_Creon._ Go, bear Thy plaints to Colchis. _Medea._ Yea, but let him take me hence Who brought me to thy shores. _Creon._ Too late thy prayer, for fixed Is my decree. _Medea._ Who sits in judgment and denies His ear to either suitor, though his judgment right Appear, is still himself unrighteous. _Creon._ Didst _thou_ lend Thine ear to Pelias, ere thou judgedst him to death?-- But come, I'll give thee grace to plead thy goodly cause. _Medea._ How hard the task to turn the soul from wrath, when once To wrath inclined; how 'tis the creed of sceptered kings To swerve not from the proposed course they once have taken, Full well I know, for I have tasted royalty. For, though by present storms of ill I'm overwhelmed, An exile, suppliant, lone, forsaken, all undone, I once in happier times a royal princess shone, And traced my proud descent from heavenly Phoebus' self. Then princes humbly sought my hand in wedlock, mine, Who now must sue.-- O changeful Fortune, thou my throne Hast reft away, and given me exile in its stead. Trust not in kingly realms, since fickle chance may strew Their treasures to the winds. Lo _this_ is regal, this The work of kings, which time nor change cannot undo: To succor the afflicted, to provide at need A trusty refuge for the suppliant. This alone I brought of all my Colchian treasure, this renown, This very flower of fame,--that by my arts I saved The bulwark of the Greeks, the offspring of the gods. My princely gift to Greece is Orpheus, that sweet bard, Who can the trees in willing bondage draw, and melt The crag's hard heart. Mine too are Boreas' winged sons, And Leda's heaven-born progeny, and Lynceus, he Whose glance can pierce the distant view; yea, all the Greeks, Save Jason; for I mention not the king of kings, The leader of the leaders: he is mine alone, My labor's recompense. The rest I give to you. Nay, come, O king, arraign me, and rehearse my crimes. But stay! for I'll confess them all. The only crime Of which I stand accused is this--the _Argo_ saved. Suppose my maiden scruples had opposed the deed; Suppose my filial piety had stayed my hand: Then had the mighty chieftains fall'n, and in their fate