Previously: Medea has warned Jason that her father the king was going to attack them. She has succeeded in casting a spell on the dragon guarding the Golden Fleece, so that Jason can take it away.
It was a frenzied race through the night. Jason clutched the Golden Fleece tight against his body and did not let go of Medea’s hand. Everywhere the soldiers of King Aeetes were assembling and making their way to the beach. But Medea knew the region like the back of her hand. She managed to bypass every band of soldiers and brought Jason back to his ship by secret paths. Echion, who was standing watch, was the first to spot them. “Here they are!” he shouted joyfully, forgetting all need for caution. Rosy-fingered Aurora was finishing her work and the sun was rising. Jason and Medea climbed aboard the Argo and the ship left the shore just as the king’s army launched its attack. Livid with rage, King Aeetes recognized his daughter Medea at the ship’s stern, standing tall, her hair flowing in the wind. She was holding the Golden Fleece in her outstretched arms and she was showing it to him. Then she burst into a mocking laughter, a challenging laughter, and she shouted:
“You shall learn, father, that a true king worthy of his name always keeps his word!”
At that instant, Medea’s half-brother Apsyrtus appeared by her side: “Father! Father!” he yelled. “I don’t want to go away with her!”
King Aeetes let out a howl. Not only was Medea fleeing with these strangers, but she was taking with her everything that was most precious to him: the Golden Fleece and his beloved son. He instantly ordered that they set out in pursuit of the Argonauts.
Medea did not take her eyes off the coast, which moved away in the distance. She knew that she was seeing her country for the last time and she felt a pinch in her heart. Everything had happened so fast since Jason’s arrival that the young girl hadn’t had the time to think about her destiny. When she had fallen in love, she had found it difficult to choose between Jason and her father. But when her father had gone back on his word, he had helped her make her choice. Tears ran down the cheeks of the enchantress, but she had not noticed them. Jason had approached noiselessly. He laid his hand on her shoulder.
“Thank you,” Jason told her simply.
“Long live Medea!” shouted Echion all of a sudden, who never missed anything of what was happening on board.
“Long live Medea!” shouted the Argonauts in unison. And they rowed with even greater energy.
But King Aeetes had taken out his most powerful ship. It was much smaller than that of the Argonauts, but it was much faster. Other ships full of soldiers followed his. There were so very many that the sea seemed covered by a flock of black beasts. Little by little the distance between the Argo and the enemy ships diminished. The more her father’s ships drew nearer, the more Medea grew pale. If these ships caught up with them, death was certain for her, for Jason, and for all his companions. Panic seized her. She wanted to live, live at all cost, live with this man whom she loved, live with the children she would have with him, live. A glint of folly suddenly crossed the enchantress’ eyes. Jason alone noticed this dangerous light in Medea’s gaze, this light ignited by fear and by the yearning for life. But he did not react. He did not shake her to bring her back to her senses. He let her follow her course towards madness. At that moment, Medea was no longer herself. She hurried to her half-brother and plunged a knife into his heart. Then she cut him into pieces and began to throw these pieces overboard, one by one. As the first piece fell into the sea, she howled in her father’s direction: “There, there is your beloved son!” And she accompanied her horrific act with a madwoman’s laughter. Her father let out a cry of agony and made his ships stop so that he might fish out the pieces of the dead body. Every time her father’s ships approached, Medea threw one more part of her brother’s body overboard. Little by little the Argo gained ground. It finally lost its pursuers, too occupied as they were recovering the body parts.
Among the Argonauts, a deathly silence had replaced the joyous atmosphere of victory. Everyone rowed without a word, frozen by the horrible crime that had just been committed under their eyes. After many long hours, Eurytus burst into tears. His brother Echion then gave expression to his own anger:
“Monsters!” he howled at Medea and Jason. “You are a pair of monsters! How could you have sacrificed Apsyrtus’ life in this manner? He had not asked to come with you! He was the same age as I. And you, you witch, he was your brother! As for you, Jason, you are a coward; you did not hold back her murderous hand! I refuse to tell the rest of this story! May you be cursed by the gods!”
Medea’s face remained contorted by folly, but her eyes had recovered their normal brightness. She simply replied:
“Without the death of Apsyrtus, it is you who would have been dead! We would all be dead, killed by my father, who would have caught up with us.”
Jason lowered his head, ashamed. He had been a coward; that he knew well. This woman had saved them all by causing her own perdition. For he did not imagine that the gods would ever let such a crime go unpunished.
To be continued…
EPISODE 89
IN WHICH ZEUS’ ANGER IS UNLEASHED
Previously: Gripped by terror and madness, Medea has killed her half-brother and thrown the pieces of his body into the sea. She has thus made it possible for the Argonauts to escape their pursuers, who were forced to stop in order to retrieve the body from the waters.
From the heights of Olympus, Hermes had heard his sons’ cries. He rushed over and discovered with horror what had just happened. He had been too naive to count on this sorceress for the protection of the Argonauts. One more idea of white-armed Hera’s which had gone awry! Hearing a noise behind him, he turned round: it was Hera, who had also been drawn there by the cries.
“Your sons are making quite a racket,” she told Hermes.
“My sons cannot accept that a life may be taken, even if it is to save another life,” he replied, vexed.
“If you hadn’t had this idiotic idea of making Medea fall in love with Jason, we wouldn’t be in this situation… Thank you for this idiotic plan,” she said.
Hermes was about to give a sharp reply when suddenly everything turned black around them.
“But it is not yet night, is it?” Hermes asked in astonishment.
“No,” replied Hera, “it is Zeus, who is losing his temper, I think.”
Enormous black clouds had just gathered in the sky. And instantly violent flashes of lightning streaked across it. Zeus had taken out his thunderbolt and he went relentlessly after the Argonauts. The Argo was tossed about in this tempest; it almost went under at every flash of lightning. Hermes anxiously watched his children clinging onto the mast. But Zeus’ anger would not be appeased. Hera had gone away again: she was powerless before the will of the god of gods; her hero would have to manage without her. Jason did not know what to do any more. They could see nothing at all. Night and day became indistinguishable. After several days the tempest died down. But it was replaced by fog. Zeus would not relent. The ship no longer knew which direction to take. It was impossible to find their way in this thick mist. More days went by. Medea tried to establish the right course by means of magic spells, but she could not do it. Jason could feel that the gods and goddesses who had supported him until then were no longer on his side. His companions were no longer behind him either. Orpheus did not sing any more. Echion no longer spoke. Eurytus only wept.
One night, Jason decided to ask the talking oak for advice.
“Tree of wisdom, what must I do?” he murmured.
For many long moments the tree kept silent. Only the wind whistled in Jason’s ears. Then it decided to answer:
“You have killed an innocent being. The wrath of Zeus is terrible. In order to appease him, Medea and you must go to the island of the sorceress Circe. Circe is Medea’s aunt. She alone can purify you of this crime.”
A voice murmured behind Jason: “We shall go.”
It was Medea, who had got out of bed
so she too could listen to the oak’s advice. Jason looked at her. There was no trace on her face of the fear and the folly which had unleashed her savagery, just an extreme pallor which accentuated even more the coal black of her eyes and hair. Jason thought that she was beautiful and he smiled at her. It was for his sake that she had left her country, for his sake that she had betrayed her father, for his sake too that she had killed her brother. Without her he would never have recovered the Golden Fleece. He resolved to marry her as soon as they were back.
The following day, the veil of fog was torn asunder and the Argo made course for Circe’s island. Jason dreaded the prospect of meeting this sorceress, and he was not far wrong. This was a woman of truly formidable powers. Circe lived alone on an island in a vast and comfortable house. She came to the doorstep to greet her niece, she bid her enter, and then she turned towards Jason, who was preparing to come inside as well, and said to him drily: “No, not you, you stay out. I am receiving Medea into my house because she is family. But I shall not receive assassins I have never met.” And the door was closed once more.
To be continued…
EPISODE 90
IN WHICH THE ARGONAUTS ESCAPE THE SIRENS
Previously: Terribly angry because of the murder committed by Medea, Zeus has sent a raging tempest upon the ship of the Argonauts. In order to be purified of the murder, Jason and Medea have gone to see the sorceress Circe.
What happened in the palace of the enchantress? What pact was sealed between Medea and her aunt Circe? Jason did not know, but very early in the morning, following an entire night full of anxiety, he saw Medea coming towards him with a wan smile on her lips: “Don’t be afraid, my friend, we may now take to the sea once more and try to reach your land safe and sound.” The Argo left the island. Neither Jason nor Medea heard Circe’s laughter which accompanied their departure. But they saw her tall, black form as she watched them go, from all the way up a cliff, and Jason could not prevent himself from shuddering.
Soon the ship came in sight of another island, whose name was not known to seafarers. But a sweet music came from this island, so sweet that even the most hardened heart melted upon hearing it. This music was accompanied by melodious singing. They who sang so divinely had a body that was half-woman, half-fowl. “The Sirens,” murmured Orpheus. And his voice trembled with fear, for he had already heard of these fearful singers. The beauty of their music was such that any seamen who heard them were bewitched. They could not resist it, and they let their ships smash against the rocks of the island. Orpheus looked at his companions. Their faces were already ecstatic, they all seemed spellbound. He pounced on his lyre and he began to play in turn. He sought to bring out of himself the most vibrant music that he had ever played. And his song soared, overwhelming in its purity. Little by little, the Argonauts stopped listening to the Sirens, in order to hear Orpheus’ beautiful music. They were snatched one by one from the lure of death; they turned themselves back once more towards the music of life, Orpheus’ music. The more Orpheus’ lyre produced its glorious sounds, the farther away the ship sailed from the Sirens. Once the accursed island had disappeared, only then did the exhausted young musician stop his singing. A strange silence ensued. Then a thundering applause burst out. The Argonauts were once more making their way towards life.
Their joy was short-lived, for black and sinister peaks protruded from the sea. “Charybdis and Scylla!” shouted the watchman. All seamen knew of the dangers run by any ship obliged to sail between them. A wind of panic swept across the crew. On one of the rocks there lived a monster called Charybdis. Thrice per day this monster swallowed vast quantities of the sea that surrounded her. Any unlucky ships which passed nearby were gobbled up at the same time. When the monster again spewed out the water it had swallowed, nothing but wreckage remained. Jason commanded each man on duty to brace himself against his oar in order to resist the current. For the monster was beginning its long suction. The Argonauts rowed, they rowed like mad. You could hear nothing any more except their panting breaths. Their every muscle fought against the current. Suddenly the sucking stopped: by resisting with all their might, the Argonauts had managed to come out of the whirlpool, they could sail away.
Yet once you had escaped Charybdis, you fell into the clutches of another sea monster called Scylla. This one had the body of a woman and was surrounded by six ferocious dogs which threw themselves upon the ships that sailed within reach to devour them. The dogs were already drooling when they saw the ship approach. Hermes, who was watching over his children from the heights of Olympus, had suddenly had enough of this. There were too many trials which made his paternal heart bleed. He asked Aeolus, the god of the Wind, to push the Argo away from Scylla’s reach. Aeolus liked the messenger god a lot and he agreed to blow and save the crew. He blew so hard that the ship left at full speed the waters where Charybdis and Scylla lurked. Calm waters received them at last.
When night came, the Argonauts fell asleep, exhausted. Only Jason kept awake. It had been many nights now that he could not find sleep. He had snatched away the Golden Fleece, he was victorious, but this victory had a bitter taste. Would his trials end one day? Would he ever be able to bring his companions back to port safe and sound?
To be continued…
EPISODE 91
IN WHICH APOLLO LENDS THEM A WELCOME HAND
Previously: The Argonauts are still trying to return to their homeland. They have just succeeded in escaping the Sirens and the monsters Charybdis and Scylla. But Jason does not feel easy in his mind…
The Argonauts woke up joyful, glad to have been able to rest at last. They were going to alight on the island of Crete and already its shoreline was becoming visible. It was then that an enormous boulder of rock came crashing down a few feet away from the ship. As it fell into the sea, the rock raised great waves which drenched the ship’s deck. Where had this rock come from? From a bright dot which seemed to be placed somewhere high on the island’s shores. Jason shaded his eyes with his hand so that he would not be blinded by the light. And what he discovered was horrifying. A gigantic metal form was grabbing rocks and aiming them straight at them.
“It is the Giant Talus, the son of Hephaestus,” murmured Medea beside him. “He is the guardian of Crete. He is almost invincible.”
Jason looked at Medea and, seeing the small grin on her face, he guessed that she already had a plan.
“Almost invincible? Why almost?” he asked.
“Because there is a flaw in his metallic body,” answered Medea. “It is a little vein at the heel, in which his entire life force is hidden. If this vein bursts, Talus dies.”
The young woman kept her eyes on the Giant’s form. Behind her, the Argonauts trembled with fear. Medea was not afraid, she was concentrating. Soon she began to pronounce magic spells.
Talus suddenly saw men appearing before him, who grabbed hold of him. Livid with rage, he became agitated, chased them, thought he had quashed them, but others still continued to appear. Or perhaps they were the same ones, he did not know. And these men never stopped trying to climb onto him. They were visions, sent by the sorceress Medea. These visions drove Talus mad. He had no idea what he was doing any more. As he was kicking his legs right and left to get rid of his assailants, his heel struck violently against the edge of a rock. His life vein burst and Talus fell dead on the spot. The heavy colossus of metal crashed on the ground. Once more, the Argonauts had been saved by Medea.
A black veil fell across the sea. The sun disappeared and the Argonauts were plunged into the night. There wasn’t a glimmer of light, nothing to steer the ship by. How could they advance in this total darkness without risking crashing into a cliff? They were seized by a great anxiety, as though death were on the prowl, coming to take them by the hand. Was the disappearance of the light a final trial? Would they ever come through this? The days went by in that same deep blackness and became indistinguishable from the night. Sometimes one of the seamen sobbed. There was nothing to eat or drin
k any more. It was impossible to find their way or to make landfall somewhere to replenish their supplies.
Jason did not know to whom to turn at this point. This was when with a rending cry he began to beseech Apollo, the god of Light. “O great Apollo, come to our rescue! Do not let us wander in the shadows like this. Our error was immense, we have certainly committed many errors, but please show us the way out of the night. I implore you, shed your light upon us.” On Olympus, Apollo heard Jason’s cry. In spite of Zeus’ wrath, Apollo decided to send a ray of light to the unhappy crew. He hurled a shaft of flames which tore through the night. Thanks to their gleam, the Argonauts saw that they were approaching an island. They had been saved.
That night, Jason’s companions slept on firm land. This time too Jason was the only one who did not sleep. He kept watch through the night.
To be continued…
EPISODE 92
IN WHICH THE ARGONAUTS PART COMPANY
Previously: The Argonauts have just escaped the giant Talus thanks to Medea’s witchcraft. And Apollo has come to their aid by offering them a little light.
The voyage was approaching its end. The ship sailed fast and kept a straight course. When the shores of their native land appeared on the horizon, the Argonauts burst out with joy. Each one laughed, wept. They all fell into each other’s arms. They had succeeded! They were returning to their homeland, victorious and alive! Even Jason was radiant with happiness. He had draped the Golden Fleece over his shoulder and could not take his eyes off the approaching shores. Medea alone kept herself apart from the general gaiety. She had abandoned everything so that Jason might return triumphant, she had betrayed her father, left her homeland, killed her half-brother. She regretted nothing, but she could not bring herself to rejoice all the same.
The Adventures of Hermes, God of Thieves Page 23