Argonauts

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: For other uses, see Argonaut.

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In Greek mythology, the Argonauts were a band of heroes who, in the years before the Trojan War, accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest for the Golden Fleece. They sailed the ship the Argo – hence their name, which literally means "Sailors of the Argo". They were sometimes called Minyans, after a prehistoric tribe of the area.

Related Topics:
Greek mythology - Trojan War - Jason - Colchis - Golden Fleece - Argo - Minyans - Prehistoric

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The ship was named after its builder, Argus.

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Pelias, king of Iolcus in Thessaly (near the modern city of Volos), had been warned to be on his guard against a man with one shoe and, one day, upon seeing his nephew Jason with only one sandal (the other having been lost in crossing a stream), bade him to go and fetch the Golden Fleece, hoping that he would be killed in the attempt.

Related Topics:
Pelias - Iolcus - Thessaly - Volos - Golden Fleece

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Jason was accompanied by some of the principal heroes of ancient Greece. The number of Argonauts varies but usually totals between 40 and 55 – traditional versions of the story place their number at 50.

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Some have hypothesised that the legend of the Golden Fleece was based on a practice of the Black Sea tribes of placing a lamb's fleece at the bottom of a stream to entrap particles of gold being washed down from upstream. This practice was still in use in recent times.

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The Argonauts (Jason and Medea are sometimes not counted) were:

Related Topics:
Jason - Medea

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• Acastus
• Aethalides
• Amphion
• Argus
• Ascalaphus
• Atalanta (others claim Jason forbade her because she was a woman)
• Autolycus
• Butes
• Calais
• Canthus
• Castor
• Cytissorus
• Echion
• Euphemus
• Euryalus
• Heracles
• Hylas
• Idas
• Idmon
• Iolaus
• Jason
• Laertes
• Lynceus
• Melas
• Meleager
• Oileus
• Orpheus
• Palaemon
• Peleus
• Philoctetes
• Phrontis
• Poeas
• Polydeuces
• Polyphemus
• Poriclymenus
• Talaus
• Telamon
• Theseus (others claim he was still in the underworld at the time)
• Tiphys
• Zetes
 
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