And he grew up fierce and lawless, and did many a
fearful deed; and at last he drove out AEson his stepbrother, and then
his own brother Neleus, and took the kingdom to himself, and ruled over
the rich Minuan heroes, in Iolcos by the sea.
And AEson, when he was driven out, went sadly away out of the town,
leading his little son by the hand; and he said to himself, "I must hide
the child in the mountains; or Pelias will surely kill him, because he
is the heir."
So he went up from the sea across the valley, through the vineyards and
the olive groves, and across the torrent of Anauros, toward Pelion the
ancient mountain, whose brows are white with snow.
He went up and up into the mountain over marsh, and crag, and down, till
the boy was tired and footsore, and AEson had to bear him in his arms,
till he came to the mouth of a lonely cave, at the foot of a mighty
cliff.
Above the cliff the snow wreaths hung, dripping and cracking in the sun.
But at its foot around the cave's mouth grew all fair flowers and herbs,
as if in a garden, ranged in order, each sort by itself. There they grew
gayly in the sunshine, and the spray of the torrent from above; while
from the cave came the sound of music, and a man's voice singing to the
harp.
Then AEson put down the lad, and whispered:
"Fear not, but go in, and whomsoever you shall find, lay your hands upon
his knees, and say, 'In the name of Zeus the father of gods and men, I
am your guest from this day forth.
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