 | The Tragedy of Medea |  |
ACT III.
SCENE I.
JASON, MEDÆA.JASON.
Rage is a sharp, unmanageable Evil,
Preys on itself, is a devoted Foe
To Truth and Virtue; yet without a Rein
You give a Loose to every Gust of Passion.
You might have breath'd here, in a fruitful Soil,
With Decency and Honour; but your Words
Vain and Invective banish you for ever.
MEDÆA.
Behold the steddy, smooth tongu'd Orator,
Who knows to varnish Crimes and colour Guilt.
JASON.
For me, accustom'd to indure your Wrath,
Inur'd to your Reproaches, when you say
How bad a Man this Jason is, it hurts not;
But when sharp Words attack your Benefactors,
When they with Bitterness and taunting Stings
Strike your Superiors; then, Medæa, Banishment
May be accounted Mercy; I have long
From angry and unreasonable Men
Learnt to restrain my Tongue and found it useful;
This Jason yet, your last and only Friend,
Unweary'd in your Service, still is yours;
I come to offer you a Guard, and Guides,
That you and those unhappy little Ones,
Who suffer for your sake, may not be destitute.
Exile has many Wants. Altho' you hate me
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And Wishes will attend you thro' the World.
MEDÆA.
—With a sedate and unrelenting Brow
Calmly to look upon the wrong'd, and cover
Thy Crimes with Temper, is the certain Mark
Of an abandon'd Mind, cool even in Guilt.
—Yet art thou Welcome; now my swelling Beast
Shall ease its Weight and, if thy Heart can feel,
Bleed with my Words.
JASON.
Medæa, I'll attend
Thy just Complaints; but Words in Wrath are useless.
MEDÆA.
First then I sav'd thy Life; the golden Fleece
Redeem'd from Cholchis by my Care and Art;
By me, by my Assistance did you conquer
The Monster breathing Fire, the scaly Dragon
Wreathing in endless Folds his dreadful Form,
A breathing Pestilence; I lent the Clue,
That guided thee in Safety thro' the Labarinth;
Betray'd my royal Father, fled with thee,
And sav'd thee by my Love from every Danger;
I gave thee Life and Honour.—This the World,
Th'astonish'd World, who saw my unequal'd Passion
Working thro' Miracles thy Safety, witness.
JASON.
My Heart, Medæa, is a grateful Witness;
You need no farther Evidence.
MEDÆA.
Impeach'd
By thy own Words, say, how hast thou return'd
The Benefits receiv'd? Repeat thy Gratitude.
Hast thou not violated every Bond
Of Love, and Friendship? Quite estrang'd thy Mind,
Tho' bless'd with beauteous Children, tho' belov'd,
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To more than Death?—Wedded another Woman?
Dost thou believe that there are Powers, who rule
The human Race? Or dost thou think, weak Man,
The Gods, who govern'd once, are now no more?
JASON.
I find my Presence but enflames your Rage
When you are fit to hear and to receive
Assistance and Advice, I will return.
MEDÆA.
Stay;—you shall hear me; yes, I'll talk as cooly
As if I had receiv'd some Benefit
From thee; as unconcern'd, as tamely reason
As thou dost, who hast wrong'd me. Say! Advise!
Where shall I go? My Father is betray'd,
For thee betray'd; my Country too for thee
Is lost; shall I return to Pelias Daughters?
They slew their Father for thy sake and safety
By my Intreaty. Hated by the World,
Forsaking all for thee, I priz'd thy Love
Beyond the lesser Ties of Blood, or Friendship,
Or Faith, or Honour; am I not rewarded?
JASON.
Accuse thy Fate; accuse the Gods, Medæa.
MEDÆA.
Well then, I go, expell'd, a Wanderer,
Deserted, helpless, and in want; thy Children
Those guiltless Innocents attend my Flight,
They share my Miseries and ask their Bread
In Climes unknown. Great is thy Fame, O Jason!
Thy Glory will resound from Pole to Pole.
O Jove, why didst thou fix thy unerring Stamp
On Gold to mark the adulterate from the true,
And gavest no Token to distinguish Man
From Man; the righteous from the base Allay.
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It is my Duty, as a skilful Pilot,
To guide thee, toss'd in these Extreams of Passion;
Thou dost upbraid me with thy Obligations.
'Tis true thy Passion hurry'd thee to pass
Numberless Labours in my Cause and Safety,
And Gratitude is due to thee and Venus.
'Tis well; yet let us too recount the Blessings
Thou hast receiv'd, great as the Debt I owe.
MEDÆA.
The Blessings! Perjur'd and ungrateful Man!
Is Love contemn'd a Blessing? Jason, Jason!
Are Exile, Want, and all the Indignities
And Pangs a wounded Heart can suffer, Blessings?
JASON.
Hear me and then with Temper judge my Reasons.
Thou dost object this Marriage here in Corinth;
The strong Necessity that urg'd thus answers;
'Twas Friendship, Wisdom, and the chaste Desire
Of saving thee and thine from instant Evils,
When first we left, abandon'd by our Friends,
The Shores of Cholchis, destitute, forlorn;
What more cou'd an unhappy Exile wish,
Than thus to make Allyance with a Prince,
Honour'd and lov'd? Do not unjustly think
That the Desire of Change, or a new Passion
Seduced my Soul. Thy Beauties warm me still;
Thy fruitful Bed hath honour'd me with Children;
Nor cou'd my tender Mind support a Thought
That thee and thine shou'd suffer any Want.
That I might raise thy Name and House again,
Therefore I wedded Creon's Daughter. Say,
Does not the Circumstance excuse the Crime.
MEDÆA.
Excuse thy Crime! O lawless, impious Man!
JASON.
Medæa, wou'd thy jealous Rage subside,
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Perhaps applaud my Care.
MEDÆA.
I think the Man, who dares to dress Misdeeds
And colour them with Virtue's Name, deserves
A double Punishment from Gods and Men.
If you intended these Corinthian Nuptials
A Blessing to your Family, declare
Why was not I consulted? Was my Right
Or Leave unworthy once to be demanded?
Why was this Contract huddl'd in the Dark?
I'll tell thee, 'twas a black, clandestine Deed,
And wou'd not bear the Light.
JASON.
I will no longer litigate in Words.
If from my Hand you will receive a Boon,
I come to offer you Support, and Guards,
And Treasure to sustain you and the Children.
It is not Wisdom to refuse Assistance,
Tho' from a hated Hand; tho' you unjustly
Believe me still your Foe, receive my Aid.
MEDÆA.
Away! My Soul disdains to commune with thee;
No, let us perish all;
In Want and Exile perish by Degrees,
Rather than owe the smallest Obligation
To Creon's Son.
JASON.
Immortal Gods!
I call your sacred Deities to witness
I wou'd relieve my Children, I wou'd help
Medæa's Sufferings, but her haughty Mind,
With contumacious Pride, scorns my Benevolence.
[Exit Jason.
MEDÆA
alone.
Haste to your new made Spouse; go, cherish Her.
Oh! my tortured Breast!
It burns! ten thousand Scorpions sting my Bosom!
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Some interval of Ease.
—But the forsaken Lover's Pangs remain
A lasting and unutterable Pain;
There Anger, Fear, Distraction, Horror, Rage
The torn, tumultuous Soul at once engage,
Forlorn like me, for ever doom'd to prove
(Relentless Gods!) the Pangs of jealous Love.
[Exit Medæa.
ETHRA, ÆGÆUS.
ETHRA.
Behold, Ægæus,
Jason has left her, stung with jealous Pangs,
And now she seeks Repose, seeks it in vain;
Soon she'll be here again, her whirling Brain
Gives her no Peace or Rest.
ÆGÆUS.
Let me behold her.
ETHRA.
Behold her; but alas! how wan, how chang'd
From what she was, when first her magick Beauties
Stole all Ægæus from himself in Cholchis.
ÆGÆUS.
Oh I remember well the Day, the Hour;
I saw her then, the Daughter of the King,
Amidst her Virgins eminently fair,
Blazing in Jewels, and magnifick Vestments,
Proceed to sacrifice; the holy Path
Cover'd with Roses; vocal Harmony
And solemn Instruments proclaim'd the March;
She look't and walk'd a Goddess. Oh that Day!
ETHRA.
Enough Ægæus! When you see Medæa
Let her believe you are but late arriv'd
In Corinth, that imperfect you have heard
Her Wrongs from Jason; she'll repeat her Wrongs,
Warmly repeat them; That Occasion take;
Your Friendship then, and not too hotly offer'd,
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I know her haughty Soul will weigh and ponder,
And much she trusts the Man from whom she takes
A Benefit, 'tis a high Mark of her Esteem
Where she receives a Favour.
ÆGÆUS.
Well I know her.
ETHRA.
She comes, I will retire and hear your Conference.
ÆGÆUS, MEDÆA, ETHRA.
All hail, Medæa! Let me thus salute
The Daughter of the Sun.
MEDÆA.
Health to Ægæus;
Health to the generous Son of wise Pandion.
Why does the King of Athens tread this Soil?
Ægæus, you behold a banish'd Wretch,
Proscrib'd, a Fugitive; and yet unknowing
Whither to fly—
You once was pleas'd to stile yourself my Friend.
ÆGÆUS.
Witness it Heaven, I glory in the Title.
MEDÆA.
Then I may hope your Aid in my Misfortunes.
ÆGÆUS.
Curs'd be that Wretch! And hated let him perish;
Who dares refuse Assistance to his Friend;
Who does not freely open all his Breast,
And manifest his honest, candid Heart.
MEDÆA.
I do not supplicate, nor bend my Knee;
For know, when Kings, our earthly Deities,
Assist and guard the weak and innocent
They taste immortal Joys. This is thy Blessing;
The Gods have cast before thy Throne an Object,
Worthy thy royal Care, thy royal Mercy,
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In honour to him, they command Ægæus
To save, and keep us in Minerva's City,
And Gods and Men, and Heav'n and Earth will sound
The Glory of this Act, reserv'd for thee,
ÆGÆUS.
The Love of Virtue
Now fires my Soul, uplifting it to Heaven;
You have indeed confer'd a Blessing on me,
Yes, Athens shall protect thee, Thee and Thine;
The Gods, thy Children, thy Misfortunes, Justice,
All plead thy Cause; yet is there somewhat more
An Orator—
MEDÆA.
I know it well, Ægæus;
Humanity, the Pride of doing Good,
Swells thy great Heart.
ÆGÆUS.
Alas! Alas! Medæa.
MEDÆA.
You say you will protect within your Realms
Me and my Children.
ÆGÆUS.
Thee and Thine, Medæa.
MEDÆA.
'Tis well; but plight thy Faith, thy holy Faith,
Thou wou't perfom thy Promise.
ÆGÆUS.
Why thus diffident?
Oh! Cou'dst thou read my Heart!
MEDÆA.
I do believe thee;
But when I see the powerful House of Pelias
And Creon both my Foes, I think thy Vows
Would well become the Cause, and justify
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Or Creon may demand me at at thy Hand;
When Wealth, and Power, and strong Allyances
May tempt thee to shake off the expensive Load.
ÆGÆUS.
For ever wise and provident Medæa,
Oblige me to thee by the strongest Bonds.
(Aside ...)
Alas! she knows not, or she will not know
How much I am her Slave. (... Aside)
MEDÆA.
Swear by the Earth; swear by the Sun, my Parent;
Swear by the Synod of the assembled Gods.—
ÆGÆUS.
In thy own Words, Medæa.
MEDÆA.
To protect,
To guard within thy Realm me and my Children;
Never to give us up by Fraud, or Force,
By publick Treaties, or clandestine Leagues.
ÆGÆUS.
Thou ever sacred Earth, our common Parent,
And thou great Source of Light attest my Vow;
Witness ye Gods in general Council met,
I will protect Medæa and her Children.
MEDÆA.
Enough!—And if thou breakst this solemn Oath—
ÆGÆUS.
Then may I taste those Pains, to which the Gods
Doom an inhospitable, impious Man.
MEDÆA.
'Tis done!—Therapion shall attend the King,
And give him Notice when I pass the Limits
Of this Corinthian Tyrant.
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Every God,
Auspicious, comfort and assist Medæa.
[Exit Ægæus.
MEDÆA, ETHRA.
MEDÆA.
Oh Thunder-bearing Jove, most ancient Cause;
And thou diffusive Good, Parent of Truth,
Eternal Light! My glorious, great Avengers,
Behold I bend before you—Lo my Soul
Pours forth her grateful Vows.—The rising Hopes
Advance and are enlarg'd—The Prince is come;
The Haven of this Weather-beaten Bark
Is in our View; the Daughter of high Jove
Will yet protect, and guard her Votary.
ETHRA.
This generous Prince has with heroick Warmth
Espous'd thy Cause—and here the equal Gods
Seem to have fix'd a Period to thy Sufferings;
Here too perhaps their Justice may begin,
And Jason feel—
MEDÆA.
Hah! Yes, 'tis true my Heart
Repeats the warm Idea;—let me tell thee,
This Greecian has deceiv'd me, but he shall,
Yes, if the Gods consent, he shall have Justice.
Returning Life bounds thro' my azure Veins
And quickens every Pulse—I will reveal
My Soul to thee. Great Joys as well as Griefs
Are social, Ethra;—I will send to Jason;
Once more I will intreat to see the Man,
And humble all my haughty Soul before him;
He'll find that I can counterfeit a Calm
As well as He, dissemble and be mean.
ETHRA.
I see thro' all thy feign'd Humility;
Thy swelling Heart now drives thee on to Vengeance.
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I will intreat Jason to interceed
With fair Creusa, with his lovely Bride,
That my two Children may remain in Corinth,
Under their Father's Care. He will instruct them
In the great useful Arts of living well
With their Superiors, of dissembling well.
ETHRA.
This has been mov'd already and refus'd.
MEDÆA.
'Tis said the Gods themselves are to be bribed.
A Diadem of purest Gold, adorn'd
With precious Gems, blazing in Eastern Day,
A Robe lighter then Down, and thin as Air,
Wrought by the sacred Nine, the mystick Web
Inwove with Characters that circumscribe
Yon planetary Worlds that move around us,
The Sun's eternal Path and Cynthia's Circle.
ETHRA.
And if she grants their Prayer, if she receives
Thy valuable Presents.
MEDÆA.
Hah! Receives them!
I am content;—Sister, they shall not say
Medæa listless and insensible
Droned out a Life inglorious and inactive.
ETHRA.
I know not whether you wou'd tend; I see
Your Eyes enflam'd. Oh! Sister! Oh Medæa!
Take, as you ought, this hospitable Blessing,
And thank Minerva, who inspired the Prince.
Think you will live in Athens, where Ægæus,
Royal and generous Ægæus rules,
A People, wise, invincible and free;
Athens the Seat of Demi-Gods and Heroes,
For Wisdom, and for Virtue far renown'd,
There the Pierian Maids, as Fame reports,
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On the smooth Surface of the fair Cephesus,
The Cyprian Goddess fans the yeilding Waters
With sweetest Odours, as she gently glides
Down the soft silver Flood, to warm the Sons
Of Wisdom and relieve their Cares with Love;
Love the great Aid and Nurse of every Virtue.
MEDÆA.
The Business of this World is now no more,
Knowledge, and Love, and every Charm in Life
Fix'd to one single Point. Yet, Ethra, Sister,
Yet let me mourn my Loss, and speak my Wrongs;
It is the Wretches Comfort.
Sad Philomela thus with plaintive Strain,
Moaning her ravish'd little Ones in vain,
Sings nightly sweet; the Woods her warbling Song
Repeat;—repeat the sadly moving Wrong,
Inamour'd with the Musick of her Tongue.
The End of the Third Act.
| The Tragedy of Medea | |