succour men in misfortune, your equals in age. Oh, reverence suppliants
and strangers for Zeus' sake, the god of strangers and suppliants. To
Zeus belong both suppliants and strangers; and his eye, methinks,
beholdeth even us."

And in reply the son of Aeson prudently questioned him, deeming that the
prophecies of Phineus were being fulfilled: "All these things will we
straightway grant you with right good will. But come tell me truly in
what country ye dwell and what business bids you sail across the sea,
and tell me your own glorious names and lineage."

And him Argus, helpless in his evil plight, addressed: "That one Phrixus
an Aeolid reached Aea from Hellas you yourselves have clearly heard ere
this, I trow; Phrixus, who came to the city of Aeetes, bestriding a ram,
which Hermes had made all gold; and the fleece ye may see even now. The
ram, at its own prompting, he then sacrificed to Zeus, son of Cronos,
above all, the god of fugitives. And him did Aeetes receive in his
palace, and with gladness of heart gave him his daughter Chalciope in
marriage without gifts of wooing.[1] From those two are we sprung. But
Phrixus died at last, an aged man, in the home of Aeetes; and we, giving
heed to our father's behests, are journeying to Orchomenus to take the
possessions of Athamas. And if thou dost desire to learn our names, this
is Cytissorus, this Phrontis, and this Melas, and me ye may call Argus."

[Footnote 1: i.e. without exacting gifts from the bridegroom. So in the
Iliad (ix. 146) Agamemnon offers Achilles any of his three daughters
[Greek: anhaednos]]

Thus he spake, and the chieftains rejoiced at the meeting, and tended
them, much marvelling. And Jason again in turn replied, as was fitting,