Euripides

“ What happier chance could I, an exile, find ⁠550 (553)
Than this, to marry me with the king's child?
Not, thought which galls thee, sickened of thy bed
And wounded with desire for a new bride;
Nor striving for the crown of many sons—
For those I have suffice, I nought complain— ⁠555 (558)
But, that which makes most, that we prosperous
Should dwell and not know scanting; well aware
That every friend will shun the poor man's path. ”

“ And in thy house a dearer bride
Now queens it at thy husband's side.
Jason.
Not the first time now, but often, have I seen
Fierce rage is an irremediable ill.
For thou, to whom remained this land and home, ⁠445 (447)
Hadst thou borne meekly thy superiors' will,
Art by thy wild words driven from this realm.
And, for my part, no matter; never cease
From saying Jason is the worst of men:
But, for thy railing at the royal house, ⁠450 (452)
Count it thy gain by exile to be punished. ”

“ How great an ill to man is love!
Creon.
That is, I doubt, as fortune waits on it.
Medea.
Zeus, be it not hid from thee who caused these ills!
Creon.
Hence, thou weak fool, and free me from these troubles.
Medea.
I am the troubled, with full store of troubles. ⁠335 (334)
Creon.
Ere long my guards shall thrust thee out by force.
Medea.
Nay, nay, not thus. Oh but I pray thee, Creon.
Creon.
Thou wilt cause violence, woman, as I see.
Medea.
We will go forth. I pleaded not of that.
Creon.
Why dost thou strive then, nor wilt leave this realm? ⁠340 (339)
Medea. ”

“ Art driven from the realm. And yet I come,
Never weary for my friends, to care for thee,
That not in penury nor any want
Thou go forth with our children. Many hardships
Do wait on exile, and, though thou dost hate me, ⁠460 (462)
I am not able to desire thy harm.
Medea.
Oh wholly base this shall my tongue declare,
The greatest shame to thine unmanliness—
Thou comest to us, comest, our worst foe.
This is no courage, this no noble strength, ⁠465 (469)
To front it out with friends whom thou hast wronged.
Rather it is man's loathsomest distemper,
Rank shamelessness. ”

“ But, say they, we, while they fight with the spear,
Lead in our homes a life undangerous:
Judging amiss; for I would liefer thrice
Bear brunt of arms than once bring forth a child.
Ah well! the like words fit not thee and me:
For thee there is a country, and for thee ⁠250 (253)
A father's home, for thee are life's delights
And the familiar intercourse of friends;
But I, alone, calling no city mine,
Am outraged by a spouse, I led a prey
From a far land, who have no mother more, ⁠255 (257)
Nor brother, nor a kinsman of my blood,
Where to seek harbour in this evil day. ”

“ And why stand I at war with this realm's lords
And with my husband who, in that he does, ⁠875 (876)
Does it for our most profit, marrying him
A royal bride and giving my sons brothers?
Shall I not turn from anger? What my hurt,
For whom the gods so graciously provide?
Truly have I not children, and do know ⁠880 (880)
We are but fugitives and poor of friends? ”

“ Thou dwellst in Hellas, and knowst justice now,
And the help of laws not measured by mere force: ⁠535 (538)
And more, now all the Hellenes know thee wise,
And thou hast glory. But, hadst thou still dwelt
In those outmost shores, there were no word of thee.
And be it not mine to heap my house with gold,
Nor to sing sweeter strains than Orpheus, ⁠540 (543)
If such my fortune make me not renowned.
So much then of thy troubles for my sake
I speak: since thou hast made this war of words. ”

“ Oh Zeus dost thou perceive, and Earth, and Light,
What wail plains out the desolate young wife?
And why should love-pangs for thy wedded right,
Speed thee, poor fool, to end in death the strife?
⁠Nay, pray not so:
And if thine husband worship a new bride
Chafe not thyself—Zeus will judge on thy side—
Nor mourn thy spouse with too exceeding woe. ⁠155 (159)
Medea (still speaking within) . ”

“ Jason.
Lady, these words I praise, nor blame the former;
For 'tis of woman's kind against a spouse
Trafficking in new marriages to rage. ⁠910 (910)
Now to the better part thine heart has turned,
And thou, though late, dost own the mastering will. ”

“ My friends, I am in very need to die.
For he in whom was all to me, my husband,
Ye know it well, has proved of men most base.
Aye, of all living and of reasoning things ⁠225 (230)
Are woman the most miserable race:
Who first needs buy a husband at great price,
To take him then for owner of our lives:
For this ill is more keen than common ills.
And of essays most perilous is this, ⁠230 (235)
Whether one good or evil do we take.
For evil-famed to women is divorce,
Nor can one spurn a husband. ”

“ Shall die an ill death, doomed by my drugged salves.
Let none believe me weak and lethargic ⁠806 (807)
Nor tame in spirit, but far other souled;
Dour to my foes, but to my friends most helpful:
For the lives of such do wear the nobler grace.
Chorus.
Now, since thou hast possessed us of thy thought,
Much anxious both to serve thee and give help
To human laws, I urge thee, do not thus. ⁠812 (813)
Medea.
It may no otherwise. But 'tis excused
That thou so speak'st, who bear'st not wrongs as I.
Chorus.
But, lady, hast thou heart to kill thy sons? ⁠815 (816)
Medea. ”

“ Has spent much forethought with the gods' good help, ⁠915 (915)
Since you, I trow, shall with your brothers yet
Be first in Corinth's land. But grow and thrive:
The rest your father or what god is kind
Will bring about. And may I see you bloom
Waxed to youth's prime, triumphant on my foes.
Thou why with new tears dost thou dew thine eyes,
Turning thy wan cheek from me, nor dost greet
With any gladness yet these words of mine?
Medea.
'Tis nothing. I am troubled for my sons.
Jason.
Be of good courage: I will care for them. ⁠925 (926)
Medea. ”

“ Let death, let death do me away:
For no woe doth outpass this woe,
One's fatherland no more to know. ⁠650 (652)
Antistrophe II.
Yes, we ourselves have seen, our speech
Is not of words that others teach,
Since, by most dread despair brought low,
Thee hath no city cared for, no,
Nor any friend. Let shameful blight ⁠655 (658)
Slay him who gives not friends their right,
Unlocking them his heart's pure store:
Let him be friend of mine no more.
Ægeus.
Medea, hail; since sooth no fairer greeting ⁠659 (663)
Hath any known wherewith to reverence friends.
Medea. ”

“ Medea.
Oh his words like it not; only he means
To bear it with a very valiant patience. ⁠705 (708)
But thee, thee, I implore by this thy beard,
By these thy knees, and am thy suppliant,
Pity, pity me miserable wretch,
And never see me cast out desolate,
But take me to thy hearth in thy home and land.
So by the gods may thy desire of sons ⁠711 (714)
Be brought to pass and mayst thou die content.
Aye, thou knowst not what find this thou hast found:
I'll stay thy childlessness, I'll have thee rear
A race of sons. Such philtres do I know. ⁠715 (718)
Ægeus. ”

“ And, truly, thou dost guerdon me with bliss
Envied by many a wife in Hellas, sure.
And truly a most perfect loyal spouse
Have I, poor wretch, if banished I go forth, ⁠510 (512)
Barren of friends, alone with my lone children.
Rare fame for the new bridegroom that his sons
And she who saved him beggars roam about.
Oh Zeus why hast thou given mankind sure test
To know the spurious gold, while upon men ⁠515 (517)
Is no mark born whereby to tell a knave?
Chorus.
Terrible is that anger, and to assuage
Most difficult, when friends with friends join battle.
Jason. ”

“ Fearfully moaned, poor wretch, and started up:
For twofold anguish did make war on her. ⁠1183 (1185)
For both the golden crown set round her head
Was sending marvellous streams of eating fire,
And the fine-webbed robe, the offering of thy sons,
Was gnawing at the hapless one's white flesh.
But she, sprung from her couch, now flies, ablaze,
Tossing her head and curls this way and that,
Fain to dash off the crown. But all too firm
The golden headband clave; and still the fire
Flamed doubly fiercer when she tossed her locks,
And, conquered by her fate, she drops to the floor ”

“ Whoso shall touch the girl: with such rare salves
Will I anoint the gifts. Thus then I end
That theme. But I am woe for what a deed
Needs must be done: for I shall slay my sons.
No one there is who may deliver them. ⁠790 (793)
And, having hurled down the whole house of Jason,
I shall go forth this land, flying the curse
Of my dear children's death and having borne
To do the most unhallowed of all deeds.
For, oh my friends, the mockeries of foes ⁠795 (797)
May not be borne. Well, be it as it must be.
What good for me to live? ”

“ Nay, I hear, threatst, so word came, some dire deed
On bridegroom and on bride and him who gave her.
Therefore I keep guard ere I surfer this. ⁠290 (289)
Aye lady, better win thy present hate
Than, softened by thee, later mourn it long.
Medea.
⁠Ah me! Ah me!
Not now first, Creon, but a many times
Hath this fame stricken me and wrought me ill.
But never fits it one born prudent-souled ⁠295 (295)
To have his children reared surpassing wise;
For, added to their blame of lavished time,
They win cross envy from their citizens. ”

“ Pondering and planning; spare no skill, Medea:
On to the deed, now is thy bravery tried.
Dost see thy hap? It fits not thou yield mirth ⁠405 (403)
To the race of Sisyphus, Jason's new folk,
Thou born of a great sire, come of the Sun:
And thou art skilled. We women too art born
Most profitless indeed to noble works,
But cunningest devisers of all harms. ⁠410 (408)
CHORUS.
Strophe I.
The hallowed rivers backward stream
Against their founts: right crooks awry
With all things else: man's every scheme
⁠Is treachery.
Even with gods faith finds no place. ”

“ Jason.
What is it? Seeks she then to kill me too? ⁠1321 (1308)
Chorus.
The boys have perished by their mother's hand.
Jason.
Woe! What sayst thou? Woman, how thou destroyst me!
Chorus.
As now no more in being count thy sons.
Jason.
Where killed she them, in the house or without?
Chorus.
Open these gates, thou'lt see thy murdered sons.
Jason.
Undo the bolt on the instant, servants there, ⁠1327 (1314)
Loose the clamps, that I may see my grief and bane,
May see them dead and guerdon her with death. ”

“ Who make them guilty of the chiefest folly;
But no one mortal is a happy man,
Though, riches flooding in, more prosperous
One than another grow; yet none is happy.
Chorus.
Fortune, it seems, on Jason will to-day ⁠1235 (1231)
Justly heap many woes. Oh hapless one,
Daughter of Creon, how we mourn thy fate,
Who to the halls of Hades art gone forth
Because of Jason's marrying with thee.
Medea.
My friends, this purpose stand approved to me,
Slaying my boys to hurry from this realm; ⁠1241 (1237)
Not, making weak delays, to give my sons
By other and more cruel hands to die. ”

“ You women are come now, that, your bed safe,
You think you have everything; but let ill luck
Touch that, and all that fairest is and best ⁠570 (572)
You count most hateful. 'Twere a goodly boon
If men could raise their children otherwhence
And there should be no woman tribe at all;
So would there be no mischief in the world.
Chorus.
Jason, these reasons hast thou tricked out well;
And yet, meseems, though I speak to thy distaste,
Thou dost not justly to betray thy wife.
Medea.
Sure many ways from many men I differ. ”

“ By the ruins of thine Argo: that, to thee, ⁠1405 (1387)
The sharp last sequel of our wedding tie.
Jason.
But thee may thy children's Erinnys slay
⁠And Vengeance for blood.
Medea.
And who among gods and friends will hear thee,
Betrayer of strangers and breaker of oaths? ⁠1410 (1392)
Jason.
Out, out, stained wretch and child murderess.
Medea.
Go now to thy home and bury thy bride.
Jason.
I go. Yea, of both my children bereft.
Medea.
Thy wail is yet nothing. Wait and grow old.
Jason.
Oh, sons, much loved!
Medea.
⁠Of their mother not thee. ⁠1415 (1397)
Jason. ”

“ Medea.
In heaven's name, leadst thou yet a childless life?
Ægeus.
Childless am I by some divine one's will.
Medea.
Hast thou a wife, or knowst no marriage-bed?
Ægeus.
I am not unharnessed to the marriage yoke.
Medea.
What then did Phœbus speak concerning sons?
Ægeus.
Words subtler than a man can puzzle out. ⁠671 (675)
Medea.
Fits it I learn the sentence of the gods?
Ægeus.
Surely—the more that it needs crafty wit.
Medea.
What then declared he? Speak, if I may hear.
Ægeus.
I might not loose the wine-bag's jutting foot. ⁠675 (679)
Medea. ”

“ I brought thee with me to a Hellene house, ⁠1345 (1331)
A monstrous bane; to the land that nurtured thee
And to thy father traitress. Now at me
Have the gods launched thy retributory fiends,
Who, slaying first thy brother at the hearth,
Hiedst thee unto the stately-prowed ship Argo.
Such thy first deeds: then, married to myself ⁠1351 (1336)
And having borne me children, for a spite
Of beddings and weddings thou hast slaughtered them. ”

“ So pleasuring in sooth the citizens
Of the country she has come to, by that flight,
Herself to Jason in all things conformed—
In which the better part of safety lies ⁠15 (14)
That the woman should not differ from the man.
Now all's ajar and dearest love is sick:
For, his children and my mistress both betrayed,
Jason in royal spousals beds him, wed
To Creon's daughter, liege lord of this land. ⁠20 (19)
But Medea, the forlorn, dishonoured cries
Upon his oaths, appeals to that chief troth
Of plighting hands, and calls the gods to mark
With what requital she from Jason meets. ”