Pelias smiled， and sighed. 'Men have slandered me in that， as in all things. Your father was growing old and weary， and he gave the kingdom up to me of his own will. You shall see him to-morrow， and ask him； and he will tell you the same.'
Jason's heart leapt in him when he heard that he was to see his father； and he believed all that Pelias said， forgetting that his father might not dare to tell the truth.
'One thing more there is，' said Pelias， 'on which I need your advice； for， though you are young， I see in you a wisdom beyond your years. There is one neighbour of mine， whom Idread more than all men on earth. I am stronger than he now， and can command him； but I know that if he stay among us， he will work my ruin in the end. Can you give me a plan， Jason， by which I can rid myself of that man？'
After awhile Jason answered， half laughing， 'Were I you， Iwould send him to fetch that same golden fleece； for if he once set forth after it you would never be troubled with him more.'
And at that a bitter smile came across Pelias' lips， and a flash of wicked joy into his eyes； and Jason saw it， and started； and over his mind came the warning of the old man， and his own one sandal， and the oracle， and he saw that he was taken in a trap.
But Pelias only answered gently， 'My son， he shall be sent forthwith.'
'You mean me？' cried Jason， starting up， 'because I came here with one sandal？' And he lifted his fist angrily， while Pelias stood up to him like a wolf at bay； and whether of the two was the stronger and the fiercer it would be hard to tell.
But after a moment Pelias spoke gently， 'Why then so rash， my son？ You， and not I， have said what is said； why blame me for what I have not done？ Had you bid me love the man of whom I spoke， and make him my son-in-law and heir， I would have obeyed you； and what if I obey you now， and send the man to win himself immortal fame？ I have not harmed you， or him.
One thing at least I know， that he will go， and that gladly；for he has a hero's heart within him， loving glory， and scorning to break the word which he has given.'
Jason saw that he was entrapped； but his second promise to Cheiron came into his mind， and he thought， 'What if the Centaur were a prophet in that also， and meant that I should win the fleece！' Then he cried aloud -'You have well spoken， cunning uncle of mine！ I love glory， and I dare keep to my word. I will go and fetch this golden fleece. Promise me but this in return， and keep your word as I keep mine. Treat my father lovingly while I am gone， for the sake of the all-seeing Zeus； and give me up the kingdom for my own on the day that I bring back the golden fleece.'
Then Pelias looked at him and almost loved him， in the midst of all his hate； and said， 'I promise， and I will perform.
It will be no shame to give up my kingdom to the man who wins that fleece.' Then they swore a great oath between them； and afterwards both went in， and lay down to sleep.
But Jason could not sleep for thinking of his mighty oath， and how he was to fulfil it， all alone， and without wealth or friends. So he tossed a long time upon his bed， and thought of this plan and of that； and sometimes Phrixus seemed to call him， in a thin voice， faint and low， as if it came from far across the sea， 'Let me come home to my fathers and have rest.' And sometimes he seemed to see the eyes of Hera， and to hear her words again - 'Call on me in the hour of need， and see if the Immortals can forget.'
And on the morrow he went to Pelias， and said， 'Give me a victim， that I may sacrifice to Hera.' So he went up， and offered his sacrifice； and as he stood by the altar Hera sent a thought into his mind； and he went back to Pelias， and said -'If you are indeed in earnest， give me two heralds， that they may go round to all the princes of the Minuai， who were pupils of the Centaur with me， that we may fit out a ship together， and take what shall befall.'
At that Pelias praised his wisdom， and hastened to send the heralds out； for he said in his heart， 'Let all the princes go with him， and， like him， never return； for so I shall be lord of all the Minuai， and the greatest king in Hellas.'
第一章PART III - HOW THEY BUILT THE SHIP 'ARGO' IN IOLCOSSO the heralds went out， and cried to all the heroes of the Minuai， 'Who dare come to the adventure of the golden fleece？'
And Hera stirred the hearts of all the princes， and they came from all their valleys to the yellow sands of Pagasai. And first came Heracles the mighty， with his lion's skin and club， and behind him Hylas his young squire， who bore his arrows and his bow； and Tiphys， the skilful steersman； and Butes， the fairest of all men； and Castor and Polydeuces the twins， the sons of the magic swan； and Caeneus， the strongest of mortals， whom the Centaurs tried in vain to kill， and overwhelmed him with trunks of pine-trees， but even so he would not die； and thither came Zetes and Calais， the winged sons of the north wind； and Peleus， the father of Achilles， whose bride was silver-footed Thetis， the goddess of the sea.
And thither came Telamon and Oileus， the fathers of the two Aiantes， who fought upon the plains of Troy； and Mopsus， the wise soothsayer， who knew the speech of birds； and Idmon， to whom Phoebus gave a tongue to prophesy of things to come； and Ancaios， who could read the stars， and knew all the circles of the heavens； and Argus， the famed shipbuilder， and many a hero more， in helmets of brass and gold with tall dyed horse-hair crests， and embroidered shirts of linen beneath their coats of mail， and greaves of polished tin to guard their knees in fight； with each man his shield upon his shoulder， of many a fold of tough bull's hide， and his sword of tempered bronze in his silver-studded belt； and in his right hand a pair of lances， of the heavy white ash-staves.
