No doubt I differ from the mass of men on many points; for, to my mind, whoso hath skill to fence with words in an unjust cause, incurs the heaviest penalty; for such an one, confident that he can cast a decent veil of words o'er his injustice, dares to practise it; and yet he is not so very clever after all.So do not thou put forth thy specious pleas and clever words to me now, for one word of mine will lay thee low.Hadst thou not had a villain's heart, thou shouldst have gained my consent, then made this match, instead of hiding it from those who loved thee.
JASON
Thou wouldest have lent me ready aid, no doubt, in this proposal, if had told thee of my marriage, seeing that not even now canst thou restrain thy soul's hot fury.
MEDEA
This was not what restrained thee; but thine eye was turned towards old age, and a foreign wife began to appear a shame to thee.
JASON
Be well assured of this: 'twas not for the woman's sake I wedded the king's daughter, my present wife; but, as I have already told thee, I wished to insure thy safety and to be the father of royal sons bound by blood to my own children-a bulwark to our house.
MEDEA
May that prosperity, whose end is woe, ne'er be mine, nor such wealth as would ever sting my heart!
JASON
Change that prayer as I will teach thee, and thou wilt show more wisdom.Never let happiness appear in sorrow's guise, nor, when thy fortune smiles, pretend she frowns!
MEDEA
Mock on; thou hast a place of refuge; I am alone, an exile soon to be.
JASON
Thy own free choice was this; blame no one else.
MEDEA
What did I do? Marry, then betray thee?
JASON
Against the king thou didst invoke an impious curse.
MEDEA
On thy house too maybe I bring the curse.
JASON
Know this, I will no further dispute this point with thee.But, if thou wilt of my fortune somewhat take for the children or thyself to help thy exile, say on; for I am ready to grant it with ungrudging hand, yea and to bend tokens to my friends elsewhere who shall treat thee well.If thou refuse this offer, thou wilt do a foolish deed, but if thou cease from anger the greater will be thy gain.
MEDEA
I will have naught to do with friends of thine, naught will Ireceive of thee, offer it not to me; a villain's gifts can bring no blessing.
JASON
At least I call the gods to witness, that I am ready in all things to serve thee and thy children, but thou dost scorn my favours and thrustest thy friends stubbornly away; wherefore thy lot will be more bitter still.
MEDEA
Away! By love for thy young bride entrapped, too long thou lingerest outside her chamber; go wed, for, if God will, thou shalt have such a marriage as thou wouldst fain refuse.
(JASON goes out.)
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
