Fabula 21. Phrixi Filii — “the sons of Phrixus”: the Argonauts find Phrixus’s sons shipwrecked on Dia, and Chalciope brings Medea to Jason. Latin from the standard text, with a new English translation below each paragraph. View:
1
Argonautae cum per Cyaneas cautes, quae dicuntur petrae Symplegades, intrassent mare quod dicitur Euxinum et errarent, uoluntate Iunonis delati sunt ad insulam Diam.
When the Argonauts had entered the sea called the Euxine through the Cyanean crags (which are called the Symplegades) and were wandering, by Juno’s will they were carried off to the island of Dia.
2
ibi inuenerunt naufragos nudos atque inopes Phrixi et Chalciopes filios Argum Phrontidem Melam Cylindrum; qui cum casus suos exposuissent Iasoni, se cum ad auum festinarent Athamanta ire naufragio facto ibi esse eiectos, quos Iason receptos auxilio iuuit; qui Iasonem Colchos perduxerunt per flumen Thermodoontem.
There they found, shipwrecked, naked, and destitute, the sons of Phrixus and Chalciope — Argus, Phrontis, Melas, and Cylindrus. When they had explained their misfortunes to Jason — that they had been hastening to their grandfather Athamas when they suffered a shipwreck and were cast ashore there — Jason welcomed them and offered aid. They in turn guided Jason to Colchis by way of the river Thermodon.
3
et cum iam non longe essent a Colchis, iusserunt nauem in occulto collocari, et uenerunt ad matrem Chalciopen Medeae sororem, indicantque Iasonis beneficia et cur uenissent. tunc Chalciope de Medea indicat, perducitque eam cum filiis suis ad Iasonem.
And when they were now not far from Colchis, they had the ship moored in a hidden place, and came to their mother Chalciope, Medea’s sister, informing her of Jason’s kindnesses and why they had come. Then Chalciope told them about Medea, and brought her together with her sons to Jason.
4
quae cum eum uidisset, agnouit quem in somniis adamauerat Iunonis impulsu, omniaque ei pollicetur, et perducunt eum ad templum.
When Medea saw him, she recognized the man she had fallen in love with in her dreams at Juno’s prompting; she promised him everything, and they [Chalciope and her sons] led him to the temple.
Notes
- Para 1: Cyan<e>as is supplied in the text.
- Para 2: Phr<i>xi and C<h>alciopes are supplied in the text. The four names here — Argus, Phrontis, Melas, Cylindrus — match the primary list in Fabula 14, para 28; the alternative set (Phronius, Demoleon, Autolycus, Phlogius) is given there as “as others say”.
- Para 2: the translation keeps nudos as “naked” — the Latin says the shipwrecked sons were naked, not merely stripped of belongings.
- Para 3: Chalc<i>ope<n> is supplied in the text.
- Para 4: perducunt is plural; the subject shifts from Medea back to Chalciope and her sons, who accompany Jason to the temple.
Next fabula: Aeeta (Fabula 22). Corrections are welcome via the contact form; please say which paragraph you mean.