PHÆDRA. Love him, indeed! dote, languish, die for him, Forfake my food, my fleep, all joys fr Thefeus, (But not that hoary, venerable Thefeus) But Thefeus, as he was, when mantling blood Glow'd in his lovely cheeks; when his bright eyes Sparkled with youthful fires; when every grace Shone in the father, which now crowns the fon; When Thefeus was Hippolitus. HIPPOLITUS. Ha! Amazement ftrikes me! Where will this end? LYCON. Is 't difficult to guess? Does not her flying palenefs that but now Sat cold and langui i in her fading cheek, (Where now fcceeds a momentary lustre,) Does not her beating heart, her trembling limbs, Her wifhing looks, her fpeech, her prefent filence, All, all proclaim imperial Phædra loves you. HIPPOLITUS. What do I hear? What, does no lightning flash, No thunder bellow, when fuch monstrous crimes Are own'd, avow'd, confeft? All-feeing fun! Hide, hide in fhameful night thy beamy head, And ceafe to view the horrors of thy race. Alas! I fhare th' amazing guilt; thefe eyes, That first infpir'd the black inceftuous flame, Thefe ears, that heard the tale of impious love, Are all accurs'd, and all deferve your thunder. PIEDRA. Alas! my lord, believe me not fo vile. No: by thy goddefs, by the chalte Diana, Noge but my first, my much-lov'd Lord Arfamnes, Was c'er receiv'd in thefe unhappy arms. No for the love of thee of thofe dear charms, If that drove Thefeus hence, then that kill'd And cruel Phædra kill'd her husband Thefeus. Forbear, rafh youth, nor dare to rouze my You need not urge, nor tempt my fwelling rage HIPPOLITUS. Then let me take the warning and retire; I'd rather truft the rough lonian waves, Than woman's fie.cer rage. [Exit. The queen's difeafe, and your afpiring nund, Difturi all Crete, and give a loose to war. HIPPOLITUS. Gods! dares he speak thus to a monarch's fon? And muft this earth-born flave command in Crcté ? [ISMENA foews berfelf, liflening. Was it for this my godlike father fought? What! part, HIPPOLITUS. Not think of thee? for ever part? Unkind Ifmena: HIPPOLITUS. No more. My fou! difdains it. No, fhould I try, my haughty foul would fwell; Sharpen cach word, and threaten in my eyes. O! fhould I ftoop to cringe, to lie, forswear? Deferve the ruin which I ftrive to fhun? ISMENA. O, I can't bear this cold contempt of death! By these fad fighs, by these poor ftreaming eyes, Then, ere 'tis night, I fwear by all the powers, Say, what occafion, chance, or Heaven infpires; Oh! can you think that death is half fo dread-Say that you love her, that you lov'd her long; ful, As it would be to live, and live without thee? ISMENA. Think not of me : perhaps my equal mind May learn to bear the fate the gods allot me. Yet would you hear me ; could your lov'd Ifmena With all her charms o'er-rule your fullen honour, You yet might live, nor leave the poor Ifmena. HIPPOLITUS. Speak, if I can, I'm ready to obey. ISMENA. Give the queen hopes, Say, that you'll wed her, fay that you'll comply; Say, to preserve your life, say any thing. [Exit Hip.. [ger'd, Blefs him, ye powers and if it be a crime, 1 ་ ISMENA. Speak on, my lord, My honeft foul inclines me to believe thee; HIPPOLITUS. Then thus. I came and fpake, but scarce of The eafy queen receiv'd my faint address ISMENA, To crown with endlefs joys the youth that lov'd O by the joys our mutual loves have brought, ISMENA. Hide me, ye powers: I never shall refift. HIPPOLITUS. Will you refuse me? Can I leave behind me Art thou then true? Thou art. Oh, pardon me, Since 'tis no longer my limena's care. Wild with her fears, and mad with jealousy; HIPPOLITUS. Oh thy dear love fhall ever be my theme, The loofen'd canvas trembles with the wind, ISMENA. Fly then, my lord, and may the gods protect Fly, ere infidious Lycon work thy ruin; HIPPOLITUS. But not from my Ifmena. Why do you force me from your heavenly sight, With thofe dear arms that ought to clafp me to thee? ISMENA. Oh I could rave for ever at my fate! And tremble till you go, but die till you return. HIPPOLITUS. Say you did well to fly a certain ruin, To fly the fury of a queen incens'd, ISMENA. O! hafte away, my lord; I go, I fly When through the yawning fhip the foaming fea Thou shalt alone fupply the diftant fun, HIPPOLITUS. Come, let's away; and, like another Jason, |