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The Collected Works of William Morris: The life and death of Jason (v. 2)
The Collected Works of William Morris The life and death of Jason - v. 2 Author:William Morris Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Book III So let me now be merry with the best." Meanwhile, all men spoke hotly of the quest, And many a champion 'mid the wine did hail, Till waned the moon, ... more »and all the stars grew pale, And from the east faint yellow light outshone O'er the Greek sea, so many years agone. BOOK III THE ARGONAUTS CALLED TOGETHER. NOW the next morn, when risen was the sun, Men 'gan to busk them for the quest begun; Nor long delay made Pelias, being in fear Lest aught should stay them; so his folk did bear News of these things throughout the towns of Greece, Moving great men to seek the Golden Fleece. Therefore, from many a lordship forth they rode, Leaving both wife and child and loved abode, And many a town must now be masterless, And women's voices rule both more and less, And women's hands be dreaded, far and wide, This fair beginning of the summer-tide. Now, all the folk who went upon this quest I cannot name, but fain would hope the best In men's remembrance ancient tales did keep Unto our time, letting the others sleep In nameless graves—though mayhap, one by one, These grew to be forgotten 'neath the sun, Being neither poor of heart, nor weak of wit, More than those others whose crowned memories sit Enthroned amid the echoing minstrelsy Sung of old time beside the Grecian sea. Howe'er it be, now clinging to the hem Of those old singers, will I tell of them, In weak and faltering voice, e'en as I can. Now was the well-skilled Argus the first man Book III Who through the gates into Iolchos passed, Whose lot in fertile Egypt first was cast, The nurse of Gods and wonder-working men; His father's name was Danaus, who till then Had held the golden rod above the Nile, Feared by all men for force and deadly wile. So he, being brought to Jason, said: " O King, Me have...« less