Irlandos at 10:53, January 25, 2007

2007-01-25T10:53:31Z

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In [[Greek mythology]], the '''Golden Fleece''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Χρυσόμαλλον Δέρας) is that of the winged ram Chrysomallos (Χρυσόμαλλος). It figures in the tale of [[Jason]] and his band of [[Argonauts]], who set out on a quest for the Fleece in order to place Jason rightfully on the throne of [[Iolcus]] in [[Thessaly]]. The story is of great antiquity – it was current in the time of [[Homer]] (eighth century BC) – and consequently it survives in various forms, among which details vary. Thus, in later versions of the story the ram is said to have been the offspring of the sea god [[Poseidon]] and [[Themisto]] (less often, [[Nephele]]). The classic telling is the ''[[Argonautica]]'' of [[Apollonius of Rhodes]].

[[Athamas]], king of the city of [[Orchomenus]] in [[Boeotia]] (a region of southeastern [[Greece]]), took as his first wife the cloud goddess Nephele, by whom he had two children, the boy [[Phrixus]] and the girl [[Helle]]. Later he became enamored of and married [[Ino]], the daughter of [[Cadmus]]. Ino was jealous of her stepchildren and plotted their deaths. Nephele, or her spirit, appeared to the children with a winged ram whose fleece was of gold. On the ram the children escaped over the sea, but Helle fell off and drowned in the strait now called after her the [[Hellespont]]. The ram took Phrixus safely on to [[Colchis]], on the far (eastern) shore of the [[Black Sea|Euxine (Black) Sea]]. Phrixus then sacrificed the ram and hung its fleece on a tree (sometimes an oak tree) in a grove sacred to [[Ares]], where it was guarded by a dragon. There it remained until taken by Jason. The ram became the constellation Aries.

==See also==

* [[Jason]]
* [[Aeetes]]
* [[Medea]]
* [[Apsyrtus]]
* [[Argonauts]]

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[[Category:Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Mythological objects]]

Golden Fleece - Revision history

Irlandos at 10:53, January 25, 2007