The Medea Myth: Images

Medea and the Argonauts (Perseus)

 

Medea rejuvenating a ram before the daughters of Pelias (Perseus)

 

Medea rejuvenating a ram before an aged Jason (Perseus)

 

Medea and the daughters of Pelias

  • Pompeian Wall Painting (Naples, Museo Nationale)
  • detail of main scene

 

Medea and her children

  •  Pompeian Wall Painting (Naples, Museo Nationale)
  • Pompeian Wall Painting restored (Naples, Museo Nationale)

 

Medea killing her children

  • late fourth century vase
  • main panel

 

Lucanian Krater

  • Calyx krater
    ca. 400 BCE
    Cleveland Museum of Art
  •  Lucanian krater
  • Main Panel
  • detail of Jason
  • detail of Medea
  • detail of Fury
  • detail of Altar

 

 

Fourth Century Vase

  • Main Panel
  • top row left: Heracles (an Argonaut) and Athena (who helped in the construction of the Argo)
  • on Heracles as an Argonaut see Apollodorus 1. 9.19.n3
  • top row right : Castor and Pollux, the Dioscuri (also Argonauts)
  • middle row left: a servant woman, the paedagogus, and Merope, wife of Creon and mother of Glauce, who is running to the aid of her daughter
  • center of the composition: Creon holding Glauce, Glauce swooning upon a chair and clutching at the coronet, and her brother coming up to help her
  • middle row right: Medea's nurse and the ghost of Aeetes, Medea's father
  • bottom row left: a spearbearer shielding one of the children and Medea killing the other of the children
  • center of the bottom row: the chariot standing ready for Medea's escape, driven by a figure named "Frenzy" and holding a torch in each hand
  • right of the bottom row: Jason runs up, followed by a spearbearer, in a vain attempt to save his children

Medea and Athenian Tribal Heroes

  • Attic Red Figure Hydria
    Meidias Painter (signed)
    ca. 410-400 BCE
    London E 224
  • Overview
  • Overview (handle at right; Medea at center of lower frieze)
  • Drawing of lower frieze (Arniope, Medea, Elera, Philoktetes, Akamas, Hippothon, Antiokhos, Klymenos, Oineus, Demophon, Chrysis)
  • Detail of Medea