Rested and gay and all their mother's painįorgotten! Young lives ever turn from gloom! Ha! 'Tis the children from their games again, Her hate unscathed, or lightly humble her. Or slay the bridegroom and the king,Īnd win herself God knows what direr thing? Lord Jason's bed? She hath for that a blade I know that woman, aye,Īnd dread her! Will she creep alone to dieīleeding in that old room, where still is laid Her heart is no light thing, and useth not Most tremble, lest she do I know not what. Methinks she hath a dread, not joy, to see

She knoweth now how rare a thing that was! Of father, and land, and home, forsook that dayįor this man's sake, who casteth her away. May writhe, and all alone she moans the name Than some dead rock or wave that beats the shore:

Her days a waste of weeping, she hath lain, On God in heaven to mark the end, and how The troth surpassing speech, and cries amain They two, and wakes the claspèd hands again, Wed with this Creon's child, who now is headĪnd chief of Corinth. My mistress and his own two sons, to make Through all ill days, the hurts of humankind,īut now, the world is angry, and true love Stood friend to her, and she in word and deed Hunted for that fierce sin, to Corinth here To spill their father's life: nor fled in fear, The daughters of King Pelias, knowing not, With love of Jason, to the encastled shore Mine own princess, her spirit wounded sore The fleece All-golden! Never then, I trow, Valiant, who won, to save King Pelias' vow, Shaped that first oar-blade in the hands of men Would God no Argo e'er had winged the seas A road to the right leads towards the royal castle, one on the left to the harbour. Keywords: Euripides, Medea, Ancient Greek Law, Themis, Dike, Oath, Dowry, Divorce, Exile, Gorgias.The Scene represents the front of Medea's House in Corinth. These contrasting narratives are further supported by highlightening an important transition in the text, which focuses on Themis and Dike and the importance of laws. In the latter half, he then in turn contrasts this narrative with contemporary views, and thus offers a critical reflection upon his own culture and society. Euripides begins by introducing the essentials features of the myth of Medea in terms of its archaic context.

I argue that Euripides has intentionally contrasted these legal perspectives as part of a larger contrasting narrative. The text seems to appeal to: a) archaic law when the oath appears adequate (or sufficient) to establish wedlock, and b) classical law with respect to other aspects of familial jurisprudence. Abstract : This paper investigates appeals to law in Euripides' Medea, dramatic elements which seem to point to two distinct aspects in the development of Greek Law.

Medea euripides full text