Argonautica IV 1108-1167

The marriage of Jason and Medea:

Alcinous offers to mediate between the two sides, later confiding in Arete, that he means to surrender Medea to the Colchians, unless she happens to be married. The queen reveals this to the lovers and they are duly married in a sacred cave on the island.

1110: ἐπισχεδὸν εὔνασεν ὕπνος: “immediately sleep laid him to rest.” Odysseus goes to sleep similarly at Od. 20.1 ἐν προδόμῳ εὐνάζετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς but thinking different thoughts from Alcinoos who has made up his mind and know what will happen next. Medea cannot sleep at 1060, though the phrase is similar.

1111: ἔπος . . . πυκινὸν: “his wise word,” adding to the characterisation of the statesman-like Alcinoos. αὐτίκα δ᾿ ὦρτο: “she immediately rose.” The pace quickens and the phrases shorten. Enjambment is used to carry the action along.

1112: ἐκ λεχέων ἀνὰ δῶμα: a compressed phrase; “(she rose) from her bed (and went) through the house.” συνήιξαν: “rushed up.” There is similar activity, on the housemaids’ part, in Odysseus’ house, though of a different nature.

1113: μέτα governs δέσποιναν ἑὴν in anastrophe. ποιπνύουσαι: “bustled, fussed around.” Apart from Hephaestus’ ‘mechanicals’, this is the proper word to use about Housemaids’ work: Od. 20.149.

1114: σῖγα δ᾿: “and silently . . .,” emphasising the clandestine nature of the operation. Night is the time for action, here and at the beginning of Book 4. κήρυκα καλεσσαμένη: “having summoned her herald (messenger).

1115: ᾗσιν ἐπιφροσύνῃσιν: “in her wisdom,” echoing the Odyssean Arete: Od. 7.74, with a subtle variation. ἐποτρυνέουσα: “to encourage:” fut. part. of purpose with Αἰσονίδην as the object. μιγῆναι: “to have sex with:” aor. infin. pass. < μίγνυμι.

1116: Αἰσονίδην κούρῃ: the juxtaposition of the nouns emphasises the blunt nature of Arete’s advice: “Get on with it!”

1116–7: μηδ᾿. . . / λίσσεσθαι: “not to bother pleading . . .” After λίσσεσθαι the syntax changes, perhaps to mark the important role that Alcinoos’ judgment will play. The detail of the decision is repeated (from 1106–9), not word for word, which would be the Homeric way but with subtle variations with a fine concluding line (1120 below), with its interlaced word order.

1120: κουριδίης μιν ἀποτμήξειν φιλότητος: “will not sever her from wedded love.” ἀποτμήξειν: fut. inf. act. < ἀποτμήγω.

1121: πόδες φέρον: similarly Medea at 4. 66. The herald speeds on his way. The short phrase (πόδες as subject of the verb) conveys the speed of the narrative.

1122: μῦθον ἐναίσιμον: “opportune advice.” ἀγγείλειεν: aor. opt. act. 3rd sg. < ἀγγέλλω.

1123: θεουδέος Ἀλκινόοιο: “god-fearing Alcinoos”, another Odyssean echo: Od. 19.109 (Odysseus describing what the role of a kingshould be.)

1124: τοὺς δ᾿ εὗρεν: “he found them,” i.e. the Argonauts. ἐγρήσσοντας: “keeping watch.” They are maintaining a night watch as they do at the beginning of Book 4, when Medea comes across the River Phasis to them.

1125: Ὑλλικῷ ἐν λιμένι: the omega in Ὑλλικῷ is short by position: “the harbour of Hyllus. σχεδὸν ἄστεος: “near the city,” which may or may not be true. References to the harbours of Scherie / Drepane / Corfu, however, add verisimilitude to the narrative.

1125–6: πᾶσαν / . . . ἀγγελίην: “the message in full.” There is no repetition of Arete’s advice as there would be in Homer. πέφραδεν: aor. ind. act. 3rd sg. < φράζω.

1126–7: γήθησε . . . ἡρώων: “each hero’s heart rejoiced.” ἑαδότα μῦθον: “welcome news,” varying μῦθον ἐναίσιμον (1122 above).

1128: αὐτίκα: the action continues to move quickly. κρητῆρα κερασσάμενοι: “mixing a mixing bowl;” see LSJ s.v. A1 κρατήρ. The phrase is the Homeric formula for mixing wine and water together in a mixing bowl.

1129: εὐαγέως: “reverently, with due ritual.” ἐπιβώμια μῆλ᾿: “sheep to the altar.” For similar scenes of sacrifice see further (Clauss 1993, 85) and for Greek sacrifice in general (Burkert 1983, 56–57).

1130: αὐτονυχί: “for that very night.” For the preparation of the marriage bed (θαλαμήιον . . . εὐνὴν), see further (Oakley and Sinos 1993, 35).

1131: ἄντρῳ ἐν ἠγαθέῳ: “in the sacred cave.” It is impossible to decide between this and ζαθέῳ, the reading of a late first century papyrus. ζάθεος only occurs at 1.933 in A., while ἠγάθεος can be paralleled (3.981). Μάκρις: has been mentioned before (4.540). This wedding in a holy cave probably echoes that of Peleus and Thetis.

1132: κούρη Ἀρισταίοιο: “the daughter of Aristaeus.” περίφρονος is the reading of a Papyrus: “wise”, μελίφρονος: “whose care is honey,” the transmitted text might be the result of what immediately follows but it might also be seen as a clever Alexandrian variation.

1133: πολυκμήτοιό . . . πῖαρ ἐλαίης: “the rich oil of the olive which requires much labour.” ἀνεύρατο: “discovered.” aor. ind. mid. 3^rd. sg. < ἀνευρίσκω.

1134: κείνη δὴ: “she it was.” Διὸς Νυσήιον υἷα: “the Nysean son of Zeus,” i.e. Dionysus, born on Mount Nysa.

1135: Εὐβοίης ἔντοσθεν Ἀβαντίδος: “in Abantian Euboea.”

1135­–6: ᾧ ἐνὶ κόλπῳ / δέξατο: “received in her bosom.” ξηρὸν περὶ χεῖλος: “about his parched lip.” ἔδευσεν: “smeared” rather than “wet.” She is rubbing the baby’s lips with her finger.

1137: ἐκ πυρός: “from the fire,” an allusive and compressed reference to Hermes’ saving Dionysus from the fire that destroyed his mother Semele. ἔδρακε δ᾿ Ἥρη: “Hera saw this:” aor. ind. act. 3^rd. sg. < δέρκομαι.

1138: χολωσαμένη: “in her anger.” Hera’s jealousy towards Zeus’ lovers was proverbial. ἑ . . . πάσης ἐξήλασε νήσου: “drove her (ἑ) from all the island.” ἑ: fem. gen. sg. < οὗ.

1139: ἡ δ᾿ ἄρα: “and she accordingly . . .” ἱερῷ ἐνὶ τηλόθεν ἄντρῳ: a typically complex Apollonian phrase: “in the distant sacred cave,” varying on ἄντρῳ ἐν ἠγαθέῳ (1131).

1140: νάσσατο: aor. ind. mid. 3^rd. sg. < ναίω: “she lived.” ὄλβον ἀθέσφατον: “boundless wealth.” Makris appears to be a beneficient “heroine’; see further (Mikalson 2011, 41).

1141: ἔνθα τότ᾿: “it was here then . . .”, picking up the main narrative again. λέκτρον μέγα: “a great bed,” picking echoing Pind. P. 4.230–1.

1142: For the Fleece as a luxurious bed-covering, see Pindar parallel (above). ὄφρα πέλοιτο: “so that (the marriage) might become.”

1143: τιμήεις τε γάμος καὶ ἀοίδιμος: “(the marriage might become) honoured and a theme for song,” with possible references to the famous marriage of Peleus and Thetis and the lament of Helen at Il. 6.357–8. ἄνθεα δέ σφιν: heralding the opening of a lyrical passage (Sapph. fr. 122 V. ἄνθε' ἀμέργοισαν παῖδ' ἄγαν ἀπάλαν): the nymphs gather “flowers for them.”

1144: ἀμεργόμεναι: “gathering (flowers) of varied-hue (ποικίλα) in their white bosoms (λευκοῖς ἐνὶ . . . κόλποις). Colour and intricate word-order mark the description.

1145: ἐσφόρεον: “they brought forth.” πάσας δέ: “them all . . .”, referring to the nymphs. The illuminating light of the fleece is a theme that spreads through the poem (Arg. 4.172–3).

1146: ἀπὸ χρυσέων θυσάνων: “from the golden tassels / fringes.” ἀμαρύσσετο φέγγος: “the light twinkled . . .”. ἀμαρύσσω is often used of light and colour.

1147: δαῖε: “it kindled . . .” The fleece takes on a life of its own. γλυκερὸν πόθον: intensifying the erotic atmosphere that it generates (Pind. P. 4.184­–5): “sweet desire.”

1147–8: ἴσχε δʼ ἑκάστην / αἰδὼς: they long (ἱεμένην) to touch (ἐπὶ χεῖρα βαλέσθαι) the fleece yet are afraid (αἰδώς) to do so.

1149: A catalogue of Nymphs begins (αἱ μέν ~ αἱ δʼ ~ αἱ δʼ). Αἰγαίου ποταμοῦ . . . θύγατρες: “the daughters of the river Aegaeus.” (Arg.4.542­–3).

1150: ὄρεος κορυφὰς Μελιτηίου: “the heights of mount Melite.” The mountain is probably imaginary but Melite the naiad was adaughter of the river Aegaeus.

1151: ἀλσηίδες: “nymphs of the grove;” see further (Larson 2001, 52).

1152: Ἰήσονα κυδαίνουσα: Hera is Jason’s protector (4.784­–5) and, bearing in mind the present context, the goddess of Marriage (4.382).

1153: κεῖνο καὶ εἰσέτι νῦν: “that (place) even today is called (κληίζεται) . . .”

1154: τούς γε σὺν ἀλλήλοισιν ἔμειξαν: the Nymphs are seen as direct agents in the marriage: “(where) they caused them to have intercourse with each other (σὺν ἀλλήλοισιν).” ἔμειξαν: aor. ind. act. 3^rd. pl. < μείγνυμι.

1155: τεινάμεναι ἑανοὺς εὐώδεας: “spreading out fragrant bed-clothes.” οἱ δ᾿: switching to the Argonauts and a description of how they prepare to celebrate the forthcoming marriage.

1156: δούρατα νωμήσαντες ἀρήια: a very war-like phrase: “brandishing their warlike spear” (Il. 5.594-Ares in action), in pointed contrast to 1158 (below). μὴ πρὶν: “lest before (the marriage ceremony is finished).” ἐς ἀλκὴν: “for battle” LSJ s.v. ἀλκή Aiii.

1157: ἀίδηλος . . . ὅμιλος: “unexpected / destructive force,” LSJ s.v. ἀΐδηλος; see further (Hulse 2020), a disputed and much discussed word both now and in antiquity.

1158: An elegant interlaced line (κράατα . . . ἐστεμμένοι ~ εὐφύλλοις . . . ἀκρεμόνεσσιν) typical of A. and Alexandrian poetry in general. κράατα is accusative of respect (neut. nom. pl. < κράς) with the participle ἐστεμμένοι (perf. part. masc. nom. pl. < στέφω). The image verges on the comical.

1159: ἐμμελέως: adv. < ἐμμελής: tunefully. Ὀρφῆος . . . φορμίζοντος: Orpheus provides the musical accompaniment. ὑπαί: see LSJ s.v. ὑπό A5, “to the accompaniment of ”, the preposition governs the participle. These lines might be influenced by P.Oxy. 3698, which has been attributed to the Korinthiaka of Eumelos.

1160: νυμφιδίαις . . . ἐπὶ προμολῇσιν: “at the approaches (entrance) to the bridal chamber.” ὑμέναιον . . . ἄειδον: “sang the marriage song.”

1161: ἐν Ἀλκινόοιο: “in the house of Alcinous.” δώμασιν is understood, similarly with ἐνὶ πατρὸς ἑοῖο in the next line. μενέαινε: imperfect without augment. The statement that this marriage is a hasty and necessary (χρεὼ) affair contrasts sharply with the formal preparations described in the previous lines.

1162: ἥρως Αἰσονίδης: Jason is often so described when the circumstances are not, in the least, heroic (2.410, 4.477, 1528.)

1163: νοστήσας ἐς Ἰωλκὸν ὑπότροπος: “on his return home to Iolcus.” As close as A. gets to formulaic phraseology, perhaps echoing lines like Od. 1.290.

1163–4: ὣς δὲ καὶ αὐτὴ / Μήδεια φρονέεσκε: “Medea thought the same.” Does this mean that she wanted a ‘proper’ marriage? Or that she also thought that they should ‘get a move on.’ At any rate, they are, for the moment, of one mind.

1165: ἀλλὰ γὰρ οὔ ποτε: “for never in truth.” φῦλα δυηπαθέων ἀνθρώπων: “the tribes of suffering men.” The epic phrase is more usually φῦλα καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων (Hom. Hym. Aphrod. 3) or the like; see further (Stocking 2017, 68). A’s use of the rare δυηπαθήςmakes the phrase more pointed.

1166: τερπωλῆς ἐπέβημεν ὅλῳ ποδί: “tread the path of delight with a sure foot,” i.e. never be

completely happy. παρμέμβλωκεν: perf. ind. act. 3^rd. sg. < παραβλώσκω.

1167: a fine four-word line. “Bitter pain (πικρὴ . . . ἀνίη) literally embraces pleasure (ἐυφροσύνῃσιν).

1168­­–9: For Jason and Medea desire (γλυκερῇ . . . φιλότητι) and fear (δεῖμ᾿) are co-existent at the approaching decision (διάκρισις) to be made (τελέοιτο: fut. opt. mid. 3^rd. sg. < τελέω) by Alcinous.

Bibliography

Burkert, Walter. 1983. Homo Necans: The Anthropology of Ancient Greek Sacrificial Ritual and Myth. University of California Press.

Clauss, J. 1993. The Best of the Argonauts: The Redefinition of the Epic Hero in Book 1 of Apollonius’s Argonautica. University of California Press.

Hulse, Peter. 2020. “MEDEA AIΔHΛOΣ?: Two Notes on Book 4 of the Argonautica of Apollonius Rhodius.” Mnemosyne 73 (2): 321–26. https://doi.org/10.1163/1568525X-12342740.

Larson, J.L. 2001. Greek Nymphs: Myth, Cult, Lore. Oxford University Press.

Mikalson, Jon D. 2011. Ancient Greek Religion. Oxford: John Wiley & Sons.

Oakley, John Howard, and Rebecca H. Sinos. 1993. The Wedding in Ancient Athens. Univ of Wisconsin Press.

Stocking, Charles H. 2017. The Politics of Sacrifice in Early Greek Myth and Poetry. Cambridge University Press.