stern-cables through their hands, and giving them to the sea, let them down to the strangers.[180] But we unsparing [of the toil,] when we beheld the crafty stratagem, laid hold of the female stranger and of the cables, and tried to drag the rudders from the fair-prowed ship from the steerage-place.  But words ensued:  “On what plea do ye take to the sea, stealing from this land the images and priestess?  Whose son art thou, who thyself, who art carrying this woman from the land?” But he replied, “Orestes, her brother, that you may know, the son of Agamemnon, I, having taken this my sister, whom I had lost from my house, am bearing her off.”  But naught the less we clung to the female stranger, and compelled them by force to follow us to thee, upon which arose sad smitings of the cheeks.  For they had not arms in their hands, nor had we; but fists were sounding against fists, and the arms of both the youths at once were aimed against our sides and to the liver, so that we at once were exhausted[181] and worn out in our limbs.  But stamped with horrid marks we fled to a precipice, some having bloody wounds on the head, others in the eyes, and standing on the heights, we waged a safer warfare, and pelted stones.  But archers, standing on the poop, hindered us with their darts, so that we returned back.  And meanwhile—­for a tremendous wave drove the ship against the land, and there was alarm [on board] lest she might dip her sheet-line[182]—­Orestes, taking his sister on his left shoulder, walked into the sea, and leaping upon the ladder, placed her within the well-banked ship, and also the image of the daughter of Jove, that fell from heaven.  And from the middle of the ship a voice spake thus, “O mariners of the Grecian ship, seize[183] on your oars, and make white the surge, for we have obtained the things on account of which we sailed o’er the Euxine within the Symplegades.”  But they shouting forth a pleasant cry, smote the brine.  The ship, as long indeed as it was within the port, went on; but, passing the outlet, meeting with a strong tide, it was driven back.  For a terrible gale coming suddenly, drives [the bark winged with well-fitted oars] poop-wise,[184] but they persevered, kicking against the wave, but an ebbing tide brought them again aground.  But the daughter of Agamemnon stood up and prayed, “O daughter of Latona, bring me, thy priestess, safe into Greece from a barbarian land, and pardon the stealing away of me.  Thou also, O Goddess, lovest thy brother, and think thou that I also love my kindred.”  But the sailors shouted a paean in assent to the prayers of the girl, applying on a given signal the point of the shoulders,[185] bared from their hands, to the oars.  But more and more the vessel kept nearing the rocks, and one indeed leaped into the sea with his feet, and another fastened woven nooses.[186] And I was immediately sent hither to thee, to tell thee, O king, what had happened there.  But go, taking fetters and halters in your hands, for, unless the wave shall become tranquil, there is no hope of safety for the strangers.  For the ruler of the sea, the revered Neptune, both favorably regards Troy, and is at enmity with the Pelopidae.  And he will now, as it seems, deliver up to thee and the citizens the son of Agamemnon, to take him into your hands, and his sister, who is detected ungratefully forgetting the Goddess in respect to the sacrifice at Aulis.[187]