3.980
The Argonautica 3.980 · Speak openly3.980Speak openly
Lines 980–984. He reminds her of the promise she made to her sister.
· · ·
ἀλλʼ1
all’
But
ἐπεὶ2
epeì
since
ἱκάνομεν3
hikánomen
we have come
ἀλλήλοισιν4
allḗloisin
each otherto one another
εὐμενέοντες5
eumenéontes
in goodwillbeing gracious
, ἐν6
en
in
ἠγαθέῳ7
ēgathéōi
a holymost holy
χώρῳ8
chṓrōi
place
ἵνα9
hína
where
τʼ10
t’
—
οὐ11
ou
not
ἔστʼ12
ést’
it is
θέμις13
thémis
rightlawful
ἀλιτέσθαι14
alitésthai
to do wrongto sin
, ἀμφαδίην15
amphadíēn
openlypublicly
ἀγόρευε16
agóreue
speak
καὶ17
kaì
and
εἴρεο18
eíreo
ask
. μηδέ19
mēdé
Do notand not
φηλώσῃς20
phēlṓsēis
cheatdeceive
με21
me
me
τερπνοῖς22
terpnoîs
pleasantdelightful
ἐπέεσσιν23
epéessin
with words
, ἐπεὶ24
epeì
since
ὑπέστης25
hypéstēs
you promisedundertook
τὸ26
tò
—the
πρῶτον27
prôton
at first
αὐτοκασιγνήτῃ28
autokasignḗtēi
your own sister
δώσειν29
dṓsein
to givewill give
μενοεικέα30
menoeikéa
I long forsatisfying
φάρμακα31
phármaka
the drugs
. But since we have come to each other in goodwill, in a holy place where it is not right to do wrong, speak openly and ask. Do not cheat me with pleasant words, since you promised at first your own sister to give the drugs I long for.
But since we have come to each other in goodwill, in a holy place where it is not right to do wrong, speak openly and ask. Do not cheat me with pleasant words, since you promised at first your own sister to give the drugs I long for.
Interpretation
But since we have come to each other in goodwill, in a holy place where it is not right to do wrong, speak openly and ask, and do not cheat me with pleasant words, since you promised your own sister at first to give the drugs I long for.
Jason names the setting: a holy place, where wrongdoing is forbidden, so what is said here binds. Then he presses the point. Medea promised her sister Chalciope, just before night fell (the scene before line 744), that she would give the drugs, and he asks her not to put him off with pleasant words.
φηλώσῃς is an old, rare verb for cheating. Mooney points to Aeschylus' Agamemnon, where the chorus fears the beacon's welcome light has "deceived the mind" (492); LSJ cites that line and this one together.
3.985
The Argonautica 3.985 · By Hecate, and by Zeus of strangers3.985By Hecate, and by Zeus of strangers
Lines 985–989. He makes himself her suppliant, by Hecate and by Zeus of strangers.
· · ·
I entreat you by Hecate herself, and by your parents and by Zeus, who holds his hand over strangers and suppliants; I come here to you as both, a suppliant and a stranger, clasping your knees in hard need. For without you all I will not be the victor in the grievous contest.