Versus from Medea A Greek Tragedy by Euripides Medea: My friends, my sisters, mothers, wives, I am ready to kill my children and leave this land. I cannot delay, or my children will fall into murderous hands. Whichever way the wheel turns, my children must die. And if they must, I will kill them, I who gave them birth. Here is the sword. I must do it now. No thinking of my children, I have my unlived years to grieve for them, yes, to grieve. Though I shall kill them, at least I loved them.