12 ARGONAUTAE
JASON.
Arise,
All heroes, circling round the sacred stone
In beautiful order and procession grave,
While our chief priest, our mightiest in song,
The dowered of Phoebus, great Oeager’s heir,
Invokes that glory on the sacrifice
That kindles all its slumber into life
And vivid flame descending on the wheel
And chariot of lightning, licking up
The water of the loud-resounding sea
Lustral, poured seven times upon the earth
And in one flash consuming wood and stone
And the sweet savour of the sacrifice.
ORPHEUS.
But when the flame hath darted from the eye
Of my divine existence, and hath left
Nothing, where was the altar and the earth,
The water and the incense and the victim—
Nothing of all remains! Then look to it
That ye invoke not Wisdom by the Name
Of bright Athena!
JASON.
We are here to call
Upon that Wisdom by that mighty Name!
ORPHEUS.
Who calleth upon Wisdom is not wise.
Is it not written in the Sibyl’s book