Chapters 7-8

MYTHOLOGY: TIMELESS TALES OF GODS & HEROES

THE GOLDEN FLEECEThe myth of Jason & the ArgonautsBy Apollonius of Rhodes

The Golden Fleece Genre: Quest story Protagonist: Jason Assistants: the Argonauts Object: the magical golden

fleece of a flying ram Ship: the Argo On the way they experience

their share of magic, monsters, and mayhem

The Most Famous Argonauts Atalanta – the only female Castor – one of the

“heavenly twins” Hercules – legendary warrior Jason – the leader Laertes – father of Odysseus Melampus – a seer Meleager – participated in

the Calydonian Boar hunt Orpheus— poet and singer

The Golden Fleece The Oracle prophesied that

King Pelias would be killed by a kinsman (man with one sandal)

Pelias believes this kinsman is Jason, who has come to claim the kingdom for himself

Pelias agrees to hand over the kingdom to Jason on one condition: He must return the Golden Fleece from King Æete

The Island of Lesbos (Lemnos) Jason and the Argonauts

first sailed to Lesbos, an island where only women lived.

Only one man, the king, was left on the island.

Although the women had risen up against the men on the island by killing them, they gladly helped the Argonauts with gifts of food and wine.

Harpies The Argonauts travelled to

where the Harpies lived. flying creatures with hooked

beaks and claws Leave an awful odor whenever

they go Every time Phineas the Prophet

tried to eat, the harpies would snatch his food away

Two argonauts slay the harpies Phineas advises how to

navigate the sea of the Clashing rocks

Hera Assists the Argonauts Hera wrapped the Argonauts

in a fog so they would not be seen

Hera enlists Venus’s help

Venus enlists Cupid’s help to make Princess Medea fall in love with Jason

King Æetes King Æetes agrees to give

Jason the Golden Fleece if he can prove his courage

Jason must harness two flame-breathing bulls whose feet were made of bronze and to plow a field with them.

A crop of armed men would grow and he must fight this crop of armed men.

Princess Medea Cloak of invincibility: Medea

gave Jason a charm that when it was sprinkled over his weapons, he and his weapons would become invincible for a day

Magic stone: Medea gives Jason this too – thrown at the enemy, they will turn and fight one another

Medea helps Jason retrieve the Golden Fleece from the serpent

The argonauts escape

The Return to Greece On the return journey, the

argonauts pass through the rock of Scylla and the whirlpool of Charybdis.

Medea and Jason deliver Golden Fleece to Pelias

They find Pelias had forced Jason's father to kill himself and his mother had died of grief.

Medea devises ways to punish Pelias

Medea convinces Pelias' daughters to cut Pelias up, telling him it will make him young again.