In
such way Medea brought about the end of King Pelias's reign.
In triumph she went through the city. But as she was passing the
temple her dress was caught and held, and turning around she
faced the ancient priestess of Artemis, Iphias. "Thou art
Aeetes's daughter," Iphias said, "who in deceit didst come into
Iolcus. Woe to thee and woe to Jason for what thou hast done this
day! Not for the slaying of Pelias art thou blameworthy, but for
the misery that thou hast brought upon his daughters by bringing
them into the guilt of the slaying. Go from the city, daughter of
King ,Eetes; never, never wilt thou come back into it."
But little heed did Medea pay to the ancient priestess, Iphias.
Still in the guise of an old woman she went through the streets
of the city, and out through the gate and along the highway
that led from Iolcus. To that dark pool she came where she had
bathed herself before. But now she did not step into the pool nor
pour its water over her shrinking flesh; instead she built up two
altars of green sods an altar to Youth and an altar to Hecate,
queen of the witches; she wreathed them with green boughs from
the forest, and she prayed before each. Then she made herself
naked, and she anointed herself with the brew she had made from
the magical herbs and grasses. All marks of age and decrepitude
left her, and when she stood over the dark pool and looked down
on herself she saw that her body was white and shapely as before,
and that her hair was soft and lovely.
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