The voyage of the Argonauts and the Trojan war were the most
memorable enterprises undertaken by collective bodies of heroes.

The Argonauts derived their name from the Argo, a ship built For
the adventurers by Jason, under the superintendence of Athena
(Minerva). They embarked in the harbour of Iolcus in Thessaly
for the purpose of obtaining the golden fleece which was
preserved in AEa in Colchis, on the eastern shores of the Black
Sea, under the guardianship of a sleepless dragon. The most
renowned heroes of the age took part in the expedition. Among
them were Hercules and Theseus, as well as the principal leaders
in the Trojan war; but Jason is the central figure and the real
hero of the enterprise. Upon arriving at AEa, after many
adventures, king AEtes promised to deliver to Jason the golden
fleece, provided he yoked two fire-breathing oxen with brazen
feet, and performed other wonderful deeds. Here, also, as in the
legend of Theseus, love played a prominent part. Medea, the
daughter of AEtes, who was skilled in magic and supernatural
arts, furnished Jason with the means of accomplishing the labours
imposed upon him; and as her father still delayed to surrender
the fleece, she cast the dragon asleep during the night, seized
the fleece, and sailed away in the Argo with her beloved Jason.

The Trojan war was the greatest of all the heroic achievements.
It formed the subject of innumerable epic poems, and has been
immortalised by the genius of Homer. Paris, son of Priam, king
of Troy, abused the hospitality of Menelaus, king of Sparta, by
carrying off his wife Helen, the most beautiful woman of the age.
All the Grecian princes looked upon the outrage as one committed
against themselves. Responding to the call of Menelaus, they