Word of the Day
Argo (AHR-goh)
· Common clues: Jason's vessel; Golden Fleece craft
· Crossword puzzle frequency: 4 times a year
· Frequency in English language: 68205 / 86800
In Greek mythology, Argo was the ship on which Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcus to retrieve the Golden Fleece. The best source for the myth is Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius.
Two
Argonauts before a hunt. The personages have been tentatively
identified as Heracles and Hylas. Engraving from the Cista
Ficoroni, an Etruscan ritual vessel. Villa Borghese, Rome
(Digitally enhanced for visibility)
Argo was built by Argus, son of Phrixus. The Argo had the gifts of speech and prophecy because it was made of oak wood from the oracle at Dodona.
Jason and the Argonauts originate from the city of Argos, capital of Arcadia on the Greek Peloponesse, thus naming the ship after the city.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Argo".
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