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In Greek mythology, Argo (/ˈɑːrɡoʊ/; in Greek: Ἀργώ) was the ship on which Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece.

Most accounts name the ship after her builder, Argus. Cicero suggested that it was named after the "Argives", a term for the Greek people commonly used by Homer for the Greek people of Argos. Diodorus Siculus reported that some thought the name was derived from an ancient Greek word for "swift", which could have indicated how the ship was built to move quickly.

The adjective, occasionally found, is Argoan /ɑːrˈɡoʊən/, from Greek Ἀργῶος through Latin Argōus.

Argo was constructed by the shipwright Argus, and its crew were specially protected by the goddess Hera. The best source for the myth is the Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius. According to a variety of sources of the legend, Argus was said to have been planned or constructed the vessel with the help of Athena. The ship was said to be built for travel in the open sea and constructed to move quickly with the assistance of a sail. Apollodorus stated the ship had fifty oars on the ship that helped them move through the water, all of which were manned by the Argonauts.

A variety of sources claim the boat was built with a variety of wood from around the region of Greece. In Medea, Euripides mentions the oars were made from pine trees around Mount Pelion. Catallus later mentioned the boat was made out of fir-wood. Sources also claim the prow of the ship was made with a special piece of oak from Dodona, an area sacred to Zeus. The oak was said to be able to speak with a human voice and could tell oracles.

According to certain sources, Argo was the first ship to sail the seas. Other sources state the god Dionysius did not call the Argo the first ship, but rather a well crafted vessel.

It was Athena who taught Tiphys to attach the sails to the mast, as he was the steersman and would need to know the workings of the ship. Other sources say he previously was a sailor along with two other members, which is why he was chosen to steer the boat.

The Argo was build in Thessaly around the area of Mount Pelion. Sextus Propertius claimed it departed from the port of Pagasa.

The ship carried enough supplies, such as vases holding water for the collective crew, for the crew to last four days at most before having to refuel. Other items, such as a bronze tripod were carried aboard. Herodotus claimed the bronze tripod was given to Triton after the Argonauts got lost in Lake Tritonis and needed assistance. It was said the boat had to be carried over land for 12 days to get back on course.

The ship was said to be loved by the Nereids, who alongside Triton, helped guide the ship at dangerous times in the Argonauts' journey.

After her successful journey, Argo was consecrated to Poseidon in the Isthmus of Corinth. Because it was a sacred item, since it was made with the help of the gods, it was made into a monument alongside being dedicated to the gods. The boat was then translated into the sky and turned into the constellation Argo Navis.

A rotting beam fell from the top of the ship and killed Jason, sleeping on the ground.

The Argo in Other Sources:
The Argo was a well recognized motif in ancient Greece, which has been used in plays, movies, books, philosophical writings, and more. Several authors of antiquity (Apollonius Rhodius, Pliny, Philostephanus) discussed the hypothetical shape of the ship. Generally she was imagined like a Greek warship, a galley, and authors hypothesized that she was the first ship of this type that had gone out on a voyage on the high seas. Aristotle used the ship as an example to talk about ostracism in Athens, specifically remarking that the ship left Heracles behind because he was too heavy.

1963 version of the Argo in the movie Jason and the Argonauts:
In the 1963 version of the Argo, the ship was modeled after a Greek warship, with shields lining the side of the boat. The boat has rowers on either side of the boat, who are instructed on how to row based on the drumming beat of a leader. A red sail marks the goal of their journey with the head of the golden ram. Besides its practical purposes, the ship is also decorated with ancient motifs, such as eyes on the front of the ship at water level.

The sacred oak of the ship is here represented as the head of a woman with partial extending wings making up the back end of the ship. The painted head is modeled after the goddess Hera in the movie, and has the ability to speak to Jason throughout the movie. Argus, the ship builder, said he was inspired by to add that feature to the boat when creating it. Filmmakers gave this head the practical effect of being able to open and close its eyes when it is addressing Jason.