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inger Orpheus. Whereas the companions ofHomer's Odysseus pass the Sirens in safetyby stuffing their ears with wax, the Argonautsare saved from the Sirens by the music thatOrpheus plays to drown them out. Two typesof song are represented here, one from theHomeric world, voiced through the Sirens,and the other from the world of Ptolemaic

Alexandria, through the identificationOrpheus=Apollonius. The contest symbolizesthe updating of epic.

[39]Apollonius takes the

symbolic role of characters further thanHomer. The seers Idmon and Mopsus, ableto interpret signs, might also be understoodto represent the ideal audience, able tointerpret symbols. Other characters howevercan also fulfill this role, such as Peleus, whosuccessfully interprets Jason's encounterwith the Libyan nymphs, thus leading to the

Argo being carried across the desert. By thismeans the audience is encouraged tointerpret the poet's own complex meanings'heroes' like Peleus arepeople just likeusand their powers of insight are ours too.

[40]

Episodic epic[edit]

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Some of the episodic qualityofArgonauticacan be put down to its genre,as a voyage narrative.

Homer's Odysseyalso features somedisunity, as a set of adventures, withsurprising discoveries waiting around everyheadland. Thus LonginuscontrastedtheOdysseyunfavourably with the Iliad: inthe former, he thought the mythical element

predominates over the action, whereas hethought the Iliadgains dramatic tensionthrough the development of a single, greatcontest.

[41]Voyage narratives don't fit in well

with Aristotelian notions of dramatic unity, or,as one modern scholar recently put it: "It is

precisely this inherent inconsequentiality, theepisodic partition imposed by the very natureof travel, which can be seen at the heart ofthe Western tradition ofromance, as opposedto the harsh teleologies of epic."

[42]

Argonauticahowever goes beyondHomer's Odysseyin its fragmentation of theaction. Apollonius seems to have rejectedthe Aristotelian concept of unity, sincenumerous aitia interrupt the story with

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'flashbacks' to myths predating the Argonautstory, and with 'fast-forwards' to customs inthe poet's own time. The narrator's choice of

material is thus of immediate interest to thereader, since it interrupts the action, unlikethe traditional method of Homer, where thepoet keeps a low profile.

[43]One of Homer's

virtues as a narrator, from Aristotle's point ofview, was in letting characters do much of

the talking.[nb 10]The dominant presenceinArgonauticais the poet himself71% ofthe verses are spoken by him, rather than byhis characters, whereas only 55% oftheIliadand 33% of the Odysseyare inHomer's own voice.

[44]

Some of the episodic quality comes alsofrom the poet's literary eclecticism. Forinstance, the role of the Argo in the Greeksettlement of northern Africa was a commontopic of Greek literature.Pindar, a poeticmodel for Apollonius and Callimachus,composed three odes for the ruling elite ofCyrene, including Pythian 4, where hementions the clod of earth that Euphemusreceived from Triton and which became the

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island Thera, the mother city of Cyrene. Thehistorian Herodotus mentioned the tripod thatTriton received, a pledge of Libya's future

colonization by descendents of theArgonauts (Herodotus4.179). Both theseaccounts found their way intoArgonautica.

Paradoxically, this highly episodic poem,fragmented in time and with events unfoldingin a changing landscape, can yet be thoughtto have more unity than any other epic. Itsunity comes from its location within the milieuof Ptolemaic Alexandria.

[45]Occupying the

eastern corner of Libya, Alexandria wasfounded only about sixty years before

Apollonius wrote his epic and it comprised, inaddition to native Egyptians, a large share ofthe Greek diaspora, about half of whomcame via the Greek colony of Cyrene. ThePtolemaic setting makes sense of many ofthe poet's enigmatic choices. Thus forexample the final cluster of aitia is not anarbitrary addition but neatly associates thestory's end with the begiining of Greeksettlement in Egypt. The island of Thera wasthe mother city of Cyrene and symbolized

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Greek settlement of Libya. Aegina was oncehome to the Argonauts Peleus and Telamon,exiled thence for murdering their brother,

thus symbolizing the Greek diaspora. Theisland of Anaphe is where theAitiaofCallimachus begins with a tale of the

Argonauts, and his final aition is inAlexandria, so thatArgonautica'sprogression from Iolcus to Anaphe becomes

part of a cycle: "Taken together these twopoems de facto complete the prophecy thatbegins in a mythic past."

[46]Any apparent

weaknesses in characterization can also beexplained in the Ptolemaic settingthe storyisn't really about Jason or about any of the

Argonauts, as individuals, but about theirhistoric role in establishing a Greek destiny inLibya.

[47]

Argonautica's original audience of ethnicGreeks would have glimpsed their ownmigrant history in the motley Greek crew ofthe Argo, and similarly Hellenized Egyptianswould have glimpsed themselves in theColchian diaspora depicted in Book 4.

According to Herodotus, Colchis was

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colonized by Egyptians (see detailsinItinerary). In that case, the Colchian fleetsthat settle in and around Greece may be

thought to prefigure the Greek colonization ofEgypt.

[48]Apollonius conflates Greek and

Egyptian mythology. Islands symbolizedcreation in the Egyptian scheme of things,being associated with the ground emergingfrom the Nile floods. Thera and Anaphe, as

emergent islands, are recreations of themyth. Egyptians considered Libya's westerndesert to be the land of the dead. The Sun,who traversed the sky in a boat during theday, returned at night in the same boat viathe underworld, a cycle associated with

cosmic life and death. The stranding of theArgonauts on the Libyan coast, their carryingof Argo across the desert and the deathsthere of Mopsus and Canthus give a Greekperspective to this Egyptian symbolism, withthe Golden Fleece figuring as a solar

emblem. Thus the action oftheArgonauticacan seem highly organized,as an attempt to soften the boundariesbetween Alexandria's indigenous ethnic

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population and its immigrant Greeks, bymeans of a shared mythology and world-view.

[49]

Other issues[edit]

Though critics have concentrated onHomeric echoes inArgonautica, directborrowings from tragedy, suchas Euripides'Medea, can be

found.

[50]

Argonauticais often placed in aliterary tradition that leads to theAncientGreek novel.

[nb 11]Apollonius chooses the less

shocking versions of some myths,having Medea, for example, merely watchthe murder ofAbsyrtusinstead of murdering

him herself. The gods are relatively distantand inactive throughout much of the epic,following the Hellenistic trend to allegorizeand rationalize religion.

The poetry[edit]

For a discussion of poetic style andtechnique inArgonauticaseeApollonius ofRhodes#Poetic style

Information charts[edit]

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The Argonauts[edit]

The Argonauts are listed here in the order inwhich they are catalogued in lines 1-227 ofBook 1.[nb 12]

Argonauts

Name Characteristics Actions

Mentions byname:[book]& line

no.

JasonFatherAeson,motherAlcimede

Asindicatedby thepagenumbers,he

becomesa moreinfluentialhero in thesecond

[1] 8,206,232,349,409,534,

1330;[2] 122,211,491,871,

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half of thepoem(books 3and 4).He isoftenreferred toonly as'Son of

Aeson'.

1158,1281;[3] 2,28, 66,143,357,439,474,566,922,1147,1194,1246,1363;[4] 63,

79,107,165,170,352,393,

454,489,1083,1122,

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1152,1331,1701"Son of

Aeson": [1] 33,46,123,228,407,436,460,463,494,854,

887,1032,1084,1092,1133,1288,

1332;[2] 437,444,615,

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762,1178,1271;[3] 58,60, 86,169,194,282,288,318,385,475,491,509,542,

574,752,913,941,961,973,

1017,1142,1163,1214,

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1221,1262,1278;[4] 73,92,114,149,187,253,355,427,464,477,530,688,

785,1012,1087,1116,1162,1313,

1528,1593,1664,1747,

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1755

Orpheus

Sonof Oeagrusand

Calliope, bornat PimpleiainThessalianPieria, home of theMuses, he is theruler of Bistonian

(Thracian) Pieria

Heencourages the crewwith hismusic andhe

establishes musicalrites forcults theyestablishalong theway, as atBearMountainandThyniasIsland

[1] 23,32,494,540,

915,1134;[2] 161,685,928; [4]905,

1159,1409,1547

Asterion

Son of Cometes,from ThessalianPeiresia, nearthe junction of

[1] 35

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rivers ApidanusandEnipeus

Polyphemus

From

ThessalianLarissa,son of Eilatus,he once foughtfortheLapithsagainstthe Centaursand is now "heavy"with age but stillwarlike.

He is leftbehindwithHeraclesat the river

Cius (endof Book I),and he isdestinedtoestablisha citythere(Cius),beforedying inthe land ofthe Chalybes.

[1] 40,1241,1347;[4]1470

Iphiclus Jason's [1] 45,

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maternal uncle 121

Admetus

Ruler ofThessalianPherae

[1] 49

Erytus

Son of Hermes,from

ThessalianAlope, skilled intrickery; hismother was

Antianeira, thedaughter of

Menetes

[1] 52

Echion Brother of Erytusand skilled intrickery

[1] 52

Aethalides

Thessalian half-brother of theabove two,father Hermes,

He acts asa heraldthanks tohis

[1] 54,641; [3]1175

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mother wasEupolemeia,daughterofMyrmidon.

"imperishablememory',serving forexampleas amessenger betweenthe

Argonautsand thewomen ofLemnos.

Coronus

Son of Caeneus,fromThessalianGyrton,a brave man;his father wasburied alive bythe Centaurs,who wereunable to kill himin battle.

[1] 57

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Mopsus

Apollo's son,skilled in theaugury of birds,from ThessalianTitaresia.

He is anadvisor toJason. Hedies fromsnake bitein Libya

[1] 65,80,

1083,1106;[2] 923;[3] 543,916,938; [4]

1502,1518

Eurydamas

Son ofCtimenus, fromThessalian

Ctimene nearlake Xynias

[1] 67

Menoetius

From LocrianOpus,son ofActor

[1] 69

Eurytion

Son of Irus, hisgrandfather is

Actor, fromOpus

[1] 71

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Eribotes Son of Teleon,from Opus

[1] 71,73; [2]

1039

Oleus

Unrivalled forcourage, skilledin battle, fromOpus

He iswoundedby afeather

when abirdswoopsthe Argooff theisland of

Ares,causinghim todrop hisoar.

[1] 74;[2]1037

Canthus Son ofCanethus, hisgrandfatherisAbas,

He dies inLibya,killed by ashepherd

[1] 77;[4]1467,1485,

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fromEuboea whiletrying tosteal hissheep (theshepherd,Caphaurus, is agrandsonof Apollo).

1497

Clytius

Son of thearcherEurytus,fromThessalianOechalia

In battle,he killsone of theDolionesand laterone of theBebrycians, thenshootsdown abird at

AresIsland.

[1] 86,1044;[2] 117,1043

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IphitusBrother ofClytius

[1] 86;[2] 115

Telamon

Son ofAeacus,originallyfromAegina,settledonSalamis

He angrilyaccusesJason oftreacheryat the end

of Book 1butGlaucusreconcilesthem, andhe nearly

threatenstheColchianking butJasonprevents it

with aconciliatory speech.

[1] 93,1043,1289,1330;[3] 196,363,440,515,1174

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Peleus

Brother ofTelamon,fromPhthia,he isfather of theinfantAchilles

One ofJason's

counselors. Herallies the

Argonautswith braveadvice

whenTiphysdies andlater whenthey aredaunted

by luriddescriptions ofColchis,and hereceives

instructions from thegoddessHeravia his

[1] 94,558,

1042;[2] 829,868,1217;[3] 504;[4] 494,

816,853,880,1368

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wifeThetis.

ButesAn Athenian,son of Teleon

He is leftbehindwhenlured fromthe ship

bythe Sirens.

Aphroditesaves himandsettleshim inSicily.

[1] 95;[4] 914

Phalerus

AnotherAthenian, his

father is Alcoon,who sent him onthe voyagethough he hadno other sons to

[1] 96

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care for him inold age

Tiphys

Son of Hagnias,

from ThespianSiphae (Boeotia),navigator skilledin reading thesea, weatherand stars, sent

on the voyagebyAthena

His skill,with

Athena'sassistance, gets the

Argothroughtheclashingrocks. Hedies ofillnesssoonafterwardsand he isburiedbesideIdmon.

[1] 105,381,401,522,

561,956,1274,1296;[2] 175,557,

574,584,610,622,854

PhliasSonof Dionysusfrom

Araethyraea,

[1] 115

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near the springsofBoeotianAsopus

TalausSonof Bias andPero,fromArgos

[1] 118;[2] 63,111

Areius Brother ofTalaus [1] 118

Leodocus

Half-brother ofthe previoustwo, by their

mother, Pero

[1] 119

Heracle

s

Sonof ZeusandAlcm

ene

Separatedfrom theother

Argonauts

at the endof Book I,evenbefore

[1] 122,197,341,349,

397,426,631,855,

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theyreachColchis. Thisis by thewill of thegods, sohe cancompletethe TwelveLaboursthat willsecure hisimmortality (1.1315-

20)

864,993,997,1040,1163,1242,1253,1291,1303,1316;[2] 146,767,772,793,913,

957,967,1052;[3]1233;[4] 538,

1400,1459,1469,

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1477

HylasSquire toHeracles.

Abductedby a waternymph tobe herhusband,causing

Heraclestoseparatefrom thevoyage.

[1] 131,1207,1258,1324,

1350,1354

Nauplius

Son ofClytonaeus fromArgos,descendedfrom anotherNaupliuswho

was siredbyPoseidonuponDanaus'sdaughter

[1] 134;[2] 896

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Amymone

Idmon

Son of Apollo,fosteredbyAbasin

Argos, skilled inomens frombirds and burnt

offerings; joinedthe voyagethough he knewit would be hisdeath

He iskilled by awild boarat a mouth

oftheAcheron

[1] 139,436,449,475; [2]

816,850

Polydeuces

son of ZeusandLeda,fosteredbyTyndareus,fromSparta

In battle,he killsone of theDoliones,and thebullying

king of theBebrycians in aboxingmatch,

[1] 146;[2] 20,100,756; [4]588

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whichwins the

Argonautsfriendsamongneighbouring people

CastorHalf-brother ofPolydeuces, sonof Leda andTyndareus

In battle,

he killsone of theDolionesand aBebrycian

[1] 147;[2] 62;[4] 589He andPolydeukesareoftenmentioned asTyndaridae: [1]148,1045;[2] 30,41, 74,798,

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806; [3]517,1315;[4] 592

Lynceus

SonofAphareus,fromArene, hehas miraculouspowers ofeyesight

HeobservesHeracles

in thedistancein theLibyandeserttoo faraway tobereached.

[1] 151,153; [4]1466,1478

Idas Brother ofLynceus

A critic ofJason

evenbeforethey leaveIolcus. Inbattle, he

[1] 151,462,

470,485,1044;[2] 830;[3] 516,

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kills one oftheDolionesand heslays thewild boarthat killedIdmon.

556,1170,1252

Periclymenus

Sonof Neleusfrom Pylos; he couldassume anyform he chosewhen in battle

[1] 156

Amphidamas

Son ofAleus,fromArcadianTe

gea

He comesup withthestrategy

thatdefeatsthe birdsat Ares

[1] 161;[2]

1046

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Island

Cepheus

King of Tegeaand brother ofAmphidamas

[1] 161

Ancaeus

Nephew of theprevious two,

sent on thevoyage by hisfather Lycurgus,who stayedbehind to lookafter the aged

Aleus

TheArgonauts

choosehim to rowalongsideHeraclesin themiddle of

the ship

[1] 164,

398,426,429,531; [2]118

Augeas From Elis, a son

of Helius

TheColchianking is hishalf-

brother viathe sungod, soJason

[1] 172;[3] 197,

363,440

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uses himthere asan

Argonautambassador

Asterius

Son of

Hyperasius,fromAchaean Pellene

[1] 176

Amphio

n

Brother of

Asterius

[1] 176

Euphem

us

From Taenarus,sired byPoseidon

onEuropa; he isthe fastest of allrunners

Hemanagesthe dovethat

signals tothe

Argonautsto charge

[1] 179;[2] 536,556,562,

588,896; [4]1466,1483,

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theClashingRocks,and heurgesthemonwardswithrallyingcalls. Heaccepts aclod ofearthfrom Tritonthat is

destinedto becomethe islandof Calliste(Thera),whence

Libyawould besettled byhis

1563,1732,1756,1758,1764

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descendents.

Erginus Son of Poseidonfrom Miletus

[1] 187;[2] 896

Ancaeus2

Son of Poseidon

from Parthenia(Samos)

Hebecomes

the pilotwhenTiphysdies.

[1] 188;[2] 865,

898,1276;[4] 210,1260

Meleager

Son of Oeneus,from Calydon(Aetolia);

[1] 191;

sometimescalledOeneides: [1]190,

192,1931046;[3] 518

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Laocoon

Half-brother ofOeneus, mother

a servant girl;sent by Oeneusas mentor toMeleager

[1] 191,192

Iphiclus2

Maternal uncle

of Meleager, sonof Thestius,expert in warfare

[1] 201

Palaimonius

SonofHephaestusa

nd foster son of[Lernus],crippled in bothfeet like hisfather but strongand dauntless

[1] 202

Iphitus2Sonof Naubolus,from Phocis; he

[1] 207

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once hostedJason when hewent to Pytho toask the oracleabout thevoyage

Zetes

Son of the wind

god BoreasbyOreithyia,fromThrace; hehas wings at hisankles andtemples

He chasesaway theHarpies

[1] 211;[2] 243,282,430

CalaisBrother of Zetes,winged likewise

He chasesaway theHarpies

[1] 211;[2] 282

Acastus

Son of the

wickedThessaliankingPelias,Jason's

He killsone of theDoliones

[1] 224,

321,1041,1082

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taskmaster

Argus

Son ofArestor,

he is Athena'shelper inbuilding the

Argo; he ismentioned at thestart of the crew

list (19), in themiddle (111) andat the end (226)

He carvesan imageof themothergoddessfor her cult

atCyzicus/BearMountain.Notmentionedin thesecondhalf of thepoem,where'Argus'signifiesthe eldestson ofPhrixus

[1] 19,

111,226,321,325,367,912,

1119;[2] 613,1188

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(below)

The Argonauts are joined by others during

the voyage:

Dascylus, son of the Mariandylian kingLycus (he leaves the ship again at Sinopeon the return journey from Colchis).

Argus, Cytissorus, Phrontis and Mela: the

four sons of Phrixus, grandsons of theColchian king.

Deileon, Autolycus and Phlogius: threesons of the Thessalian, Deimachus, andformerly comrades of Hercules stranded atSinope ever since their campaign against

the Amazons. Medea

Twelve female attendants for Medea, a giftfrom Arete, queen of Phaeacian Drepane

Itinerary[edit]

Here follows a list of places where the

narrative states or implies thatArgocame toshore. Time is here seen from theperspective of the poetthe time at which

Apollonius wrote is governed by the present

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tense and by qualifiers like "now" and "to thisday", the mythical action of the poem isgoverned by the past tense, whereas our

own time is denoted 'modern'.

Itinerary

Places CommentsAitia and

foundation

myths

Iolcus

Home ofJason, itsharbourPagasaewasstarting pointfor thevoyage.

Magnesia

Their firstlandfall, nearthe "tomb ofDolops" (a sonof Hermes).They were

The beach isnamed "Argo's

Aphetae" (Argo'sLaunching),commemoratingtheir departure on

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kept there byadverse windsfor twodays.[51]

the third day(1.592)

Lemnos

Their nextlandfall aftertwo dayswithout stop.

The Lemianwomen oncemurdered all

males on theisland, excepttheir kingThoas,who was castadrift in a woodenchest. He cameashore at anisland named afterthenymph Oenoebutnow (and also inmodern times) it iscalled Sicinusafter the son she boreThoas (1.620-26)

Samothra They arrived Apollonius piously

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ce(Islandof Electra)

the same daythey leftLemnos, onthe advice ofOrpheus,since therewere secretrites here thatcould protectsailors.

refuses todescribe thesacred rites ofthe Cabiri(1.91921).

CyzicusPeninsular(BearMountain)

Next port ofcall afterpassingthroughtheHellespontat night.

Apolloniusrefers to theHellespont as"Athamas'daughter"(1.927), anallusion to itswell-known

Jason's long stayat Cyzicusaccounts formultiple aetia.One of theArgo'sanchor stones isat a temple of'Athena, Jason'sHelper' (1.955-60),and a shorelinestone that the shipwas once tied to isnow known as'Sacred Rock'

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mythicalassociationwithHelleandthe GoldenFleece.

(1.1018-20) Apath up the localmountainDindymum isnamed 'Jason'sWay' because heonce passed thatway (1.988). Thelocal Doliones stillcommemoratetheir countrymenwho died in theaccidental fightwith the Argonauts(1.1047-48) and

the tomb of theirslain king is stillvisible (1.1061-62). His bride'ssuicide caused thewood nymphs to

shed tears thatbecame theeponymous spring'Cleite' (1.1065-

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69) and the localsstill commemoratethose sad eventsby grinding theirgrain at the publicmill everyanniversary, as ifthey are too grief-stricken to grind itthemselves(1.1075-77). Thecult of the MotherGoddess(Rhea/Cybele)was established

there by Jasonand thus a springthat miraculouslyappeared at thattime is called'Jason's Spring'

(1.1146-48). Amusical rite wasinitiated byOrpheus and it is

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still associatedwith thecult(1.1134-39).

Cius River

They arrivedthe same daythey left BearMountain.

Heracles tookchild-hostagesso that theirrelativeswould helphim search forHylas and helater settledthematTrachis.

Polyphemusfounded a citynow named after

the river (1.1345-47). Theinhabitants of Ciusto this day "askafter Hylas" andthey still maintainclose relationswith Trachis(1.1354-57).

Gulf ofOlbia

Their next

stop broughtthem to theland oftheBebrycians,

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wherePolydeuceskilled theking in aboxing match

Thynian

coast

They arrived

after a wavealmost wipedthem out nearthe Bosphorus. Theyrescued Phine

usfromtheharpiesand they werethen detainedhere for somedays by

the Etesianwinds.

The sons ofBoreas overtookthe harpies far to

the west at theFloating Islandsbut Iristurnedthem back, notpermitting theharpies to bekilled. Thus theislands are nowcalled the TurningIslandsor(modernday Strofades).

In a digression,the poet alsoexplains the originof the Etesian

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winds, associatedwith the mythofAristaeusandsome sacrificialrites still practisedon the islandofCeos

Thynias

Their landfallafter passingthe ClashingRocks. Theysaw Apollopassing

northwards tovisitthe Hyperboreansand theyhonoured himwith

a paean.[nb

13]They then

swore to helpeach other

The ClashingRocks stoppedmoving once the

Argonauts passedthrough and theyare still fixed intheir place.

The islandThynias is nowcalled "TheSacred Island of

Apollo Heous"(Apollo of theDawn) and ashrine of Concordcan be found

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ever after. there to this veryday.

In a digression,the poet tells ushow the paeansung hereoriginated withtheCoryciannymphs.

Acherusianheadland

Argo mooredin the harbourhere after a

day and nightsailing fromThynias. HereIdmon wassubsequentlykilled by a wild

boar andTiphysperished byillness.

The king of thenativeMariandynians,Lycus, received the

Argonautshospitably, happyin the death of theBebrycian king atthe hands ofPolydeukes, andhe said he wouldbuild a shrine ontop of theheadland, visible

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to sailors faraway, in honour ofPolydeukes andhis brother.

The tombs ofIdmon and Tiphysare visible today.Later settlers fromBoetia andMegara wereinstructed by

Apollo to honourIdmon as their cityguardian but today

instead theyhonour

Agamestor[nb 14]

TombofSthenelus

The Argonautscome ashorehere whenSthenelus(son ofActor)appeared to

They offered himlibations and setup an altar to

Apollo the ShipPreserver.Orpheus

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them on histomb.

dedicated his lyreto the god and theplace is nowcalled Lyra.

Sinope

Here theymeet threecompanions of

Heraclesstranded afterhis expeditionagainst the

Amazons

In a digression,the poet tells the

story ofSinope,the nymphsettledhere by Zeus.

Thermodon River

The harbour ofthe Amazons.Argonautsdepart beforethe womencan assemble

for battle

AresIsland

Island sacredto Amazons,

Approaching theisland, they pass

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infested withhostile birds

theMossynoeci,and the poet tellsus in a digressionthat these peopleare named aftertheir woodentowers("mossynes")

ColchisScene of theentire Book 3

In a digression,the poet links thefield of Ares inColchis with thefoundationofThebesby Cadmus: Athenashared thedragon's teethbetween CadmusandAetes.

The main city,Aea, is said to beone of many cities

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that were foundedin Europe and

Asia by Egyptianforces. Modernscholars connectthis account withoneby Herodotus(Histories2.102-106)),identifying theEgyptian leader asthe legendarykingSesostris.

[nb 15]

HalysRiver

The Argonautsarrived hereon the thirdmorning afterfleeingColchis.

They built a

sanctuarytoHecate, stillvisible, whereMedea practisedsacrificial rites thatthe poet dares not

reveal.

NarexThe northernend of a"three-

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corneredisland"(DanubeDelta), whichallowed the

Argonauts tosail up theIsterorDanubebehind theirpursuers, whohad entered atthe southernend.

BrygeanIslands

[nb

16]

The Argonautsand ColchiansreachedtheAdriaticSeaby a

fabledbranchof the IsterRiver.

Jason and Medeamurdered herbrotherApsyrtuson one of theBrygean Islands.His Colchianfollowers latersettled around the

Adriatic and theirdescendents stillremain there,

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including the'Apsyrtians' on theBrygean Islands.Other Colchianssettled in Illyria(near the tombs ofCadmusandHarmonia,modernday Pola)[52]andtheCeraunianMountains.

ElectrisIsland

An island nearthe mouth of

the Eridanus.Its exactlocation isunknown tomodernscholars.Herodotus(3.115)andStrabo(5.1.9)considered itimaginary.

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The Argonautshid out herewhile theleaderlessColchian fleetdisbanded,following thedeath of

Apsyrtus.

Hyllus

A city on theDalmatiancoast. Itsexact locationis unknown to

modernscholars butsomewherenearmodern ibenik. It is home ofthe Hylleans,who provedfriendly to the

Argonautsafter the death

In gratitude fortheir kindness,Jason endowedthe Hylleans witha tripod, originally

a gift to him fromApollo, whichprotects theircountry againstinvaders to thisvery day. Theyburied it for safe-keeping deepunder the city ofHyllus, where itstill lies hidden.

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of Apsyrtus.

The city, country

and people tooktheir namefrom Hyllus, a sonof Heracles andthe water nymphMelite.

Eridanus

A fabulousriver, oftenidentified withthe Po. The

Argo wasdriven back

north into thisriver by astorm. Thestorm wassent by Herato forestall a

worse fateplanned byZeus aspunishment

The "innermoststream" ( ) of this riverspews noxioussteam,wherePhaethono

nce crashed toearth.TheHeliades, hissisters, mourn forhim in the form ofpoplar trees, their

tears the amberdrops that arefound in the river.However,

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for the murderof Apsyrtus.

Apolloniusassumes thatthe Eridanus

joins withthe RhineandRhone,allowing the

Argo to entereitherthe LigurianSeaorNorthSea.

Apollonius alsomentions a localCeltic legend,according to whichthese are tearsthat Apollo shedfor his deadsonAsclepius.

HyeresIslands('Stoechades'or'Ligystian'Islands)[nb17]

After enteringthe LigurianSea via theRhone, the

Argo arrivedsafely at theseislands thanksmainly to theprayers ofCastor andPollux.

Altars and rites inhonour of Castorand Pollux wereestablished hereforever, as theywere not onlyguardians of thisvoyage butcontinueprotectors ofsailors to this day.

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Elba('Aethalia')

Argo's nextstop after theStoechades.Here the

Argonautswiped theirsweaty handson pebbles ona beach andthey playeddiscus withlarge stones.

The pebbles areflesh-colouredtoday, the discusstones are stillvisible, as areother signs of thevisit. The placewhere they restedis now named

Argo Harbour.

Aeaea(MountCirceo?)

The island

home of Circe,whose magicreleasedJason andMedea fromtheconsequencesof herbrother'smurder.

The island waspopulated by

biologicalmonstrosities,each sporting astrangeassortment oflimbs. Suchcreatures werecommon in theearly history of theearth, before thephysical elements

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had attained theirpresent level oforganization(Apollonius's'science' owesmuch to pre-Socraticphilosophers suchasAnaximanderand Empedocles)[53]

Eryx

A domain ofAphrodite. TheAthenianArgonaut

Butes felloverboard in arapture whilethe Argo wassailing pastthe islandhome ofthe Sirens,Anthemoessa.

Aphroditerescued him

Apollonius doesn't

state the aitionunderlying hisaccount: there is asanctuary of

Aphrodite andButes at thewestern tip ofSicily.

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and carriedhim to Eryx,settling him onCapeLilybaeum (notfar fromDrepana ormodern Trapani). The other

Argonautssailed onwithout him,facing evengreater perilsahead:Scylla,

CharybdisandtheWanderingRocks.

Corfu('Drepane')

The Argonautswere trappedon this island,off the westcoast ofGreece, by thesecond

The island isnamed Drepane(), theword for 'sickle',because it restson the sicklethat Cronusused

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Colchian fleet.The Colchiansdemandedthat Medea besurrendered tothembutAlcinous,the virtuousking of thenativePhaeacians, refusedto complyonce helearned thatshe and Jason

were husbandand wife. Theywere marriedon the islandin a cave thatwas once a

refugeto Macris, thenurse ofDionysus.

to castrate hisfatherUranus,from whose bloodthe Phaeacianssprang. Apolloniusalso offers analternativeaccount: theisland rests on a

scythe ()belongingtoDemeter, whotaughttheTitanshow toreap grain, which

she did as amemorialtoMacris.

The cave whereJason and Medeawere married isnowcalled Medea'sCave. Altars that

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Medea set up in alocal temple of

Apollo still receiveannual sacrificesto the nymphswho attended herwedding, and tothe Fates(associated withbirths andmarriages).

As with the firstColchian fleet, thesecond dispersedrather than return

home empty-handed. Theylived for a longtime on the islandamong thePhaeacians, later

migrating tothe CeraunianMountainsandOricum.

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Libya

The Argo wasbeached in thenotoriousshallows ofthe Syrtis (Gulf of Sidra)after a northwind sweptthem fromGreek waters.The Argonautshere resignedthemselves todeath untilthree nymphs,

the guardiansof Libya,appeared,advising themto carry the

Argo overland.

Arriving thusat 'LakeTriton', theyencountered

The Garamantes,a Libyan pastoraltribe, aredescended fromGaramas (thoughthis is not explicitlystated by

Apollonius). Thesnake that killedMopsus wasdescended fromthe blood of theGorgon's headthat dripped ontothe soil

when Perseusonce flew past. Theclod of earth, oncedropped into thesea, wouldbecome the

island Calliste(Thera), from whereGreek migrantswould one day

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theHesperides, whosegarden hadbeen ravagedby Heracles

just the daybefore.Canthus, oneof the

Argonauts, issubsequentlykilled by theson ofGaramas, anative

shepherd andson of Apollo.

AnotherArgonaut,Mopsus, diesfrom snake

bite. A third,Euphemus,receivesdirections and

colonize Libya.The harbour inLake Triton, where

Argo rested beforeentering the sea,is calledArgoHarbourand signsof the visit are stillvisible there to thisday.

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a clod of earthfromTriton.

Crete

Next stop afterLibya was therugged islandofCarpathus,from which itwas a short

trip to Dicte inCrete (not themountain ofthat name, buta havenprobably in the

north easterncorner of theisland).

[54]The

bronzegiantTalausattempted tostop themlanding bythrowingboulders froma cliff, until

The Argonautsbuilt a shrine hereto 'Minoan

Athena'.

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Medea put theevil eye onhim, causinghim to gashopen hisankle,whereby hebled to death.

Anafi(Anaphe)

Leaving Crete,the Argonautswere soontrapped in astarless night,a terror to

sailors,called theshroud. Jasonprayed forhelp and then

Apollo,brandishinghis brilliantbow (in themanner of amodern

The island wasnamed Anapheever after("becausePhoebus made it

appear tothem":[55]

ishere derived fromthe aorist for makeappear). To thisday, women on

Anaphe taunt theirmenfolk wheneverofferings aremade to Apollo

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lighthouse),revealed a tinyisland, wherethey tookrefuge. Theisland was toorocky andbare to offervictims for asacrifice ofthanksgivingso the

Argonautslibated bypouring water

on nakedflames, whichmade thePhaeacianwomen laugh

Aegina

Arriving herefrom Anaphe,the Argonautsbegan fetchingwater to their

To this day, thereis a race on theisland, in whichmen carryfullamphoraeon

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ship. Hurryingto make themost of agood sailingbreeze, theymade the taskinto a friendlyrace.

their shoulders.The narrativeends here, withina day's voyage ofIolcus

Notes[edit]

Map interpreting the voyage accordingtoApollonius Rhodius'Argonautica, reprintof Ortelius'Parergon, 1624.

1. Jump up^The issues are identified

by R. Glei,Outlines of ApollonianScholarship 1955-1999, 419

2. Jump up^The survey was by S.Valverde (1989),El aition en las

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'Argonuticas' de Apolonio de Rodas:estudio literario, Diss. Murcia, cited by A.Khnken,Theocritus, Callimachus, and

Apollonius Rhodius,, 793. Jump up^Frnkel H. (1957), "DasArgonautenepos des Apollonios", MH14,119; and (1960), "Ein Don Quijote unterden Argonauten des Apollonios", MH17,120). (The two articles are cited by R.Glei, Outline of Apollinian Scholarship19551999, 6)

4. Jump up^Van Krevelen D. A.(1956), "Bemerkungen zur Charakteristikder in den 'Argonautica' des Apolloniosauftretenden Personen", RhM99, 38(the article is cited by R. Glei,Outline of

Apollinian Scholarship 19551999)

5. Jump up^Only Hypsipyl'e father wasspared, cast adrift in a wooden chest

6. Jump up^The mother of the gods,Rhea, is associated with Cybele, the ritesbeing established on a Cyzicusmountain, Dindymum (not to be confusedwith Dindymonin central Phrygia)W.

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Race,Apollonius Rhodius: Argonautica,91

7. Jump up^The correct route is

shown, for example, byW.H.Race,Apollonius Rhodius:

Argonautica, maps section.

8. Jump up^In Greek, the imitation isespecially notable: ,where is an un-Homeric wordused by Apollonius only here, in contrastto the Homeric , which he uses tentimesA. Khnken, Theocritus,Callimachus and Apollonius Rhodius, 77

9. Jump up^Carspecken, "ApolloniusRhodius and the Homeric epic", ''YaleClassical Studies13(1952:101) finds theheroism instead in the group, the

Argonauts.

10. Jump up^Homer especiallydeserves praise as the only epic poet torealize what the epic poet should do inhis own person, that is, say as little aspossible, since it is not in virtue ofspeaking in his own person that he is a

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maker of mimesisAristotle, Poetics1460a5-11

11. Jump up^Charles R. Beye, in

emphasising the internal life of theprotagonist observes, "We have reached,in effect, the beginnings of the novel."(Beye, Epic and Romance in the

Argonautica of Apollonius[University ofSouthern Illinois Press] 1982:24).

12. Jump up^Argonaut list andinformation adapted from W.Race'sApollonius Rhodius:Argonautica,lines 1.2