And when Orpheus saw it, he groaned, and struck his hands together. And
"Little will it help to us," he cried, "to escape the jaws of the
whirlpool; for in that cave lives Scylla, the sea-hag with a young
whelp's voice; my mother warned me of her ere we sailed away from
Hellas; she has six heads, and six long necks, and hides in that dark
cleft. And from her cave she fishes for all things which pass by, for
sharks, and seals, and dolphins, and all the herds of Amphitrite. And
never ship's crew boasted that they came safe by her rock; for she bends
her long necks down to them, and every mouth takes up a man And who will
help us now? For Hera and Zeus hate us, and our ship is foul with guilt;
so we must die, whatever befalls."
Then out of the depths came Thetis, Peleus's silver-footed bride, for
love of her gallant husband, and all her nymphs around her; and they
played like snow-white dolphins, diving on from wave to wave, before the
ship, and in her wake, and beside her, as dolphins play. And they caught
the ship, and guided her, and passed her on from hand to hand, and
tossed her through the billows, as maidens toss the ball. And when
Scylla stooped to seize her, they struck back her ravening heads, and
foul Scylla whined, as a whelp whines, at the touch of their gentle
hands. But she shrank into her cave affrighted; for all bad things
shrink from good; and Argo leapt safe past her, while a fair breeze rose
behind.
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