Argonauts. The Golden Fleece. Jason. Myths of ancient Greece in art Heroes who went for the Golden Fleece

Argonauts woke up early in the morning. At the council, they decided that Jason should go with the sons of Phrixus to King Aeeth and ask him to give the fleece to the Argonauts, but if the proud king refuses, then only resort to force. With the staff of the world, Jason went to the palace to Eet. The goddess Hera covered Jason and his companions with a thick cloud so that the inhabitants of Colchis would not offend the heroes. When the heroes approached the palace of Eet, the cloud parted, and they saw the palace of Eet. This palace was majestic. High were its walls with many towers reaching into the sky. Wide gates, decorated with marble, led to the palace. Rows of white columns gleamed in the sun, forming a portico. All that was in the palace of Eeta, all the rich decoration was made for him by Hephaestus in gratitude for the fact that Eeta's father, the sun god Helios, drove off Hephaestus, who was exhausted in the battle with the giants, from the Phlegrean fields in his golden chariot. Many halls surrounded the yard. King Eet lived with his wife in the most luxurious one, his son Absyrtus lived in another; for its beauty, the Colchians called Absirta Phaethon (shining). In the rest of the chambers lived the daughter of Eeta Halkiopa, the wife of the deceased Phrixus, and the youngest daughter of Eeta Medea, the great sorceress, a servant of the goddess Hekate. When Jason and his companions entered the courtyard near the palace of Eeta, Medea came out of her halls. She went to visit Chalkiope. Medea cried out in amazement when she saw the strangers. At her cry, Halkiope came out and saw her sons. Rejoicing at their return, Halkiope ran up to them. She hugs, kisses her sons, whom she did not think to see again. Eet came out to the noise. He calls strangers to his palace and orders to prepare a sumptuous feast for his servants. At the time when Jason exchanged greetings with Eet, Eros descended from the high Olympus on his golden wings. Hiding behind a pillar, he pulled the string of his bow and took out a golden arrow. Then, invisible to everyone, Eros stood behind Jason and shot his arrow right into the heart of Medea. An arrow pierced her heart, and she immediately felt love for Jason. Jason went with his companions to the palace of Aeet. There the king of Colchis invited them to lie down at the banquet table. During the feast, Argos told Eeta about how he and his brothers were shipwrecked, how their stormy waves threw them onto the island of Aretiada, and how the Argonauts found them there, dying of hunger. Argos also said why Jason came with the heroes to Colchis. As soon as Zeth heard that Jason wants to get the Golden Fleece, his eyes sparkled with anger and he frowned menacingly. Eet does not believe that the heroes sailed for the Golden Fleece, he thinks: is it possible that the sons of Phrixus planned to seize power over the whole of Colchis and for this purpose they brought Greek heroes with them? Eet showers Jason with reproaches, he wants to drive him out of the palace and threatens him with execution. Angry speeches were already ready to fly from the lips of Telamon in response to the threats of the king, but Jason stopped him. He tries to calm Eet, assures him that only for the rune they sailed to Colchis, and promises the king to do any service, to fulfill any order, if the king gives him the golden fleece as a reward. Eet thought. Finally, deciding to destroy Jason, he said to him: - Well, you will receive a fleece, but first fulfill my following assignment: plow the field dedicated to Ares with my iron plow, and harness copper-footed, fire-breathing bulls to the plow; sow this field with the dragon's teeth, and when armored warriors grow out of the dragon's teeth, fight with them and kill them. If you do this, you will receive the fleece. Jason did not immediately answer Eet, and finally said: - I agree, Eet, but you will fulfill this promise, because you know that I cannot refuse to fulfill my order, since I have already arrived here, in Colchis, by the will of fate. Having said this, Jason left with his companions. ARGONAUTS APPLY TO MEDEA FOR HELP When Jason returned to the Argo, he told his comrades what had happened in the palace of Eeta and what task the king had given him. The Argonauts thought. How to be him, how to fulfill Eet's order? Finally, Argos said: - Friends, his daughter, Medea, lives in the palace of Eeta. She is a great sorceress and she alone can help us. I will go and ask my mother to convince Medea to help us. If Medea helps, then we will not be afraid of any dangers. As soon as Argos said this, a white dove flew over the Argo, pursued by a kite. The dove flew up to Jason and hid in the folds of his cloak, and the kite fell on the Argo. - This is a happy sign of the gods - exclaimed the soothsayer Pug - the gods themselves tell us to ask for help from Medea. Look, the bird dedicated to Aphrodite has escaped on Jason's chest! Remember what Phineas said. Didn't he advise us to pray to Aphrodite for help? Pray the goddess, she will help us. Let Argos quickly go to his mother, she will convince Medea to help us. The Argonauts obeyed the prophetic Pug: they made a sacrifice to Aphrodite, and Argos quickly went to the palace of Eeta to his mother. Meanwhile, Zeta gathered all the Colchians to the square. He told the people about the arrival of strangers and ordered to guard the Argo so that none of the Argonauts could escape. Eet decided to burn the Argo with all the heroes after Jason died on the field dedicated to Ares; he decided to subject the sons of Phrixus to a painful execution. The night has come. The capital of Eeta fell into a dream. Peace reigned everywhere. Only he is not in the halls of Medea. A string of dreams fly over her head, one more disturbing than the other. Then Medea dreams that Jason fights bulls, and Medea herself should serve as a reward for the victory. Then she dreams that she herself enters into a fight with the bulls breathing fire and easily defeats them. He sees how her parents refuse to give her as a wife to Jason, because he did not defeat the bulls. A dispute flares up between Jason and Eet, Medea herself must resolve this dispute. When she decided the dispute in favor of Jason, she angered her father and he shouted menacingly at her. Medea woke up all in tears, she wants to run to Chalkiope, but she is ashamed to go to her. Three times already she took hold of the handle of the door, but each time she turned back. She fell on Medea's bed and sobbed. One of Medea's slaves heard her sobbing and told Halkiopa about it. Chalkiope hurries to her sister and sees how Medea lies, sobbing, on her bed. “Oh, my sister,” says Halkiopa, “what are you crying about? Are you shedding tears about the fate of my sons? Have you not learned that our father wants to destroy them? Medea did not utter a word in response to Halkiope, for it was not for her sons that she wept, but at last she said: “I have had ominous dreams, sister. Death threatens your sons and the stranger with whom they returned. Oh, that the gods would give me the strength to help them! Halciope shuddered with horror when she heard the words of Medea; hugging her, she pleads for help. He knows Halkiop that Medea can help Jason with her charms. And Medea said to Halkiopa: “Listen, sister, I will help the stranger. Let him come in the morning to the temple of Hecate, I will give him a talisman that will help him accomplish the feat. Promise me only to keep everything a secret, otherwise the father will destroy us all. Halkiope is gone. Medea was left alone. Contrasting feelings fought in her chest. Now she was afraid to go against the will of her father, then again she decided to help Jason, whom she loved so much. She even wanted to commit suicide by taking poison. Medea had already taken out a chest with poison, opened it, but the goddess Hera inspired her with an uncontrollable thirst for life. Medea pushed away the casket with poison, forgot all her doubts, she thought only about Jason and decided to help him. As soon as the dawn broke and the distant snowy peaks of the Caucasus began to turn pink, Argos came to the Argonauts and informed them that Medea had agreed to help Jason and asked Jason to come to the temple of Hecate. When the sun rose, Jason went with Argos and the soothsayer Pug to the temple of Hecate. The goddess Hera made Jason so beautiful that even the Argonauts admired looking at him. Meanwhile, Medea, having risen early in the morning, took out a chest with magical ointments and took out of it an ointment called "Prometheus's oil." It was prepared from the juice of the roots of a plant grown from the blood of Prometheus. Anyone who rubbed himself with this ointment became invulnerable to either iron, or copper, or fire; he acquired invincible strength and became invincible for a day. It was this ointment that Medea decided to give to Jason. Medea called the slaves and went to the temple of Hecate. Joyfully was in the heart of Medea, she forgot all her anxieties and thought only of a meeting with Jason. Here is the temple of Hecate. Medea entered. Jason was not there yet. Jason soon arrived. Medea looked at him, and her heart beat violently in her chest. Can't utter Medea's words. Jason and Medea stood silent for a long time; Finally, the hero broke the silence. He took Medea by the hand and said: - Beautiful maiden, why did you lower your eyes into the ground? Why are you afraid of me? Do you think that I harbor malicious intent? No, I did not come here with evil intentions. I have come to pray for your protection. Only, I beg you, tell me the truth; remember that Hecate will not tolerate lies in her sanctuary, neither will Zeus, the protector of all those who pray for help. Tell me can you help me? If you help, then your name will be glorified throughout Greece by the great heroes who came with me here, to Colchis. Remember how great is the glory of the daughter of Minos, Ariadne, who helped the great Theseus. Medea was silent and only looked at Jason with eyes full of love. She was beautiful in her embarrassment. With a trembling hand, she took out the prepared magical ointment from her belt and handed it to Jason. In a barely audible voice, Medea told him: - Listen, Jason, this is what my help will be: at night you bathe in the river; wearing black clothes, dig a deep hole on the shore and over it offer a black sheep as a sacrifice to Hekate, dousing it with honey. Then go to your ship, but look - do not turn around. You will hear voices and the furious barking of dogs, but you go straight and do not be afraid. When morning comes, smear your body, spear, shield and sword with this ointment. The ointment will give you irresistible strength, and you will fulfill the order of Eet. Just remember: when warriors grow out of the ground, throw a stone at them, and they start fighting with each other, then attack them. Take the ointment, with its help you will get the fleece. Take the fleece wherever you want. Medea was silent. Her eyes clouded sadly at the mere thought of separation from Jason. Head down, Medea stood, full of sadness, and finally said: - You will leave, Jason, to your homeland, but do not forget me, at least occasionally remember Medea, - after all, I saved you. Medea asked where Jason was from. Jason told her about Iolka, about the flowering valley where he stands. He called Medea to go with him to Greece. He promised her great honor, promised that they would honor her like a goddess in Iolka. - Oh, if Eet agreed to conclude an alliance of friendship with me! - Jason exclaimed, - oh, if he would let you go with me to my homeland! “No, this will not happen,” Medea said with a sigh full of sorrow, “my father is stern and implacable. Return alone to your homeland, but don't forget me. Oh, how glad I would be if the violent wind carried me on its wings to Iolk, so that I could remind you of myself when you forget me, when you forget that I saved you. Tears welled up in Medea's eyes. Jason looks at her, and love for Medea takes possession of him. He begs her to secretly leave her father's house and run with him to Iolk. Medea is ready to leave Colchis, separation from Jason frightens her, she is afraid that she will not be able to endure this separation. Medea cries at the mere thought of separation from Jason. Hera inspired her desire to follow Jason everywhere. The goddess wants Medea to go to Iolk; there, with her help, Hera decided to destroy the hated Pelias. Medea said goodbye to Jason; he promised her to come back to the temple of Hecate to meet her again and decide what to do. Medea rode home merrily in her chariot - she knew that Jason loved her. JASON FOLLOWS AEET'S ORDER The night has come. Dressed in black clothes, Jason went to the shore of Phasis and there, in the dead of midnight, bathed in its fast waves. Then he dug a deep hole and brought over it, as Medea told him, a sacrifice to Hekate. As soon as the sacrifice was made, the earth trembled and the great Hekate appeared with smoking torches in her hands. Terrible monsters and fire-spewing dragons surrounded Hekate, terrible hell-hounds barked and howled around her. The surrounding nymphs fled with a loud cry when they saw Hekate. Horror seized Jason, but, remembering the words of Medea, without turning around, he walked to the Argo, where his friends were waiting. As soon as morning came, the Argonauts Telamon and Meleager were sent for the dragon's teeth to Aeeth. Eet gave them the teeth of the dragon killed by Cadmus and began to get ready to go to the field of Ares to see how Jason would fulfill his order. Eet put on his armor, covered his head with a helmet that shone like the sun, took in his hands a spear and a shield, which were only fit for Hercules in their weight, and mounted the chariot; it was ruled by his son Absyrt. The Argonauts also gathered to go to the field of Ares. Jason rubbed his spear, sword and shield with magic ointment, and then rubbed himself with it. He then felt a terrible force in his whole body. As if his muscles had become steel, his body became as if it had been forged from iron. When the Argonauts in their fast "Argo" sailed to the field of Ares, Eet was already waiting for them, and the Colchians were crowding around the field on the slopes of the mountains. Jason stepped ashore, shining like a radiant star with his armor. Jason went across the field, found an iron plow and a copper yoke on the field, and, hiding behind a shield, went to look for bulls spewing fire. Suddenly, both bulls jumped out of the cave, and with a furious roar rushed at the hero. Clubs of fire flew out of their mouths. Hiding behind a shield, the hero is waiting for them. Here the bulls flew at him and with terrible force hit the hero's shield with their horns. Not a single person could withstand this blow, but unshakable, like a rock, stood Jason. Again and again bulls roar at him, raising clouds of dust. One by one, Jason seized the bulls by the horns with mighty hands and drew them to the plow. The bulls are torn, they scorch Jason with fire, but he is unharmed, and the furious bulls cannot escape from his hands. Harnessed them to Jason's plow with the help of Castor and Polydeuces. Chasing bulls with a spear, Jason plowed the entire field of Ares, sowed it with the teeth of a dragon. Having finished sowing, Jason unharnessed the bulls, shouted menacingly and hit them with his spear. Like mad, the bulls rushed and disappeared into a deep cave. The first half of the work was completed, now we need to wait for the soldiers to grow up on the field. Jason went to the shore of Phasis, scooped up water with a helmet and quenched his thirst. But Jason's rest was not long. Here, on the field, the point of a spear appeared from the ground, followed by another, and another, and the whole field was covered, as it were, with copper bristles. It was as if the earth stirred, and helmets and heads of warriors appeared from it. Now the whole field was covered with warriors in shining armor. Remembering the words of Medea, Jason grabbed a huge stone; four of the strongest heroes would not have been able to move it, but Jason lifted it with one hand and threw it far into the crowd of warriors born from the dragon's teeth. Warriors grabbed their weapons and a bloody battle began between them. Jason rushed with a sword to the soldiers, one by one he struck them, and soon the whole field was covered with dead soldiers, not a single one of them survived, they all fell from the mighty hand of Jason. They covered the whole field, like ears cut with a sharp sickle, covering a fruitful land. The feat was over. He looked in amazement at Jason Eet, marveling at his inhuman strength. Menacingly moved the king's eyebrows, anger sparkled in his eyes. Without saying a word, he rushed off in his chariot to the city, thinking only about one thing - how to destroy him a wondrous stranger. Jason, returning to the Argo, rested in the circle of his friends, who praised his great feat. MEDEA HELPING JASON STEAL THE GOLDEN FLEECE Returning to the palace, Eet convened for a council the noblest inhabitants of Colchis. Long after midnight, the king consulted with them on how to destroy the Argonauts. Eet guessed that only with the help of Medea could Jason accomplish the feat. Medea felt that a great danger threatened both her and Jason. She could not find peace in her magnificent halls. Sleep fled from her eyes. She got up at night from her bed and quietly left the palace of Eet. By paths known only to her alone, she goes to the coast of Phasis, where a bright fire is burning, lit by the Argonauts. Approaching the fire, she called Jason and the youngest son of Phrixus, Frontis. Medea told Jason what evil premonitions were troubling her, and persuaded him to immediately go with her for the rune. Jason put on his armor and went to the sacred grove of Ares. Everything around was shrouded in darkness, only in the grove the fleece that hung on the sacred tree sparkled with a golden sheen. When Medea and Jason entered the grove, a terrible dragon rose, spewing flames. Medea called on the mighty god of sleep, Hypnos. Terrible spells she whispers and pours magic potions on the ground. The dragon fell to the ground, it still raises its weakened head, but Medea sprinkled it with a sleeping potion, its mouth closed, eyes sparkling with fire closed, and, seized by sleep, it stretched out by the tree on which the golden fleece hung. Jason took off his fleece, he was in a hurry to return to the "Argo" as soon as possible. In surprise, the heroes crowded around Jason and Medea, examining the golden fleece. But there was no time to hesitate, it was necessary to leave Colchis before Eet learns about the kidnapping of the rune. Jason cut off the ropes with which the Argo was tied to the shore, the heroes grabbed the oars, and, like an arrow, the Argo rushed down the Phasis to the sea. Here is the sea. Heroes lean on the oars, the Argo rushes like a bird along the waves, farther and farther away Colchis. Early in the morning, Eet learned about the theft of the golden fleece and that Medea had fled with the Argonauts. Eet came into a violent rage. He called the Colchians to the seashore. But the Argo is already far away, it is not visible among the waves of the sea. Eet ordered the Colchians to gather in pursuit. He threatens them with death if they do not overtake the Argonauts. The Colchians lowered the ships and, with the son of Eet Absyrtes at the head, set off in pursuit of the Argonauts. THE RETURN OF THE ARGONAUTS When the Argo went out to sea, a fair wind blew. The heroes spread their sails and the Argo quickly rushed along the waves of the Euxine Pontus. Heroes sailed for three days. Finally, the shores of Scythia appeared in the distance. The Argonauts decided to sail upstream the Istra, in order to then descend along one of its branches into the Adriatic Sea*1. When the Argonauts sailed to the mouth of the Istra, they saw that the entire mouth of it and all the islands were occupied by the army of Colchis, who sailed there on their ships by the shortest route. Seeing the large army of Colchis, the heroes were convinced that they could not defeat him; there were too few of them to dare to fight with thousands of well-armed warlike Colchians. The Argonauts decided to resort to trickery. They entered into negotiations with the leader of the enemy army, Absyrtus, and promised him to imprison Medea in the temple and hand her over if the king of the neighboring city decided that Medea should return to Colchis, while the golden fleece was to remain with the Argonauts, since Jason fulfilled exactly the feat for which Eet promised him to give the fleece. But all these negotiations were conducted only in order to gain time. Medea promised Jason to lure Absyrtus to one of the islands in the temple. ___________ *1 The Greeks, who were not well acquainted with the geography of Europe, thought that the Istres (modern Danube) communicated with the Adriatic Sea through a special branch. ___________ Jason sent rich gifts to Absyrtus, as if from Medea, and ordered him to ask him to come to a secluded temple to see Medea there. Absyrtus came to the temple, but as soon as he appeared at the door of the temple, Jason rushed at him with a drawn sword, and Absirtus fell to the ground, struck to death. A terrible crime was committed by Jason and Medea: they killed the unarmed Absyrtus in the temple. Chopping the body of Absyrtus into pieces, Jason threw it into the waves of Istra. The Colchians were horrified, they rushed to collect parts of the body of their leader, while the Argonauts quickly sailed up the Istra. The Argonauts sailed for a long time, and finally they descended along the Istra branch into the Adriatic Sea to the shores of Illyria. There arose a terrible storm. Like mountains, foam-covered ramparts rise. The winds, as if broken from the chains, rush over the sea and tear the sail from the Argo. The Argo groans under the pressure of the waves, its sides bend, the oars break in the hands of the mighty rowers. Like a chip, the Argo waves are carried. Death threatens the Argonauts. Then came a voice from the stern. It came from a piece of sacred oak inserted into the stern of the Argo, which grew in Dodona. The voice ordered the Argonauts to go to the sorceress Kirk, so that she would cleanse Jason and Medea from Absyrtus, who had defiled their murder. As soon as the Argonauts "Argo" turned to the north, the storm subsided, and everyone understood that this was the will of the gods. Through Eridanus and then along Rodanus, the Argonauts descended into the Tyrrhenian Sea and sailed along it for a long time, until, finally, they sailed to the magical island of Kirki, the sister of Eeta. Kirka cleansed Medea and Jason of the taint of murder. She sacrificed to Zeus, who cleanses the filth of murder, doused Jason's hands with sacrificial blood and conjured at the altar of Erinyes not to pursue her murderers with anger. Kirka did not refuse Medea to be cleansed from a terrible atrocity, since the sorceress knew from the sparkle of her eyes that Medea, like herself, comes from the family of the sun god Helios. The Argonauts set out on their journey. They still had to overcome many dangers. They sailed between Scylla and Charybdis, where certain death would have awaited them if the great wife of Zeus, Hera, had not helped them. They also sailed past the island of the sirens and heard their alluring singing, which attracted them with invincible force to the sirens. But the singer Orpheus struck the strings of the golden cithara, and his song overcame the spell of the sirens' songs. Finally, the Argonauts sailed to the Plankts, a narrow strait, over which huge rocks rose like a vault. The sea beat between the rocks, the waves swirled under the vault in a terrible whirlpool, at times rising to the very top of the vault. Even the doves that brought ambrosia to Zeus did not fly unharmed under this vault, and one of them died every day. But then Hera helped the Argonauts, she begged Amphitrite to subdue the waves at Plankt, and the Argonauts passed them unscathed. After a long journey, the Argonauts arrived at the island of the Phaeacians. There they were cordially received by Tsar Alkinoi. The Argonauts could rest from the dangers of the journey, but they did not stay even a day with the Phaeacians, when a fleet of Colchians appeared near the island and demanded that they hand over Medea to them. A bloody battle would have begun if Alkinoy had not swarmed the enemies. Alkinoi decided that Medea should be handed over to the Colchians if she was not Jason's wife. At night, the wife of Alcinous, Arete, sent a messenger to Jason, so that the messenger would inform him of the decision of Alcinous. On the same night, Jason and Medea performed wedding ceremonies, and the next day Jason gave a solemn oath before the assembled Theakians and Colchians that Medea was his wife. Then Alkina decided that Medea should stay with her husband, and the Colchians had to return to Aeet without taking possession of Medea. After resting with the hospitable Theacians, the Argonauts went on. They sailed safely for a long time. Now the shores of the Peloponnese have already appeared in the blue distance of the sea. Suddenly a terrible whirlwind arose and rushed the Argo into the sea. For a long time the whirlwind of the "Argo" carried along the boundless sea and, finally, threw the "Argo" onto a deserted shore. Deep stuck "Argo" in the mud of the bay, completely covered with algae. Despair gripped the Argonauts. Pilot Linkey, head down, sat at the stern, having lost hope of returning to Greece. The sad Argonauts wandered along the shore, as if having lost all their strength, all their courage. Everyone saw death in front of their faces. Nymphs came to the aid of Jason. They revealed to Jason that the whirlwind brought the Argo to Libya *1 and that the Argonauts should carry the Argo on their shoulders through the Libyan desert, raising it from the mud when Amphitrite unleashed the horses from her chariot. But when does Amphitrite unharness her horses from the chariot? The Argonauts did not know this. Suddenly they saw a snow-white horse run out of the sea and quickly rushed across the desert. The Argonauts understood that this was Amphitrite's horse. Raised "Argo" on the shoulders of the Argonauts and twelve days carried him through the desert, exhausted from the heat and thirst. Finally they reached the land of the Hesperides. There the Hesperides pointed out to them a source, knocked out of the rock by Hercules. The heroes quenched their thirst, stocked up on water and set off on their way to their homeland. But the Argonauts could not find a way out to sea. They were not in the sea, but in Lake Triton. But on the advice of Orpheus, they dedicated a tripod to the god of the lake. A beautiful young man appeared before the Argonauts. He gave the hero Euphemus a lump of earth as a sign of hospitality and showed the Argonauts an exit to the sea. The Argonauts sacrificed a ram. The god Triton himself appeared in front of the Argo and led the Argo past the white rocks, through the whirlpool into the open sea. From Lake Triton, the Argonauts sailed to the island of Crete and wanted to stock up on water there for further navigation. But the copper giant Talos, presented to Minos by the Thunderer Zeus himself, did not allow them to enter the coast of Crete. Talos guarded the possessions of Minos, running around the entire island. But Medea put Talos to sleep with her charms. Fell Talos to the ground, and fell from him a copper nail, closing the only vein, which flowed the blood of Talos. The blood of Talos gushed to the ground like molten lead, and the giant died. The Argonauts were now free to land on the shore and stock up on water. ___________ *1 The Greeks called Libya the coast of Africa to the west of Egypt. ___________ On the way from Crete to Greece, the hero Euphemus dropped a lump of earth given to him by Triton into the sea, and from this lump an island was formed, called Callista by the Argonauts. This island was subsequently settled by the descendants of Euthemus, and it became known as Thera*1. ___________ *1 The modern island of Santorini. ___________ After that, the storm overtook the Argonauts at sea. A storm blew up on a dark night. The Argonauts were afraid every minute to run into an underwater rock or break on the coastal rocks. Suddenly, with a bright light, a golden arrow flashed over the sea and lit up everything around, another, a third flashed behind it. It was the god Apollo who illuminated the path of the Argonauts with his arrows. They landed on the island of Anathe*1 and waited out the storm. Finally, the storm subsided, the waves of the sea calmed down, and a fair wind blew. "Argo" calmly rushed through the azure sea. The Argonauts no longer encountered dangers on their way and soon arrived at the coveted harbor of Iolk. ___________ *1 The modern island of Anafi. ___________ When the Argonauts arrived in Iolk, they made a rich sacrifice to the gods, who helped during a dangerous voyage. Everyone in Iolka rejoiced and celebrated the return of the Argonauts; everyone praised the great heroes and their leader Jason, who had obtained the Golden Fleece. JASON AND MEDEA IN IOLKA. DEATH OF PELIUS Based on Ovid's poem Metamorphoses, the insidious Pelius did not keep his word, he did not return the power of his ancestors to Jason. Jason harbored a grudge and decided to take cruel revenge on Pelias. And here Medea came to his aid. Soon an opportunity for revenge presented itself. Jason's aged father, Eson, having learned that Medea was a great sorceress, wanted her to restore his youth to him. Jason himself asked Medea to make his father younger. Medea promised to fulfill this request, if only Hekate would help her. When the full moon came, at midnight Medea came out of the house in dark clothes, barefoot, with her hair loose. Everything around was plunged into a deep sleep, mute silence reigned everywhere. Medea walks in silence, bathed in the light of the moon. Medea stopped where three roads converge, raised her hands and exclaimed loudly three times. She knelt down and began to whisper a spell. She conjured the night, heavenly bodies, the moon, earth, winds, mountains and rivers. She called for the gods of the forests and the night to appear to her. She prayed to the great Hekate to hear her and help her. Hekate heard her, and a chariot drawn by winged dragons appeared before Medea. For nine days and nine nights, Medea used this chariot to collect magical herbs and roots in the mountains, in the forests, along the banks of the rivers and the sea. When she returned to the house of Eson, she set up two altars: one - to Hekate, the other - to the goddess of youth. She dug two pits in front of the altars and over them she sacrificed black sheep to the gloomy goddess of darkness and witchcraft Hekate, making libations of honey and milk to her. Medea called on the underground gods, Hades and Persephone, and begged them not to take away the life of old Aeson. Then the ode ordered to bring Eson. With her charms, she lulled him to sleep and put Eson on magical herbs. Medea brewed a magic potion in a copper cauldron. The potion boiled and covered with white foam. Medea's potion interfered with a dry branch from an ancient tree. And the branch turned green, covered with leaves, and green fruits appeared on it. Everywhere, wherever the foam of the potion dripped, flowers and herbs grew. Seeing that the potion had ripened, Medea cut the throat of old Eson with a sword and released his old blood. Through a wide wound she poured a magic potion into Eson's veins. And - oh, a miracle! - The old man's hair, formerly white as snow, darkened, wrinkles and senile thinness disappeared, a blush appeared on his cheeks again. Eson woke up and again saw himself young, strong and cheerful. After Medea managed to restore youth to Aeson, she decided, having drawn up a cunning plan, to take revenge on the old Pelius for deceiving Jason and not returning his power over Iolk. Medea persuaded the daughters of Pelius to restore their father's youth, and in order to make them even more confident in her charms, she brought a ram, slaughtered it and threw it into the cauldron with the potion. As soon as the slaughtered ram plunged into the cauldron, a frisky lamb immediately jumped out of the cauldron. The daughters of Pelius marveled at this miracle and agreed to try to restore their father's youth. Medea prepared a potion, but not the one she prepared, to restore youth to Jason's father. There was no magical power in this potion. Pelius lulled Medea with her spells, brought her daughters to his bedroom and ordered them to cut their father's throat. But the daughters did not dare. - Cowards! Medea exclaimed, “draw your sword quickly, let out his old blood from your father’s veins, and I will pour out the young blood for him.” The daughters of Pelias do not dare to strike the sleeping father with a mortal blow. Finally, turning away, one after another, they began to strike the daughter with the father with the sword. Pelius woke up, mortally wounded, he rose on his bed and, stretching out his weakening arms to his daughters, exclaimed with a groan: - Oh, daughters, what are you doing! What made you raise your hand against your father? The hands of the daughters of Pelias dropped in horror. They stand pale, consciousness leaves them. Medea ran up to Pelias's bed, plunged her knife into his throat, cut his body into pieces and threw them into a boiling cauldron. A chariot drawn by winged dragons appeared in Pelias's bedroom, and on it Medea disappeared from the eyes of the daughters of Pelias, distraught with horror. The son of Pelius, Adrastus, arranged a magnificent funeral for his father, and after the funeral - games in honor of the deceased. The greatest heroes of Greece took part in them. The referee at the games was Hermes himself. Castor, Polydeuces and Euphem competed in chariot races, Admetus and Pug - in a fistfight, Atalan with Peleus - in wrestling. Iphicles defeated everyone in the run. But Jason failed to gain power over Iolk. Adrastus did not allow him to stay in Iolk, he expelled him from Iolk for the murder of his wife Medea Pelias. Jason left his homeland and retired with Medea to Corinth. Jason and Medea in Corinth. DEATH OF JASON Based on the tragedy of Euripides "Medea" After the murder of Pelius, Jason and Medea, expelled from Iolk, settled with King Creon in Corinth. Two sons were born to Medea. It seemed that Jason and Medea should have been happy even in a foreign land. But fate did not judge the happiness of either Jason or Medea. Jason, captivated by the beauty of Creon's daughter Glauca, betrayed the oaths given in Colchis to Medea even when he received a magic ointment from her; he betrayed the one with the help of which he accomplished a great feat. He decided to marry Glaucus, and King Creon agreed to give his daughter as a wife to the famous hero. When Medea found out about Jason's betrayal, despair took possession of her. She still loved Medea Jason. As if turned into a soulless stone, Medea sat, immersed in sadness. She did not eat, did not drink, did not listen to words of consolation. Little by little, violent anger took possession of Medea. The indomitable spirit of Medea cannot be reconciled. How can she, the daughter of the king of Colchis, the son of the radiant Helios, be demolished so that her enemies triumph over her, so that they mock her! No, Medea is terrible in anger, her revenge must be terrible in its cruelty. O! Medea will take revenge on Jason, Glaucus, and her father Creon! Everyone curses Medea in violent anger. She curses her children, curses Jason. Medea suffers and prays to the gods that they immediately take away her life with a lightning strike. What, besides revenge, is left for her in life? Death calls Medea, this will be the end of her torment, death will free her from grief. Why did Jason treat her so cruelly, with her, who saved him, helped, by lulling the dragon, to get the golden fleece, who, for the sake of his salvation, ambushed her brother and killed for the sake of Jason Pelius? Calls Medea Zeus and the goddess of justice Themis to be witnesses of how Jason treated her unfairly. The decision of Medea to take revenge on Jason is getting stronger and stronger. But here comes Creon. He announces to Medea that she must immediately leave Corinth. Creon is afraid of Medea, he knows how terrible Medea is in anger, he knows how powerful her charms are; for she can destroy both his daughter and himself. Medea, in order to gain time for revenge, pretends to obey Creon, which recognizes his right to expel her, but asks him for only one thing - to allow her to stay one more day in Corinth. Creon agreed, not suspecting that by doing so he condemned himself to death; but he threatens Medea that he will put to death both her and her sons if the rays of the rising sun catch Medea in Corinth. Medea knows that she has nothing to fear from execution. Rather, Creon will die for her, not without reason she swore by the pale-faced goddess Selena and her patroness Hekate to destroy her enemies. No, not she, but they will not escape execution. Will she, the granddaughter of the god Helios, become a laughingstock of the descendants of Sisyphus and the bride of Jason! Jason tells Medea in vain that for her good and for the good of the children he will marry Glaucus, that his sons will find support in their future brothers if the gods send him children from a new marriage. Medea cannot believe the sincerity of Jason's words, she reproaches Jason for treason and threatens him with the wrath of the gods, she does not want to listen to him. Now she hates Jason, whom she once loved so much, for whom she forgot her father, mother, brother and homeland. Angry, Jason leaves, and Medea's mockery and threats follow him. At this time comes to Corinth, on the way from Delphi to Troisena * 1, Aegeus, king of Athens. He greets Medea in a friendly manner and asks her why she is saddened. Medea talks about her grief and prays to the king of Athens to give her, an exile forgotten by her husband, shelter in Athens. She promises Aegeus to help with her charms, promises that he will have numerous offspring, will not remain childless, as before, if only he would give her shelter. Aegeus swears to give shelter to Medea. He swears by the goddess of the earth Gaia, Helios, Medea's grandfather, all the gods of Olympus - not to extradite Medea to her enemies. He sets only one condition for Medea: she herself must come to Athens without his help, since Aegeus does not want to quarrel with the king of Corinth. ___________ *1 A city in the Argolis in the Peloponnese. ___________ Having secured a shelter for herself, Medea proceeds to carry out her planned revenge. She decides not only to destroy Creon and his daughter Glauca, but also to kill her own children, the children of Jason. She sends her maid for Jason. Jason arrives. Medea pretends to be submissive, she pretends that she has come to terms with her fate and with the decision of Jason, and asks him for only one thing, so that he will convince Creon to leave her sons in Corinth. Children also come. Seeing them, Medea cries, she hugs and kisses her sons, she loves them, but the thirst for revenge is stronger than love for children. But how to destroy Glaucus and Creon? And so, under the pretext that she is trying to persuade Glauca to leave her children in Jason's new home, Medea sends Glauca a gift of precious clothes and a golden crown. It is this gift that brings death with it. As soon as Glauca put on the clothes and the crown sent by Medea, the poison with which they were saturated entered her body; as a copper hoop compresses her head a crown. Clothes burn her body with fire. Glauca dies in terrible agony. Her father hurries to help her, he hugs the unfortunate daughter, but the clothes stick to him too. He tries to tear this garment from his body, but with it he also tears off pieces of his body. And Creon died from the gift of Medea. With triumph, Medea hears, standing at her palace, about the death of Creon and Glauca, but their death did not quench Medea's thirst for revenge: after all, she decided to kill her children in order to make Jason suffer even more. Now it encourages Medea to decide on this murder and the fact that she knows what fate threatens her sons when the relatives of Creon will avenge them for the crimes of their mother. Medea hastily left for the palace, and immediately the cries and groans of her sons were heard there. Their own mother killed them. Jason, when Creon and his daughter Glauca died at the hands of his wife Medea, in fear that Creon's relatives will destroy his sons out of revenge, hurries to his palace. The door to the palace is locked, Jason wants to break it open. Suddenly, Medea appears in the air on a chariot drawn by dragons, sent by the god Helios: at her feet lie her sons killed by her. Jason is horrified. He begs Medea to leave him at least the bodies of his sons so that he himself can bury them. But even this consolation does not give him Medea, who is quickly carried away in a wonderful chariot. Jason's entire later life was bleak. Nowhere did he find a place for himself for a long time. One day he passed through the Isthm, past the place where the ship "Argo" was pulled ashore, dedicated to the Argonauts and the god of the sea, Poseidon. Tired Jason lay down in the shade of the Argo under her stern to rest and fell asleep. When Jason slept peacefully, the stern of the Argo, which had fallen into disrepair, collapsed and buried the sleeping Jason under its debris.

The story of the journey of the Argonauts is the first Greek myth that tells of a long sea voyage outside the Greek world. It was headed by Jason, a contemporary of Hercules and Theseus. This event can be attributed approximately to the XIII century BC, 20-25 years before the Trojan War.
Jason was the son of Aeson, king of the city of Polk in Thessaly. When his uncle Pelias seized power, little Jason had to go into hiding. Having reached the age of twenty, he appeared to Pelius and demanded the return of the kingdom that legally belonged to him. Pelius promised to do this on the condition that the young man would get and bring him a golden fleece from Colchis.
The task set by the cunning and cruel Pelius was clearly impossible. In those days, the Greeks usually sailed in the Mediterranean Sea and did not know well what was beyond its borders. And they were to sail to the eastern part of the Black Sea. Colchis occupies the territory of the lowland of the same name in the coastal part of modern Abkhazia and Western Georgia.
There was no need to go for the Golden Fleece on such a long journey. Gold-bearing sand was also found in Greece. They washed it with mutton skins, which were then burned and received a gold ingot.

ON THE EDGE OF THE OECUMENE
Let us return, however, to our myth. Deciding to sail to Colchis, Jason, with the help of the goddess Athena, built a ship that had never existed before him. Gathered from all over Greece the most famous heroes and craftsmen. Among them were the famous shipbuilder, the carpenter Arg (the ship was named after him), the best helmsman of Hellas Typhis, the fastest runner of that time, Euphem from Tenar, the twins Castor and Pollux, the most skilled riders and fist fighters, the sons of the north wind Boreas, the brothers Kalaid and Zet. The latter could even fly. The great Greek hero Hercules and the sweet-voiced singer Orpheus also boarded the ship.
The Argonauts made their first stop on the island of Lemnos. It turned out that only women lived there. A year ago, they killed all their men for treason, and therefore our travelers were quickly taken home. Jason, of course, went to the queen of the island. The men quickly forgot the purpose of their journey. And only Hercules with great difficulty managed to return the Argonauts to the ship and continue on their way.
They sailed further only at night, since the kings of Troy did not let other people's ships into their waters. True, the Hellespont (Dardanelles) passed safely and entered the Sea of ​​​​Marmara. Near the city of Cyzicus in Phrygia, travelers had to fight with six-armed giants, who threw fragments of rocks at passing ships. With the help of Hercules, the giants were killed. And then the gods gave Hercules another assignment - and he left the Argonauts.
Ahead was the Bosphorus, the most dangerous section of the journey. The blind soothsayer Phineus suggested to the navigators how to safely pass through it, and most importantly, how to overcome the converging and diverging rocks of the Symplegades just before entering the Black Sea (Pont Euxinus). On the advice of the elder, Jason sent a dove ahead, and the helmsman Typhis, following the bird, managed to lead the ship between the rocks.

Now the Argonauts, moving along the Black Sea coast of modern Turkey, passed the country of the Amazons and approached the Caucasus Mountains. There they noticed a huge flying eagle and heard loud moans. This eagle, at the behest of Zeus, tormented Prometheus chained to a rock. Later, Hercules will kill this eagle and free Prometheus from the shackles...
IN COLCHIS
The Argo safely entered the mouth of the Phasis (Rioni) River and stopped near the city of Eia, the capital of the Colchis kingdom. The goddesses Athena and Hera, located towards Jason, asked Aphrodite to send Eros to kindle love for the hero in the heart of Medea, the daughter of the Colchis king. And when Jason and his companions appeared in the palace of the local king Eet, Medea was already burning with passion for the leader of the Argonauts.
Jason offered the king to give him the Golden Fleece in exchange for help in his war with hostile neighbors. However, the king was not going to part with his treasure. He suggested that Jason harness two fire-breathing bulls to the plow, plow the field and sow it with the dragon's teeth. From these teeth will grow the warriors that Jason had to defeat. All this had to be done in one day. Only then did the king agree to give the golden fleece.
Such a test was beyond the power of even the famous Greek heroes. Using her magical abilities, Medea helped the stranger in this feat. And then Jason and Medea lulled the dragon guarding the golden fleece, and, seizing the precious burden, fled from the capital.

Russian researcher I.V. Mashnikov, the author of the book "The Secrets of Ancient Myths Deciphered", put forward the idea that the Argonauts sailed to Colchis not for gold, but ... for linen. Rich Greek women were very fond of linen robes. There was flax in Greece, but in the local climate it turned out to be undersized, with short fibers. Long-staple flax was brought to Hellas from Egypt and from somewhere else in the East.
These fabrics were very expensive. It was calculated that one gram of flax cost as much as 13 grams of gold. And thin linen fabric was even more expensive. For such a treasure, one could go on such a long journey.
Some details of the myth of the Argonauts would seem to support this hypothesis. For some reason, the Golden Fleece had to be soaked in a mountain stream for two days. If the myth refers to a mutton skin, such a period is incomprehensible. The longer you keep the skin in running water, the more gold particles will get there. But for soaking flax, such a period is just what is needed.
Another interesting detail. Taking the golden fleece, Jason hid it under his shirt. It is unlikely that a large heavy skin full of golden sand could be thrust into it. And a roll of thin linen fabric could be hidden like that.
I.V. Mashnikov believes that the Argonauts sought not so much to bring linen from Colchis. They had to find out how such flax is grown, how this extraordinary material is obtained from it. In ancient times, such secrets of production were usually kept by the priests. The royal daughter Medea was a priestess of the temple of the goddess Hecate and, perhaps, she knew these secrets. That is why Jason took Medea away secretly from his father.
The king of Colchis immediately blocked the passage to the Black Sea straits with his ships. However, the Argonauts moved in a different way. They climbed up the Istria (Danube) and along its tributaries reached the Adriatic Sea.
The myth of the Argonauts was very popular in ancient times. A lot of pottery with images of individual episodes of this legendary journey has come down to us. Apollonius of Rhodes in the 3rd century BC e., working in the famous Library of Alexandria, he collected a lot of materials on this myth and wrote the poem "Argonautics", which, fortunately, has come down to us.

THE ROUTE OF THE ARGONAUTS
In the summer of 1984, the Irishman Tim Severin, guided by the content of the poem "Argonautica", repeated the path from Greece to Abkhazia. For this purpose, he built a copy of the Greek Bronze Age ship, although somewhat smaller than the Argo.
Tim Severin's expedition covered a distance of 1,500 nautical miles, although few experts believed in the possibility of successfully sailing on such a primitive vessel. Severin did not seek to confirm the veracity of the myth, the very fact of the existence of Jason and the voyage of the Argonauts. It was important for him to prove something else: thirty-three centuries ago, the ancient Greeks on a small ship could, in principle, go this way.
It is known that the Greeks began the colonization of the Black Sea region in the 7th century BC. e. The daring experiment of the Irishman showed that even five centuries before that, the Greeks penetrated the Black Sea, as a result of which a fascinating heroic epic was born, which has been living for the fourth millennium.

The son of Poseidon, the Thessalian hero Pelias, was afraid of the claims of the hero Jason to the throne of the king of Thessaly, in which his ancestors had once ruled. He suggested that he go by sea to distant Colchis for the Golden Fleece. “Bring the fleece, you will become king,” he promised. All the heroes of Hellas helped Jason build a ship, which they called the Argo in honor of their builder, and the participants in the campaign - the Argonauts. On the way to Colchis, they had many adventures. Finally, with the help of the goddesses who patronized them, Hera and Athena, the sailors reached the shores of Colchis, where King Eet ruled.

The king received the Argonauts in his palace, found out where they came from, and gave them worthy hospitality. His daughter, the sorceress Medea, not without the help of Eros, fell in love with Jason, the leader of the Argonauts. But when King Eet heard that Jason wanted to receive the Golden Fleece, for which he was ready to fulfill any of his instructions, he did not believe the Argonauts. It seemed to him that they wanted to overthrow him and seize power in Colchis.

With difficulty, Jason managed to calm Eet. After much persuasion, he agreed to give them the fleece, but on the condition: Jason must plow the field dedicated to the god of war Ares with an iron plow, which he will harness two copper-footed fire-breathing bulls, then sow this field with the teeth of a dragon, and when warriors grow out of these teeth, - fight them and kill them all. That's when he gets the fleece.

On this they parted. Jason returned to the ship and told about his conversation with the king and his condition. The Argonauts thought, realized that without the help of the gods they would not be able to complete this difficult task. And they decided to turn to the goddess Aphrodite for help, so that she, in turn, asked the sorceress Medea for help. Meanwhile, King Eet was sure that Jason would not fulfill his task and would die, and then the Argonauts would not receive the Golden Fleece.

Medea could not sleep that night. She, feeling love for Jason, decided to help the Argonauts. Early in the morning she took the "ointment of Prometheus", which was prepared from the juice of the roots of a plant that grew from the blood of Prometheus. The body, rubbed with this ointment, remained strong all day and invulnerable to any injury. She met with Jason. The Argonaut convinced her of his love and asked for help. She told how to act, and explained how to rub herself and her weapon with this magic ointment.

Jason rubbed himself and his weapon with a magic ointment, made a sacrifice and, on the advice of Medea, went to the field of Ares. King Eet had already arrived there with his retinue. He wanted to see Jason die. But Jason, having acquired extraordinary strength, calmly pulled an iron plow out of the ground, prepared it for plowing and went into a cave with fire-breathing bulls. These wild animals immediately attacked him, but he calmly raised his shield, and they hit him with their horns. Jason withstood this blow. Then the bulls breathed hot flames on him, but it did him no harm. But when they approached him for the third time, he boldly grabbed the bulls by the horns, bent them to the ground and easily harnessed them to the plow. The bulls calmed down immediately. After that, Jason plowed the field, sowed it with the teeth of the dragon, which Eet gave him, and released the bulls, which rushed to their cave.

While Jason was resting, the dragon's teeth sprouted - warriors in armor grew on the field. There were a whole bunch of them. Jason, on the advice of Medea, threw them a heavy stone, and they began to fight among themselves. Jason waited a little, and then rushed to the field and began to kill the soldiers one by one. King Eet did not believe his eyes - Jason was alive and well, easily completing his two deadly tasks.

Frustrated, Eet said nothing and left for his palace. He decided to destroy the Argonauts, and above all their leader Jason, who, tired, returned to the Argo ship.
Eet guessed that Jason could complete all his tasks only with the help of his daughter Medea. Eet decided to find her and punish her. Returning to the palace, he called a council of elders to discuss the situation with them. He wanted to destroy the Argonauts as soon as possible, before they got the Golden Fleece.

Medea that night was seized by an insurmountable fear. It seemed to her that her father knew her guilt and was plotting a terrible punishment for her. She did not wait for a meeting with her father and immediately went to the ship of the Argonauts. She called Jason and warned him that they should immediately go for the golden fleece, and having obtained it, sail away from Colchis as quickly as possible, otherwise they would not be well, there would be no mercy from Eet.

Jason, along with Medea, went to the sacred grove of Ares, where the Golden Fleece was kept. They noticed a bright glow from afar - a golden fleece hung on a sacred tree, it glowed. But as soon as Jason approached him, a huge dragon guarding the fleece stood in his way, flames erupted from his mouth. Then Medea began to whisper the words of the spell and water the earth with special potions. She also called on the help of the god of sleep, Hypnos. The dragon, sniffing the potion, suddenly staggered and fell, sleep knocked him to the ground. Jason quickly removed the golden fleece from the tree and, together with Medea, immediately went to the ship.

All the Argonauts looked with curiosity at the obtained fleece, admired the feat of Jason, and praised Medea. But they could no longer remain in Colchis. Medea looked at the mountains to see if her father had appeared there with his army. The Argonauts raised their sails, leaned on the oars and went out to sea. Only early in the morning did Eet learn about the theft of the golden fleece. He was terribly angry, demanded to raise sails on the ships and catch up with the kidnappers.

It was not easy for the Argonauts on the way back, many dangers awaited them. King Eet sent many powerful ships and many warriors in pursuit, so that they would intercept the Argonauts, so that they would take away the fleece and Medea from them. But the Argonauts managed to avoid the chase. Having landed on the shore, they cunningly lured one of the kings of the enemy army into a trap, killed him and caused confusion among the inhabitants of Colchis, while they themselves again raised the sails and sailed away unnoticed by anyone.

They had to experience many more different adventures on the way: they sailed safely between the dangerous Scylla and Charybdis, past the island of the sirens, who lured them with their wonderful singing, but Orpheus struck the strings of his cithara and interrupted the sirens' spell.

When the Argonauts finally arrived at their Iolk, they first of all thanked their gods for protecting them and made a sacrifice. The inhabitants of Iolk met them with great honor. They praised Jason and Medea, who obtained the miraculous golden fleece. However, King Pelius did not keep his promise. He did not give Jason power in the kingdom. And no matter how hard Medea tried, no matter how hard she tried to help Jason take the throne of the king of Thessaly with her magic, nothing happened. They remained in the memory of the inhabitants of Thessaly as heroes who obtained the golden fleece in Colchis.

In Greek mythology, argonauts ("sailing on the "Argo") were called participants in the voyage for the Golden Fleece to the country of Eia (or Colchis). The myth of the Argonauts was one of the most popular in the ancient world. Therefore, of course, it was reflected in fine art.

Ivan Myasoedov
"Argonauts"

The most detailed about the journey of the Argonauts is described in the poem Apollonius of Rhodes "Argonautics".
The plot of the myth in general terms is as follows.

Travel map of the Argonauts

Pelias , brother Esona, king Iolkos in Thessaly, received two oracle predictions: according to one, he was destined to die at the hands of a member of his kind of Aeolids, according to another, he should beware of a man shod on one foot.
Pelias dethroned his brother, who, wanting to save his son Jason from Pelius, declared him dead and hid him with a centaur Chiron.

William Russell Flint
"Jason with the Centaur Chiron"

Having reached the age of twenty, Jason went to Iolk. Crossing the river Anaurus, Jason lost his sandal and appeared at court, as was predicted by the oracle to Pelius. Jason demanded from Pelias that he return the kingdom that belonged to him by right.
The frightened Pelias feignedly promised to fulfill Jason's demand, provided that he, having gone to the country of Eyu inhabited by the Colchians, to the son of Helios, the king Eetu will propitiate the soul of the one who fled there on a golden ram Frix and deliver the skin of this ram from there - The Golden Fleece .

Pelias sends Jason for the Golden Fleece

Jason agreed, and a ship was built to travel with the help of Athena. "Argo".

Lorenzo Costa
"Argo"

He gathered the most glorious heroes from all over Hellas to participate in the campaign. The Argonauts asked those who took part in the campaign Hercules take command, but he declined in favor of Jason.

"Gathering of the Argonauts"
(image on a red-figure crater of the 5th century BC,
kept in the Louvre)

William Russell
"Argonauts"

Having sailed from the Pagasean Gulf, the Argonauts arrive on the island Lemnos, whose inhabitants a year before their arrival exterminated all the men.

Gustave Courbet
"Sleepers"

While the Argonauts were visiting the island, its queen Hypsipyle , becoming Jason's lover, invites him to stay with his companions on Lemnos, marry her and become king. And as soon as I persuaded Hercules, they forced the Argonauts to move on.

"Argonauts on Lemnos"
(antique drawing)

On the advice of a hiker Orpheus The Argonauts were initiated into the mysteries of the Kabiri on the island of Samothrace.
Having sailed through the Hellespont to Propontis, the travelers were warmly received by the inhabitants of the city of Cyzicus in Phrygia by the dolions, who arranged a feast for them. At this time, the ship was attacked six-armed monsters , so that the Argonauts, led by Hercules, had to endure a fight with them.

When the Argonauts sailed on, a contrary wind at night again drove them to Cyzicus. The Dolions mistook Jason and his companions for enemies - the Pelasgians, and in the battle that broke out, Jason killed the king of the Dolions. When it became clear in the morning that a mistake had occurred, the Argonauts took part in the solemn burial.

Having gone further, the Argonauts began to compete in rowing, and Hercules, who turned out to be the most indefatigable, broke the oar. At the site of the next camp in Mysia near the island of Keos, he went into the forest to make himself a new one, and his favorite young man Gilas went to fetch water for him. nymphs springs, captivated by the beauty of Hylas, carried him into the depths, and Hercules searched in vain for the young man.

John Waterhouse
Hylas and the Nymphs

Meanwhile, the Argonauts, using a fair wind, set sail and only at dawn noticed the absence of Hercules. A dispute began on what to do, but the sea god appeared from the depths Glaucus revealed to them that Hercules, by the will of Zeus, was not destined to participate in the further campaign.

Bartholomeus Spranger
"Glavk and Scylla"

In Bithynia, the king of the Bebriki Amik , who used to engage in fisticuffs with foreigners arriving in his country, challenged one of the Argonauts to a duel. Challenge accepted Polydeuces , which struck Amik to death.

Having entered the Bosporus, the Argonauts sailed to the dwelling of a blind old man, a soothsayer Phinea who was tormented by terrible stinking birds harpies who stole food from him. Boreads Z and Kalaid , winged sons Borea , drove away the harpies forever, and the grateful Phineus told about the path that the Argonauts had to go and gave them advice on how to avoid dangers.

"Jason and Phineas"

Harpies on a red-figure antique vase

Modern depiction of harpies

Sailed to those blocking the exit to Pontus Euxine converging and diverging floating rocks Symplegadam , the Argonauts, taught by Phineus, first released a dove. She managed to fly between the approaching rocks, damaging only the tail feathers, which was a favorable omen, and the helmsman Typhius directed the Argo between the rocks. Thanks to help Athens the ship managed to overcome the current, and the approaching Symplegades only slightly damaged the stern of the ship, after which they froze forever so that a narrow passage remained between them.

Terracotta relief "Construction" Argo ":
on the left - the goddess Athena, in the center - the helmsman Typhius, on the right - the carpenter Arg.

The Argonauts headed east along the southern coast of Pontus Euxinus. Having driven away flocks of monstrous birds like harpies with a cry, they moored to the island Aretia , where they met with the sons of Frix, sailing from Colchis to Hellas and shipwrecked, who joined them.

Approaching Caucasus , travelers saw an eagle flying to Prometheus and heard the groans of God - the benefactor of mankind. Later, Prometheus, chained to a rock by the will of Zeus, will be released Hercules.

Gustave Moreau
"Prometheus"

Peter Paul Rubens
"Prometheus Chained"

Christian Hypercurl
"Hercules Frees Prometheus"

When the Argo entered the mouth of the Phasis (Rioni) River, Athena and Hera, who were favorable to Jason, asked Aphrodite , to Eros ignited love for Jason in the heart of the daughter of the king of the Colchians Eeta - the sorceress Medea.

Henry Camille Danger
"Aphrodite and Eros"

As soon as Jason with six companions appeared in the palace of Eet, Medea immediately fell in love with him.

Anthony Frederick Augustus Sandys
"Medea"

Evelyn de Morgan
"Medea"

Upon learning that the Argonauts had come for the Golden Fleece, Eet was furious. Wanting to destroy Jason, he offered him to plow the field on the copper-footed fire-breathing bulls of the god of war Ares and sow it with the teeth of the Theban dragon, from which invincible warriors grow.
However, another daughter of Eeta is the widow of Phrixus Halkiopa , fearing for the fate of her sons, who arrived with the Argonauts, conspired with Medea, who was in love with Jason, to give the hero a magic potion that made him invulnerable for one day.

John Waterhouse
"Jason and Medea"

In the presence of Eet and the Colchians, Jason harnessed the bulls and, following the plow, threw the teeth of the dragon into the furrow. Even before evening, mighty warriors began to grow from them. Jason threw a huge stone at them, and hid himself, and when the soldiers began to fight each other, he killed them.

Medea, driven by love for Jason and fear of her father, seized witchcraft potions, fled to the Argo, taking from Jason a promise to marry her. At dawn, Jason and Medea went to the grove of Ares, where a terrible serpent guarded the golden fleece. Medea put the serpent to sleep with a sweet chant and a magic potion, and Jason was able to remove the golden fleece that emitted radiance from the oak (in one version of the myth, Jason killed the serpent).

Salvator Rosa
"Jason defeats the dragon"

Boris Vallejo
"Jason"

Bertel Thorvardsen
"Jason and the Golden Fleece"

Quellinius
"Jason and the Golden Fleece"

The Argonauts hurried out to sea, but Eet sent ships in pursuit of them. Since the Argonauts were returning in a new way - along the Istra (Danube), the Colchians under the command of the son of Eet Apsyrta blocked their way from Istria to the Adriatic Sea. The Argonauts were inclined to reconciliation and agree to leave Medea in the temple of Artemis, just to be able to move on with the Golden Fleece. But Medea, showering Jason with reproaches, offered to lure brother Aspirtus into a trap. The plan succeeded: Jason killed Aspirtus, and the Argonauts unexpectedly attacked the Colchians accompanying him.

Zeus was angry with them for their treacherous murder, and a talking piece of wood made from Dodona oak inserted into the keel of the Argo told the Argonauts that they would not return home until they were cleansed of filth by the daughter of Helios, the sorceress Pick(Circe).
In the Mediterranean, the Argonauts reached the island where Kirk lived, clearing them of their crime.

From Sirens saved the Argonauts Orpheus who drowned out their singing with his song.

John Waterhouse
"Siren"

Thetis and her Nereid sisters, at the request of Hera, helped the Argonauts sail past Scylla and Charybdis and the wandering rocks of Plankt.

Alkinoi and Areta, who reigned over the Phaeacians, cordially received the Argonauts, but at that time they were overtaken by the second half of the Colchian fleet. By advice Aretas Jason and Medea were immediately married, so that Alkina received reason not to send Medea to her father.

Antonio Biageo
"Engagement of Jason and Medea"

When the "Argo" was already near the Peloponnese, a storm carried her to the shallows of Libya. Here, the Argonauts for a long time could not find a way out of Tritonian Lake, until they turned to the local deity for help. Triton who helped them out to sea.

Off the coast of Crete, a copper giant Talos began to throw pieces of rock at the Argonauts, preventing them from landing on the shore. Enchanted by Medea, he injured his heel - his weak spot, after which all the blood flowed out of him and he fell lifeless.

Soon the travelers returned to Iolk. According to the most common version of the myth, Jason gave the golden fleece to Pelius, who during his absence, being sure that Jason would not return, killed his father and brother.

Having dedicated "Argo" to Poseidon, Jason, with the help of Medea, took revenge on Pelias: Pelias' daughters, at the instigation of Medea, wanting to restore their father's youth, cut his body into pieces.

Thus ended the history of the Argonauts.

However, this myth has a continuation concerning the further fate of Jason and Medea. But that's another story, which I'll tell you some other time.

Thank you for attention.

Sergei Vorobyov.

Argonauts - (Greek) - “sailing on the Argo” - participants in the journey to Colchis for the skin golden sheep, on which Frix and his sister fled from the evil stepmother. The king of Colchis, Eet, sacrificed a ram to Zeus, and hung the skin in the sacred grove of Ares, where it was guarded by a vigilant fire-breathing dragon. According to the myth, the king of Iolk Pelias was predicted that he was destined to die at the hands of a man in one sandal. Such a person turned out to be Jason , the son of his half-brother Eson, deposed by him. Eson, seeking to save his son, declared him dead and gave him up to be raised by the wise centaur Chiron. Having reached adulthood, Jason went to Iolk to demand the return of the kingdom, and on the way there he lost his sandal in a stream when the goddess Hera tested his kindness, appearing to him in the guise of a decrepit old woman and asking him to carry her across the stream. Pelias promised to fulfill the demand if Jason would deliver the golden fleece from the kingdom of Eeta in Colchis, hoping to destroy the young man. Jason began to prepare for the campaign, for participation in which he gathered heroes from all over Greece. The number of participants in the campaign by ancient authors ranges from 50 (according to the number of oars of the ship) to 67 people. With the spread of myth across Greece, the number of Argonauts included more and more new heroes: Orpheus, Hercules, Amphiaraus, Meleager, Tydeus, Theseus, Boreads, Dioscuri and others. Heroes, under the guidance of the shipbuilder Arga and with the help of the goddess Athena, built the ship "Argo" and sailed to Eia (the ancient name of Colchis). They made their first stop on the island of Lemnos, where the queen Hypsipyla, who became Jason's lover, ruled. The queen offered Jason to marry her and become king of Lemnos, but Hercules persuaded the Argonauts to continue on their journey. Having sailed through the Hellespont, the Argonauts landed in the country of Dolions, where they were warmly received by King Cyzicus. The Argonauts set sail from there, but a headwind drove their ship back to shore at night. The Dolions mistook the Argonauts for enemies and entered into battle, in which Jason killed Cyzicus. In the morning it became clear that there had been a misunderstanding, and the Argonauts took part in the solemn burial of the deceased. Then they sailed to Mysia near the island of Keos. Here the nymphs dragged the handsome Hylas, the favorite of Hercules, to the bottom of the river. Having gone in search of him, Hercules lagged behind the ship. The Argonauts wanted to return for him, but the sea god-soothsayer Glaucus revealed to them that, at the behest of Zeus, Hercules would not participate in the campaign. In Bithynia, the king of the Bebriki tribe, Amik, challenged one of the Argonauts to a fistfight and was killed by Polydeuces. Having entered the Bosporus, the Argonauts sailed to the dwelling of the blind soothsayer Phineus, who was tormented by harpies, defiling his house and food. Zeth and Kalaid, the winged sons of Boreas, banished the harpies forever. In gratitude, Phineus told the Argonauts about the upcoming journey and advised them how to sail between the shifting rocks Symplegades. Having sailed to the rocks, A. first released a dove between them. The bird flew between the rocks, damaging only the feathers from the tail, and this was considered a good omen. A ship sailed after her, the end of the rudder being only slightly damaged by the converging rocks. After that, they parted and froze forever, and a narrow passage remained between them. On the island of Areia, the Argonauts shouted to drive away the monstrous Stymphalian birds, whose copper feathers were like arrows. Here they met the shipwrecked sons of Frix, sailing from Colchis to their homeland, who joined the Argonauts and further helped them with advice. Sailing past the Caucasus, the Argonauts saw an eagle flying to peck at the liver of Prometheus, and heard the groans of a titan. Arriving in Colchis, Jason demanded the Golden Fleece from Eet. The king set the condition that Jason first harnessed the fire-breathing copper-tortured bulls of Ares to the plow, plowed the field on them and sowed it with the dragon's teeth. The goddesses Athena and Hera, favorable to Jason, ignited love for the hero in the soul of Eet's daughter Medea. Medea gave Jason a magic potion that made him invulnerable for one day. Jason harnessed the bulls, plowed the field and sowed dragon's teeth there, from which armed warriors grew. On the advice of Medea, Jason threw a heavy stone into their crowd, and they began to fight with each other, and Jason killed the survivors. At night, Medea came to Jason and said that her father would destroy him if the Argonauts did not immediately take the fleece and leave. Together they went to the grove, where Medea lulled the guard dragon with spells and a sleeping potion, took the fleece there, and that very night the ship of the Argonauts sailed for Greece. Eet sent ships in pursuit of them, led by his son Apsyrtus, but Medea lured her brother into a trap, and Jason killed him (option: Medea killed her younger brother Apsyrtus, whom she took with her to escape, cut him into pieces and began to throw them into sea ​​Eet collected the body parts of his son and turned back to bury him). Zeus was angry with the Argonauts for this murder and ordered them to be cleansed by the daughter of Helios, the sorceress Kirk, who lived on the distant island of Eya. Having cleared themselves of the murder, the Argonauts continued on their way and safely avoided many dangers (the myth mentions the meeting of the Argonauts with the Sirens, Skill and Charybdis, the floating cliffs of Plankt, etc.). When they arrived on the island of feakoi, they were overtaken by the ships of Eet, and the pursuers demanded that Medea be handed over to her father. On the advice of the Queen of the Feacians, Jason and Medea immediately entered into marriage, after which, according to Greek laws, Medea began to belong to her husband and could not be extradited to her father. On the way home, the Argonauts visited Libya, where the soothsayer Pug died from a snakebite, off the coast of Crete their ship was almost broken by the giant Talos, who threw pieces of rocks at them from the shore, but Medea enchanted him, he injured his heel and bled to death. Finally, the Argonauts returned to Iolk with the Golden Fleece. There they gave the fleece to Pelias, but he did not keep his word and did not return the kingdom to Jason. Then Medea deceived the daughters of Pelias, promising them to rejuvenate her father with the help of magic, and they slaughtered him. After this, the son of Pelias expelled Jason and Medea from Iolk.

Jason

Jason (Greek) - "healer" - the great-grandson of the god of the winds Eol, the son of King Iolk Aeson and Polymede (options: Alkimedes, Amphinomes), a participant in the Calydonian hunt and leader of the Argonauts. When Pelias overthrew his brother Aeson from the throne, he gave Jason to be raised by the centaur Chiron, who taught him the art of healing. At the age of 20, Jason decided to return to Iolk. Crossing the river Anaurus, he saw an old woman who asked to be carried across the river. Jason carried the old woman on his shoulders and lost the sandal from his left foot. The old woman turned out to be the goddess Hera, who tested the young man and since then began to favor him. Seeing Jason, Pelias was frightened, since it was predicted to him that a man in one sandal would destroy him. When Jason appeared to Pelias and said that he was the son of the deposed king Aeson and had come to return his father to legitimate power, Pelias promised to give the kingdom to Aeson, but first demanded from Jason that he return the golden fleece to Iolk to atone for the curse that weighed on the Aeolidian family the ram on which Phrixus fled to Colchis. Heroes from all over Hellas gathered on the campaign for the Golden Fleece. A ship was built, which, after its builder, was called the Argo, and the participants in the campaign began to be called Argonauts. On the way to Colchis, the Argonauts stopped at the island of Lemnos, where Jason met with Queen Hypsipyla, who gave birth to his sons Evney and Nebrofon. After going through many adventures, Jason and his companions reached Colchis, where King Eet ruled. The king agreed to give the Golden Fleece if Jason harnessed the copper-footed, spewing flames of huge bulls (a gift from Hephaestus) to the plow, plowed the field and sowed it with the teeth of a dragon. (Option: Eet demanded from Jason to help him in the war against his brother Perse.) At the request of Athena and Hera, who patronized the Argonauts, the god of love Eros kindled love for Jason in the heart of the sorceress Medea, daughter of Eet. I promised Medea to marry her and with her help fulfilled all the requirements of Eet. But Eet did not give the hero the Golden Fleece, but planned to burn the Argo ship and kill the Argonauts. Upon learning of this, Medea put the dragon guarding the golden fleece to sleep (option: Jason killed the dragon) and helped steal the fleece. Together with the Argonauts and with her brother Apsyrtus, she fled from Colchis. To delay the pursuit, Medea killed her brother and scattered pieces of his body across the sea. Eet was forced to stop in order to collect the body of his son and give it to burial. (Option: Apsyrtus did not go with Medea, but was sent by his father in pursuit of her. Medea lured him into a trap, and he was killed by Jason). The pursuit overtook Jason and Medea only on the island of the feacs, where Alcinus ruled. On the advice of Alcinous's wife Areta, Jason and Medea were hastily married so that Eëtes would lose his paternal power over his daughter and could not demand her extradition. When Jason returned to Iolcus, Pelias refused to cede power to him. Then Medea managed to convince the daughters of Pelias that they would restore their father's youth by cutting him into pieces and boiling him in a cauldron. To do this, she cut a ram, boiled it, and a live lamb came out of the cauldron (option: in this way she rejuvenated Jason's father). The daughters cut the body of Pelias, but Medea did not resurrect him. Jason and Medea were expelled from Iolk for this and settled in Corinth with King Creon. They lived there for 10 years and had two sons, Mermer and Feret, and then Jason decided to marry the daughter of King Creon Glauca (option: Creusa). Outraged by the betrayal, Medea sent poisoned peplos as a gift to the newlywed, and she died in terrible agony along with her father, who tried to save her. Then Medea killed the young sons of Jason, and she herself was carried away on a chariot drawn by dragons sent by her grandfather Helios. Jason committed suicide (option: he became a poor vagabond and died years later under the wreckage of the dilapidated ship Argo when he fell asleep under her stern).

Gennady Shcheglov, Vadim Archer.
MYTHOLOGICAL DICTIONARY