EURIPIDES’
Translated
By
George Theodoridis
©2005
DRAMATIS
PERSONAE
MEDEA
JASON
CREON
AEGEUS
NURSE
TUTOR
MESSENGER
CHILDREN OF MEDEA
CHORUS OF CORINTHIAN WOMEN
Night.
Dull sound of thunder. Flashes of lightning.
In the background, in heavy shadows,
the house of Jason and Medea.
Medea:
Gods! Gods, be my witness!
Again
we hear Medea screaming:
Medea:
What is the use of living? Come thunder, come lightning of the sky, come and crash upon my head! I cannot stand the pain! Hades, come! Come Hades and cut down this wretched life of mine!
Fade
out and cut all FX
Slowly,
as if agonisingly, fade in day.
Jason
and Medea’s house is clearly shown in the background. Two doors, one near the
centre, the other, a smaller, to Stage left.
Medea uses the centre door, Nurse and Tutor the smaller one.
Enter
the Nurse. Tired. Spent a sleepless night. Shakes her head in
despair.
Nurse:
How I wish!
How I wish!
That the fast ship, Argo should not have made it past those cursed clashing rocks on its way to Colchis!
How I wish!
That forest of Pelium, clogged full of hardy pines, should not have supplied the sturdy sailors with oars! They wouldn’t have sailed on, then, to get the golden fleece, as they were ordered by Pelias, nor would my mistress Medea, be here now!
Her heart torn apart with her love for Jason, she had left her own home to sail for the great castles of Iolcos and then to this place, here, in Corinth, where she now lives with Jason and their children.
Oh, but she has managed to convince Pelias’ daughters to murder him first!
When she first arrived here, the local folk loved her. They saw in her a perfect wife for Jason. Perfect in every way. Never argued with Jason. Always compromising, always accommodating –and that, you see, is how a woman earns her safety: do not argue with your husband!
That was then.
16
Now, well, now there’s nothing but arguing, nothing but hatred, nothing but poison, nothing but –
Jason betrayed his children and his wife, married the Princess, King Creon’s daughter, Glauce and now he sleeps in a royal marital bed. Meanwhile, Medea -the Fates fully against her and feeling totally dejected- screams and cries out at him, asking him to remember his promises to her. Asks him to remember the mighty oaths he swore for her. She calls upon the Gods to bear witness to the awful way Jason rewards her for her obedience and for her compromise and for all the accommodating she did for him and for all the love she affords him.
She lies there, in her bed all day. From the moment she found out about her husband’s adultery, she lies there, the poor wretch, unable to put a bite in her mouth, her body completely abandoned to her pain, her tears wearing away her days and her eyes, her face, pinned hard to the ground.
The kind voices of her friends, friends who, one by one visit her and try to advise her, to comfort her, all those friendly voices, sound to her like ocean storms, clashing madly upon rocks. Now and then she turns her pale face and all alone, cries heavily about her beloved father, about the land and the house she has abandoned just so as to be with a man who’s now betrayed her.
It is now that the poor woman realised how horrible it is to leave one’s homeland. Her dire fortune has taught her that bitter lesson. She hardly looks up at her children any more, she gets no joy in that. I rather think she hates them and I’m afraid…
I’m afraid that some evil thoughts might be taking over her mind. There’s something wild about her face and I’m afraid…
I’m afraid that she might do something dreadful. I don’t think she’ll be able to cope well with this injustice.
I know my mistress well and I fear her. I’m afraid she’s capable of working her way into the palace, enter the king’s chambers and murder him and murder Jason by plunging a sharp knife into their body.
I’m afraid!
I’m afraid because she has a sly mind. I’m afraid because whoever crosses angry words with her will most certainly lose.
Enter
Tutor with Medea’s two boys.
Ahhhh! And here are the children! Playtime over, darlings? What few cares enter the minds of children! How little they know of their mother’s fears! Children don’t like to think ugly thoughts.
49
Tutor:
Old woman, servant in my mistress’ household, why are you standing here, in front of the gates, all alone, wailing the pains of your soul? How will Medea manage without you?
Nurse:
Old man, tutor of Jason’s children, a Lady’s concerns are her servant’s concerns also, that is, if they are good servants. Their souls ache just as much as that of their mistress.
I’m out here, old man, because my heart urged me to reveal to both, Earth and Sky, my Lady’s problems.
Tutor:
So the poor woman hasn’t stopped crying yet?
Nurse:
If only! This trepidation has only just started and it’s still a long way from half way.
Tutor:
She’s such a foolish woman -if I may be allowed to use such words about my mistress- and she still knows nothing of the new problems yet!
Nurse:
New problems? What new problems? What is it old man? Don’t keep it from me!
Tutor:
Nothing… No… Nevermind. I’ve changed my mind about telling you. I shouldn’t.
65
Nurse:
Come, old man! By your grey beard, I beg you! We are both servants in the same household. Don’t keep anything from me. In any case, don’t worry about me: I can keep my mouth sealed, if I have to.
Tutor: reluctantly
All right then, here it is!
I heard that king Creon will be sending Medea and these here children into exile. I heard that when I happened to be the holy spring of Peirini, where the old folk play drafts. It was some old man who said it. No one saw me when I was there.
Creon will be sending them to Corinth, the old man said. I’ve no idea if this rumour is true or not. I sure hope it isn’t.
Nurse:
But what about Jason? Would he let this happen to his children? Let them go into exile just because he has a dispute going with his wife?
Tutor:
New loves erase the old ones, old woman. Jason no longer loves Medea and nor does he love this household.
Nurse:
Well then, we are finished! Destroyed! New troubles arrive even before the old ones have gone.
Tutor:
But you, since it’s not yet time for our mistress to know, say nothing to her. Keep your mouth shut!
Nurse:
My little boys! My darlings! If only you knew what your father is really like! He’s my master so I won’t curse him but he’s shown himself to be cruel to his own family!
85
Tutor:
And who is a better father in the world? They’re all the same, old woman. They have more love for themselves than they have for others.
For bed or for profit, justly or wrongly their father hates these children.
Nurse:
Off you go now kids! Inside, quickly!
And you, old man, keep them away from Medea for as long as she is in such deep melancholy because… because just a short while ago I saw her throwing a strange and dreadful look at them, as if she wanted to do them some awful harm. Her anger will not subside until she lets it clash full and hard upon someone, anyone - friend or enemy. Believe me, I know that very well!
Medea:
Gods! Death! Why do you not come for me? I cannot take this grief any more! Let me die! Death, come now!
Nurse:
Hear that, my darlings? Her heart is shaken. Her anger in growing wild. Quickly! Run inside. Don’t let her see you and don’t go near her, my darlings. Watch her carefully darlings. She has a heart of steel and her mind weaves evil. Hurry! Inside with you!
Exit
boys and tutor.
106
I could see this a long time ago. The cloud of grief raising the heat of anger high, ever higher as this cloud broadens its cover.
I wish I knew!
If only I knew what hides behind all this grief, what hides inside this angry heart. This heart of hers will never find peace.
Medea:
Oh! How can I deal with this suffering! Gods, how it hurts! So much pain because of these cursed, hateful sons of a hateful mother. Curse you! Curse you and your deceitful father! Curse your wretched, abominable house! Let it all turn to dust!
Nurse:
Oh, Gods! Gods help us all!
But why the children? What have the children done to you? Are they to blame for their father’s transgressions? Why hate them?
Oh, my poor, poor boys! May the gods protect you from your mother. How I fear for you!
How afraid I am of these royal rages! It’s so hard for such rages to subside. Kings and queens have always been spoiled by power. They’re not used to taking orders. No, they prefer to give them, by far! They’ll act only according to their own wishes.
Oh, how much better it is to live a balanced life: to be an equal among equals.
Me? My wish is to have a quiet, a soft old age –rather than one full of greatness and wealth. The wisest words are these: Let moderation hold the pride of place.
Moderation is the most useful thing to man and if man holds something else dearer to moderation, he will most certainly lose. Add to that the wrath of the gods, which will fall most heavily upon such a man’s house and destroy him.
131
Chorus:
I’ve heard her wails! The heavy groans of grief coming from the heart of this unfortunate daughter of Colchis.
I see her pain still hasn’t eased. I’ve heard her agony from my room at the court.
I don’t like this heavy pain she’s suffering, old nurse.
I don’t like the pain that now wrecks this house. Only my own heart knows how dearly I love this house.
Nurse:
House? What house? The house is gone, my dear. There is no house here. Here, there is nothing!
Jason was lured by the royal bed and here my mistress cries all and is wasting away, not a drop of solace from any friends and completely shut off from the world. Not a friend around, nor a drop of sympathy anywhere.
Medea:
What is the use of living? Come thunder!
Come lightening of the sky! Come now and crash upon my head! I cannot stand this pain! Hades, come!
Come Hades and cut down this wretched life of mine!
Chorus:
Did you hear that?
Father Zeus! Mother Earth! And you great light! Can you not hear the wailing of this lamentable maiden?
Poor girl! Why the pain? Why this awful pain for a lost bed? Such a pain will soon take you to your grave. Why? Why ask for death? Why ask for such a thing? And just because your beloved has found another woman is it so necessary for your anger to break your heart? Zeus will recompense you. Don’t tear yourself apart, mourning a husband who won’t return to your arms.
160
Medea:
Great Themis, daughter of Zeus! Great, sacred Artemis! You see well how I’m suffering. Still, I’ve bound my deceitful husband with the bonds of powerful oaths and curses. Curses that should destroy him and destroy also his bride and all his palaces! They dared to deceive me.
O, dear home, dear father from whom I parted! Dear brother whom I killed! Shameless woman! I’m a shameless woman! Ohhhh!
Nurse:
You hear that? Do you hear what words she finds to utter and how she calls for Themis? Themis who understands oaths and Zeus who guards them?
My mistress’ anger will certainly find a hard end.
173
Chorus:
Is it possible for me to go and see her, speak with her, make a little easier this weighty anger and this awful torture which has taken over her heart?
Let me continue helping my friends.
Go then, Nurse, go and tell her, with friendly words to come out here. Hurry! Before she does something awful to her children. That melancholy of hers seems to deepen by the minute!
Nurse:
I’ll go and do that but I’m afraid I won’t be able to convince my mistress about anything. I’ll do it! I’ll do it for your sake, even though… even though every time one of her servants approaches her she becomes wild with anger and looks at them with the eyes of a lioness who just gave birth.
People who call the men of the olden days fools and charlatans are right. Those men had invented songs that please the ear and the dinner table and pleased the drinking party, too, but no one managed to find the songs and the melodies to calm the tortured spirit of folk who suffered loss by death or by misfortune, losses that ruin their complete households.
It’s for such things that these ancient men should have found songs to sing.
What’s the use of all this happy shouting at the feasts?
Ahhhhhhh! Gods!
204
Chorus:
I’ve heard the scream of bitter pain, the scream of lamentation. She raised her voice the poor wretch, with curses against the deceiver of her bed, cursing him that he should find his new marriage to be a black one. And she calls Themis, Zeus’ daughter, as witness to her suffering. It was she, Themis, protector of oaths, who brought her one night through the endless salty sea in the land opposite her own, Colchis, of Greece.
Enter
Medea with two attendants.
214
Medea:
Corinthian women. I have come out among you so that you’ll stop talking behind my back, condemning my every action.
I know many people –some directly, with my own eyes and others I’ve heard about- who were born good folk but because they stayed quietly away from society, got themselves the odious reputation of being snobs and conceited individuals.
Man’s eyes alone are inadequate judges of people. A judgement made without knowing a person well could result in hating that person, for no reason at all, except for the way he looks.
Sure, a foreigner must accept all the customs of his new city but I cannot praise the man who’s local-born who, due to his enormous insolence and immaturity, hurts bitterly his fellow citizens.
225
Corinthian women, you know that I have to suffer an insufferable thing, a thing that has worn my soul away.
I’m no longer alive! I refuse all of life’s charms and I seek death. Yes, death, Corinthians, because my husband, who was my whole world, had become the most evil of all men.
Of all the living things, of all those things that have a soul and a sense, we, yes we, the women, are the most pathetic!
Imagine!
We need to spend a fortune to buy us a man who… what will he do? He will become the master of our bodies! And, it’s obvious, that this dangerous thing we do, becomes even more dangerous when we don’t find the right husband. Is he a good husband? Or is he a bad one? By the time you find that out it’s already too late.
And then, for a woman to leave her husband is neither proper nor possible. To live in a place where new laws and customs apply one needs to be a prophet, since even your own folk don’t tell you how you should behave towards your husband.
241
And if all these things work out well and our husband lives with us without thinking the marriage yoke to be too heavy, well that would indeed be a great life. If not, though, only Death opens his arms for us. Only Death awaits us. The husband, however, if he finds the house too great a burden, he leaves the place, finds a friend or someone of similar age and immediately his heart shrugs off that weight. We, on the other hand, we, women, can only let our eyes fall upon one person and one person only, our husband.
Then they also say that whilst we live quietly and without any danger at home, the men go off to war. Wrong! One birth alone is worse than three times in the battlefield behind a shield.
In any case, Corinthians, things between you and me, are different. You are here, in your own country and your own home, enjoying your life and your friends, whereas I am here alone and without a country. My husband deceives me and treats me like a prize he has just ripped out of some barbarous country; no mother, no brother, no relative at all to whom I can turn for support at this dreadful hour of mine.
259
From you, however I ask only one thing: If I manage to find some means by which I can punish my husband and his father-in-law, that man who gave him his daughter as wife, say nothing to anyone. Keep it a secret.
A woman is, in all things, timid, shy, weak and can’t even look at weapons but when she’s deceived by her husband, when her marriage is mocked, there is nothing more bloodthirsty than her.
267
Chorus:
Of course, Medea. Do as you please. It’ll be a justified act to extract vengeance from your husband. It is no surprise to us that you lament your fate…
Chorus:
Ah, here’s our king, Creon. He must have some new proclamation for us.
Creon:
You!
Frowning woman! Always arguing with your husband!
Yes, you, Medea!
I order you to pick up your kids and get out of this country immediately. You are now exiled! In fact, I’ll execute this decision myself and will not return back to my palace until I see you walk away, beyond our borders.
Medea:
Ah! Now I’m truly lost! Poor woman. My enemies have used everything at their disposal to get rid of me. There’s nothing left for me to do to escape my fate.
Still, Creon, with all these misfortunes I’m suffering, at least please let me ask you why you are sending me away.
282
Creon:
All right!
I won’t mince my words: I’m sending you away because I’m afraid that you might do some irreversible harm to my daughter. In fact, there are many things which give rise to my fears: you’re knowledgeable in many evil arts and also, you’re angry at the fact that you’re losing your husband. And there’s yet another: I hear that you’re scheming and threatening to do harm to me, personally and to my son-in-law and to my daughter. So I need to protect myself before I am hurt. Better I endure your hatred now than to feel sorry for you now and change my mind later, with pain and agony.
Medea:
Oh, Creon! Creon! This is not the first time that my reputation hurt me enormously.
The wise man must never bring up his children to be too wise. Not only will the crowds call them “useless” but that same crowd will also turn their back on them and treat them with envy and hostility.
If you were to teach the uneducated something new and beautiful, not only will they not appreciate it but they’ll call you “good for nothing.” And if those who think themselves to be wise, consider you even wiser than them, then you’ll hurt them most awfully. And that’s where my own suffering stems from: They call me “wise” yet, in reality I am not very “wise” at all. Some people scorn me, others simply hate me and you are now afraid that I might do you some enormous harm!
Have no fear, though, Creon! I’m not capable of hurting kings! In any case, how did you ever hurt me? You simply married your daughter to the man you liked. I hate my husband whereas what you did, you did with your mind intact. So, on my part now, I do not at all envy your good luck. By all means, have the wedding and may you rejoice by them. But let me stay here, in this land and, even though I’ve been dishonoured, I’ll say no more of it because you are by far my superior.
316
Creon:
The words you utter can tame a man but I’m afraid –my heart is afraid- that your mind is spinning some evil web. I no longer trust you as I did before. You’re too silent now and whilst it is easy to protect oneself from a hot-headed man or woman, it is impossible to do so when the woman is scheming and silent.
So leave now! Leave right now, quickly and end all this chatter. The matter has been decided and you will not be allowed to stay here. You hate me far too much for that.
Medea:
No! No, don’t do this, I beg of you on my knees. Please! For the sake of the young bride!
325
Creon:
You’re wasting your words. I will not change my mind.
Medea:
So you’ll send me off into exile without the slightest respect to my prayers?
Creon:
But of course. My love for my family is far greater than my love for you.
Medea:
Oh how I miss you, Colchis, my own land, my own country!
Creon:
Quite right, too, because I too, love my own country second only to my family.
330
Medea:
Poor people! What a dire suffering is my love for you!
Creon:
Depends…
Medea:
Zeus! May he who caused all this suffering not escape his punishment!
Creon:
Leave now, you terrible woman! Leave and torture me no more!
Medea:
The torture, Creon, is mine!
335
Creon:
Attendants!
His
attendants approach Medea menacingly.
My attendants will send you on your way immediately! By force if necessary.
Medea:
No, Creon, don’t do this! I beg you with all my heart!
Creon:
Woman, I can see, you’re up to no good!
Medea:
Have no fear, Creon. I shall leave. This is not what I’m begging you for…
Creon:
You’re persistently begging me about something! What is it? Leave, I tell you!
Medea:
She goes near him, takes his hands and brings them to her heart. Her voice is plaintive yet unsettling. Coy. She is scheming.
My request, king, is that you let me stay one day longer to prepare for my trip and to do what’s necessary for the children since their father does not care for them in the slightest! Have pity on them, Creon. You, too are a father and surely you’ll sympathise. I no longer care about leaving. My concern is only about the children.
Creon:
My heart is not at all tyrannical and I have suffered much because I am a compassionate man. Even now, I can see that I am making a mistake by giving in to your wishes…
However! I warn you that if the morning sunrays fall upon both you and your children within the borders of this land, you’ll die. These are undeniable, unalterable words.
Stay, if you need to but just one more day.
In any case, what harm could you do me in such a short time?
357
Chorus:
Poor, unfortunate woman! Of all the things you must suffer! What will you do now? Where is there a friendly family for you, what house, what place will you find to give you a haven from your terrible fate? What an inescapable tempest the gods have thrown you into, Medea!
Medea:
There’s no denying it. Everything around me has turned sour. Yet –
Yet don’t think that all is lost for me. Don’t think that at all, dear ladies.
Both, the newlyweds and their in-laws still owe me a great deal. Their debt has not yet been fully paid. Do you think that just now I begged and cajoled for no reason at all?
On the contrary. I did it because I had a scheme, a plan which would give me some advantage. Do you think I would have spoken to him in such a manner, touched his hands even, for no reason at all?
And he! Oh, what a stupid man he is! He could have sent me away today, immediately! Sent me away from his country right here and now and destroy all my plans; but no, he let me stay.
One more day!
One more day to execute my plans. To kill three of my worst enemies: A father, a daughter, a husband!
376
There are many ways of doing this deed. Many. But, let me see… which would be the best? Set fire to the wedding room? Or quietly enter it with a sharp blade and plunge it between their ribs?
No, no! There is a catch to this. What if they caught me as I was entering their house, trying to put my plan to practice and killed me? My enemies would laugh at me.
No, I shall follow my usual way, the way at which I am most experienced: The way of poison!
Yes! I shall poison them!
Still…
Let’s say my plan had succeeded. The enemies are dead. Which city will then receive me? What stranger will give me asylum, a house where I may feel safe?
No one! Of course there’s no one.
So I shall wait a little longer and if someone offers me some protection, some little castle, a solid little castle, then I shall perform the murderous deed quietly and expertly.
And if a black despair rages all around me, I’ll take the matter to the very end and raise the sword with my own hands; and if it’s written by the gods that I shall die, die I will after I will kill the newly married couple.
None of them will bring the suffering to my heart, none, while I have Queen Hecate’s temple in my hearth. She is the goddess I respect the most, she is my protector and she is my helper.
I’ll make a bitter affair of their wedding. Bitter and miserable and I’ll make bitter their family and bitterly they will feel my exile from here.
401
Well, then! Make use of all your wisdom, Medea! Make use of all the knowledge you possess about magic and about sacred crafts. Leave nothing out. Think and find schemes. Go forward with your terrible deed. This is the hour which you should show the might of your heart. Your suffering is before you. You can see it clearly. You must not become the subject of mockery by the scattered seed of Sisyphos and Jason’s new wife; you, the daughter of the immortal Apollo, the sungod.
You know what to do, Medea. You know exactly how to go about the affair.
We, women might be awful at doing something good but we are very competent when we’re doing something evil. No one is better than us.
410
Chorus:
The order of things has changed. The holy waters of the rivers flow
Upward.
Justice and all things human turn
Backward.
Men’s thoughts are evil now and their belief in the gods is
Gone.
And I can see that the coming stories will turn women’s
Reputation to that of a glorious and honourable gender.
Their name will not longer be foul.
Old poets will stop singing our faithlessness, taking advantage of the fact that
Phoebos Apollo has not blessed us with the sacred gift of poetry.
Or else, I, too, would be composing songs against men –
Time’s experience give us much material to
sing about both, of us, women and of men.
431
And you, Medea, you left your family home with a frenzied heart, passed through the sea’s giant twin rocks, to come and live here in a foreign land. They’ve taken your wedding bed away and then, dishonoured and fate-stricken they send you into exile.
Gone is the respect for the sacred oath and there’s no shame left within Greece.
Shame has flown to the sky.
Luckless Medea! You have no homeland to give you solace or protection from your suffering and your house and your husband are now used by another queen, a queen far more powerful than you.
446
Jason:
This is not the first time I’ve noticed what a great evil excessive anger is. I’ve noticed this many times. You, for instance, could have easily stayed on here, in your own home, if only you had obeyed the wishes of your superiors and kept your mindless words to yourself. It’s because of these mindless words of yours that you’re being sent away.
I don’t care about myself. I don’t care if you never stop yelling that Jason is the worst of all men. But you’ve spoken awful words about the king. Far too many words and far too awful. And now you’re paying the price of that excess.
Exile!
I’ve often softened the king’s anger against you because I wanted you to stay here but you, you never stopped uttering your insults against them. So, here’s your reward for it.
Exile!
459
Still and all, here I am, with my love for you intact, to make sure that you and the children don’t leave this land lacking money or anything else. Exile carries enough hardship as it is.
Even though you hate me, I’ll never wish you any harm.
Medea:
Hateful, miserable man! Words defy my tongue to put together an adequate insult for your sort of cowardice! You dare come here, to us! You! You, a man most hated by all the generations of mortals and immortals alike - and by me!
No, this is not “daring!” It takes no courage to lift your eyes and look upon the friends whom you destroyed. This is not courage. No! This is the worst of all human flaws.
This is shame!
It is good you came though. It’s good because I’ll be able to tell you what I feel and that way placate my heart somewhat and have yours taste my bitterness.
First, let me tell you, let me remind you, that I have once saved your life.
All those Greeks who were with you when you came on the ship Argo, know this. When you were made to yoke the fire-spewing bulls and sow that deadly field with dragon’s teeth. All those Greeks who were with you then, know that I have saved your life.
And it was I who also saved your life by killing the sleepless dragon who guarded the golden fleece with the coils of its body.
And again, it was I who betrayed my father and my home to come with you to Pelios’ Iolcos, not moved by a mind but by a mindless heart.
And finally it was I who had killed Pelias, in the most abominable way, by his own children so as to save you from every fear.
And though I did all this for you, most disgraceful of all men, you betrayed me and even though we had children you took another wife. If you had no children then it was possible for someone to forgive your indecent act of preferring this new marriage to your old one.
Your oaths mean nothing to me these days.
Nor do I care what you think about gods. Are they the same as they always were or are they different? Nor do I care if there are new laws for mortals to obey. To me you’ve broken all oaths, old and new and you know it.
496
Poor hand! He has grasped you so often. Poor knees! Hand and knees! How often we were deceived by this coward! How often we’ve missed out on our hopes!
Yet… come now, Jason! I’ll speak to you as one would speak to a friend. Not because I shall gain anything by doing so but because by your answers you shall be seen all the more a coward.
Tell me then, Jason. Where can I go now? Tell me! Shall I go back to my father’s home, to my homeland, which I have betrayed so as to come here with you? Or shall I go to the poor wretched daughters of Pelias? Shakes her head bitterly O, I can just imagine how well they will receive me! Me who has killed their father!
Because, you see, Jason, the truth falls like this: I have become a most hated woman because of you! Hated by both, my own folk in my own country and by the folk I should have never hurt.
And still, even after all this, I have become the envy of all the women in Greece and I, poor fool, think of you as the best, most faithful husband.
They envy me! Me, as I am going off into exile alone, with my children!
What great praise this is for a new groom, to have his poor children and the woman who had saved his life wandering about lost, away from their home.
Oh Zeus! You gave such obvious signs for men to tell the difference between genuine gold and fake and yet you gave not a hint for people to tell who’s a good man and who an evil one!
520
Chorus:
Friend against friend! An anger most implacable!
Jason:
Ha! I need to be a very capable sailor to escape the tempest of your words, woman. I’d need to be excellent at the wheel as well as at the sails to slide past the whirlwind of your words.
Such a bloated ego! Gods, how much you’ve exaggerated your beneficence, woman!
Of all our gods I can only call Aphrodite to help me with my sailing and you’re intelligent enough to understand why I say this but you don’t want to admit it. You don’t want to admit that it was Eros only, Eros, with his faultless arrows who persuaded you to save me and nothing else. However I won’t examine this in detail since, to be honest, there were moments when I found you useful, though I’ll prove to you that you’ve received far more than what you gave for my salvation.
Firstly, you are now living in a Greek land and not one inhabited by barbarians and so you are enjoying Greek justice and Greek laws, instead of simply submitting to the law of the strongest.
Secondly, you’ve become famous and all the Greeks know of your wisdom, whereas if you still lived in your own land, at the end of the world, no one would say a word about you. No one would know about you.
As for me, I wanted neither endless wealth nor the voice of Orpheus himself. Nor would I have the fame of a fortunate man.
So much for the things I’ve done, answering your long speech about the golden fleece.
As for my marriage to the princess about which you disparage me, I prove to you that I’ve begun this affair, not only as a wise and well-tempered man but also in the way a good friend and a good father would behave.
551
So listen!
When I’ve arrived here, here in Iolcos, I was full of suffering and totally lost as to what I should do next. But I was lucky. I came across this marriage and I took the opportunity. What a better escape was there than this young Princes whom I’m going to marry? The king’s very own daughter?
And I married her, not because I turned away from your love, from your jealousy, nor because of the love for my new wife, nor yet because of a desire to have even more children. No, those I have are enough! I am well satisfied on that score.
No, I’m doing all this because I want us to live well, missing out on nothing. I am only too well aware just how much people shun the poor. Then, I also wanted my children to be brought up equal to my birth and to have other children who’ll become their brothers and equals. That’s why I’ve decided to unite the two families and to live happily.
What do you need the other children for? Me? It is of benefit to me to have those who will be born in order to help those I have now. Am I wrong? Surely, even you wouldn’t disagree, if the pain of losing your wedding bed did not hurt you so much.
569
But then again, that’s how you women are! When the wedding bed is maintained, all is well –you’re fully satisfied. But when something goes wrong with that bed, everything - good things, beautiful things and things of use are turned into hateful things!
By Zeus! It would have been far better if men, somehow gave birth and women simply didn’t exist. How happy men would be then!
Chorus:
An eloquently speech, Jason. Nevertheless, my own heart says that you should not have betrayed your wife.
Medea:
I differ in many ways to many folk. What I believe, for example is the more eloquent the misfit the greater the punishment he deserves because, thinking that his eloquence and pretty words will get him out of any injustice, he has the audacity to commit even greater evil. We should certainly not consider such men to be wise!
It is the same with you, Jason. Don’t just stand there pretending that you are an honourable man and a great orator because just one word from my lips will topple you completely. To put it in simple words, if, indeed you were an honourable man, you would have tried to persuade me that this new wedding was a good thing before you went ahead with it, instead of working on it in secret, behind your own family’s back.
Jason:
Oh, sure! I can see it now! You would be really understanding then, wouldn’t you, about my marriage! You can’t shed this dreadful anger of yours even now!
591
Medea:
No, that’s not what bothered you Jason! That’s not it at all! What, in fact bothered you was that you would be entering your old age still married to a foreigner.
Jason:
I’ve told you before and I’m telling you again now. I have not married into royalty out of love. I did so because I wanted to save you and to give to my children royal siblings, from the same blood, siblings who will protect our household.
Medea:
I hope I’m never given such prosperity by means of such bitterness and such wealth by means of such a sad soul.
Jason:
One day, Medea you’ll think differently and you’ll act more wisely. Let not joy ever appear to you as something bad and happiness as something unhappy.
Medea:
You mock me. You make fun of me because you have a place to stand on, a house, yet I, I, on the other hand, will be thrown out of here, alone and desolate.
Jason:
Accuse no one else, woman. You’re the cause of your own fate.
Medea:
Why is that? Is it perhaps because I have married and betrayed my husband?
Jason:
No, but because you’ve uttered sacrilegious curses to the royal family.
Medea:
True. Yes, it’s true. And I did so not only to them but to your own household as well.
Jason:
Hah! I’m not interested in what you have to say now. Just tell me if you want some money before you and the children leave. I’d be quite happy to provide you with plenty of that and with plenty of referrals to my friends. They will do everything in their power to help you. Reject the offer and you’ll prove yourself to be a fool, accept it, calm your anger and your benefits will be many.
614
Medea:
I need neither your money nor your friends. Gifts from an evil man are of no use at all to anyone.
Jason:
Fine! But remember I, on my part, have the gods as my witness. They know that I am ready to provide you and the children with anything you need. You, on the other hand, reject all the good things offered to you and arrogantly send away those who want to help you. For this, you’ll suffer even worse.
Medea:
Go! Go now! The longer you stay away from your little home the more your heart suffers for your new bride.
Enjoy your marriage!
Slyly, knowingly. She’s now thinking of the plot she is devising against his whole household.
Though, perhaps, with the aid of the Gods, you’ll see that this… this new marriage of yours is not what it seems to be. Perhaps you will even come regret it.
627
Chorus:
When Aphrodite arrives in the hearts of people, with no fuss and with no exaggerated madness, she is a very enjoyable visitor but, alas, overwhelming lust brings neither honour nor glory to no one.
Oh, my Lady Aphrodite! I sincerely hope you don’t direct any of your unfailing golden arrows, dipped in lust to me! I hope that wisdom, the most treasured gift of the gods, protects me from that misfortune.
And, Lady Aphrodite, don’t plant into my heart improper love and then send me all the curses that go with it: Hatred, jealousy, endless fights. Instead, dear Lady, protect marriage and grand honour to all the peace-loving couples.
How I love my land and my home!
I hope I’ll never lose them! Let me suffer the worst poverty and hunger, the most bitter of deprivations but let me die before I see the day when I lose my land and my home! There’s certainly no greater pain than losing one’s homeland.
No one came to console you Medea. In your worst hour neither your city nor any of your friends stood by you. I know this, not through some airy rumour but because I saw it with my own eyes. Yet you have suffered the greatest misfortune.
I hope the man who does not honour his friends, the man who does not open an honest heart to them, I hope that man dies a wretched and miserable death. Such a man will certainly never be a friend of mine!
Enter Aigeas. Happy.
663
Aigeas:
A joyful day to you Medea. I give you the best greeting anyone can give to his friends.
Medea:
And a joyful day to you, too, Aigeas, son of wise Pandion. Where have you come from?
Aigeas:
From the ancient temple of Apollo.
Medea:
Why go to that oracle in the centre of the Earth?
Aigeas:
I needed to ask the oracle what I need to do to have children.
Medea:
Heavens! Are you still without children?
Aigeas:
Unfortunately, yes, Medea. Some god must despise us.
Medea:
But how is that possible? Are you not married or is your wife barren?
Aigeas:
I am married, Medea.
Medea:
And what did Apollo say to you?
Aigeas:
The god uttered words to me that humans can’t understand very easily.
Medea:
What sort of words? Tell me, if you don’t mind, of course.
Aigeas:
The words were: “Do not untie the foot that sticks out of the skin.”
680
Medea:
And you’ll need to do that before you do what? What land should you reach beforehand?
Aigeas:
Before I return to my own homeland.
Medea:
And what need made you stop here?
Aigeas:
Because someone by the name of Pitheus is the king of Troizen.
Medea:
Quite true. Son of Pelops. A very respectable man, from all accounts.
Aigeas:
I’d like to tell him the oracle, in case he can give me some understanding of it.
Medea:
Very possible because the man is a very wise one and one most experienced in such matters.
Aigeas:
Yes, not only that but he’s also a great friend of mine.
Medea:
I hope you’ll always be happy and that you succeed in your endeavours.
Aigeas:
But… Medea, why are your eyes so sad, your face so pale?
690
Medea:
My husband, Aigeas, is the worst man in existence.
Aigeas:
What? What do you mean, Medea? Tell me, what bothers you?
Medea:
Jason has been unfaithful to me even though I did nothing to him.
Aigeas:
But how? What happened?
Medea:
He has married another woman who will now be the mistress in my own house.
Aigeas:
What? He dared do such an atrocious thing?
Medea:
Not only that but now he won’t even turn to look at those whom he previously loved.
Aigeas:
But… what made him do it? Has he fallen in love with someone else or has he simply turned from you?
Medea:
Lust. He is not the sort who’s born to be faithful to those he loves.
Aigeas:
Well, to hell with him, if he is as you say.
700
Medea:
Suddenly he fell in love with royalty. He wanted to be related to the royal family!
Aigeas:
So who would have him as a son-in-law?
Medea:
Creon, King of Corinth.
Aigeas:
So it’s true then. Your sadness is truly justified, Medea.
Medea:
I’m absolutely devastated and still they are sending me into exile from here!
Aigeas:
Here’s a new catastrophe! But why?
Medea:
Creon is sending me away from Corinth.
Aigeas:
Surely Jason does not agree with this? Another fault in Jason’s character, I see.
Medea:
His mouth says he doesn’t want this but secretly, his heart hopes it happens.
Aigeas! Please!
By your beard and by your seed, I beg you! Feel pity for this poor soul. Don’t overlook me. As an exile, receive me in your home, in your land. And may the gods grand you all of your wishes. May you have children and may your death be a happy end to a long and contented life.
Aigeas, you’ve no idea what you’ve stumbled upon when you saw me. I promise you, I will make it possible for you to have children. I know of drugs that have a very dependable potency.
719
Aigeas:
Of course I’ll will help you, most readily and I shall do so for a couple of reasons. One is for the sake of the gods and another is because you have promised me children, a thing which I desire most deeply. So, if you come to my land, I’ll try to protect you because I love justice. However, let me tell you, Medea, let me tell you right now that I’m not able to take you from here, with me. If you want to come to my place, by all means, do so. But I, personally, cannot not deliver you to anyone. So, leave from here on your own because I do not want to be held responsible for your disappearance, particularly by my friends.
731
Medea:
Could you reassure me with an oath that all these things you’re offering me
will happen?
Aigeas:
Don’t you believe me, Medea, or is there something holding you back?
Medea:
Of course I believe you but Pelias’ family and Creon are my enemies so if you’ve sworn an oath, you’d be prohibited by it if they come to you and try to take me by force. You would be tied by that oath. But if you just give me your word, without oath to the gods, perhaps they’ll be able to persuade you with their suggestions and you could go over to their side and become their friends. I’m a weak creature whereas they are wealthy kings.
741
Aigeas:
You’re very wise, indeed. I see quite a foresight in your words and since you wish it, I shall do so. It will provide me with some safety as well because I’ll have a strong reason to give to your enemies for not surrendering you up to them. Both of us will gain safety by this oath.
Tell me then the gods to whom you want me to swear the oath.
Medea:
Swear by Earth and by Apollo, my grandfather, as well as the whole generation of gods.
Aigeas:
But what should I swear for?
Medea:
Swear that, for as long as you live, you will not exile me from your land, nor surrender me to my enemies, if they ever ask for me.
Aigeas:
I swear by the Earth and by the bright light of Apollo that I shall do all those things you just said.
Medea:
Good enough. But if you break your oath, what then?
Aigeas:
I shall suffer what all mortals who disrespect the gods suffer.
Medea:
Well, then, dear friend, go in peace and happiness. All will be well and I shall come to your city as soon as I have accomplished my wishes here.
759
Chorus:
And may Hermes, son of Maia, protector of the traveller, guard your journey, Aigeas and may all your wishes come true. You seem like a kind and generous man.
Medea:
Thank you, Zeus and you goddess of Justice! Thank you, too, Light of Apollo!
Now, we will be victorious over our enemies.
The plan can now move forward. Now there is hope to punish my enemies! I was in a ruthless tempest of troubles until this man came and brought me into a safe harbour. There then, I shall unfurl the sails of my stern and drop my anchor before I enter the city walls of Athens.
And now, I shall tell you all my plans but expect no words of joy.
Firstly, I shall send my servant to Jason to tell him to come here.
Then, I shall mock him, lie to him, tell him with sweet words that I think that all his plans are good and that his betrayal and his marriage to the Princess are both, wise and a good thing for all of us! I’ll also beg him to let my children stay here, not because I want them left here as objects of ridicule but so that I can use my cunning to murder the King’s daughter!
Then, I’ll send the boys to her, bearing gifts, with a delicately woven dress and a golden crown. They will hand these gifts to her and ask her to let them stay here. These gifts will be steeped in such a deadly poison that she will die a most horrible death. She and whoever touches her.
790
And now I change my words. I shudder with fear for the deed that must be done, immediately after that and by me because after the murder of the Princess I will have to murder my own children. No one can save them, no one! Kill them and I kill Jason’s home! Then I will leave this land. Escape the consequences of this most unholy act because…the anger of a city is intolerable to me.
Well, so be it!
What is the point of living?
There is no land, no home, nor any means to escape my suffering. Poor wretch! What a dreadful mistake I’ve made, leaving my own father’s house and trusting the words of a Greek.
Still, with God’s help, the vengeance shall
be mine. Because he’ll see no more his own children, born by me, nor will he
see any children by her. That black
soul, too, shall die a black death with my poisons. Let no one think of me weak and evil, nor
without humanness. Quite the contrary. I
am most friendly to my friends and most fearsome to my enemies. It’s only people like me who live a life of
glory.
811
Chorus:
Since you’ve entrusted your words to me, as I wish you no harm and because I want to observe our laws, I ask you not to go ahead with the execution of this deed.
Medea:
Don’t waste your words. Of course, it’s easy for you to talk like this since you don’t suffer like I do.
Chorus:
How could you ever think you could kill your own children, woman?
Medea:
I could because this deed will make my husband even more miserable!
Chorus:
But you, too, will feel just as miserable!
Medea:
That may be so… But we’ve finished with words now. Nurse, go and bring Jason here. Now, mind, I trust you to be discreet. If you love your mistress and if you are a true woman, say nothing of what I’ve decided to him.
824
Chorus:
Descendants of Erichtheus, for ever happy and contented, children of the blessed gods, nourished by the glorious wisdom of a free land. People who have always lived within the brightest air in which, it is told, the golden crested Harmonia gave birth to
the nine Pierian Muses. Where, it is also told, Cypris Aphrodite, drew water from the cool founts of the bejewelled Kifissos and mingled it with the sweet breath of the soft airs of fields and mountains. There, where she adorns her hair with the sweet rose-scented garland and, they also say, she sends Eros to keep company with Wisdom, to be his aid for ever and in every virtue.
Eros and Wisdom, together!
846
How then this city, this most welcoming city, whose rivers are blessed, will receive you, a most cursed woman, murderess of your own babies?
Think, woman, think how you will plunge your knife into your own children!
Think, woman think the degree of murder to which your hand will reach!
Medea! We kneel before you and we beg you! We beg you by every possible means! Don’t kill your children!
Where will your heart and your hand draw the dreadful courage to do this deed?
How will you turn your eyes towards your children before you kill them, without being flooded with tears?
No! No, Medea! You will not endure it. You will not endure their knee-delivered pleas to you, you will not endure to paint your hand with their blood. Your heart will not endure it!
865
Jason:
I’ve come because you’ve sent for me and even though you hate me, your wish will still be granted.
Medea:
Jason, my wish is that you forgive me for all the things I’ve said to you before. For my sake, Jason, have a little more patience with me. We had many sweet moments together.
I’ve weighed everything well, Jason and then I said to myself, “What a fool, I am! What a fool I must be to show such animosity to friends who gave me such wise counsel? Why did I want to become an enemy to my rulers and to my husband, who did something of such a great benefit to us, to take a Princess as a wife and to give siblings to my children? When will I stop this stupid anger of mine? What is wrong with me that I suffer so much with things which the gods brought to me in such a wonderful way? Can I not realise that I have my own children and that I am an exile from my own, native land and am with no friends?”
882
I thought of all this and decided that both, my anger and my thinking were totally wrong. Now, I praise you and your wise actions in uniting our families and realise that I was unwise in not immediately agreeing with you and helping you with your plan. I should have been there, during your wedding ceremony to be the first to embrace your bride, my new relative.
But, that’s how we women are. Deep down well-meaning but still, always women. You, however, must not do as the fools do, nor address foolishness with foolishness.
But let’s forget all that, now. I admit that I thought badly of all this but now everything has changed.
Come children, come out and kiss your father.
Come here, talk with him. Come and make friends with your mother again, whom you hated so much before. The harsh words have come to an end now. We are friends.
Here, hold my right hand.
The children obey and at the very first touch, Medea turns with horror.
Oh, God! God, how my mind unfurls such dreadful horrors!
She turns back to them and addresses them gently.
How sweetly you extend your little hands! How long will you live my darlings?
Stupid woman! How easily my tears flow, what a timid coward I am!
Hah! It’s that long quarrel your father and I had. It’s over now but still the tears flow without control.
906
Chorus:
My eyes, too, are bursting with heart-felt tears. Let’s hope the horror ends here.
Jason:
I applaud you, Lady, for your words and I hold no ill feeling towards you for your past actions. Anger is a natural thing for women when their husband is planning other marriages. But, I see that your heart has turned towards other, more worthy sentiments and, eventually you realised which is the better decision. This is the way wise women act.
And you, too, children. Your father has not neglected you but, with god’s help he did what he could. I’m confident that one day you and your brothers will become the best citizens of Corinth. Give yourselves some years first. Grow up a bit and, rest assured that your father and the gods who love us will take good care of us. Long life to you!
My only wish is to see you one day, brought up well, strong and healthy, braver than my enemies.
To Medea who has turned to hide her tears.
But, you, Medea, why turn your pale white face away and flood it with tears? Are you not pleased with my words?
Medea:
No, it’s not that. I’m overwhelmed with thoughts about the children.
Jason:
Courage, woman! I shall do all I can for them.
Medea:
Of course. I know you will. I have no doubt about that but women, you see, are weak creatures and their eyes are constantly full of tears.
Jason:
But why? What’s the reason for your tears?
930
Medea:
Because it was I who gave birth to them, Jason and just then, when you wished them a long life, suddenly I was hit by some bitter uncertainty as to whether that wish would be accomplished.
I’ve already said most of what I brought you here to tell you and what little is left is this: Jason, since the king has decided to exile me, quite rightly too, since I’d only be a terrible nuisance because of our animosity, I’ll go but ask Creon to let the children stay here and be brought up by you, by your own hands.
Jason:
I’ll certainly try but I don’t know if I’ll succeed in persuading him.
Medea:
If you can’t then talk to your wife, ask her to beg her father to let the children stay.
Jason:
That’s a better idea. I’m sure I’ll be able to manage that.
945
Medea:
Yes, if she has a heart like that of all the rest of us women I’m sure you will manage that. And I’ll help you with this, also Jason. I’ll send the children to her with gifts which people love: finely woven cloth and a golden garland.
Quickly, one of you go and bring those gifts.
Your wife, Jason is lucky for a great many reasons. Not only did she get for herself a man most worthy, but she has also inherited a jewel which my own grandfather, Apollo handed down to his descendants.
Come, my children, take in your hands these wedding gifts and take them to the happy bride, the Princess. These are not the sort of gifts a bride could easily refuse.
959
Jason:
You’re such a silly woman, Medea! Do you think there are no dresses or gold in the palace? Why leave yourself short of them? Keep them, don’t give them away.
If my bride truly respects me, then I’m certain she’d get more joy out of hearing my words then receiving your things.
Medea:
Please, don’t interfere, Jason. They say that even the gods are persuaded more by gifts and gold than by a million words. She is the one blessed with luck now. She is young and she reigns - the gods are with her. I, on the other hand, am pleading for my children to stay here; and I’d give my life even and more, let