The Argonautika: The Story of Jason and the Quest for the Golden Fleece (Hellenistic Culture & Society) [Paperback]

Apollonios Rhodios (Author), Peter Green (Translator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0520076877 | ISBN-13: 978-0520076877 | Publication Date: November 30, 1997

The Argonautika, the only surviving epic of the Hellenistic era, is a retelling of the tale of Jason and the Golden Fleece, probably the oldest extant Greek myth. Jason, a young prince, is sent on a perilous expedition but comes through various ordeals with the aid of the king's daughter, Medeia, winning the golden fleece and carrying off Medeia herself. He is a very modern figure, not at all Achillean: almost an anti-hero. Along the way, the story incorporates vivid accounts of early exploration and colonizing ventures. Peter Green's lively, readable verse translation captures the swift narrative movement of Apollonios's epic Greek.
Apollonios Rhodios (c. 305-235 B.C.), the author of the Argonautika, was appointed Chief Librarian in the legendary library at Alexandria around 265 B.C. His first draft of this poem, composed when he was a very young man, drew scornful reactions from the literati of the day, Kallimachos in particular, who thought epic passé and long poems vulgar. Apollonios withdrew to the maritime island of Rhodes (his work is notable for its nautical expertise), where he hammered out the text as we know it today, returning to eventual success in the city that had rejected him. The compromise that resulted is a fascinating combination of age-old myth and modern treatment that produces a gripping and unforgettable narrative. Peter Green has translated this renowned poem with skill and wit, offering a refreshing interpretation of a timeless story.

Alternate spelling: Argonautica, Apollonius Rhodius

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

While Apollonios's long verse romance was originally scorned, it has grown in stature and remains the fullest account of the story of Jason, Medea, and the quest for the golden fleece and the only surviving epic of the Hellenistic period. This new translation joins that of F.V. Rieu (Penguin, 1959). Green (classics, Univ. of Texas), the author of a number of books on Alexander the Great and Hellenistic culture, as well as The Laughter of Aphrodite (Univ. of California, 1993), a novel about Sappho, translates Apollonios's Greek into fluent English verse while preserving his stateliness. The cloth version includes comprehensive notes and commentary. Green's efforts represent both fine literature and scholarship, making this book appropriate for public and academic libraries.?Thomas L. Cooksey, Armstrong State Coll., Savannah, Ga.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Greek

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press (November 30, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520076877
• ISBN-13: 978-0520076877
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #896,897 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Should be more widely read..., July 12, 2000

By 

Paul Becker "Paul" (Naugatuck,CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Argonautika: The Story of Jason and the Quest for the Golden Fleece (Hellenistic Culture & Society) (Paperback)

The Argonautika should be as widely read as the Iliad and the Odyssey (or for that matter the Aeneid). Before reading this particular version one should first study the structure of the work, completly discarding Green's Introduction to it, unless, of course, you happen to be a working classical scholar! The translation of Apollonios Argonautika is an excellent read, made much more understandable by the excellent Glossary, which provides background information on all the characters and gods mentioned in the epic, and on geographical locations as well. This glossary is either an excellent first source of information or as a refresher to what the reader might already know. Excellent maps detailing the route the Argonauts took are found in the back of the book. Although an excellent read, it's not one that should be done at a rapid pace! The bibliography makes no mention of Robert Graves narative work on Jason and the Golden Fleece, Hercules My Shipmate.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Softback Commentary?, March 11, 2007

By 

YYT "YYT" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Argonautika: The Story of Jason and the Quest for the Golden Fleece (Hellenistic Culture & Society) (Paperback)

i was shocked on aquiring the softback to discover that it was lacking the commentary, thus making the book semi-useless to me. and when i write 'shocked' i am being polite. the saving grace is that at least i got a good cheap copy of the poem in verse form.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great translation with more commentary than you'll read., February 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Argonautika: The Story of Jason and the Quest for the Golden Fleece (Hellenistic Culture and Society) (Hardcover)

I liked it. The translation was well done and quite readable. I was surprised, however when I ran out of translation and hit the extensive commentary at the back. As I am not a scholar of Greek or Roman writings or mythology the depth of the commentary was generally too much for me. I would have preferred the split page method, where the text and commentary relevant to it appear on the same page. The glossary at the back was helpful to identify which god, goddess or hero was referred to. Some of them are obscure and some unfamiliar names and spellings are used in place of more familiar ones (Kirke = Circe for example).