Women, Weird and Wonderful: Medeia, Bringer of Darkness

Medeia, most powerful witch of all time, dedicated most of her life, and all of her talent, to just one man. Never could Jason have succeeded in his mission to retrieve “the Golden Fleece”, if it wasn’t for her sorcery. She mixed him protective potions, and ensured their escape with magic and illusion. She went as far as to unalive her own little brother, and threw him into the ocean, to deter her father from pursuing them, and bury his son instead. And when Jason didn’t get the kingdom he was promised, she unalived his rival, with the unintended help of his own loving daughters. Her devotion didn’t pay off though, and Jason ended up betraying her. In revenge, she sent cursed jewellery to his mistress. And then, committed the ultimate cruelty that inspired tragedy ever since. She unalived the children she had with Jason. After that, she started yet another life, with the king of Athens, and when his son showed up to claim his birthright, she attempted to poison him too. He didn’t drink the cup, and Medeia has never been seen since. But it seems her darkness has never left the universe.

Jason Swearing Eternal Affection to Medea, Jean-François de Troy,

National Gallery, London, UK

Medea con los hijos muertes, German Hernandez Amores,

Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain

Did you know...

• The reason for Medeia trying to poison Theseus was that she wanted her own son with king Aegeus, Mèdos (or Polyxenos), to be the next king of Athens.