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The Argonautica

Apollonius Rhodius wrote the Greek epic The Argonautica.

The Argonautica is made up of four books. It tells the story of Jason and the Argonauts' quest for the Golden Fleece from the land of Colchis. In obtaining the fleece, Jason will be placed rightfully on the throne of Iolcus in Thessaly.

Nyx appears in Books Three and Four.


Her first mention is a bit farther than the middle of Book III.

"Then did Night (Nyx) draw darkness over the earth; and on the sea sailors from their ships looked towards the Bear and the stars of Orion; and now the wayfarer and the warder longed for Sleep, and the pall of slumber wrapped round the mother whose children were dead; nor was there any more the barking of dogs through the city, nor sound of men's voices; but silence held the blackening gloom."

Closer to the end of Book III, it speaks of Nyx harnessing her horses to prepare for her ride across the sky.

"Far away in the west the sun was sailing beneath the dark earth, beyond the furthest hills of the Aethiopians; and Night (Nyx) was laying the yoke upon her steeds; and the heroes were preparing their beds by the hawsers."


Onto Book IV, Nyx's first mention is again near the middle of the book and gives insight to where she dwells.

"Now that river, rising from the ends of the earth, where are the portals and mansions of Night (Nyx), on one side bursts forth upon the beach of Ocean, at another pours into the Ionian sea, and on the third through seven mouths sends its stream to the Sardinian sea and its limitless bay."

More directly in the middle of Book IV, Nyx is depicted in a gentler manner than other texts describe her.

"And the host were all wearied and Night came on them, Night (Nyx) that puts to rest the works of men, and lulled all the earth to sleep; but to the maid no sleep brought rest, but in her bosom her heart was wrung with anguish."

Yet in her last mentioning in The Argonautica, she is but gloomy Nyx.

"Now dawn returning with her beams divine scattered the gloomy night through the sky; and the island beaches laughed out and the paths over the plains far off, drenched with dew, and there was a din in the streets; the people were astir throughout the city, and far away the Colchians were astir at the bounds of the isle of Macris."





Internet sources:
OMACL - The Argonautica, Book III
OMCAL - The Argonautica, Book IV



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