The Olympiad | ||
SCENE XII.
Lycidas, enter to him Argene.Lyc.
[to himself]
And am I this barbarian, this perfidious!
Ye powers!—I'll follow her, and know the cause
Of this mysterious chiding.
128
Traitor, stay!
Lyc.
Ha! do I dream or wake!
[sees Argene.
Arg.
Thou dost not dream;
O no! thou seest forsaken Argene;
Ungrateful man! behold these features, once
Thy sole delight, if midst my past misfortunes
A trace remains of what they once have been.
Lyc.
Whence could she come? In what a luckless hour
Am I surpris'd? If still I loiter here
I lose my Aristea. [aside.]
— [to her.]
Beauteous maid!
I understand not what thy words import;
Some other time thou may'st at better leisure
Explain thy meaning.
[going.
Arg.
Hear me, cruel man!
[holding him.
Lyc.
Unhappy me!
[aside.
Arg.
Dost thou not understand me?
But well I understand thy perfidy,
Thy new affection! All thy frauds I know;
And Clisthenes from me shall know them all,
To thy confusion.
[going.
Lyc.
O forbear! Yet hear me;
[holding her.
Be not offended, Argene: forgive
This seeming coldness: I remember now
My former love, and if thou wilt conceal me,
Perhaps—who knows th' event?
Arg.
And can I suffer
129
Who knows th' event? Yes, yes, 'tis I am guilty:
The motives thou hast urg'd to plead thy pardon,
Are doubtless mighty proofs of thy affection.
Lyc.
Yet hear what I would say.
[offers to take her hand.
Arg.
Leave me, ingrate!
I'll hear no more!
Lyc.
O! Gods! I'm all distraction!
Arg.
No; the flatterer Hope in vain
Essays his soothing power:
Revenge alone I seek to gain,
And love expect no more.
Essays his soothing power:
Revenge alone I seek to gain,
And love expect no more.
Let peace be banish'd from thy breast,
Where treason holds her seat;
I'll call myself no more distress'd,
But all my pains forget.
Where treason holds her seat;
I'll call myself no more distress'd,
But all my pains forget.
[Exit.
The Olympiad | ||