3.867
The Argonautica 3.867 · The drug in her sash3.867The drug in her sash
Lines 867–870. She hides the drug in her sash and sets out for the temple.
· · ·
ἥγʼ1
hḗg’
She
ῥʼ2
rh’
—
ἐξανελοῦσα3
exaneloûsa
taking outhaving taken out
τό4
tó
the drugit
κάτθετο5
káttheto
she placed itput down
θυώδεϊ6
thyṓdeï
in the fragrant
μίτρῃ7
mítrēi
sashgirdle
ἥ8
hḗ
which
τέ9
té
—
ἔερτο10
éerto
was tiedwas fastened
περὶ11
perì
around
οἱ12
hoi
her
ἀμβροσίοισι13
ambrosíoisi
lovelyambrosial
στήθεσσιν14
stḗthessin
breast
. δὲ15
dè
And
κιοῦσα16
kioûsa
going
ἐκ17
ek
out
θύραζε18
thýraze
of doorsto the door
, ἐπεβήσατʼ19
epebḗsat’
she mountedwent upon
θοῆς20
thoês
the swift
ἀπήνης21
apḗnēs
wagoncarriage
, δέ22
dé
and
δοιαὶ23
doiaì
two
ἀμφίπολοι24
amphípoloi
handmaids
ἔβησαν25
ébēsan
got inwent
σὺν26
sỳn
with hertogether
οἱ27
hoi
—her
, ἑκάτερθεν28
hekáterthen
on either side
. She took the drug out and placed it in the fragrant sash tied around her lovely breast. And going out of doors, she mounted the swift wagon, and two handmaids got in with her, one on either side.
She took the drug out and placed it in the fragrant sash tied around her lovely breast. And going out of doors, she mounted the swift wagon, and two handmaids got in with her, one on either side.
Interpretation
She took the drug out and put it in the fragrant sash tied around her breast. Then she went out of doors and climbed into the swift wagon, and two handmaids got in with her, one on either side.
She hides the drug in her sash, close to her body, and sets out. Lines 871–947, her drive to the temple and Jason's approach with the seer Mopsus, come in the full edition; this excerpt picks up at the temple.
Throughout, the drug travels with her the way a priestess carries sacred things: in a fragrant casket, then in her sash, never in anyone else's hands.
3.948
The Argonautica 3.948 · Waiting at the temple3.948Waiting at the temple
Lines 948–955. At Hecate's temple Medea sings and plays with her handmaids while she waits for Jason.
· · ·
Nor could Medea's mind turn to think of anything else, though she sang all the same; whatever song she struck up, none of them pleased her long to play at. But she kept breaking off, helpless, and never held her eyes still on the group of her handmaids, but kept gazing far down the roads, turning her face aside. Again and again her heart broke in her breast whenever she imagined the sound of a footstep or the wind rushing past.