Aries, Crius Chrysomallus

Crius Chrysomallus was a fabulous, flying, golden-fleeced ram. It was sent by the cloud-nymphe Nephele to rescue her children Phrixos (Phrixus) and Helle when they were about to be sacrificed to the gods. The ram carried Phrixos all the way to Kolkhis (Colchis) at the far end the Black Sea and then instructed the boy to sacrifice him to the gods and lay his fleece in the grove of Ares. Khrysomallos was afterwards placed amongst the stars as the constellation Aries and his shining fleece became the goal of the quest of Iason (Jason) and the Argonauts.