Medea

In Greek mythology, Medea stands as one of the most complex and formidable figures - a sorceress whose story embodies themes of passion, betrayal, and vengeance. Born a princess of distant Colchis (pronounced /mɪˈdiːə/ and written Μήδεια in Ancient Greek), her name itself suggests calculation and scheming.

With divine ancestry flowing through her veins as granddaughter of Helios the sun god and niece to the enchantress Circe, Medea inherited potent magical abilities and served as a devoted priestess to Hecate, goddess of witchcraft. While Hesiod's Theogony first mentioned her around 700 BCE, her character gained literary immortality through Euripides's tragedy and Apollonius's Argonautica.

When Jason arrived in Colchis seeking the Golden Fleece, Medea fell deeply in love with the foreign hero. She became the quintessential "helper-maiden," using her magical prowess to ensure his impossible tasks became possible, even committing fratricide to secure their escape together. Abandoning her homeland, she followed Jason westward to Corinth where they established a family with two sons.

The most haunting chapter of Medea's tale unfolds a decade later when Jason arranges to marry Princess Creusa of Corinth, claiming this political alliance would benefit their children while dismissing his marriage to Medea as invalid due to her foreign status. Facing banishment by King Creon, the rejected Medea secures sanctuary in Athens by promising King Aegeus an heir through her magical arts.

Her revenge against Jason proved catastrophic and unforgettable - she sent poisoned gifts that killed both his new bride and her father, then murdered her own children to ensure Jason would lose everything he valued. Different traditions offer various endings to her story, with Herodotus suggesting she eventually journeyed to the Iranian plateau, settling among people who became known as the Medes.