Legendary Passages #0093 -XIX ARGO-
Aegeus (Part 4) of Euripides' Medea.
Previously, Medea decided not to take vengeance on Jason or his new wife until she could secure some safe haven for herself.
In this passage, Aegeus, father of Theseus, offers Medea safe haven in Athens.
http://sacred-texts.com/cla/eurip/medea.htm
Aegeus (Part 4),
a Legendary Passage,
from Euripides' Medea,
trans. by E. P. Coleridge.
CHORUS (singing, strophe 1)
When in excess and past all limits Love doth come, he brings not
glory or repute to man; but if the Cyprian queen in moderate might
approach, no goddess is so full of charm as she. Never, O never, lady
mine, discharge at me from thy golden bow a shaft invincible, in passion's
venom dipped.
(antistrophe 1)
On 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 town and citadel of Pallas. But now will
I explain to thee my plans in full; do not expect to hear a pleasant
tale. A servant of mine will I to Jason send and crave an interview;
then when he comes I will address him with soft words, say, "this
pleases me," and, "that is well," even the marriage with the princess,
which my treacherous lord is celebrating, and add "it suits us both,
'twas well thought out"; then will I entreat that here my children
may abide, not that I mean to leave them in a hostile land for foes
to flout, but that I may slay the king's daughter by guile. For I
will send them with gifts in their hands, carrying them unto the bride
to save them from banishment, a robe of finest wool and a chaplet
of gold. And if these ornaments she take and put them on, miserably
shall she die, and likewise everyone who touches her; with such fell
poisons will I smear my gifts. And here I quit this theme; but I shudder
at the deed I must do next; for I will slay the children I have borne;
there is none shall take them from my toils; and when I have utterly
confounded Jason's house I will leave the land, escaping punishment
for my dear children's murder, after my most unholy deed. For I cannot
endure the taunts of enemies, kind friends; enough! what gain is life
to me? I have no country, home, or refuge left. O, I did wrong, that
hour I left my father's home, persuaded by that Hellene's words, who
now shall pay the penalty, so help me God, Never shall he see again
alive the children I bore to him, nor from his new bride shall he
beget issue, for she must die a hideous death, slain by my drugs.
Let no one deem me a poor weak woman who sits with folded hands, but
of another mould, dangerous to foes and well-disposed to friends;
for they win the fairest fame who live then, life like me.
LEADER OF THE CHORUS Since thou hast imparted this design to me,
I bid thee hold thy hand, both from a wish to serve thee and because
I would uphold the laws men make.
MEDEA It cannot but be so; thy words I pardon since thou art not
in the same sorry plight that I am.
LEADER O lady, wilt thou steel thyself to slay thy children twain?
MEDEA I will, for that will stab my husband to the heart.
LEADER It may, but thou wilt be the saddest wife alive.
MEDEA No matter; wasted is every word that comes 'twixt now and then.
Ho! (The NURSE enters in answer to her call.) Thou, go call me Jason
hither, for thee I do employ on every mission of trust. No word divulge
of all my purpose, as thou art to thy mistress loyal and likewise
of my sex.
(The NURSE goes out.)
http://sacred-texts.com/cla/eurip/medea.htm
This passage continues next episode, as Medea pretends to make peace with Jason for the sake of their children.
