Met. 7.297Nēve dolī cessent, odium cum coniuge falsum
Phāsias adsimulat Peliaeque ad līmina supplex
cōnfugit.And so that her tricks might not cease, the Phasian woman feigns a quarrel with her husband and flees as a suppliant to the threshold of Pelias. Met. 7.299Atque illam, quoniam gravis ipse senectā est,
300excipiunt nātae.And since he himself is weighed down by old age, his daughters receive her. Met. 7.300Quās tempore callida parvō
Colchis amīcitiae mendācis imāgine cēpit.These the cunning Colchian captured in a short time with a show of false friendship. Met. 7.302Dumque refert inter meritōrum maxima, dēmptōs
Aesonis esse sitūs, atque hāc in parte morātur,
spēs est virginibus Peliā subiecta creātīs
305arte suum parilī revīrēscere posse parentem.And while she relates, among the greatest of her services, that Aeson's decay had been removed, and dwells on this part, hope is suggested to the maidens born of Pelias that by a like art their own father can grow young again. Met. 7.306Idque petunt pretiumque iubent sine fīne pacīscī.And they ask for this and bid her set a price without limit.
Met. 7.307Illa brevī spatiō silet et dubitāre vidētur
suspenditque animōs fictā gravitāte rogantēs.For a short while she is silent and seems to hesitate, and holds their minds in suspense with feigned gravity as they ask. Met. 7.309Mox ubi pollicita est, "quō sit fīdūcia maior
310mūneris huius" ait, "quī vestrī maximus aevō est
dux gregis inter ovēs, agnus medicāmine fīet."Soon, when she had promised, she said, 'So that your confidence in this gift may be greater, the oldest leader of the flock among your sheep will become a lamb by my drug.' Met. 7.312Prōtinus innumerīs effētus lāniger annīs
attrahitur flexō circum cava tempora cornū.At once a woolly ram worn out with countless years is dragged up, his horns curled round his hollow temples. Met. 7.314Cuius ut Haemoniō marcentia guttura cultrō
315fōdit et exiguō maculāvit sanguine ferrum,
membra simul pecudis validōsque venēfica sūcōs
mergit in aere cavō: minuunt ēn corporis artūs
cornuaque exūrunt nec nōn cum cornibus annōs,
et tener audītur mediō bālātus aēnō.When she had pierced his withered throat with a Haemonian knife and stained the blade with his scanty blood, the sorceress plunges the beast's limbs and potent juices together into the hollow bronze: look, they shrink the limbs of his body and burn away his horns, and with his horns his years, and a tender bleating is heard from the middle of the pot.
Met. 7.320Nec mora, bālātum mīrantibus exsilit agnus
lascīvitque fugā lactantiaque ūbera quaerit.Without delay, as they marvel at the bleating, a lamb leaps out and frisks away in flight and seeks the milky udders. Met. 7.322Obstipuēre satae Peliā: prōmissaque postquam
exhibuēre fidem, tum vērō impēnsius īnstant.The daughters of Pelias were astounded: and after the promises had shown good faith, then indeed they press more urgently. Met. 7.324Ter iuga Phoebus equīs in Hibērō flūmine mersīs
325dēmpserat et quartā radiantia nocte micābant
sīdera, cum rapidō fallāx Aeētias ignī
impōnit pūrum laticem et sine vīribus herbās.Three times Phoebus had unyoked his horses after plunging them in the Iberian river, and on the fourth night the stars were glittering and shining, when the deceitful daughter of Aeetes sets plain water and herbs without power on a swift fire. Met. 7.328Iamque necī similis resolūtō corpore rēgem
et cum rēge suō custōdēs somnus habēbat,
330quem dederant cantūs magicaeque potentia linguae:
intrārant iussae cum Colchide līmina nātae
ambierantque torum.And now sleep like death held the king, his body relaxed, and with their king his guards, sleep which spells and the power of a magic tongue had given: the daughters, as bidden, had entered the threshold with the Colchian and stood round the bed.
Met. 7.332"Quid nunc dubitātis inertēs?'Why do you hesitate now, idle girls? Met. 7.333Stringite" ait "gladiōs veteremque haurīte cruōrem,
ut repleam vacuās iuvenālī sanguine vēnās.Draw your swords,' she says, 'and drain the old blood, so that I may refill the empty veins with young blood. Met. 7.335In manibus vestrīs vīta est aetāsque parentis:
sī pietās ūlla est nec spēs agitātis inānēs,
officium praestāte patrī tēlīsque senectam
exigite et saniem coniectō ēmittite ferrō."In your hands is your father's life and age: if you have any devotion and are not entertaining empty hopes, do your duty to your father and drive out old age with your weapons, and let out the corrupt blood with thrusts of steel.' Met. 7.339Hīs, ut quaeque pia est, hortātibus impia prīma est,
340et nē sit scelerāta, facit scelus.Urged on by these words, each, the more dutiful she is, is the first to be undutiful, and, so as not to be wicked, commits wickedness. Met. 7.340Haud tamen ictūs
ūlla suōs spectāre potest, oculōsque reflectunt
caecaque dant saevīs āversae vulnera dextrīs.Yet none can watch her own blows, and they turn their eyes away, and, averted, deal blind wounds with savage right hands.
Met. 7.343Ille, cruōre fluēns, cubitō tamen adlevat artūs
sēmilacerque torō temptat cōnsurgere et inter
345tot medius gladiōs pallentia bracchia tendēns
"quid facitis, gnātae?He, streaming with blood, still raises his limbs on his elbow, and half-mangled tries to rise from the bed, and in the midst of so many swords, stretching out his pale arms, 'What are you doing, daughters? Met. 7.346quis vōs in fāta parentis
armat?"Who arms you for your father's death?' Met. 7.347ait.he says. Met. 7.347Cecidēre illīs animīque manūsque.Their courage and their hands fell. Met. 7.348Plūra locūtūrō cum verbīs guttura Colchis
abstulit et calidīs laniātum mersit in undīs.As he was about to say more, the Colchian took away his throat along with his words, and plunged him, mangled, into the hot water.