Alexander Beskov. Sochi


In the 13th century before the Trojan War and long before Odysseus's voyage Argonauts started on a dangerous trip across the Ungracious Sea to get the Golden Fleece. The "north" route of their sailing seems to mythologists to be the most logical one because it corresponds to the spreading of Greek settlements on the Black Sea Coast. We definitively know that Greeks witnessed a heavy earthquake which took place in the North Caucasus at that time: "The last bay (possible the Azov Sea) and the brutal dwelling of Prometheus come in sight from there, and also Caucasus rising to the cold Bears.That day accidentally led to that place (Heracles) too for him to change the fate of the titan, and rocking the brutal fetters in different ways with great efforts..., he grabbed them with his hands and tore them out of the foot of the rock; great Caucasus thundered and following the peak of the mountain logs fell into the sea an the rivers were drawn aside of it... At a closer distance one can hear moaning sound (of iron) hollow roar of the mountain when the rocks are being torn down and heavy moans of the titan when his members chained to the cliffs are being detached... (Argonauts) in the sea are only wondering that the split shores are being covered with snow and rocks are breaking, and together they are marveling at the giant shade of the dying bird falling down and at the black rain of its blood flowing in the air." (Gaius Valery Flakk, the 1st century A.D.). For a long time there had been an opinion that this tragedy took place on Mountain Elbrus. The idea was that speaking of gods Greeks could lay the scene only on the highest mountain of the Caucasus. This version is beneath all criticism - in a well-known tragedy by Aischylos (the first record about the titan remained, the 5th century B.C.) Prometeus being already chained to the rock tells the daughter of a river god the way to Elbrus: "Now you turn to the East... And go straight on... Until you get to Caucasus, the greatest of mountains..." This is indeed the right way to Elbrus - eastward from Fisht!
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