Mythology
Who Is Jason?:
Jason is the Greek legendary hero best known for his leadership ofthe Argonauts in the quest for the Golden Fleece and for his wifeMedea (of Colchis).
On this page you will learn background information on Jason, but not about the Quest for the Golden Fleece, which is covered elsewhere on this site (Hawthorne's Jason, Medea, and the Quest for the Golden Fleece).
Occupation
Hero
Jason As the 1-Sandaled Man:
Now Jason loved husbandry and therefore abode in the country, but he hastened to the sacrifice, and in crossing the river Anaurus he lost a sandal in the stream and landed with only one.
Apollodorus
Early in his career, Jason carried an old woman across the Anauros or Enipeus River. She was no ordinary mortal, but Hera, in disguise. In the crossing, Jason lost a sandal, and so appeared as the man in one sandal (monosandalos) foretold to kill King Pelias. Another explanation for Jason's loss of a sandal is that he might have been ploughing when he stepped in the river without having fastened his sandal tight first.
Jason's Parents:
[1.9.16] Aeson, son of Cretheus, had a son Jason by Polymede, daughter of Autolycus.
Apollodorus
Jason's father was Aison (Aeson). His mother was Polymede, a possible daughter ofAutolycus. Aison was the oldest son of winds ruler Aeolus' son Cretheus, founder of Iolchus, which should have made Aison king of Iolchus, instead of Pelias, Cretheus' stepson.
Fearing for their son after Pelias usurped the throne, Jason's parents pretended their baby had died at birth. They sent him to the wise centaur Chiron to be raised. Chiron may have named the boy Jason (Iason).
Jason's Main Homes
Thessaly (Iolchus and Mt. Pelion)
Corinth (Greece)
Why Did Pelias Assign Jason the Task of Fetching the Golden Fleece?:
The explanations for why Jason was sent revolve around the issue of Pelias' occupying a throne for which Jason thought his side of the family had a better claim.
The simplest explanation is that the fleece was
Jason is the Greek legendary hero best known for his leadership ofthe Argonauts in the quest for the Golden Fleece and for his wifeMedea (of Colchis).
On this page you will learn background information on Jason, but not about the Quest for the Golden Fleece, which is covered elsewhere on this site (Hawthorne's Jason, Medea, and the Quest for the Golden Fleece).
Occupation
Hero
Jason As the 1-Sandaled Man:
Now Jason loved husbandry and therefore abode in the country, but he hastened to the sacrifice, and in crossing the river Anaurus he lost a sandal in the stream and landed with only one.
Apollodorus
Early in his career, Jason carried an old woman across the Anauros or Enipeus River. She was no ordinary mortal, but Hera, in disguise. In the crossing, Jason lost a sandal, and so appeared as the man in one sandal (monosandalos) foretold to kill King Pelias. Another explanation for Jason's loss of a sandal is that he might have been ploughing when he stepped in the river without having fastened his sandal tight first.
Jason's Parents:
[1.9.16] Aeson, son of Cretheus, had a son Jason by Polymede, daughter of Autolycus.
Apollodorus
Jason's father was Aison (Aeson). His mother was Polymede, a possible daughter ofAutolycus. Aison was the oldest son of winds ruler Aeolus' son Cretheus, founder of Iolchus, which should have made Aison king of Iolchus, instead of Pelias, Cretheus' stepson.
Fearing for their son after Pelias usurped the throne, Jason's parents pretended their baby had died at birth. They sent him to the wise centaur Chiron to be raised. Chiron may have named the boy Jason (Iason).
Jason's Main Homes
Thessaly (Iolchus and Mt. Pelion)
Corinth (Greece)
Why Did Pelias Assign Jason the Task of Fetching the Golden Fleece?:
The explanations for why Jason was sent revolve around the issue of Pelias' occupying a throne for which Jason thought his side of the family had a better claim.
The simplest explanation is that the fleece was