Jason and the Argonauts and the

Quest for the Golden Fleece

 Jason’s Background
• Jason was the son of Aeson, King of
Iolcus
• Alcimede (or Polymede) was his wife
• They had several children, including
a baby, Jason
• He is overthrown by his brother,
Pelias, as Jason is born
 Pelias
• Son of Poseidon and
Tyro (wife of Cretheus).
Has a brother named
Neleus
• Adopted by Cretheus,
assumed the throne
upon Cretheus’ death.
 Pelias
• Pelias, the half
brother of Aeson,
kills off Aeson’s
family but either lets
Aeson live as a
private citizen, or
puts him in prison.
 Chiron
• Jason was smuggled out
of Iolcus and sent to be
raised by Chiron, a
centaur that also
trained: Asclepius,
Ajax, Aeneas, Actaeon,
Theseus, Achilles,
Peleus, Telamon,
Heracles, Oileus, and
Phoenix.
• Chiron teaches Jason
the ways of the hero.
 Jason’s Return
• Jason grows up and
decides to return to
Iolcus to claim the throne
which is rightfully his.
• On his way home Jason
comes across Hera who is
angry at Pelias for not
honoring her.
• Jason carries her,
disguised as an old
woman, across a river.
He loses a sandal in the
crossing, but gains Hera’s
support.
 An Impossible Task
• Pelias, aware of a prophecy that he should be
killed by a man wearing one sandal is startled
to see Jason.
• However, instead of fighting Jason, Pelias
comes up with a plan that he hopes will kill
Jason.
• Pelias tells Jason he will give him the throne if
he brings back the Golden Fleece. Jason
accepts.
 Preparing for a Journey
• Jason seeks out Argos, the greatest ship
builder in Greece, to build a ship for his
journey.
• Jason holds contests to assemble the greatest
heroes of all Greece to accompany him on his
quest.
 The Argonauts
• There is much debate over who exactly was
an Argonaut but there number that everyone
seems to agree on is that there were 50 of
them.
• Most Greek cities would claim to have an
Argonaut as their founder.
 The Crew
• Argos is the first to volunteer.
• Orpheus could charm all of nature with his
music. The Argonauts rowed to his playing.
• Zetes and Calais, the sons of Boreas, the North
Wind soon joined the crew.
• Pelieus, Father of Achilles.
• Telamon, Father of Ajax.
• Castor and Pollux, brothers of Helen of Troy.
 The Crew (Continued)
• Lynceus (superhuman eyesight) and his brother Idas
• Tiphys (the helmsman)
• Euphemus (son of Poseidon who could run across water
without even wetting his feet)
• Mopsus (prophetic powers).
• Idmon (prophetic powers – saw that he would die on the
journey but went anyway).
• Periclymenus (could change into various animals)
• Acastus, son of Pelias, joins the quest at the last minute
(Sent by his Father to make sure Jason would fail).
• Hercules, who is offered command but defers to Jason.
 The Journey Begins.
• The Argonauts first stop is
the island of Lemnos.
• Women were not
thankful to Aphrodite
• She made them smell so
bad their husbands
cheated on them
• The women then killed all
the men
• Jason and Argonauts
repopulate Lemnos.
• Only Heracles does not
participate in the
repopulation efforts
 Arctonessus (Bear Island)
• The Argonauts land at
Arctonessus (Bear Island)
near the home of King
Cyzicus, who warmly
welcomes them.
• There they come across
the Gegenees, six-armed
giants of Mysia (Bear
Mountain).
• Heracles slays the giants
with his bow and club.
 A Horrible Twist of Fate.
• King Cyzicus sends
them off with gifts.
• They sail away, but
are blown back at
night by a storm
• The Doliones,
thinking they are
being invaded by
pirates, attack the
Argonauts and
Cyzicus is killed.
 Cios
• The Argonauts land
in Bithynia so
Heracles can make a
new oar.
• Heracles’ young
friend Hylas goes to
fetch some water
• He is abducted by
water nymphs
• Heracles leaves the
quest to search for
Hylas and does not
rejoin it.
 King Amycus
• Next the Argonauts come to the Island
kingdom of King Amycus, the son of Poseidon.
• Refused the Argonauts any food or water
unless one of them fought with him.
• King Amycus was a skilled boxer. He would
stop all visitors and force them to box with
them. They usually died.
• Polydeuces kills Amycus.
• Argonauts are driven from the Island.
 King Amycus
• Son of Poseidon and
Melia.
• Married Theona and
had a son named
Mimas
• Refused the Argonauts
any food or water
unless one of them
fought with him.
 Salmydessus
• The Argonauts arrive in Salmydessus.
• Here they find that the blind prophet Phineus is
plagued by Harpies – part bird and part woman.
The harpies were punishment from Helios.
• Phineus promises to help the Argonauts if they
will rid him of the curse of the Harpies.
• Zetes and Calais, the sons of the North wind,
Boreas, drive away the Harpies.
• In exchange for their help, Phineus tells the
Argonauts how to pass the Symplegades
 The Symplegades
• Two rocks that crush ships
• Phineus tells Jason to send a dove in first, and if
the dove makes it through, so can the Argo
• Euphemus, Poseidon’s son who could walk on
water, releases the dove.
• The dove passes through with only its tail
feathers being clipped.
• Some say that Poseidon or Athena helped the
Argo pass, with only the stern (rear) getting
clipped.
• The Symplegades remained fixed thereafter.
 Side Notes
• The Argonauts visit a couple little places not
worth mentioning, but a few things happen:
• Tiphys the helmsman and Idmon the seer die.
Idmon had seen that he would die on the
voyage.
• They avoid the Amazons at Themiscyra
• On the Island of Ares, they meet Phrixus’ sons,
who tell them about Colchis and drive off a
flock of birds who could shoot their feathers
like arrows
 Arriving in Colchis
• King Aeetes greets the Argonauts and
introduces Jason to his daughter Medea.
• Medea is a priestess of Hecate, Goddess of
witchcraft.
• Jason reveals to Aeetes his quest.
• Aeetes tell Jason he may claim the Fleece if he
passes several challenges:
– He must yoke fire-breathing oxen and plow a field
– He must plant dragon teeth in the ground
– He must defeat the soldiers which spring from the ground
– Then defeat the serpent that guards the Golden Fleece
 Medea’s Help
• Medea falls in love with
Jason and decides to
help him.
• Jason, with the
protection of an
ointment provided by
Medea, yokes the fire-
breathing bulls and
plows the field
 The Dragon-teeth Men (Spartoi)
• The teeth originated
from the Colchian
Dragon. They would
turn into men called
“Spartoi” once sown in
the ground
• Jason threw a stone in
their midst. They
fought amongst
themselves, and he kills
the rest.
 The Colchian Dragon
• A child of Typhon and Echidna,
the giant serpent that guarded
the Golden Fleece was said to
have never slept or rested.
• The monster was said to have
a crest and 3 tongues or heads
depending on the storyteller.
• Jason defeated the Colchian
Dragon with the help of
Medea and Orpheus.
• Medea put the dragon to
sleep with potions.
• Orpheus kept it asleep by
playing on his lyre.
 The Argonauts begin their Return
Voyage
• Know this King Aeethes is pursuing the Argo,
Medea chops up her brother, Apsyrtus.
• The Colchians must stop to gather the pieces,
and the Argo escapes.
 The Island of Circe
• The Argo stops at the Island of Circe, Medea’s
aunt where they are purified for the murder
of Apsyrtus.
 More Dangers
• The Argo must pass the island of the Sirens
• However, Orpheus plays music so beautiful
that the Sirens stop to hear his song, allowing
the Argo to pass unharmed.
• The Argonauts pass Scylla and Charybdis
unscathed with the help of Thetis ( the
prophet).
 Scheria, land of the Phaeacians
• Jason, Medea and the Argonauts find a fleet
of Colchians waiting for them in Phaeacia
• Arete, the queen, persuades her husband,
King Alcinous, not to hand over Medea to the
Colchians
• The Colchians settle in Corcyra rather than
return to the wrath of Aeetes in Colchis
 Island of Talos
• Talos, a great bronze giant protected the
island.
• Medea tells Jason that the only way to defeat
Talos was to remove the plug in his heel
 Return to Iolcus
• Jason returns to Iolcus and shows Pelias the
treasure.
• When it is clear Pelias will not return the
kingdom to Jason, Medea hatches a plan.
 Medea’s Horrible Plan
• Pelias and his daughters watch
as Medea chops up an old
ram, puts it in her magic pot,
and brings it forth young
again.
• Medea convinces Pelias’
daughters to make him young.
• In the middle of the night the
daughters, accompanied by
Medea, chop up Pelias. When
they turn to put the pieces in
the pot, they find that Medea
has vanished.
 The Aftermath
• Jason and Medea are driven from Iolcus for this
horrible act and they eventually go to Corinth.
• They have two children, but Jason later receives
an offer to marry Glauce, daughter of King Creon.
• Jason decides to marry Glauce and to put Medea
into exile.
• Medea, despondent and vengeful, plots a
dreadful act.
 Medea’s Revenge and Finale
• Medea sends Glauce a golden dress and
coronet, which she poisons.
• Both King Creon and Glauce die as a result.
• Medea also kills two sons she had with Jason.
• Destraught Jason watches as Medea flees
their home in a chariot pulled by two dragons.
• In Corinth Jason dies alone, without family or
friends, when a piece of the rotting Argo falls
on him.