Jason and the Golden Fleece by Unknown
"Jason and the Golden Fleece" is an ancient Greek myth that follows the story of Jason, a prince whose quest for the mythical golden fleece is central to his journey to reclaim his father’s throne. Raised in seclusion by Chiron the Centaur, Jason learns of his lineage and the treachery of his uncle, Pelias, who has usurped his father's crown. To win back his rightful place, Jason embarks on a perilous voyage with a group of renowned heroes known as the Argonauts. Their journey is fraught with trials, including encounters with mythical creatures and the challenges posed by King Æetes of Colchis, who guards the fleece. The tale intertwines themes of heroism, love, and betrayal, particularly through the character of Medea, Æetes’ daughter, who aids Jason with her magic. Ultimately, Jason's quest culminates in unexpected consequences, revealing the complexities of ambition and loyalty. This rich narrative has resonated through history, illustrating timeless themes of adventure, fate, and the quest for identity.
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Jason and the Golden Fleece by Unknown
First published: Unknown
Type of work: Folklore
Type of plot: Adventure
Time of plot: Antiquity
Locale: Greece
Principal characters
Jason , the prince of IolcusKing Pelias , his uncleChiron , the centaur who raised JasonÆetes , the king of ColchisMedea , his daughter
The Story:
In ancient Greece there lives a prince named Jason, son of a king who had been driven from his throne by a wicked brother named Pelias. To protect the boy from his cruel uncle, Jason’s father takes him to a remote mountaintop, where he is raised by Chiron the Centaur, who is half man and half horse. When Jason grows to young adulthood, Chiron the Centaur tells him that Pelias seized his father’s crown. Jason is destined to win back his father’s kingdom.
Pelias is warned by an oracle to beware of a stranger who will visit with one foot sandaled and the other bare. Jason loses one sandal in a river he crosses on his way to Iolcus, where Pelias rules. When Pelias sees the young man, he pretends to welcome him but secretly plots to kill him. At a great feast, he tells Jason the story of the golden fleece.
In days past, a Greek king called Athamus had banished his wife and taken another, a beautiful but wicked woman who had persuaded Athamus to kill his own children. A golden ram swooped down from the skies, however, and carried the children away. The girl slipped from his back and fell into the sea, but the boy came safely to the country of Colchis, on the shores of the Black Sea. Here, the boy had allowed the king of Colchis to slaughter the ram for its golden fleece. The gods were angered by these happenings and placed a curse on Athamus and all of his family until the golden fleece was returned from Colchis.
As Pelias tells Jason the story, he sees that the young prince is stirred, and is not surprised when Jason vows that he will bring back the golden fleece to Iolcus. Pelias promises to give Jason his rightful throne when he returns from his quest; Jason trusts Pelias and agrees to the terms. He next gathers about him many of the great heroes of Greece: Hercules, the strongest and bravest of all; Orpheus, whose music soothes savage beasts; Argus, who with the help of Juno built the wondrous ship Argo; Zetes and Calais, sons of the North Wind; and many other brave men. The Argonauts set off in high hopes of a successful end to their quest.
The voyagers encounter numerous dangers on their journey. Hylas, Heracles’ squire, is drawn into a spring by a nymph and is never seen again by his comrades. They next visit Salmydessa, where they meet the blind king, Phineus, who is tortured by harpies, loathsome creatures, with the faces of women and the bodies of vultures. Zetes and Calais chase the creatures across the skies, and when the heroes leave, the old king lives in peace.
Phineus had warned the heroes about the clashing rocks, the Bosporus, through which they must pass to reach Colchis. As they approach the rocks, they are filled with fear, but Juno holds the rocks back, and they sail past the peril. They row along the shore until they come to the land of Colchis.
Æetes, the king of Colchis, swears never to give up the treasure, but Jason vows that he and his comrades will do battle with Æetes. Then Æetes consents to yield the treasure if Jason manages to yoke to the plow two huge fire-breathing bulls and sow the field with dragon’s teeth. When giant warriors spring up from each tooth, Jason has to slay each one. Jason agrees to the trial.
Æetes has a beautiful daughter named Medea, who falls in love with the handsome Jason, and she brews a magic potion that gives Jason godlike strength; thus it happens that he is able to tame the wild bulls and slay the warriors. Æetes promises to bring forth the fleece the next day, but Jason suspects the worst and warns his comrades to have the Argo ready to sail.
In the night, Medea secures the seven golden keys that unlock the seven doors to the cave where the golden fleece hangs, and she leads Jason to the place. Behind the seven doors, he finds a hideous dragon guarding the treasure. Medea’s magic causes the dragon to fall asleep, allowing Jason to seize the fleece.
Fearing for her life because she has helped the stranger against her father, Medea sails away from her father’s house with Jason and the other heroes. After many months and a circuitous voyage around the known world, they reach their homeland, where Jason places the treasure at the feet of Pelias. The fleece, however, is no longer golden. Pelias gets angry and refuses to give up his kingdom, but in the night Medea causes him to die. Afterward, Jason becomes king and the enchanter Medea reigns by his side.
Bibliography
Bacon, Janet Ruth. The Voyage of the Argonauts. Boston: Small, Maynard, 1925. A classic study of the myth of Jason and the golden fleece, in which Bacon follows the Argonauts through their extended history with literary evidence and illustrations. Provides excellent interpretations of the myth, including maps of the voyage and other illustrations.
DeForest, Mary Margolies. Apollonius’ “Argonautica.” New York: Brill, 1994. DeForest examines the significance of the golden fleece in the myth of Jason, as well as relationships between the characters. Makes a symbolic comparison of Medea to the golden fleece. Includes an extensive bibliography and a detailed index.
Papanghelis, Theodore, and Antonios Rengakos. A Companion to Apollonius Rhodius. Boston: Brill, 2001. A collection of essays on Apollonius Rhodius’s version of Jason and the Golden Fleece that includes insightful discussions of the figure of Jason, similarities with the wanderings of Odysseus, and the motif of the golden fleece.
Pinsent, John. Greek Mythology. New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1982. Pinsent interprets the meaning of the Jason myth through the symbols found in literature and art. Includes a number of Greek art illustrations.
Severin, Tim. The Jason Voyage. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1985. Severin embarks on the voyage of the Argonauts with a twentieth century crew. He captures the atmosphere and time of Jason’s voyage and provides excellent archaeological details, evidence, and explanation of the origins of the myth. Also examines the reasons behind the timelessness of the legend of the golden fleece.
Thomas, Carol G. Finding People in Early Greece. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2005. Thomas amasses and analyzes an array of evidence to suggest that Jason was a historical figure and that his mythological legend was based on historic reality.
Wood, Michael. “Jason and the Golden Fleece.” In In Search of Myths and Heroes: Exploring Four Epic Legends of the World. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2005. This book accompanies a program that aired on the Public Broadcasting Service, in which Wood travels to numerous locales to explore the Jason myth and other legends. Discusses why the story continues to capture the imagination.