Ritchie's Fabulae Faciles Author:John C. Kirtland, Francis Ritchie 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: THE ARGONAUTS The celebrated royage of the Argonauts was brought about in this way. Pcllas had expelled his brother Aeson from his kingdom in Thessaly, and ha... more »d determined to take the lije of Jason, the son of Aeson. Jason, however, escaped and grew up to manhood in another country. At last he returned to Thessaly; and Pellas, fearing that he might attempt to recover the kingdom, sent him to fetch the Golden Fleece from Colchis, supposing this to be an impossible feat. Jason with a band of heroes set sail in the ship Argo (called after Argus, its builder), and after many adventures reached Colchis. Here Acetes, king of Colchis, who was unwilling to give up the Fleece, set Jason to perform what seemed an impossible task, namely to plough a field with certain fire-breathing oxen, and then to sow it with dragon's teeth. Medea, however, the daughter of the king, assisted Jason by her skill in magic, first to perform the task appointed, and then to procure the Fleece. She then fled with Jason, and to delay the pursuit of her father, sacrificed her brother Absyrtus. After reaching Thessaly, Medea caused the death of Pellas and was expelled from the country with her husband. They removed to Corinth, and here Medea becoming jealous of Glance, daughter of Creon, caused her death by means of a poisoned robe. She was afterward carried off in a chariot sent by the sun- god, and a little later Jason was accidentally kuled. 57. THE WICKED UNCLE Erant Slim in Thessaliä duo frätres, quorum alter Aesôn, Peliâs alter appelläbätur. Aesön prïmo rëgnum obtinuerat ; at post paucös annös Pellas rëgnï cupiditäte adductus non modo frätrem suum expulit, sed etiam in animo habëbat läsonem, Aesonis fllium, interficere. s Quídam tarnen ex amïcîs Aesonis, ubi sententiam Peliae cögnöverunt, puerum ë tan...« less