n sprung from thee, I might place them on the same
footing, and having united the family, I might flourish; for both thou hast
some need of children, and to me it were advantageous to advance my present
progeny by means of the children which might arise; have I determined ill?
not even thou couldest say so, if thy bed did not gall thee. But thus far
have you come, that your bed being safe, you women think that you have
every thing. But if any misfortune befall that, the most excellent and
fairest objects you make the most hateful. It were well then that men
should generate children from some other source, and that the female race
should not exist, and thus there would not have been any evil among
men.[19]
CHOR. Jason, thou hast well adorned these arguments of thine, but
nevertheless to me, although I speak reluctantly, thou appearest, in
betraying thy wife, to act unjustly.
MED. Surely I am in many things different from many mortals, for in my
judgment, whatever man being unjust, is deeply skilled in argument, merits
the severest punishment. For vaunting that with his tongue he can well
gloze over injustice, he dares to work deceit, but he is not over-wise.
Thus do not thou also be now plausible to me, nor skilled in speaking, for
one word will overthrow thee: it behooved thee, if thou wert not a bad man,
to have contracted this marriage having persuaded me, and not without the
knowledge of thy friends.
JAS. Well wouldest thou have lent assistance to this report, if I had
mentioned the marriage to thee, who not even now endurest to lay aside this
unabated rage of heart.
MED. This did not move thee, but a foreign bed would lead in its result to
an old age without honor.
JAS. Be well assured of this, that I did not form this alliance with the
princess, which I now hold, for the sake of the woman, but, as I said
before also, wishing to preserve thee, and to beget royal children brothers
to my sons, a support to our house.
MED. Let not a splendid life of bitterness be my lot, nor wealth, which
rends my heart.
JAS. Dost thou know how to alter thy prayers, and appear wiser? Let not
good things ever seem to you bitter, nor when in prosperity seem to be in
adversity.
MED. Insult me, since thou hast refuge, but I destitute shall fly this
land.
JAS. Thou chosest this thyself, blame no one else.
MED. By doing what? by marrying and betraying thee?
JAS. By imprecating unhallowed curses on the royal family.
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