© koninklijke brill nv, leiden, ��5 | doi � �. ��63/�5685�5X- � �30�496 mnemosyne (�0 �4) �-�7 brill.com/mnem Song Sweeter than Orpheus’ Euripides’ Medea 542-544 Britta Ager Davidson College, Classics Department 405 N Main St., Davidson, NC 28035, USA brager@davidson.edu Received: October 2012; accepted: January 2013 Abstract In Euripides’ Medea, Jason expresses a preference for fame over riches or musical talent such as that which Orpheus possesses. Orpheus was well-known for the supernaturally persuasive qualities of his music, and as the play makes clear, Jason’s rejection of Orpheus’ talents is not purely rhetorical—he lacks the persuasive skill of Orpheus, skill which he needs to reconcile Medea to his new marriage. Medea is persistently com- pared to things which Orpheus is able to influence through his song, such as rocks, lions, and bulls, highlighting Jason’s failure to persuade where the mythical singer succeeds. Jason is, however, successful in persuading his new bride; as a lover rather than a hus- band, he possesses Orpheus’ abilities. The implied comparison between Jason and Orpheus foreshadows the death of Jason’s Corinthian bride and Jason’s downfall at the hands of a woman. Keywords Euripides – Jason – Orpheus – Medea – persuasion – magic * I would like to thank Amanda Regan for commenting on an earlier draft of this article, and Mnemosyne’s anonymous reviewer for many valuable suggestions.