The triumph of Medea? Critical remarks on the 'Argonautica' of Valerius Flaccus

Arg. 8.458-63 contrasts Medea's deep distress as she feels betrayed by Jaso n with her triumphant joy and pride after she had stolen the fleece and fle d from Colchis. This reference, however, strikingly contradicts not only th e description of Medea's feelings at that former stage given in 8.132,202ff ., but also the leitmotif of her dismay ever since she had fallen in love w ith Jason. Similarly, the final section of the preserved text reveals otios e repetitions of, and inconsistencies with key motives of preceding scenes. Given that the text of the Argonautica contains several other spurious lin es of probably ancient origin, it seems probable that a grammaticus attempt ed to complete the text Valerius had left unfinished. He could also have wr itten Arg.5.507f.