#argonauts

Ch. 5, Page 33.
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We know this looks a little like a tutorial, but please don’t do this at home. Dragon teeth are best used only as decorative pieces.

Note: Sowing dragon teeth.
It’s told (Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca; Apollonius Rhodius, Argonauticae) that if you take some dragon teeth and sow them in a well ploughed field, they’ll grow up into some fierce warriors, fully armed, called Spartoi (which in ancient Greek means “the sown ones”).
The first to experiment this hardcore garening techniques was Cadmus, instructed by Athena: it was her who suggested the hero to toss a coin to your witch-ehr, no. To toss a rock amidst the newly grown warriors. That act indeed distracted them: they accused each other of the offending act, and killed each other sparing Cadmus. The five that survived the skirmish helped Cadmus building Thebes up.
The second one was, later, Jason, challenged by King Aeetes in Colchis. Poor Aeetes was most likely hoping to spare himself some nuisance and get rid of the nth hero come there with an attitude to be killed in the pursue of the golden fleece. Sadly, Medea was already looking at this particular hero with heart-shaped eyes, and she told Jason what to do exactly, included the trick of the rock to avoid getting chopped up by the Spartoi.
Moral of the story: You may be tired of seeing monsterae deliciosae all over Instagram, but they aren’t THAT dangerous.

Talos

Talos was a colossal automaton of bronze in ancient Greek mythology who was tasked with the protection of Europa, mother to King Minos. Talos diligently patrolled the perimeter of the island of Crete three times daily, hurling volleys of boulders at any would-be invaders brave enough to stray close. Whilst attempting to land the Argo upon the shores of the island, the sorceress Medea vanquished Talos by casting a spell that drove him to madness, causing him to pluck out the bronze nail from the vein that ran from his ankle to his neck, draining the molten ichor that gave him animation.

Jason and Medea (1907), by J.W. Waterhouse 

The sorceress Medea helps her beloved Jason, one of the Argonauts, in his search for the Golden Fleece.  Here she is giving him a potion that will protect him in his quest.  Years later, after their marriage, Jason runs away, which brings Medea to kill her children out of agony.  The strong female character versus the feeble man is strikingly depicted as in so many earlier paintings by Waterhouse.

Is it the fact that his marriage remained childless?  Actually, very little is known about Waterhouse’s private life and his personal motivations.  All we can do now is admire his powerful paintings …

Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Film still with stop motion animation

Directed by Don Chaffey (1917 - 1990), animated by Ray Harryhausen (1920 - 2013)

Ray Harryhausen died today, aged 92. RIP.

i joined a fan idol group thing called Argo Idols and we all have OCs for our parts so i decided to draw everyone… the first group is the core crew, myself included, then the auxiliary + understudy group, then the full line up!

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