KING. Horror of horrors! Surely 'tis not true?
It cannot be!
JASON. The gods know it is truth.
Give ear, and I will tell thee how it chanced.
KING. Nay, hold. Creusa comes. This is no tale
For gentle ears. I fain would shield the maid
From knowledge of such horror. (Aloud.) For the moment
I know enough. We'll hear the rest anon.
I will believe thee worthy while I can.
CREUSA (_coming up to _KING CREON).
Hast heard his tale? He's innocent, I know.
KING. Go, take his hand. Thou canst without disgrace.
CREUSA. Didst doubt him, father? Nay, I never did!
My heart told me these tales were never true,
These hideous stories that men tell of him.
Gentle he was, and kind; how could he, then,
Show him so base and cruel? Couldst thou know
How they have slandered thee, heaped curse on curse!
I've wept, to think our fellow-men could be
So bitter, false. For thou hadst scarce set sail,
When, sudden, all men's talk throughout the land
Was of wild deeds and hideous midnight crimes—
The fruit of witchcraft on far Colchis' shores—
Which thou hadst done.—And, last, a woman, dark
And dreadful, so they said, thou took'st to wife,
Brewer of poisons, slayer of her sire.
What was her name? It had a barbarous sound—
MEDEA (stepping forward with the children).
Medea! Here am I.
KING. Is 't she?