Atanas G. Iliev

MEDEA
by Euripides

καὶ τὰ δοκηθέντ᾽ οὐκ ἐτελέσθη,
τῶν δ᾽ ἀδοκήτων πόρον ηὗρε θεός.
— Med. 1417–18

MEDEA, sorceress, princess of Colchis, and wife of JASON
NURSE, old servant of MEDEA and JASON
JASON, leader of the Argonauts and rightful king of Iolcus, MEDEA’s husband
PEDAGOGUE, old servant, carer of the sons of JASON and MEDEA
CREON, king of Corinth
AEGEUS, king of Athens
MESSENGER
CHILDREN, the two sons of JASON and MEDEA

and a

CHORUS of Corinthian women
originally consisting of fifteen members, including their CHORUS LEADER

The skene represents Medea’s house. Actors enter and exit from the doors of the house or one of the two wings of the stage: one leads to the Corinthian countryside (Eisodos A), and the other leads to the palace (Eisodos B). The chorus performs in the orchestra.

NURSE
     I wish that Argo ship had never flown
     Through Symplegades dark,⁵ the Colchian throne,
     And that no pine was felled ‘mongst Pelion’s trees
     So oarsmen did not have the means to seize
     The golden fleece by Pelias’ decree.[5]
     For then, Medea won’t have had to flee
     To th’ citadels of Iolcus’ state,
     By love for Jason struck with fervour great:
     Pelias’ girls, she’d not have made to slay
     Their sire; in Corinth, she’d not have to stay[10]
     With her husband and children, in her flight,
     To those whose land she’d come to, a delight,
     And all of this in assistance to Jason!
     With this alone the greatest preservation:
     When wife to husband makes no insurrection.[15]
     But these days, all is hate, sick is affection.
     For now, betraying both his wife and boys,
     Jason a royal marriage-bed enjoys,
     Wed to the child of Creon, this land’s chief.
     And Medea dishonoured, full of grief[20]
     Cries ‘gainst his oaths, his right-hand-pledge recalls—
     Which was their strongest bond—and th’ gods involves
     To see what griefs from Jason she obtains.
     She rests fasting, her body full of pains;
     Thus, all her time in tears she melts away…[25]
     And since she first perceived her lord’s decay,
     She lifts no eye nor looks up from the floor:
     But as a rock or yet the ocean’s roar
     The consolations of her friends she hears,
     And speaks not, save to bathe her neck in tears,[30]
     Lamenting her dear father, and to mourn
     Her fatherland, which she of late did scorn
     To follow one who now gives such offence.
     The mournful wretch hath come from ache to sense
     Just what ‘tis like a homeland to forsake.[35]
     She hates her boys, too; they no joy awake.
     I dread lest she another plan devises:
     For heavy is her heart, it won’t stand vices;
     I know her well, and thus, I am afraid
     Lest through her liver she shoves a sharp blade[40]
     Or, gently looming o’er their royal bed,
     She slays the king and her who shall be wed
     And then a worse disaster comes to face.
     For horrid is she; one poor in her grace
     The ode of triumph won’t readily sing.[45]

     And lo! pausing their leisure, her offspring
     Approach, not knowing of their mother’s tears—
     The young draw back from sadness and from fears.

PEDAGOGUE⁶
     Old servant from the household of my lady,
     Why standest thou in front of gates so shady[50]
     And criest to thyself about our sorrow?
     Why did Medea bid thee not to follow?

NURSE
     O, elder tender to the sons of Jason,
     When masters’ fortunes sink unto the basin
     True-hearted slaves ache, and so do their hearts.[55]
     And thus on me such woe this time imparts
     That my desire longs land and sky to warn
     Both how and why my mistress bears such scorn.

PEDAGOGUE
     So, then, the wretch’s weeping is yet to cease.

NURSE
     I envy thee: her pains shall still increase.[60]

PEDAGOGUE
     A moron—if ‘tis meet thus to call masters:
     Belike she knows not of recent disasters.

NURSE
     What is it, elder? Don’t scruple to tell.

PEDAGOGUE
     Nothing; I’ve said too much. And so, farewell.

NURSE
     Don’t hide this from a peer-slave, by thy beard:[65]
     I will not say a thing if thou’rt afear’d.

PEDAGOGUE
     I heard it said, pretending not to hear,
     From old ones at their game-boards, playing near
     The sacred fountain of the Muse Peirene,
     That soon these boys in Corinth shan’t be seen.[70]
     So, too, their mother; thus Creon decrees.
     This is the tale, yet I am not at ease
     Whether ‘tis true, but I wish it was not.

NURSE
     Would Jason let his children face this plot
     E’en if their mother he, of late, has fought?[75]

PEDAGOGUE
     Old bonds lie broken for new ones he’s sought,
     And for this house, he feels no loving thought.

NURSE
     Then we’re finished, if new ruin shall be brought
     To old trouble with which we still are fraught.

PEDAGOGUE
     But thou at least, keep quiet and say naught,[80]
     To know of this, our mistress never ought.

NURSE⁷
     Children, hear what your sire yearns to allot?
     If he were not my master, I’d bid him rot!
     To wrong his brood shall be on him a blot.

PEDAGOGUE
     Which mortal differs? Dost thou just now hear,[85]
     That self-love comes before those one holds dear,
     Some justly so, yet others serving gain,
     This bed-fond father’s love for them is vain.

NURSE
     Children, all shall be well; now go inside.⁸
     But thou must try to keep them far aside;[90]
     Don’t bring them near their mother’s vexed sigh.
     For I have lately seen her bullish eye
     On them, contriving so, and she won’t end
     Her wrath, I know, ‘til someone’s forced to bend…
     Let’s hope ‘tis not a friend but rather a foe.[95]

MEDEA [from within]
     O, I am dismal! All that’s left is woe!
     O, horror, shall I flee to death below?

NURSE
     Just so, dear youths: your mother’s tears do flow
     Straight from her heart, and so her bitter ire.
     Now haste into the house, and there retire[100]
     And dare not come into her field of sight,
     Nor come not near her, but avoid the spite
     Of her obstinate mind so predisposed
     And of her nature wild, which this imposed.
     Go on now, withdraw with swiftness inside.⁹[105]
     Condensing from the start, that vapor tide
     Shall soon with even greater wrath ignite;
     What will her soul, thus bitten by such plight,
     Try to accomplish with so large a spleen
     And when her stubbornness hath been so keen?[110]

MEDEA
     Ah, mournfully I’ve suffered such events,
     I’ve met woes worthy of unbound laments.
     Ye wretched children of a hated mother,
     Now may ye perish with your house and father.

NURSE
     Oh me, oh my, how sorrowful I am.[115]
     But for a father’s misdeed, why blame them?
     Why dost thou hate thy offspring? Woe is me,
     Lest thy two boys suffer because of thee.
     How terrorful are tyrants’ dark designs,
     And wielding so much pow’r, with few confines,[120]
     They find it hard their anger to subside.
     ‘Tis best in moderation to abide;
     And I, at least, in safety shall grow old,
     If not to have a life of pomp and gold.
     For mortals to praise the name of Restraint[125]
     And to desire ‘t is wisest and most quaint;
     While for one’s prospects to be in excess
     Is never fitting for a man to bless,
     Since when the gods a house come to despise
     A greater fortune brings still greater vice.[130]

CHORUS
     We heard¹¹ an utterance, we heard a cry
     From that dejected Colchian woman nigh:
     And hath she still not yet quite settled down?
     Yet, elder servant, tell us as we frown
     For we did hear a cry within that hall,[135]
     And we rejoice not, woman, in the fall
     Of this thy household, since we think it dear.

NURSE
     The house is gone; it soon shall disappear.
     For as the lord enjoys the wedding bed,
     My lady rots inside as if she’s dead,[140]
     Her heart not ever so slightly consoled
     By words of solace that her friends have told.

MEDEA
     Alas, alas, O Zeus, O Earth, O Light!
     A heavenly bolt burns through my skull so bright!
     For from this life, what good can I expect?[145]
     Let my loathed being cease to this effect,
     I only seek oblivion in blight.¹²

CHORUS
[Strophe¹³]
     Do ye hear, mighty Zeus and Earth and Light,
     The shriek of such most miserable sort
     To which this doleful wife doth now resort?[150]
     Thou fool, now why should thy deserted bed
     Be ‘nough for thee to wish that thou wert dead?
     In time, Death cometh all men to consume:
     Thou shouldst thus never pray to know its gloom.
     And if thy spouse should sleep on some fresh couch,[155]
     Remember Zeus himself, for thee shall vouch
     To avenge th’ injustice that thy man now wreaks:
     So let no anger show upon thy cheeks.
     Bewail less… lest thou destroyest thy nest.

MEDEA
     O mighty Themis and Artemis blest,[160]
     See you what pain my fortune now allows,
     Binding my cursed spouse with such great vows?
     Him and his bride, how I desire to see
     Wiped out, their house reduced to mere debris!
     For, unprovokèd, they first did me wrong.[165]
     O father, O hometown where I belong,
     I slew my brother and left you in shame.

NURSE
     O, listen how she calls on Themis’ name
     To invoke the goddess’ favor, ever fair,
     And on Zeus’ too, to whom all mortals swear?[170]
     It does not sound as if my lady’s grief
     Will soon decrease, much less turn a new leaf.

CHORUS
[Antistrophe]
     O, how we wish that she would now appear,
     Come face-to-face with us, so she could hear
     Our voice and list to what we have to say:[175]
     Why can she not subside in any way
     Her sour temper and her insolent mind?
     Howbeit, let us never fail to find
     Enough compassion for our dearest mates.
     Now go and carry her out of these gates;[180]
     Go forth now, on thy way into her house:
     Her fiery nature we shall try to douse.
     Make haste before she harmeth those within:
     For her grave grief shall soon erupt in sin.

NURSE
     All right, but I fear I can’t sway the dame,[185]
     Yet I shall toil to fulfill your aim;
     Although she, with a lioness’ facade,
     Doth like a bull charge at slaves from abroad,
     When they come near her, bringing news or fruits.
     ‘Twould not be a mistake to call them brutes,[190]
     Who long ago, devoid of all insight
     Were introducing songs cheerful and bright
     At both feasts solemn and at dinners jolly;
     Music, the sound of life’s delightful folly—
     But they could not with music nor with lyre[195]
     Succeed in easing men’s conditions dire:
     The very grief that kindles death and smashes
     Houses apart, reducing them to ashes.
     What joy ‘twould be if songs could cure our woes!
     When people eat, wherefore should one compose[200]
     Songs? Nay, it is a total waste of time.
     Indeed, a man who’s feasting in his prime
     Delights enough i’th’ very meal he eats.

CHORUS
     We’ve heard most grievous wailings from these streets;
     Her calls for vengeance on that cheating gent,[205]
     Who did betray her bed with gross intent;
     Thus suffering injustice, she invokes
     Themis, the one who judges oath from hoax,
     The daughter of Zeus, king of all the gods;
     She who was brought to Greece against all odds[210]
     And carried o’er the lucifugous waves
     Through such a place that hosts so many graves,
     The uncrossable strait of the Black Sea.

MEDEA
     Women of Corinth, lest ye should blame me
     I’ve exited the house, for well I know[215]
     That some are filled with pride from head to toe
     In private and in public; others, still,
     For their reclusion stand in favour ill.
     Yet there is no justice in mortal eyes;
     Since when they only know one’s outward guise,[220]
     They hate him at once, though he’s done no wrong.
     With city customs, guests must go along:
     But I respect no native who is rude,
     Whose stubbornness in town incites a feud.
     Yet such a deed hath caught me by surprise—[225]
     Corrupted my soul: and so this life dies.
     I’ve lost all grace and friends; I crave the end,
     For he in whom I’d known good now doth bend;
     My spouse turned out to be the worst of men.
     Of all things living, time and time again,[230]
     Women have always been the bleakest breed!
     First, it is for a groom that women need
     To pay a price; and he then rules their body:
     Yet more grief to the woe that we embody.
     And then the point—will he be good or bad?[235]
     In a divorce, the wife is never glad
     Nor can she ever overrule her spouse.
     Then, when she learns the customs of his house
     She must divine what garners scorn or praise
     For she’s not privy to the household’s ways.[240]
     Yet, even so, her life could turn out well
     If only he does not strike her or yell;
     For in these cases, death is surely sweeter.
     And when a man feels trapped in his home’s meter,
     He simply leaves and frees his heart from th’ cage,[245]
     And turneth to his friends and those his age;
     Meantime, it is but one man we may see.
     Yet they claim that behind closed doors, we’re free
     From dangers of the spear that men do face;
     How foolish! I would rather thrice embrace[250]
     The shield and fight than give birth just one time.
     Alas, for you, this logic doesn’t rhyme!
     Ye have this city and your sire’s castle
     Enjoying life with friends and with no hassle,
     While I am lonesome, stateless, and abused[255]
     By a man, seized from far away and used;
     I have no mother, brother, no one close
     To try and shelter me from all these woes.
     Thus, I desire to garner this from you:
     That if I find a way to stage a coup,[260]
     To punish Jason for his treacherous sting,
     Withal his bride and her father, the king,
     You hold your peace. For while we women fear
     A lot of things—beholding brawl or spear:
     When we’re betrayèd on our wedding bed[265]
     There’s nothing worse than us that ye could dread.

CHORUS LEADER
     So be it: for ‘tis true thy spouse should pay,
     Medea. Thou hast reason to dismay.
     But who comes here? Creon, lord of this land,
     Approaching to announce his new command.[270]

CREON
     Thou that art gloomy, angry at thy man,
     Medea, I bid thee to leave this clan.
     To banishment, take thy two children, too;
     Do not delay: this lies in my purview
     And I shall not return unto my mansion[275]
     Till thou art out of my land’s grand expansion.

MEDEA
     O, wretched me—I’m utterly destroyed!
     I see no way this woe to now avoid,
     For all my foes have done their level worst.
     Yet I shall ask while I remain so cursed:[280]
     Creon, why have me exiled from thy state?

CREON
     I fear thee (there’s no need to obfuscate)
     Lest thou perform’st some evil on my daughter.
     Strong indications make me dread such slaughter:
     Thou’rt wise and skilled in such a vile art,[285]
     And still in great pain from thy broken heart.
     I’ve heard thy threats, by way of men’s reports,
     ‘Gainst bride and groom and ruler of our courts.
     Thus take I measures, ere my pains grow great.
     Woman, I’d rather now incur thy hate[290]
     Than spare thee now and later on lament.

MEDEA
     O, Creon, this is not a lone event,
     Once more my name hath prov’d to be my bane.
     The prudent father always should abstain
     From making his kin excessively wise:[295]
     Not only shall they suffer jealous eyes
     But also deal with idle accusations.
     For fools will say thy wit lacks applications
     Whene’er thou bring’st them any new insight;
     E’en so, the town will treat thee with such spite[300]
     Shouldst thou seem smarter than those deemèd clever.
     I, too, must share in this sad fate forever:
     Because I’m wise, envy takes hold in some,
     And others, still, consider me a scum:
     Besides, my mind’s not that unordinary,[305]
     Yet lest thou sufferest, thou still art wary?
     Don’t fear me, Creon; surely there’s no thing
     Of mine could ever wrong a royal king.
     Besides, how hast thou wronged me? Thine one heir
     Thou gavest according to thy judgment fair.[310]
     I hate my husband, but I value thee.
     So, I do not resent thy good decree;
     The marriage, may it well succeed. But please
     Let me call this land home. I’ll hold my peace
     In silence, though wronged, ruled by my monarch.[315]

CREON
     Thou speakest softly, yet my mind’s still dark
     Lest thou shouldst wish me some far greater harm;
     My trust is lessened by your speech’s charm.
     From women rash and men whose pride is sore
     One guards with ease, less so from mute uproar.[320]
     So get thee gone, and do not try to sway
     My mind; I am resolved thou canst not stay
     Among us, since thou wishest to hurt me.

MEDEA
     Nay, by thy knees and daughter, I beg thee.

CREON
     You waste your words: I never shall agree.[325]

MEDEA
     But wilt thou exile me and scorn my plea?

CREON
     I love thee no more than the house I own.

MEDEA
     O, fatherland—best place I’ve ever known.

CREON
     Only my daughter I love more sincerely.

MEDEA
     What a great woe to love somebody dearly.[330]

CREON
     I think the Fates decide whether that’s true.

MEDEA
     Zeus, do not miss the culprit of my rue.

CREON
     Leave, madwoman, deliver me from worry.

MEDEA
     With all this toil, there’s no need to hurry.

CREON
     Go, lest my servants throw thee out by force.[335]

MEDEA
     I beg thee, Creon, choose some other course.

CREON
     Woman, thou art in contempt of my court.

MEDEA
     I’ll go. ‘Tis not my exile I would thwart.

CREON
     Then why release not my hand from thy grip?

MEDEA
     Permit me one day to delay my trip[340]
     So that I can prepare for my exile
     And take care of my children, since their vile
     Foul father won’t give them the care that’s due.
     Have pity, then, for thou hast children, too;
     So shouldst thou treat mine well: ‘tis only right.[345]
     My deportation, I care not to fight
     But, leaving, I lament their dire fate.

CREON
     I’m a soft king: I often take the bait
     And then regret the lenient steps I take;
     Now, too, methinks, I’m making a mistake.[350]
     But, thou mayest have it thy way. Yet, I warn
     Thee: if, tomorrow, heaven’s torch adorn
     Thy children or thyself within this realm
     Then thou shalt die; my word shall thee o’erwhelm.
     Now, if thou must, do stay but one more day:[355]
     In such short time, thou shan’t cause me dismay.

CHORUS LEADER
     Pitiful woman, what a wretch thou art,
     With such afflictions tearing thee apart!
     Where wilt thou go? Who shall thee now receive,
     What house, what land can these thy woes relieve?[360]
     O, poor Medea! Why’d the gods deliver
     Thee hurtling down this miserable river?

MEDEA
     The situation’s bad in every way:
     What else but this can anybody say?
     Believe you me, though, things are not yet finished:[365]
     These newlyweds’ delight shall be diminished;
     Ample afflictions shall infect their brood.
     Think you I’d flatter his rude attitude
     Expecting no gain, seeking no design?
     I’d not have spoken; no, nor touched this swine.[370]
     He has, however, been too idiotic—
     Why not expel me with his pow’r despotic
     And stop my plans? Instead, he granted me
     To stay a day—I’ll kill my victims three:
     The father, bride, and then my wedded mate.[375]
     Their deaths are sure, but there’s more than one gate;
     I know not, dear friends, which one to take first:
     Should I ignite their house with fire curst?
     Or creep into their bedroom, quite unseen,
     And thrust a sharp sword through his wretched spleen?[380]
     The road’s still steep; supposing I get seized
     As I do trespass on their house displeased…
     My better half shall then have the last laugh.
     ‘Tis best, then, that I use my sorcerer’s staff;
     With drugs and potions shall I strike them dead.[385]
     But tell me, then: What roof will shield my head?
     What friend would give me shelter in his land,
     Ensure my safety, or extend his hand?
     No one. Therefore, I’ll simply wait a bit
     And if fate grants some tower where we can fit,[390]
     Then I shall kill without raising my voice.
     Yet should the fates decide I can’t rejoice,
     I’ll take the sword, e’en if I, too, must die,
     And murder them, with daring in mine eye.
     Now by Hecate, whom I do worship most,[395]
     Who hath ta’en my inner body for her host,
     Whom I did choose as my associate
     To help my heart berate those that I hate,
     I swear to make their new alliance sour,
     Their wedding—bitter, and so their last hour.[400]
     Come, strategize, Medea, strike, and scheme,
     Try every spell, as vain as it may seem.
     Into the fray! The time has come to dare.
     See how thou sufferest? It is not fair
     That now the kin of Sisyphus and Jason[405]
     Mock thee, a child of Helios. So, hasten!
     Besides, we women are innately bad
     At deeds of valour that make good men glad,
     Yet most adept at leaving people sad.

CHORUS
[Strophe A]
     The blest rivers flow backwards and wax mad,[410]
     Justice and all things are again reversed,
     The deeds of men are crafty and coerced,
     The mortals’ faith i’th’ gods is now no more.
     And yet, report suggests our lives shall soar,
     And we shall soon enjoy better repute:[415]
     Destiny chooses our sex to salute.
     Honour, indeed, awaits all womankind,
     And we shall be revered, no more confined.
     No longer shall we suffer wrongful slander,
     Women shall now be treated with pure candor.[420]
[Antistrophe A]
     The ancient songs of muses full of years
     Shall quench the faithless and relieve our fears.
     O Phoebus, master true of every choir,
     Never let us near thy most sacred lyre,
     And grant us not to write e’en just one ode[425]
     Lest, in response, we sing in such a mode,
     Answering all the male sex ever sings,
     Revealing truth by playing on the strings.
     The passage of time equally can praise
     Both the male and, indeed, the female gaze.[430]
[Strophe B]
     But thou hast sailed from the halls of thy father,
     Thy spirit burning with so strong a bother,
     Past the twin boulders guarding the Black waves,
     Living in exile, worse off than some slaves,
     Far from the comforts of thy bridal bed,[435]
     A wretched woman that her home hath fled;
     And now art sentenced to be banishèd,
     Thy reputation newly tarnishèd.
[Antistrophe B]
     The sacred grace of oaths is thus no more,
     Shame hath now fled from every Greekish shore.[440]
     There is no father’s house to grant thee shade
     From thy burning distress, O wretch betrayed;
     Worse yet, a better princess shall be sworn
     To rule thy home, and thou shalt be forlorn.
     None more accursed hath ever yet been born.[445]

JASON
     I have often witnessed such silly scorn
     And how it causes so many to mourn.
     Thou couldst have stayed here if thou hadst forsworn
     Thy pride and hadst obeyed thy lord, his laws;
     Instead to be expelled thou’st given cause.[450]
     And yet, call Jason base; thou need’st not cease:
     I really don’t care; I have made my peace.
     Yet when thou insultest the monarch’s house,
     Exile is mercy, and thou shouldst not grouse.
     I wish that thou couldst stay; I’ve tried to appease[455]
     The angry lords whom thou hast failed to please.
     But thou refusest to cease speaking ill
     Of kings—thus must thou thy exile fulfill.
     E’en so, my kin I shall not disregard,
     And, woman, thou shalt not suffer too hard[460]
     As I shall grant some coin my sons and thee,
     In hopes you do not starve after you flee.
     For even if thou only knowest hate,
     I still could never wish thee an ill fate.

MEDEA
     Most destitute man, with no trace of good,[465]
     Thou brute, completely lacking in manhood,
     Dost thou come to us, dost thou come just now,
     Worst foe of gods, men, and myself? Dost thou?
     It shows no courage, no determination,
     To thus abuse thy wife and thy creation,[470]
     And then come to berate them; ‘tis just shameful!
     Of all things mortal, ‘tis the vice most blameful…
     I’m glad thou camest, though, for I now shall speak,
     Lighten my soul, and render thy mind bleak.
     Let me thus speak first from the very start,[475]
     I saved thee; any Greek who did depart
     With thee on th’ Argo shall confirm of this,
     When thou didst hear the bulls of fire hiss
     And then wert sent to sow seeds of decease,
     I slew the dragon which the golden fleece[480]
     Did guard, all coiled up and abjuring asleep;
     I shone the light that saved thee from the deep.
     Thus, I betrayed my father and my house,
     To Iolcus I followed thee, my spouse.
     And although lacking wisdom, not resolve,[485]
     I managed from thy fears thee to absolve
     By killing Pelias in the basest way—
     I made his daughters take his life away.
     Still, after all that I have done for thee,
     Thou hast, foul beast, betrayed thine oath to me.[490]
     I e’en bore thee a son not once, but twice.
     Should not thy wedding promise still suffice?
     I do not know whether the ancient lords
     Are still thy gods or if thou’st turned towards
     New ones—howbeit, thou art a disgrace.[495]
     Now, by the hand thou held’st in love’s embrace,
     And by my knees, at which thou beggedst so oft,
     To be thus touched hath now proved not so soft.
     Come on, for I shall ask thee as a friend,
     Although I know I cannot e’er depend[500]
     On thee, so to add to thine ample shame,
     Tell me, in which land shall I refuge claim?
     My sire’s, whom I betrayed and then deserted,
     Or Pelias’, whose children I perverted?
     I’m sure they’ll host me well, now that he’s dead.[505]
     To all my friends, I’m an object of dread.
     Thus, those I wished no harm are now my foes
     Since I did help thee, and we grew so close.
     As thanks for this, thou’st made me the most blessed
     Of all the wives in Greece; for you’re the best[510]
     Of spouses, so I’m forced to leave this place
     With my forsaken boys, devoid of grace.
     How sweet an honor to thee, the new groom:
     Thy wife, who saved thy life from certain doom,
     A beggar, and thy boys to die of cold.[515]
     O Zeus, why show us how to spot false gold
     And yet create no clear physical token
     To help us to detect which men are broken,
     Which mortals are good, and which ones are vile?

CHORUS LEADER
     When kin on kin enforces such a trial[520]
     ‘Tis very easy to start smelling treason.

JASON
     I see I need to give a sounder reason,
     Much like a careful helmsman of a ship
     With the sail’s edge, I have to give the slip
     To th’ storm that bloweth from thy dire tongue.[525]
     Now, since thou’st to thy kindness greatly clung,
     Know that I think ‘twas good Cypris alone
     That saved me when I then was overthrown.
     Thou, surely, hast a cunning, guileful mind;
     Still, it was Eros who made thee so kind[530]
     That thou didst save me: thou canst not deny.
     I shan’t press this point, lest thou start to cry.
     Instead, I shall show that by saving me
     Thou’st gained more than thy rightfully owed fee.
     First and foremost, thou hast settled in Greece[535]
     Instead of some barbaric, savage lease;
     Thou livest i’th’ comfort of justice and laws—
     Not spending time in fear of wild beasts’ jaws.
     And all the Greeks know thy mind’s elevation:
     Thou hast enjoyed a fairer reputation[540]
     Than if thou wert to live at the world’s end.
     I’d rather have renown than gold to spend,
     Or e’en than my sweet Orphic melodies,
     If I can’t make my wealth in equities.
     Such is my answer regarding our quest;[545]
     Remember, thou didst start this word-wrought test.
     Next, to the charge thou makest ‘gainst my betrothal:
     I shall show thee I’m not running a brothel
     And that I’m friendly to thee and our kin—

     Be quiet; thou shalt see how mild I’ve been.[550]
     When I left Iolcus, my country natal,
     I brought my troubles that were almost fatal;
     What should I, a strange fugitive, have done?
     Is it not best to wed a royal one?
     I hate not our old bed, filled with some lust[555]
     After a new bride; I don’t feel disgust
     At our boys, seeking a more fertile mate:
     Two are enough, and they have turned out great;
     Rather, it is indeed my utmost care
     That we be not impoverished, but live fair,[560]
     Since those in need are so oft left behind;
     To raise my children well, I’ve set my mind,
     Just as ‘tis meet for members of my line;
     And their new brothers shall with them align.
     For why shouldst thou for any more sons strive?[565]
     ‘Tis I need new sons to help old sons thrive.
     And dost thou think I have miscalculated?
     Thou simply hatest her with whom I’ve mated.
     Ye women have of late become moronic;
     Your one care is the love-bed: how hedonic,[570]
     And should your sex life any way go wrong,
     Ye chastise all that’s good, blest, wise, and strong
     As wickedness. We need some other way
     To get our children. Women must away,
     And this shall solve all troubles men may face.[575]

CHORUS LEADER
     Jason, thy arguments are made with grace,
     Yet such a rude idea I’ll embrace:
     It seems to me thou didst thy wife debase.

MEDEA
     In this, my judgment differs from the lot:
     When sound words are said by one full of rot,[580]
     I think that this deserves the harshest sentence,
     Since with his speeches, he can feign repentance,
     While being not the slightest bit so smart.
     So, don’t you dare parade thy rhetoric art
     Before me, nor thy faulty, foul cognition.[585]
     One sentence shall defeat thy dull position:
     A just man would have sought his wife’s consent.

JASON
     I’m sure thou wouldst have answered with content
     If I sought thy opinion about this,
     As even now thy hate thou can’t dismiss.[590]

MEDEA
     Thou liar! Thou wert afraid, lest in old age
     A foreign wife shall dog thee with outrage.

JASON
     Know this: I did not conquer a new bed
     For love’s sake; rather, I chose to be wed
     For our sons, and for thy sake as well—[595]
     I made the hardest choice that I could tell,
     So that our family might still stand firm.

MEDEA
     For mere wealth, may I never lies affirm
     For then my heart would suffer nonetheless.

JASON
     Teach thyself wiser prayers to profess![600]
     Thou never shouldst call fortunate things bitter,
     Nor paint fine gifts as if that they were litter.

MEDEA
     Go on, insult me, since thou art so safe,
     While I must leave, forsaken, like a waif.

JASON
     Thou chose this, thou hast no one else to blame.[605]

MEDEA
     What have I done? Elope with a new dame?

JASON
     Thou hast not ceased to curse the royal house.

MEDEA
     And yet I, too, am cursed by mine own spouse.

JASON
     I see that I cannot agree with thee,
     But still, I wish to help once thou dost flee;[610]
     So if thou wishest for some of my riches,
     Just ask, and don’t get too big for thy britches.
     I shall give thee as much as thou wouldst need,
     I shall instruct my friends thy call to heed.
     Now, cease thine anger; to decline is madness.[615]

MEDEA
     Thy base friends never shall relieve our sadness
     Neither shall we thy wicked gifts receive,
     A foul man’s offer is a poor reprieve.

JASON
     Let the gods note my generosity
     And that thou choosest this atrocity.[620]
     I came with peace, yet thou didst turn and bite,
     Now may the gods strike back with all their might.

MEDEA
     Begone! ‘Tis sure, a man his bride adores
     When he doth linger so long out of doors.
     Go, play the bridegroom; may the gods ensure[625]
     That thou regrettest this wedding impure.

CHORUS
[Strophe A]
     When love is so incredibly erotic,
     So full of passion, it’s almost hypnotic,
     It fails to bring men any good renown
     Nor any credit; it just makes them frown.[630]
     But yet, if Cypris strikes with moderation
     Love still remains the most divine sensation.
     So, goddess, we implore thee ne’er to shoot
     Thine arrow at us, causing pain acute,
     For thy bow golden is one of desire.[635]
[Antistrophe A]
     Rather, we conjure thee: protect this choir,
     And grant us the most noble gift o’th’ gods:
     The gift of moderation ‘gainst all odds.
     May potent Cypris never let us long
     For a new bed, with yearning over-strong,[640]
     Lest as we perish and detest each other,
     We vanish in desire’s thickest smother…
     Instead, may Eros bless each peaceful union,
     And choose for all of us the best communion.
[Strophe B]
     O native country, O our home, great town,[645]
     We pray our city never turns us down,
     Since this is a tough life, hard to endure,
     Most miserable and yet least secure,
     Nothing is worse than being an outcast.
     Should such a day come, we’d rather die fast[650]
     For there is not a thing worse than this fate:
     That one should be rejected by his state,
     To know no home, to lose one’s natal soil.
[Antistrophe B]
     We speak as we have seen it from our toil,
     Not by some distant, far-removed report,[655]
     Since thou thyself art exiled from this court,
     And not a single friend hath offered aid,
     While thou dost suffer, sorrowed, and betrayed.
     Then let him die without any libations,
     Who doth betray his most cherished relations,[660]
     Who thus refuseth e’er to bare his heart;
     From such a man, we’d always stay apart.

AEGEUS
     Medea, hail! Upon thee joy I send,
     There is no better way to greet a friend.

MEDEA
     You too, Aegeus¹⁷, wise Pandion’s heir.[665]
     What brings the king of Athens to this lair?

AEGEUS
     I’ve just come from the oracle of Phoebus.

MEDEA
     What made you wish to seek out such a rebus?

AEGEUS
     I would have children, and such was my query.

MEDEA
     Gods, at your age, to have no heirs is weary.[670]

AEGEUS
     Our childlessness is some great god’s decree.

MEDEA
     Have you a wife, or live you lonesomely?

AEGEUS
     I have a wife; my nights are not unblest.

MEDEA
     So, what did Phoebus speak, at your behest?

AEGEUS
     Words much too wise for mortals to translate.[675]

MEDEA
     May I hear what the god chose to narrate?

AEGEUS
     Of course, I’ll profit from thy clever mind.

MEDEA
     So what was said, if you would be so kind?

AEGEUS
     That I must not the bladder’s foot untie…

MEDEA
     Until you do what, or in what place lie?[680]

AEGEUS
     Until I reach my old ancestral manor.

MEDEA
     What are you doing, then, beneath our banner?

AEGEUS
     I seek one Pittheus, the Troezen king.

MEDEA
     The pious son of Pelops, as men sing.

AEGEUS
     To talk to him about this oracle.[685]

MEDEA
     He’s skilled at all stuff metaphorical.

AEGEUS
     Besides, he’s dearest of all mine allies.

MEDEA
     I wish you luck, may his advice be wise.

AEGEUS
     Why is thy cheek pale, why tears in thine eye?

MEDEA
     Aegeus, ‘tis my husband makes me cry.[690]

AEGEUS
     What dost thou mean? Please tell me of thy trouble.

MEDEA
     ‘Tis Jason who reduced me down to rubble.

AEGEUS
     What hath he done? Don’t hesitate to tell.

MEDEA
     He took a new wife, putting me through hell.

AEGEUS
     How hath he dared to do this shameful act?[695]

MEDEA
     He loved me once, but now our bond is cracked.

AEGEUS
     Is he struck by new love, or hate for thee?

MEDEA
     It is plain lust; he no more cares for me.

AEGEUS
     Then pay him no mind, if his be so mean.

MEDEA
     He’s eager now to wed his future queen.[700]

AEGEUS
     Who gave her to him? Please, complete thy story.

MEDEA
     ‘Twas Creon, king of Corinth’s territory.

AEGEUS
     O lady, thou art truly right to grieve.

MEDEA
     I’m finished now: this country I must leave.

AEGEUS
     What now? Another sorrow thou must whelm?[705]

MEDEA
     Creon would have me banished from his realm.

AEGEUS
     And Jason doth assent? Deplorable.

MEDEA
     He feigns with ‘No’s, yet still acts horrible.

     And thus, I beg you, by your beard and knees,
     I come to you with my growing unease.[710]
     So, pity me, a woman devastated,
     See to it that I am not isolated;
     Rather, receive me at your fireside.
     If, for me, you do take this in your stride,
     You shall have children and may die content.[715]
     To find me here was a lucky event:
     Your impotence with true drugs I shall cure,
     And plenteous heirs for you I shall ensure.

AEGEUS
     Dear friend, of course, I’m happy to assist.
     The gods advise that I should not resist,[720]
     Besides thy offer to provide me heirs,
     For I am quite bereft in these affairs.
     Thus, my support for thee shall never waver
     And if thou comest, I shall grant thee favour.
     Yet I, fair lady, sadly still fall short,[725]
     For I may not to Athens thee escort.
     Still, if thou makest it to my domain,
     Thou shalt be safe; thy foes shall plot in vain.
     Thou must thyself from Corinth disappear;
     For I’d do poorly to seem hostile here.[730]

MEDEA
     So be it; I have just one more request:
     Swear this, and of all kings you’ll be the best.

AEGEUS
     Dost thou not trust me? What is thy concern?

MEDEA
     I trust in you—yet many wish I’d burn:
     The house of Pelias and of Creon, too.[735]
     An oath will vouchsafe there won’t be more rue.
     But if I trust in nothing but your word,
     I’d fear a bribe, or something so absurd,
     Should turn you ‘gainst me, since my adversaries
     Have more wealth and more noble emissaries.[740]

AEGEUS
     Fair woman, thou hast spoken wisely, sure;
     Thus, with an oath, my promise I’ll secure.
     Indeed, thy plea doth grant me a defence,
     If e’er thy foes should ask of my ‘offence’;
     So name the gods by which I ought to swear.[745]

MEDEA
     Then make an oath to Earth, our mother bare,
     And Helios, the father of my father.

AEGEUS
     To do what? Or, refrain from doing, rather?

MEDEA
     Never perforce to drive me from thy land,
     Never to grant what my foes shall demand,[750]
     Nor give me up unto a hostile hand.

AEGEUS
     I swear it, by the Earth and Helios grand,
     I’faith, by all the gods, I make this stand.

MEDEA
     What if your word is fleeting, built on sand?

AEGEUS
     Then may I see all mortal woes firsthand.[755]

MEDEA
     Then leave rejoicing, things shall go as planned.
     That I shall soon come, you may understand;
     But first, I’ll deal with this disgraceful band.

CHORUS LEADER
     May Maia’s son, the patron of the way,
     Guide thee, Aegeus, and not make thee stray,[760]
     As thou returnest to thy native soil.
     We pray that thy joy never once shall spoil,
     For we have deemed thee a most worthy mortal.

MEDEA
     O Zeus and Justice, his offspring immortal,
     And my grandfather, light of Helios,[765]
     Now, my dear friends, we shall avoid all loss,
     For we shall now emerge victorious,
     As my foes meet a fate notorious.
     Since this man caught me at my lowest point,
     Offered me refuge, did not disappoint,[770]
     I’ve means to flee to the city of Pallas.
     But first, I shall speak words of vicious malice
     As I describe to you what I now crave.
     In some small time, I plan to send my slave
     To Jason, asking that he visit me.[775]
     I’ll speak words gentle to that wicked flea:
     Of how I do support his choice to marry,
     Of how it is a burden I can carry,
     How his decisions are just and correct.
     And then, I’ll plead the kids are spared neglect;[780]
     Not that I wish to leave them to my foes
     But so that I can use them to dispose
     Of his new bride. For they shall bring with them
     A fine robe and a golden diadem,
     As if to beg their exile be called off.[785]
     Should she be pleased, and happen not to scoff
     At these gifts, but instead she puts them on,
     She’ll die a gruesome death, forever gone,
     And so shall all who touch the poisoned dress.
     Still, over her, I’d better not obsess.[790]
     Yet I cannot imagine what shall follow:
     My children lost, their bodies left so hollow;
     For I shall have to slay my perfect sons.
     No one can save them, my poor, blameless ones.
     Thus, having broken Jason’s home and heart,[795]
     In slaying mine own children, I’ll depart,
     To flee the weight of this most heavy sin.
     I shall not face my foes’ contemptuous grin.
     Let this be, friends, when nothing dear is left:
     I’m homeless, fatherless, and quite bereft.[800]
     To leave my father was a dire mistake,
     And for a Greek, who now shall suffer ache:
     For he shall never see his children more,
     Nor get new sons by her he doth adore.
     Because that wretch shall meet my spell arcane[805]
     And, wretched, die, as fate thought wise t’ ordain.
     But let nobody think me weak or passive.
     Nay, rather, both my hate and love are massive;
     The one I show foes, t’other to allies:
     This life alone is the way of the wise.[810]

CHORUS LEADER
     Now that thou hast shared with us thy insight,
     Desiring both to help and do what’s right,
     We beg that thou dost not unleash this blight.

MEDEA
     I have no choice but this fire to ignite,
     I pardon you, since you don’t know my plight.[815]

CHORUS LEADER
     But canst thou bear thine own children to smite?

MEDEA
     The surest way to ruin my husband’s life.

CHORUS LEADER
     And thou shalt be the world’s most wretched wife.

MEDEA
     So be it: nothing more until it’s done.

     Go thou, and summon Jason; straightway run,[820]
     Since I do trust thee, without hesitation.
     And of my plans, give thou no indication,
     If, as a woman, thou dost wish me well.

CHORUS
[Strophe A]
     Let’s sing about Aegeus’ citadel:
     The sons of Erechtheus, Athens’ first king,[825]
     Since old times have been blest in everything;
     They truly are descendants of the gods.
     True joy thrives in their never-conquered quads;
     Athenian folk feast on sagacity,
     Their thirst for wisdom—a veracity;[830]
     These people tread the very joyful earth
     Where nine Pierian Muses once gave birth
     To fair Harmonia with the golden hair.
[Antistrophe A]
     The goddess, Cypris, also was born there,
     For in the spring of Cephissus’s foam,[835]
     She first appeared and called Attica home,
     And exhaled there a gentle, charming breeze.
     From sweetest-smelling roses and from trees
     In Athens, she made garlands for her hair
     Thus, to aid Wisdom, she sent Eros there;[840]
     Because the people in Attica knew
     More than the rest, what is and is not true.
     Thus truly had they Knowledge beyond measure,
     And to it added Love, the greatest treasure,
     So that true joy could prosper in their city.[845]
[Strophe B]
     And yet, the future heralds woe and pity:
     How shall this city of these sacred streams,
     This harbor sweet of lovers’ hopes and dreams,
     Receive for refuge one who doth send shivers
     Down their spines, and corrupts their holy rivers:[850]
     A mother guilty of gross filicide?
     Discuss this grave sin with us, those outside.
     Consider now the murder thou’dst commit.
     We beg thee now this horrid deed to quit.
     We beg by thy knees, by every prayer.[855]
[Antistrophe B]
     How can thy hands, thy mind, and thy heart bear
     Thy pure and blameless children thus to slaughter?
     How can thine eyes not once turn blind with water
     When thou considerest thy children’s death,
     Their mother joying at their final breath?[860]
     ‘Tis certain, thou shalt surely not be able,
     Thou wouldst not dare to entertain this fable,
     With their young blood to stain thy hands and knife,
     Seeing thy children kneel and beg for life.
     No mother can her sons willingly hurt.[865]

JASON
     Thus, being called, to this place I revert.
     And though thou hatest me, I shan’t thee desert,
     So, what is it thou wishest to assert?

MEDEA
     Jason, I pray that what I said before
     May be excused; that thou dost not abhor[870]
     Me, when each of us t’other doth adore.
     My prior words I’ve come now to deplore;
     I think to myself, I am such a fool.
     Why hate the king? Why think Jason is cruel
     When he hath merely tried to do what’s best:[875]
     Marrying the princess so that we can rest,
     And making sure our sons might have a brother?
     Faith, all he wants is to support their mother.
     And are the gods not generous to my house?
     Have I no children? Why such hate espouse?[880]
     Do I not understand I need a friend
     Unless I want to meet a bitter end?
     And thus, I figured I should cease my ire.
     And now thy face doth joy in me inspire,
     For I am grateful for thy new alliance;[885]
     I’ve been so stupid in my rude defiance.
     My duty was to aid in thy wise plan,
     To please thy bride, appreciate my man.
     Yet women are… well, we’re the way we are,
     But still, thou need’st not act just as bizarre[890]
     As us, and answer our gall with gall.
     I do admit, my folly’s not been small,
     But now, I’ve come to see things much more clearly.
     Come, children, greet your father most sincerely.

     Together with me, let us make him proud,[895]
     And sing him hymns of praises, clear and loud.
     That we may reconcile us once again.
     For wisdom won, my hatred hath been slain.
     Come now, and take his hands. Still, it’s so daunting
     To picture what shall soon our lives be haunting.[900]
     O, children dear, shall ye extend your hands
     Thus full of joy, no matter what foul plans
     Fate hath prepared for you, my boys, to feel.
     The wounds of our old bonds I’ve tried to heal,
     At last, and yet my face is still downcast.[905]

CHORUS LEADER
     The grief in our eyes now is unsurpassed.
     May this misfortune depart at long last!

JASON
     Nay, do not fret from words said in the past.
     Woman, I welcome what thou hast just said,
     And I don’t blame thy wrath: thou wert misled.[910]
     ‘Tis normal, sure, for women to blame men
     In matters of love, every now and then:
     At last, however, thou art acting clever.
     And as for you, my boys, I did endeavor
     To, by the gods, provide you with the best:[915]
     Indeed, I now dare truly to attest
     That you shall rule all Corinth with your brothers.
     Thus, grow that you may triumph over others;
     Your father and the gods shall do the rest.
     If it be so, at last, my royal crest[920]
     May fly over the lands of all my foes.

     Dear, what are these tears and this runny nose?
     Why didst thou turn thy fairest face away,
     Why dost thou not rejoice at what I say?

MEDEA
     ‘Tis nothing; I was thinking of my sons.[925]

JASON
     Cheer up—I’ll take care of the little ones.

MEDEA
     I shall do so, and I shall trust thy word;
     Women are soft, their cries are too oft heard.

JASON
     But why do our sons in thee spring such sadness?

MEDEA
     As I’m their mother, I was struck with madness[930]
     When thou didst mention how our boys shall grow.
     Yet still, the reason I did bid thee go
     To me hath been but partially revealed.
     I hope it’s clear that I indeed shall yield
     To the king’s order that I leave his land,[935]
     For I know that if I should stay at hand
     I shall be cross with thee or the monarch.
     Thus, I shall on a journey soon embark,
     But I beseech thee to get Creon, our lord,
     To grant the boys to remain in thy ward.[940]

JASON
     I know not if ‘twill work, but I shall try.

MEDEA
     On thy new wife thou surely canst rely
     To ensure that her dear father shall comply.

JASON
     Good sooth! This favor she cannot deny.

MEDEA
     I, too, shall vie to help thee with this task:[945]
     To bear her gifts, the children I shall ask,
     The most beautiful presents that I know—
     A fine robe and a wreath of golden glow.
     One of the slaves must bring them here right now.
     Go, bring the gifts I promised in my vow.[950]

     Thy bride shall be lucky in many ways,
     Her fortune bright shall last thousands of days,
     Since she gets you, a husband oh-so-noble,
     Withal these garments, which Helios global
     Once gave as gift to his mortal descendant.[955]

     Come, children, take these clothes from my attendant
     Into your hands and bring them to the bride,
     Offer the princess these gifts sanctified.

JASON
     Thou silly fool, why cast thy things aside?
     Dost thou think more gold needs to be supplied[960]
     To th’ royal house? Nay, keep thy holy relic.
     I should suffice o’er these presents angelic,
     For I know well I’m better than these gifts.

MEDEA
     Peace, prithee! Gifts can bridge the widest rifts
     And mortals deem gold better than all reason.[965]
     Thy bride’s good luck is truly in its season—
     She hath fate, youth, and power on her side.
     I’d give my life to save our children’s hide.
     So, children, once you enter in the castle,
     Then ye must beg that you are spared the hassle[970]
     Of exile and thus offer the young dame
     These great heavenly presents in my name.
     You must make sure that she receives the clothes
     In her own hands, and that she keeps them close
     To her. Go at once. I wish you good luck.[975]

CHORUS
[Strophe A]
     With endless horror, we find ourselves struck,
     All hope is gone; the children now shall perish.
     These gifts the new bride certainly shall cherish,
     And once the golden wreath rests on her head,
     Prompted by vanity, she’ll end up dead,[980]
     And then, the kids shall suffer execution.
[Antistrophe A]
     Jason, thou man of gross moral pollution,
     How couldst thou e’er allow this dreadful horror:
     Thy sons to die and so, too, thine adorer?
     How sorrowful is now thy disposition?[985]
     Thou bearest not the slight bit of suspicion,
     Yet still, thy boys shall meet a wretched end,
     Thy royal wife shall also soon descend,
     And all of that caused by thy boorish soul.
[Strophe B]
     At last, thou find’st thyself in full control,[990]
     Yet we grieve for thee, O sorrowful mother,
     Such woe and such misfortune doth thee smother
     That thou now plottest to slay thy sweet boys,
     The blameless casualties of thy foul ploys
     Whose life shall be forever lost, consumed[995]
     Just so that Jason, thy husband, be doomed.
[Antistrophe B]
     Thou dost these evils all because he cheated,
     Thou breathest pain since thou wert thus mistreated,
     Thy wedded man betrayed thy bed in shame;
     Now, all shall suffer, and he is to blame.[1000]
     Alas, we mourn thy fortune, grief, and pain.

PEDAGOGUE
     Lady Medea, your boys may remain.
     They have been spared their exile from these lands
     Once the princess took your gifts in her hands.

     Why look you sadly when you did succeed?[1005]
     Oh please, My Lady, bring me up to speed,
     Since my words do not merit this reaction.

     Could it be I’ve committed some infraction?

     Could I have brought you bad news unawares?
     Believe me, I deemed these lucky affairs.[1010]

MEDEA
     I blame thee not. Thy piece thou didst well utter.

PEDAGOGUE
     Then why so sad? Why do you weep and stutter?

MEDEA
     That is for me alone to know, old man,
     The gods and I devised this ghastly plan.

PEDAGOGUE
     Be brave. In time, you might return back here.[1015]

MEDEA
     Alas! ‘Tis not for myself that I fear.

PEDAGOGUE
     So many families have borne division,
     All mortals thus must meekly make provision.

MEDEA
     This, I shall do. But, go thou to my keep,
     Prepare the children’s beds for peaceful sleep.[1020]

     My sons, my sweet boys, you still have this town
     Withal your house, yet I have let you down
     For you shall lose your mother now forever:
     I must leave this land, our bond I’ll sever.
     I’ll never get to revel in your joy,[1025]
     Nor your young brides to lovingly annoy;
     And at your weddings, I won’t lift the torch.
     I chose, in madness, our shared life to scorch.
     Have I raised you for nothing? All my pain,
     Hardships and trials all have been in vain,[1030]
     And meaningless the pains of childbirth.
     Once, I believed that nothing could be worth
     More than my boys. You would have taken care
     Of me when I grew old, for such welfare
     Is all that mortals e’er wish to acquire,[1035]
     But this illusion now has to retire.
     Never again shall your innocent eyes
     See your dear mother until someone dies.
     ‘Tis true, your sweet, pure lives shall soon advance.
     Alas, why look at me so? Why this glance?[1040]
     Why are you smiling? Oh, what shall I do?
     My heart betrays me; I can’t follow through,
     O women, now that I’ve seen their delight.
     I cannot do it, but I’ll set things right:
     I’ll take the children out of this dark place.[1045]
     Why hurt them to see pain in Jason’s face
     When this should cause me a much worse affliction?
     I won’t. Away, then, with my past conviction.
     Yet still… I suffer, no? Should this foul traitor
     Go thus unpunished, and then mock me later?[1050]
     It must be done, then. Am I such a coward
     That I’d allow my mind to be so soured
     By tender feeling? Children, go inside.
     This sacrifice cannot take place outside
     Lest someone pry. No, I won’t stain my hand.[1055]
     Alas, my heart accepts no reprimand:
     I beg thee, spare thy children, stubborn heart!
     Alive, they’ll bring thee joy when you depart.
     No! No! By Hades’ infernal despair,
     I know that I could never, ever bear[1060]
     My enemies to harm my sons so dear.
     My sweetest boys shall die, the time draws near;
     And it should be I who first gave them birth
     To take their lives away from this base earth.
     ‘Tis fate has chose this; there is no escape.[1065]

     I sense the bride is putting on the cape.
     She soon shall die; the chaplet’s on her head.
     The path I walk is truly lined with dread,
     My sweet boys, it is time I must confess:

     Sons, give me your soft hands, I shall express[1070]
     How I do love you. Let me kiss your faces,
     My noble boys, I wish you the gods’ graces,
     But not here, for your father has deprived
     Us all of any joy we’d have derived.
     Your skin’s so soft, alas, your breath so fragrant:[1075]
     Go, children, my distress hath grown so flagrant
     That I can bear to look at you no longer.
     I know ‘tis vile, but my wrath is stronger
     Than reason. My rage now controls my mind.
     The crime I plot is of the basest kind.[1080]

CHORUS LEADER
     ‘Tis many times, before this very moment,
     That we have been dealt a far worse bestowment,
     And that we’ve had to deal with harder tasks
     Than those befitting our fair female masks.
     As women, still, we’re guided by a Muse,[1085]
     Who just as well grants us the wisest cues.
     Yet not all women are able to learn,
     For these are hints that just few can discern.
     Let us now speak about those mortal folk
     Who, being childless, never bear this yoke—[1090]
     For they are happier than any parent,
     Since they avoid all strifes that are inherent
     In rearing kids—an ineffable quest:
     For children can bring pain as well as rest.
     And yet, the barren feel neither sensation.[1095]
     But e’en a parent who hath known elation
     Still seems to throw away their life i’th’ house,
     Attending to the children with their spouse.
     Hence, e’en if one rejoices in their young,
     There’s many sorrows oft are left unsung.[1100]
     First, it is vital that they raise the children well,
     Next, they must leave them property to sell,
     And, still, with all that, it remains unclear
     Whether their parents they’ll honour or smear.
     And now, however, let us name that evil,[1105]
     That mortals think doth bring the worst upheaval:
     Grant that all goes according to their plan,
     And that their young surpass many a man
     And that they have received sufficient wealth,
     Still, if the children die or lose their health,[1110]
     Hades shall claim their bodies for the dark.
     Then, where’s the profit? Where’s that joyful spark?
     What of our limitless love for our youth?
     Will the blest gods not show us any ruth?
     Children bring sorrow; that’s the cold, harsh truth.[1115]

MEDEA
     My dear friends, I’ve been waiting long. In sooth,
     I’m eager now to learn what happens next.
     And I can see that you’re just as perplexed.
     Here comes a man of Jason’s; ‘tis his slave.
     It seems the news he carries is quite grave.[1120]

MESSENGER
     Medea, thou who with ferocity
     Hast done this criminal atrocity,
     I pray thee: Flee, now, either on a ship
     Or else by land. Flee! Don’t delay thy trip.

MEDEA
     What have I done that calls for such a flight?[1125]

MESSENGER
     The king and princess have perished tonight.

MEDEA
     It is the best of tales that thou hast told.
     Thou art, henceforth, a friend of my household.

MESSENGER
     What art thou saying? Hast thou gone insane?
     It is the royal house that thou hast slain.[1130]
     Why dost thou glee, then? Art thou not afraid?

MEDEA
     My answer to that still shall be delayed.
     But, friend, there’s no need yet for such a hurry.
     Convey to me their deaths, their pain, their worry;
     Their suffering shall yet double my glory.[1135]

MESSENGER
     If thou art certain, I shall tell the story:
     When thy sons and their father went inside
     The house, our worry did at last subside
     For we, slaves, had been sharing in thy pain;
     We’d all heard rumours of how thy disdain[1140]
     Had ceased, and that thy quarrel had been ended.
     Then one of us did kiss thy children’s splendid
     Hands, and someone else kissed their golden hair,
     As I led them inside the royal lair.
     That lady, who replaced thee as our dame,[1145]
     First noticed not the children as they came,
     For it was only Jason whom she wanted.
     But when she saw us, she appeared quite daunted,
     In fact, her face revealed only disgust.
     ‘Twas Jason who appeasèd her mistrust,[1150]
     By saying, “Thou shalt not insult thy friends,
     Rather, the time has come to make amends,
     So, for my sake, turn thy dear face towards
     These boys. Receive the presents of my wards.
     Beseech the king to spare them their exile."[1155]
     Seeing the gifts, she answered with a smile
     And straight away, she granted his demands.
     The moment that thy relics did change hands,
     Before thy children and husband could leave,
     She donned the robe of many-coloured weave,[1160]
     Then placed the golden wreath upon her head,
     And looked into the mirror near her bed,
     Savouring the lifeless image that she saw.
     The princess stood up and chose to withdraw
     Into her room, her white feet trod with grace,[1165]
     And there was naught but pure joy on her face.
     Then horror struck: her chest grew tight with fear,
     She paled and staggered, drained of all her cheer,
     So slipped and nearly fell upon the floor,
     But that she chanced to lean against the door[1170]
     And sit herself down. Then, some older slave,
     Believing Pan made her thus madly rave,
     Fell prostrate down and straight began to pray,
     Until the girl’s mouth spat white foam and spray.
     One of her eyes was bulging from its orbit,[1175]
     The other’s swollen socket did absorb it,
     And all the blood had vanished from her skin.
     A slave ran to her father’s halls within,
     Another ran to warn her wedded spouse,
     That panicked cries were heard throughout the house.[1180]
     And then, when Time had given us some space,
     Enough to run a mile at briskest pace,
     The wretch, now blind, experienced such pain,
     What agony, for twofold was her bane.
     The golden wreath, this head ornament dire,[1185]
     Began emitting a devouring fire,
     While those fair robes that thy sons had presented
     Consumed her flesh, her visage so tormented.
     Still, though ablaze, she staggered to her feet,
     And tossed her hair in madness and defeat,[1190]
     Clawing to wrench the chaplet from her head—
     And yet the gold clung to her as she bled.
     This only made the flames leap up the more,
     Until, at last, she crumpled to the floor.
     So by the end, we could not recognize[1195]
     Her visage, wer’t not for her father’s eyes.
     Her face disfigured, with a sorrow fresh,
     The blood and fire poured down the woman’s flesh,
     Which, torn by venom, peeled from off her spine
     Like tears of sap depart the grieving pine.[1200]
     And since we had her ill-fate as a teacher,
     We were afraid to even touch the creature.
     Yet still, her father, blind to lurking doom,
     Embraced her carcass once he reached her room,
     And suddenly let out a sorrowed scream,[1205]
     But she refused to wake up from her dream.
     Thus, asked he the dead body of his child:
     “O wretched girl, what spirit has defiled
     Thine innocent life with this evil curse?
     Who took thee from me? Is there a fate worse[1210]
     Than this? I wish I could join thee in death.”
     Then, when he paused his cries to take a breath,
     He tried to stand, to shift his aged back,
     And the enchanted robes did then attack:
     So, he was bound like ivy wrapped in laurel,[1215]
     As he fought back against thy spell immoral.
     His struggles were most horrible, indeed.
     When he’d attempt to get up, she’d impede
     Him, while his flesh would most painfully slide
     From off his bones. And, thereupon, he died.[1220]
     Father and child lying side by side,
     A sight so awful, all those present cried.
     There’s nothing more I need to say to thee:
     Thou know’st thou canst not stay punishment-free.
     So, once again, the claim that I have made[1225]
     Proves true: Our life is nothing but a shade.
     And learned men of logic and of reason
     Are often those who suffer the worst treason.
     Some fortunes beat others to an extent,
     But no one man can truly be content.[1230]

CHORUS LEADER
     The day has come when cunning Fate’s foul specter
     Shall punish Jason, honour’s great defector.
     Daughter of Creon, we lament thy fate:
     Thou art in Hades, a victim of hate,
     Because thou didst accept Jason’s proposal.[1235]

MEDEA
     My friends, death still shall serve at my disposal.
     My mind is made up: the children must die
     And I shall bid this realm my last goodbye.
     I’ll murder them at once, lest I do strand
     Them to be slain by a less loving hand.[1240]
     Hence, come my heart, do not forsake me now,
     Why cannot we fulfil our wicked vow?
     Come, come, my wretched hand, pick up the sword,
     ‘Tis time to seize our violent reward.
     Let us not weaken when we do remember[1245]
     ‘Twas we that kindled our sons’ lives’ first ember,
     And may thy feelings not obstruct thy way,
     Rather, forget thy children for a day,
     For thou canst grieve for them after the deed.
     I am a woman of the saddest breed.[1250]

CHORUS
[Strophe A]
     O Earth and thou, Helios’ beam of light
     That shines on all things and makes the world bright,
     Look at that dour, destructive woman there
     Before she lifts her dagger of despair
     And kills her sons, heirs of thy golden line.[1255]
     Don’t let this woman take that which is thine
     For men should dread the blood of gods to spill.
     O holy light, confound her wicked will,
     Assay to thwart her plan and stop her plot;
     Cast out this awful Fury from this spot![1260]
[Antistrophe A]
     All thy love for thy children, all that pain,
     Thy toil when giving birth was all in vain.
     Thou who didst leave the hostile Symplegades,
     Those lethal rocks of so many blue shades,
     Thou art a wretched creature. Why let rage[1265]
     Control thy heart, lock thy mind in a cage?
     Why let another victim thus be slain?
     Consider that the dreadful moral stain
     That marketh those guilty of parricide
     Brings godly wrath from which thou canst not hide.[1270]

[Strophe B]
     O, marked you that? Hark, how the children cry!
     Why, evil woman, dost thou do this? Why?

CHILD A [from within]
     How shall we ‘scape the hand of our mother?

CHILD B [from within]
     Alas, we die! I do not know, dear brother.

CHORUS
     What shall we do now? Should we go inside?[1275]
     We must prevent this most cruel filicide.

CHILD A
     Yes, by the blest gods, please help us and hurry.

CHILD B
     The sword has struck; my vision’s getting blurry.

CHORUS
     Thy heart’s so hardened, it is like a stone,
     Thou woeful one, who strikest as thy sons groan[1280]
     In pain. Thyself art stealing their pure life.
[Antistrophe B]
     Of all who came before, we know one wife
     (Her name was Ino) who harmed her own sons.
     She was sent madness by th’ Olympians
     When Zeus’s wife forced her to go away[1285]
     From her own house. So, Ino went to th’ bay,
     And leapt into the ocean. So she perished,
     Along with the sweet children she so cherished,
     Because she’d shoved them, too, into the water.
     Still, she was mad; ’twas not a willing slaughter,[1290]
     Unlike the horror we see happen here.
     This wedding bed has brought us many a tear.

JASON
     You, ladies, who stand next to our palace,
     Is she still here? The one who bore such malice?
     I mean Medea—is she still around?[1295]
     She’ll have to hide herself beneath the ground,
     Or else to somehow fly into the sky
     If she hopes to shun justice’s reply.
     Thinks she, with both our rulers lying dead,
     That she can go and not a tear be shed?[1300]
     Let her go—I no longer seek her face,
     For justice shall pursue her in due pace.
     But ‘tis my boys that I must quickly save,
     Lest royal kin dig them an early grave,
     In retribution for their mother’s crime.[1305]

CHORUS LEADER
     Thou know’st not what has happed in the meantime,
     O wretched man, as far as we can tell.

JASON
     What is it? Means she to kill me as well?

CHORUS LEADER
     Thy sons have perished at their mother’s hand.

JASON
     What are you saying? I don’t understand.[1310]

CHORUS LEADER
     Know that thy children are no longer living.

JASON
     And was it here she turned so unforgiving?

CHORUS LEADER
     Just past those doors, thou wilt see their remains.

JASON
     Break ope the gate. Show me their woes and pains.
     I want to witness this two-fold disaster.[1315]
     I’ll kill her. Help me break the door down. Faster!

MEDEA
     Why dost thou shake the bars upon these gates,
     Seeking thy sons and me who sealed their fates?
     Cease now—if thou wouldst ask a thing of me,
     Then speak, or rather grant that I go free.[1320]
     Thou shalt not drag me from this sacred coach;
     Helios guards me from thy harsh reproach.

JASON
     Most loathsome woman, hated and abhorred
     By me, by men, and every holy lord,
     Thou who hast murdered those thy womb once fed,[1325]
     Thy babes lie cold, thy hand has struck them dead.
     Thy crime is done, thy hands are steeped in shame,
     Yet still, thou darest speak Helios’ name?
     I wish thee dead—for now, at last I see
     How mad I was to bring thee home with me.[1330]
     Thou art a wretch who made thy father fall,
     And now bringest death and ruin on us all.
     Now, in your place, the gods send me their wrath;
     For when thy brother stood upon thy path,
     Thou didst slay him, and my Argo saved thee.[1335]
     Thy life has ever been a killing spree:
     And now, when thou at last hast won my trust,
     Thou murderest our children out of lust.
     No Grecian woman would dare cause such strife,
     Yet still, I chose thee to become my wife.[1340]
     A match that hath but caused me great distress,
     Thou art no woman, but a lioness.
     Scylla herself has got a gentler spirit.
     Dost thou feel guilt? I do desire to hear it
     Since no word can harm thee or leave thee scarred;[1345]
     Thine awful heart hath always been too hard.
     Begone, O coward, butcher of our sons!
     My only care’s to mourn my pretty ones.
     My boys are gone; I won’t see them again,
     Thou’st made me now the most wretched of men.[1350]

MEDEA
     I would have issued thee a long reply,
     If Zeus, the Father, had not heard my cry.
     But thou, who didst defile my wedding bed,
     Shalt soon wish it were thee, and not they, dead.
     The princess paid the price for thy deceit,[1355]
     And Creon fell just when he knew defeat.
     Thus, all of you conspired to see me banished
     But now your power and your pride have vanished.
     So call me lioness, if so thou must,
     For in the end, I’ve ground thy heart to dust.[1360]

JASON
     Still, thou must also share in my despair.

MEDEA
     True, yet thy mocking I won’t have to bear.

JASON
     Poor boys, thus cursèd with a vile mother.

MEDEA
     Poor children, hapless victims of your father.

JASON
     It wasn’t my hand that brought their demise.[1365]

MEDEA
     It was thy wedding, thine oaths, and thy lies.

JASON
     So thou didst deem it just to see them die?

MEDEA
     Do women’s griefs, then, merit no reply?

JASON
     If they are wise, perhaps, but thou? Not quite.

MEDEA
     Well, thy children are gone. Sleep well tonight.[1370]

JASON
     Their spirits shall exact their retribution.

MEDEA
     The gods know the first source of this pollution.

JASON
     They know full well thy heart is full of spite.

MEDEA
     Thou awful man, I loathe thy very sight.

JASON
     And I hate thee; how easy ’tis to part.[1375]

MEDEA
     Say how. I wish it, too, with all my heart.

JASON
     Consent that I lay our boys in their grave.

MEDEA
     Never. I’ll take them to Hera’s enclave,
     Her temple on the great Acraian hill,
     Where my own hand shall all the rites fulfill,[1380]
     And from the reach of foes I’ll bury them.
     This land of Sysiphus, I shall condemn,
     Imposing here a mystic celebration,
     So to atone for my children’s damnation.
     Where Erechtheus built his sacred land,[1385]
     I’ll go there to seek out Aegeus’ hand.
     O wretch, who broke the vows that thou didst make,
     The Argo’s timber shall thy body break.

JASON
     May the vile Furies drag thee through the mud,
     May vengeful Justice spill thy wicked blood.[1390]

MEDEA
     What god or what spirit shall hear thy troth,
     Thou wicked liar, thou breaker of thine oath?

JASON
     A plague on thee, who didst take thy boys’ life.

MEDEA
     Go home. ‘Tis time to bury thy dear wife.

JASON
     I go, alas, their sweet bodies are cold.[1395]

MEDEA
     Thou’rt yet to mourn; just wait till thou art old.

JASON
     O dearest children, no one e’er was sweeter.

MEDEA
     Ay, to their mother, but not to this cheater.

JASON
     Yet thou didst kill them, dost thou disagree?

MEDEA
     I only murdered them to injure thee.[1400]

JASON
     O, woe is me, I long to kiss their brows.

MEDEA
     Now thou dost prize them, breaker of thy vows?

JASON
     Grant me, by Zeus, to touch their tender skin.

MEDEA
     Thou plead’st in vain, O traitor of thy kin!

JASON
     O Zeus, dost thou hear how we are denied?[1405]
     What wounds we suffer? And how we are tried
     By this accursed child-slaying she-lion?
     And yet, I do lament for them, my scion,
     I mourn my sons to the utmost extent;
     I ask the gods to witness this event,[1410]
     How, after thou hast slain my children dear,
     Thou dost forbid my hands to venture near
     Their lifeless forms, and to inter my boys,
     Whom I begot, thus slain by thy foul ploys.

CHORUS LEADER²³
     Zeus on Olympus doth all fates amend,[1415]
     The gods oft bring what none can comprehend:
     What men hope for, they may not ever lend,
     But what they dream not of, our God will send.
     And so, in this strange way, our tale doth end.