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MEDEA
by
Kerry Greenwood
Dedicated to Dennis Pryor
This book is dedicated to Dennis Pryor, a man of infinite patience and kindness, who politely pointed out my most obvious heresies and who exceeded my friend Stephen in the civilised constraint of his reactions to outrageous theories which skim lightly over his most profound understanding of the classics. The errors in this book are all my own work, and completely against his better judgment.
Placetne, Magister?
Special Acknowledgement
Most especial thanks to my delightful and exceptionally learned friend Stephen D'Arcy, amongst whose multifold talents is an ability to come up with, say, a recording of Ancient Greek lyre music or a video on the double-pipe used for setting the time for rowers - without even raising more than one eyebrow at the strangeness of the request.
Voici Estebe - a man of terrible learning.
THE CAST
ARGONAUTS
AdmetosJason's cousinAkastosJason's half-brother, son of PeliasAlabandefriend of AncaeasAncaeasthe Strong of Tegea, son of PoseidonArgosthe shipwrightAtalanteof Calydon the hunterAtalanteof Calydon the hunterAuthalidesthe heraldClytiosthe bowman and runnerErginosof the grey hairHeraklesof Tiryns, lost after Hylas at MysionHylasbeguiled by nymphs at MysionIdasson of Aphareus, the boasterIdmonthe seer, dies at LycusJasonson of king Aison, rightful heir to the throne of IolkosLynkeosthe keen-sighted, Idas' abashed twin brotherMelasson of ArgosMeleagrosa strong rowerNaupliosthe narrator, son of DictysNestorthe honey-voiced, (later in Trojan War Homer)Oileusthe Locrian, father of Ajax (Trojan War, Homer)Perithousa strong rowerPhilammonthe Orphean, a bardTelamonfather of the other Ajax (Trojan War, Homer)Tiphysthe helmsman, dies at Lycus
Found Along the Way
Autolycus, Deileon & PhlogiusAutolycus, the thief, grandfather of Odysseus, famous for offending gods; all three were lost from Herakles' expedition against the Amazons.The Argoalso collected the brothers Argeus, Cytisoros, Phontis & Melanion - who make common cause with Jason in retrieving the Golden Fleece, encouraged by the ghost of their father Phrixos. Their mother is Medea's sister Chalkiope
ACHAEANS
Amathaonking of PylusAmycusthe boxer, a banditAutesionlittle brother of Nauplios'Daedalusthe architect, who flew from captivity in CreteDictysthe 'net-caster', father of NaupliosHellesister of Phrixos, fell off the golden ram, and after whom the Hellespont is namedHippolytequeen of AmazonsHypsipylequeen of LemnosIphinoewoman of Lemnos, Nauplios' loverKleitequeen of the Doliones, suicided after Jason killed her husband Kyzicus, king of the DolionesPeliasthe usurper king of IolkosPheresking of PheraePhineasthe prophet, a hermit in ThyniaPhrixosflew the golden ram to Colchis, husband of ChalkiopePolyxoQueen Hypsipyle's adviserPromeosold man of the Doliones, killed by JasonTeleklesold man of the Doliones, killed by JasonThoasfather of Hypsipyle, saved from massacre on Lemnos
COLCHIANS
Aegialeusonly son of Aetes, half-brother of Medea. Later called Absyrtus, 'swept-down', because his limbs were scattered in the water by Jason.Aetesking of ColchisArgeosson PhrixosChalkiopedaughter of Aetes, half-sister of Medea, wife of PhrixosCytisoroseldest son of PhrixosEidyialatest wife of AetesEupoliscounselor of ColchisMedea'of good counsel', daughter of Aetes and AeropeMelanionyoungest son of PhrixosPhrontisson of PhrixosTriodaMedea's nurse and tutor, priestess of HekateTychepriestess of Hekate
SCYTHS
Anemonequeen of the ScythsDianthysa Scythian womanIdanthyrsusthe Scythian kingIolea Scythian woman
CENTAURS
Cheironthe wise one, to whom Jason, and later Achilles, were sent to be trained to be heroesHipposa centaur priestPhilosa centaur boy
GODS & DEMIGODS
Achaean
Aphroditegoddess of erotic loveApollogod of the sun, learning and medicineAresgod of warArtemisvirgin hunter, worshipped at Brauron as a bearAtediscord and also fateBoreasthe north windCliomuse of HistoryEuropachild who was borne on bull's back to what is now 'Europe'Hadesor Pluton, the rich one - king of the underworldHekatedark aspect of Gaia, the destroying motherHephaestosthe blacksmithHerawife of ZeusHeraklesthe hero, later a god; in the sky as Ophiucus, the serpent bearerHermesthe divine messenger, also Psychopomp, the guide of soulsHestiagoddess of the hearth and of hospitalityInosee LeukotheaKadmonor Kadmos, hero and husband of OmoniaLeukotheaIno transformed into The White GoddessMorpheus'sleep'Notosthe south windOmonia'Harmony', wife of KadmosPoseidonEarth-Shaker god of the seaSeleneaspect of Artemis, goddess of the moonSemeledaughter of Kadmos, mother of Dionysos, lover of Zeus. She was destroyed by divine fire when she looked at him.Talthybiusthe divine heraldThanatosdeath, brother to MorpheusZephyrusthe west windZeus'thunderer; cloud-compeller', father of the Olympians
Colchian
Ammongod of the sun, 'hawk in the horizon', shared with Achaeans and similar to ApolloHekateblack motherIsis / Ishtargoddess of loveOphisMegale 'great serpent', guards the grove of the Golden Fleece
Centaurian
Hippiathe sacrificial mare, similar to the Celtic goddess Epona
DOGS
Argopuppy given to King PhineasKore'maiden', Medea's houndScylla'black bitch', Medea's hound
--- I ---
MEDEA
My mother gave birth to me in the darkness under the earth and died in doing so. I loved the velvety blanket of night before my dazzled eyes