by Neil Smith
JASON AND THE
ARGONAUTS
AUTHOR: NEIL SMITH
ILLUSTRATOR: JOSÉ DANIEL CABRERA PEÑA
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
BOOK I: THE JOURNEY BEGINS
The Man with One Sandal The Argo The Quest Begins Into the Storm Interlude on Lemnos
The Monstrous Sacrifice The Mount of Bears
The Loss of Heracles
BOOK II: THE VOYAGE TO COLCHIS
The Bebrycian Boxing Match Phineas and the Harpies
The Clashing Rocks Apollo and Lycus
Disaster Strikes The Birds of Ares Colchis
BOOK III: THE GOLDEN FLEECE
Medea Aeëtes Lively Debate
The Treacherous King The Trials of Jason
The Golden Fleece
BOOK IV: THE JOURNEY HOME
The Wrathful King Jason’s Shameful Act
Divine Punishment Circe Sirens Scylla and Charybdis
Return of the Colchians The Endless Desert
The Deaths of Canthus and Mopsus The Tritonian Lake
Darkness and Light The Return to Iolcus
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
INTRODUCTION
The story of Jason and the Argonauts, and their search for the Golden Fleece, is one of the oldest in the western canon. As such, it sits beside Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey as one of our few non-archaeological insights into the world of Bronze Age Greece. At its most basic level, the story tells of a voyage of exploration from Iolcus in Greece along the Black Sea to the kingdom of Aeëtes, in the vicinity of modern-day Georgia.
The journey probably took place around 1300 BC, before the wars with Troy described by Homer. As with Homer’s epics, though, the retelling of events through the ages introduced contemporary ideas and mores into the original story, creating a fog of information that has taken sophisticated scholarship to penetrate. Even with all that work, many mysteries remain, and debate continues over the major issues of myth and history, cultural interpolation, and the meaning of the story.
Jason’s story began life as an oral history passed down through the generations. The most complete written version that has survived was recorded by the Hellenistic scholar Apollonius of Rhodes in the first half of the 3rd century BC. He worked at the library of Alexandria and infused the story of Jason with the latest cultural and scholarly knowledge. Apollonius’s literary inspiration probably came from the 5th century Theban poet Pindar, who wrote a brief account of Jason’s voyage in his fourth Pythian ode. It would be another three hundred years before an updated version of the Jason myth was again written, this time by a Roman, Gaius Valerius Flaccus.
As with Apollonius, little is now known about Valerius Flaccus. He lived in the first century AD in the town of Setia, south of Rome, and may have been reasonably prominent amongst his contemporaries. His only existing work, however, is the incomplete Argonautica. Flaccus based the style of his poetic version on Virgil’s Aeneid, but his epic was not of the same quality. Nevertheless, Flaccus’s version of the myth added significant new elements to the story and opened up debates over the characters involved, especially the hero of the story and his relationship to both his crew and Medea. With two versions available to them, literary historians have embarked on their own voyage into the nature of the epic poem, and how the story has been told through the ages.
Various modern translations of Apollonius and Valerius Flaccus have been attempted, along with two big movie productions and a video game. While they differ in intent and accuracy, texts and movies point to a continued fascination with the story of Jason, his hunt for the legendary Golden Fleece, and his dramatic love affair with the enigmatic princess – and sorceress – Medea.
At its heart, the Argonautica is a quest story that sets the narrative foundation for future great adventures, such as the medieval Grail-quest romances of King Arthur and Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings in the twentieth century. They are all stories in which men and women interact with supernatural forces while undergoing a series of trials on their way to recover a mystical object; monsters stalk the adventurers and some die along the way; heroes rise and fall according to circumstance, and romance is never far away.
Somewhere along the path, through the mists of time, and amidst intense scholarly analysis, the incredible story of Jason and his intrepid crew has become obfuscated in many ways. We no longer believe in the gods of the Greeks, for example, and reconstructions of the quest are rationalized on the basis of modern knowledge. Some analysts are more focused on literary aspects, and movies have their own agendas to pursue. This version of the tale presents the Argonautica without judgement or prejudice, as a straightforward story for the enjoyment of the reader, compiled from the various translations – most conspicuously those of Apollonius, with the assistance of Valerius Flaccus.
A 17th century map illustrating the regions through which Jason and the Argonauts travelled.
BOOK I: THE JOURNEY BEGINS
The Man with One Sandal
The story of how Jason and his Argonauts retrieved the Golden Fleece begins in the small kingdom of Iolcus in eastern Greece. It was here that Pelias usurped the throne from his half-brother, Aeson, in a ruthless coup, and launched a reign of terror. An oracle had warned the new king that he would die at the hands of a descendant of Aeolus. Pelias therefore set about killing every Aeolian he could lay hands on, but spared Aeson for the sake of their mother. Aeson instead had to renounce his inheritance and remain a prisoner in Pelias’s palace. The king’s mercy did not extend to any child of Aeson’s, however; so when Aeson’s wife gave birth to a son, she and her midwives pretended he was stillborn. He was then smuggled out of the city to the safety of Mount Pelion where Cheiron the Centaur raised him as Jason. On reaching manhood, at the age of twenty, Jason set off for Iolcus to recover his rightful inheritance. Cheiron wished him well and waved goodbye, and, with that, Jason walked off to find his destiny.
The Education of Achilles by James Barry. Cheiron the Centaur served as a tutor and surrogate father to many of the heroes of Ancient Greece, including Jason.
A second oracle had cautioned Pelias that the man prophesied to kill him would arrive while wearing only one sandal. Years passed but no one fitting that unusual description came to Iolcus, and the king got on with the business of ruling his kingdom. One of the most important functions of Greek rulers was to honour the gods through regular devotions, feasts, and games. Pelias also had a personal reason to do so, as his father was Poseidon, god of the sea. Conversely, dishonouring the gods could result in dire consequences, especially for kings.
In Pelias’s case, he had once offended the goddess Hera, the wife of the all-powerful Zeus, by killing his stepmother in Hera’s temple. When, one day well into his reign, Pelias organized an Olympiad in honour of Poseidon, Hera seized her chance. If her plan worked, the prophecy would come true and the goddess would have her revenge.
THE GOLDEN FLEECE
The story of the Golden Fleece originated in the generation before Jason launched his epic voyage. It was then that the king of Boeotia, Athamas, had had an affair with Ino while still married to his queen Nephele. The queen was furious to be supplanted by Ino but there was little she could do other than rant about the travesty. In the meantime, Ino plotted to destroy Nephele’s children, Phrixus and Helle, so that her sons by Athamas – Learches and Melicertes – would inherit the kingdom. To that end, Ino had tainted corn seed sown for the next growing season, resulting in a complete crop failure. Athamas, as predicted by Ino, consulted the Delphic Oracle to find a solution, but Ino bribed the king’s messengers to bring back instructions that Athamas was to sacrifice Phrixus if he wanted the crops to grow again. Although devastated, the king had no o
ption but to acquiesce.
On hearing of this hideous bargain, Zeus ordered the god Hermes to send a winged, golden ram to rescue Phrixus and carry him off to Colchis where he would be safe. Phrixus’s sister, Helle, jumped on board too but fell off into the sea, giving her name to the Hellespont that separates Asia and Europe. On his arrival in Colchis, well out of the reach of the Greeks – or so he believed – Phrixus sacrificed the ram to Zeus and gave the Fleece to King Aeëtes of Colchis for safekeeping. Aeëtes placed the Fleece in a tree where it lay under the protection of a great serpent.
Phrixus riding the golden ram. (Stefano Bolognini)
Jason had come to the River Anaurus, which was his last obstacle before reaching Iolcus. As he was about to wade across, he saw a small old woman on his side of the river, who could not get over on her own. Jason offered to carry her across, and she duly accepted. Jason was stunned at how heavy the woman was, not knowing he carried Hera in disguise, and he staggered, losing his sandal in the process. With this part of her scheme accomplished, Hera climbed down on to dry land, and promptly vanished. A bemused Jason looked round for the woman, and his sandal, but he had no time to waste on such small mysteries. Jason gathered himself and carried on down the road.
King Pelias was still at his Olympiad when the one-sandaled man walked in, but if he felt any surprise, he hid it well. Rather, he invited the young man to the evening feast. There he asked the newcomer his name and parentage. “Jason, formerly Diomedes, son of Aeson,” replied the interloper. Pelias followed up quickly, asking Jason what he would do if an oracle warned that a citizen was going to kill him. Jason took the bait, replying that he would send the threatening man on a quest to fetch the Golden Fleece from Colchis, knowing that he would never return from such a hazardous mission. Pelias now revealed his identity to his uninvited guest. Jason countered by declaring his ancestry, and told Pelias that he was here to take back his rightful inheritance. The king sprung his trap, telling Jason that the land was cursed and only by retrieving the Golden Fleece could it prosper once more; if Jason made it back with the Fleece, however, Pelias would abdicate.
Hera, queen of the gods and Jason’s strongest ally in Olympus. (Farnese Collection)
Jason had left himself two choices: accept the mission, or withdraw in humiliation from the challenge. The epic quest for the Golden Fleece was about to begin.
The Argo
The news that an audacious attempt to recover the Golden Fleece was about to get underway flashed like wildfire through the Greek world, energizing men and gods alike. Of the latter, Hera’s interest was already engaged through Pelias’s disrespect, and it was she who put the thought of taking the challenge into Jason’s head when Pelias dropped his loaded question at the feast. Jason also appealed to Pallas Athena, goddess of wisdom and courage, to add her inspiration and support to the expedition. In return, he promised to adorn her temple with the recaptured Fleece. Athena heard Jason’s prayer and whispered into the mind of the master boatbuilder Argus that he must create the ship to carry Jason and his men – the ship would be named the Argo in his honour. For her part, Hera helped spread the word of the quest, making sure the best possible men would assemble to form Jason’s crew.
THE ARGO CREW LIST
The crew list for the Argo reads like a who’s who of legendary Greek characters, many of whom were directly connected to, and even sons of, the gods. It includes:
Acastus: Son of the usurper Pelias.
Admetus: king of Pherae.
Aethalides: Son of the god Hermes, could remember everything.
Amphidamas: From Arcadia, son of Aleus.
Amphion: Son of Hyperasius.
Ancaeus: From Arcadia, arrived wearing a bearskin and carrying a great double-edged axe.
Ancaeus: From Parthenia, son of Poseidon.
Areius: From Argus, son of Pero.
Argus: Builder of the Argo.
Asterion: Brother of Amphion.
Atalanta: The only woman on the quest, she had been raised by bears and fought like one.
Augeas: king of the Eleans, brother of Aeëtes of Colchis.
Butes: Son of noble Teleon.
Calaïs: Winged son of the god Boreas.
Canthus: From Euboea but would never return from the quest.
Castor: From Sparta, brother of Polydeuces.
Cepheus: Brother of Amphidamas.
Clytius: Son of cruel Eurytus.
Coronus: A brave man from Gyrton in Thessaly.
Echion: Son of Hermes, brother of Erytus.
Erginus: Brother of Ancaeus, son of Poseidon.
Eribotes: Son of Teleon.
Erytus: Brother of Echion.
Euphemus: Son of Poseidon who could run across water.
Eurydamas: Son of Cteminus.
Eurytion: Son of Irus.
Heracles: The legendary hero.
Hylas: Youthful squire to Heracles.
Idas: Brother of Lynceus.
Idmon: Seer who knew he would die on the journey but came anyway.
Iphicles: Arrived with Meleager, and an expert with javelin and in hand-to-hand fighting.
Iphitos: Brother of Clytius.
Iphitus: Jason’s maternal uncle.
Laërtes: Father of Odysseus.
Laocoön: Sent to act as a guide for Meleager.
Leodocus: From Argos, son of Pero.
Lynceus: Possessed extraordinary eyesight, brother of Idas.
Meleager: Leader of the famous hunt for the Calydonian boar.
Menoetius: Son of Actor, father of Patroclus.
Mopsus: Prophet who understood the language of birds.
Nauplius: Descendant of Danaus.
Oileus: Skilled at pursuing a broken enemy.
Orpheus: His songs could charm the mountains and rivers.
Palaemonius: Crippled in both feet, like his father, Hephaestus, but not lacking in courage.
Peleus: From Phthia; exiled son of Aeacus, and father of Achilles.
Periclymenus: Son of Neleus, who could transform into various animals.
Phalerus: The Athenian who carried an ashen spear.
Phlias: Son of Dionysus.
Polydeuces: Brother of Castor, skilled with horses.
Polyphemus: A veteran of the war against the Centaurs.
Talaus: From Argos, son of Pero.
Telamon: From Attica, brother of Peleus and also exiled.
Tiphys: The expert navigator, sent by Athena.
Zetes: Brother of Calaïs, also a winged warrior.
Athena, goddess of wisdom and war, also proved a strong supporter of Jason and the Argonauts during their quest. (Found ca. 1770 in Tusculum in the Villa of Licinius Murena / Vitold Muratov)
It did not take long for an all-star crew of heroes to gather in Iolcus. Indeed, some were already well on their way to legendary status themselves. Orpheus, for example, created such beautiful music with his lyre that he could charm the rocks and trees, and change the course of rivers. Tiphys of Thespia came at the direct behest of Athena, for his skill in determining from the sun and the stars the best times to sail. The twins, Polydeuces and Castor, came from Sparta, and both were expert horsemen. Lynceus could see further and better than any other man, even, it was said, through walls. Another crewman, Mopsus, could hear the future in the language of birds, though in demonstrating this he also saw that he would not return to Colchis from this mission. Idmon too possessed the gift of prophecy. Periclymenus’s extraordinary skill was to alter his shape in any way he wanted during combat. Zetes and Calaïs, sons of Boreas, had wings and could fly. Polyphemus had fought against Centaurs long before this voyage, and was still a formidable warrior. Jason’s uncle, Iphitus, came along as part of his familial obligations. Hermes’s cunning sons Erytus and Echion arrived on hearing the call. Ancaeus reached Iolcus dressed in a bearskin and brought with him a monstrous two-handed battleaxe. Atalanta the huntress joined the crew to become the only woman in the ship’s company. Greece’s mightiest warrior Heracles heard o
f the impending adventure while in the middle of his legendary twelve labours. He dropped everything to travel to Iolcus, bringing with him his young weapon carrier, Hylas. Argus the shipbuilder would not stay behind while his creation sailed, and, finally, Acastus, the son of King Pelias, joined in, much to the shock and annoyance of his father. Collectively, the locals called the crew the Minyans for their association with Minyas, who had founded Boeotia; they became known to history and legend as the Argonauts.
The Quest Begins
While the crewmembers arrived in ones and twos, Argus had got on with the job of building and provisioning his ship. When all was ready, the Argonauts gathered in the city to march down to the beach, where the Argo now waited for her launching. In a scene reminiscent of men going off to risk their lives throughout history, the people of Iolcus crowded round, the women noisily exhorting the gods to watch over the intrepid adventurers.
One of those most affected was Jason’s mother, Alcimede. As he prepared to leave her house, she clung to Jason in sorrow and regret that he should be the one to make the attempt on the Golden Fleece. Jason told her not to grieve, because that might prove an ill omen. He added that the gods would look after him and the Argonauts, and that the oracles were in their favour. Untangling himself from his mother’s embrace, Jason left her to take his place on the beach.
Athena helps Argus and Jason to build the Argo. (Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons)
When the tumult died down and crowds had dispersed, the Argonauts stood together on the beach, beside the sail and the mast. Jason asked them all to sit, and announced that, as they would be sailing soon, it was time to elect a leader. There was only one candidate for most of the Argonauts and they chanted his name: Heracles. The great man of legend would hear none of it, however, and quietened the furore with an outstretched hand. Not only would he not accept the captaincy of the expedition, he refused to even hear the matter debated. As far as he was concerned there was only one captain, and that was Jason. The Argonauts nodded their assent, then Jason rose to speak. His first orders were for the crew to drag the ship down to the sea, and complete the provisioning. In the meantime, they were to prepare a feast and sacrifice two bulls to honour the god Apollo, who, through an oracle, had promised to show them the way across the sea. With that, Jason turned to the work at hand, getting the ship ready for launch.
