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And fulfilment; for thou, even thou, to the emprise didst kindle my soul.

Now therefore my ship with my comrades safe and sound bring thou

Thither, and back unto Hellas again: and to thee do we vow,

For as many of us as shall win safe home, on thine altar to lay

Burnt offerings so many of goodly bulls: therewithal will I pay

At Pytho thy shrine, and Ortygia, other gifts beyond price.

Come then, Far-smiter, accept at our hands this sacrifice,{420}

Which now, at our going abroad, for the sake of this our ship

We offer, our first of all: and with prosperous weird may I slip

The hawsers, by thy devising: and soft bid blow the breeze

Whereby we may fare on ever through calm of summer seas.’

With the prayer then cast he the meal: and now for the slaughtering these

Girded themselves, Ankaius the mighty, and Herakles.

And this with his club on the forehead smote the steer mid-head;

And heavily all in a heap to the earth it dropped down dead.

And Ankaius hewed with his brazen axe at the second steer