Spotlight on Inspiration - Jason and the Golden Fleece

In the Flame Pearls journey Lee Falk used elements from Greek mythology into the story.

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The Quest for the Golden Fleece

• In Greek mythology Jason set out on a quest for the Golden Fleece in their ship, the Argo, constructed by the shipwright Argus.
• Mandrake set out on a scientific expedition to the South Pacific for the Flame Pearls on the yacht Argos, owned by Colonel Barton.

The Isle of Lemnos

The island was inhabited by a race of women who had killed their husbands.

The Flame Pearls Pt.4: The Amazons

The island was inhabited by a race of women who had enslaved their husbands.

Cyzicus

After Lemnos the Argonauts landed among the Doliones, whose king Cyzicus treated them graciously.

The Flame Pearls Pt.2: Magnetic Island

An magnetic island with enslaved med and their king Cy.

Phineas and the Harpies

Phineas revealed to Jason the location of Colchis and how to pass the Symplegades, or The Clashing Rocks.

The Flame Pearls Pt.3: The Three Cows

The old Chief revealed to Mandrake the location of the Amozons island.

The Symplegades

The only way to reach Colchis was to sail through the Symplegades (Clashing Rocks), huge rock cliffs that came together and crushed anything that traveled between them. Jason released a dove and when it made it through and then they rowed Argos strongly and made it through. From that time on, the clashing rocks were forever joined leaving free passage for others to pass.

The Flame Pearls Pt.5: The Ghost Ship

The Strangler Straits, huge rocks roll that came together and crushed anything that traveled between them. Mandrake and Lothar plants dynamite on the Strangler Straits and blew up the rocks.

The arrival in Colchis

Jason arrived in Colchis to claim the fleece as his own. It was owned by King Aeetes of Colchis. The fleece was given to him by Phrixus. Aeetes promised to give it to Jason only if he could perform three certain tasks. Presented with the tasks

The return journey

On the way back to Iolcus, Medea prophesied to Euphemus, the Argo's helmsman, that one day he would rule Cyrene. This came true through Battus, a descendant of Euphemus. Zeus, as punishment for the slaughter of Medea's own brother, sent a series of storms at the Argo and blew it off course. The Argo then spoke and said that they should seek purification with Circe, a nymph living on the island of Aeaea. After being cleansed, they continued their journey home. Sirens

Chiron had told Jason that without the aid of Orpheus, the Argonauts would never be able to pass the Sirens—the same Sirens encountered by Odysseus in Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. The Sirens lived on three small, rocky islands called Sirenum scopuli and sang beautiful songs that enticed sailors to come to them, which resulted in the crashing of their ship into the islands. When Orpheus heard their voices, he drew his lyre and played music that was more beautiful and louder, drowning out the Sirens' bewitching songs.

Talos

The Argo then came to the island of Crete, guarded by the bronze man, Talos. As the ship approached, Talos hurled huge stones at the ship, keeping it at bay. Talos had one blood vessel which went from his neck to his ankle, bound shut by only one bronze nail (as in metal casting by the lost wax method). Medea cast a spell on Talos to calm him; she removed the bronze nail and Talos bled to death. The Argo was then able to sail on.