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Aeson

In , Aeson (Ancient Greek: Αἴσων) was a king of in , renowned as the father of the Argonaut leader and a figure central to tales of royal usurpation and magical rejuvenation. Born as the son of , founder of , and the nymph , Aeson was one of several siblings including his full brothers Pheres and Amythaon, as well as half-brothers and from Tyro's prior union with the god . Upon Cretheus's death, Aeson succeeded to the throne of but was soon overthrown by his ambitious half-brother , who feared a foretelling his death at the hands of a kinsman wearing a single . To protect the infant from Pelias's wrath, Aeson and his wife Alcimede concealed their son's survival by claiming he had died, while Aeson himself either submitted to imprisonment or feigned death. Aeson's story intertwines with Jason's quest for the , as sent his nephew on the perilous journey in hopes of his demise. Upon Jason's triumphant return with , the sorceress wife of the hero, she famously restored Aeson's youth through a potent magical described in ancient sources: drawing his blood, brewing it with herbs, dew, and incantations under the , then reintroducing the to reverse his aging, transforming his white hair to black and infusing vigor into his limbs. This act of rejuvenation, detailed in Ovid's , highlighted Medea's formidable powers but later contributed to her tragic fallout with Jason after she used similar deceptive magic to aid in the death of . While primary accounts vary—appearing in works like Apollonius Rhodius's , Euripides's , and Valerius Flaccus's —Aeson's narrative underscores themes of filial duty, sorcery, and dynastic strife in the Thessalian royal line, influencing later European literature and art depictions of heroic lineages.

Identity and origins

Etymology

The name Aeson, known in Ancient Greek as Αἴσων (Aísōn), derives from early epic traditions and is first attested in fragments attributed to Hesiod, where it appears as the name of the father of the hero Jason. The etymology of Αἴσων remains uncertain. In the Thessalian dialect of Iolcus, where Aeson is mythically situated as a king, the name may reflect local linguistic features, as evidenced by the nearby town of Aeson (or Aison) in Magnesia, possibly named after or inspiring the hero's nomenclature.

Parentage and early life

Aeson was the son of , the founder of the Thessalian city of , and , daughter of . , a descendant of the wind god , established as a key settlement in the region, rooting the family's heritage in the Aeolian lineage that traced back to himself. This paternal connection positioned Aeson as a legitimate heir within the Aeolid dynasty, emphasizing his claim to the throne through 's foundational role. Tyro, renowned in myth for her unions with both mortal and divine figures, bore three sons: , his full brothers and . While accounts of Aeson's youth are sparse, he grew up in amid the prosperity of his father's kingdom, which benefited from its strategic location and Aeolian ties that linked it to broader networks of heroic lineages in . Apollonius Rhodius highlights Aeson's descent from in the context of kinship among , underscoring the prestige of this heritage without detailing specific events of his early years. No variant accounts credibly list Admetus among Aeson's direct siblings; instead, Admetus appears as the son of Pheres in standard genealogies. Aeson's pre-usurpation life thus centers on his upbringing as the son of Iolcus's founder, preparing him for kingship through familial legacy rather than notable exploits.

Family and rule in Iolcus

Marriage and children

Aeson married Alcimede, daughter of Phylacus and Clymene, who became the mother of his son . In the , Apollonius Rhodius describes Alcimede as Jason's mother, emphasizing her lineage through her grandfather Minyas, which connected the family to ancient Thessalian . Alternative traditions name Polymede, daughter of , as Aeson's wife and Jason's mother, as attested in a fragment of Hesiod's . Less common variants include Amphinome or , though these appear in later compilations without direct primary attribution. The couple's primary son, , was the legendary leader of , whose birth and upbringing underscored themes of rightful inheritance in Iolcan lore. , in Pythian Ode 4, traces Jason's descent from Aeson, portraying him as the legitimate heir to the Aeolidae amid familial strife, with divine undertones linked to Poseidon's favor toward Aeson's mother, . A second son, Promachus, is mentioned as a young warrior slain by during his reign, highlighting the vulnerabilities of the royal lineage. Hyginus confirms Jason's parentage from Aeson and Alcimede, reinforcing the core familial structure central to the Argonaut saga. This family unit symbolized the intersection of mortal kingship and heroic destiny, with Jason's exploits perpetuating the Aeolian genealogy outlined in Pindar's odes and echoed in genealogical fragments. The alliances, particularly through Alcimede's Phylacid ties, bolstered 's regional influence, tying into broader mythic narratives of succession and divine patronage.

Ascension to kingship

As the eldest son of , founder and king of , and his wife , Aeson was the legitimate heir to the in the paternal of the Aeolian of . Iolcus, located in eastern Thessaly near the Pagasetic Gulf, was a prosperous maritime and agricultural center, benefiting from its strategic position that supported trade, shipbuilding, and fertile plains ideal for grain cultivation. Ancient accounts describe the city as spacious and wealthy in livestock, underscoring its economic vitality under Aeolian governance. From the outset, Aeson navigated tensions with his half-brother Pelias, who shared the same mother Tyro but was sired by Poseidon, positioning him as a divine-favored rival whose ambitions foreshadowed dynastic strife. Fragmentary sources hint at Aeson's efforts to consolidate power through ties to neighboring Aeolian rulers, though specific alliances remain sparsely documented in surviving texts.

Usurpation and exile

Pelias's coup

, the son of and , usurped the throne of from his half-brother upon the death of , their stepfather and 's father, banishing his twin brother , who later became king of . As the legitimate heir through 's marriage to , was displaced by , who established himself as king through force and confined to prevent any challenge to his rule. To consolidate his precarious hold on the throne, Pelias consulted the at , which warned him to beware of a man wearing a single sandal, foretelling that this figure would overthrow him. Interpreting the prophecy as a reference to potential rivals from Aeson's line, particularly his son , Pelias grew increasingly paranoid and resorted to against his brother's family. This oracle directly motivated Pelias's subsequent actions to eliminate threats, transforming his initial seizure into a broader campaign of suppression. The prophecy's significance became apparent during a sacrifice to at the seashore, where had summoned participants from across the region, including , who had been raised in the countryside by the centaur under the protection of his mother Alcimede (or Polymede in some accounts). As Jason hurried to join the rites, he lost one sandal while fording the muddy Anaurus River, arriving before with only one foot shod. Recognizing the oracle's fulfillment in this one-sandaled youth, viewed as the prophesied usurper and, under the guise of a test of loyalty, demanded that he retrieve the from distant —a perilous quest intended to ensure Jason's demise. In the immediate aftermath of the usurpation, Aeson was imprisoned in , and threatened to execute him along with any kin who might support a restoration. Alcimede, fearing for her infant son's life amid these threats, sent away to for safekeeping shortly after his birth, thereby shielding him from 's purge of potential heirs. This act of concealment allowed to survive into adulthood, evading the full brunt of 's coup until his dramatic return.

Fate during Pelias's reign

Following Pelias's usurpation of the throne in , Aeson, the rightful king, was confined within the palace, living out his days in a state of subdued captivity and advanced age under his half-brother's watchful rule. In this period, Aeson remained bedridden and grief-stricken, shedding tears over the perils facing his son , as described in the laments surrounding Jason's departure on the Argonautic quest. This confinement reflected Pelias's to neutralize potential threats from the Aeolid royal line without immediate execution, allowing Aeson a fragile existence supported by household loyalists who tended to him amid the oppressive atmosphere of the court. To safeguard the infant from Pelias's demand for the heads of Aeson's male heirs—aimed at securing his usurpation—Aeson and his wife Alcimede orchestrated a by staging a mock for their shortly after his birth. Dressed in purple swaddling clothes, the baby was paraded through the city amid the shrieks of mourning women, creating the illusion of his death before being secretly conveyed to the centaur on Mount for safekeeping and training. This ruse, enacted under cover of night, enabled Jason's survival and upbringing away from , preserving the lineage's hope for restoration while Aeson endured his constrained life. Throughout Pelias's , Aeson exhibited quiet through subtle ties to his son's development, including indirect communications facilitated by Chiron's , which instilled in the knowledge of his heritage and the injustices in . These connections underscored Aeson's enduring claim to legitimacy among Thessalian loyalists, even as Pelias consolidated power by instilling fear across the region, executing or imprisoning rivals and their kin to suppress dissent. Such tactics not only isolated Aeson but also reshaped Thessalian politics, prioritizing terror over traditional Aeolid succession to maintain Pelias's dominance.

Rejuvenation and later years

Medea's restoration

Upon the ' return to with the , Jason requested that his new wife use her sorcery to restore his aged father Aeson, who had languished in despair during Pelias's usurpation. Medea, drawing on her Colchian heritage as a priestess versed in herbal elixirs and incantations, agreed to perform the in secrecy to avoid alarming the populace. This act not only demonstrated her magical prowess but also fulfilled Jason's filial duty, symbolizing renewal and purification akin to the Fleece's restorative themes in the myth. The ritual, conducted under cover of night, involved elaborate sorcerous preparations rooted in Colchian traditions of pharmacology and invocation. Medea erected turf altars to and , adorning them with boughs and vervain before sacrificing a black ram and pouring libations of milk, wine, and blood into excavated trenches to appease deities like and Proserpine. She then lulled Aeson into a profound with spells, positioned him on a bed of herbs, and dismissed all attendants to ensure privacy. Circling the altars thrice, she purified him with torch flames, water, and sulfur, then boiled a potent in a bronze cauldron, incorporating juices from Thessalian herbs gathered from mounts Ossa, , and Olympus, along with exotic ingredients such as screech-owl flesh, wolf entrails, serpent slough, and the beak of a nine-century-old crow. Stirring with an that miraculously sprouted leaves and fruit, she invoked celestial and terrestrial powers—Night, the , stars, winds, rivers, and groves—beseeching them to reverse . To complete the transformation, slit Aeson's throat, allowing his enfeebled blood to drain while infusing the cauldron's into his veins. The process, though involving a precise incision rather than full , echoed Colchian rites of bodily renewal through and replacement, restoring Aeson not merely to his prime but to a surpassing it, with darkened , smooth , and vigorous limbs that astonished onlookers upon his awakening. This underscored themes of magical intervention as a counter to tyranny's toll, tying Aeson's revival to the broader purification motif of the quest. In variants of the myth, such as Valerius Flaccus' , Medea's abilities are further emphasized through her Hecatean powers, portraying her as a devotee wielding secretive magic that evokes awe and trepidation among gods and mortals alike, though the itself is omitted in favor of Aeson's earlier .

Death and aftermath

In the Ovidian tradition featuring Medea's , Aeson's fate after the restoration is not further detailed. Other accounts vary: for instance, in , Aeson dies before Jason's return, committing by drinking bull's blood when believes the quest has failed (Apollod. 1.9.27). The aftermath of events in marked the end of Aeolid dominance. After 's deception led to Pelias's death by his daughters, Acastus buried his father and exiled and , leading the throne to pass to Acastus and his descendants. Heroic narratives in subsequent myths shifted away from the Thessalian rulers, turning instead to figures like Adrastus of in the Theban epics, where themes of failed restorations and generational curses echoed the Iolcan tale. This outcome underscored broader motifs of in defying mortality through and the ephemeral quality of .

Depictions in ancient literature

Primary sources

Hesiod's Catalogue of Women, a fragmentary epic poem from the 7th or 6th century BCE, provides early genealogical references to Aeson within the context of Aeolian and Iolcan origins. In one surviving fragment, Tyro, daughter of Salmoneus, bears Neleus and Pelias to Poseidon before marrying Cretheus, by whom she has three sons: Aeson, Pheres, and Amythaon. Another fragment specifies that Aeson fathers Jason with Polymele (or Alcimede in variant traditions), portraying Jason as a shepherd-like leader raised by Chiron on Mount Pelion, thus linking Aeson to the foundational myths of Iolcus as a Thessalian kingdom established by Cretheus. These passages emphasize Aeson's role in heroic lineages rather than narrative events, serving as a catalog of noble women and their descendants across Greek regions. Apollonius Rhodius's Argonautica, a Hellenistic epic from the BCE, integrates Aeson more extensively into Jason's quest narrative across Books 1 and 4. In Book 1, Aeson is depicted as Jason's aged father, married to Alcimede (daughter of Phylacus or Minyas), whose grief over his son's departure for the underscores the familial stakes of the expedition; women of lament Aeson's sorrow, highlighting his physical decline and past prosperity as king. Jason himself refers to caring for his parents, including Aeson, in potential messages to , reinforcing Aeson's passive yet pivotal status. Book 4 details the ' return to , where Medea rejuvenates the elderly Aeson through a involving a of herbs and roots; she slits his throat to drain his old blood and infuses the , restoring his youth and vigor without the more elaborate ceremonies seen in later accounts. This episode positions Aeson as a beneficiary of Medea's Colchian magic, symbolizing renewal amid the heroes' homecoming. Valerius Flaccus's , a epic from the 1st century CE, follows Apollonius closely in depicting Aeson's rejuvenation in Book 8. Upon ' return, performs a similar on the aged Aeson, cutting his throat to replace his blood with a magical of herbs and incantations, restoring his youth and strength. This portrayal emphasizes 's and Aeson's renewed vitality in the context of heroic epic. Ovid's (Book 7, ca. 8 CE) presents Aeson's rejuvenation as a vivid, standalone episode detached from the broader Argonaut voyage, focusing on Medea's sorcery upon her arrival in with . After entreats her to restore his father's waning life—initially offering his own years, which Medea declines—she performs a nocturnal ritual over nine days, gathering exotic herbs, stones, and animal parts while invoking and the gods. Medea then builds altars, sacrifices, and boils a transformative brew in a ; she cuts Aeson's throat, expels his aged blood, and replenishes it with the , resulting in his to youthful appearance, with dark hair, smooth skin, and renewed strength equivalent to his fortieth year. This account emphasizes the gruesome yet miraculous aspects of the metamorphosis, attributing Aeson's revival directly to Medea's incantations and herbal expertise. Other ancient authors offer briefer or variant mentions of Aeson, often highlighting inconsistencies in his family ties and fate. Pindar's Pythian Ode 4 (ca. 462 BCE) references Aeson primarily as Jason's father in the context of Pelias's usurpation, portraying him as the rightful king displaced in Iolcus without detailing his later life or death. Diodorus Siculus's Library of History (Book 4, 1st century BCE) recounts Aeson's genealogy as son of Cretheus and Tyro alongside Pheres and Amythaon, but diverges on his end: imprisoned by Pelias, who, believing Jason dead during the quest, compelled Aeson to commit suicide by drinking ox's blood, a lethal poison. Pausanias's Description of Greece (2nd century CE) notes Aeson in passing within Thessalian lineages, such as in discussions of Iolcan cults and heroic statues, but records familial inconsistencies, like variant mothers for Jason (Polymele or Alcimede). These sources collectively illustrate Aeson's narrative function as a symbol of lost kingship and paternal legacy, with variations reflecting evolving mythic traditions.

Variations in accounts

Ancient accounts of Aeson's parentage exhibit subtle discrepancies, particularly regarding the emphasis on Tyro's role and the enumeration of siblings. The predominant tradition, recorded in Apollodorus (Library 1.9.11) and Hesiod's Catalogue of Women (fr. 30), identifies Aeson as the son of Cretheus, founder of Iolcus, and Tyro, daughter of Salmoneus, alongside full brothers Pheres and Amythaon; Tyro's earlier twin sons Pelias and Neleus by Poseidon are acknowledged as half-brothers, complicating the family dynamics. However, certain early sources, such as the mythographer Pherecydes (FGrH 3 F 52), omit or minimize Tyro's liaison with Poseidon, thereby simplifying the lineage and reducing the sibling count to focus solely on Cretheus's progeny. The rejuvenation of Aeson by Medea displays notable differences in inclusion and depiction across authors, often tied to the narrative's timeline and thematic priorities. ' Medea entirely omits the episode, as the tragedy unfolds in years after ' voyage, centering on 's betrayal and infanticide without referencing her earlier feats in . In contrast, Roman dramatist incorporates the event in his Medea with macabre intensity, portraying slitting Aeson's throat, extracting his aged blood, and reboiling his body in a infused with herbs and incantations to restore his youth, underscoring her vengeful sorcery. Ovid's (7.163–293) elaborates further on the magical ritual, detailing 's nocturnal gathering of exotic plants, serpents, and celestial aid, transforming the act into a vivid display of enchantment rather than mere restoration. Disparities also appear in narratives of Aeson's death, ranging from active self-inflicted ends to more passive declines. The majority of sources depict as Pelias's tyranny intensifies; (Library 1.9.27) states that, facing execution, Aeson begs to end his life honorably and ingests bull's blood—regarded as a lethal —during a sacrificial . (Library of History 4.50) echoes this, noting Pelias compels Aeson to drink ox's blood upon presuming Jason's demise during the quest. Yet, certain Hellenistic fragments and texts, such as Apollonius Rhodius' (4.264–272), portray Aeson as enfeebled by age but alive upon ' return, enabling Medea's rejuvenation without prior death; his end is implied as a natural passing in advanced years, absent the dramatic violence. These inconsistencies often stem from regional and cultural emphases in the myth's transmission. Thessalian traditions, preserved in Greek historians like and local genealogies, prioritize political strife and familial betrayal, casting Aeson as a victim of dynastic coup with a stoic, self-determined death. Roman interpretations, evident in and , pivot toward spectacle and the exotic, amplifying Medea's magical prowess and Aeson's as a vehicle for exploring themes of power and transformation over Iolcan politics.

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