CRE. Thee of gloomy countenance, and enraged with thy husband, Medea, I
command to depart in exile from out of this land, taking with thee thy two
children, and not to delay in any way, since I am the arbiter of this
edict, and I will not return back to my palace, until I shall drive thee
beyond the boundaries of this realm.
MED. Alas! alas! I wretched am utterly destroyed, for my enemies stretch
out every cable against me; nor is there any easy escape from this evil,
but I will speak, although suffering injurious treatment; for what, Creon,
dost thou drive me from this land?
CRE. I fear thee (there is no need for me to wrap my words in obscurity,)
lest thou do my child some irremediable mischief, And many circumstances
are in unison with this dread. Thou art wise, and skilled in many evil
sciences, and thou art exasperated, deprived of thy husband's bed. And I
hear that thou threatenest, as they tell me, to wreak some deed of
vengeance on the betrother, and the espouser and the espoused; against this
then, before I suffer, will I guard. Better is it for me now to incur
enmity from you, than softened by your words afterward greatly to lament
it.
MED. Alas! alas! not now for the first time, but often, Creon, hath this
opinion injured me, and worked me much woe. But whatever man is prudent,
let him never educate his children too deep in wisdom. For, independent of
the other charges of idleness which they meet with, they find hostile envy
from their fellow-citizens. For holding out to fools some new-discovered
wisdom, thou wilt seem to be useless and not wise. And being judged
superior to others who seem to have some varied knowledge, thou wilt appear
offensive in the city. But even I myself share this fortune; for being
wise, to some I am an object of envy, but to others, unsuited; but I am not
very wise. Thou then fearest me, lest thou suffer some grievous
mischief.[14] My affairs are not in a state, fear me not, Creon, so as to
offend against princes. For in what hast thou injured me? Thou hast given
thy daughter to whom thy mind led thee; but I hate my husband: but thou, I
think, didst these things in prudence. And now I envy not that thy affairs
are prospering; make your alliances, be successful; but suffer me to dwell
in this land, for although injured will I keep silence, overcome by my
superiors.
CRE. Thou speakest soft words to the ear, but within my mind I have my
fears, lest thou meditate some evil intent. And so much the less do I trust
thee than before. For a woman that is quick to anger, and a man likewise,
is easier to guard against, than one that is crafty and keeps silence. But
begone as quick as possible, make no more words; since this is decreed, and
thou hast no art, by which thou wilt stay with us, being hostile to me.
MED. No I beseech you by your knees, and your newly-married daughter.
CRE. Thou wastest words; for thou wilt never persuade me.
MED. Wilt thou then banish me, nor reverence my prayers?
CRE. For I do not love thee better than my own family.
MED. O my country, how I remember thee now!
CRE. For next to my children it is much the dearest thing to me.
MED. Alas! alas! how great an ill is love to man!
CRE. That is, I think, as fortune also shall attend it.
MED. Jove, let it not escape thine eye, who is the cause of these
misfortunes.
CRE. Begone, fond woman, and free me from these cares.
MED. Care indeed;[15] and do not I experience cares?
CRE. Quickly shalt thou be driven hence by force by the hands of my
domestics.
MED. No, I pray not this at least; but I implore thee, Creon.