EPISODE 90

IN WHICH THE ARGONAUTS ESCAPE THE SIRENS

Previously: Terribly angry because of the murder committed by Medea, Zeus has sent a raging tempest upon the ship of the Argonauts. In order to be purified of the murder, Jason and Medea have gone to see the sorceress Circe.

What happened in the palace of the enchantress? What pact was sealed between Medea and her aunt Circe? Jason did not know, but very early in the morning, following an entire night full of anxiety, he saw Medea coming towards him with a wan smile on her lips: “Don’t be afraid, my friend, we may now take to the sea once more and try to reach your land safe and sound.” The Argo left the island. Neither Jason nor Medea heard Circe’s laughter which accompanied their departure. But they saw her tall, black form as she watched them go, from all the way up a cliff, and Jason could not prevent himself from shuddering.

Soon the ship came in sight of another island, whose name was not known to seafarers. But a sweet music came from this island, so sweet that even the most hardened heart melted upon hearing it. This music was accompanied by melodious singing. They who sang so divinely had a body that was half-woman, half-fowl. “The Sirens,” murmured Orpheus. And his voice trembled with fear, for he had already heard of these fearful singers. The beauty of their music was such that any seamen who heard them were bewitched. They could not resist it, and they let their ships smash against the rocks of the island. Orpheus looked at his companions. Their faces were already ecstatic, they all seemed spellbound. He pounced on his lyre and he began to play in turn. He sought to bring out of himself the most vibrant music that he had ever played. And his song soared, overwhelming in its purity. Little by little, the Argonauts stopped listening to the Sirens, in order to hear Orpheus’ beautiful music. They were snatched one by one from the lure of death; they turned themselves back once more towards the music of life, Orpheus’ music. The more Orpheus’ lyre produced its glorious sounds, the farther away the ship sailed from the Sirens. Once the accursed island had disappeared, only then did the exhausted young musician stop his singing. A strange silence ensued. Then a thundering applause burst out. The Argonauts were once more making their way towards life.

Their joy was short-lived, for black and sinister peaks protruded from the sea. “Charybdis and Scylla!” shouted the watchman. All seamen knew of the dangers run by any ship obliged to sail between them. A wind of panic swept across the crew. On one of the rocks there lived a monster called Charybdis. Thrice per day this monster swallowed vast quantities of the sea that surrounded her. Any unlucky ships which passed nearby were gobbled up at the same time. When the monster again spewed out the water it had swallowed, nothing but wreckage remained. Jason commanded each man on duty to brace himself against his oar in order to resist the current. For the monster was beginning its long suction. The Argonauts rowed, they rowed like mad. You could hear nothing any more except their panting breaths. Their every muscle fought against the current. Suddenly the sucking stopped: by resisting with all their might, the Argonauts had managed to come out of the whirlpool, they could sail away.

Yet once you had escaped Charybdis, you fell into the clutches of another sea monster called Scylla. This one had the body of a woman and was surrounded by six ferocious dogs which threw themselves upon the ships that sailed within reach to devour them. The dogs were already drooling when they saw the ship approach. Hermes, who was watching over his children from the heights of Olympus, had suddenly had enough of this. There were too many trials which made his paternal heart bleed. He asked Aeolus, the god of the Wind, to push the Argo away from Scylla’s reach. Aeolus liked the messenger god a lot and he agreed to blow and save the crew. He blew so hard that the ship left at full speed the waters where Charybdis and Scylla lurked. Calm waters received them at last.

When night came, the Argonauts fell asleep, exhausted. Only Jason kept awake. It had been many nights now that he could not find sleep. He had snatched away the Golden Fleece, he was victorious, but this victory had a bitter taste. Would his trials end one day? Would he ever be able to bring his companions back to port safe and sound?

 

To be continued…