"Fortune fears the brave, the cowardly overwhelms"
Here is a well-known proverbial metaphor. Medea and the nurse are at loggerheads; the nurses advises caution and more quietude. Big, tough, murderous Medea is having none of it. Suffice to say that Medea is not exactly known as one of ancient literature’s great cowards.
The Queen of Snark
One of the great joys of the play—for some, if not all—are the scenes that take place between Medea and her husband, Jason. Let’s put this things way: the honeymoon is over. Throughout, Medea proves herself the queen of snark in her sharp replies to Jason, such as this example which occurs when he reminds her that it is only thanks to him that her punishment was banishment rather than death:
“As punishment I deemed it; now, as I see, exile is a boon.”
The Chorus: Captain Obvious
The Chorus chimes in shortly after that fetid conversation between Medea and Jason. As is often the case, the Chorus knows all and is not afraid to speak its mind. But in this case, the only truthful reaction can be to ask the Chorus to tell us something we don’t know. We just saw this metaphor put on display in la manner that hardly needs explaining:
“No violence of fire or of swelling gale, no fearful force of hurtling spear, is as great as when a wife, robbed of her love, burns hot with hate;
Now That's Metaphor!
Later, the Chorus will chime in again with a metaphor that—while still rather obvious—is phrased much more beautifully. Arguably, of course—the play is almost constructed of one metaphorical image on top of another—this may be the most aesthetically satisfying imagery in the play, bringing the emotional tension of the play caused by Medea’s obsession to vivid life:
“Her cheeks blaze red, pallor puts red to flight; no color in her changing aspect does she keep long. Hither and thither she wanders, as a tigress, robbed of her cubs, ranges in mad course through the jungles of Ganges.”
The Pest, the Husband, the King and his Daughter
A little family history first: Medea bewitched Jason but Jason later divorces Medea in order to marry Creon’s daughter. With this information, the view toward Medea which Creon holds will make the metaphorical language here much easier to understand when Creon confesses:
“I was making ready to rid me of this outrageous pest by the sword’s means and with all speed; but the prayers of my daughter’s husband have prevailed.”
