 | The Olympiad |  |
SCENE I.
Aristea, Argene.Arg.
No tidings of the combat yet arriv'd?
Aris.
No, beauteous Argene: the law is hard
That suffers not our sex to be spectators.
Arg.
Alas! 'twere greater pain, perhaps, to see
The man we love expos'd in such a conflict,
Nor have it in our power to give him succour,
Yet to be present—
Aris.
I methinks am present
Though absent far: even now my labouring mind
Forms things that are not. Could'st thou see this heart;
The combat's here, my friend, here, here it rages
More than in yonder field: before my eyes
I see the lists, I see my Megacles,
The judges and contending combatants!
Imagination paints his rivals stronger,
His judges partial: doubly in my soul
I feel whate'er he feels: the cruel blows,
The threats, the insulting shouts—O! were I present,
I should but fear the truth; while thus in absence,
My anxious thoughts create a thousand dangers,
And what is not, and is, alike I fear.
Arg.
No messenger as yet appears—
[looking out.
109
None yet—
O Heaven!
Arg.
What can this mean?
Aris.
Alas! I doubt!
How my heart trembles!
Arg.
Whence this mighty tumult?
Aris.
My fate's decided—See, Alcander comes.
Arg.
O! haste Alcander, haste to give us comfort;
What news?
| The Olympiad | |