In
Valerius Flaccus'
Argonautica, Argus is said to have originated from
Thespiae. Argus was also credited with creating a wooden statue of
Hera that was a
cult image in
Tiryns. King Pelias did not believe that the crew would be able to come back with the Golden Fleece successfully because he knew that the king of
Colchis would not part with it easily, and that a never-sleeping dragon guarded it. So the King gave
Jason, leader of the Argonauts, all the timber and the crew he needed. Argus was then selected to build the ship, and he was said to have constructed the ship under Athena's guidance.
Athena with the help of Argus put a piece of a sacred oak on the prow of the ship that was taken from the sacred grove of Zeus at
Dodona. This sacred piece of wood has the ability to speak in times of danger and advise Jason, the leader of the Argonauts, on what to do. Argus did such a great job constructing this ship that at the time it was referred to the “most seaworthy ship ever seen. The
Argo was also notably the first ship that Argus ever built. Argus as one of the
Argo’s crew included the very well known Greek heroes: Jason, the leader,
Augeas,
Theseus,
Meleager,
Peleus,
Telamon,
Nauplius,
Laertes,
Orpheus, and
Heracles. Many of the crew were fathers of
Trojan War heroes. He should not be confused with the hundred-eyed giant
Argus Panoptes. ==In popular culture==