As Valerius Flaccus’ is clearly composing his Argonautica in imitation/competition of Apollonius Rhodius’ version, I thought it best to refamiliarize myself with Apollonius’ account. He composed his work in the mid 3rd c. BCE, about 325 years before Valerius did his version. His account was and is the account most people refer to when talking about the Argo story. I listened to an audio book version of the story, a translation by Peter Green, read by Juliet Stevenson, put out by Highbridge Audio, 1996. It was an excellent translation. Ms. Stevenson’s reading was very good, though she pronounced some of the names in an unorthodox (probably quite orthodox for the British) pronunciation.
The key feature of Apollonius’ account is the love story between Jason and Medea – most of Book III (of four books) is devoted to Medea’s falling in love, and the chief focus after they leave Colchis is their love (Medea arranges for Jason to kill her brother in ambush, a not very heroic thing to do, because she loves him; Alcinous and Arete, the king and queen of the Phaeacians, who will play a part in the Odyssey, refuse to turn the two over to the Colchians, once they are assured that Jason and Medea are married. The story ends suddenly, just as they are within sight of getting home, so that none of the negative stuff of the story’s end gets brought up. Apollonius indicates that, once there were no adventures on the voyage, and the voyage was his theme, the story ends.
Apollonius liked the story in large part because of the great travelogue aspect – an Alexandrian and a scholar who had read much and traveled much, he shows that knowledge and joy in his epic. He also took great care in his Homeric similes, and some of them are quite remarkable – there is one in which he compares the boxing of Amycus and Polydeuces to the sound a shipwright makes as he hammers the wooden planks together. The terms he uses in that simile (at least in the Greek) are technical terms for particular nails and particular hammers – the scholar comes through. Another, in which he compares the Nereids (sea nymphs) tossing the Argo through some rocky waters, always keeping it from coming aground, to girls on the beach tossing a beach ball, is also quite noteworthy.
There are some great moments for the heroes (Zetes and Calais going after the Harpies; Hercules uprooting a tree to make an oar; Polydeuces’ boxing match; Jason completing the tasks given him by Aeetes) and some great scenes – the time spent on Lemnos, but the story lacks a central focus, and the characters are not drawn with any great depth (Medea may be an exception). The other great epic heroes (Achilles, Jason, even Aeneas) stand out. Jason does not. It may be the problem of doing a work with an ensemble cast.
I’ve heard that Jason seems more heroic in Valerius’ account, and that Hercules has a greater role. I’m looking forward to seeing.
This will be a brief entry today -- I started reading yesterday, but too late to get much read. I'm using the following text: David Slavitt, tr., The Voyage of the Argo: the Argonautica of Gaius Valerius Flaccus (Baltimore, MD: 1999).
The work is incomplete, 8 books of what must have been intended as a twelve book epic. Thus the story takes the Argonauts only as far as Colchis, and has nothing of the return journey. It seems a strange choice for an epic, as the # 1 Latin epic, the Aeneid, though mythological in setting, ties the ancient myths to the founding of Rome (though we don't see the founding in the Aeneid). Other Roman epics seem to be historical in nature, which seems in keeping with Roman belief in the destiny of Rome. Silius Italicus' Punica deals with the Punic Wars, and Lucian's Pharsalia deals with the civil war between Pompey and Caesar. The first real Roman epic, Ennius' Annales, also dealt with Roman history and legend. It may be telling that Statius, author of the Achilleid (incomplete) and Thebaid, which treat Greek myth, and Valerius, author of the Argonautica, choose to deal with Greek legend rather than history. Lucian came to a bad end, writing of the good old Republican days during the reign of Nero. Statius, who wrote during the reign of Domitian, who was crazy, wrote an elaborate recusatio ("refusal") on why he didn't write an epic about Domitian -- he wasn't up to the job -- it was too great a task, so he'd put his more meager talents to Greek myth. Valerius, writing under Domitian's father, Vespasian, had a less demanding audience, but he does seem to suggest that he took this topic as the heroic adventures of Vespasian's other son, Titus, were being celebrated in song by Domitian (the implication is that Domitian is a better poet, probably a good tack to take in dealing with a madman).
Valerius does say "Among our constellationss, you/ are the Cynosura ..."(I, 15f.) One wonders how Vespasian, who was said to be a simple military man, very restrained in his tastes and appetites, took such fawning praise.
The introduction of Pelias and his concern over Jason is dealt with rather quickly (as it is in Apollonius' case) -- we get little back story. The implication is that we all know the story, and so why rehash all the background? I find it interesting that Pelias finds himself in a bind -- he wants to get rid of his nephew, Jason, but Hercules has killed all the monsters, and there is no great war going on. You can almost imagine him with a checklist of possible ends for Jason, crossing each off, as he realizes he can't make use of it.
"and his sister/ Helle, who went there with him, mangled and drowned in the sea." (I, 56f.) As Pelias tells Jason of the Fleece, I found this detail rather Roman -- the Romans seem to have had a fondness for the gruesome. Helle's end is often just tossed off, but here the gruesome detail is lingered over.
"and honey-cakes prepared with deadly exotic toxins," (I, 78) Pelias doesn't mention the monster that Jason will have to face, but this detail about the monster eating honey cakes given him by Medea is interesting -- is Valerius suggesting that the dragon was poisoned, rather like the Hound of the Baskervilles was mistreated, to drive it mad?
Jason mulls over what Pelias asks -- he is not fooled. He realizes that Pelias is trying to get rid of him, but Jason thinks rather like a politician -- he doesn't have much chance of stirring up a rebellion against Pelias who usurped the throne from Aeson. "Such a thing is distasteful/ even to contemplate." (I, 89f.) Makes it sound like Jason's above such things, sort of a "they don't do things like that at Harvard" attitude. Of course, he realizes the PR possibilities of the fleece expedition -- and that will bring power.
Jason prays "against his own self-doubt." (I, 100) Jason is often not shown as a hero, though he goes on a heroic expedition. This is a clever man, but not a superhero. He prays to Juno, whom he recognized as the old woman he carried across the river Enipeus -- is this a common element of the myth, that he recognized Juno? And why should one boy-scout sort of good deed result in Juno's championing the boy?
Argonautica, Book I, ll. 116-end
119: King Argus: the person who builds, or oversees the building of the Argo – did not know he was a king.
139ff. “Of all the young men of Greece,/ why him …” Like this statement by Juno – she is Hercules’ enemy, but has sworn to help Jason, and Hercules has joined the crew of the Argo, so that she must help him too, though it pains her greatly.
153ff. A description of the pictures on the side of the Argo – it’s rather notable that fine pictures of scenes would be painted on a boat – we know from vase paintings and the like that the paintings were often that of an eye, or something on the prow – something big and simple, not scenes of the Nereids on dolphins, and the Cyclops Polyphemus, and the battle of Lapiths and Centaurs. It is also rather striking that he would put Thetis, Peleus’ wife, on the boat, as they are estranged. The battle of Lapiths and Centaurs was a common theme in Greek art, most famously in the Parthenon in Athens (where the battle is the subject of the metopes) and the Temple of Zeus at Olympia (where Apollo stopping the battle is the scene on the West Pediment). It is often seen as symbolizing the battle between men and their bestial nature (civilization v. savagery). The Greeks would likely see the Argo expedition as the Greeks v the East, and so civilization v barbarians.
178f. Jason sees Aeson’s likeness in the Battle of Lapiths and Centaurs, which causes him to cry “Alas for fathers and sons!” There is a certain amount of self-doubt in Jason’s attitude.
180f. Jason thinks it would be a good idea to bring Acastus, Pelias’ son, along on the expedition – he would be like a hostage. Of course, he later will realize that Pelias can hold his parents hostage. This political calculation of hostages seems very Roman to me. It was not uncommon for members of the royal family of conquered people to live in Rome – they were well treated, but there was always the threat that the Romans would execute the hostages, if there were revolts.
225ff. “I am the first of mankind to venture forth on unlawful/ paths across your waters …” The level of seamanship, and the quality of the ship make this seem very unlikely. Only veteran seamen could build and navigate such a ship. And later they will encounter Phrixus’ sons, who are sailing from Colchis – so there are other ships. And what of the crashing rocks that stop crashing when a ship passes through safely – not much of a threat if the first ship sails through.
238ff. “Mopsus the holy prophet … possessed of the god… began to moan at the threshold of speech.” This type of prophetic utterance is alien to the Homeric work, where the prophets view the signs and speak most rationally of what they mean. Here we have a sort of possession, just as the Sibyl is possessed of Apollo in the Aeneid.
250ff. “Hylas I see, but why does he cover his hair with rushes?…” Mopsus begins to see some of the terrible things that will happen – Hylas will be pulled under water by water nymphs soon after the Argo begins its voyage, and Hercules will leave at that point (no doubt to the joy of Juno). He even sees the bad end of the mission – Medea killing Jason’s childrens.
272f. “The tears that were running down his cheeks/
his companions believed were of joy …” Idmon, the other prophet on the
expedition, interrupts Mopsus – he points out that they’ll come home o.k.
At least mostly. His tears, though, come from his realization that he will not
return – but courage keeps him from begging off from the mission.
283ff. “Jupiter … has assigned us this awesome task: to
institute commerce and shipping throughout the civilized world.”
Again, this seems a tall order for someone going on the first ship.
And the awareness of what later would come from the first sailors –
more and more mercantile contact throughout the Mediterranean – seems
premature.
300ff. Achilles makes an appearance as a little boy (little more than a toddler) and he is amazed at Hercules. Peleus, his dad, speaks to him rather like Hector does to Astyanax in Iliad VI.
325ff. Orpheus sings of Phrixus and Helle – this is
common in Homer as well that the bard be singing of recent events.
Of course, for Greek and Roman authors, most events sung of take place in
a time period from 1400-1100 BCE.
Note that at no point here is there serious suggestion that Hercules lead the expedition (as in Apollonius’ account). That is just a nod to H’s greatness, but here there is no suggestion that Jason is not in charge.
ll. 400ff. – there seems to be a break here – one wonders how many lines were lost, and what the ms tradition of this work was – were there several copies of the work surviving – it would seem unlikely, and if only a few, then it is possible that the common text they come from may have been damaged – maybe Valerius finished the work, but we have only eight books?
As the various heroes are listed, their connexion to the Trojan war (many have sons who will fight at Troy, and Nestor, who’ll be at Troy is a crewman).
450ff. Phalerus
– one of the crewmen has a tattoo (were these common? I don’t recall them ever being mentioned, nor do I recall
seeing one in art work) of a snake that attacked him as a child.
Strange choice.
475ff. Pollux is wearing the cestus – the leather thongs with metal studs – he wouldn’t wear them unless boxing, and this is a Roman thing – Greek boxers wore leather thongs on their fists, but the metal studs or metal bars were a Roman addition.
518ff. Rather strange – Valerius doesn’t quite
know a character, as if he were too obscure to know much about.
“Time’s/ passage is stupefying, and epics, if they delay,/ cannot
prevent forever the ruin they ought to defy.
565ff. The sun gets up to protest the Argonauts’ expedition – Aeetes is his son. Though he protests, he seems like a Senator getting up before the Emperor. You could protest, but not too much. The sun does suggest that he sent Aeetes to a far off misty land away from everything so this wouldn’t happen.
600f. “as Asia’s moment wanes/ and the Greeks,
coming into their strength and prosperity…”
Just as the Greeks would defeat Persia and be preeminent for a while –
this seems to mirror the Roman increase in power and influence from the Republic
into the Empire.
620ff. Jupiter seems to suggest that Castor and Pollux can
reach immortality if they try, that Bacchus and Apollo had to work at it.
But Apollo was fully divine, so I don’t get that statement.
And Castor will die eventually, and though he and Pollux will share
Pollux’ immortality, spending every other day in the underworld together.
The lightning leaves a St. Elmo’s fire effect.
657ff. Aeolus’ people are affronted by Greek presumption of building a ship and using the winds to move through Neptune’s kingdom.
686ff. “Is this why our forebears shunned/ the
ocean?” With a storm attacking
the ship just out of harbor, Jason is ready to panic.
In Apollonius’ account we have nothing like this – there are no
normal troubles. The speech is
somewhat reminiscent of Aeneas’ plea in Aeneid I – his first
appearance.
752ff. Jason’s fears when he realizes that his parents
are also hostages. Nice touch
with Jason thinking of his father and Pelias thinking of his son at the same
time. Pelias’ statements that he
would have given Acastus a ship (actually ships) if he thought it was safe –
seems to undercut the idea of this expedition being # 1.
He does seem somewhat over the top: “You have my son?
I have your father!”
800f. Aeson’s father’s ghost is summoned and blood given so he can speak – this fascination with ghosts also appears in Statius’ Thebaid, and in Seneca’s tragedies – not really a Greek thing, though Homer does have a scene with Odysseus in the Underworld.
The ending of book I is bizarre – Cretheus tells Aeson that he’s being used as a hostage and he suggests Aeson take his own life. Instead Aeson, his wife and his young son, are almost assumed into the afterlife – a gap opens and they enter, not to be seen again.
Notes – Book II of
Valerius Flaccus’ Argonautica
1ff.
Jason is unaware of his parents’ situation – which Juno is happy
about, as he might scrap the mission to take revenge.
15ff. The ship passes by where
the battle between the gods and giants took place, and there are great boulders
around (which they hurled, I guess). Wonder
if there was such a place that tourists were told was the battleplace between
gods and giants.
38 “Now Hyperion’s car was
approaching the Irish Sea …” This is a Roman reference, as the Greeks did not know of the
Britons or the Irish.
85ff. “O Lord of Fire, how
great were the sufferings you there endured/ from women in their ambition or
faithlessness…” But the Lemnian
women did not mistreat Vulcan, did they? Rather strange statement.
90ff.
Here there is a description of how Vulcan fell to Lemnos – this section
pretty much taken from Homer, Iliad I.
110ff. “And since that moment
Venus has hated the people of Lemnos …” Here the hatred of Venus is
connected to Vulcan catching her and Mars in the trap – but what is that to
the isle of Lemnos? She hates the
Lemnians as they helped Vulcan once.
130ff. Rumor spreads stories of
the Lemnian men, which leads to the murder of those men by their wives.
The statement of Rumor’s power that even a wise man may succumb to is
quite nice – such rumor must have been quite common in the Roman Empire.
141ff. The men are involved
with foreign women who’ll do things their wives and all decent women would not
do – is this rumor?
172 “some tattooed semisavage
snatched from a nomad’s wagon” – Venus, disguised as one of the women,
helps to spread the rumor, but this image here – did they have tattoos?
229f. “She it was who
produced that continuo of groans/ and the harmonizing tune of cries of men
struck down.” Almost as if she
were conducting an orchestra, Venus oversees the action.
250ff. The scene of the actual
slaughter seems very Roman – gore loving and all.
The men are freaked out by their murderous wives, men who earlier had
faced all sorts of barbarian hordes – note – in other accounts, the men are
drunk and so fall rather easily – here there is a sense of the horror of
awakening to this bloodletting, instead of just never waking up.
265ff.
The praise of Hypsipyle is a little over the top – the “lone gleam of
light in Lemnos’ darkest hour.” The
sense that her fame will last as long as Rome befits Vergil, but not Valerius
Flaccus, I would say, even if true.
289 “lynxes at the temple
gates greet the new day …” How
can their be lynxes at the temples?
290ff.
Hypsipyle gets her father all dolled up in Bacchic attire – apparently
so that people will see him and think it is Bacchus?
How can an old man look like a young god?
Very strange.
365f. “who do not seem
offended/ by the guilt of the women whose crimes have purged the place of
males.” This line seems to
suggest that the Argonauts know about the murder of the men, but they don’t,
do they? In Apollonius’ account,
the Lemnian women tell them their men left for war and never came back.
440ff.
Hypsipyle gives Jason a parting gift – a woven tunic with needlework
scenes dealing with the rescue of her father – wow, that didn’t happen too
long a time before, did it? And would she risk her fellow women seeing the story?
How long were Jason and his crew there that she had time to finish the
work?
470ff.
Jason and crew land on the island of the Cabiri, where very few land
because of poor tides. Jason gets to see special mysteries, which the poet deigns
not to tell.
490ff.
Hercules and Telamon (mainly H) rescue Laomedon’s daughter, who has
been chained to a cliff. This is similar to the rescue of Andromeda by Perseus – in
both cases a sea monster threatens. This
scene is not in other accounts, it gives an additional heroic scene for
Hercules. He did rescue
Laomedon’s daughter, but this is not usually given as part of the Argonauts’
voyage, but separate.
548ff. “as his friend seemed
to grow larger …” Hercules
seems to grow to meet the challenge.
590ff. Telamon returns to the
ship to explain why the water’s turned red – what a touch.
596ff. Laomedon is happy that
his daughter has been rescued, but upset that he’s going to have to give up
his horses. Laomedon thinks that he
might kill H in his sleep to keep from giving up the horses, but H explains that
he can’t take the horses at present, as he has to sail to Colchis, but he’ll
come back. Of course the king
doesn’t think of this, and we know from other legend that he’ll come back
and kill him.
635ff. Helle is now a sea
goddess (she didn’t die when she fell) and she bids the Argonauts tell her
brother the good news.
670f. “where they worship
Priapus in sordid rites/ one hesitates to imagine.”
680ff.
Cyzicus greets them – a nice ending to the book, but this meeting will
end badly.
Book III
20f. “How could Jove have
allowed these heroes’ hands that had clasped/ in amity then to be raised
against one another in battle?” This
is one of the strangest things in the Argo story – is this in Apollonius?
That Cyzicus and his men would mistake the Argonauts for the enemies, and
the Argonauts think Cyzicus’ forces were his enemies seems bizarre.
31ff. This is apparently
punishment for Cyzicus having killed one of Cybele’s sacred animals in error.
80ff. “Think of Rhoetus, the
Centaur …” Cyzicus waking to the sound of battle, all confused, is compared
to the centaur who fought Theseus at Pirithous’ wedding celebration – he
knew he was going to die, but could not see through to escape.
95f. “Courage! …”
How is it that Jason thinks they are fighting the forces of Colchis?
Surely he realizes they’ve been on the sea only another day, and could
not have gotten far from Cyzicus’ kingdom.
105ff. The Argonauts form a testudo,
it seems. So tight a formation, it
could not be broken up.
130ff.
There are comic (grimly comic) touches – Genysus rushes out without his
sword, and Phlegyas rushes out in his dining clothes.
155ff. Nestor is the voice of
reason – he advises against stripping the foe of his armor (at least until the
battle is over). “The sharp blade that is in your hand/ is the only precious
metal …”
165ff. Jason is compared to
“a force of nature, a storm,” all covered in gore.
185ff. Hercules kills Admon,
whom he had befriended – He clubs him and he goes down, though he recognizes
Hercules, but too late.
200ff. Hylas too earned glory,
and VF suggests he would have been one of the Argo’s greatest fighters –
this suggests the paean to Marcellus in the Aeneid.
205f. Castor and Pollux almost
kill one another until a glint of sword reveals who they are – if it was that
dark, who would fight – doesn’t it seem that disaster would happen?
230ff. It’s as dark as when
Vesuvius acts up – but this was written while Vespasian was emperor, and
Vesuvius hadn’t erupted yet. There
had been an earthquake. Great image
though – the darkness and noise was like Vesuvius.
255f. “join in this orgy of
killing” – powerful words from the king – he compares the war frenzy to
the frenzy of worshippers of Cybele.
275f. “He closes the gate of
war…” Jupiter closing the gate,
rather like the emperor closing the doors of the temple of Janus.
300ff.
It is interesting to see the changing responses of the Argonauts.
They are horrified at what has happened, and suggest that Cyzicus is
better off, as he is dead and doesn’t have to live with the guilt. But, they also suggest that it must have been heaven’s will
and they were the unwilling agents.
340ff. Clyte, Cyzicus’ widow,
delivers a speech similar to that of Andromache from Iliad VI – he was
her family…
390ff. Jason and his men
don’t leave immediately, despite favorable winds, because of their grief.
First they must help bury the dead.
400-end
The Argonauts are in a funk and, though weather is good, do not leave.
Jason consults with Mopsus to get his ideas on what to do. Mopsus tells of how he learned a ritual from some man of the
Cimmerians living in the far north in a gray land – he points out that seers
have to be repositories of all sorts of knowledge, some of which proves useful,
though not known at the time. The
ritual involves something like voodoo in reverse – they make wooden images of
the Argonauts and Mopsus, following an evening of meditation and preparation,
calls on the spirits of vengeance to go after these simulacra, rather than the
men themselves or their family. And
then the Argonauts get moving.
A comic touch as the men
compete with one another at rowing, and Hercules, determined to be the best,
pulls so hard that his oar breaks. The
pilot lands the ship at the first available land, and there Hercules goes ashore
to find a great tree. Meanwhile,
Hylas also goes ashore, and Juno sees her chance.
Coming upon Dryope, a wood nymph, she says that Hylas is to be her
husband, and so Dryope grabs Hylas from a watery pool and pulls him within.
He cries out, but no one hears. (Juno’s
part in this is not clear in other versions, where the nymphs seem to be acting
on their own) Hercules gets his tree, but on returning to the ship finds that
Hylas is missing, and he goes off to look for him.
The ship waits for Hercules, but they cannot wait long.
Only Telamon tries to keep them waiting beyond the normal amount.
He doesn’t get it – what about loyalty?
(seems a lot like his boy Ajax in the Iliad).
The Argo sets sail again –
and Hercules goes about trying to find Hylas, like some mother lion – great
image that ends the book.
9/28/2002
Book
IV
ll. 1-200
Opens with Jupiter upbraiding Juno for the pain she is causing Hercules
by having Dryope take Hylas. Jupiter’s
chastising seems strange, rather petulant and as if he is not in control.
Admittedly, he is not the main figure in the Jason story, but Vergil’s
Jupiter is much more forceful – he acknowledges Juno’s position, but
maintains control. It may be that
the difference reflects the time. Augustus’
reign was pretty orderly, at least by the time of the Aeneid, but
Valerius lived in much more uncertain times.
Jupiter sends sleep to Hercules
who dreams that Hylas comes to him and tells him (rather vaguely, it appears)
that he is now married to Dryope and is a spirit of the fountain, no longer a
hunter. Hylas seems happy.
Hercules awakes, and is
apparently ready to rejoin the expedition, but they’ve sailed.
H is quite upset, and he decides to return to Troy and claim Laomedon’s
horses. Apollo, Latona and Diana,
though, concerned about Prometheus, suggest that Jupiter send Hercules to
release Prometheus from his chains. They
suggest that Meleager will pay for his suggestion that the Argonauts take off.
But what do they mean? Apparenlty,
his death at the hands of mom. But his suggestion that the Argo sail was what most of the
men felt. Only Telamon put up much
of a fight to stay for H. T acting
rather like his son Ajax in the Iliad.
And, though Hercules is a valuable member of the crew, they do get by
without him. Apollo’s suggestion
that he will be sorely missed seems a bit over the top. The one time where H would have been a great help, Pollux
took care of the problem, Amycus.
Landing in Amycus’ country,
where there’ll be the boxing match. This is a more violent fight than in Apollonius, what with
their using the cestus, a metal bar attached to the fist (rather like
rolling up quarters in your fist, but more so).
200-360
The Argonauts meet Dymas, whose brother, Otreus, had died fighting Amycus.
A blow to the head crushed his skull and his eyes popped out.
The Argonauts proceed upshore and pass a cave in a wooded area that gets
no sun. Nearby they see fragments
of former combatants – the cesti still on.
Amycus is Neptune’s son, and he says that Jupiter holds no sway here.
He is protective of the sea lanes into Asia – but Argo is supposed to
be one of the first ships (or is that just Greek ships?).
He is merciless.
The description of the fight is
more detailed than Apollonius’ account; you get the sense that Valerius has
seen a fight or two. Pollux seems
like Ali, dancing around and avoiding the blows, but then connecting when his
opponent gets tired.
When Pollux kills Amycus with
repeated blows to the head, the Argonauts sacrifice to Neptune by way of
propitiation. Neptune, who saw this
coming, does not go after the Argonauts, like Poseidon went after Odysseus.
N.B. The Argonauts pray to
the ghosts of Amycus’ foes that they witness the battle, and some do just
that.
There is a big victory feast.
There is a nice simile (250ff.) comparing Amycus to Typhoeus looking on
Bacchus and Pallas and thinking they’re just kids.
At the feast after the battle, already bards are singing of Pollux’
fame.
360-440
As they pass the Bosporos, Orpheus sings a song about how Io was turned
into a heifer to fool Juno, and how Mercury slew Argus and how Tisiphone
attacked Io after she had regained human form, and she once more took bovine
form (how did that happen?) and her trip to Egypt.
440-530
They come to Phineus’ land. He’s
being punished for revealing too much of heaven’s will to mortals.
What would that be? There is
nothing remarkable about Zetes’ and Calais’ pursuit, except that
530-765
Phineus is asked by Jason about his future.
He gets quite animated and jumpy about it.
Phineus replies, and, as he does so, seems younger and stronger, full of
vigor. He does not tell them
how to get through the Clashing Rocks, but notes that they should as his fate is
connected to the rocks, and they have solved his trouble.
Athena shoots a lightning bolt
through the rocks, and Jason leads the men in rowing.
They get through, though there is no dove, nor help from Orpheus.
After they go through, Jason doesn’t realize that they are now stuck
and will no longer clash.
Lycus greets them.
He was to go to war against Amycus, but how could he?
After all, how could anyone get out past the Clashing Rocks, even if
going the other way?
Book
V
1-60
Suddenly Idmon dies, as does Tiphys.
The men are freaked out by the two deaths – what have they done to
merit this? why do they die?
Jason tries to figure it out, but doesn’t.
Apparently, it’s a case of things just happen.
They are burnt together on the funeral pyre.
Jason bewails having left Hercules behind.
60-102
Erginus is chosen to be the helmsman by the talking beam.
He then acts like the alpha male. They
pass by the shore and people come out, and even the spirits of the dead. Sthenelus’ ghost pops up to see the ship, as he expects H
to be on board, as the two fought against the Amazons. Orpheus sings a dirge to Sthenelus to calm him down.
10/1/2002
102-162 Continued sailing, and a description of the sites along the way. They pick up 3 crewmen who had been with Hercules in his battle with the Amazons: Autolycus, Phlogius, and Deileon.
162-580 The Argo passes by the Caucasus just as Hercules is arriving there to free Prometheus. They hear the racket as he faces Prometheus and causes an avalanche. They also see the eagle that he killed, but do not know it is H's work.
Shift to Colchis: Aeetes has bad dreams of Phrixus telling him not to give up the fleece, but to marry his daughter to a foreigner (doesn't sound like Phrixus).
Medea meets the crew and Juno makes Jason appear all the handsomer. He stands out from all the rest. She gives advice and has a servant escort him to the city. They get to the temple of Apollo where Aeetes comes every day to hear cases and dispense justice. The temple is beautiful, but it has scenes of Colchis' history on it, including future history -- didn't this cause Aeetes to wonder? Especially as he worships Apollo, the god of prophecy. This scene combines some of the Nausicaa episode from the Odyssey and the part from Aeneid I, where Aeneas and Achates come to view temple in Carthage, which has scenes of Trojan War (from a pro-Trojan point of view, of course).
Medea helps the Argonauts. Aeetes arrives and Jason approaches -- he appeals to reason and does not want a violent solution to their situation.
581-end Aeetes keeps his own counsel and finds Jason presumptuous. He says nothing. N.B. He suggests Jason help him in his war v. Perses. Jason agrees. Both Jason and Castor are taken in by Aeetes.
Meanwhile, on Olympus, Mars complains that Minerva helps her Greeks steal stuff from his grove.
Minerva disses Mars and suggests that he'd lose a fight with her. Jupiter allows the gods to do as they will because Fate has determined that Jason will get fleece and Aeetes will lose power -- those things cannot be changed.
A brief catalog of the Asian heroes fighting.
10/5/2002
Book VI
1-231 The battle between Aeetes and Perses. Mars has decided to join the rebel forces and so will oppose Jason and his crew.
As they get ready for battle, Perses tries to get an embassy together to Jason to ask that he join their side and not be taken in by Aeetes. At least they hope he can be convinced to remain neutral. Perses advocates returning the fleece to Jason, and has always done so.
We get a catalog of Asian heroes fighting for Perses -- and they are all strange in one way or another. They are engaged in witchcraft or look weird in their adornment or armor. There is a description of battle techniques that sounds like some employed by specialty forces in the arena -- perhaps Valerius was a frequenter of gladiatorial contests.
The description of battle is bloody and detailed, but not specific. We don't see one guy so much as quick scenes of several fighters and close ups on hands, or necks, or backs getting hit. Blood flowing, men howling, etc. Rather like a modern battle scene.
Note ll.50ff.Anausis of Albania, a former suitor of Medea's, but Valerius, in an aside, suggest he was lucky not to get stuck with her.
ll. 64ff. Some group of Asian fighters have a double lightning bolt on their shields, just like the Legio XII -- a nod to the Romans.
130ff. Iazyges -- these people don't grow old -- at the start of old age, they call upon their offspring to kill them.
ll. 232-465 More battle scenes.
Medea's fiancee meets Anausis and each mortally wounds the other.
Castor has his aristeia, winning great glory and unhorsing a man, whose steed he then takes -- Jupiter, looking from on high, approves of his son's graceful behavior.
Gesander, the king of the Iazyges, has his violent aristeia, but is finally cut down from the side by an arrow, while he was focusing elsewhere. His character seems rather like that of Mezentius in Aeneid.
Arismenus, with his chariot w/ the spear axles, cutting down troops as he drives through. Minerva causes his horses to see her aegis and they panic, turning back on their own troops, who get cut down. Arismenus himself jumps from the chariot but has his legs cut down too.
465-720 Juno, seeing the battle, decides to plan ahead. She is glad for Jason's victory, but knows Aeetes cannot be trusted and sees Vulcan's fire breathing bulls and decides she needs Medea on board. She visits Venus and suggests that she needs marital aids (the magic girdle) as Jupiter has not been paying much attention of late, and is quite angry about his son, Hercules.
Venus, who has putti about, sees the deceit, but decides to help Juno, as she wants Aeetes to lose.
Juno, in disguise as Chalciope, visits Medea, who realizes it is not her sister (there is a glow from the goddess). The two go to witness battle.
Various scenes of battle, but she has eyes only for Jason (is this the girdle's effect?).
Colaxes' aristeia -- though he is son of Jupiter, he will die. Fate wills it, and he feels he must let it happen or the gods will be angry. He allows him to have a great glorious end though. This scene is reminiscent of scenes in the Iliad and Aeneid, but this is rather weak here.
721-end Medea has doubts about Chalciope, but her passion for Jason grows stronger and stronger and she gives into the fancy rather than question the authenticity of her sister.
She feels the pain of any near strike at Jason Perses prays he may be around to see Jason's efforts come to naught. He rushes into the thick of battle, but Minerva protects him, as he is fated to one day rule instead of Aeetes, and she doesn't want to risk his death and Jupiter's wrath. Perses cries a helmet full. Night comes and revels, bacchanals. Medea sees Jason.
1-260 Medea is troubled by thoughts of Jason and Aeetes goes back on his word. Now there is a new challenge -- he will require Jason to yoke fire-breathing bulls and to sow dragon's teeth and fight the soldiers that come therefrom. Medea is troubled by this, but she is wavering. Juno directs Venus to go to Medea and get Medea to come to Jason. The direct action of Venus is to counteract the training Medea has received from Hecate. Jason will meet her in the grove of Diana/Hecate. Venus comes to Medea in the disguise of Circe, her aunt. Medea is suspicious as Circe is supposed to be living with Picus, a king in Latium (a Roman reference here -- Latinus, king of Latium in the Aeneid, is son of Picus). Jason and Medea seem less than heroic. Medea's love musings seem rather petulant, like any old Italian girl and Jason is rather peevish. There is a simile comparing his reaction to Aeetes' lying to one who thought he had arrived in Italy, to find that he was still stuck in N. Africa.
261-455 Venus wears Medea down, but not before Medea considers suicide as a way out. She figures that suicide will hurt her brother, but she can't imagine she'll ever be Jason's lover. She gathers potions, even one that comes from some tough flower from the Caucasus that sprang from Prometheus' blood. It can only be cut with a blade made in the underworld. They arrive in the grove, and there is a very gothic description of the place -- lots of fear on the part of Jason and Medea.
456-end Jason does the yoking of bulls and harvesting of warriors. Aeetes gets up and expects the Argonauts to be gone. He feels downcast to learn that they are still there. He puts on a bluff manner and goes to the Field of Mars. Jason appears strong and somewhat heroic in the yoking of the bulls. The potion protects him from the fire, but he still has to yoke these monstrous bulls. Jason is less heroic in dealing with the warriors -- he begins strong and cuts down several warriors, but when more keep coming, he panics and tosses the helmet of Discord into the middle and they turn on one another, as if Jason were still in their midst. Jason and the Argonauts withdraw and they are ready to take fleece by force.
1-150 Jason and Medea get the fleece. She drugs the serpent, but does not kill it. Jason climbs up the sleeping serpent to get the fleece. Jason and Medea run to the ship and he's compared with Hercules and the fleece of the Nemean lion. Aeetes hears of the theft pretty quickly and is armed and off to the harbor, just too late. Mom cries for Medea gone and wishes her daughter back, or that she be with her daughter in exile. Medea has doubts as Jason doesn't pay her much heed, and the Argonauts ignore her.
151-end (line 400) They take alternate route as they didn't know about the Clashing Rocks having stopped. They decide to follow the River Hister, and land near the mouth, where Jason and Medea are married. Pollux serves as priest. All is well until Apsyrtus and Styrus show up. Mopsus notes that the omens are bad and that the marriage of Jason and Medea is doomed. The Argonauts don't seem particularly heroic -- they argue that Jason should give up Medea to her people, and Jason seems ready to do so, except that he did just get married. The final line: "Do you think this was my idea" seems reminiscent of Aeneas' line to Dido in the Underworld, asking for her forgiveness.