Who is Medea in Greek mythology?
Medea is the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis and a granddaughter of Helios, the sun god. Her lineage traces directly to Helios through his son Aeëtes and the Oceanid Perseis.
Questions about Medea
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How did Medea help Jason obtain the Golden Fleece?
Medea aided Jason by giving him an unguent called the Charm of Prometheus to protect him from fire-breathing oxen. She also instructed him on how to defeat soldiers born from dragon teeth and used narcotic herbs to put the sleepless dragon guarding the fleece to sleep.
What happened to Medea's children after she killed them?
According to Euripides, Medea murdered two of her own children herself before fleeing Corinth. Some versions claim she buried them alive in the Temple of Hera while trying to make them immortal, and Pausanias recorded five different accounts regarding their fate.
Where did Medea go after leaving Corinth?
Medea left Corinth and flew to Athens in a golden chariot driven by dragons sent by Helios. Another version reported by Herodotus states that she and her son Medus fled to the Iranian plateau where they lived among the Aryans who became known as the Medes.
When was Euripides play Medea written compared to other ancient texts?
Euripides produced his full tragedy Medea after Neophron wrote fragments from his play Medea but before Apollonius Rhodius composed Argonautica in the third century BCE. The chronological order places Hesiod Theogony around 700 BC followed by Herodotus Histories and Pindar Pythian Odes.