Sophocles’ Medea (331 BC): An Introduction

Phrixus and Helle The children of King Athamas, Phrixus and Helle were hated by their stop-mother Ino. They were forced to flee Boetia on a golden ram, which had been a gift of the god Hermes. Helle fell into the sea (giving the Hellespont its name), and Phrixus made it to Colchis, in Asia Minor.

The Golden Fleece Phrixus sacrificed the ram to Zeus upon arriving in Colchis and gave the golden fleece of the ram to Aeetes, the king of Colchis. Aeetes hang the fleece in a tree and set a dragon to watch over it.

Ioclus A man named Pelias stole the throne of Ioclus away from his brother, Aeson. Aeson’s son, Jason, was away at the time. He returned to Ioclus to demand the throne. Pelias agreed to give it to him if Jason could bring him the Golden Fleece.

The Argo and the Argonauts Jason built a ship, the Argo, and gathered a crew. This crew consisted of many of the great heroes of Greek mythology (from the generation preceding the heroes of the Trojan War). These included Amphio, Hercules, Orpheus, and Peleus (Achilles’ father).

Journey to Colchis On the way to Colchis, the Argonauts faced many trials, including the Harpies, the clashing rocks of the Symplegades, the land of the Amazons, and the brazen-clawed Stymphalian birds.

The Argonauts in Colchis Upon arriving in Colchis, Jason was given two impossible tasks by Aeetes to obtain the fleece. First, he had to harness two fire-breathing bulls with brazen hooves to a plow. Then, he had to use them to plow a field with dragon teeth. Those teeth would then sprout into skeletal warriors that Jason must defeat.

Jason and Medea The daughter of Aeetes, Medea, fell in love with Jason at first sight. She used her magical powers (she was a demigoddess) to help him complete the trials. With the Golden Fleece in hand, Medea and Jason, along with the rest of the Argonauts, fled from Colchis.

Medea To help Jason escape, Medea killed her brother and cut him into pieces. She threw the pieces overboard as Aeetes’ ship threatened to overtake the Argo. The Argo and her crew escaped.

The Journey Home Cursed by the gods for Medea’s acts of fratricide, the Argonauts wandered for awhile. They visited Circe, the Sea of the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis (all also visited by Odysseus on his wanderings), and fought Talus, the bronze giant.

Back in Ioclus Jason and Medea returned the fleece to Pelias. In the meantime, Pelias had killed Jason’s father. Jason returned the fleece to Pelias, but Pelias does not give up the throne. Medea then tricked Pelias’ daughters into murdering, dismembering, and cooking him in a stewpot (they thought they were restoring his youth).

From Ioclus to Corinth Pelias’ son ran Jason and Medea out of town. They eventually settled in Corinth. By this time, they have two sons. In Corinth, Jason decides to leave Medea and to marry Creusa, the daughter of Creon, king of Corinth. He does this purely for political reasons. Euripides’ play Medea is the result of his choice.