The Collected Works of William Morris :: :: University of Virginia Library

Now leaving that fair land, fair way they made,
But saw for seven bright days but sea and sky,
Till on the eighth, keen Lynceus could espy
A land far off, and nigher as they drew
A low green shore, backed up by mountains blue,
Cleft here and there, all saw, 'twixt hope and fear,
For now it seemed to them they should be near
The wished-for goal of Æa, and the place
Where in the great sea Phasis ends his race.

Then creeping carefully along the beach
The mouth of a green river did they reach,
Which cleft the sands, and on the yellow bar

The salt waves and the fresh waves were at war,
As Phryxus erst beheld them, but no man
Among them ere had sailed that water wan,
Now that wise Tiphys lay within his tomb.

Natheless they, wrapt in that resistless doom
The Fates had woven, turned from off the sea
Argo's fair head, and rowing mightily
Drave her across the bar, who with straight keel
The eddying stream against her bows did feel.

So, with the wind behind them, and the oars
Still hard at work, they went betwixt the shores
Against the ebb, and now full oft espied
Trim homesteads here and there on either side,
And fair kine grazing, and much woolly sheep,
And skin-clad shepherds roused from mid-day sleep,
Gazing upon them with scared wondering eyes.
So now they deemed they might be near their prize,
And at the least knew that some town was nigh,
And thought to hear new tidings presently:
Which surely happed; for on the turn of tide,
At ending of a long reach, they espied
A city wondrous fair, which seemed indeed
To bar the river's course; but taking heed
And drawing nigher, they soon found out the case,
That on an island builded was the place
The more part of it; but four bridges fair
Set thick with goodly houses everywhere,
Crossed two and two on each side to the land,
Whereon was built, with walls on either hand,
A towered outwork, lest that war should fall
Upon the land, and midmost of each wall
A noble gate; moreover did they note
About the wharves full many a ship and boat.
And they beheld the sunlight glistering
On arms of men and many a warlike thing,
As nigher to the city they were borne,
And heard at last some huge deep booming horn

Sound from a tower across the watery road,
Whose voice that care and peril did forebode
Was caught and spread by others far and near.

Now when they did therewith loud shouting hear,
Then Jason bade them arm for what might come,
“For now,” quoth he, “I deem we reach the home
Of that great marvel we are sworn to seek,
Nor do I think to find these folk so weak
That they with few words and a gift or two
Will give us that for which they did forego
Fair fame, the love of Gods and praise of men;
Be strong and play the man, I bid you then,
For certes in none other wise shall ye
Come back again to grassy Thessaly.”

Then loud they shouted, clean forgetting fear,
And strong Erginus Argo straight did steer
On to the port; but through the crowded waist
Ran Jason to the high prow, making haste
To be the first to look upon that throng.
Shieldless he was, although his fingers strong
About a sharpened brass-bound spear did meet,
And as the ashen oars swept on, his feet
Moved lightly to their cadence under him;
So stood he like a God in face and limb.