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| Erasmus Quellinus II (1607–1678), Jason and the Golden Fleece (1630) |
Early Life
Jason, the son of the king of Iolcus, Aeson, had an uncertain maternal lineage, with different sources providing various names. However, it is most commonly believed that his mother was either Alcimede, the daughter of Clymene, or Polymede, one of Autolycus’ daughters. As an infant, Jason narrowly escaped death at the hands of his half-uncle Pelias, who sought to claim the throne of Aeson by eliminating all of Aeson's children. Despite Pelias' efforts, Jason was spared and sent away by his parents to be raised by the Centaur Chiron, who had mentored numerous heroes in the past. Meanwhile, Pelias received a warning from an oracle to beware of a man with a single sandal arriving from a distant land.
Jason Return to Iolcus
Upon reaching adulthood, Jason made his way back to Iolcus to participate in some games organized by Pelias in honor of Poseidon. While assisting a disguised Hera across the river Anaurus, Jason lost one of his sandals. Hera, who harbored resentment towards Pelias for his lack of reverence towards her, bestowed a secret blessing upon Jason at that moment, using him as a tool to orchestrate Pelias' downfall in the future. When Jason confronted Pelias, claiming his rightful position as Aeson's heir, Pelias sensed the impending threat and inquired what Jason would do if he encountered the individual fated to bring about his demise. Influenced by Hera's machinations to elevate his status, Jason responded that he would embark on a quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Subsequently, Pelias assigned Jason the task of obtaining the Golden Fleece, assuring him that upon successful completion, he would step down from the throne.
Jason and Argonauts
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| Constantine Volanakis Argo |
Gladly accepting the mission to bring the Golden Fleece from Colchis to Iolcus, Jason had a boat built and assembled a party of heroes, collectively called the Argonauts, after the name of the ship, Argo. In the course of their journey, Jason and the Argonauts met with many adventures and overcome them all.
The Argonauts
Argus: builder of the Argo.
Atalanta: the only female crew member, and the fastest human alive.
Castor and Pollux: the Gemini Twins, and brothers to Helen of Troy.
Euphemus: a Calydonian hunter with the ability to walk on water.
Hercules aka Heracles: the son of Zeus, famous for his Twelve Labors.
Idmon and Mopsus: the seers.
Jason: the hero of our story, and leader of the Argonauts.
King Laertes: father of Odysseus, but a minor Argonaut.
Lynceus: Messenian prince with X-ray vision.
Medea: wife of Jason, not an official Argonaut, but arguably the hero of the story.
Meleager: slayer of the Calydonian boar, but a minor Argonaut.
Orpheus: the greatest musician of the ancient world.
Peleus and Telamon: brothers and, respectively, the fathers of Achilles and Ajax.
Theseus: known as the slayer of the Minotaur, but a minor Argonaut.
Tiphys: the helmsman.
Zetes and Calais: the winged Boreads.
And many more
The Isle of Lemnos
Upon embarking on their journey, the Argonauts arrived at the island of Lemnos. This particular island was under the rule of Hypsipyle, and at the time of the Argonauts' arrival, it was solely inhabited by women. The reason behind this unique demographic was a tragic event that had occurred earlier, where the women had slain their husbands due to their rejection of them, influenced by a curse from Aphrodite. These husbands had chosen to abandon their wives due to the foul odor that emanated from them, and instead, they had taken Thracian concubines. During their stay on Lemnos, the Argonauts engaged in intimate relationships with the women of the island, resulting in the birth of a new lineage known as the Minyans. Notably, Jason himself fathered at least one child with none other than Hypsipyle, and this child was named Euneus.
The Gegeines
After departing from Lemnos, the Argonauts arrived at the land of the Doliones, where they were warmly welcomed by their ruler Cyzicus. While a majority of the Argonauts were out searching for provisions near Bear Mountain, the Gegeines, known as "the Earthborn," a tribe of six-armed giants residing on the same island, launched an attack on their ship. Heracles, a member of the Argonauts, fought valiantly and managed to defeat many of the giants before the rest of the crew arrived to repel the invaders. Later that night, the Argo attempted to sail away once more, but unfavorable winds forced them back to the island. Mistakenly believing that they were under attack by pirates, the Doliones attacked the ship. In the ensuing conflict, numerous Doliones, including their king Cyzicus who was killed by Jason, lost their lives. The next day, in the light of dawn, the remorseful Argonauts conducted a funeral for the fallen king. Cyzicus' wife, Cleite, overcome with grief, tragically took her own life by hanging herself.
Phineus and the Harpies
The Argonauts made their next port of call at Salmydessus in Thrace, where they encountered the blind King Phineus, who was nearly starved to death - a result of the Harpies, cruel monsters dispatched by Zeus to pilfer his food daily. Taking pity on Phineus, Jason instructed his crew to assist the king; by enticing the Harpies with a sumptuous banquet, the Boreads (Calais and Zetes) successfully drove the Harpies away permanently. In appreciation of Jason's aid, Phineus disclosed to the Argonauts the whereabouts of Colchis and the strategy to navigate through the Symplegades, also known as the Clashing Rocks.
The Symplegades
The Symplegades, huge rock cliffs capable of shifting and obliterating anything that ventured between them, posed a formidable obstacle. Phineus, in an attempt to gauge the fate of the ship, advised Jason to release a dove and observe its passage. Miraculously, the dove managed to navigate through the treacherous rocks, albeit with the loss of a few tail feathers. Consequently, when the Argo embarked on its perilous journey amidst the cliffs, only minor damages were incurred at the ship's stern.
At Colchis
Jason and the Argonauts finally arrived in Colchis, where they were greeted by King Aeetes. The Golden Fleece was under the king's possession, a gift from Phrixus who had arrived there years earlier on a flying golden ram. Aeetes proposed to give the fleece to Jason if he could accomplish a series of challenging tasks within a single day. Upon hearing the requirements, Jason was overwhelmed with despair.
Luckily, his protector-goddess Hera persuaded Aphrodite to persuade Eros to shoot one of his arrows at Medea, Aeetes' daughter, causing her to fall in love with Jason. Medea was not just an ordinary individual; she was a princess and a high priestess of Hecate, skilled in magic and sorcery.
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| John William Waterhouse (1849–1917), Jason and Medea (1907) |
Jason's initial challenge was to plow a field using the Khalkotauroi, two fire-breathing bulls with bronze hooves. Encouraged by her sister and Jason's promise of marriage after the quest, Medea provided Jason with an ointment that shielded him from the flames and rendered him nearly invincible. With the aid of the salve, Jason successfully harnessed the bulls and completed the task swiftly.
Jason's second task involved sowing dragon's teeth in the plowed field, which initially appeared to be a simple undertaking. However, upon completion, an unexpected outcome ensued as an army of stone warriors emerged from the earth. This task was meticulously prepared by Medea, who provided Jason with guidance. In a strategic move, Jason hurled a rock into the midst of the formidable warriors, inciting confusion among them as they were unaware of the source. Consequently, the warriors turned against one another, and by the time the sun set, Jason stood as the sole survivor on the battlefield.
Despite Jason's triumph, Aeetes, the ruler of Colchis, was not yet willing to relinquish the coveted Golden Fleece. Instead, he conspired with the prominent men of Colchis to orchestrate the demise of Jason and the Argonauts under the cover of darkness. Sensing the impending danger, Medea, driven by her apprehensions, made the decision to flee from her father's clutches and join forces with the Argonauts. She led Jason to a sacred oak tree where the Golden Fleece was suspended, guarded diligently by a vigilant and sleepless dragon. Leveraging her knowledge of potions and enchantments, Medea successfully induced slumber in the dragon, albeit temporarily, allowing Jason the opportunity to seize the Golden Fleece and transport it back to the Argo.
The Murder of Aeetes
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| Herbert James Draper (1863–1920), The Golden Fleece (1904) |
Following the successful retrieval of the Golden Fleece, Jason, Medea, and the Argonauts departed from Colchis. Aeetes attempted to pursue them, but Medea took the life of her brother Apsyrtus and cast his dismembered body into the sea, causing Aeetes to halt and retrieve the remains. Zeus, enraged by Medea's gruesome act of killing her brother, caused a number of storms Argonauts during their journey back home. In order to atone for their actions, Jason and Medea were compelled to make a stop at the island of Aeaea, where the nymph Circe, Aeetes' sister, cleansed them of their sin, unaware of its severity or nature. And so, the Argonauts continued their voyage.
The Sirens and Talos
During their return journey to Iolcus, the Argonauts encountered and successfully overcame numerous dangers, with two in particular standing out.
The first danger they faced was the Sirens, renowned for their ability to lure ships onto treacherous reefs with their enchanting voices. These captivating melodies had a mesmerizing effect on sailors and crews. However, the presence of Orpheus aboard the Argo made a significant difference. As a legendary poet, Orpheus skillfully played the lyre with such beauty and volume that it completely drowned out the Sirens' voices. This musical prowess proved instrumental in enabling the Argonauts to navigate past these alluring yet dangerous creatures.
Another formidable danger awaited the Argonauts near Crete in the form of Talos, a colossal man made of bronze. This imposing figure served as the guardian of the island and would hurl stones at any approaching vessel. However, the resourceful Medea devised a plan to neutralize this threat. Through her magical abilities, she cast a spell that allowed her to remove the plug sealing Talos' single vein, which contained his divine blood known as ichor. As a result, Talos swiftly succumbed to his demise, bleeding out due to the removal of this vital life force.
Aeson and Pelias
After a long absence, the Argonauts finally made their way back to their homeland. Upon their return, Jason was shocked to find his father, Aeson, aged significantly due to the passing of many years. Overwhelmed by the sight of his father's advanced age, Jason implored Medea to transfer some of his own life force to rejuvenate Aeson. However, instead of granting Jason's wish, Medea took a more drastic approach by slitting Aeson's throat and draining his old blood. She then replenished his veins with a potent elixir, causing Aeson to awaken forty years younger, restored to the prime of his youth. Prompted by the vengeful Hera, the daughters of Pelias sought Medea's help to revitalize their father in a similar manner. Unbeknownst to them, Medea deceived the daughters into performing the ritual again, but this time, she ensured that there would be no miraculous revival. Consequently, Pelias met his demise at the hands of his own children, leading to his son Acastus ascending to the throne and subsequently banishing Jason and Medea from the island.
Jason and Medea
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| Paulus Bor (c 1601–1669), The Disillusioned Medea (The Enchantress) (c 1640) |
The couple traveled to Corinth, where Jason developed feelings for King Creon's daughter, Creusa (also known as Glauce). Medea, filled with anger, confronted Jason, who chose to disregard her. In retaliation, Medea caused the death of Creusa by presenting her with a coronet and a poisoned garment that had similar effects to the Shirt of Nessus: "when Glauce wore the garment, she was engulfed in intense flames along with her father, who attempted to save her." Subsequently, Medea murdered Mermerus and Pheres, her two sons with Jason, either out of fear that he would harm them in revenge or to inflict upon him the utmost agony. Following this heinous act, Medea left Jason, fleeing to Athens on a chariot drawn by serpents, a gift from her grandfather, the Sun God Helios.
The Death of Jason
It has been suggested by some that Jason took his own life in a state of hopelessness shortly thereafter. On the other hand, there are those who are more compassionate and argue that, many years later, Jason was able to regain the throne of Iolcus with the assistance of his friend, Peleus. Nevertheless, even in this latter scenario - despite managing to become king again - Jason appeared to be a solitary and forlorn figure, a mere shadow of the once influential leader he had been. Furthermore, even though he achieved kingship, Jason met an undignified end: one fateful night, while resting beneath the stern of his once magnificent vessel Argo, a decaying beam collapsed and ended his life.