Duty is not taken lightly by these mythological-Ancient-Greek gods! When events change and Oedipus realizes what he has done, he keeps his promise to his city. He finds himself in a difficult situation realizing that he killed his father and married his mother and decides that he must follow suit; He banishes himself and "rips off her brooches, the long gold pins that hold her garments – and lifting them high, looking straight into the points, sticks them into the sockets of her eyes", gouging out his eyes and leaving him blind (Sophocles 128. ) Likewise, Medea is equally respectful of Oedipus. Medea feels that it is her duty to save her children from the harsh punishment they would receive as mortals on earth. He knows that the punishment they will receive will come from a place of anger and hatred if they are left to face the consequences of his actions. Medea decides that “I must kill my children as soon as possible and leave this earth before I give my enemies a chance to slaughter them with a hand moved by hatred” (Euripides 169). Along with her instinct for respect, Medea is also a mother with the instinct to protect her children... no matter how much damage she has already suffered