21 - nfrasser/mythology-glossary GitHub Wiki
Module 21 - Jason and Medea
The Argonauts come from the generation before the Trojan war, and many of the fathers of the great Greek heroes of the Trojan war are counted among them.
The number of the Argonauts (also known as the Minyae) varies in different accounts, but is around 50. The father of Achilles, Peleus, and Heracles, for example, make up part of Jason’s crew, as does the famous prophet and musician Orpheus.
Places
Colchis
Where Phrixus brought the golden fleece after excaping with his mother. Jason's quest is to go and get it.
Iolcus
City ruled by Cretheus, then later Pelias.
People
Athamas
Mortal king, father of Phrixus. Remarries Ino, who tires to kill her stepchildren.
She gets him to try to sacrifice his son Phrixus.
Ino
Daughter of Cadmus (king of Thebes). Second wife of Athamas, tries to kill her stepchildren. She sent Athamas a message from a false Oracle to sacrifice his son Phrixus.
Jason
Son of Aeson, whose wife Tyro had an affair with Poseidon. They sent Jason away to be educated by the centaur Chiron.
When he comes of age and comes to reclaim his throne, his half-brother Pelias sends him on an journey to retrieve the golden fleece.
Here are the principal adventures:
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Hypsipyle and the Lemnian Women - Aphrodite had made all the husbands have affairs, and the women killed them all, except for king Thoas, Hypsipyle's father. Hypsipyle and Jason have an affair, lots of affairs, Heracles convices them all to leave.
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Cyzicus and the Doliones - They stop at Propontis, Heracles helps king kill nearby giants. Accidentally kill everyone after getting blown back during a storm.
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Amycus
Phrixus
Son of the mortal king Athamas and the divine Nephele. Brother of Helle.
His mother rescued him from his father who was about to sacrifice him, on the back of a flying golden ram. As it was passing over Hellespont, his sister fell and drowned.
Phrixus went all the way to Colchis with the ram, sacrificed it to Zeus, and gave it to the king of Colchis Aeetes.
The king hung it up on a tree in a grove of Ares, where it was guarded by a watchful serpent.
Nephele
Immortal meaning "cloud". Mother of Phrixus. When Athamas is attempting to sacrifice her children, she snatches them up on the back of a flying ram with golden fleece (a gift from Hermes).
Pelias
Son of Tyro and Poseidon. Takes over the throne of Iolcus when Cretheus dies. Does not want to relinquish the throne to Jason, so he sends him on a dangerous journey to retrieve the golden fleece.