least the best of husbands, and possessing ornaments which the
sun my father's father once gave to his descendants. Take these nuptial
presents, my sons, in your hands, and bear and present them to the blessed
royal bride; she shall receive gifts not indeed to be despised.

JAS. Why, O fond woman, dost thou rob thy hands of these; thinkest thou
that the royal palace is in want of vests? in want of gold? keep these
presents, give them not away; for if the lady esteems me of any value, she
will prefer pleasing me to riches, I know full well.

MED. But do not oppose me; gifts, they say, persuade even the Gods,[27] and
gold is more powerful than a thousand arguments to men. Hers is fortune,
her substance the God now increases, she in youth governs all. But the
sentence of banishment on my children I would buy off with my life, not
with gold alone. But my children, enter you the wealthy palace, to the new
bride of your father, and my mistress, entreat her, beseech her, that you
may not leave the land, presenting these ornaments; but this is of the
greatest consequence, that, she receive these gifts in her own hand. Go as
quick as possible, and may you be bearers of good tidings to your mother in
what she desires to obtain, having succeeded favorably.

CHOR. Now no longer have I any hope of life for the children, no longer [is
there hope]; for already are they going to death. The bride shall receive
the destructive present of the golden chaplet, she wretched shall receive
them, and around her golden tresses shall she place the attire of death,
having received the presents in her hands. The beauty and the divine
glitter of the robe will persuade her to place around her head the
golden-wrought chaplet. Already with the dead shall the bride be adorned;
into such a net will she fall, and such a destiny will she, hapless woman,
meet with; nor will she escape her fate. But thou, oh unhappy man! oh
wretched bridegroom! son-in-law of princes, unknowingly thou bringest on
thy children destruction, and on thy wife a bitter death; hapless man, how
much art thou fallen from thy state![28] But I lament for thy grief, O
wretch, mother of these children, who wilt murder thy sons on account of a
bridal-bed; deserting which, in defiance of thee, thy husband dwells with
another wife.

TUTOR, MEDEA, CHORUS.

TUT. Thy sons, my mistress, are reprieved from banishment, and the royal
bride received thy presents in her hands with pleasure, and h