It is said that the far-famed hunter Atalanta—whose story would later be so tightly intertwined with that of Meleager—applied to join the quest but was turned down by Jason, who thought the presence of a woman on board ship would bring ill-luck.161 If such blatant discrimination sounds harsh to our ears, it is at least more pleasingly typical of a true Greek hero that Jason should reserve a place for music in his crew list. Orpheus, greatest of all singers, poets, and composers, was welcomed into the ship’s company. The enchanting power of his lyre would prove invaluable.
