The Golden Fleece (Χρυσόμαλλο Δέρας in Greek) is a magical artifact with powerful healing abilities. In Greek Mythology, the original Jason collected the artifact on his journey. It currently resides at Camp Half-Blood on Thalia's Tree, to strengthen the borders.

History

Chrysomallus

Chrysomallus is a fabulous, flying, golden-fleeced ram. Athamas the Minyan, a founder of Halos in Thessaly, but also king of the city of Orchomenus in Boeotia (a region in southeastern Greece), took as his first wife the, cloud nymph, Nephele, by whom he had two children, the boy Phrixus and the girl Helle (Φρίξος and Έλλη). Later he became enamored of and married Ino, the daughter of Cadmus, bringing drought upon his land when Nephele removed herself. Ino was jealous of her stepchildren and plotted their deaths: in some versions, she persuaded Athamas that sacrificing Phrixus was the only way to end the drought. Nephele or her spirit, appeared to the children with a winged ram whose fleece was of gold. The ram had been sired by Poseidon in his primitive ram-form upon a nymph, Theophane, the granddaughter of Helios, the sun Titan. Poseidon carried her away to an island where he made her into an ewe, so that Theophane's other suitors could not distinguish the ram disguised god and his consort.

On the ram the children escaped over the sea, but Helle fell off and drowned in the strait, now named after her, the Hellespont (Ελλήσποντος). The ram spoke to Phrixus, giving him heart, and took Phrixus safely on to Colchis, on the easternmost shore of the Euxine (Black) Sea. Phrixus then sacrificed the ram to Poseidon and settled in the house of King Aeetes of Colchis and lived to a ripe old age. He hung the Golden Fleece reserved from the sacrifice on an oak in a grove sacred to Ares, where it was guarded by a dragon. There it remained until taken by Jason. The ram became the constellation Aries.

Polyphemus

An unknown time after Jason had obtained the Golden Fleece, it was taken and guarded by Polyphemus the Cyclops. He used it to make his island better (for himself) and to lure Satyrs there so he could eat them. The Satyrs were drawn towards it's powerful healing nature magic thinking it was the god of the wild, Pan. The Fleece was hung on a tree ferociously guarded by flesh-eating sheep.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The Sea of Monsters

Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Clarisse, and Tyson steal the fleece from Polyphemus, and bring it to Camp Half-Blood. It is used to cure Thalia's tree, and is placed under the guard of Peleus. However, its healing properties also end up freeing Thalia, which was part of Kronos' plan to control the Great Prophecy (Thalia's spirit is revived from the pine tree before she turns 16).

The Heroes of Olympus

The Lost Hero

The fleece is seen in the distance when Annabeth takes Piper on a tour around Camp Half-Blood. Piper, having realized she was a demigod the very same day, assumes it was a replica and doesn't think the fleece was real thing until Annabeth tells her that it was the actual golden fleece.

The story of the Golden Fleece is later retold by Medea when explaining her hatred towards heroes named Jason. The original Jason had come to her for help to get the Golden Fleece from her father. Medea, who was placed under a love spell by Aphrodite, helped Jason to get the fleece. In exchange, she asked Jason to marry her, which he did. However, he later divorced her and married another woman.

Abilities

• It can cure anything natural (living). It makes the grass, flowers, and all the plants more healthy and it can heal humans/demigods.
• It helps strengthen the borders of Camp Half-Blood.
• Lures satyrs with its powerful aura.
• When wearing it, demigods are healed much faster than normal.
• It can cause the plant life in an area to grow faster than normal, and bear more produce.
• When in the mortal world it changes into a red-and-gold high school letter jacket with the Greek letter Omega on it.