"I go, leaving this long tress here in my stead, O mother mine; take
this farewell from me as I go far hence; farewell Chalciope, and all my
home. Would that the sea, stranger, had dashed thee to pieces, ere thou
earnest to the Colchian land!"

Thus she spake, and from her eyes shed copious tears. And as a bondmaid
steals away from a wealthy house, whom fate has lately severed from her
native land, nor yet has she made trial of grievous toil, but still
unschooled to misery and shrinking in terror from slavish tasks, goes
about beneath the cruel hands of a mistress; even so the lovely maiden
rushed forth from her home. But to her the bolts of the doors gave way
self-moved, leaping backwards at the swift strains of her magic song.
And with bare feet she sped along the narrow paths, with her left hand
holding her robe over her brow to veil her face and fair cheeks, and
with her right lifting up the hem of her tunic. Quickly along the dark
track, outside the towers of the spacious city, did she come in fear;
nor did any of the warders note her, but she sped on unseen by them.
Thence she was minded to go to the temple; for well she knew the way,
having often aforetime wandered there in quest of corpses and noxious
roots of the earth, as a sorceress is wont to do; and her soul fluttered
with quivering fear. And the Titanian goddess, the moon, rising from a
far land, beheld her as she fled distraught, and fiercely exulted over
her, and thus spake to her own heart:

"Not I alone then stray to the Latmian cave, nor do I alone burn with
love for fair Endymion; oft times with thoughts of love have I been
driven away by thy crafty spells, in order that in the darkness of night
thou mightest work thy sorcery at ease, even the deeds dear to thee. And
now thou thyself too hast part in a like mad passion; and some god of
affliction has given thee Jason to be thy grievous woe. Well, go on, and