Phaedra Part 2

PHAEDRA It is the will of Venus, and I perish, Last, most unhappy of a family Where all were wretched.

OENONE Do you love?

PHAEDRA I feel All its mad fever.

OENONE Ah! For whom?

PHAEDRA Hear now The crowning horror. Yes, I love--my lips Tremble to say his name.

OENONE Whom?

PHAEDRA Know you him, Son of the Amazon, whom I've oppress'd So long?

OENONE Hippolytus? Great G.o.ds!

PHAEDRA 'Tis you Have named him.

OENONE All my blood within my veins Seems frozen. O despair! O cursed race!

Ill-omen'd journey! Land of misery!

Why did we ever reach thy dangerous sh.o.r.es?

PHAEDRA My wound is not so recent. Scarcely had I Been bound to Theseus by the marriage yoke, And happiness and peace seem'd well secured, When Athens show'd me my proud enemy.

I look'd, alternately turn'd pale and blush'd To see him, and my soul grew all distraught; A mist obscured my vision, and my voice Falter'd, my blood ran cold, then burn'd like fire; Venus I felt in all my fever'd frame, Whose fury had so many of my race Pursued. With fervent vows I sought to shun Her torments, built and deck'd for her a shrine, And there, 'mid countless victims did I seek The reason I had lost; but all for naught, No remedy could cure the wounds of love!

In vain I offer'd incense on her altars; When I invoked her name my heart adored Hippolytus, before me constantly; And when I made her altars smoke with victims, 'Twas for a G.o.d whose name I dared not utter.

I fled his presence everywhere, but found him-- O crowning horror!--in his father's features.

Against myself, at last, I raised revolt, And stirr'd my courage up to persecute The enemy I loved. To banish him I wore a step--dame's harsh and jealous carriage, With ceaseless cries I clamour'd for his exile, Till I had torn him from his father's arms.

I breathed once more, Oenone; in his absence My days flow'd on less troubled than before, And innocent. Submissive to my husband, I hid my grief, and of our fatal marriage Cherish'd the fruits. Vain caution! Cruel Fate!

Brought hither by my spouse himself, I saw Again the enemy whom I had banish'd, And the old wound too quickly bled afresh.

No longer is it love hid in my heart, But Venus in her might seizing her prey.

I have conceived just terror for my crime; I hate my life, and hold my love in horror.

Dying I wish'd to keep my fame unsullied, And bury in the grave a guilty pa.s.sion; But I have been unable to withstand Tears and entreaties, I have told you all; Content, if only, as my end draws near, You do not vex me with unjust reproaches, Nor with vain efforts seek to s.n.a.t.c.h from death The last faint lingering sparks of vital breath.

SCENE IV PHAEDRA, OENONE, PANOPE

PANOPE Fain would I hide from you tidings so sad, But 'tis my duty, Madam, to reveal them.

The hand of death has seized your peerless husband, And you are last to hear of this disaster.

OENONE What say you, Panope?

PANOPE The queen, deceived By a vain trust in Heav'n, begs safe return For Theseus, while Hippolytus his son Learns of his death from vessels that are now In port.

PHAEDRA Ye G.o.ds!

PANOPE Divided counsels sway The choice of Athens; some would have the prince, Your child, for master; others, disregarding The laws, dare to support the stranger's son.

'Tis even said that a presumptuous faction Would crown Aricia and the house of Pallas.

I deem'd it right to warn you of this danger.

Hippolytus already is prepared To start, and should he show himself at Athens, 'Tis to be fear'd the fickle crowd will all Follow his lead.

OENONE Enough. The queen, who hears you, By no means will neglect this timely warning.

SCENE V PHAEDRA, OENONE

OENONE Dear lady, I had almost ceased to urge The wish that you should live, thinking to follow My mistress to the tomb, from which my voice Had fail'd to turn you; but this new misfortune Alters the aspect of affairs, and prompts Fresh measures. Madam, Theseus is no more, You must supply his place. He leaves a son, A slave, if you should die, but, if you live, A King. On whom has he to lean but you?

No hand but yours will dry his tears. Then live For him, or else the tears of innocence Will move the G.o.ds, his ancestors, to wrath Against his mother. Live, your guilt is gone, No blame attaches to your pa.s.sion now.

The King's decease has freed you from the bonds That made the crime and horror of your love.

Hippolytus no longer need be dreaded, Him you may see henceforth without reproach.

It may be, that, convinced of your aversion, He means to head the rebels. Undeceive him, Soften his callous heart, and bend his pride.

King of this fertile land, in Troezen here His portion lies; but as he knows, the laws Give to your son the ramparts that Minerva Built and protects. A common enemy Threatens you both, unite them to oppose Aricia.

PHAEDRA To your counsel I consent.

Yes, I will live, if life can be restored, If my affection for a son has pow'r To rouse my sinking heart at such a dangerous hour.

ACT II

SCENE I ARICIA, ISMENE

ARICIA Hippolytus request to see me here!

Hippolytus desire to bid farewell!

Is't true, Ismene? Are you not deceived?

ISMENE This is the first result of Theseus' death.

Prepare yourself to see from every side.

Hearts turn towards you that were kept away By Theseus. Mistress of her lot at last, Aricia soon shall find all Greece fall low, To do her homage.

ARICIA 'Tis not then, Ismene, An idle tale? Am I no more a slave?

Have I no enemies?

ISMENE The G.o.ds oppose Your peace no longer, and the soul of Theseus Is with your brothers.

ARICIA Does the voice of fame Tell how he died?

ISMENE Rumours incredible Are spread. Some say that, seizing a new bride, The faithless husband by the waves was swallow'd.

Others affirm, and this report prevails, That with Pirithous to the world below He went, and saw the sh.o.r.es of dark Cocytus, Showing himself alive to the pale ghosts; But that he could not leave those gloomy realms, Which whoso enters there abides for ever.

ARICIA Shall I believe that ere his destined hour A mortal may descend into the gulf Of Hades? What attraction could o'ercome Its terrors?

ISMENE He is dead, and you alone Doubt it. The men of Athens mourn his loss.

Troezen already hails Hippolytus As King. And Phaedra, fearing for her son, Asks counsel of the friends who share her trouble, Here in this palace.