Penny Dreadfuls, 1912 · page 22 of 118
The Medea — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running dramatic prose—specifically a scene from what appears to be a theatrical adaptation or translation of Euripides' *Medea*. The page shows dialogue between an Attendant, a Nurse, and references to Jason and Creon. The Attendant relays overheard gossip that Creon has ordered a woman and her two sons into banishment, while the Nurse expresses concern that Jason will not tolerate his own sons being banished, despite his anger toward their mother. The text deals with themes of exile, family conflict, and impending tragedy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
6 EURIPIDES ATTENDANT. Mad spirit! . . . if a man may speak his thought Of masters mad.—And nothing in her ears Hath sounded yet of her last cause for tears! |e moves towards the house, but the NURSE checks him. NURSE. What cause, old man? ... Nay, grudge me not one word. ATTENDANT. ’Tis nothing. Best forget what thou hast heard. NURSE. Nay, housemate, by thy beard! Hold it not hid From me. . . . I will keep silence if thou bid. ATTENDANT. I heard an old man talking, where he sate At draughts in the sun, beside the fountain gate, And never thought of me, there standing still Beside him. And he said, ’Twas Creon’s will, Being lord of all this land, that she be sent, And with her her two sons, to banishment. Maybe ’tis all false. For myself, I know No further, and I would it were not so. NURSE. Jason will never bear it—his own sons Banished, —however hot his anger runs Against their mother! EOmichboo <S (E(0)