JAS. I am come, by thee requested; for although thou art enraged, thou
shalt not be deprived of this at least; but I will hear what new service
thou dost desire of me, lady.
MED. Jason, I entreat you to be forgiving of what has been said, but right
is it that you should bear with my anger, since many friendly acts have
been done by us two. But I reasoned with myself and rebuked myself; wayward
woman, why am I maddened and am enraged with those who consult well for me?
and why am I in enmity with the princes of the land and with my husband,
who is acting in the most advantageous manner for us, having married a
princess, and begetting brothers to my children? Shall I not cease from my
rage? What injury do I suffer, the Gods providing well for me? Have I not
children? And I know that I am flying the country, and am in want of
friends. Revolving this in my mind I perceive that I had much imprudence,
and was enraged without reason. Now then I approve of this, and thou
appearest to me to be prudent, having added this alliance to us; but I was
foolish, who ought to share in these plans, and to join in adorning and to
stand by the bed, and to delight with thee that thy bride was enamored of
thee; but we women are as we are, I will not speak evil of the sex;
wherefore it is not right that you should put yourself on an equality with
the evil, nor repay folly for folly. I give up, and say that then I erred
in judgment, but now I have determined on these things better. O my
children, my children, come forth, leave the house, come forth, salute, and
address your father with me, and be reconciled to your friends from your
former hatred together with your mother. For there is amity between us, and
my rage hath ceased. Take his right hand. Alas! my misfortunes; how I feel
some hidden ill in my mind! Will ye, my children, in this manner, and for a
long time enjoying life, stretch out your dear hands? Wretch that I am! how
near am I to weeping and full of fear!--But at last canceling this dispute
with your father, I have filled thus my tender sight with tears.
CHOR. In my eyes also the moist tear is arisen; and may not the evil
advance to a greater height than it is at present.
JAS. I approve of this, lady, nor do I blame the past; for it is reasonable
that the female sex be enraged with a husband who barters them for another
union.--But thy heart has changed to the more proper side, and thou hast
discovered, but after some time, the better counsel: these are the actions
of a wise woman. But for you, my sons, your father not without thought hath
formed many provident plans, with the assistance of the Gods. For I think
that you will be yet the first in this Corinthian country, together with
your brothers. But advance and prosper: and the rest your father, and
whatever God is propitious, will effect. And may I behold you blooming
arrive at the prime of youth, superior to my enemies. And thou, why dost
thou bedew thine eyes with the moist tear, having turned aside thy white
cheek, and why dost thou not receive these words from me with pleasure?
MED. It is nothing. I was thinking of my sons.
JAS. Be of good courage; for I will arange well for them.
MED. I will be so, I will not mistrust thy words; but a woman is of soft
mould, and was born to tears.
JAS. Why, I pray, dost thou so grieve for thy children?
MED. I brought them into the world, and when thou wert praying that thy
children might live, a feeling of pity came upon me if that would be. But
for what cause thou hast come to a conference with me, partly hath been
explained, but the other reasons I will mention. Since it appeareth fit to
the royal family to send me from this country, for me also this appears
best, I know it well, that I might not dwell here, a check either to thee
or to the princes of the land; for I seem to be an object of enmity to the
house; I indeed will set out from this land in flight; but to the end that
the children may be brought up by thy hand, entreat Creon that they may not
leave this land.
JAS. I know not whether I shall persuade him; but it is right to try.
MED. But do thou then exhort thy bride to ask her father, that my children
may not leave this country.
JAS. Certainly I will, and I think at least that she will persuade him, if
indeed she be one of the female sex.
MED. I also will assist you in this task, for I will send to her presents
which (I well know) far surpass in beauty any now among men, both a
fine-wrought robe, and a golden-twined chaplet, my sons carrying them. But
as quick as possible let one of my attendants bring hither these ornaments.
Thy bride shall be blessed not in one instance, but in many, having met
with you at least the best of husbands, and possessing ornaments which the
sun my father's father once gave to his descendants. Take these nuptial
presents, my sons, in your hands, and bear and present them to the blessed
royal bride; she shall receive gifts not indeed to be despised.
JAS. Why, O fond woman, dost thou rob thy hands of these; thinkest thou
that the royal palace is in want of vests? in want of gold? keep these
presents, give them not away; for if the lady esteems me of any value, she
will prefer pleasing me to riches, I know full well.
MED. But do not oppose me; gifts, they say, persuade even the Gods,[27] and
gold is more powerful than a thousand arguments to men. Hers is fortune,
her substance the God now increases, she in youth governs all. But the
sentence of banishment on my children I would buy off with my life, not
with gold alone. But my children, enter you the wealthy palace, to the new
bride of your father, and my mistress, entreat her, beseech her, that you
may not leave the land, presenting these ornaments; but this is of the
greatest consequence, that, she receive these gifts in her own hand. Go as
quick as possible, and may you be bearers of good tidings to your mother in
what she desires to obtain, having succeeded favorably.
CHOR. Now no longer have I any hope of life for the children, no longer [is
there hope]; for already are they going to death. The bride shall receive
the destructive present of the golden chaplet, she wretched shall receive
them, and around her golden tresses shall she place the attire of death,
having received the presents in her hands. The beauty and the divine
glitter of the robe will persuade her to place around her head the
golden-wrought chaplet. Already with the dead shall the bride be adorned;
into such a net will she fall, and such a destiny will she, hapless woman,
meet with; nor will she escape her fate. But thou, oh unhappy man! oh
wretched bridegroom! son-in-law of princes, unknowingly thou bringest on
thy children destruction, and on thy wife a bitter death; hapless man, how
much art thou fallen from thy state![28] But I lament for thy grief, O
wretch, mother of these children, who wilt murder thy sons on account of a
bridal-bed; deserting which, in defiance of thee, thy husband dwells with
another wife.