Title of the work
Country of the First Edition
Country/countries of popularity
Original Language
First Edition Date
First Edition Details
Neil Smith, Myths and Legends: Jason and the Argonauts. Oxford and New York: Osprey Publishing, 2013, 80 pp.
ISBN
Genre
Adaptations
Instructional and educational works
Target Audience
Crossover (Older children, teens)
Cover
We are still trying to obtain permission for posting the original cover.
Author of the Entry:
Ayelet Peer, Bar-Ilan University, ayelet.peer@gmail.com
Peer-reviewer of the Entry:
Lisa Maurice, Bar-Ilan University, lisa.maurice@biu.ac.il
Daniel A. Nkemleke, University of Yaoundé 1, nkemlekedan@yahoo.com
José Daniel Cabrera Peña (Illustrator)
From the book Jason and the Argonauts (Myths and Legends): José Daniel is a Spanish painter from Granada; he works on books as well as films. He writes that he is “focused in historical, fantasy and sci-fi illustration” among others (source see here, accessed: February 26, 2019).
Bio prepared by Ayelet Peer, Bar-Ilan University, ayelet.peer@gmail.com
Neil Smith (Author)
Neil is an American freelance writer who resides in Virginia. He has a B.A. in Classics and Medieval History from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and M.A from the University of Georgia. He then continued to a Ph.D. in History.
Sources:
Profile at amazon.com (accessed: February 26, 2019)
Profile at ospreypublishing.com (accessed: February 26, 2019)
Bio prepared by Ayelet Peer, Bar-Ilan University, ayelet.peer@gmail.com
Summary
The book describes the quest of Jason and the Argonauts in great detail, accompanied by original paintings by the illustrator as well as maps and photos from other sources. The main story is narrated in the middle, yet there are excerpts in several chapters which illuminate other key points of the story, such as the Golden Fleece, the list of Argonauts, Jason in movies etc. This is not a fiction but rather a narration of the myth aimed at older readership. The book includes an introduction on the setting of the mythological story and the ancient writers who told it. Then we have the story of the Argonauts in great detail, counting their various adventures such as Jason’s background, his quest, Lemnos, mount of bears, loss of Heracles, Phineas and the Harpies, Clashing Rocks, Colchis, Medea, and the return adventures including Circe, the desert and more. Selected bibliography is presented at the end.
Analysis
This is a very thorough and informative book. The events are explained in an orderly fashion accompanied by different images (original pictures by the illustrator, works of art from museums etc.). The pictures or photos are also explained. No doubt the author is versed in the ancient myth. The story follows the ancient accounts closely, with modest modifications (with a slight alteration when sex is involved, for example in Lemnos. Yet Medea’s killing of her children is not passed over). It is even portrayed how Eros and Ganymede were playing dice together when Aphrodite intervened – a very rare inclusion in such books for the younger audience. The author does not try to make the story appropriate for young children but simply tells the story as is. It feels as if this is not a retelling of the myth but simply the telling of it in readable English for all audiences. As the author notes: “this version of the tale presents the Argonautica without judgement or prejudice, as a straightforward story for the enjoyment of the reader, compiled from the various translations.” (p. 5).
