# Death of Pelias explained — Metamorphoses

> Chapter companion for Metamorphoses by Ovid.

## What happens

Medea, feigning a quarrel with Jason, goes to the court of Pelias and deceives his daughters into believing she can restore their father's youth. She demonstrates with a ram, then instructs them to cut Pelias into pieces and boil him. The daughters reluctantly comply, and Medea delivers the final blow. She then escapes on a dragon-drawn chariot, flying over various mythological sites. Arriving in Corinth, she finds Jason married to Glauce, and in revenge, she sets the palace on fire, kills her own children, and flees.

## Themes in this chapter

### Violence and Revenge

Medea's calculated revenge against Jason, Pelias, and Glauce drives the chapter, culminating in murder and destruction.

### Transformation and Metamorphosis

The attempted rejuvenation of Pelias through cutting and boiling, and the transformation of the ram into a lamb, highlight themes of physical change.

### Love and Desire

Medea's initial love for Jason turns to vengeful fury, illustrating the destructive power of betrayed love.

## Character check-ins

### Medea

Feigns a quarrel with Jason, deceives Pelias' daughters, performs the fatal operation on Pelias, and later murders her children and Glauce before escaping on a dragon chariot.

### Jason

Medea's husband, who has married Glauce in her absence, prompting her revenge.

### Pelias

Aged king of Iolcus, killed by his own daughters at Medea's instigation.

### Creon

Father of Glauce; his palace is burned by Medea.

### Glauce

Jason's new bride, killed by Medea's fire.

### Bacchus

Mentioned in Medea's flight as having disguised a stolen steer as a stag.

### Hercules

Referenced in the description of Euryphilus' town, defaced by him.

### Juno

Mentioned as sending punishment (sprouting horns) along with Venus.

## Key lines

> Thus far obliging love employ’d her art, But now revenge must act a tragic part.

Up to this point, love guided her actions, but now revenge takes over to play a tragic role.

_Transition from Medea's loving deeds to her vengeful scheme._

> His corpse into the boiling cauldron throws.

She throws his dead body into the boiling pot.

_Medea completes the murder of Pelias by disposing of his body in the cauldron._

> She murders her own infants, in despite To faithless Jason, and in Jason’s sight;

She kills her own children to spite the unfaithful Jason, right before his eyes.

_Medea's ultimate act of revenge against Jason._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/death-of-pelias
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metamorphoses_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters