Of the memorable thinges that happened in the world, from the death of Iosva to the Warre of Troy: which was about the time of Iephtha

Abstract

About the eleuenth yeere of Gideon, was that famous expedition of the Argonauts: of which many fabulous discourses haue beene written, the summe of which is this. Pelias the sonne of Neptune, brother by the mothers side to Æson, who was Iasons father, reigning in Iolcus a towne of Thessalie, was warned by the Oracle of Apollo to take heede of him that ware but one shoe. This Pelias afterward sacrificing to Neptune, inuited Iason to him, who comming hastily, lost one shoe in passing ouer a brooke: whereupon Pelias demaunded of him what course he would take (supposing he were able) against one of whom an Oracle should aduise him to take heede: to which question when Iason had briefly answered, that he would send him to Colchos, to fetch the golden fleece, Pelias immediatly com-maunded him to vndertake that seruice. Therefore Iason prepared for the voyage, hauing a shippe built by Argus, the sonne of Phryxus, by the Counsell of Pallas: wherein hee procured all the brauest men of Greece to saile with him: as Typhis the Master of the shippe, Orpheus the famous Poet, Castor and Pollux the sonnes of Tyndarus, Telamon and Peleus, sonnes of Æacus, and fathers of Aiax and Achilles, Hercules, Theseus, Zetes and Calais the two winged sonnes of Boreas, Amphiaraus the great Southsayer, Meleager of Calidon that slew the great wilde boare: Ascalaphus and Ialmenus or Almenus the sonnes of Mars, who were afterwards at the last warre of Troy, Laertes the father of Vlysses, Atalanta a warlike virgine, Idas and Lynceus the sonnes of Aphareus, who afterwards in fight with Castor and Pollux slew Castor, and wounded Pollux, but were slaine themselues: Lynceus by Pollux, Idas by Iupiter with lightning.