Meta Description: Join Ad Navseam Ep. 227 as Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle explore Apollonius of Rhodes’ Argonautica, Jason’s heroism, and the clashing Symplegades!
Welcome back, classical gourmands, to episode 227 of the Ad Navseam podcast! Prepare to get your fill with another delectable discussion of Greco-Roman civilization, stretching from the ancient Minoans and Mycenaeans through the Renaissance and right down to the present.
Broadcasting directly from Parnassus, Vomitorium Central (the “bunker”), your devoted hosts return to the microphones. Dr. Jeffrey T. Winkle is back in the classroom teaching a brand-new course on horror cinema, starting with the 1922 silent masterpiece Nosferatu. Meanwhile, Dr. David C. Noe is teaching high school Latin using the Cambridge Latin Course and was recently told by a surprised student, “We really learned a lot this week”!
Argo Baking Powder and Simple Syrup
Before diving into the text, the hosts share some amusing listener correspondence. Dave received a photo from his friend Drew featuring a massive, 8-pound Costco container of Argo Baking Powder. Having listened to Oswaldo’s previous shout-out from Brazil (mentioning the Fiat Argo and Kronos vehicles), Drew thought the baking powder offered another hilarious connection to the podcast!
Dave also launches into a brief rant regarding a term that has been keeping him up at night: “simple syrup.” A staple of cooking and baking shows, simple syrup is just sugar and water. Dave complains that the word “simple” makes no sense as a culinary adjective, joking that he doesn’t go to the fridge to fetch a stick of “simple butter” or a glass of “simple water”!
Is Jason an “Anti-Hero”?
The centerpiece of today’s episode continues the multi-part exploration of Apollonius of Rhodes’ Hellenistic epic, the Argonautica (using the Stanley Lombardo and Cynthia Polsley translation from Hackett Publishing).
Jeff introduces a 1992 Greece & Rome article by Stephen Jackson entitled, “Apollonius’ Jason: Human Being in an Epic Scenario.” Jackson attempts to defend Jason against decades of scholarly criticism that labels him weak, discreet, colorless, and “uninteresting when he is not repellent”.
Jackson argues that scholars err by comparing Jason to the archetypal Homeric hero (like Achilles). As a product of Hellenistic sensibility, Jason is not a larger-than-life demigod, but a regular “human being” who faces moral dilemmas, relies heavily on divine assistance (like Hera and Athena), and is not afraid to seek female advice (Medea).
While Dave concedes Jackson’s point about contextualizing the epic, he pushes back hard against the implication that Homeric heroes like Achilles did not face moral dilemmas. Ultimately, both hosts agree that Jason’s manic, self-flagellating style of leadership makes him incredibly frustrating compared to the bold, decisive heroes of earlier epics.
The Clashing Rocks of the Symplegades
Picking up the narrative in Book 2, the Argo faces one of its most famous and terrifying challenges: navigating the Symplegades (the Clashing Rocks).
These living, crashing rocks guarded the narrow strait between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea (Pontus). The blind prophet Phineus previously warned the Argonauts that they must send a dove through the rocks first. If the dove survived, they should row for their lives; if it was crushed, they should turn back.
The dove makes it through but gets its tail feathers clipped. The Argonauts row furiously into the strait, but a massive wave plunges the Argo back like a cylinder through the cavernous sea. At the critical moment, the goddess Athena intervenes. She shoves one rock back with her left hand and pushes the ship through with her right hand. The Argo flies through like a fletched arrow, losing only its stern ornament as the rocks crash together behind them.
With the ship safely through, the rocks become permanently rooted in a single spot. As Jefrf notes, this utilizes the classic “Rumpelstiltskin trope”—once a magical obstacle is defeated, its power is permanently broken.
Tiphys’ Confidence and Jason’s Depression
Having survived the Clashing Rocks, the helmsman Tiphys is euphoric. He thumps his chest, declaring that the Argo cannot be caught and that all their future toils will be easy.
Jason immediately ruins the mood. Rather than celebrating, Jason descends into a deep, agonizing depression, lamenting that he should have refused the mission and allowed himself to be torn limb from limb. He claims his “abject delusion” and “bewildering terror” keep him awake at night.
Apollonius explicitly tells the reader that Jason is saying this to test the heroes, acting in a passive-aggressive manner to fish for affirmation. The crew responds with words of good cheer, which finally warms Jason’s heart. As Jeff jokes, if he were rowing the Argo, Jason’s constant whining would drive him so bananas he’d offer himself up to Scylla!
The Epiphany of Apollo
The episode concludes with a shift toward the mystical. Exhausted, the Argonauts row to the desert island of Thynias at the twilight hour. Suddenly, the god Apollo appears to them, journeying from Lycia to the Hyperboreans.
With golden locks flowing over his cheeks and a silver bow in his left hand, the god’s presence is overwhelming. The whole island trembles beneath his feet, and the waves surge high. The men are helpless with awe, casting their eyes to the ground as the god passes through the air.
Orpheus, the son of Apollo, leads the crew in building a stone altar and sacrificing a wild goat, dedicating the location as the sacred island of Apollo of the Dawn. It is a brilliant, cinematic scene that captures the profound religious piety and awe of Hellenistic man.
Sponsors and Support
Before beating a hasty retreat, the hosts extend a warm thank you to the sponsors keeping Ad Navseam running:
- Hackett Publishing: Expand your library of auctores antiquiores at hackettpublishing.com. Use code AN2026 for 20% off your entire order plus free shipping! Be sure to check out their new Hackett Signature Editions Collection featuring premium hardcovers of Aristotle, Augustine, and Nietzsche.
- Ratio Coffee: Upgrade your morning coffee game with a Ratio 4, Ratio 6, or flagship Ratio 8 machine! The automated bloom phase off-gasses CO2 into the biosphere without plastic scorch pads. Visit ratiocoffee.com/adnavseam and enter code ANRATIO2026 for $20 off your entire order.
If you are eager to master lingua Latina or learn ancient Greek, head over to latinperdiem.com! Check out Dr. Noe’s online courses, including MossMethod for Greek and the Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata Latin series. Use code AUTUMN15 for 15% off during the back-to-school sale, or use code 10PLUS for 10% off. Don’t forget to download Calvin’s Latin Bible app or the $1.99 MossMethod for Greek Reader app!
Credits & Gustatory Parting Shot
A special thanks goes out to audio engineer Mishka for her expert editing, and to guitarist Jeff Scheetz (jeffscheetz.com) for providing the rock-infused intro (Thrill Seeker) and bumper music (Rush Hour).
If you want to get in touch with the hosts, write to Dave at dave@adnavseam.com or Jeff at jeff@adnavseam.com (remember the ‘v’ in Navseam!).
We leave you today with our Gustatory Parting Shot, pulled from American journalist and short story writer Ambrose Bierce:
“Custard: A detestable substance produced by a malevolent conspiracy of the hen, the cow, and the cook.”
Thanks for listening, and we will catch you next week for Episode 228!
