Aeetes
Publié le 22/02/2012
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Greek King of Colchis on the island of
Rhodes; his father was the sun god Helios and his
mother the Nymph Rhodos; brother of Circe, the witch
goddess, and Pasiphae; father with Eidyia, a daughter
of the god Oceanus, of Medea and Absyrtus.
Aeetes provided shelter to Phrixus when the
youth arrived on Rhodes on the back of the ram with
the Golden Fleece, and Aeetes became the guardian
of that treasure. When Jason and his Argonauts
arrived in search of the fleece, Aeetes set challenges
before the hero, who completed each one, but the
king did not keep his word and would not give Jason
the fleece. Jason, with the help of Medea, who was
gifted in magic and prophecy, stole the fleece and fled
on ship. Aeetes sent his navy after them.
According to one version of the story, Medea took
Absyrtus hostage, then killed him and scattered his
body over the road so that Aeetes would stop and pick
up the pieces and allow Jason time to escape. According
to the version in the Argonautica, Absyrtus led
Colchian troops to a river the Argonauts would need
to travel down to escape. Jason broke a truce, killed
Absyrtus, then made his escape with Medea and the
Argonauts. Aeetes never captured them nor retrieved
the fleece.
Years later, Aeetes was deposed by another brother,
but Medea returned to restore her father to the
throne of Colchis.