CHOR.  The waters of the hallowed streams flow upward to their sources, and justice and every thing is reversed.  The counsels of men are treacherous, and no longer is the faith of heaven firm.  But fame changes, so that my sex may have the glory.[17] Honor cometh to the female race; no longer shall opprobrious fame oppress the women.  But the Muses shall cease from their ancient strains, from celebrating our perfidy.  For Phoebus, leader of the choir, gave not to our minds the heavenly music of the lyre, since they would in turn have raised a strain against the race of men.  But time of old hath much to say both of our life and the life of men.  But thou hast sailed from thy father’s house with maddened heart, having passed through the double rocks of the ocean, and thou dwellest in a foreign land, having lost the shelter of thy widowed bed, wretched woman, and art driven dishonored an exile from this land.  The reverence of oaths is gone, nor does shame any longer dwell in mighty Greece, but hath fled away through the air.  But thou helpless woman hast neither father’s house to afford you haven from your woes, and another more powerful queen of the nuptial bed rules over the house.

JASON, MEDEA, CHORUS.

JAS. Not now for the first time, but often have I perceived that fierce anger is an irremediable ill.  For though it was in your power to inhabit this land and this house, bearing with gentleness the determination of thy superiors, by thy rash words thou shalt be banished from this land.  And to me indeed it is of no importance; never cease from saying that Jason is the worst of men.  But for what has been said by thee against the royal family, think it the greatest good fortune that thou art punished by banishment only.  I indeed was always employed in diminishing the anger of the enraged princes, and was willing that thou shouldest remain.  But thou remittest not of thy folly, always reviling the ruling powers; wherefore thou shalt be banished from the land.  But nevertheless even after this am I come, not wearied with my friends, providing for thee, O woman, that thou mightest not be banished with thy children, either without money, or in want of any thing.  Banishment draws many misfortunes with it.  For although thou hatest me, I never could wish thee evil.

MED. O thou vilest of men (for this is the greatest reproach I have in my power with my tongue to tell thee, for thy unmanly cowardice), hast thou come to us, hast thou come, who art most hateful?  This is not fortitude, or confidence, to look in the face of friends whom thou hast injured, but the worst of all diseases among men, impudence.  But thou hast done well in coming.  For both I shall be lightened in my heart while reviling thee, and thou wilt be pained at hearing me.  But I will first begin to speak from the first circumstances.  I preserved thee (as those Greeks well know as many as embarked with thee on board the same ship Argo) when sent to