Jason

Jason m

English form of the name (Greek Iasōn) borne in classical mythology by a hero, leader of the Argonauts, who sailed to Colchis in search of the Golden Fleece, enduring many hardships and adventures. The sorceress Medea fell in love with him and helped him to obtain the Fleece; they escaped together and should have lived happily ever after. However, Jason fell in love with another woman (either Creusa or Glauce, daughter of King Creon), and deserted Medea. Medea took her revenge by killing her rival, but Jason himself survived to be killed in old age by one of the rotting timbers of his ship, the Argo, falling on his head.

The classical Greek name Iasōn probably derives from the Greek vocabulary word iasthai to heal. Iasō (f.) was the name of a minor goddess of healing. In New Testament Greek, the name probably represents a classicized form of JOSHUA (SEE Joshua). It was borne by an early Christian in Thessalonica, at whose house St Paul stayed (Acts 17: 5–9; Romans 16: 21). Probably for this reason, it enjoyed some popularity among the Puritans in the 17th century. In the mid–20th century it has enjoyed a considerable increase in its popularity, although, as Dunkling comments, it has also been the subject of some rather surprising hostility. A 20th-century influence has been the film actor Jason Robards (b. 1920); his father, also a film actor, was likewise called Jason Robards. The name has been used for numerous characters in films and television series.