EPISODE 88

IN WHICH MEDEA SAVES THE ARGONAUTS

Previously: Medea has warned Jason that her father the king was going to attack them. She has succeeded in casting a spell on the dragon guarding the Golden Fleece, so that Jason can take it away.

It was a frenzied race through the night. Jason clutched the Golden Fleece tight against his body and did not let go of Medea’s hand. Everywhere the soldiers of King Aeetes were assembling and making their way to the beach. But Medea knew the region like the back of her hand. She managed to bypass every band of soldiers and brought Jason back to his ship by secret paths. Echion, who was standing watch, was the first to spot them. “Here they are!” he shouted joyfully, forgetting all need for caution. Rosy-fingered Aurora was finishing her work and the sun was rising. Jason and Medea climbed aboard the Argo and the ship left the shore just as the king’s army launched its attack. Livid with rage, King Aeetes recognized his daughter Medea at the ship’s stern, standing tall, her hair flowing in the wind. She was holding the Golden Fleece in her outstretched arms and she was showing it to him. Then she burst into a mocking laughter, a challenging laughter, and she shouted:

“You shall learn, father, that a true king worthy of his name always keeps his word!”

At that instant, Medea’s half-brother Apsyrtus appeared by her side: “Father! Father!” he yelled. “I don’t want to go away with her!”

King Aeetes let out a howl. Not only was Medea fleeing with these strangers, but she was taking with her everything that was most precious to him: the Golden Fleece and his beloved son. He instantly ordered that they set out in pursuit of the Argonauts.

Medea did not take her eyes off the coast, which moved away in the distance. She knew that she was seeing her country for the last time and she felt a pinch in her heart. Everything had happened so fast since Jason’s arrival that the young girl hadn’t had the time to think about her destiny. When she had fallen in love, she had found it difficult to choose between Jason and her father. But when her father had gone back on his word, he had helped her make her choice. Tears ran down the cheeks of the enchantress, but she had not noticed them. Jason had approached noiselessly. He laid his hand on her shoulder.

“Thank you,” Jason told her simply.

“Long live Medea!” shouted Echion all of a sudden, who never missed anything of what was happening on board.

“Long live Medea!” shouted the Argonauts in unison. And they rowed with even greater energy.

But King Aeetes had taken out his most powerful ship. It was much smaller than that of the Argonauts, but it was much faster. Other ships full of soldiers followed his. There were so very many that the sea seemed covered by a flock of black beasts. Little by little the distance between the Argo and the enemy ships diminished. The more her father’s ships drew nearer, the more Medea grew pale. If these ships caught up with them, death was certain for her, for Jason, and for all his companions. Panic seized her. She wanted to live, live at all cost, live with this man whom she loved, live with the children she would have with him, live. A glint of folly suddenly crossed the enchantress’ eyes. Jason alone noticed this dangerous light in Medea’s gaze, this light ignited by fear and by the yearning for life. But he did not react. He did not shake her to bring her back to her senses. He let her follow her course towards madness. At that moment, Medea was no longer herself. She hurried to her half-brother and plunged a knife into his heart. Then she cut him into pieces and began to throw these pieces overboard, one by one. As the first piece fell into the sea, she howled in her father’s direction: “There, there is your beloved son!” And she accompanied her horrific act with a madwoman’s laughter. Her father let out a cry of agony and made his ships stop so that he might fish out the pieces of the dead body. Every time her father’s ships approached, Medea threw one more part of her brother’s body overboard. Little by little the Argo gained ground. It finally lost its pursuers, too occupied as they were recovering the body parts.

Among the Argonauts, a deathly silence had replaced the joyous atmosphere of victory. Everyone rowed without a word, frozen by the horrible crime that had just been committed under their eyes. After many long hours, Eurytus burst into tears. His brother Echion then gave expression to his own anger:

“Monsters!” he howled at Medea and Jason. “You are a pair of monsters! How could you have sacrificed Apsyrtus’ life in this manner? He had not asked to come with you! He was the same age as I. And you, you witch, he was your brother! As for you, Jason, you are a coward; you did not hold back her murderous hand! I refuse to tell the rest of this story! May you be cursed by the gods!”

Medea’s face remained contorted by folly, but her eyes had recovered their normal brightness. She simply replied:

“Without the death of Apsyrtus, it is you who would have been dead! We would all be dead, killed by my father, who would have caught up with us.”

Jason lowered his head, ashamed. He had been a coward; that he knew well. This woman had saved them all by causing her own perdition. For he did not imagine that the gods would ever let such a crime go unpunished.

 

To be continued…