JASON, MEDEA, AND THE ARGONAUTS 597
But children, when you both have entered the rich palace, entreat the new
bride of your father, my mistress, and beg her that you not be banished from
this land. Give here these treasures and, most important of all, she must accept
these gifts into her own hand.
So go quickly as possible! May you succeed and come back to your mother,
good messengers of what she is longing to hear.Pompous Jason is fooled by obsequious flattery into believing Medea has
accepted the wisdom of his actions. She fully understands how to play upon the
foibles of his character and make him completely blind to the treachery in hers,
which he fails even to suspect despite his knowledge of their past. The scene
confirms Jason's love for his sons, and there is an ominous irony in Medea's
tears, which he does not understand.
There follows a terrifying scene between Medea and her blameless children,
exposing her pain and agonized indecision in the face of their loving tenderness.
Then comes the return of the messenger from the palace who describes for an
exultant Medea, relishing every exquisite detail, the horrifying deaths of the
bride Creusa and her father Creon. Convinced by Jason, the princess accepted
the beautiful gifts from the children. As the poisoned robe and diadem con-
sumed her, her father rushed to save her but he became fused in her struggles
to escape and they died in agony together. With this news of her success, Medea
decides with finality that her children (who will be killed anyway, she assumes,
because of what she has done) must die by her own hand. We hear their piteous
cries from within, as Medea kills them with a sword.
Upon the deaths of Creusa and Creon, Jason rushes to confront Medea and
the play ends with this final confrontation (1291-1414):f
JASON: You women standing near the door, is she still inside the house,
Medea, the one who has done such terrible things, or has she made her escape
in flight? To be sure, she will have to hide in the depths of the earth or soar aloft
on wings to the heavens above, if she is to avoid paying retribution to the royal
house. Does she imagine that she will flee from here unpunished for having
killed the sovereigns of this land? Still I am not as concerned about her as I am
about my children. Those whom she has wronged will take care of her punish-
ment but I have come to save the life of my sons so that the next of kin may do
them no harm by exacting vengeance for the unholy crime committed by their
mother.
CHORUS: Jason, poor man, if you knew the depths of your misfortune, you
would not have spoken these words.
JASON: What do you mean? Can it be that she wants to kill me too?
CHORUS: Your children are dead, murdered by their mother.
JASON: Woe is me! What are you saying? Woman, how you have destroyed
me.
CHORUS: You must understand that your children are no longer alive.
JASON: Where has she killed them, within the house or outside?
CHORUS: Open the doors and you will see the slaughter of your sons.