Medea
Euripides
Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Translated into English Prose from the Text of Paley. Vol. I. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1906.
- 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.[*](The Schol. gives two interpretations of φροῦδος, (1) I am ruined as far as begetting children goes. (2) I am entirely devoted to doing so. Neither is satisfactory owing to want of parallel passages.) ’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.[*](i.e., as well as Jason.)
- It shall be even so; but wouldst thou pledge thy word to this, I should in all be well content with thee.
- Surely thou dost trust me? or is there aught that troubles thee?
- Thee I trust; but Pelias’ house and Creon are my foes.
- Wherefore, if thou art bound by an oath, thou wilt not give[*](To avoid the very doubtful form μεθεῖς = μεθείης some read μεθεῖ’ ἂν.) me up to them when they come to drag me from the land, but, having entered into a compact and sworn[*](Reading ἐνώμοτος. Hermann changes καὶ into μὴ. A simpler change, supported by a Schol., and one MS., would be to read ἀνωμοτος = whereas if thou only make a verbal compact, without oath, thou mightest be persuaded, etc. The whole passage is, as it stands, probably corrupt; numerous emendations have been proposed. If the above emendation be adopted, it will be necessary to alter οὐκ ἂν πίθοιο for which Munro proposed ὀκνῶν πίθοιο = and fearing their demands of surrender thou mightest yield. Wecklein, τάχ’ ἂν τίθοι σε (adopted by Nauck), is tempting.) 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.
- 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.
- Swear by the plain of Earth, by Helios my father’s sire, and, in one comprehensive oath, by all the race of gods.
- What shall I swear to do, from what refrain? tell me that.
- 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.
- 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.
- ’Tis enough. If thou shouldst break this oath, what curse dost thou invoke upon thyself?
- Whate’er betides the impious.
- 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.
- 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.
- O Zeus, and Justice, child of Zeus, and sun-god’s light,
- now will I 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;