3.802
The Argonautica 3.802 · The casket of drugs3.802The casket of drugs
Lines 802–807. She brings out her drugs, the good and the deadly.
· · ·
ἦ1
ê
She spokesaid
, καὶ2
kaì
and
μετεκίαθεν3
metekíathen
went to fetchwent after
φωριαμὸν4
phōriamòn
the casketchest
ἔνι5
éni
in
ᾗ6
hêi
which
ἔκειτο7
ékeito
laywere lying
πολλὰ8
pollà
many
φάρμακά9
phármaká
drugs
οἱ10
hoi
of hersher
, τὰ11
tà
some
μὲν12
mèn
—
ἐσθλά13
esthlá
good
, τὰ14
tà
others
δὲ15
dè
—
ῥαιστήριʼ16
rhaistḗri’
deadlydestroying
. δʼ17
d’
And
ἐνθεμένη18
entheménē
setting ithaving placed
ἐπὶ19
epì
on
γούνατʼ20
goúnat’
her knees
ὀδύρετο21
odýreto
she weptlamented
. δὲ22
dè
And
δεῦε23
deûe
she wetwetted
κόλπους24
kólpous
her lapbosom
δακρύοισι25
dakrýoisi
with tears
ἄλληκτον26
állēkton
ceaselesslyunceasing
, δʼ27
d’
and
τὰ28
tà
they
ἔρρεεν29
érreen
flowed
ἀσταγὲς30
astagès
in a streamnot in drops
αὔτως31
aútōs
just so
ὀλοφυρομένης32
olophyroménēs
as she lamentedlamenting
αἴνʼ33
aín’
bitterlydreadfully
τὸν34
tòn
—
ἑὸν35
heòn
her own
μόρον36
móron
fatedoom
. δʼ37
d’
And
ἥγε38
hḗge
she
ἵετο39
híeto
she was eagerstrove
λέξασθαι40
léxasthai
to pick outto choose
θυμοφθόρα41
thymophthóra
the deadlylife-destroying
φάρμακα42
phármaka
drugs
τόφρα43
tóphra
so that
πάσαιτο44
pásaito
she might swallow themmight eat
. She spoke, and went to fetch the casket in which lay many drugs of hers, some good, others deadly. And setting it on her knees she wept. She wet her lap with tears unceasingly, and they flowed in a stream as she bitterly lamented her own fate. She was eager to pick out the deadly drugs and swallow them.
She spoke, and went to fetch the casket in which lay many drugs of hers, some good, others deadly. And setting it on her knees she wept. She wet her lap with tears unceasingly, and they flowed in a stream as she bitterly lamented her own fate. She was eager to pick out the deadly drugs and swallow them.
Interpretation
She spoke, and went to fetch the casket where she kept her many drugs, some good, some deadly. She set it on her knees and wept; her tears ran without stopping and soaked her lap as she mourned her fate. She wanted to pick out the deadly drugs and swallow them.
She brings out the casket. Its drugs are good and deadly together, and Mooney sets the line beside the Odyssey's Egypt, where the earth "bears the most drugs, many good when mixed and many deadly" (4.229–230). The same box holds what will save Jason and what could kill her.
She weeps into her lap, a phrase Mooney hears from the Iliad (9.570), and her tears run ἀσταγές, "not in drops," in a stream.
3.808
The Argonautica 3.808 · Fear of Hades3.808Fear of Hades
Lines 808–812. She starts to open the casket of drugs, and then she stops.
· · ·
Already she was undoing the straps of the casket, eager to take them out, poor girl. But suddenly a deadly dread of hateful Hades came into her heart. She was held speechless for a long time, and around her all the sweet cares of life flashed before her.