Talk:Jason

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is within the scope of the WikiProject Greece; If you would like to join us, please visit the project page; if you have any questions, please consult the FAQ.
Start This article has been rated as Start-Class on the quality scale (If you rated the article please give a short summary at comments to explain the ratings and/or to identify the strengths and weaknesses.)

I can't remember it all, but I remember Jason as kind of a sneak. He somehow used deception to win his wife (or used her in order to illicitly gain the golden fleece). Later on, when he did something or other else, his wife, Medea was so mad at him that she killed their children and served them up to him for a meal.

Can anyone fill in the details?

It appears that has now been done. Ellsworth 19:18, 4 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Contents

[edit] Jason and Medea

H-ghani According to Apollonius of Rhodes, Medea was shot by Eros' arrow, which made her fall in love with Jason (Aphrodite enlisted the help of her cherubic son so as to aid Jason in his quest). Medea helped Jason, and apparently, he promised to be hers forever. However, when they went back to Iolcus (according to Euripides in his drama, Medea), and were eventually exiled to Corinth by Acastus, he wanted to marry the local king's daughter Creusa to strengthen political ties, etc, etc. Medea, mad at this, killed Jason's new bride on the wedding day by witchcraft, then she killed her own sons by Jason, fearing they'd be enslaved or killed for her deeds. After a huge domestic with Jason, she flies away in a chariot pulled by dragons - apparently she flew to Athens where she married Aegeus, father of Theseus.

Ellsworth, I think that you may have confused the Argonautic myth with the myth of Tantalus, which involves Tantalus serving up his son, Pelops, for dinner with the Greek pantheon.

H-ghani

Tucci528, I find that some of these articles link to Greek mythology as a phrase, and some to Greek mythology as separate words. Which is better? zadcat 16:21 Sep 5, 2002 (PDT)

In the context of Jason, I'd say Greek mythology was a better link. What knowledge about Jason would a reader gain from following links to "Greek" or "mythology"? Mswake 16:48 Sep 5, 2002 (PDT)
If I linked any to ancient Greece, it must have been an accident. I'd say Greek mythology always, unless there's some specific reason for a specific article to do otherwise. -- tucci528

[edit] Completely fictional or not?

Is Jason completely fictional, or based on a historical person? Or is the answer unknown? The article doesn't appear to address that issue, merely saying he's "from Greek mythology". dbenbenn | talk 17:16, 1 Feb 2005 (UTC)

I believe that he is regarded by scholars as a fictitious personage: the Argonautica is symbolic of the outreach of Greek civilization to other cultures of the Mediterranean region, and also (in the story of the Clashing Rocks) of the opening of the trade route to the Black Sea and the settlements along its coasts. Ellsworth 14:05, 7 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Apparently the myth is supposed to be an amalgamation of many exploratory missions from modern day Greece, and their subsequent discovery of the wider world and the renaming of the Black Sea from 'hostile sea' (not sure of the Greek for it) to 'pontus euxinos' ('friendly sea'). This would explain the rather conflicting accounts of the ancient sources regarding the return journey of the Argonauts. The historian Michael Wood theorised that the original journey to Colchis (possibly modern day Georgia) was to plunder it for its gold. The romantic journey of love and adventure may have developed over the centuries so the Argonauts could be seen as heroes as opposed to a highly organised band of thieves. h-ghani 15:45 22 May 2006 (GMT)

There are studies going on (Poseidon Project for example) that are trying to determine this. At the time of the first re-writes (800 bc-ish), it was accepted as a part of Greek history, not a myth. However, multiple sources were already being merged, which causes confusion in later rewrites (1400 AD, etc.) Basically, there appears to have been multiple voyages that have been combined in one myth. Heck, there is some evidence that the "clashing rocks" have been found in South America. Jason was referred to as "The First Navigator", and there is some belief that he actually made it across the Atlantic ocean. Interesting stuff - but I am waiting for more of it to be published mainstream, backed with hard evidence instead of circumstantial, before even suggesting it gets added here. Turlo Lomon 08:41, 3 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Reconstructed voyage

Dropped from article:

In the mid-20th century, Tim Severin led an expedition to retrace the search for the Golden Fleece. A boat was built at Piraeus duplicating, as nearly as could be managed, Jason's vessel. The crew followed the 'sailing directions' in the myth as nearly as they could manage, and they found the Golden Fleece! The story is in Severin's book about the Argosy. These findings have led some to believe that there is some factual basis for this mythological story.

This looks like BJAODN fodder - but if not, please provide source. Ellsworth 16:45, 31 Mar 2005 (UTC)

The Jason Voyage by Tim Severin, Simon & Schuster, 1986 ISBN 0671498134 Dabbler 17:39, 20 Jun 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Here be dragon

Can anybody name the dragon Jason killed? Or did it even have a name? Trekphiler 07:49, 30 December 2005 (UTC)

I believe that it was an unnamed hydra.--SaNdY 20:32, 4 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Rotten Boat?

I had always heard that, due to grief both from losing his new wife and guilt towards Medea, Jason killed himself. Are there just two differant versions to this, or is there another reason? User: Agape

According to Euripedes' version of Medea, Jason continued to live in Corinth, and was killed when a piece of wood that fell from the Argo struck him.--SaNdY 20:28, 4 July 2006 (UTC)SaNdY

[edit] Move?

To me, it seems more likely that one will search for the name Jason or Jason Voorhees than the mythological figure. Therefore, I think this article should be moved to Jason (mythology), and Jason (disambiguation) moved here. --Gray PorpoisePhocoenidae, not Delphinidae 22:44, 19 October 2006 (UTC)

That is actually a good idea (especially since I added Jason Voorhees to the disambiguation page after getting tired of seeing it being added to this page). I'd be more then willing to perform the task if anyone else agrees. Turlo Lomon 08:34, 3 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Thessalus

The parentage of Thessalus is uncertain - i.e. who was his mother, since Medea killed her children? - Although there were mentions of twin boys he'd had on Lemnos.

Moved this from the main article, as it is subject of discussion, and shouldn't be part of history, since it is definitely a subject of debate. Moving it here to discuss. Turlo Lomon 00:10, 5 December 2006 (UTC)