67.1Brevī intermissō spatiō Argonautae ad flūmen Phāsim vēnērunt, quod in fīnibus Colchōrum erat.After a short interval the Argonauts came to the river Phasis, which was in the territory of the Colchians. 67.2Ibi cum nāvem appulissent et in terram ēgressī essent, statim ad rēgem Aeētem sē contulērunt et ab eō postulāvērunt ut vellus aureum sibi trāderētur.There, when they had brought the ship in and landed, they went at once to king Aeetes and demanded that the golden fleece be handed over to them. 67.3Ille cum audīvisset quam ob causam Argonautae vēnissent, īrā commōtus est et diū negābat sē vellus trāditūrum esse.When he had heard why the Argonauts had come, he was moved to anger and for a long time refused to hand over the fleece. 67.4Tandem tamen, quod sciēbat Iāsonem nōn sine auxiliō deōrum hoc negōtium suscēpisse, mūtātā sententiā prōmīsit sē vellus trāditūrum, sī Iāsōn labōrēs duōs difficillimōs prius perfēcisset; et cum Iāsōn dīxisset sē ad omnia perīcula subeunda parātum esse, quid fierī vellet ostendit.At last, however, because he knew that Jason had not undertaken this task without the help of the gods, he changed his mind and promised that he would hand over the fleece if Jason first completed two very difficult labors; and when Jason said that he was ready to face every danger, he showed him what he wanted done.Note. mūtātā sententiā: ablative absolute, 'having changed his mind'.
67.5Prīmum iungendī erant duo taurī speciē horribilī, quī flammās ex ōre ēdēbant; tum hīs iūnctīs ager quīdam arandus erat et dentēs dracōnis serendī.First, two bulls of horrible appearance, which breathed out flames from their mouths, had to be yoked; then, once these were yoked, a certain field had to be ploughed and the teeth of a dragon sown.Note. iungendī erant: the gerundive with esse expresses necessity, 'had to be yoked'. 67.6Hīs audītīs Iāsōn etsī rem esse summī perīculī intellegēbat, tamen, nē hanc occāsiōnem reī bene gerendae āmitteret, negōtium suscēpit.When he heard this, although Jason understood that the task was extremely dangerous, still, so as not to lose this chance of success, he undertook it.Note. reī bene gerendae: 'of managing the affair well', a gerundive in the genitive.