Eurydice A Tragedy |
 | 1. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 2. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 8. |
| 9. |
| 3. |
| 1. | SCENE I. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 8. |
| 9. |
| 10. |
| 4. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 8. |
| 5. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 8. |
| 9. |
 | Eurydice |  |
SCENE I.
Eurydice, Melissa.Melissa.
This chearless morning rises slow and sad.
The frowning heavens are black with stormy clouds;
And, o'er the deep, a hovering night of fogs
Lies dark and motionless.
Eurydice.
That mournful face
Of nature is less gloomy than my soul:
All there is darkness and dismay. Ah me!
Was ever night, Melissa, like the last?
A night of many terrors, many deaths!
How has my soul out-liv'd it? But, great Gods!
Can mortal strength, can human vertue bear
What Periander feels? In one day's course
Wreck'd, made a captive, sunk into a dungeon,
To die or live as his curst foe decrees!
Distraction's in the thought. And what can I
To save his sacred life?
[After a pause.
Ha! is it heaven
That darts this sudden light into my soul?
This glimpse of dawning hope?—It shall be try'd.
Yes, yes, ye Powers! my life and fame shall both
Be offer'd up to save his dearer life.
Melissa.
Alas, what mean you, Madam?
Eurydice.
Mean, Melissa?
To do a noble justice on myself;
37
Chaste wives and matrons shall renown my name.
I have wrong'd my husband greatly, and I mean
Ample atonement of my guilty weakness.
Go then, Melissa—
Melissa.
Whither must I go?
I tremble at your words.
Eurydice.
Yet it sticks here,
This fatal purpose. Can I leave behind me
A doubtful name, insulted, wounded, torn
By cruel Calumny? I can; I dare
Throw off the woman, and be deaf to all
Those nicer female fears that call so loud,
Importunate, and urging me to live
Till I may clear my truth from all surmize.
Go then, and in my name—'Tis worse than death
To utter it—but go, inform the Tyrant,
So Periander lives, and is set free,
I yield me to his wish.
Melissa.
Forbid it heaven!
Eurydice.
Thou faithful vertuous maid! Know then my last,
My fix'd resolve. By this I mean to amuse
His brutal hopes, and save me from his violence,
Till Periander is beyond his reach.
Then, if he still dare urge his impious purpose,
A dagger sets me free. This arm at last
Shall do me right on him, myself, or both.
| Eurydice | |