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The Promethean drug
3.828
The Argonautica 3.828 · She dresses at first light3.828She dresses at first light
Lines 828–835. Medea dresses and gets ready to go to Hecate's temple at dawn.
· · ·
δʼ1
d’
And
ἐπεὶ2
epeì
when
οὖν3
oûn
—
τὰ4
tà
—
πρῶτα5
prôta
first
ἡ6
hē
—
παρθενική7
parthenikḗ
the girlmaiden
ἴδεν8
íden
saw
ἠῶ9
ēô
the dawn
φαεινομένην10
phaeinoménēn
appearingshining
, ἀνήψατο11
anḗpsato
she bound upfastened
χερσὶν12
chersìn
with her hands
ξανθὰς13
xanthàs
goldenyellow
μὲν14
mèn
—
ἐθείρας15
etheíras
hairlocks
, αἵ16
haí
which
ἠερέθοντο17
ēeréthonto
had hung loosefluttered
, καταειμέναι18
kataeiménai
trailing downclothed down
οἱ19
hoi
—her
ἀτημελίῃ20
atēmelíēi
in neglectcarelessness
, δʼ21
d’
and
ἔψησε22
épsēse
wipedrubbed
αὐσταλέας23
austaléas
dryparched
παρηίδας24
parēídas
her cheeks
. αὐτὰρ25
autàr
Then
νεκταρέῃ26
nektaréēi
with nectar-sweetof nectar
ἀλοιφῇ27
aloiphêi
ointmentunguent
φαιδρύνετʼ28
phaidrýnet’
she brightenedmade bright
ἐπὶ29
epì
all overupon
χρόα30
chróa
her skin
, δὲ31
dè
and
δῦνε32
dŷne
she put on
καλόν33
kalón
a lovelyfine
πέπλον34
péplon
robe
ἀρηρέμενον35
arērémenon
fastenedfitted
ἐυγνάμπτοισιν36
eugnámptoisin
with well-curvedwell-bent
περόνῃσιν37
perónēisin
broochespins
, δʼ38
d’
and
ἐφύπερθε39
ephýperthe
overabove
ἀμβροσίῳ40
ambrosíōi
her lovelyambrosial
καρήατι41
karḗati
head
βάλλε42
bálle
she castthrew
ἀργυφέην43
argyphéēn
a silverysilver-white
καλύπτρην44
kalýptrēn
veil
. And when first the girl saw the dawn appearing, she bound up with her hands her golden hair, which had hung loose, trailing down in neglect, and wiped her dry cheeks. Then with nectar-sweet ointment she brightened all over her skin, and put on a lovely robe fastened with well-curved brooches, and over her lovely head she cast a silvery veil.
And when first the girl saw the dawn appearing, she bound up with her hands her golden hair, which had hung loose, trailing down in neglect, and wiped her dry cheeks. Then with nectar-sweet ointment she brightened all over her skin, and put on a lovely robe fastened with well-curved brooches, and over her lovely head she cast a silvery veil.
Interpretation
As soon as the girl saw the first light of dawn, she bound up her golden hair, which had hung loose and uncared for all night, and wiped her dry cheeks. She made her skin shine with nectar-sweet oil, put on a lovely robe pinned with curved brooches, and over her lovely head she cast a silvery veil.
At first light she dresses like a goddess. Mooney shows that the scene is modelled on Hera adorning herself to beguile Zeus in the Iliad (14.170–186): the oil, the robe pinned with brooches, the veil. Medea's hair has hung loose all night, and her cheeks are dry from weeping.
Mooney also sets her waiting for the light beside Dido, who watches from her tower as dawn whitens (Aeneid 4.586–587).
3.835
The Argonautica 3.835 · Pacing the house3.835Pacing the house
Lines 835–837. Pacing the house, she forgets for a moment the griefs at her feet and those to come.
· · ·
And right there in the house, whirling about, she trod the floor, forgetting the sorrows that lay at her feet, sent by the gods, and others that would grow later.