Μήδεια
Medea
Euripides · first staged City Dionysia, 431 BC · third prize, behind Euphorion and Sophocles
Jason has left Medea for the daughter of the king of Corinth. Medea kills the bride and her father, and then her own two sons.
Persons, in order of appearance
- Τρ.Nurse
- Πα.Attendant
- Μη.Medea
- Χο.Chorus
- Κρ.Creon
- Ια.Jason
- Αι.Aegeus
- Αγ.Messenger
- ΠαιςSon
- Πα.αFirst Son
- Πα.βSecond Son
Translations
- E. P. Coleridgeprose · 1891 · aligned by line · with Paley's Greek
- A. S. Wayverse · 1912 · aligned by speech · with Way's Greek
- Coleridge, rev. Ceragioli, Nagy & Hour 25 Medea team (Kosmos Society)prose · aligned by speech · with Diggle's Greek
- Ian Johnston (VIU)verse · aligned by speech · with Diggle's Greek
- Gilbert Murrayverse · aligned by speech · with Murray's Greek
Greek texts
- Diggle, Euripidis fabulae, vol. 11984
- Gilbert Murray, Euripidis Fabulae, vol. 11902
- F. A. Paley, Euripides, vol. 11878
- A. S. Way, Euripides, vol. 41912
Cite as Eur. Med. 1–1419
Full synopsis (tells the ending)
Jason has left Medea, who gave up her home and her family for him, to marry the daughter of Creon, king of Corinth. Creon orders Medea and her two sons into exile that day. She begs for and gets one day's grace. Aegeus of Athens passes through and promises her refuge. With the escape secured, Medea sends the bride a poisoned robe and crown, which kill her and Creon, then kills her own two sons so that Jason will have nothing. She escapes in the Sun's chariot with their bodies, to bury them where he cannot reach them, and goes on to Athens.
Drawing: Line drawing after Karl Reichhold's 1906 drawing of the Medea krater by the Underworld Painter, Munich, Staatliche Antikensammlungen 3296 (Furtwängler and Reichhold, Griechische Vasenmalerei II, Taf. 90); the lower band, cut out and retraced.