Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MEDEA: VENGEANCE, by EURIPIDES


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MEDEA: VENGEANCE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: O zeus, o zeus-born justice, o bright sun
Last Line: For such are they that live most honourable.
Subject(s): Vengeance


O ZEUS, O Zeus-born Justice, O bright Sun,
Now shall I triumph over mine enemies;
Now on the road, dear friends, my feet are planted,
Now I shall see my haters pay the price.
This AEgeus stands revealed -- my sorest need --
A haven of refuge now for all my councils;
Ay, and from him the cable of my hopes
Shall be made fast when I come safe within
Athena's town and tower. Hark, all my plot
I'll tell thee -- listen, bitter though it be.
One of my household I shall send to Jason
Asking to see him once more face to face;
And when he comes I'll make him honeyed speeches,
Saying that his will is mine -- all's well and fair
In this royal marriage he betrays me for --
All for our good and wisely planned of him. --
I shall but pray him let my children stay;
Not that I would abandon child of mine
In a hostile land to be flouted by my foes;
But that I may spin death for Creon's daughter.
For I shall send them carrying gifts from me
To the bride, that she may save them banishment --
A fine-wrought robe, a golden diadem;
And once she takes those gauds and puts them on,
A dreadful death is hers and any man
That touches her; such drugs I'll smear them with.
But I will say no more -- yet Oh, my heart
Cries at the thought of what a deed I must
Do after that. For I must kill my children,
Mine own. There lives not who shall rescue them.
And having thus confounded all the house
Of Jason, I will go hence and flee afar
My sweet babes' blood and my own bitter sin.
For bitterer yet, my friends, the laugh of foes.
So be it! What good is life? I have no land,
No home, no shelter for my misery.
Fool that I was, the day I ever quitted
My father's house confiding in the tongue
Of a Greek -- ay him, God willing, I'll repay.
For never shall he see alive again
The sons I bore him, nor any other sons
Shall his new bride bring forth, since by my magic
She shall find an end as evil as herself.
Let no man think of me as mean or weak
Or a quiet soul, -- nay very far from it! --
As dangerous a foe as loyal friend.
For such are they that live most honourable.





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