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

Then shouted all the heroes, and they drove
The good ship forth, so that the birds above,
With long white wings, scarce flew so fast as they.
And so they laboured well-nigh all the day,
And ever in their ears divine words rung,
For midmost of them still the Thracian sung
Stories of Gods and men: the bitter life
Pandora brought to luckless men, the strife

'Twixt Pallas and the Shaker of the Earth,
The theft of Bacchus, and the wondrous birth
Of golden Venus. Natheless, when the sun
To fall adown the heavens had now begun,
They trimmed the sails, and drew the long oars up,
And having poured wine from a golden cup
Unto the Gods, gladdened their hearts with food;
Then, having feasted as they thought it good,
Set hands upon the oars again, and so
Toiled on, until the broad sun, growing low,
Reddened the green sea; then they held their hands
Till he should come again from unknown lands,
And fell to meat again, and sat so long
Over the wine-cups, cheered with tale and song,
That night fell on them, and the moon rose high,
And the fair western wind began to die,
Though to the eastward still they drifted on;
Then for all others waking-tide was done,
Save Tiphys and the leader of the rest,
Who watched till drew the round moon to the west,
And Jason could behold beneath her light,
Far off at first, a little speck of white,
Which, as the grey dawn stole across the sea,
And the wind freshened, grew at last to be
Grey rocks and great, and when they nigher drew,
The skilful helmsman past all doubting knew
The land of Lemnos; therefore from their sleep
They roused their fellows, bidding them to keep
The good ship from that evil rocky shore.

So each man set his hand unto the oar,
And striking sail, along the coast they crept,
Till the sun rose, and birds no longer slept;
Then as they went they saw a sandy beach
Under the cliff, that no high wave could reach,
And in the rock a deep cave cut, whereby
A man was standing, gazing earnestly
Upon their ship, and shouting words that, tost

Hither and thither by the wind, were lost
Amid the tumbling of the ridgy sea:
Natheless, they deemed that sore he prayed to be
Their fellow, and to leave those rocky shores;
Therefore, with backing of the ashen oars,
They stayed the ship, and beckoned unto him
To try the sea, if so be he could swim;
Because, indeed, they doubted there might be
Anigh the place some hidden enemy;
Nor cared they much to trust their oaken keel
Too near those rocks, as deadly as the steel
That lay upon their lee; but with a shout
He sprang into the sea, and beat about
The waters bravely, till he reached the ship;
And clambering up, let the salt water drip
From off his naked limbs, nor spoke he aught
Until before the fair prince he was brought.
But Jason, when he set his eyes on him,
And saw him famished and so gaunt of limb,
Bade them to give him food and wine enow
Before he told his tale; and still to row
Along the high cliffs eastward, nor to stay
For town or tower, or haven or deep bay.

So then being clothed and fed, the island man
Came back to Jason, and his tale began: