Prologue (1) (1-130)

Medea’s old nanny from her childhood in Colchis comes out of the house alone and addresses the elements.

Nurse
How I wish the Argo had never flown through
the dark blue Clashing Rocks (2) into the land of the Colchians;
I wish the pine tree had never fallen
in the groves of Pelion, cut down to put oars in the hands
of the heroes (3) who went after the golden fleece     5
for Pelias (4). Then my mistress Medea would not
have sailed to the fortress of Iolcus’ land,
her heart battered by love for Jason.
And she would not have persuaded the daughters of Pelias to kill
their father and come to live here on Corinthian soil 10
with her husband and children, gratifying (5)
the citizens to whose land she had come as a refugee,
and accommodating herself to Jason in every way.
This brings the greatest security:
when a woman does not dispute with her husband. 15
But now it’s all gone sour, affection turned to hatred.
Jason has abandoned his children and my mistress,
and now makes his bed in a royal marriage
to the daughter of Creon who governs this land.
And Medea, in despair, held in disregard, 20
howls out "the oaths he swore" and calls upon the right hand,
a mighty symbol of fidelity, and invokes the gods to witness
the treatment she has received from Jason.
She goes without eating and gives herself over to grief,
wasting away all her time in tears, 25
ever since she realized her husband had betrayed her.
She never looks up or raises her eyes
from the ground. Like a rock or wave of the sea
she takes in the advice of those who love her;
except that sometimes she turns round her pale face (6)30
and mourns for her dear father,
her country and her home which she betrayed
to come here with this man who now keeps her in contempt.
The poor woman knows from bitter experience
what it means not to lose her native land. 35
And she hates her children, takes no delight in seeing them.
I’m afraid of her in case she has some new plan in mind.
For her thought is deep and she will not put up with
being abused. I know her and I’m frightened
that she may thrust a sharp sword through the heart (7) 40
in silence entering the house where the bed is laid
or kill the princess and the one who married her
and then suffer some greater tragedy.
She is frightening. It won’t be easy for an enemy
to come out victorious in a battle with her. 45
But here come the children from their play.
They know nothing of their mother’s troubles
for the childish heart is not used to grief.

The old minder of the children of Jason and Medea enters with the children running about him, perhaps playing with hoops.

Paidagogos
Here’s my mistress’ long-time slave.
Why are you standing here alone in front of the door 50
bemoaning your troubles to yourself?
How is it that Medea is willing to be left on her own?

Nurse
You’re the old care-giver of Jason’s children and you know
when the affairs of their masters go wrong
good slaves share in the disaster and their hearts are also touched 55
so that such sadness came over me
that I longed to come out here and tell
the sorrows my mistress is suffering to the earth and sky.

Paidagogos
Is the poor woman not yet done with her crying?

Nurse
I envy you. She has barely started. 60

Paidagogos
Oh the fool! If one may say that of one’s masters.
She knows nothing of the latest troubles.

Nurse
What is it, old man? Please tell me.

Paidagogos
Nothing. I’m sorry I let it slip.

Nurse:
Do not, I beg you, hide this from your fellow slave. 65
I can, if need be, keep it secret.

Paidagogos
I heard someone saying, though I pretended not to listen,
as I was passing the tables where the old men sit to play
draughts (8), next to the sacred fountain of Peirene,
that these children with their mother— the king of this country, 70
Creon, plans to banish them all from Corinthian territory (9).
Whether the story is true I am uncertain.
I hope it is not.

Nurse
And Jason puts up with his children being
treated like that, even if he is estranged from their mother? 75

Paidagogos
Old relationships give way to new ones.
He is not a friend to this family.

Nurse
We are ruined, if we will bear a new disaster
on top of the old, before that has drained out.

Paidagogos
But you— it’s not a good time for mistress 80
to find out about this— so keep it quiet.

Nurse
Oh, children, do you hear what kind of man your father is to you?
Damn him! But no, I can’t say that. He is my master.
Still he has turned out to be a traitor to his family.

Paidagogos
What man is not? Are you just figuring it out, 85
that everyone loves himself more than his neighbor (10),
if their father is disaffected from these children because of his new marriage?

Nurse
Go on— everything will be just fine— go on inside, children.
But, as much as possible, you keep them apart 90
and don’t let them go near their mother in her rage.
For I have seen her giving them that wild animal glare,
as if she is going to do something to them. She will not give up
her wrath— I’m sure of that— before she strikes out at someone.
May it be enemies, not loved ones she hurts. 95

Medea (from inside the house) (11):
Aah!
I’m so unhappy.
How can I die?

Nurse
Here it comes, dear children. Your mother
stirs up her heart, stirs up her resentment.
Hurry along inside the house. 100
and do not go into her sight;
do not go near her, but watch out for
the savage temper and loathing
of her stubborn spirit.
Go now, run along inside, quick, quick. 105
It is clear that a cloud of sorrow is flaring up
from its first flicker and soon will ignite
into a greater passion. What will it do—
this raging spirit, so hard to quench
now that it is stung by ill-treatment? 110

Medea
Aah!
I have suffered, I have suffered most terribly.
You damned children, of a hateful mother
confound you with your father,
and the whole house go to Hell. 115

Nurse
Ah me, ah me. Oh the sorrow of it all...
Why do you involve the children in their father’s
abuse? Why do you hate them. Ah me,
children, how much I grieve that you should suffer.
The tempers of tyrants are terrible:
they are seldom under control, their power is far-reaching, 120
with difficulty they put aside their wrath.
To get used to living on terms of equality
is better. Look at me. I only hope that it’s my fate to grow old
in security, not among the high and mighty.
The golden mean, first just to say 125
its name wins the prize, to use it
is by far the best thing humans can achieve. But excess
never has a place in our lives,
and it brings greater ruin
when some god has it in for the house. 130

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