Medea

Euripides, Liz Lochhead

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2015
• eBook ISBN: 9781780015293
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Ancient & Classical Drama
• Index: Literature

Euripides' classic story of the woman who murders her own children in revenge for her husband's infidelity, here given a distinctive Scots flavour by the poet and playwright Liz Lochhead.

Lochhead's version of the play was commissioned and first performed by Theatre Babel at The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, in March 2000. The production was revived at the Assembly Rooms for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2000, and then remounted for a national tour later in 2000. It returned to the Assembly Rooms for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2001.

This edition of the play was awarded the Saltire Society Scottish Book of the Year Award in 2001.

A woman is talking to herself and us. This is the NURSE.

The people of this country all have Scots accents, their language varies from Scots to Scots-English – from time to time and from character to character – and particular emotional state of character.

NURSE

I wish to all the Gods it had never sailed the Argo

had never set its proud prow atween the humped blue rocks

of distant islands forced itsel through straits

breisted waves to land on unlucky Kolchis why?

why did the sun ever heat up the soil

in which there split that seed

that sproutit from sapling to a tall tree of girth enough

to be felled to build its keel? why was it ever oared?

why crewed wi heroes fit to filch the Golden Fleece?

adventurers!

my lady Medea would never then have sailed wi Jason

daft for him doted!

would no have for his sake

swicked Pelias’ dochters into killing their faither

for Jason’s sake she fled here to Corinth

wi Jason and their bairns ingratiatin hersel

sookin in a fawning exile a foreigner

for his sake

now it all sours on her see how he’s turned

brave Jason’s bedded a new bride Glauke

dochter of Kreon the King a princess of this land

and Medea left to rot

among the spylte and wastit love she’s stuck wi

she’s chucked out like

an old coat that nae langer fits him

nae wonder Medea winna be comforted shivers

stinks of fear canna eat

canna sleep greets till she can greet nae mair

stares at the cauld grunn greets again greets sair

try soothing her she’s a stone

in kindness leave her be she rolls in her rags

claws at hersel keening

too late she screams remorse for a faither loast

a land abandoned the betrayals

she made for Jason who faur waur betrays her noo

too late too late she learns she should

have clung to what she had

the children – she looks on them with empty eyes

as if they’re nothing to her

I’m feart for her fear her

I shut my eyes and see Medea

creepan through the labyrinthine palace

follying her hatred like a thread

I dream of a dagger thrust in yon double bed

skewering the lovers thegither

I see the skailt blood of Kreon the king

she’s capable of onything

A handsome young, strong MANSERVANT enters with the CHILDREN.

MANSERVANT

well auld yin my lady’s lady

what are you daen dithering here

girning on aboot the griefs of your betters?

they wouldnae greet for you

NURSE

here’re these sweet wee children playing

no a care in aw the warld

what are grown up griefs to bairns? play away

for your mither things could not be worse

MANSERVANT

oh could they no?

so much you know auld yin

that’s no what I heard I tell you

NURSE

what did you hear?

MANSERVANT

I’m saying naething

NURSE

tell me what you heard

MANSERVANT

to say naething is already to have said too much

NURSE

speak to me we’re slaves

baith in the same sair place in this catastrophe

MANSERVANT

I know it and when I greet it will be for masel

I heard talk they never saw me

it was where the old men play at draughts and blether

and mibbe blethers is aw it is I hope so

word wis King Kreon and he’s the boss

means to banish these bairns and the...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Original Production
• Medea
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information