“* Then tfbe Colchefians, entering the Cronxan Tea, £hut itm
■" all the pailages, fo that the Theflalians could not efcape. But
thefe came down the river behind them, and arrived at .the
two Brigade, the iilands o f Diana. O n one o f thefe flood a
temple facred to the goddefs, and the other contiguous to it
" was guarded by a fquadron o f warriours o f the valliant Apfir-
“ Ins. - The Argonauts, as foon as they came on iliore, oiFered
■“ their vows to the daughter o f Jove.; and in the meantime the
"" Colchi ieeured all the pafles.”
T he inhabitants of Cberfo and Ofero had, before that, declared
that they would give all poflible afliftance to Apfirtus, whofe
caufe was doubtlefs jufl. And it appears that they were numerous
and warlike; for Jafon fays o f them “ that there was a
thick cloud o f enemies around him on account of Medea; and
that all the inhabitants o f the two contiguous iilands had become
auxiliaries o f Apfirtus." This is an inftance o f juftice, and does
much honour to the ancient Cherfines, and, at the fame time
in a manner, contradicts the accufations o f piracy, that have
been laid to their charge.* It is natural for robbers to protect
one another, and not to make war among dhemfelves in favour o f
jjhe robbed,.
This
1 1 .,.,, bugrp,triar d iS p u t vt$o<; d[A < p ^ sfy tt
T i tn x a c i v . nccvrtq y a p ocret*%0orci r w oc vepcairrM
A-'i'Vgru [¿([yucccc-ii <z,fA[/.v/vepiv • , • V . 3 9 ® ’
After this juft alliance with the Cherfines againft the Argonauts, it. cannot
¿reafonably be fuppofed that Cberfo was originally called Crapfa^ derived from
¡rapine.
This alliance o f the Cherfines -with Apfirtus could not but
difcourage the Theflalians, and Medea became afraid of falling»
iacrifice to the circumftances. The young prince appeared inclined
to some to honourable terms. Medea made ufe o f this
difpofition to bring about his ruin, and perfuaded Jafon to accede
to the treafon. T h e y made friendly prefents to Apfirtus,
and, after many preliminaries, minutely related by Apollonius.,.
they invited him to an interview. Medea landed at the place appointed
for the conference, which was near the temple o f D iana,
on the iiland o f Ofero -, and the veflel,, that carried her, .returned,
leaving her alone in all appearance, but fafon had privately
landed before, and lay in ambufh. Apfirtus, entering the Arait
in his ihip, or rather crofing it over,* for, at. that time, perhaps,,
i t was lefs deep, and broader, than it is at prefent, landed at
on the iiland of Ofero in the night. Medea, who was well pre-
pared, gave him to underftand a thoufand Jiesj and the Ample
youth began to be perfuaded, that he had concluded an honourable
treaty, when Jafon fell upon him fwordin hand. T h e de--
ceitful woman turned about, and took no notice o f what was
going on. Aplirtus fell on his knees at the gate o f the. temple,,
and, before he expired, recolledting all his force, filled both his
hands with the blood that gufhed from the large wound, and
threw it at Medea, whofe white veil and cloaths were all ftained
with it.-f- This tragic deed, we may fuppofe, happened not far
from*
^ ■ KctfwrctXiftwi v ytj; B^j dovos oiSfXa x&tptfcrcc$
N b v 0 : v eto h v y a .ir,v isptis Im Q w r tr o v r,an .
ver. .45
'}*' Ta oy in 'BTgobctpa yrifi: vprnu Aot<r0»a S tjptof
Qvpcov dtu-omu» ^cpcriv fAehav
A i f C # KCtT UTIMW VVJOiaXfTOt T ? $ S i XahVTTTfW*