TIPHYS (steersman of the Argo)

Tiphys infers stormy winds and the time for sailing from the sun and stars, and he foretells the rising wave on the broad sea.⁵ He is credited with inventing the helm and rudder for ships, and he was the first to dare spreading a sail on the sea.^10,11 He adjusted his sails to catch the changing winds, sensing the arrival of a gentle southern breeze and observing the sun setting beneath the sea.^11,12 He noticed the western sky turning red as he observed the sun setting beneath the sea.¹²

Tiphys woke up from his sleep at dawn and immediately woke his companions to board the ship and prepare the oars.¹³ He boarded the vessel to encourage the men and shouted loudly to direct the heroes as they forced the ship into the water.¹⁴ He urged the crew to board the ship, helped them raise the anchors and haul the ropes, and used his cunning to skillfully handle the helm to guide the ship steadfastly out of the harbour.^15,8 He advised the crew to discard their small anchorstone, which they left beneath the fountain of Artaeie.¹⁶ He steered the ship past the Posideian headland and later past the Bithynian coast, navigating narrow reefs without damage.^15,17,18 He decided to stop the ship at the coast of Lemnos.³

During a violent storm, his helmsmanship allowed the crew to avoid death, as he steered the ship through a dangerous wave.^19,20 He commanded the crew to row with great force through the narrow strait, urging them to push at the right moment.^21,20,14 The tiller did not respond to Tiphys's efforts to control the vessel, and he frequently changed his commands while steering the ship.²² He turned the ship's prow away from the rocks to prevent a crash.²² After the heroes escaped the clashing rocks, he was the first person to speak.²³ He comforted Jason's grieving heart, though he ate only for his own life while Jason worried for others.¹⁷

Tiphys died from a short sickness far from his native land while the Argonauts were staying among the Mariandynians.^24,25 Ancaeus took over steering the ship after Tiphys died, but the vessel's rigging stopped obeying and the oars could no longer endure the water.^24,4,26 The breezes pulled the vessel with less power after Tiphys died.²⁶ The heroes buried Tiphys near the seer and heaped up a barrow for him as a monument, though he is also described as buried in a common tomb among unknown ghosts.^25,4 The sons of Boreas prevented the crew from returning to Mysia to search for Tiphys.²