Classics 10: Chapter 19 Jason and the Myths of IolcusJason and the ArgonautsJason and MedeaOrigin of the Golden FleeceSlide 5Jason of Iolcus (in Thessaly)Jason Provokes His QuestThe Commissioning of the Argo(Some of) The 50 ArgonautsMap 1Map 2Early Adventures of Jason and the ArgonautsSlide 13John Waterhouse, Hylas and the Nymphs (1896)Phineus and the HarpiesSlide 16The Symplegades (The “Clashing Rocks”)Jason’s Great LaborSlide 19Slide 20Medea and the Golden FleeceJason as a Deflated Hero?Slide 23The Return of JasonThe Death of PeliasJason and Medea in CorinthEuripides’ Medea (431 BCE)Slide 28Slide 29Slide 30Slide 31Slide 32Slide 33Slide 34Slide 35Jason and Medea AfterwardsClassics 10: Chapter 19Jason and the Myths of IolcusI. Origin of the Golden FleeceII. Jason and the ArgonautsIII. Jason and Medea Get the FleeceIV. Jason and Medea in GreeceJason and the Argonauts•Group of heroic characters assemble to obtain great treasure (the Golden Fleece)–Like an action movie with big and famous cast•Set in the generation before the Trojan War–Story already said to be famous by Homer•Yet our best account an epic poem called the Argonautica, written around 250 BCE (at least 500 years after Homer) by Apollonius of Rhodes–Librarian of Alexandria, learned in literature–An epic meant for reading (not listening)–More of an emotional soap opera than HomerJason and Medea•Medea becomes Jason’s companion during the quest for the Golden Fleece•After they return to Greece together, they have adventures in Jason’s hometown of Iolcus and then in Corinth–Euripides’ Medea (431 BCE) is THE great account of the events in Corinth–Medea ends up in Athens, Theseus forces her out (see pages 432-3 in Powell)Origin of the Golden Fleece•Athamas, King of Orchomenus in Boeotia, had two children by his first wife Nephelê–Boy Phrixus and girl Hellê•Athamas then dumps Nephelê and marries Ino, who plots to kill Phrixus so that her son might inherit the throne•Ino bribes the Oracle at Delphi to tell Athamas that he has to sacrifice Phrixus in order to end the famine at OrchomenusOrigin of the Golden Fleece•When Athamas leads Phrixus to the altar, a golden ram appears, the kids climb on, and the ram flies away (!)•Hellê falls off and drowns in the narrows separating Europe and Asia–Hence the narrows now called the Hellespont, which means “the sea of HellꔕThe ram flies Phrixus to safety on the far eastern side of the Black Sea, to the city of Colchis•Phrixus then sacrifices the ram to Zeus and gives the golden fleece to the local king, AeëtesJason of Iolcus (in Thessaly)•Pelias, a son of Poseidon, stages a coup to become King of Thessaly•Drives his twin brother out and imprisons his half-brother Aeson•Aeson has a son Jason who is hidden away and raised by Chiron the Centaur –Chiron later killed by Heracles•Jason grows to manhood and returns to Iolcus to overthrow his uncleJason Provokes His Quest•Pelias learns from an oracle that a man with one sandal will cause his downfall•Jason arrives with one sandal because he lost one while carrying an old woman across a stream on the way to Iolcus–The old woman is Hera in disguise, who becomes Jason’s champion•Pelias recognizes the one sandal symbol, asks Jason what he would do if he could control the person who was going to ruin him•Jason says: tell him to go get the Golden Fleece!The Commissioning of the Argo•Pelias thus commands Jason to go get the Golden Fleece (cf. Perseus and Polydectes)–It seems Pelias was to yield the throne to Jason if Jason was successful•Jason has a ship built, the biggest and best ever made up to that time: could hold 50 men (!)•The ship is built by a man named Argus (“Swift”) and named the Argo for its builder–Its crew = the Argonauts (“sailors of the Argo”)•Jason collects the best warriors of the day to be his companions; a tremendous cast of characters(Some of) The 50 Argonauts•Heracles, though he doesn’t stay with them long•Orpheus, the great musician•The Dioscuri (Castor & Polydeuces), brothers of Helen and sons of Zeus•The Boreads (Zetes and Calaïs), sons of Boreus, the North Wind•Peleus, father of Achilles•Meleager, hunter of the Calydonian Boar•Admetus, husband of Alcestis•Augeas, whose stables Heracles cleaned•Jason and Argus and othersMap 1•Orchomenos in Boeotia•Iolcus•Plain of ThessalyMap 2•Iolcus•Lemnos•Hellespont•“Clashing Rocks”•Black SeaEarly Adventures of Jason and the Argonauts•The women of Lemnos–Had insulted Aphrodite, who punished them by causing their genitalia to stink–Their husbands refused to have sex with them anymore and stole some Thracian women for sex and childrearing–They ultimately responded in jealous rage and killed every male on Lemnos and every Thracian woman or child of a Thracian–One exception: Queen Hypsipylê hid her father in a closet and so saved himEarly Adventures of Jason and the Argonauts•The women of Lemnos–When the Argo shows up, they assume it is Thracian vengeance and prepare to fight–But when they meet the Argonauts, they seduce them immediately (but what about the smell?)–New generation appears nine months later–Only Heracles did not participate, because he wanted to stay on the Argo with his boy-love Hylas•Back at sea, Heracles pulls too hard and breaks his oar; they stop for him to cut a new one–Hylas goes for a drink and is abducted by water nymphs because of his beautyJohn Waterhouse, Hylas and the Nymphs (1896)•Heracles goes looking for Hylas, is left behind•His 12 labors are not yet complete; this is likely why he cannot go on with JasonPhineus and the Harpies•The Argonauts come to the Bosporus (the strait that leads to the Black Sea, where Istanbul now is), city of Salmydessus•King Phineus is being tormented there because he abused his power as a seer and told people more than he should–Blinded by Zeus, starving and old•Whenever he tried to eat, the Harpies would come and snatch it away, leaving only crumbsPhineus and the Harpies•The Harpies = hostile human-headed female birds who stink and leave stench behind–Associated with storm winds and angry spirits •Argonauts agree to free Phineus from the Harpies if he tells them how to get into the Black Sea•They set a trap by setting out a feast•Harpies appear and are fought off (and killed?) by Zetes and Calaïs, the winged sons of Boreas the North