72.1Postrīdiē eius diēī Iāsōn cum sociīs suīs ortā lūce nāvem dēdūxit, et tempestātem idōneam nactī ad eum locum rēmīs contendērunt, quō in locō Mēdēa vellus cēlātum esse dēmōnstrābat.On the day after that, Jason with his companions launched the ship at dawn, and finding suitable weather they rowed hard to the place where Medea showed that the fleece was hidden. 72.2Cum eō vēnissent, Iāsōn in terram ēgressus est, et sociīs ad mare relictīs, quī praesidiō nāvī essent, ipse cum Mēdēā in silvās sē contulit.When they had come there, Jason went ashore, and leaving his companions by the sea to guard the ship, he himself went into the woods with Medea.Note. praesidiō nāvī: a double dative, 'as a guard for the ship'. 72.3Pauca mīlia passuum per silvam prōgressus vellus quod quaerēbat ex arbore suspēnsum vīdit.After going a few miles through the forest he saw the fleece he was looking for hanging from a tree. 72.4Id tamen auferre erat summae difficultātis; nōn modo enim locus ipse ēgregiē et nātūrā et arte erat mūnītus, sed etiam dracō quīdam speciē terribilī arborem custōdiēbat.To carry it off, however, was extremely difficult; for not only was the place itself remarkably well protected both by nature and by art, but a certain dragon of terrifying appearance was also guarding the tree.Note. summae difficultātis: a genitive of description, 'a matter of the greatest difficulty'.
72.5Tum Mēdēa, quae, ut suprā dēmōnstrāvimus, medicīnae summam scientiam habuit, rāmum quem dē arbore proximā dēripuerat venēnō īnfēcit.Then Medea, who, as we have shown above, had the greatest knowledge of medicine, steeped in poison a branch that she had torn from the nearest tree. 72.6Hōc factō ad locum appropinquāvit, et dracōnem, quī faucibus apertīs eius adventum exspectābat, venēnō sparsit; deinde, dum dracō somnō oppressus dormit, Iāsōn vellus aureum dē arbore dēripuit et cum Mēdēā quam celerrimē pedem rettulit.When this was done she approached the place and sprinkled with the poison the dragon, which with jaws wide open was waiting for her to come; then, while the dragon, overcome by sleep, was sleeping, Jason tore the golden fleece down from the tree and with Medea went back as quickly as possible.Note. pedem rettulit: 'drew back his foot', that is, 'retreated'.