SCENE II

_The Nurse withdraws; enter Jason._

_Jason._ The lot is ever hard; bitter is fate, Equally bitter if it slay or spare; God gives us remedies worse than our ills. 425 Would I keep faith with her I deem my wife I must expect to die; would I shun death I must forswear myself. Not fear of death Has conquered honor, love has cast out fear In that the father's death involves the sons. 430 O holy Justice, if thou dwell in heaven, I call on thee to witness that the sons Vanquish their father! Say the mother's love Is fierce and spurns the yoke, she still will deem Her children of more worth than marriage joys. 435 My mind is fixed, I go to her with prayers. She starts at sight of me, her look grows wild, Hatred she shows and grief.

_Medea._ Jason, I flee! I flee, it is not new to change my home, The cause of banishment alone is new; 440 I have been exiled hitherto for thee. I go, as thou compellst me, from thy home, But whither shall I go? Shall I, perhaps, Seek Phasis, Colchis, and my father's realm Whose soil is watered by a brother's blood? 445 What land dost thou command me seek? what sea? The Euxine's jaws through which I led that band Of noble princes when I followed thee, Adulterer, through the Symplegades? Little Iolchos? Tempe? Thessaly? 450 Whatever way I opened up for thee I closed against myself. Where shall I go? Thou drivest into exile, but hast given No place of banishment. I will go hence. The king, Creusa's father, bids me go, 455 And I will do his bidding. Heap on me Most dreadful punishment, it is my due. With cruel penalties let royal wrath Pursue thy mistress, load my hands with chains, And in a dungeon of eternal night 460 Imprison me--'tis less than I deserve! Ungrateful one, recall the fiery bull; The earth-born soldiers, who at my command Slew one another; and the golden fleece Of Phrixus' ram, whose watchful guardian, 465 The sleepless dragon, at my bidding slept; The brother slain; the many, many crimes In one crime gathered. Think how, led by me, By me deceived, that old man's daughters dared To slay their aged father, dead for aye! 470 By thy hearth's safety, by thy children's weal, By the slain dragon, by these blood-stained hands I never spared from doing aught for thee, By thy past fears, and by the sea and sky Witnesses of our marriage, pity me! 475 O happy one, give me some recompense! Of all the ravished gold the Scythians brought From far, as far as India's burning plains, Wealth our wide palace hardly could contain, So that we hung our groves with gold, I took 480 Nothing. My brother only bore I thence, And him for thee I sacrificed. I left My country, father, brother, maiden shame: This was my marriage portion; give her own To her who goes an exile. 485

_Jason._ When angry Creon thought to have thee slain, Urged by my prayers, he gave thee banishment.

_Medea._ I looked for a reward; the gift I see Is exile.

_Jason._ While thou mayst fly, fly in haste! The wrath of kings is ever hard to bear. 490

_Medea._ Thou giv'st me such advice because thou lov'st Creusa, wouldst divorce a hated wife!

_Jason._ And does Medea taunt me with my loves?

_Medea._ More--treacheries and murders.

_Jason._ Canst thou charge Such sins to me?

_Medea._ All I have ever done. 495

_Jason._ It only needs that I should share the guilt Of these thy crimes!

_Medea._ Thine are they, thine alone; He is the criminal who reaps the fruit. Though all should brand thy wife with infamy, Thou shouldst defend and call her innocent: 500 She who has sinned for thee, toward thee is pure.

_Jason._ To me my life is an unwelcome gift Of which I am ashamed.

_Medea._ Who is ashamed To owe his life to me can lay it down.

_Jason._ For thy sons' sake control thy fiery heart. 505

_Medea._ I will have none of them, I cast them off, Abjure them; shall Creusa to my sons Give brothers?

_Jason._ To an exile's wretched sons A mighty queen will give them.

_Medea._ Never come That evil day that mingles a great race 510 With race unworthy,--Phœbus' glorious sons With sons of Sisyphus.

_Jason._ What, cruel one, Wouldst thou drag both to banishment? Away!

_Medea._ Creon has heard my prayer.

_Jason._ What can I do?

_Medea._ For me? Some crime perhaps.

_Jason._ A prince's wrath 515 Is here and there.

_Medea._ Medea's wrath more fierce! Let us essay our power, the victor's prize Be Jason.

_Jason._ Passion-weary, I depart; Fear thou to trust a fate too often tried.

_Medea._ Fortune has ever served me faithfully. 520

_Jason._ Acastus comes.

_Medea._ Creon's a nearer foe, But both shall fall. Medea does not ask That thou shouldst arm thyself against the king, Or soil thy hands with murder of thy kin; Fly with me innocent.

_Jason._ Who will oppose 525 If double war ensue, and the two kings Join forces?

_Medea._ Add to them the Colchian troops And King Æëtes, Scythian hosts and Greeks, Medea conquers them!

_Jason._ I greatly fear A scepter's power.

_Medea._ Do not covet it. 530

_Jason._ We must cut short our converse, lest it breed Suspicion.

_Medea._ Now from high Olympus send Thy thunder, Jupiter; stretch forth thy hand, Prepare thy lightning, from the riven clouds Make the world tremble, nor with careful hand 535 Spare him or me; whichever of us dies Dies guilty; thy avenging thunderbolt Cannot mistake the victim.

_Jason._ Try to speak More sanely; calm thyself. If aught can aid Thy flight from Creon's house, thou needst but ask. 540

_Medea._ My soul is strong enough, and wont to scorn The wealth of kings; this boon alone I crave, To take my children with me when I go; Into their bosoms I would shed my tears, New sons are thine.

_Jason._ Would I might grant thy prayer; 545 Paternal love forbids me, Creon's self Could not compel me to it. They alone Lighten the sorrow of a grief-parched soul. For them I live, I sooner would resign Breath, members, light.

_Medea_ [_aside_]. 'Tis well! He loves his sons, 550 This, then, the place where he may feel a wound! [_To Jason._] Before I go, thou wilt, at least, permit That I should give my sons a last farewell, A last embrace? But one thing more I ask: If in my grief I've poured forth threatening words, 555 Retain them not in mind; let memory hold Only my softer speech, my words of wrath Obliterate.

_Jason._ I have erased them all From my remembrance. I would counsel thee Be calm, act gently; calmness quiets pain. 560

[_Exit Jason._