After enduring the pain of childbirth, naming their babies, watching their children grow up, and dreaming of their future, filicide is usually far from most parents' minds. The emotional bonds that parents share with their children are difficult to break, but in Genesis the culture accepted children's sacrifices. Fear of the gods was strongest in ancient times, when science lacked proper explanations, and so it was believed that the gods caused natural events. If the God of Genesis, who was far more powerful than any man and exponentially more vengeful, told parents to sacrifice their child, for the sake of their family (and the rest of the population for that matter), then pious parents would sacrifice their child. this child – even if the intention was not to kill, but to test the faithful. Modern culture disapproves of the act of filicide and agrees with Greek society's view that child sacrifice was not an option. Yet even in this society, Medea commits filicide with virtually no involvement from a Greek god or seer. Medea deliberately chooses to execute her offspring with prideful wickedness in response to her unfaithful husband in a disapproving society, while Abraham in Genesis piously follows his God and the social norms of his time in offering up his beloved child - and is saved from his loss because of his great faith. Medea's audience would be put off by her selfish motives while Abraham (whose wife was barren for many years) would be praised for his unwavering trust in God's promises. God promises Abraham that He will “make your [Abraham’s] offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as the sand on the seashore” (Genesis 22:17). Abraham is married to Sarah who “was barren; she had no children” (11:30). Ch...... middle of paper ......r own children - this was written by Euripides. The chorus, meaning the common people and women of Corinth, begs Medea to reconsider her choice after naming her "the most ungodly woman" for considering this act. They only heard of "one other woman / who dared attack, hurt her own children" and therefore argue that child murder was not the norm (1323-24). Medea's hamartia would have been her intense pride and stubbornness that led her to kill her children. The public would not have felt as much sympathy towards Medea as they would have towards Abraham, the pious disciple. Medea's power struggle was not something the average citizen would have to deal with and the culture would not have been supportive. Abraham, however, was justified in his culture and did what he believed was right, and was therefore rewarded with the salvation of his firstborn..