Jason and The Argonauts, in plain English ...
 Famous as the First hero in Europe to undertake
a great journey/quest
 Sailed on the Argo to find the Golden Fleece
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Story begins…the background info…
Athamas (Greek king) tires of his wife (Nephele), and marries
another woman instead, Princess Ino, who came from a great
family; her father was the King of Thebes, Cadmus.
Nephele worried and thought Princess Ino would kill her son Phrixus
so her son could inherit the kingdom instead—she was right.
Princess Ino plans to kill Phrixus in an elaborate plan…she destroys
the seed-corn by parching it and ruined the harvest. The King,
Cadmus, went to the Oracle to ask how to fix this so the people
would not starve, and Ino had bribed the Oracle to tell him that in
order for the corn/crops to grow, the son Phrixus would have to
be sacrificed (killed).
When the boy Phrixus is taken to the altar to be sacrificed, a
magical and wonderous ram, sent by Hermes at the request of his
mother, with fleece of pure gold takes Phrixus and his sister up to
the heavens to save them.
o Phrixus’ sister, Helle, dies when she slips and falls into the
sea (becomes the Hellespont, the Sea of Helle, in her honor)
o Boy Phrixus is safely put on land in Colchis
o Colchians were fierce, but kind to Phrixus. Their king is King
AEtes, who let Phrixus marry one of his daughters
 Phrixus sacrifices the ram that saved him to Zeus in
gratitude for having been saved.
 And, he gives the Golden Fleece to King AEtes.
How does the journey of Jason begin?
 King Pelias and Jason were cousins, according to the book.
movie we will view pictures it differently.
The
Pelias had stolen the
throne from an uncle of Phrixus and Jason had come to
take/claim the throne, peacefully, if possible.
He offered to let
Pelias keep his wealth and possessions in return for surrendering
rule to Jason.
 King Pelias agreed to turn over the crown if Jason would get the
Golden Fleece from Colchis.
So begins Jason’s quest.
 Pelias said that Phrixus, who was now dead, wanted the Fleece
brought back to Greece so that his spirit could rest; actually, King
Pelias wanted to get rid of Jason.
It had been prophesied that a
kinsmen wearing one sandal would kill him and take his crown.
Since Jason had come into town wearing one sandal, Pelias
naturally feared for his own death…he only suggested the quest for
the Fleece because he thought it would be impossible to attain and
to come back alive.
 Jason puts together his group of sailors for the Argo—known as
the Argonauts. They included: Hercules, Orpheus (musician),
Theseus, the twins Castor and Pollux (sons of Leda and Zeus,
protectors of Sailors), and Peleus (father of Achilles).
THE QUEST BEGINS...into the underworld
 First, the Argonauts encounter the WOMEN OF LEMNOS, who had
killed all the men on their island except their elderly king.
The
women welcome the Argonauts and give them food/gifts.
 Next, they lose Hercules who was lost when he went off into the
woods trying to find
Hylas, his armor-bearer.
He doesn’t return;
the sailors go on without him.
 Where they next landed, they fought the HARPIES (flying creatures
with hooked beaks and claws that left a sickening odor).
They are
sent by Zeus to keep the prophet Phineus from eating, who had
angered Zeus.
The harpies are chased away by the sons of
Boreas—Argonauts who followed them through the sky.
However,
Iris, the rainbow messenger, would not let the sons kill the Harpies,
but promised that the harpies would not return to Phineus.
 Phineus, grateful, then helps the Argonauts by telling them about
the Symplegades, or CLASHING ROCKS. He tells them how to
accomplish the task.
He tells them to send a DOVE first. If it
makes it through, they should follow her.
The dove makes it
through; the Argonauts escape destruction with a bit of damage to
the Argo’s stern.
 The final threat to the Argonauts is the land of the AMAZONS
(whose father is Ares, the God of War), strong female warriors.
The Argonauts catch a favorable wind and avoid conflict to arrive
safely in COLCHIS—the country of the Golden Fleece
With Aphrodite’s help, Hera has Cupid shoot an arrow through the heart
of MEDEA, daughter of King AEtes, to make Medea fall in love with Jason.
Since Medea could work magic, she would be able to help Jason obtain
the Golden Fleece and get away safely.
Hera wraps the Argonauts in a
thick mist to arrive unseen.
 King AEtes, displeased, set forth a trial of courage/impossible tasks
for Jason that he hoped would kill Jason. He told Jason that he
would give the fleece to
to no one less brave than himself.
o Yoke two fire-breathing bulls to a plow
o Plant the teeth of a dragon and to kill the warriors that
would spring up from the sown teeth.
 With the help of a magic ointment made by Medea, Jason is able
to accomplish both impossible tasks.
 Further, knowing her father was still after Jason,
Medea goes to him by night, encouraging him to
go after the fleece immediately.
Then, she sang
a song to put to sleep the serpent that guarded
the fleece.
Once the snake was asleep, Jason
took the fleece.
 Medea’s brother Apsyrtus pursued Jason to reclaim the fleece.
Medea causes His death; also, she causes a fatal injury to Talus,
the bronze man of Crete, who was about to throw enormous
stones at the boat to sink it.
 Once in Greece, Jason learns Pelias had forced his father to kill
himself and his mother died of grief.
Jason asked Medea to help
him gain revenge.
 Medea tricked Pelias’ daughters into cutting apart their father and
putting him into a pot of boiling water.