May that prosperity, whose end is woe, ne’er be mine, nor such wealth as would ever sting my heart! Jason Change that prayer as I will teach thee, and thou wilt show more wisdom. Never let happiness appear in sorrow’s guise, nor, when thy fortune smiles, pretend she frowns! Medea Mock on; thou hast a place of refuge; I am alone, an exile soon to be. Jason Thy own free choice was this; blame no one else. Medea What did I do? Marry, then betray thee? Jason Against the king thou didst invoke an impious curse. Medea On thy house too maybe I bring the curse. Jason Know this, I will no further dispute this point with thee. But, if thou wilt of my fortune somewhat take for the children or thyself to help thy exile, say on; for I am ready to grant it with ungrudging hand, yea and to send tokens to my friends elsewhere who shall treat thee well. If thou refuse this offer, thou wilt do a foolish deed, but if thou cease from anger the greater will be thy gain. Medea I will have naught to do with friends of thine, naught will I receive of thee, offer it not to me; a villain’s gifts can bring no blessing. Jason At least I call the gods to witness, that I am ready in all things to serve thee and thy children, but thou dost scorn my favours and thrustest thy friends stubbornly away; wherefore thy lot will be more bitter 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. Chorus 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. Chorus On me may chastity, heaven’s fairest gift, look Verrall proposes to read στέγοι protect, for MSS. στέργοι . 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. Chorus 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. Chorus 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. 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.