EPISODE 80

IN WHICH A BOXING CHAMPION CHALLENGES THE ARGONAUTS

Previously: The Argonauts have just had a cruel experience: they have been obliged to abandon Heracles at their last port of call.

Jason took to the sea again, setting course for the land of the Golden Fleece. But they soon began to run out of water and food once more. The ship was approaching an island and they decided to stop there to replenish their stocks. On the shore where the Argonauts had just arrived, a crowd of people had assembled around one man. This man was Amycus, the king of the island. Jason set foot on land, followed close behind by Echion, and he approached the king in order to present him his greetings. The king was still a young man, of massive stature. He was wearing garments which enhanced his powerful muscles. His attitude was very arrogant and Jason formed an instant dislike of him.

“Good morning, O king,” said Jason, “we are heading towards Colchis and we need water and provisions.”

“It is our custom to invite passing strangers to a boxing match. If they win, they obtain fresh provisions. Otherwise…”

Amycus did not finish his sentence, although a smile appeared on his face. Nothing of this scene escaped Echion. He had understood that a trap was closing up on them. Heracles, the strongest of the Argonauts, was no longer on board and the island appeared to have a fearsome champion. With the smile still on his lips, Amycus said:

“You see that high cliff over there, which plummets straight down into the sea? Look at it well, stranger, for those who refuse to fight our champion are immediately pushed off the top of that cliff!”

Echion could not prevent himself from trembling. He looked in the direction indicated by the king, and the height of the cliff took his breath away. Down below the sea bubbled angrily. Anyone falling in there would inevitably be torn to pieces by the rocks. He closed his eyes for a moment and thought with all his might of his father Hermes. Oh, if only he too had wings on his feet… He reopened his eyes. Unfortunately, he was still surrounded by menacing guards. The nightmare continued.

“In that case,” said Jason, “we will send our champion. Who is yours?”

King Amycus puffed out his chest and answered: “It is I, of course. I am the son of Poseidon, the god of the Seas, and I am stronger than any man.” He threw a pair of gloves on the ground for the fight, and before he went away he shouted: “We meet this evening in that flowering dale just behind this beach.”

Jason went back on board, lost in deep thought. Which of the Argonauts could possibly face this brute with some chance of winning? “Why did I take all these valorous Greeks with me on this adventure?” Jason wondered to himself. But he was not left in doubt for too long. Echion had already told the whole story to the Argonauts. One of them, Polydeuces, came forward:

“I was a boxing champion at the last games at Olympia. I feel ready to fight Amycus. He may be stronger and younger than I am, but even in boxing you also need to use your head.”

The evening came. The meeting place was a breathtakingly beautiful dale, carpeted with flowers. Orpheus, who had come with his lyre, could not prevent himself from singing of the beauty of this landscape, to the great astonishment of the inhabitants, who had never taken any notice of it. But once King Amycus arrived at the appointed place of the match, both beauty and music were driven brutally away. He was quite impressive, with his bull’s neck and his enormous muscles. Polydeuces, slender, almost thin, was half his weight and twice his age; he risked being wiped out within minutes, especially since he had simple leather gloves, while those of Amycus were embellished with studs of bronze. The match clearly seemed unequal.

The fighting began. Amycus charged dead ahead. Polydeuces contented himself with avoiding the attacks. He observed him, sought to guess his points of weakness. The other roared, exhausted his strength in attacking his opponent, but in vain. Amycus became more and more exasperated. It was as if Polydeuces were not fighting at all since he did not return a single blow. Amycus attacked even more furiously. The fearsome studs of his gloves missed their target each time, but only barely. The combat lasted for several hours. Night was about to fall when Polydeuces, who had been observing Amycus for a long time, at last discovered his flaw. Amycus kept his hands too far apart. Polydeuces took advantage of this to thrust his fist right between them and crush his nose. Taken by surprise, Amycus wavered. Polydeuces then launched a series of blows against which Amycus was unable to defend himself. His great mass of muscles was useless against Polydeuces’ precision. He reeled. At that instant, Polydeuces dealt him a huge blow on the temple which left him dead on the ground. There was an eruption of joy from the Argonauts. As the ship sailed away full of provisions, Echion, who was looking at the coastline receding into the distance, murmured in Jason’s ear:

“We have just defeated a son of Poseidon.”

“I know,” replied the leader of the Argonauts softly.

What would be the reaction of the god of the Seas?

 

To be continued…