JASON.  The Fleece?

KING.  Ay.

JASON.  Nay, not I.

KING.  And yet thy wife
             Bore it away from old King Pelias’ house.

JASON.  Then she must have it still.

KING.  If so, then she
             Shall straightway yield it up, perforce.  It is
             The pledge and symbol of thy power to come. 
             Ay, thou shalt yet be strong and great again,
             Thou only son of my old friend!  A king
             Am I, and have both wealth and power, the which
             With mine own daughter’s spouse I’ll gladly share.

JASON.  And I will go to claim the heritage
             My fathers left me, of that false man’s son
             That keeps it from me.  For I, too, am rich,
             Could I but have my due.

KING.  Peace!  Look, she comes
             Who still doth vex us.  But our task is brief.

MEDEA comes out of the palace, attended by GORA.

MEDEA.  What wouldst thou with me?

KING.  I did send thee late
             Some slaves to speak my will, whom thou didst drive
             With harsh words forth, and didst demand to hear
             From mine own lips whate’er I had to say,
             What my commands and what thou hadst to do.

MEDEA.  Say on!

KING.  Naught strange or new have I to tell. 
             I would but speak once more the doom I set
             Upon thy head, and add thereto that thou
             Must forth today.

MEDEA.  And why today?

KING.  The threats
             That thou halt uttered ’gainst my daughter’s life—­
             For those against mine own I do not care: 
             The savage moods that thou of late hast shown,
             All these do warn me how thy presence here
             Bodes ill.  Wherefore, today thou must begone!

MEDEA.  Give me my babes, and I will go—­perhaps!

KING.  Nay, no “Perhaps!” Thou goest!  But the babes
             Stay here!

MEDEA.  How?  Mine own babes?  But I forget
             To whom I speak.  Let me have speech with him,
             My husband, standing there.

KING.  Nay, hear her not!

MEDEA (to JASON).

I pray thee, let me speak with thee!

JASON.  Well, well,
             So be it, then, that thou may’st see I have
             No fear of any words of thine to me.

(To the KING.)

Leave us, my lord!  I’ll hear what she would say.

KING.  I go, but I am fearful.  She is sly
             And cunning! [He departs.]

MEDEA.  So, he’s gone!  No stranger now
             Is here to vex us, none to come between
             Husband and wife, and, what our hearts do feel,
             That we can speak out clear.—­Say first, my lord,
             What are thy plans, thy wishes?