Iason (English spelling)

Hero of Greek mythology. The protagonist of the story of the Argo. His father Aeson, the king of Iolcus, the great capital of Thessaly, was driven from the throne by his half-brother Pelias, but fearing that the persecution would extend to his only son Jason, he entrusted his son to the wise centaur Chiron. When Jason reached adulthood, he went to Pelias to claim the right to inherit the throne, but on the way he met the goddess Hera disguised as a humble old woman and lost one of his sandals while helping her across the river. Meanwhile, Pelias, who had previously received an oracle that warned him that he would be destroyed by a man wearing only one sandal, plotted to kill Jason and ordered him to steal the Golden Fleece from Colchis. Jason gathered heroes and brave warriors from all over Greece to board the Argo, and after many hardships, they arrived at Colchis on the other side of the Black Sea. He then receives the difficult task of plowing a field with a fire-breathing bull and sowing dragon's fangs from the ground from King Aeetes. However, with the help of Princess Medea, who falls in love with him, he successfully completes the task, obtains the Golden Fleece, and returns home with Medea, who becomes his wife.

However, Medea's magic led to the murder of Pelias, and the two were exiled from their homeland and fled to Corinth. Jason then abandoned Medea and became the son-in-law of the King of Corinth, but in a rage, Medea massacred the two children she had with Jason and killed her bride with a magic potion. It is said that Jason then died after being hit by the rotten timber of the Argo ship.

The story of Jason is detailed in the Fourth Pythia by Pindar (522/518 BC - 442/438 BC) and in the Argonautica by Apollonius of Rhodes (c. 295 BC - ?).

[Tetsuro Nakatsuka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ギリシア神話の英雄。アルゴ船物語の主人公。テッサリアの大都イオルコスの王である父アイソンは、異父兄弟ペリアスによって王座を追われたが、1子イアソンにまで迫害の及ぶことを恐れ、ケンタウロス族の賢者ケイロンに息子を預けた。やがて成人したイアソンは、王位継承権を要求するためペリアスの所へ向かうが、その途中、卑しい老婆に変装したヘラ女神に会って、川の向こう岸に渡してやる際、片方のサンダルを失う。一方、以前片足サンダルの男に破滅させられるであろうとの神託を受けていたペリアスは、イアソンを亡き者にしようと企て、金の羊毛皮をコルキスの地から奪ってくるよう命じた。イアソンはギリシア中の英雄、豪傑を集めてアルゴ船に乗り組み、苦難のすえ黒海のかなたのコルキスに着いた。そしてアイエテス王から、口から火を吐く牡牛(おうし)で畑を耕し、竜の牙(きば)を播(ま)くという難題を課せられるが、彼に恋した王女メデイアの助けで無事にこれを果たし、金の羊毛皮を手に入れて、妻となったメデイアとともに帰国する。

　しかし、メデイアの魔術によってペリアスを殺害したため祖国を追われた2人は、コリントスに逃れた。そののちイアソンは、メデイアを捨ててコリントス王の婿となったが、怒り狂ったメデイアはイアソンとの間にもうけた2子を虐殺、花嫁をも魔薬で殺した。そして、イアソンはアルゴ船の朽ちた船材を頭上に受けて死んだともいわれる。

　イアソンの物語は、ピンダロス（前522／518―前442／438）の『ピティア第四歌』、またロドスのアポロニオス（前295ころ―？）の『アルゴナウティカ』などに詳しい。

［中務哲郎］

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