3.771
The Argonautica 3.771 · Wretched me3.771Wretched me
Lines 771–777. Alone at night, Medea speaks to herself about what to do.
· · ·
δειλὴ1
deilḕ
Wretched
ἐγώ2
egṓ
meI
, νῦν3
nŷn
now
γένωμαι4
génōmai
am I to beshall I be
ἔνθα5
éntha
in thishere
κακῶν6
kakôn
troubleof evils
ἢ7
ḕ
or
ἔνθα8
éntha
in thatthere
? μοι9
moi
My
φρένες10
phrénes
thoughtsmind
εἰσὶν11
eisìn
are
ἀμήχανοι12
amḗchanoi
helplesswithout resource
πάντῃ13
pántēi
every wayon all sides
, οὐδέ14
oudé
nor is thereand not
τις15
tis
any
ἀλκὴ16
alkḕ
defensehelp
πήματος17
pḗmatos
against the painagainst harm
, ἀλλʼ18
all’
but
φλέγει19
phlégei
it burns
αὔτως20
aútōs
just so
ἔμπεδον21
émpedon
on and onsteadily
. ὡς22
hōs
How
ὄφελόν23
óphelón
I wish I hadI ought
γε24
ge
—
δαμῆναι25
damênai
been struck downto be overpowered
πάρος26
páros
firstbefore
κραιπνοῖσι27
kraipnoîsi
by the swift
βελέεσσι28
beléessi
arrows
Ἀρτέμιδος29
Artémidos
of Artemis
, πρὶν30
prìn
before
εἰσιδέειν31
eisidéein
I sawto look on
τόνγʼ32
tóng’
him
, πρὶν33
prìn
before
Χαλκιόπης34
Chalkiópēs
Chalciope's
υἷας35
hyîas
sons
ἱκέσθαι36
hikésthai
reachedto reach
Ἀχαιίδα37
Achaiída
GreekAchaean
γαῖαν38
gaîan
land
. θεὸς39
theòs
A god
ἤ40
ḗ
or
τις41
tis
some
Ἐρινὺς42
Erinỳs
Fury
ἤγαγε43
ḗgage
brought
τοὺς44
toùs
them
δεῦρʼ45
deûr’
here
κεῖθεν46
keîthen
from there
, πολυκλαύτους47
polyklaútous
tearfulmuch-lamented
ἀνίας48
anías
griefssorrows
ἄμμι49
ámmi
for usto us
μὲν50
mèn
—
. Wretched me, now am I to be in this trouble or in that? My thoughts are helpless every way, and there is no help against the pain, but it burns on and on. I wish I had been struck down first by the swift arrows of Artemis, before I saw him, before Chalciope's sons reached Greek land. A god or some Fury brought them back here from there, tearful griefs for us.
Wretched me, now am I to be in this trouble or in that? My thoughts are helpless every way, and there is no help against the pain, but it burns on and on. I wish I had been struck down first by the swift arrows of Artemis, before I saw him, before Chalciope's sons reached Greek land. A god or some Fury brought them back here from there, tearful griefs for us.
Interpretation
"Wretched me, which way now, this trouble or that? My mind is helpless every way, nothing holds off the pain, and it burns on and on. If only Artemis had struck me down first with her swift arrows, before I ever saw him, before Chalciope's sons reached Greece. Some god or Fury brought them back here to us, a grief of many tears.
Medea's monologue is the first long speech of a girl in love in Greek epic. Mooney paraphrases its opening, "am I now to be in this extreme of misery or in that?" She wishes Artemis had killed her first: in Homer a woman's sudden death comes from Artemis' gentle arrows (Odyssey 11.172–173).
She blames her nephews, Chalciope's sons, who brought the Argonauts to Colchis. Mooney notes that she seems to think they had reached Greece, as her father does.
3.778
The Argonautica 3.778 · Let him die3.778Let him die
Lines 778–785. She tries to give him up, and finds that she cannot do it.
· · ·
Let him die in his ordeal, if it is his fate to die in the field. For how could I hide it from my parents, if I prepare the drugs? What story shall I tell besides? What trick, what crafty plan will there be for helping him? Shall I greet him alone, away from his friends, when I see him? Unhappy me. I do not hope, even if he dies all the same, to find relief from my griefs; then evil would come to me, when he is robbed of life.