66.1Hōc factō Phīneus, ut prō tantō beneficiō meritam grātiam referret, Iāsonī dēmōnstrāvit quā ratiōne Symplēgadēs vītāre posset.After this, Phineus, to show proper gratitude for so great a service, explained to Jason how he could avoid the Symplegades.Note. quā ratiōne: 'by what means', an interrogative adjective in an indirect question. 66.2Symplēgadēs autem duae erant rūpēs ingentī magnitūdine, quae ā Iove positae erant eō cōnsiliō, nē quis ad Colchida pervenīret.The Symplegades were two rocks of enormous size, which had been placed there by Jupiter with this purpose, that no one should reach Colchis.Note. eō cōnsiliō, nē quis …: 'with this purpose, that no one …'. After nē, quis means 'anyone'. 66.3Hae parvō intervallō in marī natābant, et sī quid in medium spatium vēnerat, incrēdibilī celeritāte concurrēbant.These floated in the sea a short distance apart, and if anything had come into the space between them, they rushed together with incredible speed.Note. sī quid: 'if anything'. 66.4Postquam igitur ā Phīneō doctus est quid faciendum esset, Iāsōn sublātīs ancorīs nāvem solvit, et lēnī ventō prōvectus mox ad Symplēgadēs appropinquāvit.So after he had been told by Phineus what had to be done, Jason weighed anchor and set sail, and carried along by a gentle wind he soon approached the Symplegades. 66.5Tum in prōrā stāns columbam quam in manū tenēbat ēmīsit.Then, standing on the prow, he let go a dove which he was holding in his hand.
66.6Illa rēctā viā per medium spatium volāvit, et priusquam rūpēs cōnflīxērunt, incolumis ēvāsit caudā tantum āmissā.It flew straight through the middle of the gap, and before the rocks clashed together it escaped unharmed, losing only its tail.Note. caudā tantum āmissā: ablative absolute, 'only its tail being lost'. 66.7Tum rūpēs utrimque discessērunt; antequam tamen rūrsus concurrerent, Argonautae, bene intellegentēs omnem spem salūtis in celeritāte positam esse, summā vī rēmīs contendērunt et nāvem incolumem perdūxērunt.Then the rocks drew apart on both sides; but before they could rush together again, the Argonauts, understanding well that all hope of safety lay in speed, rowed with all their strength and brought the ship through unharmed. 66.8Hōc factō dīs grātiās maximās ēgērunt, quōrum auxiliō ē tantō perīculō ēreptī essent; omnēs enim sciēbant nōn sine auxiliō deōrum rem tam fēlīciter ēvēnisse.After this they gave the warmest thanks to the gods, by whose help they had been saved from so great a danger; for they all knew that the thing had not turned out so well without the help of the gods.Note. dīs: the usual dative plural of deus. quōrum auxiliō … ēreptī essent: the subjunctive gives their own reason for thanking the gods.