The Argonauts with Jason as admiral departed from Iolkos(Volos) and leaving behind them the coast of Pelion and the woody peninsula of Athos, they came to Samothraki Island where the rituals of the Orphic Mysteries were performed. Here, after Orpheas' advice - he believed it was good for seamen to attend such rituals - the Argonauts attended these Great Mysteries before they put out to sea again and touch at Lemnos. From Lemnos they sailed through Hellispontus and came out to Propontis.

First, they touched at the peninsula of Propontis called Cyzicon, where the nation of Doliones lived, of whom Cyzicus was King. He received them kindly. But having put to seas from there by night and met with contrary winds, they lost their bearings and landed again among the Doliones. However, the Doliones taking them for enemies attacked them, and Cyzicus was killed. According to Strabo there was a mountain there called Arkton and above that lay another mountain Dindymus which rose into a single peak where there was a temple founded by the Argonauts when they tried to propitiate the goddess who -after Cyzicus' death- caused an uninterrupted sea-storm for twelve nights and days.

From there they sailed along the coast of Mysia and Bithinia until they drifted out to the coast of Thrace where dwelt Phineus, a seer who had lost the sight of both eyes. He promised that he would advise them how to sail through the Clashing Rocks in the sea (Bosporus) if they delivered him from the Harpies-birds of prey which tortured him by snatching up his food or making it stink. They did rid him of the Harpies and he advised them that they should wait until a south wind blew. Then they would let fly a dove between the rocks and if they saw it pass safe through they should follow.

Phineus' "dove" must have been nothing more than a small boat which they used in order to have a close look at that spot. The Clashing Rocks were such a narrow pass that a legend had grown up that these rocks dashed together and crashed violently to each other, by the force of the winds, closing the sea passage while at the same time a heavy sea-storm burst out. And when the "Argo" managed to pass through, they said that since then the rocks stood still and apart. In fact, these rocks must have been so close to each other that it was very dangerous for a ship to try sailing through them, and therefore it was considered to be impassable. The "Argo" was the first ship which dared to take the risk and shatter the legend.

The Argonauts now arrived in the Euxinus Pontus and having sailed past the north coast of Asia they reached the farthest end of the sea-it is not clear where exactly it was; it might have been somewhere in Caucasus where there was the river Phasis. This river led them to Aeas, the city of the Colchian land, where Aeetes ruled. There after many adventures and killings they were able to get the "Golden Fleece" and put to sea again being pursued by the Colchians.(Apollonius Rhodius, Orpheus, Apollodorus, Diodorus Sikeliotis)

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Last Updated: 10 April 1996 22:44:48