Jason and the Argonauts

The Myth about Jason and the Golden Fleece has been around for about 3,000 years. It is a tale about how one man (Jason) and the Argonauts go on a journey to the ends of the world on search for a very rare object... the golden fleece. Through the myth there are lots of obstacles Jason and the Argonauts need to overcome like terrifying monsters and so called 'temptresses'; it involves dark magic and even love. It is said that the only main reason Jason went on that quest was to restore his power on the throne and become king as it was supposed to be. This myth also involves this thing called a cycle of the hero; the cycle is basically the outline of the hero's life.

Birth/Home: Jason was born in Thessaly. Though Jason had to be taken out of his home city in Greece by his mother Pelias, when Jason's ambitious uncle Pelias invaded the city to take crown so he could be king.

Call to adventure: After a few years when Jason became older, he went back to king Pelias and demanded the throne back. Pelias said that if Jason could bring back the golden fleece, the kingdom would be his to keep.

Elixir: Jason's elixir was the golden fleece, it is like the main point of the myth and the thing that Jason is known for. It is his symbol and Jason's goal.

Helpers: Jason was given a group of people that would help him on his journey; the Argonauts. The Argonauts included Atalanta the huntress, Orpheus the musician, the great Hercules along with Oedipus and Thebes the wind brothers. Without them, Jason couldn't have accomplished this task.

Helpers/Amulet: Jason gained most of his knowledge from his teacher Chiron, he also took Chiron's sword when Chiron died to finish his quest.

Crossing the Threshold: If Jason and the Argonauts wanted to reach the Golden Fleece, they had to pass the Black Sea (which was considered the edge of the world) and then they would reach the kingdom of King Aietes. The Black Sea gave them lots of troubles because they had to go through the heavy currents, crashing rocks and other troubles put in front of them to stop them from getting the golden fleece.

Tests: While Jason and the Argonauts went on this quest, there were quite a few tests put in front on them like terrifying monsters and so called 'temptresses', there was even dark magic in some parts of this myth. The more and more Jason and the Argonauts overcome each obstacle, it proves that Jason really is worthy to be crowned king

Climax/Final Battle: Because Jason was attracted to Medea, the Argonauts nearly went down into the underworld but Jason used Chiron's sword and his will power to fight and defeat Medea and retrieve the golden fleece.

Return/Flight: Jason and the Argonauts took the golden fleece and is said to have taken sea back to the kingdom so Jason could claim his throne.

There are lots of elements in the myth that is said to have actually occurred. The place where Jason was born was said to be real and so was the cave where he grew up in, though I can't prove that there were gods that helped him through his journey that used dark magic and cast spells; But I'm pretty sure that this myth could have existed.
Here is some of the evidence I collected in humanities class:
• Mount Pelion where Jason was raised really does exist
• This myth took place at the same time of the Trojan war and that is a true event
• Georgia is where the golden fleece was, Georgia is real
• 1400B.C is when the quest happened and when the story happened
• Jason and the Argonauts went to Istanbul
• The cave where Jason grew up is still there and there are drawings of him inside
• The boat Jason and the Argonauts took can be made, all the wood that is needed to make it is on the mountain
• Scientists really did find Iolkos
• People found the bronze age place of Jason


There were lots of different interpretations of this myth, In some interpretations Medea was evil and used dark magic to stop Jason and the Argonauts from getting to the golden fleece; But in other interpretations, Medea was very nice and married Jason and helped him and the Argonauts to retrieve the golden fleece and to return home safely.
Another distinct difference in the ways it is told is that in some of the interpretations, Jason and the Argonauts stopped on a city called Lemnos, populated only by women. Jason and his crew didn't know what had happened to the males but without thinking, the women took the chance to 'repopulate' the island. Where else in other interpretations Jason and the Argonauts completely skip the city of Lemnos and go straight to Georgia.


People have been going around changing parts of the story and adding their own bits but overall they all have the same message and all of them are connected somehow; they all involve the great heroes Jason and the Argonauts.
There is a lot of Truth behind the fable and it is a very legendary story which will be remembered for a very long time, thought the way I hear and the way you hear it might be very different but it will always involve Jason and the Argonauts.