LITMIR.BIZ

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me may chastity, heaven’s fairest gift, look with a favouring eye; never may Cypris, goddess dread, fasten on me a temper to dispute, or restless jealousy, smiting my soul with mad desire for unlawful love, but may she hallow peaceful married life and shrewdly decide whom each of us shall wed.

      STROPHE 2.

      O my country, O my own dear home! God grant I may never be an outcast from my city, leading that cruel helpless life, whose every day is misery. Ere that may I this life complete and yield to death, ay, death; for there is no misery that doth surpass the loss of fatherland.

      ANTISTROPHE 2.

      I have seen with mine eyes, nor from the lips of others have I the lesson learnt; no city, not one friend doth pity thee in this thine awful woe. May he perish and find no favour, whoso hath not in him honour for his friends, freely unlocking his heart to them. Never shall he be friend of mine.

      [MEDEA has been seated in despair on her door-step during the choral song. AEGEUS and his attendants enter.]

      AEGEUS. All hail, Medea! no man knoweth fairer prelude to the greeting of friends than this.

      MEDEA. All hail to thee likewise, Aegeus, son of wise Pandion. Whence comest thou to this land?

      AEGEUS. From Phoebus’ ancient oracle.

      MEDEA. What took thee on thy travels to the prophetic centre of the earth?

      AEGEUS. The wish to ask how I might raise up seed unto myself.

      MEDEA. Pray tell me, hast thou till now dragged on a childless life?

      AEGEUS. I have no child owing to the visitation of some god.

      MEDEA. Hast thou a wife, or hast thou never known the married state?

      AEGEUS. I have a wife joined to me in wedlock’s bond.

      MEDEA. What said Phoebus to thee as to children?

      AEGEUS. Words too subtle for man to comprehend.

      MEDEA. Surely I may learn the god’s answer?

      AEGEUS. Most assuredly, for it is just thy subtle wit it needs.

      MEDEA. What said the god? speak, if I may hear it.

      AEGEUS. He bade me “not loose the wineskin’s pendent neck.”

      MEDEA. Till when? what must thou do first, what country visit?

      AEGEUS. Till I to my native home return.

      MEDEA. What object hast thou in sailing to this land?

      AEGEUS. O’er Troezen’s realm is Pittheus king.

      MEDEA. Pelops’ son, a man devout they say.

      AEGEUS. To him I fain would impart the oracle of the god.

      MEDEA. The man is shrewd and versed in such-like lore.

      AEGEUS. Aye, and to me the dearest of all my warrior friends.

      MEDEA. Good luck to thee! success to all thy wishes!

      AEGEUS. But why that downcast eye, that wasted cheek?

      MEDEA. O Aegeus, my husband has proved most evil.

      AEGEUS. What meanest thou? explain to me clearly the cause of thy despondency.

      MEDEA. Jason is wronging me though I have given him no cause.

      AEGEUS. What hath he done? tell me more clearly.

      MEDEA. He is taking another wife to succeed me as mistress of his house.

      AEGEUS. Can he have brought himself to such a dastard deed?

      MEDEA. Be assured thereof; I, whom he loved of yore, am in dishonour now.

      AEGEUS. Hath he found a new love? or does he loathe thy bed?

      MEDEA. Much in love is he! A traitor to his friend is he become.

      AEGEUS. Enough! if he is a villain as thou sayest.

      MEDEA. The alliance he is so much enamoured of is with a princess.

      AEGEUS. Who gives his daughter to him? go on, I pray.

      MEDEA. Creon, who is lord of this land of Corinth.

      AEGEUS. Lady, I can well pardon thy grief.

      MEDEA. I am undone, and more than that, am banished from the land.

      AEGEUS. By whom? fresh woe this word of thine unfolds.

      MEDEA. Creon drives me forth in exile from Corinth.

      AEGEUS. Doth Jason allow it? This too I blame him for.

      MEDEA. Not in words, but he will not stand out against it. O, I implore thee by this beard and by thy knees, in suppliant posture, pity, O pity my sorrows; do not see me cast forth forlorn, but receive me in thy country, to a seat within thy halls. So may thy wish by heaven’s grace be crowned with a full harvest of offspring, and may thy life close in happiness! Thou knowest not the rare good luck thou findest here, for I will make thy childlessness to cease and cause thee to beget fair issue; so potent are the spells I know.

      AEGEUS. Lady, on many grounds I am most fain to grant thee this thy boon, first for the gods’ sake, next for the children whom thou dost promise I shall beget; for in respect of this I am completely lost. ’Tis thus with me; if e’er thou reach my land, I will attempt to champion thee as I am bound to do. Only one warning I do give thee first, lady; I will not from this land bear thee away, yet if of thyself thou reach my halls, there shalt thou bide in safety and I will never yield thee up to any man. But from this land escape without my aid, for I have no wish to incur the blame of my allies as well.

      MEDEA. It shall be even so; but wouldst thou pledge thy word to this, I should in all be well content with thee.

      AEGEUS. Surely thou dost trust me? or is there aught that troubles thee?

      MEDEA. Thee I trust; but Pelias’ house and Creon are my foes. Wherefore, if thou art bound by an oath, thou wilt not give me up to them when they come to drag me from the land, but, having entered into a compact and sworn by heaven as well, thou wilt become my friend and disregard their overtures. Weak is any aid of mine, whilst they have wealth and a princely house.

      AEGEUS. Lady, thy words show much foresight, so if this is thy will, I do not, refuse. For I shall feel secure and safe if I have some pretext to offer to thy foes, and thy case too the firmer stands. Now name thy gods.

      MEDEA. Swear by the plain of Earth, by Helios my father’s sire, and, in one comprehensive oath, by all the race of gods.

      AEGEUS. What shall I swear to do, from what refrain? tell me that.

      MEDEA. Swear that thou wilt never of thyself expel me from thy land, nor, whilst life is thine, permit any other, one of my foes maybe, to hale me thence if so he will.

      AEGEUS. By Earth I swear, by the Sun-god’s holy beam and by all the host of heaven that I will stand fast to the terms I hear thee make.

      MEDEA. ’Tis enough. If thou shouldst break this oath, what curse dost thou invoke upon thyself?

      AEGEUS. Whate’er betides the impious.

      MEDEA. Go in peace; all is well, and I with what speed I may, will to thy city come, when I have wrought my purpose and obtained my wish.

      [AEGEUS and his retinue depart.]

      CHORUS. [chanting.] May Maia’s princely son go with thee on thy way to bring thee to thy home, and mayest thou attain that on which thy soul is set so firmly, for to my mind thou seemest a generous man, O Aegeus.

      MEDEA. O Zeus, and Justice, child of Zeus, and Sun-god’s light, now will triumph o’er my foes, kind friends; on victory’s road have I set forth; good hope have I of wreaking vengeance on those I hate. For where we were in most distress this stranger hath appeared, to be a haven in my counsels; to him will we make fast the cables of our ship when we come to the

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