The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Golden Fleece and the Heroes who Lived
Before Achilles, by Padraic Colum

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Title: The Golden Fleece and the Heroes who Lived Before Achilles

Author: Padraic Colum

Posting Date: March 27, 2009 [EBook #2395]
Release Date: November, 2000

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLDEN FLEECE ***

Produced by Dianne Bean. HTML version by Al Haines.

THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLES

BY

PADRAIC COLUM

1921

CONTENTS

PART I. The Voyage to Colchis

I. THE YOUTH JASON
II. KING PELIAS
III. THE GOLDEN FLEECE
IV. THE ASSEMBLING OF THE HEROES AND THE BUILDING OF THE SHIP
V. THE ARGO
VI. POLYDEUCES' VICTORY AND HERACLES' LOSS
VII. KING PHINEUS
VIII. KING PHINEUS'S COUNSEL; THE LANDING IN LEMNOS
IX. THE LEMNIAN MAIDENS
X. THE DEPARTURE FROM LEMNOS
XI. THE PASSAGE OF THE SYMPLEGADES
XII. THE MOUNTAIN CAUCASUS

PART II. The Return To Greece

I. KING AEETES
II. MEDEA THE SORCERESS
III. THE WINNING OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE
IV. THE SLAYING OF APSYRTUS
V. MEDEA COMES TO CIRCE
VI. IN THE LAND OF THE PHAEACIANS
VII. THEY COME TO THE DESERT LAND
VIII. THE CARRYING OF THE ARGO
IX. NEAR TO IOLCUS AGAIN

PART III. The Heroes of the Quest

I. ATALANTA THE HUNTRESS
II. PELEUS AND HIS BRIDE FROM THE SEA
III. THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR
IV. THE LIFE AND LABORS OF HERACLES
V. ADMETUS
VI. HOW ORPHEUS THE MINSTREL WENT DOWN TO THE WORLD OF THE DEAD
VII. JASON AND MEDEA

PART I. The Voyage to Colchis

I. THE YOUTH JASON

A man in the garb of a slave went up the side of that mountain that is
all covered with forest, the Mountain Pelion. He carried in his arms a
little child.

When it was full noon the slave came into a clearing of the forest so
silent that it seemed empty of all life. He laid the child down on the
soft moss, and then, trembling with the fear of what might come before
him, he raised a horn to his lips and blew three blasts upon it.

Then he waited. The blue sky was above him, the great trees stood away
from