Jason and the Argonauts

Well?

Zeus, king of the gods

of the Greeks...

...write in the ashes

so that I may read the future.

I see...

...a great tree

at the end of the world.

And in its branches there hang

the skull and the skin of a ram.

They gleam and shine...

...for it is a prize of the gods,

a Golden Fleece.

We've no time for riddles

and mysteries. Tell me of tonight.

Pelias, you will conquer tonight.

You will overthrow

the kingdom of Thessaly.

You will kill the king, Aristo,

and wear his crown.

You will do all these things

without fear or wound...

...because Zeus commands it.

If I'm protected by Zeus,

I will have no need of this.

I will lay it on the fire

as a thank offering to the gods.

Pelias...

...it is also foretold that although

you will win the throne of Aristo...

...you will, when Zeus ordains,

lose it...

...to one of Aristo's children.

- Then Aristo will have no children.

- He has three, Pelias.

Two daughters,

Philomela and Briseis...

...and a son, Jason.

Then two daughters and a son

will die with their father tonight.

Hera, queen of gods, protect

this child, my sister Philomela.

And if I, Briseis, am worthy...

...take me into your protection.

Are you Briseis,

the daughter of Aristo?

Be silent. She is praying.

For her sister

and for her murdered father, Aristo.

Are you a priestess?

I serve the gods.

Then tell me, has Briseis

called upon the goddess Hera?

She has.

And has the goddess

heard her prayer?

Yes.

Then pray for me.

It is the will of Zeus.

It is not the will of Zeus.

It is your will.

Zeus has given you a kingdom.

The rest will be your own doing.

The gods abandon you, Pelias.

A one-sandaled man shall come...

...and no god shall protect you

from him.

A one-sandaled man?

The child who has escaped you:

Jason.

Then why was I not told

the whole prophecy?

Why did Zeus drive me

to kill this girl...

...when the only one I needed to kill

was Jason?

Zeus cannot drive men

to do what you have done.

Men drive themselves

to do such things...

...that the gods may know them...

...and that men

may understand themselves.

The killing of Jason

would do you no good.

Kill Jason and you kill yourself.

Zeus, my godly husband,

did you, for some reason...

...order the profanation

of my temple in Thessaly?

That was entirely

the thought of Pelias.

Not content with winning the throne

of Thessaly, as I wished...

...he tried to avoid losing it

as I have commanded.

I know that you've

been insulted, my dear.

But be content.

The boy, Jason, has escaped.

- He will avenge you.

- How?

You must know by now I never arrange

exact and precise details--

And because you are neither exact

nor precise, a young girl was killed...

...and my temple was profaned.

- I want to help Jason.

- No.

You may help the infant, Philomela,

if you wish. She's a girl.

The rest is man's work.

No. I want to help Jason.

As you wish.

How many times did Aristo's daughter

Briseis call upon you?

- By name?

- Five.

Well, then you can help

her brother five times.

Five times only you can help him

to overthrow Pelias.

And that is my final word.

It will be 20 years

before Jason becomes a man.

Oh, an instant of time

here on Mount Olympus...

...but a long 20 years

for King Pelias.

He cautiously travels

the roads of Thessaly.

Yes, Pelias, you have had years

of watching and waiting...

...for the man

who must come to kill you.

The man with one sandal.

I owe you my life.

That was as good a way

to ford a river as any.

But I seem to have lost a sandal

in doing it.

Where are you traveling?

To the palace of the king.

- Pelias?

- Pelias of Thessaly.

Then I can put you on your way.

But first, you must accept

the hospitality of my camp.

Come.

Be seated.

You have not yet

told me your name.

I am Jason,

the lawful king of Thessaly.

One of my father's soldiers rescued

me and brought me up in exile.

Now I've returned

to claim my kingdom.

I have waited for you for 20 years.

And in that 20 years,

Pelias has turned my kingdom...

...from the pride of Greece

to a savage, evil land.

I shall need your help.

When your father defended his throne,

no man fought harder than I.

This time it will not

be enough to fight.

I could fight.

I could find Pelias and kill him.

But the people need more

than a leader.

They must believe

the gods have not deserted them.

- They need a miracle.

- And where will you find this miracle?

I have heard there is a tree

at the end of the world...

...with a fleece of gold

hanging in its branches.

I have heard this too.

So have many men.

They say it is a gift of the gods.

It has the power to heal, bring peace

and rid the land of plague and famine.

If I could find this prize

and bring it home to Thessaly...

...then it would inspire the people,

wipe out the years of misrule.

They would know the gods

have not abandoned them.

My land would be

rich and strong again...

...as it was before this tyrant, Pelias,

murdered my father.

Jason...

...be advised by me.

First, search for this Golden Fleece.

Do not reveal yourself to Pelias,

but build a ship...

...and find a crew,

and when you have this prize...

...then and only then...

...return and kill Pelias.

And now rest yourself.

My companions are yours

to command.

Father, why do you let him live?

If I destroy him, Acastus,

I destroy myself.

While he is searching

for the Golden Fleece...

...he is at the ends of the earth

and I am safe.

And if he finds it?

You will be there.

Have you come to pray

to the gods, Jason?

If I had, I wouldn't

have chosen a fallen one.

Only a statue.

Sometimes the gods argue

amongst themselves.

Then great winds blow...

...and temples fall.

- Hermes.

- Yes?

No, I said the statue

was the god Hermes.

- Hermes.

- Yes.

A bringer of dreams

and a prowler of the night.

Jason.

No man can tell you

how to find the fleece.

Is it not time you asked the gods?

They will not answer

those who believe in them.

Why should they answer one

who doesn't?

Come with me.

Why?

So that you will believe...

...and be answered.

You win, my lord.

That is, the battle, not the war.

Oh, those waters

are far too shallow for galleys.

Hera, my dear, you really must learn

to win without cheating.

Or at least to lose gracefully.

- Greetings, Hermes.

- Greetings, my lord Zeus.

There seems to be a piece missing.

Perhaps I can help.

Welcome to Olympus, Jason.

Jason come to Mount Olympus

at last.

No man calls upon the gods

unless he wants something.

We arranged for you

to be brought here by Hermes.

I wouldn't have believed a mortal

could ask the help of the gods...

...much less visit them.

Well, at least you're honest.

Which is more than I can say

for most other mortals.

What is it you want?

A ship? A crew?

No. Those I can find myself.

And what are you going to use

in place of gold?

The hearts of men.

I am Hera, queen of the gods

and your protector on this voyage.

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