University of Virginia Library

SCENA Prima.

SCENE opens to a Temple, and discovers Andromache kneeling before Hector's Tomb, his Armour and Sword upon it. Paris enters to her.
Paris.
What means the sad Andromache to mourn
With endless Tears upon her Husbands Urn,
As if she'd challenge Heav'n, that lent no Ears?—
Look up, behold the Gods have heard thy Prayers.

And.
What art? I hear the Voice of blessed Tydings,
But my dull Eyes, all swoln and drown'd in Tears,
Forbid that I shou'd see the happy Man
That brings such Comfort to Andromache.

Par.
Peace spreads her Wings o're all the Gates of Troy,
Through ev'ry Street is heard the Sound of Joy,
And bury'd Ilium now again appears;
Rise like a Phœnix from thy Husband's Hearse.
The Grecians have remov'd their Ten Years Siege;
The widen'd Gates extend their longing Arms
To let in proud Achilles, who this hour
Is to be marri'd to Polyxena.

And.
Now Pity hold thy Tongue, or stop my Ears,
If this be all the Comfort it declares—
Blame not Andromache, though still she grieves,
Whilst Hector's dead, and base Achilles lives.

Par.
Rise best of Women then, and swiftly move,
Wing'd with the Charms of just Revenge and Love—
Give me thy hand—Thus o're his Sacred Tomb,
His Spirit ecchoing from it's Marble Room,
Swear, that the Gods may hear us ev'ry Word,
By Hector's Ghost, his Gantlet, and his Sword.

And.
What shall I swear?

Par.
Revenge, Revenge for thy dear Husband's Death,
Swift on the Head of haughty, proud Achilles,
Anticipate his watchful Stars, that guard
His hated Life, and snatch bright darling Vengeance
From the fond Breast of Jove, and execute
So sudden, 'twill amaze the Rival God
To see us favour'd, and so doted on
By his belov'd, and courted Goddess.

And.
See, see with eager hast, and longing Hopes,
As er'e I wish'd to see the happy Fruit
Of a hard Birth I groan'd with—Thus I swear
By all these dear Remains, with Tears of Joy,
And Sorrow mingled in a Show'r together.

Par.
And I by all these hallow'd Bones,
And buri'd Valour here—So, 'tis enough;
Now give thy Eyes some respite from their just
And tributaty Tears, to lead thee forth,
Where thou may'st glut thy longing Sight, and reap
Far greater and more pleasing Sacrifices
To heap upon his Tomb, where for these Trophies,
The Armour forg'd by Vulcan shall be laid,
And on his Spear Achilles dreadful Head.

And.
O tell me then, how I Revenge may have;
[Come forward—upon the Stage]
Nothing but that cou'd force me from his Grave;
Instruct me by what Mischief we may now
Send this Immortal to his Seat below.

Par.
Polyxena by Priamu's Command,
And Hecuba's, is forc'd to give her Hand,
To be the Sacrifice for all our Lives,
Achilles woful Bride in Pallas Temple;
Like poor Andromeda, to be there devour'd
By this Land Monster;—
But I, like Theseus flying from the Gods,
Will rescue her, and in his greedy Hand;
Before the Priest has said his binding Pray'r,
This happy Arm, fledg'd with a venom'd Dart,
Shall send a Poyson to his Mortal Place,
And snatch her from his eager wish'd Embrace—
These Shouts proclaim the Grecian Princes nigh,
To meet the King, and grace Achilles Wedding.
[Shouts within.]
Retire, and with thy best Persuasions
Divert the Mind of poor Polyxena.

And.
Revenge, and Hector's Ghost shall be my Guide.
Exit Andromache.

Enter to Paris, Agam. and Ulysses at one door, and Priamus and Guards at another.
Aga.
The Heav'ns preserve the Mighty Phrygian King,
And Troy's Preserver, favour'd by the Gods;
Thus Agamemnon, and the Grecian Princes,
Embrace the Union by Achilles made,
Accept that Love has been so long exil'd;
Brave Breasts are subject still to gallant Enmity,
That laid aside, contain the noblest Friendship.

Pri.
How gay, and beautiful does Peace appear,
Sprung from the aged grisly Bed of War.
This lovely offspring of a Ten Years Siege,
Has made us all enamour'd of her Charms.
The Joy had been too great without allay,
Had Hector liv'd t'have seen this happy day.

Aga.
By Hector's Death you but exchange a Son,
Achilles now his Virtues, and his Place does own.

Ulyss.
And more than that, we come not empty handed,
But bring a Gift, a Sacrifice of Peace,
That Jupiter himself wou'd gladly own,
A noble Statue from Original,
Divinely consecrate to your great Goddess
Pallas, whom we most humbly now implore
To take this Godlike Image to her self,
And ever whilst she looks on that, forget
The Crime done by Ulysses and the Grecians,
In stealing her Divine Palladium,
And so from hence to everlasting Ages,
It shall be call'd the great Palladian Horse.

Pri.
What Miracle is this of which you tell!

Ulyss.
This glorious Body's of so vast a Bigness,
That the most wide, and lofty of your Gates
Too little is to let in—Give then Command
That straight it may be brought into the Town,
And I'le make known the Wonder of the World,
And Bounty of the Gods to Troy.

Pri.
Quickly, with all the Joyful Speed that can,
Let a vast Gap be made in ev'ry Wall,
And let the Priests, and all that are religious,
In Triumph, and with Songs of Gratitude,
Conduct this Guardian of our City in.

Ulyss.
Know, Noble Trojans, that when first we ravish'd
Your dread Palladium, with such prodigious Joy
To Greece, and Terrour to the Hearts of Troy,
I wish Ulysses had that Night been slain,
Or lost these Eyes that guided him, or left
These most prophane and Sacrilegious Arms
Mangled, and cut from my unhappy Body,
That first laid impious Hands upon her Godhead,
Which brought so great a Plague amongst our Army:
For worse than what you dreaded fell on us;
You only fear'd, what we have felt with horrour;
Which still our Policy has kept conceal'd,
Till Calchas, by Divinity inspir'd,
And by the Mercy of the Goddess, did invent
This Horse, by skilful Epeus fram'd, to be
An endless Sacrifice, and Refuge for us;
Which was no sooner done, but her pleas'd Vengeance staid.—
The Reason why it's Vastness was design'd,
Was, if we had been forc'd to quit the Siege,
And leave so great a Blessing to our Foes behind,
It should be held a thing impossible
To be convey'd into your City.