#1507: Part 23, Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius

The Argonautica ends with one last blast of trouble for the Argonauts: a classical giant robot and the mythological origin of the island Thera.

Part 23

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#1506: Part 22, Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius

The Argonautica continues, as the Argonauts find themselves facing their greatest challenge yet — the bleak Libyan desert!

Part 22

33:47

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#1494: Part 20, Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius

The Argonautica continues, as we once more get a gods’ eye view of the action.

Part 20: Thetis.

19:15.

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#1487: Part 19, Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius

Argonautica continues, as Jason and Medea go visit her famous auntie — that notorious sorceress, Circe. In a break from her usual characterization, Circe is depicted as a defender of order and justice, and a representative of normal human society! (Which goes to show you just how bad kinslaying was.)

Part 19

16:11.

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#1475: Pt. 18, Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius

The Argonautica continues, as the tragedy portion of the story of Jason and Medea begins. I don’t think I ever learned this part of the story; but it does make the stuff that happened later in their lives make a lot more sense. The Greek gods didn’t mind stealing and raiding, but kinslaying was a big no-no.

Part 18: Kinslaying.

18:23.

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#1466: Part 17, Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius

The Argonautica continues, as Medea tells Jason how to get the Golden Fleece.

Part 17

24:45.

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#1456: Part 16, Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius

The Argonautica continues, as Jason sows the dragon’s teeth and fights the warriors of the Earthborn!

Part 16

18:20.

PS — Don’t forget to watch the “Jason and the Argonauts” episode on the PBS show In Search of Myths and Heroes. It’s on tonight here, so it may be on in your part of the US also.

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#1449: Part 15, Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius

Argonautica continues, and so do Medea’s mixed feelings, as she gives Jason the magic potion he needs.

Part 15

25:49.

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#1436: Part 14, Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius

Argonautica continues. Medea must decide whether or not to help Jason, a stranger, and go against the wishes of her own father; or to let him be killed, along with her sister-sons and a whole ship’s crew of heroes.

This is amazing stuff, even in translation, and I really don’t think I did anything near enough justice to it. If anybody out there is looking for a dramatic monologue to perform for speech class or an audition, I suggest you look here. (We don’t normally remember that Medea wasn’t just a princess, priestess, witch, and maniacally vengeful child-murderer; at this point she is a girl in the throes of first love.)

Part 14.

21:29.

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#1427: Part 13, Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius

The Argonautica continues as the Argonauts finally arrive at warm and friendly Colchis, and Eros shoots arrows.

Part 13

33:29.

I didn’t post the Argonautica segment earlier this week because I had technical difficulties. So I’m posting both that segment and this next week’s segment on Saturday, to make up for it. Enjoy!

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#1426: Part 12, Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius

Argonautica continues, as the action shifts to Olympus. Athena and Hera want to help the Argonauts, but they can’t figure out a cunning plan to win the Golden Fleece. They’re pretty sure that Medea could do it, but why would she help a stranger get valuables away from her father? So, goddesses… who ya gonna call?

Part 12:

13:26.

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#1399: Part 11, Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius

The Argonautica continues, as the Argonauts make a fateful encounter and arrive in Colchis – the land of the Golden Fleece.

Part 11

15:30.

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#1377: Part 8, Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius

Argonautica continues, as we visit the scenic Clashing Rocks and try not to die!

Then we have a moment apparently echoed by Grahame in one of my favorite parts of The Wind in the Willows. Nobody seems to have mentioned this correspondence to me, so I’m pointing it out to you. It was probably too obvious for mention by previous generations, and is now way too obscure for ours. (You know, we miss out on a lot these days by our lack of a good classical education.)

Part 8

18:20.

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