c—
Banquet and Argument of Idas and Idmon (448–95)

While the men are eating, drinking, and conversing in the latter part of the day, Jason broods over the details of the journey and gives the appearance of one who lacks self-confidence (460–61). This elicits from Idas, who is well along in his cups (472–74a), a hybristic speech in which, while trying to encourage Jason, he claims that they will accomplish the goal of the expedition through the power of his spear, the source of his preeminent  ,

even if Zeus should be against their success.^[37] Mention of   (467) recalls Jason's acceptance of his election as leader of the expedition, which he identified as a   (351). Prior to the vote Jason defined the best leader as the one who would take care of all the details ( , 339b). Here we encounter the newly elected captain working through the details mentally ( , 461).

Idas's blasphemous comments meet with the disapproval of the rest of the group (cf. 474–75), and in particular the prophet, Idmon, who warns Idas against dishonoring the gods, citing the Aloadae as a negative exemplar of such behavior (476–84). He does, however, recognize that Jason requires encouragement:   (479–80a).^[38] Idmon's chastisement elicits a second speech from Idas, who scorns the seer's prophecy as idle and even threatens him with violence (487–91). At this point, the harmony of the group temporarily succumbs to the   between Idas and Idmon (492), but the dispute soon comes to an end: as the men shout down the disputants, Jason intervenes and puts a stop to the argument ( , 494). In this Apollonius gives us a second indication that Jason fits his definition of the best of the Argonauts: he deals successfully with  . It is after Jason's intervention that Orpheus, like Hermes in the hymn, eases the residual tension by singing a theogonic song (496–511).

The present Argonautic   involves a man of strength (Idas) and a man of skill (Idmon). Vian compares this argument with the celebrated altercations between Typheus and Amphiaraus and between Hector and Polydamas;^[39] but given the imitation of the preparations for Odysseus's departure from Phæacia, it now proves more instructive to think of the argument between Achilles and Odysseus, about which Demodocus sang at Alcinous's banquet.

Demodocus's song in Odyssey 8 told of Agamemnon's joy when he observed the argument between Odysseus (a man of skill) and

Achilles (a man of strength); for he had learned from Apollo at Delphi that a   between these two at a banquet would signal the beginning of their victory over the Trojans (Od. 8.73–82).^[40] Jason too consulted Apollo at Delphi (412–14), and now at a sacrificial banquet in honor of Apollo a   between two comrades of opposite natures was occurring. The scholiast on the Odyssean passage (Sad Od. 8.75 and 75 HQV) informs us that Achilles and Odysseus were arguing over how Troy would be taken, by force or strategem.^[41] The dispute in the Argonautica begins whedn Idas claims that his weapon will bring success to the mission; he states this at the very time that Jason reveals his characteristic form of leadership: thoughtful consideration of all the details. The antithesis of skill and strength comes explicitly into play when the prophet, Idmon, counters Idas's reliance on brute force with reverence toward the gods (476–84). Jason, like Agamemnon, watches a man of vision quarrel with a man of strength.^[42] By implication, the argument, like the appearance of Argus and Acastus and the sacrifice to Apollo, is a good sign.

This conflict between a man of strength and a man of vision finds reflection in another Homeric argument to which Apollonius alludes; in this case the opponents are a man of strength and a man whose vision is not internal but ocular. As mentioned above, the quarrel in the Argonautica comes to an end through the intervention of Jason:

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Such were his angry  taunts.  The quarrel would have gone farther
unless  the comrades had shouted down the disputants

and unless    himself  had restrained them. Orpheus
        too,
taking up his lyre in his left hand, gave his music a try.

At Patroclus's funeral games in the Iliad , Idomeneus and Ajax son of Oileus argued about who would win the chariot race. From his vantage point, Idomeneus could see that Diomedes was in the lead and confidently predicted his victory (Il. 23.450–72). Ajax rejected his prediction and impugned his vision (ibid. 473–81). Idomeneus responded with insults, calling Ajax   (ibid. 483), at which point the dispute was about to get out of hand:^[43]

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Thus he spoke, and the swift son of Oileus hastened
in his anger  to reply with fierce words.
And  the dispute would have gone farther  for both
unless    himself  had stood up and said the following words.

In this case, the man of physical vision, Idomeneus, proved accurate in his prediction of Diomedes' victory (ibid. 499–500).^[44]

I return to the argument between Achilles and Odysseus. Agamemnon rejoiced when he witnessed the argument between the best of the Achæans ( , Od. 8.78)

because this was a sign that the troubles for the Greeks and Trojans were coming to an end (ibid. 81–82). As any reader of the Argonautica knows well, Odysseus was ultimately proved correct: Troy was taken not by Achilles'  , but by Odysseus's  . It is significant that Apollonius incorporates a reference to this argument in a context where the best of the Argonauts is in question, both as to the nature of this hero (man of strength or man of skill) and as to his identity (Jason or Heracles). As in the taking of Troy, the successful completion of the Argonautic expedition will ultimately be achieved not through the strength of a Heracles, but through the skill of a Jason. What emerges as truly remarkable is that the skill identified here—the taking care of details and in particular the handling of conflicts and contracts—not only is not the traditional skill one associates with heroes like Odysseus, Hermes, Idmon, and the like (who generally show more resourcefulness and courage than does Jason in the course of the poem) but is quite circumscribed and for this reason unique in the epic tradition. Moreover, what makes Jason the best of the Argonauts—his concern for the details—also reduces him to   (460) for the first of many times in the poem.^[45] Jason is often depicted as a man in the grip of depression and helplessness. But it will become clear at the end of the book, when Heracles has been lost to the expedition, that Jason has the uncanny ability to chance upon timely assistance, often divine, and knows how to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, especially in the manner in which he deals with  .