Chapter 24: Jason

Hylas

A youth beloved of Heracles. He is snatched away y the nymphs of a spring. Heracles decides to leave the expedition of the Argo to search for the boy.

Minyae

Another name for the crew of the Argo, who were descendants of gods and ancestors of noble families.

Phineus

Blind prophet tormented by the Harpies. When the Argonauts drive them off, he tells them about the dangers to come and gives them advice on how to proceed.

Athamas

Boetian king. Brother of Cretheus, father of Phrixus and Helle by Nephele (cloud). He marries Ino, the daughter of Cadmus.

Phrixus and Helle

Children of Athamas and Nephele ("cloud"). Later, their stepmother, Ino, intrigues against them and they flee on a golden-fleeced ram, given by Hermes. She falls and hies at the "name"-spont. He journeys to Colchis and is welcomed by Aeëtes. He marries Chalciope, a daughter of Aeëtes, sacrifices the ram, and gives the fleece to Aeëtes, who hangs it in a grove sacred to Ares, guarded by a serpent.

Lemnos

Island where Jason encounters the Lemian women. They had neglected their worship of Aphrodite, in return for which the goddess made them unattractive to their husbands. Their husbands, in turn, took lovers. In revenge, the women killed all the males except for King Thoas, father of Hypsipyle. They receive the Argonauts when they arrive. They stay there for a year and beget many children.

Amyeus

King of Bithynian tribe who was killed in a boxing match with Polydeuces.

Creon

King of Corinth, who receives Jason and Medea. While in Corinth, Jason decides to marry his daughter. His fear of Medea, however, leads him to demand her exile. Before this, however, she succeeds in causing the deaths of both him and his daughter.

Colchis

Kingom of Aeëtes and the location of the Golden Fleece.

Golden-fleeced ram

Magical creature sent by Nephele to carry her children, Phrixus and Helle, to safety. Phrixus will sacrifice the animal and give its fleece to Aeëtes. He sets it in a grove guarded by a serpent where it acts as a kind of talisman.

Apsyrtus

Medea's brother, whose death is variously related. Either he is killed by Jason, or Medea cuts him up and throws his pieces into the sea to delay the couple's pursuers.

Nephele

Mother of Phrixus and Helle by Athamas. She protects her children from the murderous designs of their stepmother by sending a golden-fleeced ram to whisk them off. Her name means "cloud."

Talus

On their return voyage, the Argonauts encounter this bronze giant. He was vulnerable in his ankle, which held a kind of "stopper" to prevent the ichor, which kept him alive, from flowing out. The Argonauts succeed in removing it, thus killing him.

Cyzicus

The Argonauts were welcomed by this King and his people, who were all called Doliones. During their stay, Heracles killed the neighboring giants for them. They then sailed away, but contrary winds drove them back. At night, not realizing where they were, they engaged in a battle with the Doliones in which this king was killed.

Argonauts

The crew and companions that Jason gathers to aid him in his quest for the Golden Fleece. They include some of the most famous heroes of the earlier generation: Orpheus, Heracles, Jason, Augeas, Meleager, Peleus, Telamon, Oïleus, Castor, Polydeuces, Zetes and Calaïs, Argus, and Tiphys.

Argo

The first ship, built by Argus with Athena's aid,and named after him. The name means "swift."

Corinth

The setting of Medea, the city ti which Jason ad Medea flee after the murder of Pelias.

Argus

The shipwright of the Argo and one of the Argonauts.

Iolcus

Thessalian kingdom of Cretheus, later usurped by Pelias.

Symplegades

They were two huge moving rocks that destroyed ships and men that attempted to pass. The Argonauts, employing Phineas' advice, released a dove so that as it passed through the strait, the rocks would come together. As they were pulling apart, they sailed quickly through. They remained fixed from then on.

Planctae

"The Wandering Rocks" through which Jason, as Odysseus before him, must navigate.

Harpies

Children of Thaumas and Electra. they torment Phineus by snatching away or befouling his food. They are driven off by the brothers Zetes and Calïs. Their name means "snatchers."

Creusa

Daughter of Creon, she is killed when she puts on a robe that has been poisoned by Medea.

Hypsipyle

Daughter of King Thoas of Lemnos. The women of Lemnos kill all the male children on the island, but she saves her father's life through a deception. She becomes Jason's lover for a year, bearing his twin sons. When her deception is uncovered, she is exiled and becomes the servant of Lycurgus, kind of Nemea, and nurse his son Ophetles.

Thessaly

Region in northern Greece where Iolcus is located.

Jason

Son of Aeson and Polymede, he is raided in exile because of the hostility of his uncle Pelias, who usurped the throne of Iolcus from Aeson, the rightful heir. He is educated by the centaur Chiron. When he returns to Iolcus, he meets Hera in the guise of a old woman who asks for help in crossing a river. He accedes to her request, but in the crossing he loses a shoe. When he arrives at Iolcus, Pelias, recalling a prophecy that he will be killed by a man wearing one sandal, promises to yield the throne if he will fetch the Golden Fleece. He accepts the charge and mounts the voyage of the Argo. After many adventures, he successfully returns to Iolcus with Medea. Pelias has decided to break the promise he made, at which point Medea intrigues to kill him. They bot flee to Corinth, where he decides to marry the princess, thereby securing a kingdom for himself and his children. Medea, feeling scorned by him, kills his bride, father-in-law, and their children. He is said to have died when, as an old and broken man, he is accidentally struck by a piece of the Argo's rotted hull.

Aeson

Son of Cretheus and Tyro, father of Jason. He is the rightful heir to the throne, but is usurped by his stepbrother Pelias. When Jason returns from his quest, Medea rejuvenates him to lure the daughters of Pelias to effect the same magic upon their father. They kill him.

Aeëtes

Son of Helius, brother of Circe and Pasiphaë, father of Medea and Apsyrtus, king of Aea or Colchis, a city on the black sea. His name means "man of the land."

Pelias

Son of Poseidon and Tyro, he usurps the throne from his stepbrother Aeson, father of Jason. Jason's mother sends him away for protection. He was fated to be killed by a man wearing one sandal, which precisely describes Jason when he returns from exile. He promises to give up the throne, provided Jason retrieves the Golden Fleece. When Jason returns from his quest, Medea persuades his daughters to effect a rejuvenation ritual by dismembering him. The magic, as intended, fails, and he dies.

Zetes and Calaïs

Winged sons of Boreas (North Wind) ad Orithyia. Prominent Argonauts who drive away the Harpies.

Medea

Younger daughter of Aeëtes, granddaughter of Helius, priestess of Hecate. She falls in love with Jason and is persuaded to help him. From this point, her role in the legend of Jason assumes greater or lesser prominence depending on the author. In the play by Euripides, she claims a very large role in his success. Ovid attempts to restore some of his heroism, though. In the end, he wins the fleece and escapes from Colchis with Medea. The Colchians follow him in hot pursuit. The death of Apsyrtus is variously told. He is either killed by Jason or cut to pieces and thrown into the ocean to delay the pursuers. After several more adventures, the pair arrive at Iolcus. Medea intrigues to murder Pelias, so that both Hason and she flee into exile, eventually reaching Corinth. In the most famous version of the story, Hason decides to take the princess of Corinth as his bride. She, scorned by the man she had done so much to help, decides to exact a terrible revenge by killing her two children with Jason, as well as the princess. She takes flight to Athens, where Aegeus grants her sanctuary. They produce a son, and Medea is mistress of the house when a young Theseus comes from Troezen to find his true father. She, jealous of Aegeus' son by a former mistress, tries to kill Theseus. When she fails, she again takes flight, eventually returning to Colchis.