Argonauts

The Argonauts (Greek: Αργοναυται) were a band of heroes who accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece.  As many as 85 names are listed in different sources but some of the prominent better known are, Hercules (son of Zeus), Asclepius, Atlanta, Castor and Pollux (Twins or Gemini), Laertes who was Odysseus’ father, Perseus and Amyrus who was Poseidon’s son. 

The Argonauts were named after their ship, Argo that was built by Argus with goddess Athena’s help.    

After the death of King Cretos, Pelias usurped the Iolcan throne from his half-brother Aeson.  Because of this unlawful act, an oracle warned him that a descendant of Aeolus would seek revenge. Pelias put to death every descendant of Aeolus, but spared Aeson because of the pleas of their mother Tyro. Aeson married Alcimene who bore him a son named Jason.  Alcimede saved her baby by faking a stillbirth and a burial and took baby Jason to Mount Pelion where he was raised by the centaur Chiron, the trainer of heroes.  

 When Jason was 20 years old, an oracle ordered him to head to the Iolcan court. While traveling Jason lost his sandal in Anavros River while helping an old woman who was Hera in disguise.  Another oracle warned Pelias to be on his guard against a one-sandal man.  At a sacrifice to Poseidon Pelias noticed a youth with only one sandal who was Jason his nephew.  As Pelias could not kill Jason because prominent kings of the Aeolian family were present, he asked Jason instead: "What would you do if an oracle announced that one of your fellow-citizens were destined to kill you?" Jason replied that he would send him to go and fetch the Golden Fleece, words that were put in his mouth by Hera.  

Jason learned later that according to an oracle, Iolcus would never prosper unless Prixus’s ghost was taken back in a ship, together with the golden ram's fleece. The fleece now hung from a tree in the grove at Colchis, guarded night and day by a dragon that never slept.   However, Hera supported Jason's during his quest to find and bring the fleece back on Argo and upon his return to become the King of Iolcus.   

Serifos

Serifos (Σέριφος in Greek) is a small, less frequently visited island located in the Cycladic archipelago. 

Serifos is an ideal place for those who want a quiet vacation away from the hustle and bustle similar to that of the trendy Greek islands that attract most tourists.

In Greek mythology, Serifos is where Danaë and her son Perseus sought refuge after her father, Acrisius, in response to an oracle that his own grandson would kill him, set them adrift in a small wooden chest in the Aegean sea. Attic Red, Late Archaic ca 490 BC, in Museum of Fine Arts Boston.  Beazley Archive No.: 202466

In Homer’s Odyssey, we learned that Ulysses stopped in Serifos on his return to Ithaca. Upon his arrival, a one-eyed giant Cyclop, Polyphemus, took Ulysses and his sailors hostages when they asked for assistance. An alternate version of the story has the giant’s cave on the island of Sicily.  Although there is no consistency regarding the location of Polyphemus’ cave, both versions present him practicing cannibalism as he ate two of Ulysses companions every day.      

Ulysses, who frantically sought to escape, was able to do so by first blinding the giant. 

Ulysses and his crew managed to escape from the infuriated giant’s cave by hanging under Polyphemus’ sheep when he took them out to graze. 

Ulysses’ crew then joined him for the journey back home to Ithaca.  The furious giant attempted to sink their boat by throwing huge boulders at it. However, the giant was unsuccessful.  Painting by Arnold Bocklin (1896)