Metamorphoses: Book 7: Medea and Jason Summary & Analysis

The Argonauts—a Greek army captained by Jason—leave Greece and make their way to King Aeetes’s palace. They plan to capture the Golden Fleece—a golden ram guarded by a sleepless dragon. King Aeetes says that if the Argonauts win a dangerous combat with bulls, they can take the golden ram.

Meanwhile, Aeetes’s daughter Medea falls in love with Jason. She is unable to fight against her desire for him, and she believes that some god is fueling her passion. Even though she has just seen Jason, she fears for his life and doesn’t want him to die in her father’s games. She doesn’t know why she longs to marry a man who will take her away from her homeland, but she also thinks her father’s games are unjust.

Medea wants to help Jason win the games, but she fears that he’ll leave her afterwards and marry someone else. However, she decides that Jason is too strong and heroic to forget the debt he owed her if she saved his life. Medea would be happy and fearless if she were Jason’s wife, but she is afraid she’s being a traitor. She ends her inner conflict by resisting her desire and deciding to be a virtuous daughter.

After resolving to resist her passion, Medea goes to an altar to pray and runs into Jason. Jason looks more handsome than ever, and Medea’s desire is instantly rekindled. Jason grips Medea’s hand and begs her to help him survive against the bulls. He promises to marry her if she helps him. Medea believes Jason and hands him some magical herbs with instructions.

The next day, Aeetes’s kingdom gathers to watch the games. The bulls come forward, bellowing and breathing fire. The Argonauts freeze with fear, but Jason approaches the bulls and strokes their backs, protected from their fire by the magic herbs. He subdues the bulls and forces them to plough a furrow. As the Argonauts cheer, Jason takes the golden teeth of the Theban dragon Cadmus had killed from a helmet and sprinkles them in the furrow. Bodies grow and burst out of the soil as armor-clad soldiers. 

The new army points their spears at Jason. Medea shakes with fear, worried that the herbs she gave Jason won’t be strong enough to fend off the army. Jason throws a boulder into the midst of the army. The disruption causes them to start fighting among themselves, and they all die. Jason feeds the sleepless dragon the rest of the herbs, and it falls asleep. He then takes possession of the Golden Fleece, marries Medea, and returns with both to his homeland.