Medea

Also known as: Colchian / Phasian / daughter of Æetes · Family: mortal · Role: daughter of Hecate · First appears: Fable 55

Medea, daughter of Hecate and Æetes, was sister to Chalciope and Absyrtus. At Colchis, Venus inspired her love for Jason, while Cupid drew her against her will; after Jason promised to marry her, she agreed to save him, gave him enchanted herbs, and taught him how to use them. Jason carried her away as his wife and returned victoriously to Iolcos.

Medea later restored the youth of Æson through enchantment, and Bacchus asked her to grant the same gift to his nurses. She deceived Pelias’s daughters into believing she could renew their father, put Pelias and his guards into enchanted sleep, and led his daughters to kill him before severing his throat herself. She then escaped in her chariot and went through several countries to Corinth.

At Corinth, after Jason married Creon’s daughter, Medea set fire to the palace, consuming Creon and the princess, and murdered the two children she had by Jason before taking flight. Ægeus sheltered and married her; seeking the succession of Athens for her son Medus, she attempted to destroy Theseus with wolfsbane, but escaped death by raising enchanted clouds.