Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Jason and the by The – Apollonius of Rhodes – Ancient Greece – Classical Literature. “The Argonautica”​ is the best known work by the 3rd Century BCE Hellenistic poet and scholar, Apollonius of Rhodes . It is an epic poem in the style of Homer , and tells the story of Jason and the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece. But it is Greek epic poetry updated for the tastes of a more discerning and rational Hellenistic audience. Little regarded in ancient times, it has since come to be recognized for its own intrinsic merit, and for its influence on later Latin poets. Synopsis. Pelias, king of Iolcus in Thessaly, has been warned in a prophesy that a man with only one sandal will one day bring about his downfall. When news comes that Jason has recently lost a sandal, Pelias decides to send him on an apparently impossible and suicidal task: to bring back the mythical Golden Fleece from Colchis, on the distant and dangerous shores of the Black Sea, a land ruled over by the warlike King Aetes. Jason, however, recruits a band of heroes to help him in this venture, and makes ready a ship called the Argo (built by the shipwright Argus, according to instruction from the goddess Athena). Initially, the crew elect Heracles as leader of the quest, but Heracles insists on deferring to Jason. Although Jason is glad for this vote of confidence, he remains worried as some of the crew are clearly unconvinced of his worthiness for the task. But Orpheus’ music calms the crew, and soon the ship itself calls to them to set sail. The first port of call is Lemnos, ruled over by Queen Hypsipyle. The women of Lemnos have killed off all their menfolk, and are keen that the crew of the Argo should stay with them. Hypsipyle instantly falls in love with Jason, and Jason soon moves into her palace, along with most of his fellow questers. Only Heracles remains unmoved, and is able to make Jason and the other Argonauts see sense and continue the journey. Next, while travelling through the Hellespont, the Argo encounters a region inhabited by hostile six-handed savages and by the much more civilized Doliones people. However, the Argonauts and the Doliones end up fighting each other by accident, and Jason (also accidentally) kills their king. After some magnificent funeral rites, the two factions are reconciled, but the Argo is delayed by adverse winds until the seer Mopsus realizes that it is necessary to establish a cult to the mother of the gods (Rhea or Cybele) among the Doliones. At the next landfall, at the river Cius, Heracles and his friend Polyphemus goes off in search of Heracles‘ handsome young squire Hylas, who has been abducted by a water . The ship leaves without the three heroes, but the sea divinity Glaucus assures them that this is all part of the divine plan. As Book 2 begins, the Argo reaches the land of King Amycus of the Bebrycians, who challenges any Argonaut champion to a boxing match. Anger by this disrespect, Polydeukes accepts the challenge, and beats the hulking Amycus by guile and superior skill. The Argo departs amid further threats from the warlike Bebrycians. Next, they encounter Phineas, cursed by Zeus with extreme old age, blindness and constant visits from the Harpies for giving away divine secrets due to his gift of prophesy. The Argonauts Zetes and Calais, sons of the north wind, chase away the Harpies, and the grateful blind old man tell the Argonauts how to get to Colchis and, in particular, how to avoid the Clashing Rocks en route. Avoiding this natural menace, the Argo arrives in the Black Sea, where the questers build an altar to Apollo, who they see flying overhead on his way to the Hyperboreans. Passing the river Acheron (one of the entrances to Hades), they are warmly welcomed by Lycus, king of the Mariandynians. The prophet Idmon and the pilot Tiphys both die unrelated deaths here, and, after suitable funeral rites, the Argonauts continue their quest. After pouring libations for the ghost of Sthenelus, and taking on board three more of Heracles‘ old acquaintances from his campaign against the Amazons, the Argonauts carefully pass the river Thermodon, the Amazons’ main harbour. After fighting off the birds that defend an island devoted to the war-god Ares, the Argonauts welcome into their number four sons of the exiled Greek hero Phrixus (and grandsons of Aetes, king of Colchis). Finally, approaching Colchis, they witness Zeus’ huge eagle flying to the Caucasus mountains, where it feeds daily on the liver of Prometheus. In Book 3 , the Argo is hidden in a backwater of the river Phasis, the main river of Colchis, while Athena and Hera discuss how best to help the quest. They enlist the help of Aphrodite, goddess of love, and her son Eros, in making Medea, daughter of the king of Colchis, fall in love with Jason. Jason, along with King Aetes’ grandsons, make an initial attempt to gain the Golden Fleece by persuasion rather than arms, but Aetes is unimpressed, and sets Jason another apparently impossible task first: he must plough the Plain of Ares with fire-breathing oxen, then sow four acres of the plain with dragon’s teeth, and finally cut down the crop of armed men that will spring up before they can cut him down. Medea, affected by Eros’ arrow of love, looks for a way to help Jason with this task. She conspires with her sister Chalciope (mother to the four young men of Colchis now in Jason‘s band of warriors), and eventually comes up with a plan to help Jason by means of her drugs and spells. Medea secretly meets with Jason outside the temple of Hecate, where she is a priestess, and it becomes clear that Medea‘s love for Jason is requited. In return for her help, Jason promises to marry her and make her famous throughout Greece. On the day set for the trial of strength, Jason, strengthened by Medea‘s drugs and spells, succeeds in carrying out King Aetes’ apparently impossible task. Stung by this unexpected setback to his plans, Aetes plots to cheat Jason out of his prize. Book 4 begins with Medea planning to flee Colchis, now that her father is aware of her treasonous actions. Doors open for her by magic, and she joins the Argonauts at their camp. She puts to sleep the serpent that guards the Golden Fleece, so that Jason can take it and escape back to the Argo. The Argo flees Colchis, hotly pursued by two fleets of ships. One fleet, led by Medea‘s brother Apsyrtus (or Absyrtus), follows the Argo up the river Ister to the Sea of Cronus, where Apsyrtus finally corners the Argonauts. A deal is struck whereby Jason can keep the Golden Fleece, which he won fairly after all, but Medea‘s fate must be decided by a mediator chose from neighbouring kings. Fearing that she will never get away, Medea lures Apsyrtus into a trap where Jason kills him and then dismembers him to avoid retribution from the Erinyes (Fates). Without their leader, the Colchian fleet is easily overcome, and they choose to flee themselves rather than face Aetes’ wrath. Zeus, though, furious at the insupportable murder, condemns the Argonauts to wander far out of their way on their return journey. They are blown all the way back to the river Eridanus, and thence to the Sardinian Sea and the realm of the witch, Circe. Circe, however, absolves Jason and Medea of any blood-guilt, and Hera also prevails on the sea nymph Thetis to help the group. With the help of the sea , the Argo is able to safely pass the Sirens (all except Butes, that is), and also the Wandering Rocks, eventually arriving the island of Drepane, off the western coast of Greece. There, however, they encounter the other Colchian fleet, which is still pursuirng them. Alcinous, the king of Drepane, agrees to mediate between the two forces, although secretly planning to give Medea up to the Colchians unless she can prove that she is properly married to Jason. Alcinous’ wife, Queen Arete, warns the lovers of this plan, and Jason and Medea are secretly wed in a sacred cave on the island, so that the Colchians are finally forced to give up their claims on Medea, and they decide to settle locally rather than risk returning to Colchis. The Argo, though, is blown off course once again, towards an interminable sandbank off the coast of Libya called the Syrtes. Seeing no way out, the Argonauts split up and wait to die. But they are visited by three nymphs, who act as the guardians of Libya, and who explain what the questers need to do in order to survive: they must carry the Argo across the deserts of Libya. After twelve days of this torment, they arrive at Lake Triton and the Garden of the Hesperides. They are astonished to hear that Heracles was there just the previous day, and that they have missed him again. The Argonauts lose two more of their number – the seer Mopsus dies from a snake bite, and from a wound – and are begining to despair again, until Triton takes pity on them and reveals a route from the lake to the open sea. Triton entrusts Euphemus with a magical clod of earth that will one day become the island of Thera, the stepping stone that will later allow Greek colonists to settle Libya. The tale ends with the Argonauts’ visit to the island of Anaphe, where they institute a cult in honour of Apollo, and finally to Aegina (close to Jason‘s ancestral home), where they establish a sporting festival competition. Analysis. Apollonius ‘ “Argonautica” is the only surviving epic poem from the Hellenistic period, despite evidence that many such narrative epic poems were in fact written during that time. Its date is uncertain, with some sources placing it during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (283-246 BCE), and others at the time of Ptolemy III Euergetes (246-221 BCE). Mid-3rd Century BCE is, then, perhaps as close as we can justifiably estimate, the mid-date of c. 246 BCE being a reasonable figure for that. The story of Jason and the Argonaut’s quest for the Golden Fleece would have been quite familiar to Apollonius ‘ contemporaries, although Jason is only mentioned fleetingly in Homer and Hesiod . The first detailed treatment of the Goldee Fleece legend appears in Pindar ‘s “Pythian Odes” . In antiquity, “The Argonautica” was generally considered to be quite mediocre, at best a pale imitation of the revered Homer . More recently, though, the poem has seen something of a renaissance in critical approval, and has been recognized for its own intrinsic merit, and for the direct influence it had on later Latin poets like Vergil , Catullus and Ovid . Nowadays, it has established its own place in the pantheon of ancient epic poetry, and it continues to provide a fertile source for the work of modern scholars (and a much less congested one than the traditional targets of Homer and Vergil ). Apollonius of Rhodes himself was a scholar of Homer , and, in some ways, “The Argonautica” is Apollonius ‘ homage to his beloved Homer , a kind of grand experiment in bringing the Homeric epic into the new age of Hellenistic Alexandria. It contains many (quite deliberate) parallels to the works of Homer , both in plot and in linguistic style (such as syntax, metre, vocabulary and grammar). However, it was written at a time when the literary fashion was for small-scale poetry displaying conspiciuous erudition, and so it also represented something of an artist risk for Apollonius , and there is some evidence that it was not well received at the time. Although clearly modelled on the epic poetry of Homer , “The Argonautica” nevertheless presents some substantial breaks with Homeric tradition, and it is certainly not a slavish imitation of Homer . For one thing, at less than 6,000 lines, “The Argonautica” is significantly shorter than either “The Iliad” or “The Odyssey” , and collected into a mere four books rather than the Homeric twenty-four. This is perhaps a nod to the shorter poems of Apollonius ‘ contemporary and literary rival, Callimachus, or it may be a response to calls for shorter poems by the influential critic Aristotle in his Poetics. Apollonius also tones down some of the mythological grandeur and rhetoric of Homer , portraying Jason as a much more human-scaled hero, not one on the superhuman scale of the Achilles or Odysseus as described by Homer . Indeed, Jason in some ways may be considered something of an anti-hero, presented in stark contradistinction to the more traditional and primitive Homeric hero, Heracles, who is portrayed here as an anachronism, almost a buffoon, and who is effectively abandoned early in the story. Apollonius ‘ Jason is not really a great warrior, succeeding in his biggest tests only with the help of a woman’s magical charms, and he is variously portrayed as passive, jealous, timid, confused or treacherous at different points in the story. Other characters in Jason‘s band, while nominally heroes, are even more unpleasant, sometimes almost farcically so. Unlike in the earlier, more traditional epics, the gods remain notably distant and inactive in “The Argonautica” , while the action is carried by fallible humans. Additionally, where alternative versions of stories were available – for example, the grisly death of Medea‘s little brother Apsyrtus – Apollonius , as a representative of the modern, civilized society of Alexandria, tends towards the less garish, shocking and bloodcurdling (and perhaps more believable) version. Homosexual love, such as that of Heracles and of Achilles and others in the works of Homer and the early Greek playwrights, was very much played down in the Hellenistic worldview, and the main love interest in “The Argonautica” is the heterosexual one between Jason and Medea. Indeed, Apollonius is sometimes credited with being the first narrative poet to deal with the “pathology of love”​, and there are even claims that he went some way towards inventing the romantic novel with his narrative technique of “inner dialogue”​. Apollonius ‘ poetry also reflects some of the more modern trends of Hellenistic literature and scholarship. For example; religion and myth was typically rationalized and looked on more as an allegorical force, rather than as the literal truth of Hesiod ‘s approach. Also, Apollonius ‘ work makes many more forays into areas such as local customs, the origins of cities, etc, reflecting the Hellenistic interest in geography, ethnography, comparative religion, etc. The poetry of Apollonius ‘ teacher Callimachus’ abounds in aitia (descriptions of the mythical origins of cities and other contemporary objects), a popular literary fashion trend of the times, and it is no surprise to find that there are an estimated 80 such aitia in Apollonius ‘ “Argonautica” . These, and the occasional almost verbatim quotation from poems of Callimachus, may have been intended as a statement of support for, or artistic debt to, Callimachus, and the label “Callimachean epic”​ (as opposed to “Homeric epic”​) is sometimes applied to the work. “The Argonautica” has also been described as an “episodic epic”​, because, like Homer ‘s “Odyssey” , it is to a large extent a voyage narrative, with one adventure following another, unlike “The Iliad” which follows the unfolding of a single great event. Indeed, “The Argonautica” is even more fragmented than “The Odyssey” , as the author interrupts the flow of the plot with one aitia after another. The poet of “The Argonautica” is much more of a presence than in either of Homer ‘s epic poems, where the characters do most of the talking. Characterization does not play an important part in “The Argonautica” , an absence that some have used to criticize the work. Rather, Apollonius was more concerned with telling a story in a manner that would resonate symbolically with the population of the relatively young Hellenistic colony of Alexandria in which he lived and worked. Individual figures, therefore, take a back seat to symbolism, and the establishing of parallels between, for example, the Argonauts’ colonization of North Africa and the later Greek settlement of Ptolemaic Alexandria in Egypt. Indeed, Medea, rather than Jason, may be the most rounded character in the poem, but even she is not characterized in any depth. Medea‘s role as a romantic heroine may seem to be at odds with her role as a sorceress, but Apollonius does make some attempt to downplay the sorceress aspect. In keeping with the Hellenistic yen for rationality and science, he is careful to emphasize the more realistic, technical aspects of Medea‘s magic (her reliance on potions and drugs, for example) rather than the supernatural, spiritual aspects. Jason and the Argonauts. by Apollonius of Rhodes , E V Rieu (Translator) Browse related Subjects. Now in a riveting new verse translation Jason and the Argonauts (also known as the Argonautica), is the only surviving full account of Jason's voyage on the Argo in quest of the Golden Fleece aided by the sorceress princess Medea. Written in third century B.C., this epic story of one of the most beloved heroes of , with its combination of the fantastical and the real, its engagement with traditions of science, astronomy and medicine, winged heroes, and a magical vessel that speaks, is truly without exact . Read More. Now in a riveting new verse translation Jason and the Argonauts (also known as the Argonautica), is the only surviving full account of Jason's voyage on the Argo in quest of the Golden Fleece aided by the sorceress princess Medea. Written in third century B.C., this epic story of one of the most beloved heroes of Greek mythology, with its combination of the fantastical and the real, its engagement with traditions of science, astronomy and medicine, winged heroes, and a magical vessel that speaks, is truly without exact parallel in classical or contemporary Greek literature and is now available in an accessible and engaging translation. Apollonius of Rhodes published his first version of the Argonautica sometime in the middle of the third century B.C. At the end of his life he was director of the famous Library of Alexandria, which was the principal storehouse of all literature and learning at the time. Aaron Poochigian, born in 1973, is a poet and an associated lecturer in Classics at The Ohio State University and has translated the Penguin Classics edition of Stung with Love: Poems and Fragments by Sappho, as well as works by Aeschylus and Aratus. He lives in New York City. Benjamin Acosta-Hughes is Professor of Greek and Latin at The Ohio State University. He is the author of several works of nonfiction, including Arion's Lyre: Archaic Lyric into Hellenistic Poetry. Read Less. All Copies ( 31 ) Softcover ( 31 ) Choose Edition ( 2 ) Book Details Seller Sort. 1996, Penguin Group. Halethorpe, MD, USA. Edition: 1996, Penguin Group Trade paperback, Fair Details: ISBN: 014600163X ISBN-13: 9780146001635 Pages: 64 Publisher: Penguin Group Published: 1996 Language: English Alibris ID: 16614510192 Shipping Options: Standard Shipping: $3.99. Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination. Seller's Description: Fair. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. 1996, Penguin Group. Frederick, MD, USA. 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May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. ► Contact This Seller. 1996, Penguin Group. Edition: 1996, Penguin Group Trade paperback, Good Available Copies: 10+ Details: ISBN: 0143106864 ISBN-13: 9780143106869 Pages: 64 Publisher: Penguin Group Published: 2014 Language: English Alibris ID: 16332678040 Shipping Options: Standard Shipping: $3.99. Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination. Seller's Description: Good. Books have varying amounts of wear and highlighting. Usually ships within 24 hours in quality packaging. Satisfaction guaranteed. Books have varying amounts of wear and highlighting. Please note that items may contain writing and/or highlighting and may not include CDs, access cards, or other supplementary material. Your satisfaction is guaranteed! Items ship in quality packaging within 3 business days. ► Contact This Seller. 1996, Penguin Group. Columbia, MD, USA. 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Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination. Seller's Description: Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972. Used books may not include companion materials, some shelf wear, may contain highlighting/notes, and may not include cd-rom or access codes. Customer service is our top priority! ► Contact This Seller. 1996, Penguin Group. Columbia, MD, USA. Edition: 1996, Penguin Group Trade paperback, Fine/Like New Available Copies: 3 Details: ISBN: 0143106864 ISBN-13: 9780143106869 Pages: 64 Publisher: Penguin Group Published: 2015 Language: English Alibris ID: 16148311421 Shipping Options: Standard Shipping: $3.99. Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination. The Argonautica. The Argonautica tells the story of the journey of Jason and the Argonauts to the land of Colchis in search of the Golden Fleece. In it, Jason is impelled on his quest by King Peleas, who receives a prophecy that a man with one sandal would be his nemesis. Jason, a hero-in-training, loses a sandal in a river, arrives at the court of Peleas, and the epic is set in motion. So Peleas sends Jason off on the ultimate scavenger hunt for 'The Golden Fleece.' Jason assembles an 'A list' of Greek heroes, including Odysseus, Orpheus, Heracles and dozens of others. This book has 137 pages in the PDF version. This translation by R.C. Seaton was originally published in 1912. Download for ereaders (below donate buttons) Last week, Global Grey readers downloaded 65,000 ebooks - 9 people gave donations. I love creating these books and giving them for free, but I need some help to continue running the site. If you can, please make a small donation - any amount is appreciated. You can also support the site by buying one of the specially curated collections. Follow Global Grey on Facebook or Twitter. Excerpt from 'The Argonautica' (ll. 1-4) Beginning with thee, O Phoebus, I will recount the famous deeds of men of old, who, at the behest of King Pelias, down through the mouth of Pontus and between the Cyanean rocks, sped well-benched Argo in quest of the golden fleece. (ll. 5-17) Such was the oracle that Pelias heard, that a hateful doom awaited him to be slain at the prompting of the man whom he should see coming forth from the people with but one sandal. And no long time after, in accordance with that true report, Jason crossed the stream of wintry Anaurus on foot, and saved one sandal from the mire, but the other he left in the depths held back by the flood. And straightway he came to Pelias to share the banquet which the king was offering to his father Poseidon and the rest of the gods, though he paid no honour to Pelasgian Hera. Quickly the king saw him and pondered, and devised for him the toil of a troublous voyage, in order that on the sea or among strangers he might lose his home-return. (ll. 18-22) The ship, as former bards relate, Argus wrought by the guidance of Athena. But now I will tell the lineage and the names of the heroes, and of the long sea-paths and the deeds they wrought in their wanderings; may the Muses be the inspirers of my song! (ll. 23-34) First then let us name Orpheus whom once Calliope bare, it is said, wedded to Thracian Oeagrus, near the Pimpleian height. Men say that he by the music of his songs charmed the stubborn rocks upon the mountains and the course of rivers. And the wild oak-trees to this day, tokens of that magic strain, that grow at Zone on the Thracian shore, stand in ordered ranks close together, the same which under the charm of his lyre he led down from Pieria. Such then was Orpheus whom Aeson's son welcomed to share his toils, in obedience to the behest of Cheiron, Orpheus ruler of Bistonian Pieria. (ll. 35-39) Straightway came Asterion, whom Cometes begat by the waters of eddying Apidanus; he dwelt at Peiresiae near the Phylleian mount, where mighty Apidanus and bright Enipeus join their streams, coming together from afar. (ll. 40-44) Next to them from Larisa came Polyphemus, son of Eilatus, who aforetime among the mighty Lapithae, when they were arming themselves against the Centaurs, fought in his younger days; now his limbs were grown heavy with age, but his martial spirit still remained, even as of old. (ll. 45-48) Nor was Iphiclus long left behind in Phylace, the uncle of Aeson's son; for Aeson had wedded his sister Alcimede, daughter of Phylacus: his kinship with her bade him be numbered in the host. (ll. 49-50) Nor did Admetus, the lord of Pherae rich in sheep, stay behind beneath the peak of the Chalcodonian mount. (ll. 51-56) Nor at Alope stayed the sons of Hermes, rich in corn-land, well skilled in craftiness, Erytus and Echion, and with them on their departure their kinsman Aethalides went as the third; him near the streams of Amphrysus Eupolemeia bare, the daughter of Myrmidon, from Phthia; the two others were sprung from Antianeira, daughter of Menetes. (ll. 57-64) From rich Gyrton came Coronus, son of Caeneus, brave, but not braver than his father. For bards relate that Caeneus though still living perished at the hands of the Centaurs, when apart from other chiefs he routed them; and they, rallying against him, could neither bend nor slay him; but unconquered and unflinching he passed beneath the earth, overwhelmed by the downrush of massy pines. (ll. 65-68) There came too Titaresian Mopsus, whom above all men the son of Leto taught the augury of birds; and Eurydamas the son of Ctimenus; he dwelt at Dolopian Ctimene near the Xynian lake. (ll. 69-70) Moreover Actor sent his son Menoetius from Opus that he might accompany the chiefs. (ll. 71-76) Eurytion followed and strong Eribotes, one the son of , the other of Irus, Actor's son; the son of Teleon renowned Eribotes, and of Irus Eurytion. A third with them was , peerless in courage and well skilled to attack the flying foe, when they break their ranks. (ll. 77-85) Now from Euboea came Canthus eager for the quest, whom Canethus son of Abas sent; but he was not destined to return to Cerinthus. For fate had ordained that he and Mopsus, skilled in the seer's art, should wander and perish in the furthest ends of Libya. For no ill is too remote for mortals to incur, seeing that they buried them in Libya, as far from the Colchians as is the space that is seen between the setting and the rising of the sun. (ll. 86-89) To him Clytius and Iphitus joined themselves, the warders of Oechalia, sons of Eurytus the ruthless, Eurytus, to whom the Far-shooting god gave his bow; but he had no joy of the gift; for of his own choice he strove even with the giver. (ll. 90-94) After them came the sons of Aeacus, not both together, nor from the same spot; for they settled far from Aegina in exile, when in their folly they had slain their brother Phoeus. Telamon dwelt in the Attic island; but Peleus departed and made his home in Phthia. (ll. 95-104) After them from Cecropia came warlike Butes, son of brave Teleon, and Phalerus of the ashen spear. Alcon his father sent him forth; yet no other sons had he to care for his old age and livelihood. But him, his well-beloved and only son, he sent forth that amid bold heroes he might shine conspicuous. But Theseus, who surpassed all the sons of Erechtheus, an unseen bond kept beneath the land of Taenarus, for he had followed that path with Peirithous; assuredly both would have lightened for all the fulfilment of their toil. (ll. 105-114) Tiphys, son of Hagnias, left the Siphaean people of the Thespians, well skilled to foretell the rising wave on the broad sea, and well skilled to infer from sun and star the stormy winds and the time for sailing. Tritonian Athena herself urged him to join the band of chiefs, and he came among them a welcome comrade. She herself too fashioned the swift ship; and with her Argus, son of Arestor, wrought it by her counsels. Wherefore it proved the most excellent of all ships that have made trial of the sea with oars. (ll. 115-117) After them came Phlias from Araethyrea, where he dwelt in affluence by the favour of his father , in his home by the springs of Asopus. Jason and the Argonauts. Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. I think I enjoyed this more than the Iliad! Jason is very much a different hero than Achilles is that epic, and while Jason is a bit of a jerk (especially after the events of the epic), I found his story much more interesting to read. But really, this epic isn't just about Jason, it spends a lot of time with the other Argonauts. Many of them have great heroic or tragic moments in the play that are as fun to read as Jason's. Then there's Medea. She basically just steals the show in the second half, and her plight is even more devastating to read knowing what eventually happens to her in her own tragedy. The most interesting thing to me about her story is that the gods barely intervene directly in this epic (compared to Homer) Medea getting hit with Eros' (Cupid) arrow eventually leads to her betraying and killing her family, Jason's future bridesmaid, and her own children. Would she have had a better life without the intervention of the gods? I liked this translation (although I can't say I can compare it to anything else). It was understandable, had good notes, and I always like a good alliteration which the translator likes to use. ( ) Jason and the Argonauts (extract) by Apollonius of Rhodes - Good. This was a Penguin 60s classic, so only an extract of the full book. It's the prose of the opening verses detailing the start of the quest. If you like greek classics (I do, I've read the Illiad and Odyssey, plus the Latin classic The Aeneid. the latter in Latin a looooong time ago), then you'll love this. If not, then avoid. The Argonauts. These Greek heroes set out on a voyage to find the Golden Fleece. Share Flipboard Email. Ancient History and Culture Mythology & Religion Figures & Events Ancient Languages Greece Egypt Asia Rome. M.A., Linguistics, University of Minnesota B.A., Latin, University of Minnesota. The Argonauts, in Greek mythology, are the 50 heroes, led by Jason, who sailed on a ship called the Argo on a quest to bring back the Golden Fleece around 1300 B.C., before the Trojan War. ​ ​ The Argonauts got their name by combining the name of the ship, Argo, named after its builder, Argus , with the ancient Greek word, "naut," meaning voyager. The story of Jason and the Argonauts is one of the best-known tales of Greek mythology. Apollonius of Rhodes. In the third century B.C., at the multicultural center of learning at Alexandria in Egypt, Apollonius of Rhodes, a well-known Greek author, wrote a famous epic poem about the Argonauts. Apollonius named his poem "The Argonautica," which starts with this sentence: According to the myth, King Pelias in Thessaly, who usurped the throne from his half-brother King Aeson, sent Jason, son of King Aeson and the rightful heir to the throne, on a dangerous quest to bring back the Golden Fleece, which was held by Aeetes, king of Colchis, at the eastern end of the Black Sea (known in Greek as the Euxine Sea). Pelias promised to give up the throne to Jason if he returned with the Golden Fleece but didn't intend for Jason to return since the journey was perilous and the prize was very well-guarded. Band of Argonauts. Jason gathered the noblest heroes and demigods of the time, packed them on board a special boat called the Argo, and the aptly named Argonauts set sail. They engaged in many adventures on their way to Colchis, including storms; an adversarial king, Amycus, ​ ​ who challenged every passing traveler to a boxing match; Sirens, ​ ​ monstrous sea nymphs who lured sailors to their deaths with a siren song; and Symplegades, rocks that could crush the boat as it passed through them. Several of the men were tested in different ways, prevailed, and enhanced their heroic status during the journey. Some of the creatures they encountered appear in other stories of the Greek heroes, making the story of the Argonauts a central myth. Apollonius of Rhodes provided the most complete version of the Argonauts, but the Argonauts are mentioned throughout ancient classical literature. The list of heroes varies somewhat depending on the author. Apollonius's list includes such luminaries as Hercules (Heracles), Hylas, the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux), Orpheus, and Laocoon. Gaius Valerius Flaccus. Gaius Valerius Flaccus was a first-century Roman poet who wrote an "Argonautica" in Latin. Had he lived to complete his 12-book poem, it would have been the longest poem about Jason and the Argonauts. He drew on Apollonius's epic poem and many other ancient sources for his own work, of which he completed barely half before he died. Flaccus's list includes some names that aren't on Apollonius's list and excludes others. Apollodorus. Apollodorus wrote a different list, which includes the heroine Atalanta, whom Jason denied in Apollonius's version, but who is included by Diodorus Siculus. Siculus was the first-century Greek historian who wrote the monumental universal history, "Bibliotheca Historica ." Apollodorus's list also includes Theseus, who was previously engaged in Apollonius's version. Pindar. According to Jimmy Joe, in his article, "An Explanation Of The Crew Of The Argo, published on the website, Timeless Myths, the earliest version of the list of Argonauts comes from Pindar's " Pythian Ode IV." Pindar was a poet who lived in the fifth and sixth centuries BCE. His list of Argonauts consists of Jason, Heracles, Castor, Polydeuces, Euphemus, Periclymenus, Orpheus, Erytus, Echion, Calais, Zetes, Mopsus. Verification of Myth. Recent discoveries by geologists from Georgia suggest that the myth of Jason and Argonauts was based on an actual event. The geologists researched geological data, archaeological artifacts, myths, and historical sources surrounding the ancient Georgian kingdom of Colchis. They found that the myth of Jason and the Argonauts was based on an actual voyage that took place between 3,300 and 3,500 years ago. The Argonauts sought to obtain the secrets of an ancient gold-extraction technique used in Colchis, which employed sheepskin. Colchis was rich in gold, which the natives mined using special wooden vessels and sheepskins. A sheepskin embedded with golden gravel and dust would be the logical source of the mythical "Golden Fleece."