Medea.
The knowledge a hero needed
Medea: Greek Myth, Jason and the Sorceress of Colchisis the Colchian princess whose knowledge makes ’s quest possible. Her divine ancestry and magical skills connect her to and , while her later tragedy exposes the costs of betrayal and exile.
More than a myth.
Medea’s family and magic
places in the family of , son of , and Idyia, a daughter of . Apollonius develops her relationship to and her knowledge of protective drugs. The princess is caught between her father’s household and the foreign visitor she has come to love; her skills give her agency within a conflict that also isolates her.
Why Jason succeeds in Colchis
protects against the fire-breathing bulls and explains how to survive the earthborn warriors. She then helps overcome the sleepless guardian of the fleece. Leaving Colchis means breaking with her family and homeland. The adventure therefore creates obligations between the pair that become crucial when later stories ask what Jason owes her.
Medea in Corinth and Athens
makes ’s new royal marriage the trigger for ’s devastating revenge, including the deaths of their children. Other ancient accounts differ over the children’s fate. The also follows Medea to , where she becomes involved with and attempts to remove . These episodes make a much longer career than the Golden Fleece alone.
Questions about Medea
Is Medea related to Circe?
Yes. In the standard solar , and are children of . , Aeetes’s daughter, is Circe’s niece.
Do all versions say Medea killed her children?
No. ’ tragedy is the best-known treatment of that act, but other ancient traditions assign different circumstances and responsibility for their deaths.
It’s a family affair.
Medea
Colchis, magic & the ArgonautsNo children represented in this edition.
The stories of Medea.
Ancient voices.
Enduring stories.
Myths have many tellings. These are the ancient works behind this profile, linked to freely available English translations.
Theogony
Lines 956–962
Argonautica
Book 3 · Medea and Jason
Library
Book 1.9.23–28
Library · Epitome
Epitome 1.5–6