Frix and Gella. - Hero Jason, a man about one sandal. - Ship Argo. - Women of Lemnos. - The king of bebriks. - Phineus and the Harpies. - Symplegades Rocks. - Stimphalian birds. - Sorceress Medea. - Bulls of Eeta. - Daughters Pelias. - Medea's wrath and vengeance.

Frix and Gella

Ancient greek Argonauts myth formed, probably under the impression of the horrors experienced by sailors in those distant times, when the art of navigating a ship was only in its infancy and when pitfalls, storms, rocks and a strong current seemed to the eyes of frightened travelers as something supernatural.

This campaign was undertaken with the aim of finding The Golden Fleece, the origin of which is described as follows.

Hermes presented a ram (ram), whose wool was golden, to Queen Nephele, the wife of the Minian king Atamant. This mythological golden-fleece ram was the son of Poseidon, possessed the gift of speech, could swim across the seas and move faster than the wind from one place to another.

After the death of Nephele, Afamant married Ino. The evil stepmother began to pursue the children of the deceased queen - Frix and Gella - and brought her intrigues to the point that the king agreed to sacrifice Frix to Zeus. Then Frix and Gella decided to flee. Since they knew about the extraordinary qualities of the golden fleece ram, Frix and Gella mounted it, and the ram quickly carried them across the seas. But when crossing from Europe to Asia, Gella let go of the hair of the golden fleece ram, to which Gella then held on, lost her balance and fell into the sea, which has since received the name of the Hellespont, that is, the Sea of ​​Hella. Frix, however, safely reached Colchis, where he was friendly received by King Eetus.

By order of Hermes, Frix sacrificed a golden-fleece ram to Zeus, and hung his skin (golden fleece) in the grove of Ares (Mars), and a terrible dragon was assigned to guard her, which was awake day and night.

Hero Jason, a man about one sandal

This golden fleece was the personification of the prosperity and wealth of the country. Transferred to another country, the golden fleece showed its strength there, therefore, to find and obtain the golden fleece became an indispensable desire and aspiration of every hero, but it was in a distant, little-known country, where few sailors dared to go.

Here are the circumstances under which the ancient Greek hero Jason, the son of Eson, king Iolcus, went to get the golden fleece: Pelius, Eson's son-in-law, overthrew him from the throne, and sent Jason to be raised with the centaur Chiron. When Jason was twenty years old, he decided to go to Pelius and demand from him the inheritance of his father Eson. On his way, Jason met an old beggar woman who was trying in vain to cross the river. Moved by her helplessness, Iason invited her to carry her on his shoulders. The old woman gratefully accepted Iason's offer. During the crossing, Jason lost one sandal, but did not want to take the old woman off his shoulders to look for his shoes. Having crossed to the other side, the old woman took on her real image: it was the goddess Hera, who wished to experience Jason's kindness. Hera thanked him and promised Jason her help in all his endeavors.

Jason, pleased with such an adventure, forgot that he had lost his sandal, and went straight to the palace of Pelias, to whom the oracle predicted that he should be wary of a man with only one sandal. Pelias's horror and embarrassment increased even more when he recognized Jason in the newcomer.

Pelius immediately turned to Jason with the following question: "Alien, what would you do with a man who, according to the oracle's prediction, will be dangerous to your life?" “I would have sent him to get the golden fleece,” Jason answered without hesitation, since he, like others, considered such an undertaking very dangerous and believed that the daredevil who dared to do this would never return. Iason didn’t suspect that his answer was his own verdict. Indeed, Pelius ordered Jason to go in search of the golden fleece.

A beautiful statue in the Louvre depicts Jason tying on a sandal, the main culprit of the Argonauts' campaign.

Argo ship

Hearing about the forthcoming expedition for the golden fleece, many mythological heroes wanted to take part in it. Among them were Theseus, Hercules, Castor and Pollux, Orpheus, Meleager, Zeta and Calaid, the winged sons of the north wind Boreas, and many others. All the participants in the Argonauts' campaign were fifty, according to the number of oars on the Argo ship; Typhius was its helmsman, and Jason was its leader.

The story of the construction of the Argo ship under the supervision of Athena and the entire journey of the Argonauts points to the beginning of sailing. An antique bas-relief that has survived to this day depicts Athena showing a worker how to attach a sail to a mast.

The ancient Roman poet Seneca points to the helmsman Tifias as the first navigator who used sails in sailing: “Typhius dared to be the first to deploy sails over the boundless surface of the sea, he dared to give new laws to the winds, he conquered the sea and added to all the dangers of our life the danger of this terrible element ".

The remarkable thing is that Seneca kind of foresaw the discovery of America. Seneca says further: "The time will come in the centuries to come when the ocean will expand the globe along its entire length, and the new Typhus will reveal to us the New World, and Fula [as Iceland was called in antiquity] will cease to be the end of the universe for us."

The Argo ship also had oars, as we see in the old images of the ship. The ship Argo was built from Pelion pines, and the mast was hewn in the sacred oak grove of Dodona and therefore possessed the gift of divination.

The newly built ship, despite the combined forces of all the Argonauts, did not go down into the sea, and only Orpheus, with the sounds of his lyre, made him voluntarily go down into the sea.

Women of Lemnos

The first place where the ship Argo stopped was the island of Lemnos, all of whose women, outraged by the constant infidelity of their husbands, mercilessly killed them all. Aphrodite, outraged by such a crime, inspired the women of Lemnos with a passionate desire to remarry, but surrounded on all sides by water and having no ships to leave their deserted island, they could only shed bitter tears and languish. The newcomers were received by them with open arms, and the inhabitants of Lemnos would have willingly kept them forever, but the prudent Jason, realizing the danger, gathered all his companions on the deck of the Argo ship, as if wishing to convey important information to them, cut the rope with which the ship was secured, and set off on a further journey.

While the Argonauts were passing by Samothrace, a terrible storm threw the Argo ship onto the coast of Chersonesus, where there was a high mountain inhabited by the six-armed giants Dolion. The giants of Dolion did not receive the Argonauts as friendly as the beautiful Lemnian women, and a fierce battle broke out very quickly between the Dolion and the Argonauts. But Hercules unleashed his arrows and destroyed all Dolions.

In Mission Hercules left his companions: he went to find his favorite Hilas, whom the nymphs carried away to the bottom of the source.

King of the Bebriks

The heroes Argonauts then arrived in Bithynia, the land of the Bebriks, where the cruel and vain king Amikus reigned.

The king of bebriks Amik forced all strangers to go out with him to a duel, and already many people sent Amik in this way to the kingdom of shadows.

As soon as the king of the Bebriks noticed the approaching ship Argo, he went ashore and began to boldly summon the strongest and most agile of the Argonauts to measure strength with him. Dioscurus Pollux, offended more than others by this audacious challenge, accepts it and, after a rather long battle, defeats and kills the king of the bebriks.

Pollux has since been considered the patron saint of fist fighters and athletes.

Phineus and the Harpies

Thanks to the dexterity and skill of their helmsman Tithias, the Argonauts moved quickly forward. Soon the Argonauts arrived at Salmides of Thrace, where the soothsayer Phineus lived. Apollo gave Phineus the ability to foresee and predict the future, but this dangerous gift ruined him. Phineus, forgetting due respect for the ruler of the gods, revealed to mortals his most secret plans and decisions. The enraged Zeus sentenced Phineus to eternal old age, deprived him of his sight and the opportunity to be fed.

Despite the fact that all those who turned to him for predictions brought Phineas different dishes, they did not get to the unfortunate old man: as soon as they were brought, the winged Harpies, whom Zeus instructed to torment the unfortunate Phineas, flew from heaven and stole all the food. Sometimes the Harpies, in order to increase the agony of Phineus, left him with pitiful remnants of food, but they also poured mud on them.

These Harpies were at first the personification of an all-crushing whirlwind, but in the myth of the Argonauts, the Harpies are already the personification of a terrible all-devouring hunger and therefore are portrayed as disgusting winged creatures: half bird, half woman with pale, distorted faces and terrible claws.

Hearing about the arrival of the Argonauts, Phineus, who knows that according to the will of Zeus, these strangers must free him from the Harpies, groping towards them, barely moving his legs. The unhappy appearance of Phineus evokes in the heroes deep regret for him. The Argonauts announce that they are ready to help Phineus. They stand beside him and, when the hideous Harpies arrive, chase them away with their swords. And Zeta and Calaid, the winged sons of Boreas, pursue them to the Strophada Islands, where the Harpies pray for mercy and give an oath promise not to disturb Phineus anymore.

Symplegades cliffs

Wishing to thank his deliverers, Phineus tells the Argonauts: “Listen, my friends, what I am allowed to tell you, because Zeus, justly angry with me, does not allow you to reveal to you everything that will happen to you. Having left this coast, you will see two rocks at the end of the strait, not a single mortal has ever passed between them: they constantly move and often move together, making up, as it were, one whole, and woe to those who fall between them. Release the pigeon before attempting to drive; if it flies safely, then row as hard as possible and hurry to pass; remember that your life depends on the strength and speed of your hands. If the dove dies, crushed by the rocks, do not make any more attempts, submit to the will of the gods and come back. "

Forewarned by Phineus, the Argonauts took a dove with them. Having approached a narrow strait, strewn with pitfalls, the Argonauts saw a sight that no mortal has seen since. The Symplegades cliffs opened and moved away from one another. One of the Argonauts released the dove, and all eyes followed the bird. Suddenly, with a terrible noise and cracking, both rocks reconnect, the sea roars up its foamy waves to their tops, splashes fly in all directions, the unfortunate Argo ship rolls heavily and turns around, but the dove safely reaches the shore, leaving only part of its tail between the rocks ...

Typhius persuades his companions to use all their efforts and row as quickly as possible, if only to pass this terrible place as soon as possible; The Argonauts obey in unison, but suddenly a giant wave rises in front of them. The Argonauts already consider themselves dead and pray to the gods for salvation. Athena, hearing the prayers of the Argonauts, hurries to their aid, and the Argo ship passes safely.

Since then, the Symplegades have no longer moved: they have remained forever motionless.

Stimphalian birds

Having avoided danger in the Simplegad Strait, the Argonauts approached the island of Areia (Mars), where the Stymphalian birds lived, whose feathers were sharp arrows, and they could throw them at the daredevils who dared to drive up to their island.

Seeing one of his companions killed by such an arrow, Jason resorts to cunning: he orders some of the Argonauts to row quickly, and others to cover the rowers with shields and at the same time strike with their swords on their helmets and emit loud cries.

The Stimphalian birds, frightened by such a terrible noise, fly away into the mountains, and the Argo ship continues on its way without any adventures. The brave Argonauts see the snowy peaks of the Caucasus, hear the complaints of the chained Prometheus, whose liver is tormented by an eagle, mourn the death of their skillful helmsman Typhius, and finally reach Colchis, where the golden fleece is.

Sorceress Medea

Eeta bulls

Jason tells Eet, the magician and king of Colchis, about the purpose of their arrival and asks to give him the golden fleece. King Eet answers Jason: “Stranger, your long speeches and your requests are in vain: before I give you the golden fleece, I must make sure that the blood of the gods flows in you and that you are brave enough to take from me by force what I have belongs. This is the test I offer you; you will withstand it, the golden fleece will belong to you. I own two bulls, they have brass hooves, and they spew fire and smoke from their mouths. Catch them, harness them to the plow and plow the field, but instead of the gifts of Demeter, plant this field with the dragon's teeth, which I will give you; by evening they will grow into armed giants; conquer and destroy them with your sword "(the ancient Greek epic poet Apollonius of Rhodes, the poem" Argonautics ").

The Argonauts listen with horror to the terrible conditions of King Eetus, and it must be assumed that Jason could not have fulfilled them if Hera, his patroness, had not turned to Aphrodite for help. This goddess aroused in the heart of Medea, daughter of Eetus and a powerful sorceress, a strong love for Jason.

Medea prepared an ointment and gave it to Jason, ordering him to spread it all over his body and hands. This miraculous ointment gave Jason not only terrible strength, but made him invulnerable, so that the fire emanating from the jaws of the copper bulls could not harm him.

After plowing and sowing the field, Jason waited until armed giants grew out of the earth, like countless ears of grain. Following Medea's advice, Jason took a huge stone and threw it between them. Like dogs rushing to prey, the giants rushed to the stone, killing each other in spite, and soon the whole field was covered with their bodies.

But Eet, in spite of his promise, refused to give out the golden fleece; then Medea at night led Jason into the grove where it was; with the help of Medea's enchantment, the hero Jason kills the dragon and takes possession of the treasure.

The antique cameo depicts Jason wearing a helmet and holding a sword; he admires a golden fleece hanging from a tree, around which a dragon is entwined like a snake.

Then, together with Medea, Jason returns to the ship Argo and immediately sets off on the return journey, fearing Eet's pursuit. Indeed, Tsar Eet chases after them, but the cruel Medea, who took her little brother with her, cuts him into pieces and, starting from the head, gradually throws these pieces into the sea. The unhappy father, recognizing the head of his son, stops to pick up his remains, and thus gives the Argonauts the opportunity to leave.

Daughters of Pelias

Returning to his homeland, Jason learns that Pelius, having sent him on such a dangerous journey and hoping that he will die there, ordered to kill his father Eson and his entire family.

Sorceress Medea, becoming Jason's wife, undertakes to take revenge on Pelias.

Medea goes to Iolk under the guise of an old woman and announces to everyone there that she has the gift of turning old into young, and to confirm her words turns into a young girl in front of Pelias' daughters. In the same way, Medea turns an old ram into a lamb, having previously chopped the ram into pieces and put them in a cauldron to cook.

The daughters of Pelias, believing Medea and wanting to return youth to their father, cut Pelias into pieces and put him in the boiler in the same way, but cruel Medea refuses to revive Pelias.

One antique vase depicts Medea holding a sword and two daughters Pelias listening to her stories.

Medea's rage and vengeance

Medea hoped that after the death of Pelias Jason would become king, but the son of the deceased seized the throne and expelled Jason and Medea from their possessions.

They went to Corinth to the king Creon, who invited Jason to marry his daughter, the beautiful Creus; Jason agrees, and the king, fearing Medea's revenge, ordered her to leave Corinth. In vain he begs Medea Jason not to reject her, recalls to him everything that she did for him, but all Medea's pleas are in vain - Jason remains implacable.

Then Medea asks permission to stay one more day, pretends to forgive her treacherous husband, says that she wants to give a gift to her happy rival, whom she asks to take under her protection of her two children. Medea orders the children to take these gifts - a golden crown and a dress made of beautiful shiny fabric. Delighted with the gifts, Creusa immediately puts them on, but as soon as the dress and crown are put on, she immediately begins to experience terrible suffering from the poison with which the vengeful Medea soaked her gifts, and soon dies amid terrible torment.

But this still does not satisfy Medea: she wants to take away from Jason everything he loves; but he loves children, and in a fit of terrible frenzy she kills them. Jason resorts to their cries, but finds them already dead, and Medea sits in a chariot drawn by winged dragons and disappears into space.

Medea's terrible revenge has served as the plot for many works of art. The ancient Greek painter Timanthus perfectly expressed the cruelty and frenzy of Medea at the moment when she kills her children.

Among the artists of modern times, Raphael painted the beautiful figure of Medea in one of his mythological sketches, and Eugene Delacroix depicted Medea in some grotto with a dagger in her hand: she, like an angry lioness, hugs children to her, and Medea's facial features perfectly express the terrible struggle that takes place in it between the feeling of love for children and the thirst for revenge. This painting - one of the best works of Delacroix - is in the museum in Lille.

The German artist Feuerbach wrote a picture on the same topic, which is very interesting in terms of expression and interpretation. It is located in Munich, in the gallery of Count Schack.

The hero Jason, so severely punished for treachery, drags out his miserable existence for some time. Once, when Jason, as usual, slept beside his dilapidated ship Argo, the mast of this ship collapsed on him, and Jason died under it.

ZAUMNIK.RU, Egor A. Polikarpov - scientific editing, scientific proofreading, design, selection of illustrations, additions, explanations, translations from Latin and Ancient Greek; all rights reserved.

Argonauts - (Greek) - "sailing on" Argo "- participants in the journey to Colchis for the skin golden fleece ram, in which Frix and his sister fled from the evil stepmother. The king of Colchis, Eet, sacrificed the 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, King Iolcus Pelius was predicted that he was destined to die by the hand of a man in one sandal. Such a person turned out to be Jason , the son of his half-brother Eson, overthrown by him. Aeson, seeking to save his son, declared him dead and gave him up to the wise centaur Chiron to be raised. Having reached adulthood, Jason went to Iolk to demand the return of the kingdom, and on the way there he lost his sandal in the stream, when the goddess Hera tested his kindness, appearing to him under the guise of a decrepit old woman and asking him to carry her across the stream. Pelius promised to fulfill the demand if Jason delivered him a golden fleece from the kingdom of Eetus in Colchis, hoping by this to destroy the young man. Jason began to prepare for the campaign, for which he gathered heroes from all over Greece. The number of participants in the expedition by ancient authors ranges from 50 (according to the number of oars on the ship) to 67 people. With the spread of the myth throughout Greece, more and more new heroes were included in the number of the Argonauts: Orpheus, Hercules, Amphiaraus, Meleager, Tydeus, Theseus, Boreads, Dioscuri and others. (the ancient name of Colchis). They made their first stop on the island of Lemnos, where Queen Gipsipila, who became Jason's lover, ruled. The queen invited Jason to marry her and become the king of Lemnos, but Hercules persuaded the Argonauts to continue their journey. Having sailed the Hellespont, the Argonauts landed in the land of the Dolions, where they were cordially received by King Cyzicus. The Argonauts sailed from there, but the headwind at night drove their ship back to the shore. Dolions mistook the Argonauts for enemies and joined the battle in which Jason killed Cyzicus. In the morning it became clear that a misunderstanding had occurred, and the Argonauts took part in the ceremonial burial of the deceased. They then sailed to Mission near Keos Island. Here the nymphs carried the handsome Hilas, the favorite of Hercules, to the bottom of the river. Going in search of him, Hercules left 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 Bebrik tribe, Amikus, summoned one of the Argonauts to a fist fight and was killed by Polideukos. Entering the Bosporus, the Argonauts sailed to the dwelling of the blind soothsayer Phineus, who was tortured by the harpies, desecrating his house and food. Zeth and Calaid, the winged sons of Boreas, drove the harpies away forever. In gratitude, Phineus told the Argonauts about the path ahead and advised them how to swim between the shifting rocks of the Symplegades. Having swam to the rocks, A. first released a dove between them. The bird flew between the rocks, damaging only the tail feathers, and this was considered a good omen. A ship sailed after her, to which the converging rocks only slightly damaged the end of the rudder. After that, they parted and froze forever, and a narrow passage remained between them. On the island of Areya, the Argonauts, with their shouts, drove away the monstrous Stymphalian birds, whose copper feathers were like arrows. Here they met the sons of Phrix, sailing from Colchis to their homeland and shipwrecked, 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 moans of a titan. Arriving in Colchis, Jason demanded the golden fleece from Eet. The king set a condition that Jason first harnessed the fire-breathing copper-tortured bulls of Ares to the plow, plowed a field on them and sowed it with the dragon's teeth. The goddesses Athena and Hera, supportive of Jason, kindled in the soul of Eet's daughter Medea love for the hero. Medea gave Jason a magic potion that made him invulnerable for one day. Jason harnessed the bulls, plowed the field and sowed dragon teeth there, from which the armed warriors grew. On Medea's advice, Jason threw a heavy stone into their crowd, and they began to fight with each other, and Jason interrupted 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 put the watchdog dragon to sleep with spells and sleeping potions, took a fleece there, and that very night the ship of the Argonauts sailed to Greece. Eet sent ships in pursuit, led by his son Apsirt, but Medea lured her brother into a trap, and Jason killed him (option: Medea killed her younger brother Apsirt, whom she took with her to escape, cut him into pieces and began to throw them into sea. Eet collected the parts of his son's body and turned back to bury him). Zeus was angry with the Argonauts for this murder and ordered them to cleanse themselves from the daughter of Helios, the sorceress Kirka, who lived on the distant island of Ey. Having cleared of the murder, the Argonauts continued their journey and safely avoided many dangers (the myth mentions the meeting of the Argonauts with the sirens, Skilla and Charybdis, the floating cliffs of Plankt, etc.). When they arrived on the island of Feak, the ships of Eet overtook them, and the pursuers demanded that Medea be handed over to her father. On the advice of the queen of the Phaeacs, Jason and Medea immediately entered into marriage, after which, according to Greek law, 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 nearly smashed 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 Pelius, 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 their father with the help of magic, and they stabbed him to death. After this, the son of Pelias expelled Jason and Medea from Iolcus.

Jason

Jason (Greek) - "healer" - the great-grandson of the god of winds Aeolus, the son of Tsar Iolk Eson and Polimedes (variants: Alkimedes, Amphinomes), a participant in the Calydonian hunt and the leader of the Argonauts. When Pelius overthrew his brother Eson 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 Anavr River, he saw an old woman who asked to be carried across the river. Iason carried the old woman on his shoulders and lost the sandal on his left foot. The old woman turned out to be the goddess Hero, who tested the young man and since then began to favor him. Seeing Jason, Pelius was frightened, since it was predicted to him that a man in one sandal would destroy him. When Jason appeared to Pelius and said that he was the son of the deposed king Eson and came to return his father's legal power, Pelius promised to give the kingdom to Eson, but first demanded from Jason that he return the golden fleece to Iolkus to atone for the curse that hung over the Aeolid dynasty. ram on which Frix fled to Colchis. Heroes from all over Hellas gathered on a campaign for the golden fleece. A ship was built, which was named "Argo" by the name of its builder, and the participants in the campaign began to be called the Argonauts. On the way to Colchis, the Argonauts stopped on the island of Lemnos, where Jason met with the queen Gypsipila, who bore him the sons of Evney and Nebrophon. 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 to the plow the copper-footed ones, spewing out the flame of huge bulls (the gift of Hephaestus), plowed the field and sowed it with the dragon's teeth. (Option: Eet demanded that Jason help him in the war against his brother Pers.) 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. Ya. Promised Medea to marry her and with her help fulfilled all Eet's demands. But Eet did not give the hero the golden fleece, but decided to burn the ship "Argo" 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 to steal the fleece. Together with the Argonauts and her brother Apsirt, she fled from Colchis. To delay the pursuit, Medea killed her brother and scattered pieces of his body over the sea. Eet was forced to stop in order to collect the body of his son and give him to burial. (Option: Apsirt 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 Faeaks, where Alkina ruled. On the advice of Alkinoy's wife Areta, Jason and Medea were hastily married so that Eet would lose paternal power over his daughter and could not demand her extradition. When Jason returned to Iolcus, Pelius refused to cede power to him. Then Medea managed to convince the daughters of Pelias that they would return their father to youth by chopping him into pieces and welding him in a boiler. To do this, she chopped up 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 Pelias' body, but Medea did not resurrect him. For this, Jason and Medea were expelled from Iolcus 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 a 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 took off in a chariot drawn by dragons sent by her grandfather Helios. Jason committed suicide (option: he became a beggar and tramp and years later died under the wreckage of the dilapidated ship "Argo", when he fell asleep under its stern).

Gennady Scheglov, Vadim Archer.
MYTHOLOGICAL DICTIONARY

Night has come. Dressed in black clothes, Jason went to the bank of Phasis and there, at the dead of midnight, he washed himself in its fast waves. Then he dug a deep hole and brought over it, as Medea had told him, a sacrifice to Hecate. As soon as the sacrifice was made, the earth shook and the great Hecate appeared with smoking torches in his hands. Terrible monsters and fire-spewing dragons surrounded Hecate, horrible hellhounds barked and howled around her. The nearby nymphs fled with a loud cry when they saw Hecate. Horror seized Jason, but remembering Medea's words, without turning around, he walked to the Argo, where his friends were waiting.
As soon as morning came, the Argonauts sent Telamon and Meleager for the dragon's teeth to Eet. Eeth 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 in their weight were only fit for Hercules, and climbed into the chariot; it was ruled by his son Absirt. The Argonauts also gathered to go to the field of Ares.
Jason rubbed the spear, sword and shield with magic ointment, and then rubbed it himself. Then he felt a terrible power in everything

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body. As if his muscles were steel, his body became as if it was forged from iron. When the Argonauts in their fast "Argo" sailed to the field of Ares, Eeth was already waiting for them, and around the field on the slopes of the mountains the Colchisians crowded. Jason went ashore, shining like a radiant star in his armor. Jason walked across the field, found an iron plow and a brass yoke in the field, and, covering himself with a shield, went to look for the bulls spewing fire. Suddenly, both bulls jumped out of the cave, and with a frantic roar rushed at the hero. Clouds of fire flew out of their mouths. Hiding behind a shield, the hero is waiting for them. Bulls flew into him and with terrible force struck the hero's shield with their horns. No man could have withstood this blow, but Iason stood firm, like a rock. More and more bulls roar at him, kicking up clouds of dust. One by one, Jason grabbed the bulls by the horns with his mighty hands and drew them to the plow. Bulls are torn, they scorch Jason with fire, but he is unharmed, and his furious bulls cannot escape from his hands. Jason harnessed them to the plow with the help of Castor and Polidevk. Chasing the bulls with his spear, Jason plowed the entire field of Ares, sowed it with the dragon's teeth. Having finished sowing, Jason unharnessed the bulls, shouted menacingly and hit them with his spear. Like madmen, the bulls rushed and disappeared into a deep cave. The first half of the work was completed, now you need to wait for the soldiers to grow up on the field. Jason went to the bank of Phasis, scooped up water with his helmet and quenched his thirst.
But Iason's rest was not long. Here on the field appeared from the ground the point of a spear, behind it another, again and again, and the whole field was covered with like copper bristles. It was as if the earth stirred, and from it

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the helmets and the heads of the warriors appeared. The whole field has already been covered with warriors in shining armor. Remembering Medea's words, Jason grabbed a huge stone; the four strongest heroes would not have been able to move him, but Jason lifted him with one hand and threw him far into the crowd of warriors born of dragon teeth. The warriors grabbed their arms, and a bloody battle began between them. Jason threw himself with a sword at the soldiers, he struck them one by one, and soon the whole field was covered with killed soldiers, not one of them survived, they all fell from the mighty hand of Jason.
They covered the whole field, like ears cut by a sharp sickle that cover the fruitful land. The feat was over. He looked with amazement at Jason Eet, amazed at his inhuman strength. The king furrowed his eyebrows, anger flashed in his eyes. Without uttering a word, he rushed into the city in his chariot, thinking only of one thing - how to destroy his wondrous stranger. Jason, returning to the "Argo", rested with his friends, who praised his great feat.

Prepared by edition:

The Argonauts woke up early in the morning. At the council, they decided that Jason should go with the sons of Frix to King Eetus and ask him to give the fleece to the Argonauts, but if the proud king refuses, then only then resort to force. With the staff of peace, Jason went to the palace to Eet. The goddess Gera 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, a cloud parted, and they saw the palace of Eet. This palace was magnificent. Its walls were high, with many towers extending into the sky. A wide gate, decorated with marble, led to the palace. Rows of white columns gleamed in the sun, forming a portico. Hephaestus made everything that was in the palace of Eeta, all the rich decoration for him in gratitude for the fact that the father of Eet, the sun god Helios, rushed away Hephaestus, exhausted in the battle with the giants, from the Phlegrean fields in his golden chariot. Many palaces surrounded the courtyard. In the most luxurious one lived king Eet with his wife, in another - his son Absirt; for their beauty, the Colchisians of Absirta were called Phaethon (shining). In the rest of the palaces lived the daughter of Aeta Halkiopa, the wife of the deceased Frix, and the youngest daughter of Aeta Medea, the great sorceress, the servant of the goddess Hecate. When Jason and his companions entered the courtyard near the palace of Eet, Medea emerged from her palaces. She went to visit Halkiopa. Medea cried out in amazement when she saw the strangers. At her cry, Halkiopa came out and saw her sons. Rejoicing at their return, Halki-opa ran up to them. She hugs, kisses her sons, whom she did not think to see again. Eet also came out to the noise. He summons foreigners to his palace and orders a sumptuous feast for his servants. While Jason was exchanging greetings with Eetus, Eros descended from high Olympus on his golden wings. Hiding behind a pillar, he drew the string of his bow and took out a golden arrow. Then, invisible to all, Eros stood behind Jason and shot his arrow straight into Medea's heart. An arrow pierced her heart, and she immediately felt love for Jason. Jason went with his companions to Eet's palace. There the king of Colchis invited them to lie down at the banquet table. During the feast, Argos told Eet about how he and his brothers had been shipwrecked, how their stormy waves had been thrown onto the island of Aretiada, and how the Argonauts had found them there, starving to death. Argos also said why Jason came with the heroes to Colchis. As soon as Zet had heard that Jason wanted to get the golden fleece, his eyes flashed in 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 Phrix have planned to take over the entire Colchis and for this purpose brought Greek heroes with them? Eet showered Jason with reproaches, he wants to drive him out of the palace and threatens him with execution. The angry speeches were already ready to fly off Telamon's lips in response to the king's threats, but Jason stopped him. He tries to calm Eetus, assures him that they only sailed for the rune to Colchis, and promises the king to perform any service, to fulfill any commission, if the king gives him the golden fleece as a reward. Eet pondered. Finally, deciding to destroy Jason, he said to him: - Okay, you will receive a fleece, but first fulfill my next order: plow the field dedicated to Ares with my iron plow, and harness the copper-footed bulls breathing fire into the plow; Plant this field with the dragon's teeth, and when the armored warriors grow out of the dragon's teeth, fight them and kill them. If you do this, you will receive a fleece. Iason did not answer Eet at once, finally said: - I agree, Eet, but you also fulfill your promise, because you know that I cannot refuse to fulfill my assignment, since by the will of fate I arrived here, in Colchis. Having said this, Jason left with his companions. ARGONAUTS ARE LOOKING FOR HELP TO HONEY When Jason returned to the Argo, he told his comrades what had happened in the palace of Eet and what commission the king had given him. The Argonauts thought. How to be him, how to fulfill Eet's order? Finally, said Argos: - Friends, in the palace of Eet lives his daughter, Medea. She is a great sorceress and she alone can help us. I will go to 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 Medea for help. Look, a bird dedicated to Aphrodite escaped on Jason's chest! Remember what Phiney said. Didn't he advise us to pray for Aphrodite's help? Pray to the goddess, she will help us. Let Argos go quickly 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 Eet to his mother. Meanwhile, Zeta gathered all the Colchisians to the square. He told the people about the arrival of foreigners and ordered to guard the "Argo" so that none of the Argonauts could escape. Eeth decided to burn the Argo with all the heroes after Jason dies in the field dedicated to Ares; he decided to subject the sons of Frix to a painful execution. Night has come. The capital, Eeta, fell asleep. For a moment he reigned everywhere. Only he is not in Medea's palaces. Dreams fly in a row over her head, one more alarming than the other. Medea dreams that Jason is fighting bulls, and Medea herself should be the reward for the victory. She then dreams that she herself enters into a struggle with the bulls breathing the flame and easily defeats them. He sees how her parents refuse to give her to Jason as a wife, because it was not he who defeated the bulls. A dispute erupts 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 in tears, wants to run to Chalkiopa, but is ashamed to go to her. Three times she already took hold of the door handle, but each time she came back. Medea fell on the bed and burst into tears. One of Medea's slaves heard her sobbing and told Khalkiop about it. Halkiopa hurries to his sister and sees Medea lying, sobbing, on her bed. - Oh, my sister, - says Halkiopa, - what are you crying about? Are you shedding tears for the fate of my sons? Did you know that our father wants to destroy them? Medea did not utter a word in response to Halkiopa, because she was not crying about her sons, but finally she said: “I dreamed ominous dreams, sister. Death threatens your sons and the stranger with whom they returned. Oh, if the gods gave me the strength to help them! Halkiopa shuddered with horror when she heard Medea's words; hugging her, she begs for help. Halkiopa knows that Medea can help Jason with her charms. And Medea said to Khalkiope: - 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 my father will destroy us all. Halkiopa is gone. Medea was left alone. Opposite feelings fought in her chest. Either she was afraid to go against the will of her father, then again she dared 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 the casket with poison aside, forgot all her doubts, she thought only of Jason and decided to help him. As soon as dawn broke and the distant snowy peaks of the Caucasus began to color with pink light, when 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, getting up early in the morning, took out a chest with magic ointments and took out an ointment from it, which was called “Prometheus oil”. It was prepared from the juice of the roots of a plant that grew from the blood of Prometheus. Anyone who rubbed himself with this ointment became invulnerable neither to iron, nor to copper, nor to 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. Medea's heart was joyful, she forgot all her worries and thought only of meeting with Iason. Here is the temple of Hecate. Medea entered it. Iason was not there yet. Jason came soon. Medea looked at him, and her heart beat violently in her chest. Medea cannot utter the words. For a long time Jason and Medea stood in silence; finally, the hero broke the silence. He took Medea by the hand and said: - Beautiful maiden, why did you lower your eyes to the ground? Why are you afraid of me? Do you think that I am melting malice? 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 his sanctuary, neither will Zeus, the defender of all those who pray for help. Tell me will you help me? If you help, the great heroes who came with me here to Colchis will glorify your name throughout Greece. Remember how great the glory of the daughter of Minos, Ariadne, who helped the great Theseus. Medea was silent and only looked at Iason with eyes full of love. She was beautiful in her embarrassment. With a tremulous hand, she took the prepared magic ointment from her belt and handed it to Iason. In a barely audible voice, Medea said to him: “Listen, Jason, this is what my help will consist of: wash yourself in the river at night; putting on black clothes, dig a deep hole on the shore and over it sacrifice a black sheep to Hecate, pouring honey over it. Then go to your ship, but be careful not to turn around. You will hear voices and furious barking of dogs, but you go straight and do not be afraid. When morning comes, anoint your body, spear, shield and sword with this ointment. The ointment will give you irresistible strength, and you will carry out the instructions of Eet. Remember only: when the warriors rise out of the ground, throw a stone at them, and they will begin to fight with each other, then attack them. Take the same ointment, with its help you will get a fleece. Then take the fleece wherever you want. Medea fell silent. Sadly, her eyes clouded over at the thought of separation from Iason. With her head bowed, Medea stood, full of sadness, and finally said: - You will go, 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. Iason told her about Iolka, about the blooming valley where he stands. He called Medea to go with him to Greece. He promised her great honor, promised that they would honor her as a goddess in Iolka. - Oh, if Eet had agreed to conclude an alliance of friendship with me! - Iason 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. Come back home alone, just 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 his love for Medea takes possession of him. He begs her to secretly leave her father's house and flee with him to Iolk. Medea is ready to leave Colchis, separation from Jason frightens her, she is afraid that she will not bear this separation. Medea cries at the thought of separation from Jason. Hera inspired her desire to follow Iason everywhere. The goddess wants to go to Iolk Medea; there, with her help, Hera decided to destroy the hated Pelias. Medea said goodbye to Jason; he promised her to come again to the temple of Hecate to meet with her again and decide what to do. Medea rode home cheerfully in her chariot - she knew that Jason loved her. Jason Fulfills Eet's Order Night has come. Dressed in black clothes, Jason went to the bank of Phasis and there, at the dead of midnight, he washed himself in its fast waves. Then he dug a deep hole and brought over it, as Medea had told him, a sacrifice to Hecate. As soon as the sacrifice was made, the earth shook and the great Hecate appeared with smoking torches in his hands. Terrible monsters and fire-spewing dragons surrounded Hecate, horrible hellhounds barked and howled around her. The surrounding nymphs ran with a loud cry when they saw Hecate. Horror seized Jason, but, remembering Medea's words, without turning around, he walked to the "Argo", where his friends were waiting. As soon as morning came, the Argonauts sent Telamon and Meleager for the dragon's teeth to Eet. Eeth 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 shit, which were only fit for Hercules in their weight, and ascended the chariot; it was ruled by his son Absirt. The Argonauts also gathered to go to the field of Ares. Jason rubbed the spear, sword and shield with magic ointment, and then rubbed it himself. Then he felt a terrible force throughout his body. As if his muscles became steel, his body became as if it was forged from iron. When the Argonauts in their fast "Argo" sailed to the field of Ares, Eeth was already waiting for them, and around the field on the slopes of the mountains the Colchisians were crowding. Jason went ashore, shining like a radiant star, with his armor. Jason walked across the field, found an iron plow and a brass yoke in the field, and, covering himself with a shield, went to look for the bulls spewing fire. Suddenly, both bulls jumped out of the cave, and with a frantic roar rushed at the hero. Clouds of fire flew out of their mouths. Hiding behind a shield, the hero is waiting for them. Bulls flew into him and with terrible force struck the hero's shield with their horns. Not a single person would have withstood this blow, but Jason stood unshakably, like a rock. More and more bulls roar at him, raising clouds of dust. One by one, Jason grabbed the bulls by the horns with his mighty hands and drew them to the plow. Bulls are torn, they scorch Jason with fire, but he is unharmed, and his furious bulls cannot escape from his hands. Jason harnessed them to the plow with the help of Castor and Polidevk. Chasing the bulls with his spear, Jason plowed the entire field of Ares, sowed it with the dragon's teeth. Having finished sowing, Jason unharnessed the bulls, shouted menacingly and hit them with his spear. Like madmen, the bulls rushed off and disappeared into a deep cave. The first half of the work was over, now you have to wait for the warriors to grow up on the field. Jason went to the bank of Phasis, filled his helmet with water and quenched his thirst. But Iason's rest was not long. Here on the field appeared from the ground the point of a spear, behind it another, again and again, and the whole field was covered with like copper bristles. It was as if the earth had begun to rustle, and the helmets and heads of the soldiers appeared from it. The whole field has already been covered with warriors in shining armor. Remembering Medea's words, Jason grabbed a huge stone; the four strongest heroes would not have been able to move him, but Jason lifted him with one hand and threw him far into the crowd of warriors born of dragon teeth. The warriors grabbed their arms and a bloody battle began between them. Jason threw himself with a sword at the soldiers, he struck them one by one, and soon the whole field was covered with killed soldiers, not one of them survived, they all fell from the mighty hand of Jason. They covered the whole field, like ears cut by a sharp sickle that cover fertile land. The feat was over. He looked with amazement at Jason Eet, amazed at his inhuman strength. The king furrowed his eyebrows, anger flashed in his eyes. Without uttering a word, he rushed off in his chariot to the city, thinking only of one thing - how to destroy his wondrous stranger. Jason, returning to the "Argo", was resting with his friends, who praised his great feat. MEDEA HELPS JASON TO STEAL THE GOLDEN RUNE Returning to the palace, Eet summoned the most noble inhabitants of Colchis to a council. Long after midnight the king consulted with them on how to destroy the Argonauts. Eet guessed that only with the help of Medea Jason could accomplish the feat. Medea felt that a great danger threatened both she and Jason. She could not find peace in her magnificent palaces. Sleep escaped her eyes. She got up from her bed at night and quietly left Eet's palace. By paths, known only to her alone, she goes to the bank of Phasis, to where a bright fire, made by the Argonauts, is burning. Approaching the fire, she called Iason and Frix's youngest son, Frontis. Medea told Jason what evil forebodings worried her, and persuaded him to immediately go with her for the rune. Jason donned 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 out flames. Medea summoned the mighty god of sleep Hypnos. She whispers terrible spells and pours magic potions on the ground. A dragon fell to the ground, he still raises his weakened head, but Medea sprinkled him with a sleeping potion, his mouth closed, eyes sparkling with fire closed, and, engulfed in sleep, he stretched out near a tree on which a golden fleece hung. Iason took off the fleece, he hurried to return soon to the "Argo". 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 abduction of the rune. Jason chopped off the ropes with which the "Argo" was tied to the shore, the heroes grabbed the oars, and, like an arrow, the "Argo" rushed downstream of the Phasis, to the sea. Here is the sea. Heroes lean on the oars, the "Argo" rushes like a bird, Colchis farther and farther. Early in the morning Eet learned about the abduction of the golden fleece and that Medea had fled with the Argonauts. Eet came into a violent anger. He summoned the Colchisians to the seashore. But the "Argo" is already far away, it is not visible among the waves of the sea. Eet ordered to gather in pursuit of the Colchisians. He threatens them with death if they do not overtake the Argonauts. The Colchisians lowered the ships and, with the son of Eet Absirt at the head, set off in pursuit of the Argonauts. RETURN OF ARGONAUT When the "Argo" went out to sea, a favorable wind blew. The heroes dismissed the sails and the "Argo" quickly rushed along the waves of the Euxine Pontus. The heroes sailed for three days. Finally, the shores of Scythia appeared in the distance. The Argonauts decided to sail upstream of the Istria, in order to then descend along one of its branches into the Adriatic Sea * 1. When the Argonauts sailed to the mouth of Istria, they saw that all its mouth and all the islands were occupied by an army of Colchisians, who sailed there on their ships by the shortest route. Seeing the large army of the Colchisians, the heroes were convinced that they could not defeat him; they were too few to dare to fight against thousands of well-armed warlike Colchisians. The Argonauts decided to resort to trickery. They entered into negotiations with the leader of the enemy army Absirt and promised him to confine Medea in the temple and hand her over if the king of a neighboring city decides 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 to give him a fleece. But all these negotiations were conducted only to gain time. Medea promised Jason to lure Absirt to one of the islands in the temple. ___________ * 1 Greeks, who are not familiar with the geography of Europe, thought that Istres (modern Danube) is connected by a special route with the Adriatic Sea. ___________ Jason sent rich gifts to Absirt, as if from Medea, and ordered him to ask him to come to a secluded temple to see Medea there. Absirt came to the temple, but as soon as he appeared at the door of the temple, Jason threw himself at him with a bared sword, and Absirt fell to the ground, struck to death. A terrible crime was committed by Jason and Medea: they killed the unarmed Absirt in the temple. Having cut into pieces the body of Absirt, Jason threw him into the waves of Istria. The Colchisians were horrified, they rushed to collect parts of the body of their leader, the Argonauts quickly swam 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. A terrible storm arose there. Shafts covered with foam rise like mountains. The winds, as if breaking 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 mighty oarsmen. Like a splinter, the waves of "Argo" are worn. Death threatens the Argonauts. Then a voice came from the stern. It came from a piece of sacred oak that grew in Dodona, inserted into the stern of the "Argo". The voice ordered the Argonauts to go to the sorceress Kirka so that she would cleanse Jason and Medea from the murder of Absirt, who had desecrated them. As soon as the Argonauts turned "Argo" to the north, the storm subsided, and they all realized that this was the will of the gods. Through Eridan and then along Rodan, the Argonauts descended into the Tyrrhenian Sea and sailed along it for a long time, until they finally sailed to the magical island of Kirki, the sister of Eet. Kirk cleansed Medea and Jason of the filth of murder. She sacrificed to Zeus, who cleanses from the filth of murder, doused Jason's hands with sacrificial blood and conjured Erinius at the altar not to pursue her murderers with her anger. Kirk did not refuse Medea in cleansing from the terrible atrocities, since the sorceress recognized by the sparkle of her eyes that Medea, like herself, comes from the clan of the sun god Helios. The Argonauts set off on their further journey. They still had to overcome many dangers. They sailed between Scylla and Charybdis, where their certain death would have awaited, if the great wife of Zeus, Hera, had not helped them. They sailed past the island of sirens and heard their alluring singing, which with invincible force drew them to the sirens. But the singer Orpheus struck the strings of the golden cithara, and his song won the spell of the sirens' songs. Finally, the Argonauts sailed to Plankt, a narrow strait, over which huge rocks rose from the vault. The sea beat between the rocks, the waves whirled under the arch in a terrible whirlpool, sometimes smoking up to the very top of the arch. Even the pigeons that brought ambrosia to Zeus did not fly unharmed under this house, and every day one of them perished. But then Hera helped the Argonauts, she begged Amphitrite to subdue the waves at Plankt, and the Argonauts passed them unharmed. After a long journey, the Argonauts arrived at the island of the fakes. There, King Alkinoy welcomed them. The Argonauts could have rested from the dangers of the way, but they did not stay a day with the Phaeakians, as a fleet of Colchisians appeared at the island and they demanded that Medea be handed over to them. A bloody battle would have begun if Alkino had not roenied enemies. Alkinoy decided that Medea should be given to the Colchisians if she is not Jason's wife. At night, Alcinoe's wife, Aretas, sent a messenger to Jason so that the messenger would inform him of Alkinoe's decision. On the same night, Jason and Medea performed wedding ceremonies, and the next day, Jason made a solemn oath in front of the assembled Theacians and Colchisians that Medea was his wife. Alkina then decided that Medea should stay with her husband, and the Colchians had to return to Eet without taking possession of Medea. Having rested with the hospitable Theacians, the Argonauts set off further. They sailed safely for a long time. The seas of the Peloponnese have already appeared in the blue distance. Suddenly a terrible whirlwind arose and rushed the "Argo" into the sea. For a long time the "Argo" whirlwind carried over the boundless sea and, finally, threw the "Argo" onto the deserted coast. "Argo" is deeply stuck in the mud of the bay, completely covered with algae. Despair gripped the Argonauts. Pilot Linkey, head bowed, sat behind the stern, having lost hope of returning to Greece. The Argonauts wandered sadly along the shore, as if they had lost all their strength, all their courage. Everyone saw death in their face. Nymphs came to Jason's aid. They revealed to Jason that the whirlwind brought the "Argo" to Libya * 1 and that the Argonauts should carry the "Argo" across the Libyan wilderness on their shoulders, lifting it from the silt when Amphitrite unharnessed the horses from his 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 through the desert. The Argonauts understood that this was Amphitrite's horse. They lifted the "Argo" on the shoulders of the Argonauts and carried it through the desert for twelve days, exhausted from heat and thirst. Finally they reached the country 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 hit the road 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 to the advice of Orpheus, they dedicated a tripod to the god of the lake. A beautiful youth appeared before the Argonauts. He gave the hero Euthem a lump of earth as a sign of hospitality and showed the Argonauts the way out to sea. The Argonauts sacrificed a ram. Before the "Argo" appeared the god Triton himself 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 come to the coast of Crete. Talos guarded the domain of Minos, running around the entire island. But Medea put Talos to sleep with her charms. Talos fell to the ground, and a copper nail fell out, closing the only vein through which Talos's blood flowed. The blood of Talos poured down to the ground, like molten lead, and the giant died. The Argonauts could now freely land on the shore and stock up on water. ___________ * 1 The Greeks called the coast of Africa west of Egypt Libya. ___________ On the way from Crete to Greece, the hero Eufemus 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 later inhabited by the descendants of Euthem, and it became known as Fera * 1. ___________ * 1 The modern island of Santorini. ___________ After that, the storm overtook the Argonauts at sea. A storm raged on a dark night. The Argonauts were afraid to run into an underwater rock or crash on the coastal rocks every minute. Suddenly a golden arrow flashed over the sea with a bright light and illuminated everything around, another, a third, flashed behind it. It was the god Apollo who illuminated the path of the Argonauts with his arrows. They also landed on the island of Anafa * 1 and survived the storm. Finally, the storm subsided, the waves of the sea calmed down, and a favorable wind blew. "Argo" calmly rushed across the azure of the sea. The Argonauts no longer met any dangers on their way and soon arrived at the coveted harbor of Iolka. ___________ * 1 Modern island of Anafi. ___________ When the Argonauts arrived in Iolk, they made a rich sacrifice to the gods who helped during the dangerous voyage. Everyone in Iolca rejoiced and celebrated the return of the Argonauts; all praised the great heroes and their leader Jason, who was the former golden fleece. JASON AND MEDEA IN IOLKA. DEATH PELIA Based on Ovid's poem "Metamorphoses" 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 brutally take revenge on Pelius. And here Medea came to his aid. Soon an opportunity for revenge presented itself. Jason's elderly father, Eson, having learned that Medea is a great sorceress, wanted her to return his youth to him. Jason himself asked Medea to make his father younger. Medea promised to fulfill this request, if only Hecate would help her. When the moon was full, Medea left the house at midnight in dark clothes, barefoot, with her hair loose. Everything around was immersed in 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 an incantation. She conjured night, heavenly bodies, moon, earth, winds, mountains and rivers. She called upon the gods of the forest and the night to appear to her. She prayed to the great Hecate 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 gathered magic herbs and roots on this chariot in the mountains, in the forests, along the banks of rivers and the sea. When she returned to Eson's house, she set up two altars: one to Hekate, the other to the goddess of youth. She dug two holes in front of the altars and above them sacrificed black sheep to the gloomy goddess of darkness and witchcraft Hecate, making libations of honey and milk to her. Medea called upon the underground gods, Hades and Persephone, and begged them not to take away the life of old Eson. Then she ordered the ode to bring Eson. With her charms, she put him to sleep and put Eson on the magic herbs. Medea brewed a magic potion in a copper cauldron. The potion boiled and covered with white foam. Medea's potion stood in the way with a dry branch from a century-old tree. And the branch turned green, covered with leaves, and green fruits appeared on it. Wherever the foam of the potion dripped, flowers and herbs grew. Seeing that the potion was ripe, Medea cut the old man Eson's throat with a sword and released his old blood. Through a wide wound she poured magic potion into Eson's veins. And - oh, a miracle! - the old man's hair was previously white as snow, darkened, wrinkles and senile thinness disappeared, a blush appeared on his cheeks. Eson woke up and again saw himself young, strong and cheerful. After Medea managed to restore Eson's youth, she decided, having drawn up an insidious plan, to take revenge on old Pelius for deceiving Jason and not returning him power over Iolcus. Medea persuaded the daughters of Pelias to return their father to their youth, and to make them believe in her charms even more, she brought a ram, killed him and threw him into a cauldron of potion. As soon as the slaughtered ram plunged into the cauldron, a frisky lamb jumped out of the cauldron. The daughters of Pelias marveled at this miracle and agreed to try to restore their father's youth. Medea prepared a potion, but not the one she had prepared to restore youth to Jason's father. There was no magic power in this potion. Pelias put Medea to sleep with her spells, brought her daughters to his bedroom and ordered them to cut her father's throat. But the daughters did not dare. - Faint-hearted! - Medea exclaimed, - hurry to draw your sword, let out of your father's veins his old blood, and I will pour the young one into him. The daughters of Pelias do not dare to inflict a fatal blow on the sleeping father. Finally, turning away, one after another they began to strike their daughter's father with sword blows. Pelius woke up, mortally wounded, he got up on the bed and, stretching out his weakening hands 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 to Pelias' bed, thrust her knife into his throat, cut his body into pieces and threw them into the boiling cauldron. A chariot pulled by winged dragons appeared in Pelias's bedroom, and on it Medea disappeared from the eyes of Pelias' daughters, who were distraught with horror. Pelias' son, Adrast, 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 judge at the games was Hermes himself. Castor, Polideucus and Eufemus competed in chariot races, Admet and Pug in fistfights, Atalan and Peleus in wrestling. Iphicles won the race. But Jason failed to gain power over Iolk. Adrast did not allow him to remain in Iolca, he expelled him from Iolca for the murder of his wife Medea Pelias. Jason left his homeland and went with Medea to Corinth. JASON AND COPPER IN CORINTH. DEATH OF JASON Based on the tragedy of Euripides "Medea" After the assassination of Pelias, Jason and Medea, expelled from Iolcus, 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 happiness for either Jason or Medea. Jason, captivated by the beauty of Creon's daughter Glavka, betrayed the oaths given in Colchis to Medea even when he received a magic ointment from her; he changed the one with which he accomplished the great feat. He decided to marry Glaucus, and King Creon agreed to give his daughter in marriage to the famous hero. When Medea learned 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 sorrow. She did not eat, did not drink, did not listen to the words of consolation. Little by little, a fierce anger took possession of Medea. Medea's indomitable spirit cannot be reconciled. How can she, the daughter of the king of Colchis, the son of the radiant Helios, be taken down so that her enemies may 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! All curses Medea in violent anger. She curses her children, curses Iason. Medea suffers and prays to the gods to take away her life at once with a lightning strike. What, besides revenge, remained in her life? Death calls Medea, this will be the end of her torment, death will free her from grief. Why did Jason act so cruelly to her, to her, who saved him, helped by putting the dragon to sleep, to get the golden fleece, which, to save him, ambushed her brother and killed Pelias for the sake of Jason? Calls Medea Zeus and the goddess of justice Themis to witness how Jason treated her unjustly. Stronger and stronger is Medea's decision to take revenge on Jason. But here comes Creon. He announces to Medea that she must leave Corinth immediately. Creon is afraid of Medea, he knows how terrible Medea is in anger, knows how powerful her charms are; for she can destroy both his daughter and himself. Medea, in order to gain time for revenge, pretends that she obeys Creon, that she 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 this he had doomed himself to death; but he threatens Medea that he will execute 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, it is not for nothing that she swore by the pale-faced goddess Selena and her patroness Hecate to destroy her enemies. No, not she, and they will not escape execution. Will she, the granddaughter of the god Helios, become a laughing stock of the descendants of Sisyphus and the bride of Jason! In vain does Jason tell Medea that for her good and for the good of the children he will marry Glauca, 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. Enraged, Jason leaves, and Medea's taunts and threats rush after him. At this time, Aegeus, king of Athens, comes to Corinth, on the way from Delphi to Troisena * 1. He greets Medea in a friendly manner and asks her why she is saddened. Medea tells about her grief and begs the king of Athens to give her, an exile, forgotten by her husband, shelter in Athens. She promises to help Egeya with her charms, promises that he will have numerous offspring, will not remain childless, as he has done so far, just to give her shelter. Aegeus vows 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 betray Medea to her enemies. He sets only one condition to Medea: she herself must come to Athens without his help, since Aegeus does not want to quarrel with the king of Corinth. ___________ * 1 City in Argolis in the Peloponnese. ___________ Having secured shelter for herself, Medea proceeds to fulfill the planned revenge. She decides not only to destroy Creon and his daughter Glavka, but also to kill her children, the children of Jason. She sends her maid for Iason. Jason arrives. Medea pretends to be submissive, she pretends to be reconciled with her fate and with Jason's decision, and asks him for only one thing, so that he persuade Creon to leave her sons in Corinth. Children also come. Seeing them, Medea cries, she hugs and kisses her sons, she loves them, but her thirst for revenge is stronger than her love for children. But how to destroy Glaucus and Creon? And so, under the pretext that she seeks to persuade Glaucus to leave her children in Jason's new home, Medea sends Glauka as a gift a precious garment and a golden crown. It is this gift that brings death with it. As soon as Glaucus put on the clothes and the crown sent by Medea, the poison with which they were fed penetrated her body; like a copper hoop squeezes a crown on her head. The clothes burn her body with fire. Glavka dies in terrible agony. The father hurries to help her, he hugs the unfortunate daughter, but the clothes stick to him too. He tries to tear off these clothes from the body, but with them 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 Hlavka, 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 she encourages Medea to decide on this murder and the fact that she knows what fate threatens her sons when Creon's relatives will avenge them for the crimes of their mother. Hastily, Medea went to the palace and immediately there were the screams and groans of her sons. Their own mother killed them. Jason, when Creon and his daughter Glaucus died at the hands of his wife Medea, in fear that Creon's relatives would kill his sons out of revenge, hurries to his palace. The door to the palace is locked, Iason wants to break it. Suddenly Medea appears in the air on a chariot drawn by dragons sent by the god Helios: at her feet lie the sons she had killed. Jason is terrified. 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 to quickly carry away on a wonderful chariot. The rest of Jason's life was bleak. Nowhere did he find a refuge for himself for a long time. One day he passed through Isthm, past the place where the ship "Argo" was pulled ashore, dedicated to the Argonauts and the god of the sea, Poseidon. A weary Jason lay down in the shade of the Argo under its stern to rest and fell asleep. When Jason was quietly sleeping, the stern of the dilapidated Argo collapsed and buried the sleeping Jason under its wreckage.

The next morning the Argonauts selected two heroes from among their midst and sent them into the city to ask Eetus for the dragon's teeth. He gave them the teeth of the dragon he killed Cadmus near Thebes, and was in full confidence that Jason could not complete the work entrusted to him. Jason, preparing to perform feats, bathed in the river at night, dressed in black, made a sacrifice, as Medea taught him, and brought a prayer to the underground Hecate. When he, after all this, went back, a terrible goddess appeared before him, surrounded by terrible, fire-breathing dragons, accompanied by the barking of her underground dogs. The earth shook under the goddess, the nymphs of the rivers and meadows uttered loud cries; Jason, remembering Medea's instructions, did not look around, but, possessed by fear, walked with hasty steps towards the ship on which his companions were awaiting. Soon morning dawn broke over the snowy peaks of the Caucasus.

At this hour, Eet put on the armor given to him by Ares himself - he removed that armor from the powerful Mimas during the battle of the gods with the giants. On his head Eet put on a golden helmet that shone like the rising sun. Then he took a heavy shield and a spear, which no one except Hercules could have fought with, sat down on a war chariot given to him by his son Apsyrtos, took the reins in his hands and quickly drove to the Ares field - to watch how Jason would perform the feats and fulfill the assigned work for him. Crowds of the Colchis people followed the king there.