CLASSICAL SCHOLARSHIP
The Argonaut story has long fascinated scholars. From the beginning of modern scholarship in the Renaissance, questions about the Argonauts, the Golden Fleece, and the story of Jason have reappeared time and again in scholarship. Sir Isaac Newton speculated on the Argonauts' venture, and an entire school of thought arose discussing whether the Golden Fleece was really an alchemical secret for turning base metals into gold. Later scholarship focused on questions of whether Jason was a solar hero, or whether the Argonaut story was intended to reflect that of Noah or Christ. While these theories have been discredited, this scholarship formed the foundation for contemporary inquiries into the myth.
The Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms Amended Sir Isaac Newton (1728) The History of the Argonauts Antoine Banier (1740) The Origin of All Religious Worship Charles François Dupuis (1795) Pre-Homeric Legends of the Voyage of the Argonauts F. A. Paley (1879) The Voyage of the Argonauts E. H. Bunbury (1879) A Far-Travelled Tale Andrew Lang (1884) What People Produced the Objects Called Mycenaean? William Ridgeway (1896) Jason and the Golden Fleece F. Max Müller (1897) Witness to the Historicity of the Gospels Arthur Drews (1912) Boanerges J. Rendel Harris (1913) |