EPISODE 85

IN WHICH JASON MEETS MEDEA

Previously: In order to obtain the Golden Fleece, Jason must succeed in a series of terrifying trials. Only Princess Medea can save him.

It was a truly strange night, a night without end. Medea had slipped outside the palace. She had reached the woods and under the solitary gleam of the moon had sought the herbs and roots that she needed. She was looking for one plant in particular, which had grown at the exact spot where the first drop of Prometheus’ blood had fallen. When she found it, tears ran down her cheeks. And she no longer knew whether they were tears of joy or of sorrow. Of joy, because with this unique plant she would be able to render a man invincible for an entire day, and therefore save the stranger with whom she had just fallen in love. Of sorrow, for in this way she would be betraying her father for ever. She returned to her room and prepared an ointment which made one insensitive to fire and to the sword.

Jason could not find rest either. Now that all the Argonauts were asleep, he had got up noiselessly and was staring hard into the darkness. All of a sudden, he saw a shadow move on the beach. The shadow was approaching the ship. Jason held his breath and waited. The shadow was wearing a long hooded cloak which concealed its form completely. Soon, it was only a few paces away, and it climbed agilely on board. Jason was crouching low. He bounced brusquely, seized hold of the stranger from behind and restrained him in a headlock.

“Who are you and why have you come here?” he asked gruffly.

He could feel the stranger tremble and he loosened his grip a little. He snatched a lit torch and brought it sharply closer to the face of the mysterious visitor. Imagine his surprise when he discovered the face of a young woman! She let her hood slip back, and a torrent of black hair flowed on her shoulders. Jason remained speechless.

“I am Medea, King Aeetes’ daughter,” she said. Her voice was grave, almost gritty, yet the tone was vivid and rapid. “Are you afraid of death?”

Confused, Jason answered: “If I were afraid of death, I would not have come here.”

The young woman was throwing quick glances around her, to be sure that she would not be caught by surprise.

“You are brave, this is good, but bravery alone will not suffice. Without me you will be lost. The sun will be rising soon, we must make haste. I have prepared for you an ointment which will render you invincible for a day. Wash yourself and anoint your body with this salve. Do not forget to rub your weapons thoroughly with it as well. In this way no one will be able to defeat you.”

And she held out to him a small flask. Jason took it with one hand and with the other caught the wrist of the young girl. He feared this could be a ruse by King Aeetes.

“Why do you do this? Why are you betraying your father? What do you wish in return?” he asked.

Medea answered in a single breath: “Because I love you. In return I want you to promise to take me with you far away from here and marry me.”

Jason suddenly remembered the prophecy of old Phineas: “Have faith in Aphrodite, the goddess of Love!” and his mistrust vanished.

He answered: “I promise,” then he placed a kiss on the hand he was holding and let it go. The enchantress put her hood back on to hide her face. Before leaving the ship, she gave him one final counsel:

“When the army of warriors is born of the dragon’s teeth, throw this stone in their midst and they will kill one another instead of attacking you.” Then she disappeared into the night. Jason looked at her go and a shiver ran through him.

When rosy-fingered Aurora appeared, the Argonauts woke up one by one and found Jason washing himself in the sea. He was joyful and confident and he asked them to help him coat his shield, his helmet and all his weapons with a strange balm. Then he pretended to practise. “Comrades, strike my shield with all the strength you can put into your swords,” he told them. The first to try brandished his weapon, which fell crashing upon Jason. Jason did not even flinch. A second struck at him with greater force. Jason did not budge this time either. A third attacked him with even greater might. Still nothing happened. Cries of joy burst out. Jason was invincible! Jason was going to win.

Jason came to the meeting place appointed by King Aeetes accompanied by an astonishing procession. Orpheus was playing wonderful songs which were then taken up by the other youths at the top of their voices. Echion was telling the passers-by episodes of their adventures. Each seemed as joyful as if they had been going to a celebration! “Poor young men, they have lost their senses,” sighed the people they came across on their way. “They do not know that they are marching to their deaths.”

 

To be continued…