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. Continue reading
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