Golden Fleece

The Golden Fleece was the goal of Jason's quest with the Argonauts. According to the Fabulae, Hyginus wrote that the Golden Fleece was an offspring of the sea god Poseidon and Theophane, daughter of King Bisaltes of Thrace.

Because of Theophane's beauty, she had many suitors asking for her hand in marriage, but she was loved by Neptune (a Roman name for Poseidon). Neptune took her away from the suitors and brought her to the island of Crumissa, but her suitors followed her there. Neptune tried to hide her by transforming Theophane into a ewe, and the other inhabitants of Crumissa into sheep. However, the suitors began slaughtering the sheep as food. The gods transformed Theophane's suitors into wolves.

Neptune then transformed himself into a ram and mated with Theophane who was still in the form of a ewe. Theophane gave birth to a golden-fleeced ram. This ram could fly and talk in human speech.

In Ovid's story about Arachne, weaver of a tapestry, he mentioned Neptune deceiving Bisaltes as a ram, but gave no other indication of the details of the tale of Theophane as Hyginus had given.

The Golden Fleece was the same flying ram that Helius, the sun god, sent to Orchomenus to save the children of Athamas from being sacrificed.

Phrixus and his sister Helle jumped onto the ram and flew northeast. Helle fell and drowned in Hellespont. Phrinux arrived in Colchis where he married the daughter of King Aeëtes (Aeetes). Phrinux gave the ram to his father-in-law. Aeetes placed the ram in the grove, nailing the fleece to a golden tree. A dragon "that never sleeps" guarded the grove.

The Golden Fleece became the source of the quest that included Jason and his crew, known as the Argonauts. It was Medea, the daughter of Aeetes, who helped Jason to gain the ram.