MED. Before thou didst what, or came to what land?
ÆG. Before I revisit my paternal hearth.
MED. Then as desiring what dost thou direct thy voyage to this land?
ÆG. There is one Pittheus, king of the country of Trazene.
MED. The most pious son, as report says, of Pelops.
ÆG. To him I wish to communicate the oracle of the God.
MED. For he is a wise man, and versed in such matters.
ÆG. And to me at least the dearest of all my friends in war.
MED. Mayest thou prosper, and obtain what thou desirest.
ÆG. But why is thine eye and thy color thus faded?
MED. Ægeus, my husband is the worst of all men.
ÆG. What sayest thou? tell me all thy troubles.
MED. Jason wrongs me, having never suffered wrong from me.
ÆG. Having done what? tell me more clearly.
MED. He hath here a wife besides me, mistress of the house.
ÆG. Hath he dared to commit this disgraceful action?
MED. Be assured he has; but we his former friends are dishonored.
ÆG. Enamored of her, or hating thy bed?
MED. [Smitten with] violent love indeed, he was faithless to his friends.
ÆG. Let him perish then, since, as you say, he is a bad man.
MED. He was charmed to receive an alliance with princes.
ÆG. And who gives the bride to him? finish the account, I beg.
MED. Creon, who is monarch of this Corinthian land.
ÆG. Pardonable was it then that thou art grieved, O lady.
MED. I perish, and in addition to this am I banished from this land.
ÆG. By whom? thou art mentioning another fresh misfortune.
MED. Creon drives me an exile out of this land of Corinth.
ÆG. And does Jason suffer it? I praise not this.
MED. By his words he does not, but at heart he wishes [to endure my
banishment:] but by this thy beard I entreat thee, and by these thy knees,
and I become thy suppliant, pity me, pity this unfortunate woman, nor
behold me going forth in exile abandoned, but receive me at thy hearth in
thy country and thy house. Thus by the Gods shall thy desire of children be
accomplished to thee, and thou thyself shalt die in happiness. But thou
knowest not what this fortune is that thou hast found; but I will free thee
from being childless, and I will cause thee to raise up offspring, such
charms I know.
ÆG. On many accounts, O lady, am I willing to confer this favor on thee,
first on account of the Gods, then of the children, whose birth thou
holdest forth; for on this point else I am totally sunk in despair. But
thus am I determined: if thou comest to my country, I will endeavor to
receive thee with hospitality, being a just man; so much however I
beforehand apprise thee of, O lady, I shall not be willing to lead thee
with me from this land; but if thou comest thyself to my house, thou shalt
stay there in safety, and to no one will I give thee up. But do thou of
thyself withdraw thy foot from this country, for I wish to be without blame
even among strangers.
MED. It shall be so, but if there was a pledge of this given to me, I
should have all things from thee in a noble manner.
ÆG. Dost thou not trust me? what is thy difficulty?
MED. I trust thee; but the house of Pelias is mine enemy, and Creon too; to
these then, wert thou bound by oaths, thou wouldest not give me up from the
country, should they attempt to drag me thence. But having agreed by words
alone, and without calling the Gods to witness, thou mightest be their
friend, and perhaps[20] be persuaded by an embassy; for weak is my state,
but theirs are riches, and a royal house.
ÆG. Thou hast spoken much prudence, O lady. But if it seems fit to thee
that I should do this, I refuse not. For to me also this seems the safest
plan, that I should have some pretext to show to your enemies, and thy
safety is better secured; propose the Gods that I am to invoke.
MED. Swear by the earth, and by the sun the father of my father, and join
the whole race of Gods.
ÆG. That I will do what thing, or what not do? speak.
MED. That thou wilt neither thyself ever cast me forth from out of thy
country, nor, if any one of my enemies desire to drag me thence, that thou
wilt, while living, give me up willingly.
ÆG. I swear by the earth, and the hallowed majesty of the sun, and by all
the Gods, to abide by what I hear from thee.
MED. It is sufficient: but what wilt thou endure shouldest thou not abide
by this oath?
ÆG. That which befalls impious men.
MED. Go with blessings; for every thing is well. And I will come as quick
as possible to thy city, having performed what I intend, and having
obtained what I desire.
CHOR. But may the son of Maia the king, the guide, conduct thee safely to
thy house, and the plans of those things, which thou anxiously keepest in
thy mind, mayest thou bring to completion, since, Ægeus, thou hast appeared
to us to be a noble man.