Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Grew up… the son of the King of Thesally, Aristo. Aristo is overthrown by the usurper, Pelias, who tries to kill Jason after hearing of a prophecy that one of Aristo's children will kill him. But Jason is saved, and then raised by a soldier.
Living… as Zeus' chosen one to get revenge against Pelias. Zeus is angry that Pelias would subvert his cosmic design, and has decided that Jason would have his revenge.
Profession… epic adventurer. Jason has made it his goal to obtain the mythical Golden Fleece. Of course, the Fleece is guarded by a Hydra, and the trip itself is very dangerous. In fact, a grown-up Jason runs into Pelias before he goes on his journey and, not recognizing him, Jason takes Pelias' advice to go on the journey. Pelias wants Jason dead, and this trip will surely lead to his downfall.
Interests… getting his revenge for his fallen father, and obtaining the Golden Fleece. However, when he visits the gods at Olympus, he declines their help because Jason is the kind of industrious man who can find his own crew, and build his own ship, too. Zeus is seriously impressed by Jason.
Relationship Status… single. But pretty much everyone is taken by Jason; all of Greece competes to join his crew. To join his crew is to become a legend, but are all of his friends to be trusted?
Challenge… surviving the incredible dangers of gaining the Fleece. Can he manage to keep in the good graces of the gods? Jason may be courageous, but he's also a little too proud at times. Argus, the builder of his ship, urges him at one point to pray to the gods. Jason is more defiant: "The gods of Greece are cruel! In time, all men shall learn to live without them."
Personality… brave, self-reliant, and a skilled warrior. But is his excessive pride to be his downfall?
Get to Know him in...
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Jason, a fearless sailor and explorer, returns to his home land of Thessaly after a long voyage to claim his rightful throne. He learns, however, that he must first find the magical Golden Fleece. To do so, he must embark on an epic quest fraught with fantastic monsters and terrible perils.
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The first new Penguin Classics translation of the Argonautica since the 1950s
Now in a riveting new verse translation, Jason and the Argonauts (also known as the Argonautica) is the only surviving full account of Jason’s voyage on the Argo in quest of the Golden Fleece aided by the sorceress princess Medea. Written in the third century B.C., this epic story of one of the most beloved heroes of Greek mythology, with its combination of the fantastical and the real, its engagement with traditions of science, astronomy and medicine, winged heroes, and a magical vessel that speaks, is truly without parallel in classical or contemporary Greek literature and is now available in an accessible and engaging translation.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
