JASON, ja.'-50/2, a celebrated hero, son of King )Eson of Iolchos and Alcimede, the daughter of Cretheus and Tyro. Before her marriage with Cretheus, Tyro had born two sons, Pelias and Neleus, to Neptune ; and on King Cretheus's death Perfas usurped his throne, the lawful heir, iEson, being banished. Jason, having been removed from Pelias's power, and after being educated by the famous centaur Chiron in Thessaly, consulted an oracle, and was ordered to go to Iolchos covered with a leopard's skin and dressed as a Magnesian ; on his way he was stopped by the overflowing of the Evenus (or Enipeus), over which he was carried by Juno (as an old woman), but he lost one of his sandals; the sin gularity of his dress and fair complexion drew a crowd around him at Iolchos, and among them Pelias, who, having been warned by an oracle to beware of a man who should appear at Iolchos with one foot bare and the other shod, suspected his parentage, and was soon assured of the truth by Jason proceeding with some friends to the palace to demand the surrender of the throne. Pelias, fearing him, but un
willing to abdicate, promised to peacefully give up possession if Jason would go to Colchis and punish King lEetes for the murder of their common relation Phryxus and bring back the golden fleece. Jason readily under took this famous expedition, an account of which is given under ARGONAUT/E. Jason re turned to Thessaly with rEetes' daughter Medea (q.v.) as his wife, amid great festivities ; and Medea, by her sorcery, restored his aged father fEson to the vigour of youth. Pelias (q.v.) wished to be similarly restored, but perished in the operation. To avoid the wrath of the populace, she and Jason fled to Corinth, where, ten years after, Jason deserted Medea for King Creon's daughter Cretsa (q.v.). Jason lived an unsettled life after Creusa's murder by Medea, and was killed by a beam falling from the Argo ; but, according to others, Jason re visited Colchis, seized the throne, and reigned in security.