JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS
Well?
Zeus... King of the gods of the Greeks.
Write in the ashes, so that I may read the future.
I see... a great tree at the end of the world.
And in its branches hang the skull and skin of a ram.
They gleam and shine, for it is a prize of the gods. A golden fleece.
We've no time for riddles. Tell me of tonight.
pelias, you will conquer tonight, overthrow the kingdom of Thessaly.
You will kill King Aristo and wear his crown.
You will do all this without fear, because Zeus commands it.
If I am protected by Zeus, I will have no need of this.
I will offer it to the gods.
It is also foretold that although you will win the throne of Aristo, -
- you will, when Zeus ordains, lose it to one of Aristo's children.
- Then Aristo will have no children. - He has three.
Two daughters, philomela and Briseis, and a son, Jason.
They will die with their father tonight.
Hera, queen of gods, protect this child, my sister, philomela.
And if l, Briseis, am worthy, take me into your protection.
- Are you the daughter of Aristo? - Be silent! She is praying.
For her sister and for her murdered father, Aristo.
- Are you a priestess? - I serve the gods.
- Has Briseis called upon Hera? - She has.
- Has the goddess heard her prayer? - Yes.
Then pray for me.
- It is the will of Zeus. - No, it is your will.
Zeus has given you a kingdom. The rest will be your own doing.
The gods abandon you. A one-sandaled man shall come.
- And no gods shall protect you. - A one-sandaled man?
The child who has escaped you. Jason.
Then why was I not told the whole prophecy?
Why did Zeus drive me to kill her, when I only needed to kill Jason?
Zeus can't drive men to do what you have done. They drive themselves.
So that the gods may know them, and that men may understand themselves.
Killing Jason will do you no good.
Kill Jason and you kill yourself.
Zeus, my husband, did you order the profanation of my temple?
That was pelias. He wasn't content with winning the throne of Thessaly.
He tried to avoid losing it, as I commanded.
I know that you have been insulted.
But be content. The boy, Jason, will avenge you.
- How? - I never arrange precise details.
And because of that a young girl was killed, and my temple was profaned.
- I want to help Jason. - No. You may help philomela.
- The rest is man's work. - No, I want to help Jason.
As you wish.
How many times did Briseis call upon you by name?
- Five. - Then help her brother five times.
Five times you can help him to overthrow pelias.
That is my final word.
It will be 20 years before Jason is a man. It's an instant on Olympus.
But a long 20 years for King pelias.
He cautiously travels the roads of Thessaly.
Yes, pelias. You have had years of waiting for the man -
- who must come to kill you. The man with one sandal.
- I owe you my life. - It was a good way to ford a river.
- But I lost a sandal. - Where are you travelling?
- To the palace of the king. - pelias?
- pelias of Thessaly. - Then I can put you on your way.
But first you must accept the hospitality of my camp.
Be seated.
- You haven't told me your name. - I am Jason, king of Thessaly.
I was rescued and brought up in exile.
- Now I return to claim my kingdom. - I've waited for you for 20 years.
pelias has turned my kingdom -
- from the pride of Greece, to a savage, evil land.
When your father defended his throne no man fought harder than l.
This time fighting won't be enough. I could find pelias and kill him.
But people need more than a leader. They feel deserted by the gods.
They need a miracle.
I've heard of a tree with a fleece of gold hanging in its branches.
I heard this, too. So have many men. They say it's a gift of the gods.
It has the power to heal, bring peace and rid the land of famine.
If I could bring it to Thessaly, it would inspire the people -
- and wipe out the years of misrule.
My land will be as rich as it was before pelias murdered my father.
Jason, be advised by me.
Search for the golden fleece. Don't reveal yourself to pelias.
Build a ship, find a crew. When you have this prize -
- then, and only then, return and kill pelias.
And now, rest yourself. My companions are yours to command.
Father, why did you let him live?
If I destroy him, Acastus, I destroy myself.
While he searches for the fleece, he's at the ends of the earth.
- And I am safe. - And if he finds it?
You will be there.
You come to pray to the gods, Jason?
If I had, I wouldn't have chosen a fallen one.
It's only a statue.
Sometimes the gods argue. Then great winds blow. Temples fall.
- Hermes... - Yes?
No, I said the statue was the god Hermes.
Ah, yes. The bringer of dreams and the prowler of the night.
Jason...
No man can tell you how to find the fleece.
Isn't it time you asked the gods?
They won't answer the believers. Would they answer a non-believer?
- Come with me. - Why?
So that you will believe. And be answered.
You win, my lord. That is, the battle, not the war.
Those waters are too shallow for galleys.
Hera, you really must learn to win without cheating.
Or at least to lose gracefully.
- Greetings, Hermes. - Greetings, my lord Zeus.
- There seems to be a piece missing. - perhaps I can help.
Welcome to Olympus, Jason.
Jason comes to Mount Olympus at last.
No man calls upon the gods unless he wants something.
We arranged for you to come here.
I didn't believe that mortals could ask the help of the gods.
- Much less visit them. - At least you're honest.
Which is more than I can say about most mortals. What do you want?
- A ship? A crew? - No, those I can find myself.
- What will you use instead of gold? - The hearts of men.
I'm Hera, your protector on this voyage.
But Zeus has decreed a limit to the number of times I may help you.
Don't speak. I know what you'll ask.
Does the golden fleece exist, and where is it?
- That's two questions. - I shall only give one answer.
- Search the land of Colchis. - Then it does exist.
But Colchis is the end of the world. No Greek has sailed there.
Now that you heard that, are you so sure that you won't need my help?
Think carefully. I offered him a ship. A ship and a crew.
- And he refused me. - Refused the help of the gods?
What ship can sail that far? What crew brave enough to sail her?
I shall tell the shipbuilders that the richest cargo waits in Colchis.
That only the strongest ship ever built will survive the voyage.
The athletes of Greece are proud. Only the best will join me.
I shall announce the games. Invite the strongest of the Greeks.
No greater games shall ever be held. Unless the gods decree otherwise.
I did well to choose you.
The gods are best served by those who want their help least.
Welcome, polydeuces.
Castor of Sparta.
Acastus of Thessaly.
Well done.
phalerus of Athens, champion archer of Greece.
Euphemos of Taenarum. Spiros of Syracuse.
- Hercules! - He's here!
I mean to sail with you. Tell me which champion to beat.
No one. I know you can beat us all.
Hercules... yes.
- Hercules. - Yes?
I'm Hylas. I came too late to compete in the games.
But if I can beat you at something, Jason must give me a place.
After all, he might need brains as well as brawn.
Shall we compete?
Discus?
Come on.
See that rock? No thrower has ever reached it.
Is the contest to hit it or pass it?
- You won't get it half way. - After you.
I've never thrown a discus before. I'd like to see how it's done.
Let Hylas have a moment of triumph.
- You shall have your place. - Hail, Hylas.
I have found the finest crew. Now for a ship that is worthy of them.
- Argus? Argus? - Hello?
- Is that you, Argus? - Who's there?
- It's Jason. - Come aboard.
- So you've come back again. - She's a fine ship.
Yes. She is a fine ship. She's ready to sail.
We've yet to give her a name. I'll call her the Argo after her builder.
The Argo?
After you see the figurehead, you might change your mind. This way.
- Is it forward? - Astern.
But it's supposed to watch over the waters ahead.
I can't help that. Something made me put it here.
Hera, queen of the gods.
- What? - Nothing.
- You don't object to it here? - No.
Nor do l. Makes me feel someone friendly is watching over us.
- When do we sail? - Tomorrow.
- Don't waste it. - It won't make any difference.
Let him rest. We have to find water. We can't row on three sips a day.
- Take my advice. put back to lcos. - We'll lose five days' sailing.
We haven't water enough for the time it would take us to reach lcos.
Don't worry. He won't listen to me. But I wish he'd listen to someone.
Still grumbling? Sailors always grumble.
They have something to grumble about. No water, blistered hands.
They should use brine. It toughens the skin.
Go treat them. I'll steer.
Hera... you said you'd help me a certain number of times.
- You've told me about Colchis. - And I threw Pelias from his horse,
pelias? So that was King pelias.
I know your need, Set sail and steer north,
You'll reach the Isle of Bronze at noon,
- I've never heard of it. - No mortal has,
Hephaestus lived there making armoured weapons for Zeus,
Do not fear, Hephaestus is gone,
I'll see that you reach the isle, but listen to me very carefully,
T ake the helm. Set sail!
We reach land at noon. Then you can fill your bellies.
It will be safe to take food and water, but nothing else.
Absolutely nothing else.
- Does that include women? - Yes, it does.
If I meet a girl with a firm leg and a warm heart, no man will stop me.
- Talos will. - Is that a man who wants to fight?
I spoke of no man. Food and water, Hercules, that's all.
Jason, who told you of this island?
The goddess, Hera.
port helm. Steady as you go.
Furl the sail.
Ashore for food and water.
- Goats, good sailors. - Goats?
- What do you want with goats? - Some of us are hungry and thirsty.
Come on.
Here's one for the pot.
Hercules!
- lsn't he one of the Titans? - It might be. He's big enough.
Didn't Jason talk about Talos?
Hephaestus moulded the statues of the gods here.
And set them up for all the world to see.
Hercules...
- It's a treasure chamber. - The treasure chamber of the gods.
Look at this. And this! A pearl.
- It's a javelin! - In a jewel box?
It's a brooch pin.
It will make a useful weapon. Let's go back to the ship.
- Hercules... - What is it?
You'd better put it back. Remember what Jason said.
It won't be missed.
If the gods leave this unguarded, they obviously don't want it.
It must have been the wind.
- You didn't see them after that? - perhaps Hercules found a woman.
Talos!
Back water!
Back water! Back!
I warned you, It's Hercules' doing, Talos will try to kill all of you,
- How can I fight him? - Don't waste the gift of the gods,
Our weapons are useless. I repeat the question.
Then I must answer it, Fight Talos with your wits,
- Look to his ankles, - His ankles?
There's nothing else I can tell you,
- Jason! - You disobeyed my orders.
Lure him to these rocks. Stay out of reach. I'll hide here, Acastus.
I shall do my very best to send him to you, Jason.
Mind his foot!
Hylas!
Hercules, you left your...
- Well? - We searched, Argus.
- And I will search again. - Hylas was with us. He was running.
- Then he disappeared. - He could have been hurt.
Like palinuros. We had to carry him aboard.
Hercules, Hylas is dead.
The gods decided it.
Why kill a boy for my grave fault? I should have stayed with him.
Search until nightfall. We won't sail till then.
Sail when you please. I can't leave this island until I find Hylas.
Jason, will you abandon Hercules, the best man among us?
- I won't sail without him. - Nor shall l.
Nor l!
Come with me.
Is there any man here who does not obey the gods?
We will do as the goddess Hera commands. If she will speak to us.
This is your last chance, Jason,
The last time that I can help you,
- I understand. - Then know this, Hylas is dead,
Hercules is not fated to go further with the Argo,
- Zeus has other tasks for him, - And for us, Hera?
Sail to Phrygia, Seek out Phineas, the blinded man,
Only he can guide you now,
We set sail.
Come on, back to your places!
Come on, back to your places.