ABSTRACT
Phrixus and Helle were the children of Athamas, king of Orchomenus, and the cloudnymph Nephele. After Nephele left him, Athamas married Ino, who bade her husband obey an oracle which she pretended came from Delphi, ordering that Phrixus should be sacrificed to Zeus. Athamas was unwilling to kill his son. According to one version, however, Phrixus volunteered to die. As the king was preparing to cut Phrixus’ throat, there appeared a fabulous ram, which Nephele had sent to rescue her child. The ram had a fleece of spun gold and could talk. It told Phrixus to mount its back, and Helle, whom Ino likewise wished ill, joined him. It then rose in the air and flew away.
