oxen, and then to sow it with dragon's teeth. Medea, however, the
daughter of the king, assisted Jason by her skill in magic, first to
perform the task appointed, and then to procure the Fleece. She then fled
with Jason, and to delay the pursuit of her father, sacrificed her
brother Absyrtus. After reaching Thessaly, Medea caused the death of
Pelias and was expelled from the country with her husband. They removed
to Corinth, and here Medea becoming jealous of Glauce, daughter of Creon,
caused her death by means of a poisoned robe. She was afterward carried
off in a chariot sent by the sun-god, and a little later Jason was
accidentally killed_.


57. _THE WICKED UNCLE_

Erant olim in Thessalia duo fratres, quorum alter Aeson, Pelias alter
appellabatur. Aeson primo regnum obtinuerat; at post paucos annos Pelias
regni cupiditate adductus non modo fratrem suum expulit, sed etiam in
animo habebat Iasonem, Aesonis filium, interficere. Quidam tamen ex
amicis Aesonis, ubi sententiam Peliae cognoverunt, puerum e tanto
periculo eripere constituerunt. Noctu igitur Iasonem ex urbe abstulerunt,
et cum postero die ad regem rediissent, ei renuntiaverunt puerum mortuum
esse. Pelias cum hoc audivisset, etsi re vera magnum gaudium percipiebat,
speciem tamen doloris praebuit et quae causa esset mortis quaesivit. Illi
autem cum bene intellegerent dolorem eius falsum esse, nescio quam
fabulam de morte pueri finxerunt.

58. _A FATEFUL ACCIDENT_

Post breve tempus Pelias, veritus ne regnum suum tanta vi et fraude
occupatum amitteret, amicum quendam Delphos misit, qui oraculum