Chapter 19: Jason and the Myths of Iolcus and Calydon

Question 1

Thessaly

Answer 1

Area of northern Greece

Source of the myth of Jason and the Argonauts

Question 2

Iolcus

Answer 2

Port City in Thessaly

Home of Jason

Question 3

Apollonius of Rhodes

Answer 3

3rd century BC author of the Argonautica

His poetry reflects the Hellenistic aesthetic of minute descriptions and complicated characters

Question 4

Jason

Answer 4

Son of Aeson, hero of the Argonautica

Question 5

Athamas

Answer 5

king of Athamas
Nearly tricked by his wife Nephele into sacrificing his son Phrixus
“one of the unluckiest men in Greek legend”

Question 6

Phrixus

Answer 6

Son of Athamas nearly sacrificed by his father

Taken to Colchis on the Black Sea by a golden ram that appeared at the last moment

Question 7

Hellê

Answer 7

Daugher of Athamas
Taken away on the back of a golden ram
She fell off into a sea which thereafter is called the “Hellespont”

Question 8

Hellespont

Answer 8

“sea of Helle”

So called because Helle, the daughter of Athamas, fell into this body of water after having been taken away by a golden ram

Question 9

Colchis

Answer 9

Distant town on the Black Sea

Kingdom of Aeetes, who had the golden fleece Jason seeks in the Argonautica

Question 10

Tyro

Answer 10

Mother of Pelias and Neleus by Poseidon and Aeson, the father of Jason, by Cretheus

Question 11

Aeëtes

Answer 11

Tyrant ruling in Colchis

Question 12

Pelias

Answer 12

King of Iolcus who imprisons his half brother Aeson and arranges to send Jason to the supposedly hopeless quest for the golden fleece
Killed by his daughters who were tricked by Medea into cutting him up into pieces

Question 13

Chiron

Answer 13

Centaur on Mount Pelion who raised Jason

Question 14

Argo

Answer 14

Name of Jason’s Ship

Question 15

Boreads

Answer 15

Sons of the North Wind (Zetes and Calais)

Able to fly and liberate Phineus from the Harpies

Question 16

Phineus

Answer 16

King of Salmydessus and prophet
Offended Zeus by being too generous with his prophecies
His torment by the Harpies was ended by Jason and his crew

Question 17

Symplegades

Answer 17

‘clashing rocks’ that barred access to the Black Sea

Cleared by the Argonauts with the help of Athena

Question 18

Medea

Answer 18

Daughter of king Aeetes who helps Jason get the fleece

Question 19

Apsyrtus

Answer 19

Son of Aeetes and brother of Medea
Joined in the pursuit of Jason and Medea after the fleece had been filched
He was either killed by Jason, or chopped into bits which were thrown overboard piece by piece to delay the pursuit of Aeetes

Question 20

Talus

Answer 20

Bronze giant filled with ichor that guarded the island of Crete
Overcome by Jason who drained him of the ichor

Question 21

Aetolia

Answer 21

Area in Greece to the North of the western opening of the Corinthian gulf
Main city is Calydon

Question 22

Calydon

Answer 22

Main city in the area of Aetolia, home of King Oeneus and location of the famous boar hunt

Question 23

Meleager

Answer 23

Son of Oeneus and Althaea of Calydon
Killed the boar that was ravaging his land, but violated the code of the hunt by giving its skin to Atalanta, who he wished to seduce
Eventually this brother about his death

Question 24

Atalanta

Answer 24

Speedy athlete who took part in to boar hunt at Calydon
Eventually married to Melanion who overcame her in a foot race
Punished for their lusty consummation of the marriage in the precinct of Zeus by being turned into lions