Book 3: Medea Ensures That Jason Is Successful In His Task
The gods decide to get involved to “help” jason …
Apollonius opens this book by calling on Erato (the muse of lyric poetry) to stand beside him and help him retell how Jason brought the Golden Fleece from Colchis to Iolkos with the assistance of Medea’s love. The reason why he is calling on Erato is because she was allotted a share of Aphrodite’s power.
When the action opens, we see the heroes are still hiding in the dense reeds.
Except now, instead of listening in to the Argonauts having a chit-chat, the narrative switches to the gods. We join Hera and Athena as the pair watch the men intensely. They then decide to draw away to a private room and make plans with no one else around.
Hera opens with (something like): “Athena, suggest a plan. What are we to do? Can you come up with something that will ensure the men can take the Golden Fleece back to Hellas? They would not be able to win Aeetes over by gentle words of persuasion because he is a man of violent excess.”
Athena answers by saying (something along the lines of): “I am also thinking of this and honestly … I got nothing even though I’ve weighed up many plans.” With this, both of the women fix their eyes on the floor, each reflecting on the matter.
Hera breaks the silence by saying (something similar to): “Let’s go find Aphrodite and urge her to speak to her son in the hope that he can shoot the daughter of Aeetes with his arrows to make her love Jason. With her assistance, they can bring the Fleece back to Hellas.”
Athena’s super happy about this and goes “Hera, my father bore me ignorant of the boy’s arrows and I do not know what this even means so I can’t actively weigh in. But if you think this will succeed then GREAT — I’ll follow your lead” (obviously, that is nowhere near an exact quote*).
With that, the pair hurry off to Aphrodite’s palace (the palace had been built by Hephaestus when he first married her). The pair enter the court and stand in the portico of the bed chamber. Aphrodite is noted as being alone in the house and now sits opposite the great doors in an embossed chair, playing with her long hair. When she sees the goddesses in front of her, she stops what she’s doing and calls them in, rising from her chair and showing them to the couches. She then sits down again and pulls her hair up and out of her face. She smiles at the pair in front of her and says (something like): “Hello ladies, what business brings you here after such a long time? Why have you come? In the past I saw very little of you despite you being chief among goddesses.”
Hera replies (something along the lines of): “Okay we see you mocking us, but our hearts are shaken with misery. Already Jason and all the other heroes on that boat have moored in the Phasis, but now that the real task is at hand we worry for them. Most of all, we worry for Jason. Even if he should set sail for Hades to free Ixion from his chains, I would use all my strength in my body to protect him so that Pelias (whose insolence left me unhonoured in sacrifice!!!) may not escape a miserable end. Even before this I always loved Jason — ever since I was testing the behaviour of men and Jason came across me beside the stream of Anauros as he returned from a hunt. All the mountains and tall peaks were covered in snow and I was disguised as an old woman. He took pity on me and lifted me onto his shoulders to carry me through the waters. This is why I’ve always held him in high regard. Moreover, Pelias will not pay for his outrage unless you grant the men means of return.”
Aphrodite is struck with amazement as Hera speaks to her. She is LOVING the sight of Hera supplicating her. Finally, she says (something kind of like): “Goodness, let there be no creature more cursed than Aphrodite! I’ll help you … depending on what exactly you were thinking.”
Hera then makes her wise reply: “Just make sure that Eros shoots the daughter of Aeetes to make her desire Jason. If she willingly offers him her aid, then I think he will easily gain the Golden Fleece and return home.”
So Aphrodite is like “Sure — my son will listen to you much more than he does to me. He’s constantly disobeying me. I have it in mind to break his little bow right in front of him to teach him a lesson. When he was angry he even threatened that if I did not keep my hands to myself while he still had his rage under control, then I would have reason to blame myself later on. To others my misery is funny. That’s why I don’t share much since it is just enough that I know of them. But since you both desire it I shall attempt to win Eros over and ensure that he does not disobey.”
Hera answers with a gentle smile: “Act upon your words without delay and do not be upset with your son or argue with him. He will cease his behaviour in the future — I’ll make sure of it.”
With that, Athena and Hera leave the house. Aphrodite gets up once they’ve gone and goes in search of her son. She finds him in a remote spot in Zeus’ orchard. He’s hanging out with none other than Ganymede (a youth whom Zeus had established in heaven to stay with the immortals because he fancied the hell out of him) and the two of them are playing with golden knucklebones. Rosy cheeked Eros is standing with his left hand against his chest. Ganymede, however, is super into the game because he only has two knucklebones left and so can be seen squatting close to the ground. When the pair see Aphrodite approaching, Ganymede takes one last swing at the game, loses his final knucklebones and stalks off, leaving Aphrodite to confront her son alone.
She says (something like): “Please listen to what I’m about to say and do as I command. If you do, I will give you that toy of Zeus which his maid Adrasteia made for him when he was still a baby in the Idaian cave. It’s that ball you’ve always wanted — remember that? — and I’ve heard that it’s so nice that you will get no better a plaything from Hephaestus himself. This is what I will give you but FIRST, you have to shoot Medea and make her love Jason.”
Hearing the bribe, Eros is elated … but he’s not so thrilled to have to do a task before getting such a prize. With both hands, he clutches the sides of Aphrodite’s tunic and he begs her to give him the ball at once. She speaks softly with a smile and says, again “Shoot Medea and then you get the damn ball” (not an exact quote*).
Eros gathers up his knucklebones and throws them dramatically into his mother’s lap. He snatches his quiver (which has been leaning against a tree trunk), straps it around himself with a golden band, and holds onto his curved bow. He walks off through the orchard and emerges at the gates of Olympus.
The argonauts make a plan
We’re back with the Argonauts and the heroes are holding an assembly on the ship (which is still docked exactly where we left it).
Jason says to the others: “Friends! Let me tell you the plan I’ve come up with! I like it, but obviously, we’re a team so if you hate it, let me know. I suggest that you guys stay on the ship and I’ll go to the palace of Aeetes with the sons of Phixos along with two of our comrades. I shall speak with the king to see if he would be willing to give us the Fleece in friendship. This will help us decide whether to fight him or — if we decide not to do the whole battle thing — come up with some other device to help us.”
The men all approve of what Jason says and they start getting everything in order for his departure.
Jason urges the sons of Phrixos to follow him. They choose Telamon and Augeias as the Argonauts to join them and, when everything is ready, Jason takes the sceptre of Hermes. They wasted no time disembarking above the reeds and onto dry land (this area is called The Plain of Circe). From the tops of the trees hung corpses on ropes because the Colchians have a very specific custom when it comes to the dead: they would wrap male corpses in untreated ox-hides and hang them in the trees away from the city. Women, however, were buried in the ground. What sense does that make, I have no idea.
Medea “falls in love” with Jason
As the men move along, Hera begins to think about how to protect them. As soon as they reached the city, Hera scattered the fog to conceal them on their way to Aeetes’ palace. The men arrive undetected and gaze in at the royal courts. They step over the threshold in silence and enter the palace.
Apollonius tells us that the highest points of the palace are occupied by Aeetes and his wife, as well as Aeetes’ son, Apsyrtos (back story here is that the nymph Asterodeia is Apsyrtos's mother — not from some raging affair, but just a previous relationship. The sons of the Colchians called Apsyrtos by the name of Phaethon because he stood out among young men). The other rooms in the palace are occupied by Aeetes’ two daughters: Chalkiope and Medea.
When Jason and his companions enter the palace, they first come across Medea as she moves from room to room looking for her sister. Apollonius tells us that Hera had made sure Medea stayed at home on this day because normally she would spend all her time at the shrine of Hecate (Medea is a priestess of the goddess so this checks out). When Medea sees the men approaching … she screams.
Chalkiope hears her sister cry out and rushes out to find her. When she does, she sees her sons standing in the halls and runs over to them to give them all big hugs. Weeping, she says (something like): “You did not abandon me after all! Fate has brought you home! Why would you go to the city of Orchomenos and chase after the inheritance of Athamas! How does it feel to leave your mother behind in such great distress!”
Hearing all the commotion, Aeetes now appears in the hall. He and his wife see that the sons of Phrixos have returned, and so they order the servants, maids and slaves to put together a feast.
The commotion gives Eros the perfect cover to waddle on into the scene. He strings his bow with a new arrow from his quiver — an arrow which would bring much grief to those it hit. All ready, Eros crosses the threshold, crouches low at Jason’s feet and shoots the arrow straight at Medea. Eros darts back out of the palace with a mocking laugh.
Medea’s heart begins to ache and her cheeks blush as she looks at Jason. The love Medea feels is described as purely destructive.
a feast is prepared
Before Jason and his men can sit down to feast, they are first instructed to wash themselves. Only then did they join the congregation in the dining hall to eat and drink.
Once everyone is satisfied, Aeetes turns to the sons of Phrixos to question them, asking (something like): “How did you return so quickly? Did some disaster befall you as you were on your way? You did not believe me when I told you how far your voyage truly was — I know the distance because I once whirled across in the chariot of my father Helios when he sent my sister Circe to the western land. We reached the Tyrrhenian coast where she lives to this day, and that is very, very far from Colchis. But what is the point of stories? Tell me what got in your way and also who these men are who accompany you now.”
Argos knows his grandfather well and so decides to speak on behalf of his brothers and the Argonauts. He replies calmly to Aeetes (fearing the king’s temper) and says: “A fierce storm ripped apart our ship. The only way we survived was by huddling on a plank as the wind threw us about the sea. Eventually, we washed onto the dry land of Enyalios. A god must have been watching over us because we didn’t have to face the birds of Ares. But these men sitting next to me were challenged to face them and by some miracle knew exactly how to drive them away. These men gave us food and clothes as soon as they heard Phrixos’ glorious name as well as your own. You see grandfather, this man has been sent here on a hopeless quest by a king. This king wishes to thrust him out of his homeland because his courage far surpasses that of the other descendants of Aiolos. He says that the family of Aiolidai will not escape from the wrath of Zeus until the Golden Fleece goes to Hellas. Their ship was built by Athena and it shows — it’s nothing like our ships in Colchis. Ours crumbled where theirs hold together in all weather. Collecting all the best heroes of the Arcadian land he has come to you, after wandering through many cities and great stretches of the terrible sea in the hopes that you will grant him the Fleece in friendship. But it’s whatever you decide. He has not come to use violent force but wishes to pay fairly for the gift. I told him of the Sauromatai who are a hostile threat to you, and he has agreed to help subdue them to your control as payment for the Fleece. This man here, the one who gathered all the men, is Jason, son of Aison the son of Kretheus — he is related to us through our father as both Kretheus and Athamas were sons of Aiolos. As for that guy, you may have heard of a son of Helios called Augeias … well that’s him! This one is Telamon, son of Aiakos, and Aiakos’ father is Zeus. But these aren’t the only men among them who are descended from gods, all of them are sons or grandsons of the immortals” (not an exact quote*).
Even though Argos did his best, Aeetes is still absolutely livid hearing these words come out of his grandson’s mouth. He replies in total rage (something like): “Get out of my sight, you villains, and take your tricks with you!!! Get out of our land before someone suffers! You come here from Hellas NOT for the Fleece but to gain my throne and royal power. If you had not already eaten at my table then I would have cut out your tongues, chopped off both of your hands and sent you packing with only your feet left to prevent you from any other attempt of this!”
Telamon gains some courage when hearing Aeetes scream at them. He fully intends to retort with deadly words, but Jason motions for him to settle down and answers on his behalf: “Aeetes, please stay calm —” (A HORRIBLE opening from Jason) “—We have not come for your palace nor your city. In all honesty, we didn’t even want to come here. Who would be so reckless as to choose to cross the great stretch of sea to take another man’s possessions? I have been sent by fate. And so, we beg you to grant us this favour. I shall carry a report of you being as powerful as a god through all of Hellas if you help us. We are also keen to offer you any help in war, whether it is the Sauromatai or someone else you wish to subdue to your control. Just please help us.”
Aeetes sets his terms
Although Jason’s words were strong, he did not succeed in winning over the king. Aeetes stands there, uncertain of whether he should kill all the men on the stop or make them suffer for their brashness. He finally says to Jason (something like): “If you really are descendants of gods, then I shall give you the Fleece to take away — if you are able to pass my test. To test your strength and courage, I have two bulls which graze on the plains of Ares; their hooves are bronze and they breathe fire. I yoke them and drive them through Ares’ ploughland regularly. Such land is four measures great and with that plough I cut quickly through the whole field. Into the furrows I throw not the seed of the grain of Demeter, but the teeth of the terrible serpent. From these teeth grow a crop similar in body to armed warriors. As they rise up to fight me, I cut them down and harvest them with my spear. The day is busy, as you can tell: in the morning I yoke the bulls, and I finish my harvest in the evening with these warrior crops. If you — Jason — can do this, then you and your men can carry away the Fleece from the palace. Do not hope that I will hand it over before this is complete.”
Jason … yeah, Jason has a full on internal meltdown at the sound of this. He sits quietly where he is, his eyes fixed on the ground in front of him. He’s so stunned that he’s physically unable to speak. For a long time he thought of his options. It seemed to be getting harder and harder to accept the challenge with any kind of confidence. At last, he says to Aeetes (something like): “I’ll do it.”
Aeetes replies (something along the lines of): “Fantastic! Now leave us. If fear prevents you from lifting the yoke on the bulls or if you shrink back from the harvest, then I shall see that every precaution is taken to make sure no one else challenges me in such a way ever again.”
Jason, Augeias and Telamon quickly leave the hall. Argos follows behind them, leaving his brother behind.
As Jason exits, Medea keeps her eyes on him as long as she can — her heart fluttering so hard that it causes her pain. Medea follows Chalkiope as she retreats to her chambers with her sons to avoid Aeetes’ anger.
Alone, Medea keeps Jason at the front of her mind. She fears for his safety so much that she begins to grieve as if he is already dead. She sobs in lamentation, wailing (something similar to): “Why do I feel this grief! Whether he will die as the best of all heroes or a worthless traveller, let him perish! If only he could have escaped … please goddess, daughter of Perses, let him return home. If it is his fate to be killed by the bulls, may he first know that I take no pleasure in his destruction.” And so she laments, her heart broking for Jason with every word she says.
The men figure out what to do
When the men get back to the road they had previously walked from their ship to the city, Argos says to Jason (something like): “You’re not going to like the plan I’m about to propose, but it’s a good one. I encourage you not to refuse it. You need Medea to have any chance of performing these tasks successfully. She is a priestess of Hecate, daughter of Perses, and the goddess inspires her powers with magic and drugs. If I can win her over, I do believe that we need no longer worry about defeat in the contest. I am only afraid that my mother won’t support this, so I’ll have to approach her in a cunning. Nevertheless, I will go back to the palace to ask my mother for Medea’s help since all of us now have the same destruction hanging over us”. Jason answers him (with something similar-ish to): “If you think that’s a good plan then I have nothing against it. Go beg your mother to stir herself to action. Our hopes are slim as it is, so any help is welcome.”
They reach the Argo and their comrades fire a million questions at them, curious to know what had happened. Jason replies to them all by saying (something like): “The heart of Aeetes is set against us … no for real, he’s SUPER mad. He wants me to do this whole ploughing thing and then fight off these warriors in the same day to prove that I deserve the Fleece. I accepted the challenge since none of us could think of a better counteroffer at the moment.” As you can guess, the Argonauts think that Jason is nuts for accepting the offer. They all sit around in silence, thinking of what to do.
Peleus is the one to break the silence. He says (something along the lines of): “Jason, if you’re keen to do the task then you should keep your promise and get yourself ready. If you don’t want to, then don’t convince yourself to do it. Seriously think about it though because no one here will judge you if you back out. This is not some foot race you can run to prove yourself: this is literally life or death.”
Some of the other Argonauts jump to Jason’s aid, offering themselves up to perform the challenge instead of Jason. Telamon, Idas, the two sons of Tyndareus and the son of Oineus all stand as tribute.
But Argos addresses those who are ready to take on the challenge, saying (something like): “We see your bravery, but your assistance is only to be called upon as a last resort. I think that — If I phrase this correctly — my mother will be happy to supply us with the help we require. Therefore, keen as you are, please remain on the ship. There is a young woman who lives in Aeetes’ palace called Medea. The goddess Hekate has taught her skills in handling the drugs which the land and water produce. She can do big things! Big scary things! As we were walking here we thought of her in the hopes that her sister, my mother, could persuade her to aid us in our challenge. If the rest of you think this is a good plan then I’ll go back to Aeetes’ palace and do my best to convince her.”
To support Argos, the gods send the men a sign. A timid dove is seen fleeing from a hawk’s assault. The two birds tumble, but ultimately the dove falls into Jason’s lap and the hawk impales itself on the ship’s sternpost. Mopsos explains the omen for all of the Argonauts: “The will of the gods sent this sign! There is no better way to interpret this than we should by every means possible seek to persuade Medea. I don’t believe that she is unmindful of us if Phineus declared that our safe return would depend on Aphrodite. My friends, call upon Aphrodite to help us and follow Argos’ advice without any delay!"
Remembering Phineus’ instructions, the men approve of Argos’ words.
… Well, all except Idas. Idas jumps up and starts shouting in a terrible rage: “Shame on you! It is women who have accompanied us here on this voyage: they call on Aphrodite to aid us! With your eyes focused on doves and birds you shrink back from the manly challenges ahead! Get away and don’t worry about matters of warfare but rather how your prayers can deceive cowardly girls” (or something to that effect).
No one immediately speaks against him, but eventually Jason rises and pretty much ignores what Idas says. Instead he states (something like): “Since we are all agreed, let Argos go. We shall move from the river and openly tie our ropes to the land. It is no longer right to hide in these marshes as we prepare for such an event.”
Without delay, Argos scurries off back to the city. Under the instructions of Jason the others pull up the anchor, row a little out from the marsh and then park the boat in its new spot.
The Colchians devise their real plan …
We now briefly cut back to the Colchians to find Aeetes getting an assembly together a short distance away from the palace. The spot where the meeting was held is known for hosting gatherings to plan awful treachery.
Aeetes promises those at the assembly that as soon as the bulls have torn apart Jason, he will burn the Argo, crew and all. He swears never to receive any suppliants of Phrixos again.
Privately, Aeetes decides that the sons of Phrixos would pay for bringing the Argonauts to the palace. He thinks that the sons returned with a gang of villains with the sole intention of taking away his royal power. As it turns out, Aeetes is NOT just being super paranoid with this idea; once upon a time, an oracle had told him that he must beware of crafty treachery and schemes of his own family — destruction which could appear in many guises. Incorrectly, Aeetes has no fear that his daughters or his son Apsyrtos might devise a hateful scheme, thinking that it must be a destruction coming from Chalkiope’s line.
And so, in his anger, Aeetes reveals these terrible plans to the people at the assembly and threatens them violently if they do not keep a close watch on the Argo and its crew.
In the meantime, Argos returns to Aeetes’ palace and goes to persuade his mother to beg Medea for her help.
What’s funny is that we’re told Chalkiope had already been pondering how to do this, but had grown afraid that her approach would be fruitless. So basically, we’re all on the same page: Chalkiope is looking for a way to approach Medea and her son knows exactly how to do it.
Medea makes a decision
When we cut to Medea, she’s asleep in her bed. She’s being tormented by her deadly dreams, imagining that Dream Jason took on the challenge not because he wanted to get the Fleece, but because he wanted to take her back to his home and make her his wife. In her dream, Dream Medea had easily accomplished the challenge of the bulls, but her parents rage at her because they had wanted Dream Jason, not her, to do such a thing. Her dream parents are so angry that they leave it up to Dream Medea to choose whatever outcome she wants: to stay home or to leave with Dream Jason. Dream Medea chooses Jason. Her dream parents are overtaken by grief and cry out in pain. Medea is woken by the terrifying screams of her Dream Parents.
Medea cries out in lamentation (something like): “How frightening are these grim dreams! I fear that this will become a huge disaster. How the stranger has set my heart racing! Let him woo an Achaian girl far off among his own people — maidenhood and my parents’ home should be my only concern! All the same, I shall get rid of the shame from my heart and test my sister to see whether she will offer the strangers help in the contest. I know that she is panicked for her sons, so I may be able to use this as leverage to assist the young Greek.”
And so, Medea rises from her bed and opens the doors of her chamber. Despite being barefoot and wearing only her dress, she remains in the doorway for a long time, her shame holding her back from making any forward motion. After a while she turns around and goes back inside again, only to quickly return to the door. Her shame throws her back into her room, but her recklessness encouraged her — no begged her — to step out into the corridor. On the fourth time, she whirls around and collapses face down on her bed, overwhlemed by her emotions.
Amid her going in and out of her room, a serving girl sees her in her distress. The girl goes to report this to Chalkiope as the princess is sitting with her sons devising ways of convincing her sister to help Jason. Without a second thought, Chalkiope rushes to Medea’s chamber.
When Chalkiope sees her, she asks her (something like): “Medea, why are you crying? What is wrong? What grief has upset your heart? Has a god sent sickness to seize your body, or have you heard of some deadly threat which our father has made against me and my sons?”
Medea’s cheeks grow more red and, for a long time, shame holds her back from replying. Finally, she says (something along the lines of): “Chalkiope, my heart is heavy with terrible anxiety for your sons and I am afraid that father will destroy them, along with the stranger!”
I know, I know — we were all expecting a bigger speech from Medea right about now. But have no fear, dear reader! Medea’s words here are designed to test whether her sister would take the lead in asking her to help her sons. Basically, the wording is intentional.
Chalkiope replies (something like): “It is with these things in mind that I have come to you in the hope that you will work with me to help my sons. Please swear that you will keep what I tell you a secret. Please — I’m begging you — do not allow my sons to be killed otherwise I will make sure I die with them and return a hateful fury to pursue you ever after”. Tears roll down Chalkiope’s face as she speaks. She clasps Medea’s knees with both of her arms and lets her head drop onto her sister’s lap. They both wail in lament.
Medea breaks the lament first, saying (something similar to): “What help can I offer you? Whatever it is, I will do it. Watch me swear this great oath: great heaven and earth beneath, mother of the gods, infuse me with whatever strength I possess!”
Chalkiope says (something like): “Can you think of any plan which would allow the stranger to succeed in father’s challenge? Not for him, but for my sons’ sake? If I’m being honest, Argos has asked me to ask you.”
Hearing this, Medea’s heart jumped for joy. She replies (saying something along the lines of): “I shall act in whichever way would please you. Leave me with my thoughts, but don’t let anyone know that I will be helping you. It is better for me to do this without our parents realising. In the morning, I will go to the temple of Hecate with drugs to act as charms against the bulls and I will give them to the stranger to help him.”
Chalkiope leaves and goes to tell her sons that Medea has offered to help.
Now alone, Medea is left with her thoughts. Although she knows that she is doing this for her nephews, her true motivation is to help the stranger … and that truth is eating her up inside.
When night falls, Medea is unable to sleep. Her love for Jason keeps her awake, tossing and turning in the darkness. She fears that the strength of the bulls will destroy him no matter what help she offers. Her pain for the stranger began to grate on her throughout the night — at one moment she thought she would give him the drugs to charm against the bulls, but then the next moment she thought she wouldn’t. Sometimes she played with the idea that she may face death herself because if she dies then she wouldn’t have to make the decision of choosing between her father and the man she loves.
Now full of doubt, Medea says (something like): “How can I possibly choose! A god must have brought the stranger here to cause me this much pain. Let him die if it is his fate to die! If I try to help him with my drugs, how could my parents NOT notice!? What could I even say to defend myself? And now, how can I meet him alone, without his companions? I don’t even think his death would be able to stop this terrible ache I have in my chest. My efforts will save him and then he can leave — and on the day he accomplishes the task, I hope that I find death by either hanging myself or swallowing too many drugs. Maybe then this misery will leave me! But even after my death men will mock me. Wherever they travel, men will hear of the Colchian woman who disgraced her family for a foreign man. I really can’t handle this. It would be better for me to end my life right now in this room with no explanation. That way I will escape the bitter accusations before doing such awful and unimaginable things to my people!”
And with those words, Medea goes to fetch the casket where she kept all her drugs — some more mild, some deadly and destructive. She places it on her knees and takes a moment to her fate. Her hand hovers over the drugs which would kill her, but suddenly a deadly fear of Hades comes over her. For a moment, she sits unmoving and speechless, her hands on the straps of the casket. She then slowly puts down the casket (Apollonius tells us that Hera has been watching over Medea and so causes her to change her mind). Knowing what she must do, Medea is eager for morning to come so that she can go and give the stranger the protective drugs she had arranged for him.
Little side note: as all of this is going on, Apollonius tells us that Argos has told his brothers to remain in the city to find out what Medea wants to do. He goes back to the ship to update the Argonauts on what’s happened.
Let’s cut back to Medea (weird little insert there but alas, it’s in the text so I gave it to you guys, too). When she sees the first glimmers of dawn she puts up her fair hair and prepares herself for the day. She anoints her body with fragrant oil, puts on a nice robe with elegant clasps and over her head she places a silver-white veil. In the palace, she hurries around without a thought for the pain that is inevitably going to confront her in the future due to the decision that she’s making.
Medea runs to wake up her twelve maidservants (all of whom are a similar age to Medea). She tells them to go and yoke the mules for her wagon so that she can go to Hekate’s shrine. While they are preparing the wagon, Medea takes a drug from her casket which men call “the drug of Prometheus” and pockets it. It is noted that the man who anoints his body with this will be invulnerable to blows from bronze and will not burn or be hurt in blazing fire. Basically, this drug makes anyone invisible. This drug has a whole back story: it comes from the spot where the eagle pecks at Prometheus’ liver, causing him to bleed. The bloody ichor drips from Prometheus onto the ground on the Caucasian crags, encouraging a magical flower to grow. Prior to this, Medea had gathered this flower’s sap in a Caspian shell with the intention of working her magic on it. Before the potion worked, Medea had to bathe seven times in sacred water and summon Hekate herself to help. So THIS is the drug she now picks up.
With the drug on her person, Medea leaves the palace and mounts her wagon. She’s accompanied by two of her maidservants, one on each side of her. She takes the reigns herself and grasps the whip in her right hand, driving the wagon through the city. The remainder of her maidservants hold onto the back of the wagon and run along the road, holding up their tunics as far as their thighs. All around them, the civilians made way for them and avoided looking at Medea in the eye. When she had finally left behind the city roads, Medea drove through the plains to reach the shrine.
Once they arrive at the shrine, Medea steps off of the wagon and speaks to her maidservants (saying something like): “I have made a terrible mistake! I did not realise that I should not go out among foreign men who roam our land. But since we have come here, let us play games and pick lovely flowers from the soft grass. After we’ve had our fun, THEN we can return home at the normal time. Today, you may take home many fine presents if you approve of what I have in mind. Argos and my sister have been talking to me to try and win me over. They are asking me to help the stranger in his deadly tasks in return for gifts. I went along with what they said and I have told him to come meet me face to face, alone without his companions. My plan is really to take the gifts and divide them up between us. I plan to give him a more dangerous drug than he is expecting, but in order for this plan to work, you must all keep this secret. When the stranger comes, stand away so that I can win him over with my words.” All the women are delighted to hear this. Unfortunately for them, Medea is lying through her teeth.
Jason & Medea meet
Back with the men on the Argo and Argos tells Jason exactly what the plan of action is. He says that he has heard from his brother that Medea will be going to the sacred grove of Hekate in the morning and that — if they want to beat the challenges set by Aeetes — they are to meet her there.
When the time comes for Jason to meet Medea, he leaves the Argonauts along with Argos and Mopsos by his side. Mopsos is described as being incredibly excited for the trip, no doubt because our little fortune teller knew how this was going to go.
On the path the men take to the shrine of Hekate and its sacred grove, there is a poplar tree. This poplar tree has loads of birds hanging out in it, okay? Apollonius takes his sweet time telling us this detail. As the men pass beneath the tree, one of the birds shakes his wings and speaks to Mopsos by the will of Hera. It says (something like): “You, sir, are a phoney prophet. If you were a real one, you’d know that Medea isn’t going to say anything real to Jason if he has a gang with him. Off with you, you gross prophet!”
Mopsos hears this and says (something similar to): “Yo Jason, you go on to the goddess’s shrine without us. Medea’s there and she will be super accommodating. As for me and Argos, we will not accompany you but will wait here until you return. You go alone and win her over with your words” Both Jason and Argos approve of this and Jason runs ahead alone.
Back to Medea: she is completely unable of being distracted from her true mission. She can’t seem to concentrate on any of the games she’s playing with her maidservants, nor can she keep her eye on her friends because she’s constantly turning away and trying to see into the distance. Soon Jason appears in sight.
Jason’s appearance causes Medea to feel an intense desire building in her body. She’s struck by his beauty, and as he comes closer to her Medea’s cheeks begin to blush.
Seeing the stranger (because remember, although we know Jason’s name, Medea nor her maidservants do), Medea’s maidservants withdraw. The pair are left alone and now face one another in silence.
Now this is where we, as the reader, should raise our red flags against Jason. It’s now that he realises that Medea is INCREDIBLY taken with him. He very quickly concludes that this can’t be natural and therefore, there must be a god influencing Medea’s emotions. Instead of pointing this out or being respectful of the fact Medea is not in her right mind, Jason uses it to his advantage. I would say that this would be fair if Jason had clear boundaries with this and merely used his good looks to come out of this crazy situation alive, but he takes it WAY too far…
So Jason realises that there is some sort of divinely-sent affliction upon Medea and says to her (something like): “Why are you afraid of me when I’m alone? I’m not a boaster as other men are, nor was I when I lived in my previous home. Don’t be too shy in front of me — ask me anything or say whatever is on your mind. Since we have come here with friendly intentions, don’t deceive me with sweet words now that you have promised your sister to give me the drugs which will provide me with strength. I have come here as both your suppliant and your guest because without you, I would not be able to accomplish these tasks. In return for your help, I will show my gratitude to you in the future (as is right when people live far away) by spreading your name and glorious reputation. This way the other heroes will also sing your praises on their return to Greece as will their wives and mothers. Much like how Ariadne was rewarded by the immortals with a crown of stars, you will also be honoured if you save so great an expedition of heroic men. And — to judge from your appearance — I would guess that your character is both gentle and kind”.
Hearing this, Medea turns her eyes aside and smiles a sweet smile, her heart melting as she takes in his praise. She then looks up at him and loses her train of thought, not knowing where to begin in her reply. Instead, she takes the drug from her breastband and — without any hesitation — Jason grasps it. Apollonius says that Medea would have drawn off her whole soul and given it to him in this thrill of him needing her.
Finally, Medea says (something similar to): “Listen to me and I will help you. After you have gone to collect the teeth from the serpent’s jaw from my father, wait for midnight. Bathe in the stream of the river and then dress in dark robes and dig a circular pit. Over this pit, slit the throat of a female sheep and burn the animal whole. Make an appeasement to Hekate by pouring in libations from a cup. When you’ve done that, leave. Let nothing have you turn around because you will ruin everything if you do. In the morning you must soak the drug and rub it all over your body. Your being will possess great strength and you will feel invincible. Sprinkle your spear, shield, and sword with the liquid so that nothing will harm you. You will only be like this for one day, so don’t get too carried away and caught up in the feeling. But let me give you one more piece of advice: when you have yoked the bulls and ploughed the field, the crop earth born will rise up from the serpent’s teeth. When many of them have sprung up, without being seen, you should throw a heavy stone among them. They will end up killing each other over the stone, and then you can fight whoever is left. If you do this, you will take the Fleece back to Hellas.”
After saying this, Medea looks at the ground and begins to cry. The idea that Jason would sail off far away from her causes her heart to break. She looks up at him, grasps his right hand, and says (something like): “If you return home safely, remember the name Medea. Please tell me — where is your home? When you leave here, where will you sail to? Will you pass Orchomenos or the island of Aiaie? Tell me about my father’s sister, Pasiphae.”
As Medea cries, Apollonius tells us that Jason starts to feel love for her bubbling in his body. He tells her that he doesn’t think he could ever forget her if he manages to escape the task ahead of him, and then he tells her what she asks of him; Jason describes Aiaie (Aeaea) and starts talking about Ariadne, ending his little speech by saying that in the same way Minos and Theseus came to some understanding, he hopes that he and her father will too.
Terrible pains now grip Medea and she says (something similar to): “Sure, honouring your word when it comes to men of Hellas is important, but Aeetes is not like Minos and I am not like Ariadne. Do not speak of friendly hospitality. Only when you reach Iolkos remember me, and I will always remember you. If you forget me then I hope a gust of wind will snatch me and bring me to you to remind you that it was I who helped you escape such a dangerous challenge.”
When she finishes, Medea starts crying again. Jason says: “Forget the gust of wind, ma lady! If you reach Hellas, you will be honoured and respected among men and women! They will thank you like a god because it’s all down to you that their sons, brothers, kinsmen and husbands return home safe and sound. You will share my bed in our marriage chamber and nothing will separate us until our death!”
Medea’s spirit is now flooded with his words, but she shudders at the terrible things she has done in order to help Jason. Apollonius calls her a poor girl and says that not long from now she will refuse to live in Hellas. As it turns out, Hera was planning that Medea should abandon her native land and reach Iolkos only to bring disaster upon Pelias.
The maidservants, still at a distance, now start glancing over at the pair to signal to Medea to wrap up the conversation. In no time, they would have to return back to the palace so as to not draw any attention or questions. But Medea wasn’t thinking about this because she was thinking of Jason’s wishes to bring her to Hellas.
However, Jason breaks the silence by saying (something like): “It’s time to leave. On another occasion we will meet here”.
After these words, the pair separated. Jason returns to his ship and Medea returns to her maidservants. The maidservants shuffle her onto the wagon — with one hand she holds the reigns and with the other she holds the whip — and then they all set off back to the city.
When Medea returns, Chalkiope questions her. Medea, however, is still thinking about her interaction with Jason and ignores her sister entirely. She goes to sit on the stool in front of her bed, resting her cheek in her left hand.
When Jason rejoins his men, he gives them all a full account of what happened. Jason tells them of Medea’s schemes, answers their questions and shows them the drug that will save him from Aeetes’ terrible task. Only Idas sits apart from them, biting back his anger (literally what is this man’s problem??).
The plan gets put into motion
The next morning, the Argonauts send Telamon and Aithalides to get the teeth of the dragon which Jason will need for the challenge. Aeetes hands them over without any snide remarks because he can’t imagine a world where Jason would bring the challenge to completion, even if he did manage to yoke the bulls.
A little background of the teeth: at Thebes, there was a dragon who guarded the spring of Ares. This dragon had been killed by Cadmus when he went in search of Europa. The teeth of the dragon were knocked out by a goddess and divided equally between Aeetes and the dragon slayer himself. Those are the teeth which Aeetes hands over to the Greeks.
Anyways, fast forward to the end of the day and we see the heroes making their beds. Well, that is all except for Jason.
As soon as the sun set, Jason waddles off to perform the rites Medea had told him about. When he finds a place set apart from the men’s path, he first bathes in the holy river (here’s a fun fact: he bathes while dressed in the robe Hypsipyle gave him to remind him of their sweet love-making??? Jason that’s weird???). Once that’s done, he digs a trench in the earth and heaps wood inside of it, then slices a sheep’s throat over the pit and stretches its body over the fire as Medea had told him to. He lights the wood and pours out a libation, calling upon Hekate to assist him in the contest. Having summoned her, he retreats and Hekate comes to accept the sacrifice. He then returns to the ship.
After a restful sleep for all the characters, morning comes and brings with it the day of Aeetes’ challenge.
We first cut to Aeetes who is seen putting on a breastplate that Ares had given to him after killing Phlegraian Mimas with his own hands. On his head he places a golden helmet and holds onto a thick shield. In the other hand, he grasps his spear — a spear which was known as being irresistible. Aeetes is compared to Poseidon when he walks out of the palace dressed in this way.
We then cut to Jason. Not only did he follow all of Medea’s instructions the night before, but Apollonius tells us that Jason has continued listening to the priestess come morning time. He now soaks the drugs and sprinkles them over his shield, his spear and then all around his sword. His comrades come to test the weapons with violence but are unable to bend the spear even a little. But obviously, Idas’ anger had not abated during the night. He comes to Jason to beat the end of the spear with his sword, but the sword bounces back without the slightest issue.
The heroes shout for joy, expressing their confidence in Jason’s success in the contest. Jason then sprinkles the drug over himself and my guy FEELS THINGS — his two arms feel as though they swell with bursting strength. Ready, Jason and the Argonauts go to the contest ground.
When they reach the plain of Ares, the Argonauts are met by Aeetes and a mass of Colchians. The people stand on the Caucasian heights while the king paces along the bank of the river.
Jason faces his tasks
Jason makes his way to the centre of the contest ground. He takes his shield, spear, helmet and sword as protection, but leaves his body naked (he’s oiled up with the drugs, remember). Looking around the ploughland he spots the bronze yoke for the bulls and the plough next to it.
Jason moves closer to the equipment, sticking his spear into the ground by its pointy end and putting down the helmet to rest against it. Carrying only his shield he advances further, following the tracks of the bulls. Out of seemingly nowhere (but not really nowhere — the bulls’ pens were under the earth but Jason isn’t aware of this) the bulls rush forward together, breathing out glowing fire.
Watching this, the Argonauts panic from where they’re sitting. Jason plants his feet firmly and holds his shield in front of him to block their path. The bulls snort and crash their horns against the shield, but cannot lift the metal nor the man into the air. The fire coming from their mouths envelops Jason in a heat-filled cloud but Medea’s drugs continue to protect him.
Jason grabs the bull on his right by the end of its horn and drags it over to the bronze yoke using all his strength. He then brings it to its knees with a swift kick against its bronze hoof. In the same way, he brings the other bull down. He throws his shield away and with his feet firmly planted he holds both bulls down to the ground, one on each side of him. It’s safe to say that Aeetes is watching this in complete amazement.
As had been arranged in advance, the sons of Tyndareos run up to Jason and lift the yoke from the ground, giving it to Jason to throw on top of the bulls. He bounds it tightly to their necks and then places the yoke pole between the bulls, attaching the animals to the machinery.
With the bulls now in place, the sons of Tyndareos retreat and Jason recovers his shield to put it on his back. He then picks up his helmet (which contains the sharp teeth) and his spear, using the latter to prick the centre of the bull’s flanks. He guides the handle of the yoke and performs the plough.
At first, the bulls had been incredibly savage and exhaled loads of fire. But now the animals set off under the constraints of Jason’s spear to plough the field. Along the furrows made by the plough, large chunks of earth broke off and it was here where Jason chose to scatter the teeth.
In the afternoon, Jason releases the bulls from the plough. Once they’ve returned to their pens, Jason looks to see if the Earth-Born warriors have sprouted. Seeing no sign of them, Jason runs back to the ship to meet with his comrades. They all gather around him to keep his spirits high. He gets a bit to drink, flexes his knees and fills his heart with fighting spirit.
NOW the Earth-Born start springing up all over the ploughfield. Jason remembers the advice from Medea, picks up a great rock (this rock shouldn’t have been able to be carried by four strong men according to Apollonius!!!), and hurls it at the soldiers. He then crouches behind his shield, confident in the outcome.
The Colchians let loose a great roar, but Aeetes remains silent. He is completely dumbstruck at how Jason had thought to throw the rock.
Right on cue, the Earth-Born leap upon the rock and destroy one another with terrible screaming. Seeing only a few left, Jason rushes upon them, wielding the naked sword which he drew from its sheath and slashed the remaining soldiers to the ground.
We’re told that the furrows were filled with blood. Many of the soldiers were struck before even lifting their feet from the earth. Jason is successful.
Apollonius ends the book by telling us that Aeetes is full of hatred for Jason. He returns to the city with the Colchians and spends the night plotting how he will kill every last one of them.
Watch Here:
Listen Here: https://open.spotify.com/show/3yDATaGLuyipDgyiSe75fN
Thumbnail Image: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/251419
Marble relief fragment with the head of Medea
Roman 1st–2nd century CE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 156
Copy of a Greek marble relief of ca. 420–410 B.C.
”This head is from a well-known relief that depicts the witch Medea and the two daughters of Pelias, king of Iolkos, in Thessaly. Medea tricked them into killing and boiling their father in hopes of rejuvenating him, and the scene shows them at a cauldron about to commit the terrible act. The original work was one of four reliefs that probably decorated the parapet surrounding the Altar of the Twelve Gods in the Athenian Agora.” (Copied from the Met Museum website).