What was going on: In Euripides' play, first staged in 431 BCE, the year war broke out between Athens and Sparta, Medea tells her friends she is ruined and longs to die, because her husband, once all the world to her, has turned out a villain.
Why it matters: Euripides' sympathy for women and the difficulties they faced has drawn particular interest in modern times, especially in Medea, which the feminist movement of the late 20th century often read as Medea's struggle to take charge of her own life in a male-dominated world.
Of every living, feeling thing, women have it worst. First we pay a huge price for a husband, then we have to accept him as our master.
Of all things that have life and sense we women are the most hapless creatures; first must we buy a husband at an exorbitant price, and o’er ourselves a tyrant set which is an evil worse than the first;
Medea speaking, in Euripides’ play. Euripides, Medea line 230, translated by E. P. Coleridge (1906)
What was going on: In Euripides' play, Medea is speaking about the hard lot of a wife. A foreigner with no city or family, scorned by her husband, she will ask her listeners to keep silent while she plots revenge on him.
People say women live safe at home while men go to war. That is a poor argument: I would rather stand in battle three times than give birth once.
And yet they say we live secure at home, while they are at the wars, with their sorry reasoning, for I would gladly take my stand in battle array three times o’er, than once give birth.
Medea speaking, in Euripides’ play. Euripides, Medea lines 249–250, translated by E. P. Coleridge (1906)
What was going on: In Euripides' play, Creon is driving Medea out of the land because he fears she will harm his daughter, the bride. Medea answers that her reputation has hurt her many times before.
Why it matters: Euripides seems to have written this speech of Medea's, about the cost of being thought too clever, in defence of himself as an intellectual ahead of his time.
A sensible parent should not have their children taught to be too clever. People will call them idle, and their fellow citizens will resent them.
Wherefore whoso is wise in his generation ought never to have his children taught to be too clever; for besides the reputation they get for idleness, they purchase bitter odium from the citizens.
Medea speaking, in Euripides’ play. Euripides, Medea lines 292–295, translated by E. P. Coleridge (1906)
What was going on: In Euripides' play, Medea has just sworn by Hecate to make Jason's wedding bitter and to plot against her enemies. The Chorus answers by singing that the world is turning upside down and that honor is dawning for women.
The world is turned upside down, like rivers flowing backwards. Now it is men who scheme and break their sworn promises.
Back to their source the holy rivers turn their tide. Order and the universe are being reversed. ’Tis men whose counsels are treacherous, whose oath by heaven is no longer sure.
The Chorus speaking, in Euripides’ play. Euripides, Medea line 410, translated by E. P. Coleridge (1906)
What was going on: In Euripides' play, Medea has decided that her children must die and that she will kill them herself. A royal bride is already dying in a crown and robe. Medea says goodbye to the children, then sends them away because she cannot bear to look at them.
I finally see how terrible the thing I am about to do is. But passion, the source of the worst human misery, has beaten my better judgement.
At last I understand the awful deed I am to do; but passion, that cause of direst woes to mortal man, hath triumphed o’er my sober thoughts.
Medea speaking, in Euripides’ play. Euripides, Medea lines 1075–1080, translated by E. P. Coleridge (1906)
What was going on: In Euripides' play, Medea is heard weeping inside and cursing her own children. Her old Nurse grieves outside and fears for the boys, since Jason has taken a royal bride.
Moderation is the best thing to talk about and the best way to live. Greatness that overreaches brings people no good.
Moderation wins the day first as a better word for men to use, and likewise it is far the best course for them to pursue; but greatness that doth o’erreach itself, brings no blessing to mortal men;
The Nurse speaking, in Euripides’ play. Euripides, Medea line 125, translated by E. P. Coleridge (1906)
What was going on: In Euripides' play Electra, Orestes has come to the house of the poor peasant who is called Electra's husband. The peasant has just welcomed him in, saying that even if he is poor his manners are not.
You cannot measure a person’s worth exactly. I have seen worthless sons of great fathers, good children of bad parents, poor souls in the rich and great souls in the poor.
Ah! There is no exact way to test a man’s worth; for human nature has confusion in it. For instance, I have seen before now the son of a noble father worth nothing, and good children from evil parents; famine in a rich man’s spirit, and a mighty soul in a poor man’s body.
Orestes speaking, in Euripides’ play. Euripides, Electra lines 367–370, translated by E. P. Coleridge (1891)
What was going on: In Euripides' play, Orestes meets the poor peasant who is Electra's husband in name only, and who welcomes him in as a guest. Struck by the man, Orestes wonders aloud how anyone can judge a man's worth, and decides it is by company and habits.
So how do you judge these things properly? By money? That's a poor test.
How then does one rightly distinguish and judge these things? By wealth? A sorry test to use.
Orestes speaking, in Euripides’ play. Euripides, Electra line 370, translated by E. P. Coleridge (1891)
What was going on: In Euripides' play, a peasant explains why Aegisthus married Electra off to him. Aegisthus feared she might bear a noble son who would avenge Agamemnon, so he gave her to a powerless man. The peasant says he has never touched her, as he is not her equal in rank.
My family had good blood but no money, and lack of money ruins good birth.
My family was noble in race but poor in money—which is the ruin of good birth.
The Peasant speaking, in Euripides’ play. Euripides, Electra line 35, translated by E. P. Coleridge (1891)
What was going on: In Euripides' play, guests have come to Electra's humble home. She sends a peasant to fetch food from her father's old servant, because she can get nothing from her mother, who must not learn that Orestes is alive.
Money matters for hosting guests and paying for the sick. But for everyday food it counts for little: a full stomach is the same for rich and poor.
It is in such cases, whenever I fail in my intentions, that I see how wealth has great power, to give to strangers, and to expend in curing the body when it falls sick; but money for our daily food comes to little; for every man when full, rich or poor, gets an equal amount.
The Peasant speaking, in Euripides’ play. Euripides, Electra lines 425–430, translated by E. P. Coleridge (1891)
What was going on: In Euripides' play Electra, Clytemnestra is defending herself for killing her husband. She says he killed their daughter Iphigenia on a pyre at Aulis, then came home with a girl and put her in his bed.
Women can be foolish, granted. But when a husband cheats, his wife may do the same, and then she gets all the blame while the man who started it does not.
A woman is a foolish thing, I don’t deny it; but, this granted, whenever a husband goes astray and rejects his own bed, the woman is likely to imitate her husband and find another love. And then in us the blame shines clearly, while the men, who caused this, are not badly spoken of.
Clytemnestra speaking, in Euripides’ play. Euripides, Electra lines 1035–1040, translated by E. P. Coleridge (1891)
