Medea [8]
still. MEDEA Away! By love for thy young bride entrapped, too long thou lingerest outside her chamber; go wed, for, if God will, thou shalt have such a marriage as thou wouldst fain refuse. (JASON goes out.)
CHORUS (singing)
strophe 1
When in excess and past all limits Love doth come, he brings not glory or repute to man; but if the Cyprian queen in moderate might approach, no goddess is so full of charm as she. Never, O never, lady mine, discharge at me from thy golden bow a shaft invincible, in passion's venom dipped.
antistrophe 1
On me may chastity, heaven's fairest gift, look with a favouring eye; never may Cypris, goddess dread, fasten on me a temper to dispute, or restless jealousy, smiting my soul with mad desire for unlawful love, but may she hallow peaceful married life and shrewdly decide whom each of us shall wed.
strophe 2
O my country, O my own dear home! God grant I may never be an outcast from my city, leading that cruel helpless life, whose every day is misery. Ere that may I this life complete and yield to death, ay, death; for there is no misery that doth surpass the loss of fatherland.
antistrophe 2
I have seen with mine eyes, nor from the lips of others have I the lesson learnt; no city, not one friend doth pity thee in this thine awful woe. May he perish and find no favour, whoso hath not in him honour for his friends, freely unlocking his heart to them. Never shall he be friend of mine.
(MEDEA has been seated in despair on her door-step during the choral song. AEGEUS and his attendants enter.)
AEGEUS All hail, Medea! no man knoweth fairer prelude to the greeting of friends than this. MEDEA All hail to thee likewise, Aegeus, son of wise Pandion. Whence comest thou to this land? AEGEUS From Phoebus' ancient oracle. MEDEA What took thee on thy travels to the prophetic centre of the earth? AEGEUS The wish to ask how I might raise up seed unto myself. MEDEA Pray tell me, hast thou till now dragged on a childless life? AEGEUS I have no child owing to the visitation of some god. MEDEA Hast thou a wife, or hast thou never known the married state? AEGEUS I have a wife joined to me in wedlock's bond. MEDEA What said Phoebus to thee as to children? AEGEUS Words too subtle for man to comprehend. MEDEA Surely I may learn the god's answer? AEGEUS Most assuredly, for it is just thy subtle wit it needs. MEDEA What said the god? speak, if I may hear it. AEGEUS He bade me "not loose the wineskin's pendent neck." MEDEA Till when? what must thou do first, what country visit? AEGEUS Till I to my native home return. MEDEA What object hast thou in sailing to this land? AEGEUS O'er Troezen's realm is Pittheus king. MEDEA Pelops' son, a man devout they say. AEGEUS To him I fain would impart the oracle of the god. MEDEA The man is shrewd and versed in such-like lore. AEGEUS Aye, and to me the dearest of all my warrior friends. MEDEA Good luck to thee! success to all thy wishes! AEGEUS But why that downcast eye, that wasted cheek? MEDEA O Aegeus, my husband has proved most evil. AEGEUS What meanest thou? explain to me clearly the cause of thy despondency. MEDEA Jason is wronging me though I have given him no cause. AEGEUS What hath he done? tell me more clearly. MEDEA He is taking another wife to succeed me as mistress of his house. AEGEUS Can he have brought himself to such a dastard deed? MEDEA Be assured thereof; I, whom he loved of yore, am in dishonour now. AEGEUS Hath he found a new love? or does he loathe thy bed? MEDEA Much in love is he! A traitor to his friend is he
CHORUS (singing)
strophe 1
When in excess and past all limits Love doth come, he brings not glory or repute to man; but if the Cyprian queen in moderate might approach, no goddess is so full of charm as she. Never, O never, lady mine, discharge at me from thy golden bow a shaft invincible, in passion's venom dipped.
antistrophe 1
On me may chastity, heaven's fairest gift, look with a favouring eye; never may Cypris, goddess dread, fasten on me a temper to dispute, or restless jealousy, smiting my soul with mad desire for unlawful love, but may she hallow peaceful married life and shrewdly decide whom each of us shall wed.
strophe 2
O my country, O my own dear home! God grant I may never be an outcast from my city, leading that cruel helpless life, whose every day is misery. Ere that may I this life complete and yield to death, ay, death; for there is no misery that doth surpass the loss of fatherland.
antistrophe 2
I have seen with mine eyes, nor from the lips of others have I the lesson learnt; no city, not one friend doth pity thee in this thine awful woe. May he perish and find no favour, whoso hath not in him honour for his friends, freely unlocking his heart to them. Never shall he be friend of mine.
(MEDEA has been seated in despair on her door-step during the choral song. AEGEUS and his attendants enter.)
AEGEUS All hail, Medea! no man knoweth fairer prelude to the greeting of friends than this. MEDEA All hail to thee likewise, Aegeus, son of wise Pandion. Whence comest thou to this land? AEGEUS From Phoebus' ancient oracle. MEDEA What took thee on thy travels to the prophetic centre of the earth? AEGEUS The wish to ask how I might raise up seed unto myself. MEDEA Pray tell me, hast thou till now dragged on a childless life? AEGEUS I have no child owing to the visitation of some god. MEDEA Hast thou a wife, or hast thou never known the married state? AEGEUS I have a wife joined to me in wedlock's bond. MEDEA What said Phoebus to thee as to children? AEGEUS Words too subtle for man to comprehend. MEDEA Surely I may learn the god's answer? AEGEUS Most assuredly, for it is just thy subtle wit it needs. MEDEA What said the god? speak, if I may hear it. AEGEUS He bade me "not loose the wineskin's pendent neck." MEDEA Till when? what must thou do first, what country visit? AEGEUS Till I to my native home return. MEDEA What object hast thou in sailing to this land? AEGEUS O'er Troezen's realm is Pittheus king. MEDEA Pelops' son, a man devout they say. AEGEUS To him I fain would impart the oracle of the god. MEDEA The man is shrewd and versed in such-like lore. AEGEUS Aye, and to me the dearest of all my warrior friends. MEDEA Good luck to thee! success to all thy wishes! AEGEUS But why that downcast eye, that wasted cheek? MEDEA O Aegeus, my husband has proved most evil. AEGEUS What meanest thou? explain to me clearly the cause of thy despondency. MEDEA Jason is wronging me though I have given him no cause. AEGEUS What hath he done? tell me more clearly. MEDEA He is taking another wife to succeed me as mistress of his house. AEGEUS Can he have brought himself to such a dastard deed? MEDEA Be assured thereof; I, whom he loved of yore, am in dishonour now. AEGEUS Hath he found a new love? or does he loathe thy bed? MEDEA Much in love is he! A traitor to his friend is he