A review by annathebooksiread
Jason and the Golden Fleece (the Argonautica), by Apollonius of Rhodes

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I have too often, in the past, constructed a barrier between myself and books of a certain calibre.

Some books have an allure and what I have slowly worked out is that it isn’t because they are too intelligent, it is that they are beautiful and accessible to one and all. They continue to be enjoyed over hundreds and in this case thousands of years. They serve to excite us, tantalise us and teach us the lessons that our ancestors consumed and adored also. 

The feeling of soaking up the words of writers who lived before us and who held the same kinds of morals and values close to their heart is our way of connecting with the past. Our present is of course built on the stories and beliefs of yesteryear. 

Meandering our way through ancient texts this year continues to bring me an awful lot of joy. As you read them, the stories and plays that follow after become far easier to follow and I do believe that starting with The Odyssey and The Iliad were the perfect foundations for what has come after. 

I had high hopes with this one, having loved the 1963 film ‘Jason and the Argonauts’. It did not fail me. 

Mention of the infamous bees! I have become obsessed with finding references to bees. They buzz out many a page of the Ancient texts and the Classics more broadly: 

‘As when herdsmen or beekeepers smoke out a swarm of bees from a rock, and for a while the bees buzz furiously in confusion in the hive…’ 

Protect bees at all costs! 

I was moved by the following quote and its plea to humanity in preserving the natural world: 

‘Once upon a time when his father was alone in the mountains cutting down trees, he paid no heed to the pleas of a Hamadryad nymph who wept as she sorrowfully tried to persuade him not to cut the trunk of the coeval oak in which she had always lived her long life.’

Athena is my favourite of the Gods. I just love her tenacity:

‘Then Athena took hold of a mighty cliff with her left hand, and with her right she shoved the ship between the Rocks.’

I loved the scene in which we see Eros playing knucklebones with Ganymede. In tales of bloodshed and heartache, depictions in which I can relate - ‘knucklebones’ being the same kind of game as Jacks which I love playing with my daughters - are welcome interludes before the fray! It was also reassuring to see that bribery was a parent go-to then as it so often is now! Toys from Zeus sound AMAZING! 

We meet many characters in a diverse range of locations on Jason’s voyage. The story of Phineus, in Book Two, and how wretched a life Zeus curses upon him is a story that stuck out most to me. The Harpies continue to be the stuff of nightmares to me; closely seconded by the Hydra! There is also a teeny weeny reference to Prometheus who is another destined for a grizzly fate and his suffering always freaks me out somewhat. 

Having read Euripdes’ play ‘Medea’ recently, it interested me to have some context in which to further examine her complex character. Displacement is a key theme once again

I could go on but I will end with this: if you have ever doubted the Ancient Classics, I implore you to give them a go. There is literary magic within these pages!