The Argonauts were a band of heroes whose origins lie in the mythology of classical Greece. The Argonauts made a notable screen appearance in Don Chaffey's 1963 mythological fantasy film Jason and the Argonauts.
Etymology[]
The Argonauts take their name from their ship, the Argo [1], itself named after the man who built it, Argus [2]; the suffix of "-naut" translated to sailor in the world of Ancient Greece [3], thus the term Argonauts translates literally to "those who sail in the Argo."
Jason and the Argonauts[]
When young hero Jason was tasked by King Pelias to retrieve the Golden Fleece from distant Colchis, the mightiest heroes in all of Greece competed in a series of trials, much like the Olympic Games, to prove their worthiness to accompany him. Those who were chosen embarked upon the recently-constructed Argo, and sailed the seas, facing many dangers including the colossal bronze construct Talos, foul Harpies, the deadly Clashing Rocks, the multi-headed Hydra, and even the risen dead.
Argonauts in the Film[]
Although the Greek myth told that the Argonauts numbered 49 [1], only a handful were named in the film. These included [4][5]:
- Hercules
- Hylas
- Acastus
- Argos
In Greek Mythology[]
In the legends of Ancient Greece, the story of the Argonauts is far more expansive than that told in the film [1]; although certain elements in the film remain true to the stories, other mythical elements are included but drastically altered to fit a more modern perspective. Examples of these include the Talos and Jason's encounter with the skeleton warriors, both of which have parallels in the myth, but have been modified to be almost unrecognisable.
Trivia[]
- Although the Argonauts could possibly be considered pirates in the modern age as their sole purpose was to steal a sacred artefact, to ascribe them such a title would be to do them an injustice: heroes in the age of Greek antiquity were not as subject to human laws as others, usually being under some form of divine fiat.
External Links[]
- Argonauts at Wikipedia
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Argonauts at Wikipedia
- ↑ Argus (Argonaut) at Wikipedia
- ↑ "-naut" suffix definition at Dictionary.com
- ↑ Jason and the Argonauts (1963 film) at Wikipedia
- ↑ Jason and the Argonauts (1963) at iMDB