MEDEA

God, and Gods daughter, justice, and light of Helius!

Now, friends, has come the time of my triumph over

My enemies, and now my foot is on the road.

Now I am confident they will pay the penalty.

For this man, Aegeus, has been like a harbor to me

In all my plans just where I was most distressed.

To him I can fasten the cable of my safety

When I have reached the town and fortress of Pallas. *

And now I shall tell to you the whole of my plan.

Listen to these words that are not spoken idly.

I shall send one of my servants to find Jason

And request him to come once more into my sight.

And when he comes, the words I’ll say will be soft ones.

I’ll say that I agree with him, that I approve

The royal wedding he has made, betraying me.

I’ll say it was profitable, an excellent idea.

But I shall beg that my children may remain here:

Not that I would leave in a country that hates me

Children of mine to feel their enemies’ insults,

But that by a trick I may kill the king’s daughter.

For I will send the children with gifts in their hands

To carry to the bride, so as not to be banished—

A finely woven dress and a golden diadem.

And if she takes them and wears them upon her skin

She and all who touch the girl will die in agony;

Such poison will I lay upon the gifts I send.

But there, however, I must leave that account paid.

I weep to think of what a deed I have to do

Next after that; for I shall kill my own children.

My children, there is none who can give them safety.

And when I have ruined the whole of Jason’s house,

I shall leave the land and flee from the murder of my

Dear children, and I shall have done a dreadful deed.

For it is not bearable to be mocked by enemies.

So it must happen. What profit have I in life?

I have no land, no home, no refuge from my pain.

My mistake was made the time I left behind me

My father’s house, and trusted the words of a Greek,

Who, with heaven’s help, will pay me the price for that.

For those children he had from me he will never

See alive again, nor will he on his new bride

Beget another child, for she is to be forced

To die a most terrible death by these my poisons.

Let no one think me a weak one, feeble-spirited,

A stay-at-home, but rather just the opposite,

One who can hurt my enemies and help my friends;

For the lives of such persons are most remembered.

CHORUS

Since you have shared the knowledge of your plan with us,

I both wish to help you and support the normal

Ways of mankind, and tell you not to do this thing.