Medea and the Argonauts

by World History Edu · Published August 11, 2023 · Updated August 11, 2023

Medea, the sorceress and priestess of Hecate, played a pivotal role in assisting Jason and the Argonauts during their quest for the Golden Fleece.

Greek heroes – Jason and Medea – as depicted by John William Waterhouse, 1907.

Below, WHE provides an in-depth account of how Medea helped the Argonauts.

Medea, the sorceress and priestess of Hecate, played a pivotal role in assisting Jason and the Argonauts during their quest for the Golden Fleece.

When the Argonauts reached Colchis, where the Golden Fleece was kept, Medea fell deeply in love with Jason, largely due to the intervention of Eros (or Cupid), who struck her with one of his arrows at the behest of Hera. This love would drive many of her actions to assist Jason.

The king of Colchis, Aeëtes (who was also Medea’s father), set several seemingly impossible tasks for Jason to complete before he could claim the Fleece. One of these tasks was to yoke two fire-breathing oxen and plow a field. Medea provided Jason with a potion that made him invulnerable for a day, allowing him to complete the task without harm.

The Golden Fleece was guarded by a sleepless dragon. Medea prepared a potion that put the dragon into a deep sleep, allowing Jason to take the Fleece without facing the beast.

Jason and the Argo, the famed ship that was used by the Argonauts

After obtaining the Golden Fleece, the Argonauts had to flee from Colchis quickly, as Aeëtes pursued them. Medea played a controversial role in their escape by killing her younger brother, Apsyrtus. She dismembered his body and scattered his parts in the sea, forcing her father to slow his pursuit to retrieve and honor the remains of his son.

During their journey back, Medea also helped the Argonauts safely navigate past the Sirens, whose enchanting songs lured sailors to their deaths. Medea sang a louder, more powerful song, drowning out the Sirens’ voices and allowing the ship to pass safely.

On the island of Crete, the Argonauts encountered Talos, a bronze giant who tried to prevent them from approaching. Medea used her powers to send him into a state of madness or, in other versions, removed a nail from his ankle, releasing the ichor (divine fluid) from his single vein and causing him to bleed to death.