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A Fleece of Gold; Five Lessons from the Fable of Jason and the Golden Fleece By: Charles Stewart Given |
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Five Lessons from the Fable of Jason and the Golden Fleece by Charles Stewart Given 1905 Second Edition Revised To my sons
Kingsley and Gordon
"Jason and his men seized the favorable moment of the rebound, plied
their oars with vigor, and passed through in safety." Contents Introduction I. The Ruling Element, "Jason and his men." II. The Golden Quality, "They passed through." III. The Messenger of Fate, "They seized the favourable moment." IV. The Active Hand, "They plied their oars with vigor." V. Ethics of Activity
Foreword Among the smaller forces which operate upon the mind and tend toward
strengthening and exalting the best ideals, are little books like this.
They are especially valuable when so much of the author's own experience
forms a thread upon which are suspended jewels of thought and illustration
serviceable to those who would see and know the best things. I have found these characteristics in this small volume, and gladly
recommend it to all those who would become more familiar with what our
author calls "the key to that cabinet of character in which nature
conceals not only the motive power of every day life, but those latent
talents and energies that, through a knowledge of self, we can bring to
bear upon our lives." This book will help many who have small
opportunities in the form of time and money to expend in the use of
larger volumes. Charles Stewart Given
Introduction The fable of Jason and the Golden Fleece is known to old and young the
world around. To the latter, perhaps, no other simple narrative in
Greek mythology is more fascinating, nor holds a more valuable lesson
if they will but seek to learn it. But especially to the boy or young
man of thoughtful mind does the glorious adventure appeal and make its
lessons obvious. By way of refreshing the memory of those who were once
familiar with the myth, but who, in the practical school of experience,
have lost the chord of their adventure loving days; and also for those,
perchance, who are not acquainted with the tale, a brief sketch will
here serve our purpose. In Thessaly dwell a king and a queen with their two children, a boy and a
girl. The holy alliance between the two royal members of the household
becomes disrupted, and Nephele, the good mother, appeals to Mercury, the
messenger of the gods, to assist her in secretly placing the children out
of reach of their father, the king. Mercury provides a ram with a golden
fleece, on which the boy and girl are placed. The shining creature springs
into the air, bearing its precious burden across the sea. Unfortunately,
the girl falls from the ram's back and is drowned, but the boy is landed
safely on the other shore in the kingdom of Colchis. Here he sacrifices
the ram to Jupiter and presents the golden fleece to the king, who places
it in a consecrated grove under the care of a sleepless dragon. Now Jason is heir to the throne of Æson, ruler of another kingdom in
Thessaly, from whence the royal children started on their adventurous
journey. Years have passed, however, since this remarkable incident, and
Jason, being now a young man and having been told the dramatic tale of
the Golden Fleece, begins to think what a glorious adventure it would be
to go in quest of the royal prize. Forthwith he makes preparations for
the expedition, and with a band of other lusty young heroes starts on a
sea voyage toward the land of the Colchian king. It is not without
difficulty, however, that they accomplish the voyage, for at the entrance
of the Euxine Sea they encounter two floating islands, veritable
mountains of rock, huge and shaggy, which, in their tossings and
heavings, at intervals come together "crushing and grinding to atoms any
object that might be caught between them." But " Jason and his men seized
the favorable moment of the rebound, plied their oars with vigor and
passed through in safety ." Approaching the royal palace Jason makes known his mission, whereupon
the king promises to relinquish the valuable possession if Jason will
yoke to the plow two fire breathing bulls and sow the teeth of the
dragon... Continue reading book >>
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Genres for this book |
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Myths/Legends |
Philosophy |
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