CLAS 430 Lecture 16: Jason and the Argonauts
Document Summary
Phrisus and helle were brother and sister and they tried to escape their stepmother. A flying golden sheep comes and carries them to colchis in black sea. Helle fell off en route, gives name to hellespont. The ram was sacrificed afterwards and fleece was given to colchian king aectes. Jason built the first ship and greatest ship, argo, w/ help from athena: athena gave a timber to be placed on the front of the ship to talk to the crew to help them navigate. Jason then gathered all the heroes, including heracles. Heracles accidentally breaks oar and then goes missing. They encountered the harpies: half birds and half women: they bombarded the ship, argonauts killed the harpies. They ran into the symplegades: gateway to the black sea, rocks will smash boat if it tries to pass through, they got help from the gods, sent bird through the rocks. After smashing, the ship passes through as the rocks open.
