Jason must be an interesting character. So much has been written about him. The greatest editor of Apollonius’ text tried to explain him as a ‘modern’ hero for Hellenistic times, but conceded that he could be criticized for lacking the qualities of leadership.Fränkel (1960) 1–20, 4.This was not an isolated critical response. Any examination of the poet’s style and content must examine his portrayal throughout the whole epic and answer the question of whether this was a fair verdict. The action of the Argonauticatakes place before the Trojan War. The greatest hero of all, Achilles, is only a babe-in-arms and is brought to spectate as the Argois launched: 

σὺν καί οἱ παράκοιτις ἐπωλένιον φορέουσα 
Πηλεΐδην Ἀχιλῆα, φίλῳ δειδίσκετο πατρί. (1.557-8)

"And with him his wife, bearing Peleus' son Achilles on her arm, showed the child to his dear father."

The scene is a charming one but has a serious narrative purpose. It makes it clear that, although Achilles is given his full Homeric patronymic, we are not in the world of Homer and that the values of heroes who wish to excel at all costs do not necessarily apply.For example, Glaucus, Il. 6. 208 αἰὲν ἀριστεύειν καὶ ὑπείροχον ἔμμεναι ἄλλων.When, however, Jason makes his first public appearance in the poem, he certainly seems to be of heroic, if not god-like stature: