E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Golden Fleece.
Ino persuaded her husband, Ath’amas, that his son Phryxos was the cause of a famine which desolated the land, and the old dotard ordered him to be sacrificed to the angry gods. Phryxos being apprised of this order, made his escape over sea on a ram which had a golden fleece. When he arrived at Colchis, he sacrificed the ram to Zeus, and gave the fleece to King Æe’ts, who hung it on a sacred oak. It was afterwards stolen by Jason in his celebrated Argonautic expedition. (See ARGO.)
1
“This rising Greece with indignation viewed,
And youthful Jason an attempt conceived
Lofty and bold: along Pene’us’ banks,
Around Olympus’ brows, the Muses’ haunts,
He roused the brave to re-demand the fleece.”
Dyer: The Fleece, ii.
Golden fleece of the north. The fur and peltry of Siberia is so called.
2
Australia has been called “The Land of the Golden Fleece,” because of the quantity of wool produced there.
s, who hung it on a sacred oak. It was afterwards stolen by Jason in his celebrated Argonautic expedition. (See A
Australia has been called “The Land of the Golden Fleece,” because of the quantity of wool produced there.
