Jason and the Argonauts' quest for the Golden Fleece is probably the oldest extant Greek myth. Homer referred to it as something "familiar to all." At one level this story is a classic fairy tale: The young prince is sent on a perilous expedition and triumphs over the obstacles put in his path - from clashing rocks to fire-breathing bulls - to win not only the Fleece but also the hand of the Medeia, the daughter of King Aietes, who rules over Kolchis.

In addition to telling of the prince's quest, the myth also hints at accounts of early exploration and colonizing ventures, since the Argonauts returned home via Italy and Sicily after navigating several of Europe's great rivers, including the Po and the Rhone. Although the myth is old, the poem's treatment of it is Hellenistic - in effect, modern.

Jason emerges as an all-too-human Everyman with the one real talent of being able to make women fall in love with him. Medeia becomes a major character: a virgin sorceress whose magic yields Jason's triumph yet cannot save her from her own infatuation. The supporting cast of manipulative goddesses behave uncommonly like middle-class Hellenistic ladies. Together, the combination of age-old myth and modern treatment produces a gripping and unforgettable narrative.

Peter Green has translated this renowned poem with skill and wit, offering a refreshing interpretation of a timeless story. His commentary - the first on all four books since Mooney's in 1912 - both sheds light in dark places and takes account of the recent upsurge of scholarly interest in Apollonios.