University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

Ergastus, Chorus, Sylvia, Daphne.
Ergastus.
Pity and horror have so far
Possest my Soul, I know not what
I hear or see, but every thing
I meet, amazes and afflicts me.

Chor.
What tydings hast thou brought, which make
Thy looks thus troubled, and thy words
Confus'd.

Ergast.
I bring the bitter news
Of poor Amintas death.

Syl.
What is't he says?

Ergast.
The noblest Shepherd of these Woods,
The kind, the gay, the gentle Swain,
Our Virgins and the Muses darling,
Young as he was, is dead; but how;
Oh! who can tell, or hear it told?

Chor.
Tell all, that we may mourn with thee
His sad misfortunes and our own.

Syl.
Oh! how can I stay to hear
This most horrid story out?
Where is all my fierceness now?
Oh! my heart, so haughty once,
Shew thy Pride, and if thou canst
Stay and hear it all unmov'd:
Speak then what thou hast to say.
Shepherd, let me know the worst,
Tell it me, I'm most concern'd;
Speak, I'm ready for thy news.

Ergast.
Nymph, I know thou art concern'd,
Dying, the Despairing wretch
Call'd on thee, and with thy name
Finish'd his unhappy Life.

Daph.
Prithee begin the dismal tale.

Ergast.
Sitting on yonder Hill, where I
Had laid some Nets, I saw but now
Amintas run that way; his looks
Distracted, and his carriage wild;
His eyes, his mein so chang'd, I thought
That something strange might happen since
I left the Vale: he spy'd and shunn'd me,
Fearing the worst; I then pursu'd,
O'retook and stopp'd him; he grew calm,
Begg'd me to go and see him do
A thing which he pretended then
He was oblig'd to do, but first
Forc'd me to swear I would not stir,
Beyond the bounds he set, nor lift
My hands to hinder him. I swore
By Pan, by Pallas, by Pomona,
And all our Sylvan Deities,
(Alas! not thinking what he meant.)
I would not stir nor lift my hands,
Unless he gave me leave. This done,
He led me to a Precipice,
Where, from the margent of the H
Directly down the pathless dale,
Between high Rocks appears, my head
Grew giddy, I stepp'd back, afraid
To view the depth: Amintas smil'd
And look'd serenely, which deceiv'd
My fears, and made me more assur'd.
Thus then he said—
Ergastus, tell
The Nymphs and Swains what thou shalt see,
Since, since he cry'd, and then look'd down,
The Gods will not permit my end
To be the same with Sylvia's since
My Limbs must not be torn like hers,
And I'm deny'd the Paws and Teeth
Of Wolves to use, as they serv'd
Her lovely Body: I must take
Whatever death they please to send.
These Rocks direct the way, I wish
I had deserv'd the same with hers.
But this is sure and short. Oh see!
I follow thee, my Sylvia, don't
Disdain my Company in death.
I'd dye contented, were I sure
'Twould not displease thee, I should then,
Oh Sylvia, follow thee with joy.
I come, I follow thee, I come:
And saying this,
He threw him headlong down,
While my heart chill'd to see him fall.

Daph.
Oh miserable youth!

Sylv.
Oh Heavens!

Chorus.
But why
Ergastus did you not prevent him?
Was it your Oath that ty'd your hands,
And kept you back?

Ergast.
No, I despise
Such Oaths, and look on them as vain,
When I perceiv'd his folly went
So far, and his deliberate despair
Ready to fling him from the Precipice,
I ran to save him, and as fate
Would have it, came in time enough
To catch him by the Girdle, which
The burthen of the Body broke,
And lest it rent thus in my hands.

Cho.
Where went the miserable Body then?

Ergast.
I know not what became of that.
Horror and Pity struck my soul
So deeply, I had not the heart
To see it dash in pieces.

Cho.
Oh strange! Oh woful accident!

Sylv.
Sure my heart is made of stone,
Or it must have bled to death,
E're the dismal tale was done.
Oh! if he could dye for me,
One who hated him so much,
When he falsely thought me dead,
What shall I do now, I know
He is certainly no more?
I must dye, and dye I will:
Swords and Rocks are left for me:
This precious Girdle is preserv'd
To revenge its gentle Lord.
Unhappy Girdle! Dear Remains
Of thy more unhappy Lord!
Be not angry that thou'rt kept
From thy Master; 'tis to be
The Instrument of Vengeance
On the Maid for whom he dy'd.
I should, I own I should have been
Amintas kind Companion here;
But since I can't be so, I will,
By thy assistance quickly follow him,
And bear him company in Death.

Chor.
Comfort thy self, poor Virgin, 'tis
The hand of Fate, and not thy fault.

Sylv.
Why weepst thou Swain? if 'tis for me,
Weep not, for I deserve no tears,
No pity; I who never knew
What pity was: If 'tis for him,
For poor Amintas, thou mayst weep
A Sea of Tears, and yet want more.
Daphne, if thou dost mourn for me,
For Heavens sake, prithee mourn no more;
I beg, not out of pity to my self,
But out of pity to the man
Who merited thy Love, that thou
Wouldst help me gather up his Bones,
And lay 'em in a Grave; 'tis this
Which only shall prolong my Life:
This friendly office, all that I
Can pay him for his heart, shall be my care.
The Piety of such a deed
By my vile hands will be defil'd:
Yet I believe whate're these hands
Shall do for him will please his Ghost,
Since, spite of all his wrongs, I'm sure
He lov'd me to the last.

Daph.
I'll go
And help you, but you must not think
Of dying after we've perform'd
Our duty to our friend.

Sylv.
Hitherto I've only liv'd
For my self, the little time
That's now left me, I'll devote
To Amintas, if I can't
Live for him, I'll live at least
For his pale unhappy Body.
I must put off death a while,
Till I've seen it, and then end
With his Funeral my Life.
Shepherd, lead us to the Vale,
To the fatal Precipice.

Ergast.
Keep this path, you cannot miss the way.

Daph.
Come, I'll conduct ye, follow me;
I know the place, 'tis not far off.

Sylv.
Farewel Shepherds, farewel Plains,
Woods and Streams, and all farewel.

Ergast.
She heartily repents her scorn,
And talks as if she never would return.

CHORUS.