1. Many editors bracket this line (262, "father of the bride" is literally "the one who gave his daughter to him") because of Medea’s threat to the king and his daughter which seems to be too readily accepted by the chorus. This is not a convincing argument against the line. The chorus offers all its fellow-feeling to Medea and seems to have very little sympathy for Creon.

2. Creon calls himself brabeus, an umpire or judge who makes the final decision.

3. The manuscripts have another line here (304), bracketed by most editors: [to others I seem unassuming and to others of the other sort].

4. Or perhaps "I am afraid you are planning some evil inside your heart."

5. Medea gets down on her knees into the position of a suppliant, taking the knees and hand of Creon. Exactly when she does this is disputed by the critics, but I believe she assumes the full suppliant position when she says "at your knees." Creon, thus refuses her plea until she agrees to the sentence of exile, flatters him as a concerned father in contrast to Jason, and reduces her request to something so insignificant, just one day to pack and get the children ready, that he could hardly refuse. His initial disregard for the suppliant shows him not as respectful as he boasts (349).

6. These lines are bracketed by many editors, but I am of mixed minds about them. They certainly soften our impression of Creon, but for my interpretation I prefer the more tyrannical Creon whose last words without these two lines on stage are a pronouncement of death against Medea (and probably her children).