The archipelagos of Cres and Losinj had, in ancient times, a common name – APSYRTIDES. As this denomination comes from the name of the Greek hero Apsirt, the end of one variant of the legend about the ancient sailors Argonauts has its roots upon our islands.
One King (Eata from Kohilda) had the Golden Fleece. There was a brave fellow Jason who, cunningly and with the help of an enchantress, the King’s daughter Medea (who, of course, had fallen madly in love with Jason), got hold of the Golden Fleece and escaped with his friends the Argonauts on the ship Argo. Apsirt, the King’s son, went with his ship in pursuit of the hijackers. After a long journey he reached them. Medea deceivingly managed to entice her brother Apsirt into negotiations where Jason killed him from ambush. Medea had cut apart Apsirt’s dead body and thrown his limbs into the sea.
From Apsirt’s body came into being the island of Apsirt – the APSYRTIDES.
That is how, according to an ancient legend, emerged the islands of Cres and Losinj and their archipelagos.
