The Medea of Euripides begins when the romance and the days of adventure have ended. The quest for the Golden Fleece, the feats of Jason, and the love of Medea have been the subjects of other poems and plays.

It resembles a noble story—but doesn't it seem that it will end in disaster? Absyrtus and Pelias were murdered deceitfully. Jason married a barbaric sorceress. This cannot be the end.

What happens after that—when the initial excitement of passion and romance has passed? What then? Jason has abandoned Medea. Medea killed Jason's bride, his children, and her father-in-law. This is generally Euripides' answer.

The most interesting question raised here is this: Did Euripides truly invent this answer or did he borrow it from tradition?