Jason (originally pronounced ya-SOHN) was one of the greatest
heroes of
Greek Myth. Lived one generation before the
Trojan War, and was one of the heroes that set sail in the ship
Argo in order to seek the
Golden Fleece.
Jason's father, Aeson, was the king of Iolcos, until his brother Pelias deposed him and took the throne. Pelias then recieved a prophecy, according to which Jason, his nephew, whould someday harm him severely. In order to dispose of his nephew, Pelias then sent Jason on an impossble journey: to bring the magical Golden Fleece from the city of Colchis.
Jason gathered 43 men (among whom were Heracles, Orpheus, Hylas, Telamon, Peleus, Castor and Polydeuces -aka the dioscouri- and Theseus) and one woman (Atalanta), and set sail towards Colchis in the ship Argo (after which they were called the Argonauts).
After many hardships, difficulties and adventures the Argonauts reached Colchis, where king Aeetes laid three tasks over Jason, before he would get the Fleece:
a) To capture a team of fire-breathing oxen and plow a field using them.
b) To straw the teeth of a dragon in the aforementioned field and fight the armoured men that grew from them.
c) To brave the dragon who never sleeps that guarded the Fleece.
It was Jason's good fortune that he managed to seduce Aeetis' daughter, Medea, has desperately fallen in love with him, and that she possessed powerful magicks. With her help he completed the three tasks and escaped with the Fleece. Jason and Medea were pursued by Aeetes, his son and their men. Jason convinced Medea to kill her brother, tear his parts and scatter his remains behind the ship, in order to delay the pursuers.
After many more adventures Jason and Medea finally reached Iolcos, where Medea tricked and killed Pelias. The couple had to flee Iolcos, and they reached Corinth. During all that time Medea bore Jason two sons. When they reached Corinth Jason's treacherous character was revealed, as he deserted her for King Creon's daughter Creusa. Medea, scorned and maddened, then killed Creusa and Creon and her own two children, and fled Corynth with the aid of her grandfather the sun god, Helios.
Jason died years later, struck in the head by a timber from the Argo.