Jason and the Argonauts

Once they were on the open sea, the Argonauts steered due east. Where exactly Colchis lay they did not know, but Cheiron had once said that it was to be found beyond the three seas, far away to the sunrise, where the titan Prometheus hung nailed to a rock above the foaming waves.

So many terrible things were rumoured about these distant seas that had any man believed them all he would never have dared make the voyage. But the Argonauts scorned all danger. Confident that they would overcome every difficulty, and comforted by the hope that the gods would help them, they pressed boldly on.

After a long and tiring sail they reached the island of Lemnos, where they decided to make their first landfall. They needed to rest a little and take on water and supplies to be able to bend to the oars once more with renewed strength. However, on this island so great a temptation lay in wait for them that the expedition to Colchis almost stopped right there.

At that time, only women lived on Lemnos. The menfolk of the island had treated them so cruelly that, unable to bear the tyranny and humiliation any longer, they had secretly armed themselves, set upon the men, and after a murderous struggle chased them from the island. The men of Lemnos had gone, but many others now saw this as a perfect opportunity to rob and loot. So warlike were the island women, however, that all who rashly set out on such raids regretted it bitterly.