LP0031 Intro to the Argonauts w/ extras

Legendary Passages #0031 - Intro to the Argonauts - Jason's Quest for the Golden Fleece, from The Library of Apollodorus.     For the next six episodes we shall get an overview of the stories of Jason, the Argonauts, and Medea.     But first we briefly cover the story of Alcestis, whom died so her husband Admetus could live. Hercules rescues her from her untimely death.     Admetus' cousin was Aeson, whose son Jason one day lost his sandal on his way to a sacrifice. An oracle had told King Pelias to beware of a one-sandaled man, so he charged the youth with getting the Golden Fleece from a far off country.     A massive ship was built, named after it's creator Argo, and fifty princes and heroes joined in on the quest, including Hercules, Theseus, and one woman named Atalanta.     First they landed in Lemnos, an island without men. Second was the Doliones, ruled by King Cyzicus, whom they slew in a misunderstanding.     At Mysia young Hylas was abducted by nymphs and was never found. Hercules would not abandon the youth, but the Argo sailed on without them.     In the Bebryces, King Amycus was killed by Pollux in a boxing match. In Salmydessus, they saved the blind seer Phineus from the harpies, and he told them how to sail past the Clashing Rocks.     Next time we review the Fables of the Argonauts, and the tragic love of Jason and Medea, the same woman who first married the father of Theseus. The chronology gets somewhat complicated, as we shall see. Intro to the Argonauts, a Legendary Passage, from The Library of Apollodorus, trans. by J. G. Frazer. [1.9.14]  - [1.9.23]     Pheres, son of Cretheus, founded Pherae in Thessaly and begat Admetus and Lycurgus. Lycurgus took up his abode at Nemea, and having married Eurydice, or, as some say, Amphithea, he begat Opheltes, afterwards called Archemorus.     When Admetus reigned over Pherae, Apollo served him as his thrall, while Admetus wooed Alcestis, daughter of Pelias. Now Pelias had promised to give his daughter to him who should yoke a lion and a boar to a car, and Apollo yoked and gave them to Admetus, who brought them to Pelias and so obtained Alcestis. But in offering a sacrifice at his marriage, he forgot to sacrifice to Artemis; therefore when he opened the marriage chamber he found it full of coiled snakes.     Apollo bade him appease the goddess and obtained as a favour of the Fates that, when Admetus should be about to die, he might be released from death if someone should choose voluntarily to die for him. And when the day of his death came neither his father nor his mother would die for him, but Alcestis died in his stead. But the Maiden sent her up again, or, as some say, Hercules fought with Hades and brought her up to him.     Aeson, son of Cretheus, had a son Jason by Polymede, daughter of Autolycus. Now Jason dwelt in Iolcus, of which Pelias was king after Cretheus. But when Pelias consulted the oracle concerning the kingdom, the god warned him to beware of the man with a single sandal. At first the king understood not the oracle, but afterwards he apprehended it. For when he was offering a sacrifice at the sea to Poseidon, he sent for Jason, among many others, to participate in it.     Now Jason loved husbandry and therefore abode in the country, but he hastened to the sacrifice, and in crossing the river Anaurus he lost a sandal in the stream and landed with only one. When Pelias saw him, he bethought him of the oracle, and going up to Jason asked him what, supposing he had the power, he would do if he had received an oracle that he should be murdered by one of the citizens. Jason answered, whether at haphazard or instigated by the angry Hera in order that Medea should prove a curse to Pelias, who did not honor Hera, “I would command him,” said he, “to bring the G