Medea and Other Stories, by Euripides.

Medea, by Fredrick Sandys (1868)

This is a book that flat out came from no where. I was happily reading The Count of Monte Cristo when I noticed it on my shelf. I decided to have a look, then decided to read one play, then another, then a third, then hell, might as well read the last one. And so I did: Alcestis, Medea, The Children of Heracles, and Hippolytus.

Really, this is another fly-by response, but I just had to say what a delight it was for so many reasons. Firstly, the surprise element: I had absolutely no plans on reading Euripides on Wednesday, and there is no reason why this book should have stuck out: it is simply a black-spined Penguin Classic amongst many other black-spined Penguin Classics in this room. Secondly, I am quite intimidated by the Ancient Greeks. Homer has twice been a disaster, and yes, I did like Symposium by Plato, but was never moved to write about it. I signed up to Howling Frog Books Greek Classics Challenge with the intention of reading Sappho (among others) but quickly changed it to Euripides simply because I already owned the latter and had forgot about it. I didn't have any thoughts: I didn't dread it, I didn't see it as a duty read, nor did I have high hopes. Mild curiosity, I suppose, is the best way of describing how I anticipated it. I never thought it would be really rather marvellous, and, speaking for the translation by John Davie, very readable and greatly enjoyable.

On the whole, I think my favourite play was Alcestis (I've shared three quotes I liked on Tumblr) with Medea a very close second. The other two, well, I can't say I cared greatly for them, although I did like reading them.

Alcestis is a princess in Greek mythology, rescued from Hades (for complicated reasons!) by Heracles in return for Admetus's hospitality. In this, it is not so much the story that is fascinating but the philosophy within it: the discussion of life, of death, and the link between the two and what differentiates them. Admetus, bereft, says, "One that is doomed is dead; he may be here but he no longer lives." Of all the plays, I really do recommend reading this for that dialogue between Ademtus and Heracles alone.

In this edition, Medea follows Alcestis. It is dark, dark as it comes and as grim as it comes. Medea, wife of Jason, niece of Circe, and granddaughter of Helios, kills her two children Mermeros and Pheres out of spite, poisoning them to revenge Jason's betrayal:

Jason: And then you killed them?
Medea: Yes, to cause you pain.

It's chilling and disturbing, and it partly led some people to believe Euripides was a misogynist. I can't enter into that debate, I'm not well-informed enough to do so, however living in a world now where men have been known to kill their own children to spite their wives or girlfriends, and also in a world where it is still deeply shocking that women are capable of murdering children, I see it as countering the argument that women are maternal. On that side, I'd say it shows another far darker side to women than many classics have done. Beware the "angel of the house". But, this was written 2500 years ago in a society of which I have barely any education whatsoever. I really, therefore, cannot speak on that subject.

But yes, Medea. Another must-read, in my mind. It's an absolutely astonishingly forceful play that demands attention that will leave you reeling. If you get the chance, do read it. And do read Alcestis. As for the other two: as I say, I wasn't completely gripped myself, but as always I'd be interested to read other people's thoughts.

Update: Just ten minutes before my post was published, Jean from Howling Frog Books put her own post up on Alcestis!