E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Mede’a’s Kettle or Caldron,
to boil the old into youth again. Meda, the sorceress, cut an old ram to pieces, and, throwing the pieces into her caldron, the old ram came forth a young lamb. The daughters of Pelias thought to restore their father to youth in the same way; but Medea refused to utter the magic words, and the old man ceased to live.
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“Get thee Medea’s kettle and be boiled anew.”—Congreve. Love for Love, iv.
a, the sorceress, cut an old ram to pieces, and, throwing the pieces into her caldron, the old ram came forth a young lamb. The daughters of Pelias thought to restore their father to youth in the same way; but Medea refused to utter the magic words, and the old man ceased to live.
