Medea by Euripides

You know that expression, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?"  Let me tell you about Medea.


Medea married Jason after helping him to succeed in and survive certain adventures.  She left her homeland and came to live with him in Corinth, and eventually they had two sons.  As the play opens, she is grieving because he has left her for the daughter of King Creon of Corinth.  Medea is a sorceress with some pretty scary powers.  It seems to me that Jason should have known better than to cross her.


He tries to convince her that he has entered into this relationship with the king's daughter in order to secure their position in the kingdom and cause their sons to be half brothers to the royal family.  Medea doesn't buy it...particularly since he did not discuss this plan with her ahead of time.  She plots to kill Creon, his daughter, Jason and their two sons....her own children.  


In order to accomplish this, she feigns acceptance of the situation and apologizes for her prior conduct.  She tells Jason to take their two sons to meet his new wife and offer her presents.  The presents she sends are an embroidered robe and a golden crown on which spells have been cast.  The person who wears them will die most painfully, their flesh ripping off of their bones.


The princess who is to be Jason's bride dons the garments and the curse begins.  As she is dying, her father is called.  He embraces her and is caught up in the spell also.  As soon as a messenger comes to tell Medea of the death of Creon and his daughter, she kills her own two sons rather than have them killed by Creon's loyal subjects.  Jason arrives and begs to be allowed to bury his sons, but Medea is determined to take them away with her.  Medea leaves on a chariot drawn by dragons.


Some interesting quotes from this play:
...the greatest safeguard this when wife and husband do agree; but now their love is all turned to hate, and tenderest ties are weak.  (Medea's nurse)  This is an interesting phenomenon.  Passionate love turns to passionate hate.


Art learning only now, that every single man cares for himself more than for his neighbour, some from honest motives, others for mere gain's sake?  (Attendant to Medea's children)  I'm having a little difficulty with just what "honest motive" would cause one to care most for himself.


Some think me clever and hate me, others say I am too reserved, and some the very reverse; others find me hard to please and not so very clever at all.  (Medea)  Strong and clever women do have this problem.  They pose a threat to some, while other appreciate their gifts.


Yea, men should have begotten children from some other source, no female race existing; thus would no evil ever have fallen on mankind.  (Jason)  Now there's an interesting perspective!  I am pretty sure that the male of the species left to his own devices would have found a way to be evil.


A villain's gifts can bring no blessing. (Medea)  Perhaps the villain intends no blessing, but a gift is still a gift.  I heard a story once about a poor elderly woman who prayed for food.  A neighbor who didn't believe in God overheard her and brought her some food.  He could not resist taunting her that God had not answered her prayer.  She replied, "God sent the food, even if the devil did deliver it."

Oedipus at Colonus

Getting back to the “Great Books,” I just finished Oedipus at Colonus.  Blind and wretched Oedipus is being led about by his daughter Antigone, and they end up at Colonus, just outside of Athens.  Oedipus begs King Theseus of Athens to protect him and his daughters (Ismene has also joined him).  Oedipus retells his story convincing King Theseus that his sins were unintentional and that he, therefore, deserves the sympathy and help of Theseus.  To this Theseus agrees….and just in the nick of time, for shortly Creon arrives and snatches Antigone and Ismene away.  Theseus and his men pursue and return the girls to their father.

After this, Polyneices, Oedipus’ elder son arrives and tries to convince his father to return home to Thebes.  Oedipus refuses, being convinced that Polyneices means him harm, and that his destiny is at Colonus.

Oedipus believes that his death is impending and that he is meant to die in a place and manner unknown to anyone but Theseus.   This is to bring peace and blessing on Theseus and his kingdom.  He and Theseus exit out of the view of Antigone, Ismene and the local elders.  When Theseus returns Oedipus is not with him.  Theseus will not reveal the location of his tomb.

Interesting passages:

Oedipus:  ‘Tis little to lift age, when youth was ruined.  By this he means that having had his early years ruined by tragedy he didn’t see coming and couldn’t prevent, being exalted in old age has little meaning.  I don’t think I agree with this.  Salvation is still salvation, even if it is at the stroke of midnight.

The chorus:  No man is visited by fate, if he requites deeds which were first done to himself; deceit on the one part matches deceits on the other, and gives pain, instead of benefit, for reward.  Seeking revenge usually turns out badly!  Strange how centuries later, men have to keep relearning this principle.

Oedipus:  And, had these daughters not been born to be my comfort, verily I had been dead, for aught of help from thee (spoken to Polyneices).  Now, these girls preserve me, these my nurses, these who are men, not women, in true service:  but ye are aliens, and no sons of mine.  Well, here’s something that is almost universally true in present times.  Generally, it is the daughters who provide care to aging parents, not the sons.  There are, of course, exceptions, but the role of caregiver typically falls to the oldest or geographically nearest daughter.

Messenger:  But by what doom Oedipus perished, no man can tell, save Theseus alone.  No fiery thunderbolt of the god removed him in that hour, nor any rising of storm from the sea, but either a messenger from the gods, or the world of the dead, the nether adamant, riven for him in love, without pain.  For the passing of the man was not with lamentation, or in sickness and suffering, but, above mortal’s, wonderful.  So after a life of agony, Oedipus passed through death and beyond without pain and suffering.  I don’t know of anyone who wants to go through pain and suffering.  We all hope for a sudden and painless end.  The problem is that most of us don’t get our wish.  It seems appropriate that given the suffering of his early life, Oedipus should have a more peaceful end.

But, this is just a story.