GOLDEN FLEECE QUEST:THE VOYAGE BEGINS

At last, everything was set for the voyage to Colchis.

The supplies were all locked up in compartments on board and the sailors were ready.

Jason started giving orders.

“Now then, let’s get the Argo in the water.”

He, along with the Argonauts, got hold of the ship’s sides and pushed her down the rollers into the sea.

“Good team work,” said Heracles.

“All aboard,” Jason said.

The Argonauts got on board, followed by Jason.

“To your places,” Jason said. “Oarsmen to the benches, up into the crow’s nest, Hylas, to the drums, Castor.

The Argonauts took their places.

“That’s fine,” said Jason.

He went with Heracles and Atalanta to the stern.

“You’re a natural,” Atalanta said.

“You’ll make a fine captain,” said Heracles, who took the helm, ready to steer.

“Thank you.”

When he was a boy, Jason had watched ships coming and going and while the Argo was being built, so he knew how to take control of things.

However, sailing was a totally different matter, seeing as he had never been to sea.

Heracles and Atalanta had told him of rough tides, mists, strong gales and storms, but he had never experienced such things.

The captain gave more orders.

“Start beating the drums, Castor.”

Castor started to beat the large drums.

“Row away.”

The oarsmen began to pull the oars with their powerful, muscular strong arms.

People on the beach looked on, as Jason and the Argonaut’s left Iolcos.

Standing in the background, were Pelias and Acastus.

“If Jason returns, then he’d better have the Golden

Fleece,” Pelias said.

“Do you suppose he knows that you deceived him?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Well, I hope you’re right.”

From the Argo, Atalanta spotted Pelias and Acastus.

“Look over there, Jason,” she said.

Jason stared at his uncle and nephew.

“I might have known that Pelias and Acastus would come to watch us leave.”

Heracles glanced over at the beach in anger.

“I should have clubbed them both to death in the palace,” he fumed.

“That would not have been worthy of you in the eyes of Aeson and Medea,” said Atalanta.

“That, is why I didn’t do it. The last thing I wanted, was to give myself a bad name in the royal house of Thessaly.”

“But you are not of Thessalian royal blood, Heracles,” Jason said. “The royal laws don’t extend to you.”

“Well, there is that,” said Heracles. “But nevertheless, I would not have wanted your parents to look upon me in shame.”

“There’s no point in brooding over that,” Atalanta said.

“It’s more important to focus on the voyage,” said Jason.

Over the first six to seven days, Jason and the Argonauts made good headway into the voyage –

covering a distance of up to two hundred miles.

The Argo was a fast ship.

The weather was perfect, the skies clear, the sea calm and the wind gentle.

The sailors were cheerful too. They sang sea-faring

songs, told stories of their adventures, rested, slept, played music and ate and drank, as well as rowing.

Hylas came down from the crow’s nest to join in.

So that is how it was to begin with.

Then one day, things began to change.

The wind started to blow stronger, the sea became rougher and the Argo began to rock.

“The sea is changing,” said Jason.

“The wind’s getting stronger too,” Atalanta said.

She looked up Hylas, who was clinging tightly to the mast.

“HOLD IN THERE, HYLAS.”

The rowers were no longer in high spirits.

Oars clashed as they fought against the waves. Mopsus lost control of his oar three times and had to pull it out of the water. Idas, Pollux and Lynceus had the same trouble.

“Well, I cannot give orders to the rowers,” Jason said.

“It could be a whole lot worse,” said Heracles, who was trying to steady the steering.

“I wonder how long it will last,” Jason said.

Conditions stayed the same till the end of the day, then overnight and all through the next day, before they

finally settled.

Hylas was almost thrown into the sea.

“Alright, stop rowing,” Jason said.

“They need a rest after that,” said Heracles.

“That sure was some experience,” Jason said.

“Heracles and I have experienced far worse,” said Atalanta.

Heracles looked up at Hylas.

“ARE YOU ALRIGHT NOW?” he asked.

“YES, THANK YOU.”

“WE ALMOST LOST YOU,” Atalanta said.

“At least we didn’t lose the oars,” said Mopsus.

“Where would we be without those?” Orpheus said.

“It could have been worse,” said Zetes.

“A lot worse,” Phalerus said.

“No more talking,” said Jason.

“You’d better find out if we’ve been driven off course, Heracles,” Atalanta said.

“Right,” said Heracles.

He checked the compass.

“Have we?” Atalanta asked.

“Yes.”

“By how far?” asked Jason, who was concerned.

“Five miles.”

“Not bad,” Atalanta said.

“From here, we should reach the island of King Cyzicus

in about five days,” said Heracles.

“We’ll rest a little longer first,” Jason said.

The sailors rested for a short while, eating and drinking. Heracles studied the chart.

“Right, time to continue,” said Jason.

Hylas climbed up into the crow’s nest, Castor stood behind the drums and the rowers grabbed the oars.

“And away we go,” Jason said.

Castor started beating the drums again and the oarsmen rowed away.

Fortunately, the weather held good from that point and the sailors were in high spirits again.

Then one day, Hylas spotted an island.

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