A breathless servant from the royal palace arrives, eager to share the news of the horrifying events he has witnessed. Medea eagerly encourages him to recount the story slowly, as she will take pleasure in learning about the terrible deaths of her victims.

The Messenger obliges, providing a thorough description of the events. He tells of how the initially hesitant princess was persuaded by Jason to accept his sons and their gifts and to lift their exile. Enthralled by the gifts, she wasted no time trying them on, admiring her reflection in the mirror. The Messenger vividly narrates the agonizing moments that followed as the princess endured an unspeakably gruesome demise.

He continues the story, sharing the equally horrific fate of Creon, the princess's father. In his grief, Creon threw himself upon his daughter's lifeless form, only to become attached to her poisoned attire. The Messenger concludes his account by reflecting on mortals' misery and susceptibility to the gods' whims.

Hearing this, Medea reaffirms her determination to kill her children before anyone else can hurt them. She steels herself against tender memories as she enters her house. After she departs, the Chorus beseeches the gods of earth and sky to prevent Medea's violent intentions, reminding them of her sons' divine lineage. Their ode ends with a lament for the tragic destinies of the children and their mother, whose overwhelming anger has led her to this point and threatens to incur the gods' further wrath.