Classiv - Medea

The Story of Medea How she is represented in Euripides, Ovid and Art

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The Story of Medea -1

  • Jason's Father was a King of Greece
  • Unsurped by Pelious, his brother
  • -To try and get rid of Jason, told him to fetch the Golden Fleece 
  • -King in charge of fleece set hime 3 tasks, but daughter, Medea, fell in love with Jason and helped him
  •  -1. Yoke fire breathing bulls
  •  - M gave special ointment 2. Sow a field with dragons teeth to grow an army of skeletons
  •  - M told him to throw a stone so they all killed each other 
  • 3. Make a never-sleeping dragon sleep
  • - M taught magical lullabies and gave him potion
  •  -J and M leave Colchis together 
  • -M rejeuvanates J's father who is close to death
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The Story of Medea - 2

  • -M wants to harm Pelious
  • -Pretends to break up with J and goes to P saying how much she hates J 
  • - Offers to rejeuvanate him
  •  -Proves her powers with a ram 
  • -Uses wrong ingredients for Pelious so he dies 
  • -J marries the princess of the city 
  • -M murders princess and King with a poisoned robe and tiara 
  • -Murders her own sons to eradicate J's family line
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How was Medea perceived?

EURIPEDES

  • Intelligent
  • Dangerously violent
  • persuasive
  • masculine qualities
  • Barbarian

OVID

  • Deceptive
  • Witch 
  • Killer
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