# Medea — Discourses character guide

> Medea in Discourses by Epictetus.

**Role:** minor

**First appearance:** 0004-i-of-the-things-which-are-in-our-power-and-not-in-our-power

## Who they are

Tragic figure from Greek myth, used to discuss passion and reason.

## In the story

### [XXVIII: That We Ought Not to Be Angry with Men; and What Are the Small and the Great Things Among Men](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_se/chapters/xxviii-that-we-ought-not-to-be-angry-with-men-and-what-are-the-small-and-the-great-things-among-men)

Example of someone who acts on a false appearance, knowing the evil but following passion.

### [How We Must Adapt Preconceptions to Particular Cases](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_se/chapters/xvii-how-we-must-adapt-preconceptions-to-particular-cases)

Used as an example of someone with a just opinion about the failure of desire, but who misdirected her energy and suffered.

### [XIII: Against or to Those Who Readily Tell Their Own Affairs](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_se/chapters/xiii-against-or-to-those-who-readily-tell-their-own-affairs)

Used as an extreme example of someone who would harm their own children, illustrating untrustworthiness.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_se/characters/medea
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/discourses_se/characters