The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles

CONTENTS

W
hen I was a kid, my favorite Greek myth was of Jason and the Argonauts. Sure, I’ll admit that this was partly because of the 1963 film, which played on television over and over and featured those cutting-edge Claymation special effects! But my fascination was also because of the book you now hold in your hands:
The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles
by Padraic Colum.

This book was my doorway into a world of magic, mystery, and monsters, flawed heroes and colorful villains, adventure, deceit, romance, courage, and betrayal—in short, everything that makes Greek mythology such an enduring source of inspiration and entertainment.

The Irish poet and playwright Padraic Colum wrote this book in the 1920s, and the language is grand and old-fashioned, but don’t let that put you off. The book reads remarkably well, even after almost a century. The language is well suited for a story of ancient times and long-ago deeds, but Padraic Colum knows he is writing for young readers, and he never forgets his audience. In his comments on the dust jacket for the first edition, Colum says, “If children are to will out of their imagination and create out of their will, we must see to it that their imaginations are not clipped and not made trivial.” Those words apply today as much as ever.

Greek mythology remains powerful and relevant because it opens the imagination. We can sail the
Argo
, fight the great bronze giant Talos, deal with the sorceress Medea, reclaim a kingdom, and wonder if we could do better than Jason. This book will let your imagination soar, and will dare you to create your own adventures of the imagination. How do I know this? Because when I was a young boy, this book helped me dream of writing myths, and eventually grow up to be a teacher of English and history. When I became a father, I remembered Padraic Colum and told my son mythological bedtime stories, eventually creating my own original Greek myths for him—the Percy Jackson stories—willed out of my imagination and created out of my will. It seems only fitting that I have come full circle, and now have the honor of introducing Padraic Colum’s book, which helped start me on that journey.

Jason himself is ample reason to read this book. He has a large enough personality to carry a dozen stories. He is kind, courteous, brave, and loyal, but also grasping, deceitful, and ambitious. His relationship with the lovely yet cruel Medea is the ultimate tragic love story. Even more importantly, Jason is a full mortal, unlike most of the demigod heroes in Greek mythology. His parentage is fully human, and he comes across as possibly the most human, most understandable hero of all.

But
The Golden Fleece
is also remarkable because it is the all-star story of Greek mythology. To gain the Golden Fleece and reclaim his kingdom, young Jason must gather a dream team of Greek heroes to sail with him on the
Argo
to the ends of the earth. We meet Atalanta, the most famous female Greek warrior; Theseus, legendary hero of Athens; Orpheus, famed musician; Bellerophon, slayer of the Chimera; and the great Heracles himself, the most renowned of all heroes. The Argonauts are the ultimate elite force, and the dangers awaiting them are appropriately dire: the Clashing Rocks, treacherous nymphs, ravenous Harpies, fire-breathing bulls, skeleton warriors, and, of course, a dragon. It is easy to see why this story has endured over the centuries, and is as much a favorite with children today as it was in the Bronze Age.

I challenge you to read on! Travel back thousands of years to a time when monsters were real and gods walked the earth, yet people were still the same—driven by greed, love, bravery, and jealousy. In the pages of this book, you will find many wonders, but the greatest wonder is how these ancient stories can still fire the modern imagination. Are you brave enough to sail on the
Argo
? Then come aboard for the adventure of a lifetime!