To look upon you. I am overcome by sorrow.

(The children go into the house.)

I know indeed what evil I intend to do,

But stronger than all my afterthoughts is my fury,

Fury that brings upon mortals the greatest evils.

(She goes out to the right, toward the royal palace.)

CHORUS

Often before

I have gone through more subtle reasons,

And have come upon questionings greater

Than a woman should strive to search out.

But we too have a goddess to help us

And accompany us into wisdom.

Not all of us. Still you will find

Among many women a few,

And our sex is not without learning.

This I say, that those who have never

Had children, who know nothing of it,

In happiness have the advantage

Over those who are parents.

The childless, who never discover

Whether children turn out as a good thing

Or as something to cause pain, are spared

Many troubles in lacking this knowledge.

And those who have in their homes

The sweet presence of children, I see that their lives

Are all wasted away by their worries.

First they must think how to bring them up well and

How to leave them something to live on.

And then after this whether all their toil

Is for those who will turn out good or bad,

Is still an unanswered question.

And of one more trouble, the last of all,

That is common to mortals I tell.

For suppose you have found them enough for their living,

Suppose that the children have grown into youth

And have turned out good, still, if God so wills it,

Death will away with your children’s bodies,

And carry them off into Hades.

What is our profit, then, that for the sake of

Children the gods should pile upon mortals

After all else

This most terrible grief of all?

(Enter Medea, from the spectators’ right.)

MEDEA

Friends, I can tell you that for long I have waited

For the event. I stare toward the place from where

The news will come. And now, see one of Jason’s servants

Is on his way here, and that labored breath of his

Shows he has tidings for us, and evil tidings.

(Enter, also from the right, the Messenger.)

MESSENGER

Medea, you who have done such a dreadful thing,

So outrageous, run for your life, take what you can,

A ship to bear you hence or chariot on land.

MEDEA

And what is the reason deserves such flight as this?

MESSENGER

She is dead, only just now, the royal princess,

And Creon dead, too, her father, by your poisons.

MEDEA

The finest words you have spoken. Now and hereafter

I shall count you among my benefactors and friends.

MESSENGER

What! Are you right in the mind? Are you not mad,

Woman? The house of the king is outraged by you.

Do you enjoy it? Not afraid of such doings?

MEDEA

To what you say I on my side have something too

To say in answer. Do not be in a hurry, friend,