Medea

Medea, according to Greek legend, was the daughter of AEetes, King of Colchis, and the niece of Circe, whose magic arts she inherited. Jason, coming to Colchis in search of the Golden Fleece, won her love, and she not only helped him to defeat the wiles of her father, but fled with him later to Greece, slaying her own brother and strewing his limbs in the way to stay pursuit. On reaching Iolchos, Jason found that his father and brother had been murdered by Pelias, who at Medea's suggestion was killed and boiled by his daughters with the idea of restoring him to youth. Driven out of their home, she went with her husband to Cornith, where Jason became enamoured of the king's daughter Glauce, whom Medea destroyed, murdering at the same time her own children. She then betook herself to Athens, and married AEgeus, to whom she bore Medus. For an attempt to poison Theseus she was again exiled, and is said to have returned to Colchis and become reconciled to Jason. Her tragic story has been dramatised by Euripides, Seneca, and Corneille.