FOR PART ONE OF THE ORPHIC ARGONAUTICA , ITS TIES TO ORPHISM AND ITS DIFFERENCES TO THE MAINSTREAM MYTH OF THE ARGONAUTS CLICK HERE.
### After the Argonauts had feasted, they proceeded to the Argo and tried pulling it to the sea for launching. It was snagged on dry seaweed and refused to go further, so the Argonauts began losing their resolve. Remember, this is an Orpheus-centric version of the Quest for the Golden Fleece, so this wimpy loss of resolve was just an excuse for another Orphic lesson.
Even Jason felt helpless and looked to Orpheus for help. Orpheus played music and sang lyrics invoking another parable from the Derveni Papyrus (300s B.C.) and other Orphic material.
The song reminded each Argonaut of their noble bloodlines and recalled how years earlier Orpheus’s songs had bestowed movement on the pines and oaks from the mountains and had them walk near the coastline to re-root themselves.
Recently, those trees had been cut down by Argos and his workers to build the great ship the Argo. Orpheus’ song further reminds the trees whose wood now makes up the ship that they are as bound to obey him now as they were when they were whole.
The Argo itself proceeds to free itself from the dry seaweed and move into the water. Our heroes board the vessel, but Jason has come to doubt his leadership abilities and nominates Herakles to be the new captain of the Argonauts.
Herakles modestly defers to Jason and the 52 crew members unanimously vote for Jason to remain their captain. Whew! This is more excitement than I can handle!
### The Argonauts are well and truly underway and soon arrive at the seaside cave of Chiron the Centaur, who trained Herakles and other heroes of Greek mythology. Chiron ramped up the danger by … treating our heroes to another feast.
After the partying, Chiron challenges Orpheus to a music contest. Naturally Orpheus astounded the crowd and Chiron acknowledged defeat by awarding the victor a leopard skin. The next day our heroes resume their journey.
### The next stop for the Argonauts is the island of Lemnos. Only women now lived on the island since Queen Hypsipyle led her female subjects in slaughtering all the men of Lemnos. NOTE: Aphrodite cursed the Lemnean women for neglecting her shrines. She made all their men fall in love with Thracian women and the fury of the women led to the massacre.
Jason was seduced by Queen Hypsipyle and the other women of Lemnos bedded down with the other Argonauts. Our heroes grew reluctant to leave, so Orpheus took it upon himself to play such wonderful music that all of the Argonauts followed him back on board the Argo. The Quest for the Golden Fleece resumed.
### Our heroes sailed into the Sea of Marmara and reached the island of the Doliones. The Argonauts were (yawn) treated to food and drink, then put out to sea only to be driven back to the island by a powerful storm. The Argonauts this time were attacked by the Doliones and the Aris – six-armed giants of the same island.
In the massive battle, Herakles slew the king of the Doliones people – Kyzikos. Because he was the son of the Titaness Rhea, the Argonauts had to hold funerary rites, games and make libations to her to appease her before they could set sail again.
I WILL CONTINUE WITH THIS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
Balladeer's Blog 