followed, for the Harpies used ever to outstrip the blasts of the west
wind when they came to Phineus and when they left him. And as when, upon
the mountain-side, hounds, cunning in the chase, run in the track of
horned goats or deer, and as they strain a little behind gnash their
teeth upon the edge of their jaws in vain; so Zetes and Calais rushing
very near just grazed the Harpies in vain with their finger-tips. And
assuredly they would have torn them to pieces, despite heaven's will,
when they had overtaken them far off at the Floating Islands, had not
swift Iris seen them and leapt down from the sky from heaven above, and
checked them with these words:

"It is not lawful, O sons of Boreas, to strike with your swords the
Harpies, the hounds of mighty Zeus; but I myself will give you a pledge,
that hereafter they shall not draw near to Phineus."

With these words she took an oath by the waters of Styx, which to all
the gods is most dread and most awful, that the Harpies would never
thereafter again approach the home of Phineus, son of Agenor, for so it
was fated. And the heroes yielding to the oath, turned back their flight
to the ship. And on account of this men call them the Islands of Turning
though aforetime they called them the Floating Islands. And the Harpies
and Iris parted. They entered their den in Minoan Crete; but she sped up
to Olympus, soaring aloft on her swift wings.

Meanwhile the chiefs carefully cleansed the old man's squalid skin and
with due selection sacrificed sheep which they had borne away from the
spoil of Amycus. And when they had laid a huge supper in the hall, they
sat down and feasted, and with them feasted Phineus ravenously,
delighting his soul, as in a dream. And there, when they had taken their
fill of food and drink, they kept awake all night waiting for the sons