'Tis for her that thou wouldst stay!
Confess, I have thee there!

JASON. Thou hast me not,
And never hadst me.

MEDEA. So, thou wilt repent,
And I, thy wife Medea, I must go
Away?--I stood beside you there and wept
As thou didst trace with her your happy days
Of youth together, tarrying at each step
In sweet remembrance, till thou didst become
Naught but an echo of that distant past.--
I will not go, no, will not!

JASON. Thou'rt unjust,
And hard and wild as ever!

MEDEA. I unjust!
Thou dost not seek her, then, to wife? Say no!

JASON. I do but seek a place to lay me down
And rest. What else will come, I do not know!

MEDEA. Ay, but I know full well, and it shall be
My task to thwart thee, with the help of heaven!

JASON. Thou canst not speak with calmness, so, farewell!

[_He takes a step toward the door._]

MEDEA. Jason!

JASON (_turning back_).

What wouldst thou?

MEDEA. 'Tis, perchance, the last,
Last time that we shall speak together!

JASON. True;
Then let us without hate or rancor part.

MEDEA. Thou mad'st me love thee deeply. Wouldst thou now
Flee from my face?

JASON. I must!

MEDEA. Hast robbed me, too,
Of my dear father; and wouldst steal away
Mine husband?

JASON. I am helpless!

MEDEA. At thy hands
My brother met his death untimely. Him
Thou hast taken from me, too, and now wouldst fly
And leave me?

JASON. He was innocent; he fell.
And I am blameless, too; but I must flee thee.

MEDEA. I left my fatherland to follow thee!

JASON. Thou didst but follow thine own will, not me.
Gladly would I, if thou hadst rued thy deed,
Have sent thee back again.

MEDEA. I am accurst,
And damned by all the world,--and all for thee!
And, for thy sake, I even hate myself!
Wilt thou forsake me still?

JASON. 'Tis not my will,
Nay; but a higher bidding tells me plain
That I must leave thy side. Thy fate seems hard,
But what of mine? And yet, I pity thee,
If tha