I forbid you , on pain of death , to make any more attempts to get the Golden Fleece . To speak my mind plainly , you shall never set eyes on so much as one of its glistening locks . '' Jason left the king 's presence in great sorrow and anger . He could think of nothing better to be done than to summon together his forty-nine brave Argonauts , march at once to the Grove of Mars , slay the dragon , take possession of the Golden Fleece , get on board the Argo , and spread all sail for Iolchos . The success of this scheme depended , it is true , on the doubtful point whether all the fifty heroes might not be snapped up , at so many mouthfuls , by the dragon . But , as Jason was hastening down the palace steps , the Princess Medea called after him , and beckoned him to return . Her black eyes shone upon him with such a keen intelligence , that he felt as if there were a serpent peeping out of them ; and , although she had done him so much service only the night before , he was by no means very certain that she would not do him an equally great mischief before sunset . These enchantresses , you must know , are never to be depended upon . `` What says King Aetes , my royal and upright father ? '' inquired Medea , slightly smiling . `` Will he give you the Golden Fleece , without any further risk or trouble ? '' `` On the contrary , '' answered Jason , `` he is very angry with me for taming the brazen bulls and sowing the dragon 's teeth . And he forbids me to make any more attempts , and positively refuses to give up the Golden Fleece , whether I slay the dragon or no . '' `` Yes , Jason , '' said the princess , `` and I can tell you more . Unless you set sail from Colchis before to-morrow 's sunrise , the king means to burn your fifty-oared galley , and put yourself and your forty-nine brave comrades to the sword . But be of good courage . The Golden Fleece you shall have , if it lies within the power of my enchantments to get it for you . Wait for me here an hour before midnight . '' At the appointed hour you might again have seen Prince Jason and the Princess Medea , side by side , stealing through the streets of Colchis , on their way to the sacred grove , in the center of which the Golden Fleece was suspended to a tree . While they were crossing the pasture ground , the brazen bulls came towards Jason , lowing , nodding their heads , and thrusting forth their snouts , which , as other cattle do , they loved to have rubbed and caressed by a friendly hand .
Their fierce nature was thoroughly tamed ; and , with their fierceness , the two furnaces in their stomachs had likewise been extinguished , insomuch XXXXX they probably enjoyed far more comfort in grazing and chewing their cuds than ever before .
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