Aeson, son of Cretheus, had a son Jason by Polymede, daughter of Autolycus. Now Jasondwelt in Iolcus, of which Pelias was king after Cretheus.¹ But when Pelias consulted the oracleconcerning the kingdom, the god warned him to beware of the man with a single sandal. Atfirst the king understood not the oracle, but afterwards he apprehended it. For when hewas offering a sacrifice at the sea to Poseidon, he sent for Jason, among many others, toparticipate in it. Now Jason loved husbandry and therefore abode in the country, but hehastened to the sacrifice, and in crossing the river Anaurus he lost a sandal in thestream and landed with only one. When Pelias saw him, he bethought him of the oracle, andgoing up to Jason asked him what, supposing he had the power, he would do if he hadreceived an oracle that he should be murdered by one of the citizens. Jason answered,whether at haphazard or instigated by the angry Hera in order that Medea should prove acurse to Pelias, who did not honor Hera, “ I would command him,” saidhe, “ to bring the Golden Fleece. ” No sooner did Pelias hear thatthan he bade him go in quest of the fleece. Now it was atColchis in a grove of Ares, hanging on an oak and guarded by a sleeplessdragon.²

Sent to fetch the fleece, Jason called in the help of Argus, son of Phrixus; and Argus,by Athena's advice, built a ship of fifty oars namedArgo after its builder; and at the prow Athena fitted in aspeaking timber from the oak ofDodona.³ When the ship wasbuilt, and he inquired of the oracle, the god gave him leave to assemble the nobles ofGreece and sail away. And those who assembledwere as follows:⁴ Tiphys, son of Hagnias, whosteered the ship; Orpheus, son of Oeagrus; Zetes andCalais, sons of Boreas; Castor and Pollux, sons of Zeus; Telamon and Peleus,sons of Aeacus; Hercules, son of Zeus; Theseus, son of Aegeus; Idas and Lynceus, sons ofAphareus; Amphiaraus, son of Oicles; Caeneus, son of Coronus; Palaemon, son of Hephaestusor of Aetolus; Cepheus, son of Aleus;Laertesson of Arcisius; Autolycus, son of Hermes; Atalanta, daughter of Schoeneus; Menoetius, sonof Actor; Actor, son of Hippasus; Admetus, son of Pheres; Acastus, son of Pelias; Eurytus,son of Hermes; Meleager, son of Oeneus; Ancaeus, son of Lycurgus; Euphemus, son ofPoseidon; Poeas, son of Thaumacus; Butes, son of Teleon; Phanus and Staphylus, sons ofDionysus; Erginus, son of Poseidon; Periclymenus, son of Neleus; Augeas, son of the Sun;Iphiclus, son of Thestius; Argus, son of Phrixus; Euryalus, son of Mecisteus; Peneleos,son of Hippalmus; Leitus, son of Alector; Iphitus, son of Naubolus; Ascalaphusand Ialmenus, sons of Ares; Asterius, son of Cometes; Polyphemus, son of Elatus.