Term Test 3 - Lecture 3 Flashcards
Who is Medea the daughter of? Where is she from?
Aeetes of Colchis, Medea is the granddaughter of Helios, a Titan
Where is Colchis?
On the far edge of the black sea
Who is Medea associated with? Why?
Hecate - she is associated because they both know powerful magic.
What does the name of Medea mean?
“Active intellect” - she is regarded for her cleverness
As a foreigner, what does Medea do with Jason?
She acts on her own erotic impulse, which is looked down upon in females
In what way does Medea betray her own family?
She helps Jason steal the Golden Fleece from her father, King Aeetes. As they escape on the Argo, King Aeetes follows behind. Medea cuts up her brother, Absyrtus, so her father must stop pursuing them to give him a proper burial
Why does Jason marry Medea?
To thank her for betraying her family and for capturing the golden fleece
What does Medea do to Pelias?
At Iolcus, (after Medea kills Absyrtus), Medea convinces Pelias’ daughters that if they put Pelias in a cauldron, she will rejuvenate him from his old age like she did with a ram - she then kills Pelias
Where do Medea and Jason flee to after Colchis and Iolcus?
Corinth
How many children do Medea and Jason have?
2 sons
In Corinth, what does Jason do that displeases Medea?
He arranges to marry the princess of Corinth, although he’s already married to Medea
What story is Medea’s killing of her 2 sons and the princess of Corinth detailed in?
Euripides’ Medea (431 BCE)
What is a concubine? Is Medea one?
Someone of lower status than a wife. In the eyes of Medea, no. In the eyes of Jason, yes.
Why did Jason likely pursue a relationship with the Princess of Corinth?
Due to Pericles’ Athenian Citizenship Law (451/50 BCE) which states that for offspring to be considered Athenian Citizens, both parents must be Athenian.
Therefore, Jason’s children could not be considered Athenian citizens because Medea is foreign, from Colchis
Who is the first person to come out in Euripides’ Medea? What is one of the first things she speaks about.
Medea’s old nurse. She is foreign, old, and a slave to Medea. She states that she wishes the Argo had never even been built in the first place, because then Medea never would have fallen in love with Jason.
What does “Atime” mean? Who says that about who?
The old nurse says it about medea. It means “dishonoured”.
How is Medea similar to Achilles when Jason leaves her for the princess of Corinth?
She feels like Achilles did when Agamemnon took Briseis from him.
She is as vengeful as Achilles was when Hector killed Patroklus.
Compare Agamemnon to Jason.
Agamemnon took Achilles’ girl Briseis, Jason replaced Medea with the princess of Corinth.
They are different because Agamemnon is still respected and well-liked by the Greeks. Jason is not well liked in Corinth; everyone thinks Jason is being neglectful.
What does the King of Corinth do to Medea, when she becomes extremely angry at Jason?
He has her exiled from Corinth. She has no where to go - she has betrayed her family, killed her father, and been abandoned by Jason.
How can Medea be compared to any bride?
Medea is foreign; brides are essentially foreigners in the husband’s house as well.
Who exiles Medea from Corinth?
“Creon” - meaning ruler, of Corinth. She is exiled because she is both angry, and clever, which poses a danger to the Corinthians.
How does Medea react to being exiled by Creon?
She supplicates him. He is trying to kick her out to protect his family, so she appeals to this. She appeals to Creon as a father of children. She is the mother of children too.
She asks for only one more day, to spend with her children.
How is Medea similar to Clytemnestra?
Both of them tell big lies.
Clytemnestra welcomes Agamemnon into the house as if he is welcome there, before saying “it was all a lie” and killing him
As soon as Medea is done appealing to Creon, she admits that she has a plan for revenge
Originally, what does Medea intend to do to revenge Jason?
She intends to kill
- The King
- The Princess
- Jason
