Immediately after the conversation with Pelias, Jason began to prepare for the campaign to Colchis. He traveled throughout all the countries of Greece and everywhere invited heroes famous for their exploits to go to Colchis for the Golden Fleece. All great heroes responded to his call. The greatest of the heroes himself, the son of Zeus Hercules, agreed to take part in the campaign. All the heroes gathered in Iolka. Who was not among them: here were the pride of Athens, the mighty Theseus, and the sons of Zeus and Leda, Castor and Polydeuces with their friends Idas and Lynceus, and the winged heroes Kalaid and Zetus, the sons of Boreas and Orithia, and Meleager from Calydon, and the mighty Ankeus, and Admetus, and Telamon, and many others. Among the heroes was the singer Orpheus. Never before has Greece seen such a gathering of heroes. Mighty, beautiful, like gods, they attracted the admiring glances of all the inhabitants of Iolko. What obstacles could stop them, who could resist them, what could frighten them?
The ship for the heroes was also ready. This ship was built by Arestor's son, Arg; The goddess Athena herself helped him. She cut into the stern a piece of sacred oak from the grove of the oracle of Zeus in Dodona. This ten-oared ship, called the Argo, was beautiful. He was light and fast; like a seagull, he rushed along the waves of the sea. The heroes who took part in the campaign were also called Argonauts (sailors from the Argo) after the name of the ship "Argo". Athena was not the only one who patronized the Argonauts—Hera also took them under her protection. She burned with hatred for Pelias because he did not make sacrifices for her. Jason enjoyed the special favor of Hera. So, one day, in order to test the young hero, she appeared to him under the guise of a decrepit old woman on the bank of a mountain river and with tears asked him to take her to the other bank. The hero carefully lifted the old woman onto his shoulders and carried her across the stormy river. Only Jason lost the sandal from his left foot while crossing the river. From then on, Hera fell in love with Jason and helped him in everything. Also, the archer Apollo patronized the Argonauts: after all, he encouraged the heroes to undertake a campaign, and he also predicted happiness and good luck for them.
Gathering in Iolka, the heroes wanted to elect the great Hercules as their leader, but he refused and proposed electing Jason. Typhius was chosen as the helmsman of the Argo, and Lynceus stood at the bow of the ship, from whose gaze nothing could be hidden not only on earth, but even underground.
Everything was ready to sail. The Argo, lowered into the water, was already rocking quietly on the waves; supplies of food and fresh water were already loaded; The last sacrifices were made to Apollo and all the gods. Happy omens were given by the sacrifice. A merry feast was celebrated in the evening. It was time to set off on a long, dangerous voyage.
As soon as the edge of the sky lit up with the purple light of the morning dawn, the helmsman Typhius woke up the Argonauts. The Argonauts boarded the ship and sat on the oars, two for each bench. The mighty oarsmen leaned together on their oars. The Argo proudly sailed out of the harbor and into the open sea. The swimmers raised a snow-white sail. A fair wind inflated the sail, and the light ship quickly rushed along the welcoming roaring waves. Here, on a chariot drawn by snow-white horses, the radiant sun god Helios rose to heaven. The sail of the Argo was painted pink, and the waves of the sea sparkled in the morning rays of the sun.
Orpheus struck the strings of the golden cithara, and his wondrous song spread across the sea. The heroes listened to the song. And from the depths of the sea fish and fast dolphins swam out; Enchanted by the singing of Orpheus, they sailed behind the Argo, which was quickly cutting through the waves, like a flock that, listening to the sweet sounds of the pipe, follows the shepherd.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru