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Euripides · c. 480-406 BC

Medea

Μήδεια
Ancient Sources / Euripides / Medea

Medea was first staged in Athens in 431 BC. The play begins after Medea, the Colchian princess who helped Jason win the Golden Fleece, has been abandoned by him for the daughter of the king of Corinth, and it follows her revenge. The sections below follow the play's own units (prologue, choral songs and episodes) and keep the standard line numbers of the Greek text.

Read our guide to Medea for the plot, the characters and what the play meant to its audience.

Read from the start
Text
Greek original with English translation, 15 passages, about 13100 words in English.
Translator
Edward P. Coleridge (1891)
Edition
Greek text: Gilbert Murray (ed.), Euripidis Fabulae, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902, as digitised by Perseus. English: Edward P. Coleridge, The Plays of Euripides, London: George Bell and Sons, first published 1891 (the Perseus header records the 1906 printing)
Cite as
Euripides, Medea 1 (by line number)

Contents · 15 passages

  1. 1–130Prologue: the Nurse laments Medea's plight1247 words
  2. 131–212Parodos: the women of Corinth hear Medea's cries616 words
  3. 214–356First episode: Creon banishes Medea but grants her one day1460 words
  4. 358–445Medea plans revenge; first choral song on broken oaths722 words
  5. 446–544Second episode: Medea reproaches Jason953 words
  6. 545–626Second episode: Jason's defence and Medea's rejection of his help872 words
  7. 627–758Second choral song; Aegeus promises Medea refuge in Athens1227 words
  8. 759–865Medea reveals her plan; third choral song in praise of Athens803 words
  9. 866–975Episode: Medea feigns reconciliation and sends gifts to the bride1108 words
  10. 976–1080Fourth choral song; the children return and Medea decides to kill them979 words
  11. 1081–1135Fifth choral song on children; Medea awaits the news432 words
  12. 1136–1230Messenger speech: the princess and Creon die from the poisoned gifts874 words
  13. 1231–1292Medea kills her sons while the Chorus laments563 words
  14. 1293–1360Exodos: Jason learns his sons are dead and confronts Medea654 words
  15. 1361–1419Exodos: Jason mourns and Medea foretells his death573 words

More by Euripides

English translation by Edward P. Coleridge (1891). Original text: Greek text: Gilbert Murray (ed.), Euripidis Fabulae, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902, as digitised by Perseus. English: Edward P. Coleridge, The Plays of Euripides, London: George Bell and Sons, first published 1891 (the Perseus header records the 1906 printing).

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.