Jason and the Argonauts arriving at Colchis, painting by Charles de Lafosse.

Cost: Free, apart from the cost of food & drink
No Registration Required

At our September meeting, we will discuss the Argonautica, a Greek epic poem by Apollonius Rhodius. The Argonautica concerns Jason and the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece. It is one of the few extant examples of Greek epic poetry and it influenced such Latin poets as Virgil. Like many Greek works of the time, the story was one that would have been well-known to its audience, and the author was able to work beyond a simple narrative, emphasizing, among other things, the love between Jason and Medea, a princess of Colchis and a sorceress. The work is modeled on Homer's poetry, both in plot and style, though it is considered less traditionally heroic in its treatment of the lead character Jason.

The author, Apollonius Rhodius, wrote in the 3rd Century BCE. He was a student of the poet and scholar Collimachus and served as the head of the library at Alexandria. He was a scholar of Homer and was also the author of numerous "foundation poems" about the mythical origins of cities. These poems survive only in fragments.

For an overview of the proposed long-term schedule for our study of Odysseus, please see Odysseus in Literature.

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