3.791
The Argonautica 3.791 · What the Colchian women will say3.791What the Colchian women will say
Lines 791–797. She sees that even her death would not save her good name.
· · ·
ἀλλὰ1
allà
But
καὶ2
kaì
even
ὧς3
hôs
so
, φθιμένῃ4
phthiménēi
when I am dead
, ἐπιλλίξουσιν5
epillíxousin
they will winkwill leer at
μοι6
moi
at me
their
κερτομίας7
kertomías
mockerytaunts
, ὀπίσσω8
opíssō
afterwardbehind
; δὲ9
dè
and
τηλοῦ10
tēloû
far and widefar off
πᾶσα11
pâsa
the whole
πόλις12
pólis
city
περὶ13
perì
all aroundround about
βοήσει14
boḗsei
will cry outwill shout
ἐμόν15
emón
my
πότμον16
pótmon
deathfate
. καί17
kaí
And
Κολχίδες18
Kolchídes
the Colchian women
, φορέουσαι19
phoréousai
carryingbearing
με20
me
me
διὰ21
dià
on
στόματος22
stómatos
their lipsmouth
ἄλλυδις23
állydis
hereelsewhere
ἄλλαι24
állai
and thereothers
, κέν25
kén
—
μωμήσονται26
mōmḗsontai
will say in blame
ἀεικέα27
aeikéa
shameful thingsunseemly
of me
:ἥτις28
hḗtis
the girl who
κάτθανεν29
kátthanen
died
κηδομένη30
kēdoménē
caringtroubled for
τόσον31
tóson
so much
ἀλλοδαποῖο32
allodapoîo
for a foreign
ἀνέρος33
anéros
manfor a man
, ἥτις34
hḗtis
who
ᾔσχυνε35
ḗischyne
disgracedshamed
δῶμα36
dôma
her homehouse
καὶ37
kaì
and
οὓς38
hoùs
her own
τοκῆας39
tokêas
parents
, εἴξασα40
eíxasa
giving wayyielding
μαργοσύνῃ41
margosýnēi
to mad passionlust, wantonness
. τί42
tí
What
δʼ43
d’
—
αἶσχος44
aîschos
shamedisgrace
ἔσσεται45
éssetai
will be
οὐκ46
ouk
not
ἐμὸν47
emòn
mine
? But even so, when I am dead, they will wink at me their mockery, afterward; and far and wide the whole city will cry out my death. And the Colchian women, carrying me on their lips here and there, will say shameful things of me: the girl who died caring so much for a foreign man, who disgraced her home and her own parents, giving way to mad passion. What shame will not be mine?
But even so, when I am dead, they will wink at me their mockery, afterward; and far and wide the whole city will cry out my death. And the Colchian women, carrying me on their lips here and there, will say shameful things of me: the girl who died caring so much for a foreign man, who disgraced her home and her own parents, giving way to mad passion. What shame will not be mine?
Interpretation
But even dead I will be mocked; they will wink at each other over me. The whole city will cry my death far and wide, and the Colchian women will pass my name from mouth to mouth and say shameful things of me: the girl who died for love of a foreign man, who disgraced her home and her parents, giving way to mad desire. What shame will not be mine?
Even death will not save her name. She imagines the Colchian women "carrying her through their mouths," on everyone's lips (Mooney compares Theocritus 12.21), and winking their mockery at her: the ancient commentator explains ἐπιλλίζω as narrowing the eyes in derision.
Her fear is about a foreigner. The gossip she hears is the charge Greek stories will bring against Medea for centuries: a woman who left her father's house for a stranger.
3.798
The Argonautica 3.798 · Better to die tonight3.798Better to die tonight
Lines 798–801. She thinks of taking a poison from her casket that same night.
· · ·
Ah me, for my ruin! Truly it would be far better to leave life on this very night in my room, by a death no one foresaw, escaping all the evil reproaches, before I do these shameful things not to be named.