Literature

Tests that Peleas gave to Jason:

1. Plow the field of Aris (god of War)

2. Catch two bulls with bronze feet and breath of fire

3. Sow the field with the teeth of dragons

4. Get the golden fleece

* Peleas was hoping that Jason would perish.

Teeth of dragons = warriors (when they reach the ground)

Golden Fleece

- taken by Jason's father from a winged ram

- had been in Colchis, hanging from an oak tree that was guarded by a fire-breathing dragon

Peleas

- half-brother of Aeson

- son of Poseidon

Ascentor-Chiron

- took care of Jason who grew up to be a very skilled warrior

* Peleas had a recurring dream that he should beware of a man who was wearing only one sandal.

* Jason lost one sandal while crossing a river...

Companions of Jason to Colchis:

1. Argos the Thespian

- was a naval engineer; built the boat that would take them to Colchis

2. Heracles of Tiryus

- called Hercules in Roman mythology; noted for his extraordinary skills

3. Laertes

- grandson of Zeus

4. Peleus

- king of the Myrmidons

5. Orpheus

- poet and musician; searching for his wife who had died and went to Hades

Argo- the boat which took them to Colchis

* They were called Argonauts.

Acetes

- king of Colchis

- was hostile to the idea that the golden fleece would be taken because he was afraid that the dragon would harm his kingdom

Medea - sorceress

- daughter of Acetes who had fallen in love with Jason

- cast a spell that put the dragon in suspended animation

- all she asks from Jason is to treat her with honor

- she had 2 sons with Jason

* Jason visited the kingdom of Corinth which was ruled by King Creon whose daughter had fallen in love with Jason.

Cloth made of gold - Medea's gift to the princess

Lung failure - cause of death of the princess

* Medea went to Athens after she left Iolcus

Angeus

- king of Athens who was greatly influenced by Medea

- Medea poisoned his drink so that he would go against Theseus

Sword & scabbard - way of presenting oneself as a son of Angeus

* After leaving Athens Medea went to Asia.

Alcestes

- daughter of Peleas

- married the king of Pherae, Admetus

Phaedra

- was married to Theseus

* Hippolyte was slain by Hercules when took away from her the Girdle given by her father.

Hippolytus

- was a devoted disciple of Artemis (goddess of the Hunt)

Heracles/Alcides/Hercules - names by which Hercules is known

Alcmene

- wife of the General Amphityron of Thebes

- gave birth to Heracles meaning "pride of Hera"

* Hera sent two serpents to strangle the baby in his crib.

When Hercules was young, he killed a lion with his bare hands and wore the skin of the lion as a cloak and the head of the lion as a helmet.

Megara

- Theban princess

- had three hildren with Hercules

* Hercules had a feat of madness and killed his own wife and children.

Eurystheus - cousin of Heracles

12 labors of Heracles:

1. Battle with the Nemean lion

2. Slaughter of Hydra of Lerna

3. Capture alive a stag with golden horns and bronze hoofs

4. Capture a great boar with a lair in Mt. Erimanthos

5. Clean in one day a stable with 30 yrs. accumulation of filth (Angean stable)

6. Drove off huge flock of man-eating birds with bronze beaks, claws & wings

7. Brought to Eurystheus the mad bull which terrorized Crete

8. Brought back man-eating mares of Diomedes, king of Thrace

9. Bring back girdle of Hippolytus

10. Capture the oxen of the three-headed monster, Geryon

11. Fetch the golden apples of Hesperides

12. Bring back the three-headed dog, Cerberus

Hesperides - goddess who guards the garden of gold

Princess Iole

- the