'Medea', an ancient Greek tragedy by Euripides

Medea

-Euripides

(Important Characters)

'Medea' is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides, based on the myths of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 BC. The plot centers on the events of Medea, the former princess of the state of Colchis, and Jason's wife; she finds her position in the Greek world threatened when Jason leaves her for a Greek princess in Corinth named Glauce. Medea avenges Jason by killing his new wife, Glauce as well as his own two sons, after which she flees to Athens to start a new life.

Medea

Medea was the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis, as well as the niece of Circe and the granddaughter of the sun god, Helios.

She is usually portrayed as a witch or sorceress. She met and married the protagonist of the play, 'Medea' Jason while in Colchis in search of the Golden Fleece. And only with her magical help did he succeed in his quest.

Jason

Jason was the son of Alcimede and Aeson (the rightful king of Iolcas who was taken over by Aeson's half-brother, the power-hungry Pelias).

To regain the throne, Jason accepted Pelias' challenge to retrieve the Golden Fleece from Colchis, an expedition for which he found a group of heroes (their ships, known as Argonauts after Argo), including Heraclis, Philocates, Peleus, Telamon, Orpheus, , Atalanta, Castor and Pollux.

After a series of adventures, Jason succeeds in his quest, albeit not without the help of the magician Medea (who fell in love with him), and returns to Iolcus together. However, when Medea killed Pelias, they moved away from Iolcus and settled in Corinth.

There, Jason marries Glauce, the daughter of King Creon of Corinth, to strengthen his political ties. And angry Medea kills the Glauce and and her father, Creon, as well as Jason's own two children. Losing his favor to Hera for breaking his promise to the Medea, Jason is crushed to death by a lonely and unhappy, perishable Argo.

Creon of Corinth

Not to be confused with Thebes' Creon, Creon, the king of Corinth and father of Glauce (also known as Creusa in Roman mythology), became Jason's second wife. Medea, Jason's first wife, presents Glauce as a wedding gift with a cursed dress that burns her to death as soon as she wears it, and Creon burns to death as he tries to save her.

Aegeus (or Aegeas)

Aegeus (or Aegis) was the son of King Pandion and was himself the earliest king of Athens. He was probably the father of Theseus, (although Theseus’ mother, Aithra, also slept with Poseidon that night. He married Medea, who had fled from Corinth and Jason's anger, and together they had a son named Medus. Aegis jumped into the sea. Known as the Aegean Sea) and painted, mistakenly believing that his son Theseus was killed by Minotaur.

Glauce / Creusa

Glauce (also known as Creusa in Latin), was the beautiful daughter of King Creon of Corinth. She became Jason's second wife when he left Medea to further his political ambitions in Corinth, but the jealous Medea killed her with a poisoned robe along with her father and Jason's children.

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