Jason, in Greek mythology, son of Aeson. When Pelias usurped the
throne of Iolcus and killed (or imprisoned) Aeson and most of his
descendants, Jason was smuggled off to the centaur Chiron, who
reared him secretly on Mt. Pelion. Later Pelias promised Jason his
rightful kingdom if he would bring the Golden Fleece to Boeotia.
Jason assembled Greece's bravest heroes and together they sailed in
the Argo in quest of the fleece. On their journey the Argonauts
were seduced by beautiful women, attacked by warriors, buffeted by
storms, and challenged by monstrous creatures. Finally the blind
prophet Phineus told them how to make their way safely to Colchis,
where the Golden Fleece was kept. When they arrived there, King
Aeëtes demanded that before Jason take the fleece he yoke together
two fire-breathing bulls, plow the field of Ares, and sow it with
dragon's teeth obtained from Cadmus. Aeëtes' daughter Medea fell in
love with Jason and gave him magical protection that allowed him to
complete the tasks. In return Jason swore an oath of fidelity and
promised to take her with him to Greece. When Aeëtes still refused
to relinquish the fleece, Medea revealed its hiding place and
drugged the guardian dragon. The Argonauts then fled Colchis with
the fleece, pursued by Aeëtes. But Medea killed and cut to pieces
his son Absyrtus, scattering the parts of his body in the sea.
Aeëtes stopped to retrieve them. In another version, Absyrtus led
the pursuit and, when Medea tricked him into an ambush, was killed
by Jason.
Jason and Medea stopped to be purified of the murder by Circe at
Aeaea, and there they were married. When they returned to Iolcus
they found that Pelias had continued his tyrannical rule. Medea
persuaded Pelias that he could be rejuvenated by having pieces of
his body boiled in a magical brew. She then convinced his daughters
that they should perform the task of cutting up their father.
Pelias was thus murdered by his innocent daughters. Jason seized
the city, but he and Medea were expelled by Acastus, the son of
Pelias.
They sailed on to Orchomenses in Boeotia, where they hung the
fleece in a temple. Then they went to Corinth. There Medea had
rights to the throne, and Jason reigned for many years. But he
forgot his oath and tried to divorce Medea so that he could marry
Creusa, daughter of King Creon. In revenge, Medea, by magic and
trickery, burned to death both the father and daughter. Because
Jason had broken his oath, the gods caused him to wander homeless
for many years. As an old man he returned to Corinth, where,
resting in the shadow of the Argo, he was killed when the prow
toppled over on him. The story of Jason and Medea appears
frequently in literature, most notably in Euripides