Maria Callas credited as playing...
Medea
- Creonte: You frighten me. I'm afraid for my daughter, and I tell you openly. Everyone here knows that as a barbarian who came from a foreign land, you're an expert in evil spirits. You are different from us, so we don't want you among us.
- Medea: My knowledge of these things is very poor. And then, have you ever offended me? Only he is responsible - my husband. I am not hurt by your behavior. In fact, it seems fair. I am not even hurt by your happiness. Go ahead with the wedding. Be happy. I just ask a single favor for myself. Don't banish me. Let me stay here. I'll bow my head before those stronger than myself.
- Creonte: Your words are sweet and human. But it's impossible to see into the depths of one's soul.
- Medea: O God. O justice dear to God. O light of the Sun. The victory I foresee over my enemies will be marvelous. Now I'll go straight to the sign. I'll avenge myself, as I must! O God. O justice dear to God. O light of the Sun.
- Medea: Speak to me, Earth! Let me hear your voice! I no longer remember your voice. Speak to me, Sun! Where's the place where I can hear your voice? Earth, speak to me. Sun, speak to me. Are you losing your way, never to return? I no longer hear what you say. You, grass, speak to me. You, stone, speak to me. Earth, where is your meaning? Where can I find you again? Where is the bond that joined you to the Sun? My feet touch the Earth and I don't recognize it. My eyes look at the Sun and I don't recognize it.
- Medea: Go to Giasone and bring him here. But please, tell him nothing of our plans. You love me. And you're a woman too.
- Medea: Come on, children. Take him by the hand. Oh, I have a dark foreboding of sorrow. Dear children, you will live long lives and clasp again your father's hand. Poor me. I do nothing but cry and I'm filled with dreadful anguish. Just as I have decided to end my undignified disagreement with your father, here I am, crying.
- Giasone: Don't regret what you have done. It's natural for you to be mad at me. But now it seems that wisdom prevails inside you, and you've mastered yourself. As for you, children, your father has provided for your future. Together with your brothers, you will hold the highest place in this city. Why are you still crying?
- Medea: Take no notice. Woman is a weak creature and cries easily.
- Medea: Ah, my right hand, clasped so often in your hands. My knees, uselessly embraced so many times by the miserable man who owes me everything and over whom I've lost all hope.
- Giasone: What do you regret? It's time you understood that I owe only to myself the results of my efforts. You'll never admit it, but what you did for me, you only did for love of my body. You say that I'm ungrateful, but I, maybe without effort, or even realizing it, gave you much more than I received.
- Medea: Don't boast about this.