TUT. O thou ancient possession of my mistress's house, why dost thou stand
at the gates preserving thus thy solitude, bewailing to thyself our
misfortunes? How doth Medea wish to be left alone without thee?
NUR. O aged man, attendant on the children of Jason, to faithful servants
the affairs of their masters turning out ill are a calamity, and lay hold
upon their feelings. For I have arrived at such a height of grief that
desire hath stolen on me to come forth hence and tell the misfortunes of
Medea to the earth and heaven.
TUT. Does not she wretched yet receive any respite from her grief?
NUR. I envy thy ignorance; her woe is at its rise, and not even yet at its
height.
TUT. O unwise woman, if it is allowable to say this of one's lords, since
she knows nothing of later ills.
NUR. But what is this, O aged man? grudge not to tell me.
TUT. Nothing: I have repented even of what was said before.
NUR. Do not, I beseech you by your beard, conceal it from your
fellow-servant; for I will preserve silence, if it be necessary, on these
subjects.
TUT. I heard from some one who was saying, not appearing to listen, having
approached the places where dice is played, where the elders sit, around
the hallowed font of Pirene, that the king of this land, Creon, intends to
banish from the Corinthian country these children, together with their
mother; whether this report be true, however, I know not; but I wish this
may not be the case.
NUR. And will Jason endure to see his children suffer this, even although
he is at enmity with their mother?
TUT. Ancient alliances are deserted for new, and he is no friend to this
family.
NUR. We perish then, if to the old we shall add a new ill, before the
former be exhausted.[4]
TUT. But do thou, for it is not seasonable that my mistress should know
this, restrain your tongue, and be silent on this report.
NUR. O my children, do you hear what your father is toward you? Yet may he
not perish, for he is my master, yet he is found to be treacherous toward
his friends.
TUT. And what man is not? dost thou only now know this, that every one
loves himself dearer than his neighbor,[5] some indeed with justice, but
others even for the sake of gain, unless it be that[6] their father loves
not these at least on account of new nuptials.
NUR. Go within the house, my children, for all will be well. But do thou
keep these as much as possible out of the way, and let them not approach
their mother, deranged through grief. For but now I saw her looking with
wildness in her eyes on these, as about to execute some design, nor will
she cease from her fury, I well know, before she overwhelm some one with
it; upon her enemies however, and not her friends, may she do some [ill.]
MEDEA. (_within_) Wretch that I am, and miserable on account of my
misfortunes, alas me! would I might perish!
NUR. Thus it is, my children; your mother excites her heart, excites her
fury. Hasten as quick as possible within the house, and come not near her
sight, nor approach her, but guard against the fierce temper and violent
nature of her self-willed mind. Go now, go as quick as possible within. But
it is evident that the cloud of grief raised up from the beginning will
quickly burst forth with greater fury; what I pray will her soul, great in
rage, implacable, irritated by ills, perform!
MED. Alas! alas! I wretched have suffered, have suffered treatment worthy
of great lamentation. O ye accursed children of a hated mother, may ye
perish with your father, and may the whole house fall.
NUR. Alas! alas! me miserable! but why should your children share their
father's error? Why dost thou hate these! Alas me, my children, how beyond
measure do I grieve lest ye suffer any evil! Dreadful are the dispositions
of tyrants, and somehow in few things controlled, in most absolute, they
with difficulty lay aside their passion. The being accustomed then[7] to
live in mediocrity of life is the better: may it be my lot then to grow old
if not in splendor, at least in security. For, in the first place, even to
mention the name of moderation carries with it superiority, but to use it
is by far the best conduct for men; but excess of fortune brings more power
to men than is convenient;[8] and has brought greater woes upon families,
when the Deity be enraged.