she laboured with the oars; and in all its mass the wave rolled away beneath the keel, and at the stern it raised Argo herself and drew her far away from the rocks; and high in air was she borne.  But Euphemus strode among all his comrades and cried to them to bend to their oars with all their might; and they with a shout smote the water.  And as far as the ship yielded to the rowers, twice as far did she leap back, and the oars were bent like curved bows as the heroes used their strength.

Then a vaulted billow rushed upon them, and the ship like a cylinder ran on the furious wave plunging through the hollow sea.  And the eddying current held her between the clashing rocks; and on each side they shook and thundered; and the ship’s timbers were held fast.  Then Athena with her left hand thrust back one mighty rock and with her right pushed the ship through; and she, like a winged arrow, sped through the air.  Nevertheless the rocks, ceaselessly clashing, shore off as she passed the extreme end of the stern-ornament.  But Athena soared up to Olympus, when they had escaped unscathed.  And the rocks in one spot at that moment were rooted fast for ever to each other, which thing had been destined by the blessed gods, when a man in his ship should have passed between them alive.  And the heroes breathed again after their chilling fear, beholding at the same time the sky and the expanse of sea spreading far and wide.  For they deemed that they were saved from Hades; and Tiphys first of all began to speak: 

“It is my hope that we have safely escaped this peril—­we, and the ship; and none other is the cause so much as Athena, who breathed into Argo divine strength when Argus knitted her together with bolts; and she may not be caught.  Son of Aeson, no longer fear thou so much the best of thy king, since a god hath granted us escape between the rocks; for Phineus, Agenor’s son, said that our toils hereafter would be lightly accomplished.”

He spake, and at once he sped the ship onward through the midst of the sea past the Bithynian coast.  But Jason with gentle words addressed him in reply:  “Tiphys, why dost thou comfort thus my grieving heart?  I have erred and am distraught in wretched and helpless ruin.  For I ought, when Pelias gave the command, to have straightway refused this quest to his face, yea, though I were doomed to die pitilessly, torn limb from limb, but now I am wrapped in excessive fear and cares unbearable, dreading to sail through the chilling paths of the sea, and dreading when we shall set foot on the mainland.  For on every side are unkindly men.  And ever when day is done I pass a night of groans from the time when ye first gathered together for my sake, while I take thought for all things; but thou talkest at thine ease, caring only for thine own life; while for myself I am dismayed not a whit; but I fear for this man and for that equally, and for thee, and for my other comrades, if I shall not bring you back safe to the land of Hellas.”