Classical Mythology

(^584) THE GREEK SAGAS: GREEK LOCAL LEGENDS
GEOGRAPHY AND MYTH
It is tempting to try to trace the journeys of the heroes of saga: Odysseus and Jason
are prime tempters. The map given here shows diagrammatically how the contem-
poraries of Pindar saw their world. Neither Pindar nor Apollonius can be used as
sources for geographical identification: their world is one of the literary imagination,
even though real places are named in their poems. Archaeologists, however, have
shown that there is some basis for the identification of Colchis with an area in mod-
ern Georgia, the territory that lies to the east of the Black Sea, occupied in antiquity
by farmers and metal-workers at least since the third millennium B.c. Greek trading
settlements have been found dating from about 550 B.c., that is, about a century be-
fore Pindar's poem. The mythological river Phasis is safely identified with the mod-
ern river Rioni, and the modern town of Vani was the most prosperous ancient city,
corresponding to the mythical Colchis. Beyond these facts, and the fact that the area
in Greek times was rich in gold, copper, and iron, there can be no certainty in mak-
ing geographical identifications. The modern equivalent of gold is perhaps oil, for an
oil pipeline is being built across Georgia from the Caspian coast of Azerbaijan to the
Black Sea coast.
with magic herbs, and then rejuvenated an old ram as well. Persuaded by these
examples, the daughters of Pelias tried to rejuvenate their father in the same
way. But Medea did not give them the magic herbs, and their attempt led only
to his death.
CORINTH
Thus Jason was revenged on Pelias, but he did not gain the throne of Iolcus; for
being defiled by the murder of Pelias, he and Medea were driven out of the city
by Acastus, son of Pelias. They went to Corinth, the setting for Euripides' tragedy
Medea. The connection between Medea and Corinth was made as early as the
eighth century by the Corinthian poet Eumelos. In his version, Aeëtes and his
brother Aloeus were the sons of Helius and Antiope. Helius divided his lands
between the brothers, so that Aloeus inherited Arcadia and Aeëtes received
"Ephyra," which Eumelos identified with Corinth. Aeëtes then went to Colchis,
leaving Corinth in the hands of a regent. Later the Corinthians summoned Medea
from Iolcus to be their queen. Thus Jason became king of Corinth through his
marriage with Medea, who meanwhile had resisted the advances of Zeus out of
respect for Hera (who was especially worshiped at Corinth). As a reward, Hera
promised to make Medea's children immortal. Medea therefore concealed her
children in the sanctuary of Hera, believing that in this way she would make
them immortal, but they died and were honored with a cult. Medea refers to
this in her final speech to Jason in Euripides' tragedy (Medea 1378-1383):