command, Hypsipyle, said Polyxo the nurse, consider these words of mine.

We the elder women are becoming ancient now.

So here you go, an early reference to Homer.

Jason and Hypsipyle, the queen of Lemnos, hit it off.

But don't worry, when Heracles starts moaning that the Argo needs to get going again, Jason and the other Argonauts are happy to abandon their new honeys.

It's this kind of behavior that causes mass murder, to be honest with you, but- [audience laughing] There we are.

Hypsipyle asks Jason to come back once he's completed his quest.

He says not to ask him to stay.

Virgil will pay homage to this scene in book four of the Aeneid.

He follows Medea's instructions.

Adrastus asked her name and whether she were any kin to her master, the king of that country.

"I am Hypsipyle," she answered, "who once was queen of an island far away.

An evil fate cast me from my throne, and my foes sold me into bondage.

And now when I take the tidings to my master that his child is dead, he will surely put me to death because I kept not guard over my nursling." But the seven champions sent a herald with those tidings to the king, her master, and he came to them with his queen and all their household, making great lamentation.

But we, thus wronged, banded together for revenge and slew them while they slept with their own swords.

Not one did we spare except my father; but him, though I had sworn to show no mercy, I hid in a great chest and had it thrown into the sea that, if the gods so willed, he might drift to some other shore.

Since then I, Hypsipyle, am queen, and none but women dwell in Lemnos.

Arms we have, as you see, and have learnt the skill of them, to defend ourselves against all comers.