ever again to pass beyond the rocks to the land of Hellas, but a
wretched fate will enshroud us here ingloriously till we grow old for
naught."

Thus he spake, but Ancaeus quickly undertook to guide the swift ship;
for he was stirred by the impulse of the goddess. And after him Erginus
and Nauplius and Euphemus started up, eager to steer. But the others
held them back, and many of his comrades granted it to Ancaeus.

So on the twelfth day they went aboard at dawn, for a strong breeze of
westerly wind was blowing. And quickly with the oars they passed out
through the river Acheron and, trusting to the wind, shook out their
sails, and with canvas spread far and wide they were cleaving their
passage through the waves in fair weather. And soon they passed the
outfall of the river Callichorus, where, as the tale goes, the Nysean
son of Zeus, when he had left the tribes of the Indians and came to
dwell at Thebes, held revels and arrayed dances in front of a cave,
wherein he passed unsmiling sacred nights, from which time the
neighbours call the river by the name of Callichorus[1] and the cave
Aulion.[2]

[Footnote 1: i.e. river of fair dances.]

[Footnote 2: i.e. the bedchamber.]

Next they beheld the barrow of Sthenelus, Actor's son, who on his way
back from the valorous war against the Amazons--for he had been the
comrade of Heracles--was struck by an arrow and died there upon the
sea-beach. And for a time they went no further, for Persephone herself
sent forth the spirit of Actor's son which craved with many tears to