certainly to be seen in the latter. He seems to have written the
_Argonautica_ out of bravado, to show that he _could_ write an epic
poem. But the influence of the age was too strong. Instead of the unity
of an Epic we have merely a series of episodes, and it is the great
beauty and power of one of these episodes that gives the poem its
permanent value--the episode of the love of Jason and Medea. This
occupies the greater part of the third book. The first and second books
are taken up with the history of the voyage to Colchis, while the fourth
book describes the return voyage. These portions constitute a metrical
guide book, filled no doubt with many pleasing episodes, such as the
rape of Hylas, the boxing match between Pollux and Amycus, the account
of Cyzicus, the account of the Amazons, the legend of Talos, but there
is no unity running through the poem beyond that of the voyage itself.

[Footnote 1: Anth. Pal. xi. 275.]

The Tale of the Argonauts had been told often before in verse and prose,
and many authors' names are given in the Scholia to Apollonius, but
their works have perished. The best known earlier account that we have
is that in Pindar's fourth Pythian ode, from which Apollonius has taken
many details. The subject was one for an epic poem, for its unity might
have been found in the working out of the expiation due for the crime of
Athamas; but this motive is barely mentioned by our author.

As we have it, the motive of the voyage is the command of Pelias to
bring back the golden fleece, and this command is based on Pelias'
desire to destroy Jason, while the divine aid given to Jason results
from the intention of Hera to punish Pelias for his neglect of the
honour due to her. The learning of Apollonius is not deep but it is
curious; his general sentiments are not according to the Alexandrian