University of Virginia Library

Scene 3:

The seashore, a chariot waiting in the background. View of the distant city. Enter Hippolytus.
Hipp.
My native Athens, let me see thee once
Ere I resign the dearest right of birth,
To call thee Mother! From thy fostering arms
Such falsehood hunts me, as the gracious earth
Should surge and quake beneath to let it through
Where it hath place, with pitchy flames of hell,
And foul-mouthed Furies. Where are ye, ye gods,
That I should suffer this which I must bear
For such necessity? I have been calm,
But at this step my vexed soul rises up,
Like some full wave, storm-swoll'n from yonder deep,
Which, rolling all its angry length along,
Breaks in the sight of Heav'n with one wild cry
That mocks at patience! Should I then endure
That shame sit throned upon my father's couch,
And point and gibber as I creep away,
Bearing its loathsome burden? 'Tis too much!
I'll speak, but oh, th' unutterable word,
The unimaginable crime—my lips,
Keep it till death! The stars that see me wronged
Must purge my memory, when their hour is come.

Art.
Hippolytus!

Hipp.
The huntress of the woods!
How cam'st thou hither?

Art.
For thy need I come.

Hipp.
Who'er thou art, approach not—he who waits
To guide this car is henceforth barred of men.
Dishonour hides his crest, and on his brow
Sits the black signal of a father's curse.

Art.
Am I of those whose sight goes not beyond
The flimsy armour of a woman's guile?
The curse unmerited dissolves for me—
I know your stepdame Phaedra, and her crime.

Hipp.
[With eagerness]
Oh! If you know it, never breathe it loud,
Nor whisper low, to tempt the elements.
If you so love me as your deed should show,
Following a fallen man, forget the thing
You spoke—this grace alone I ask of you.

Art.
When should the truth be known?

Hipp.
When mortal pain
Doth loose its hold on Theseus—when his shade,
Encountering mine, devoid of wrath or stain,
Shall see the thrilling sorrows of this life
But as the faultless working of the gods
To some high purpose.

Art.
Thou art perfect still,
In all thy temper. Leave these things to such
Whose office is to tend them—for thyself
I now entreat thee.

Hipp.
See, the dawn is full,
I must away.

Art.
A moment hear me first.
Thou know'st I dwell not in the ways of men,
But for mine own free pleasure haunt the woods,
Hunting the antlered stag—by Jove's high will
I live in holy cherished maidenhood,
But thou art dearer than the world to me.
Now, by the love I've borne thee, year for year,
Hippolytus, ride not beside the sea!

Hipp.
My father gave the road by which I go—
Maiden, farewell, that road leads by the sea.

Art.
[Detaining him]
One moment more—I have a fastness hid
From eyes of men, beyond yon mountain's peak,
Where at the purple sunset, oft thine eyes
Devout have lingered—thither, in a cloud,
Serene as sleep, I'll bear thy gentleness,
And hide thee, till the present danger pass.

Hipp.
Set the bird free, whose happy wings unblamed
May free him from the deadly wound and snare:
But I am forged as iron from the ore,
To meet the shock that waits me.

Art.
Listen yet—
Know'st thou Poseidon is thy father's friend,
Who, in wild anger, claimed a boon of him?

Hipp.
Then shall he have it!

Art.
If it were thy death!

Hipp.
Turn hence thine eyes that hold me, while I feel
My swift thoughts rushing to the brink of fate:
Ye elements, accomplish Theseus' will,
And as he prayed, revoking Nature's bond,
So let it be. [Exit, R.]


Art.
So must it be? Then go.
[She assumes a posture of intense attention]
How swiftly rolls his chariot on the sands!
Oh, bear him, trusty steeds, beyond this hour
Of dreadful promise—well you love his care,
His voice, his hand—be true and save his life!

[Enter an Amazon]
Amazon.
How suddenly the deep grows turbulent,
While still the clear day smiles!

Art.
Hist! Do you see
That chariot, flashing like a dart of steel
Hurled on the ocean highway? It is his.

Amazon.
Scared at the rushing of the brine, the steeds
Break from their steady pace.

Art.
He reins them well.

Amazon.
Still, they are froward.

Art.
Do not speak—mine eyes
Will have my soul all in them for this sight.
See you that gathering pyramid of foam
Heaped up before him? It has glaring eyes,
And monstrous features, that do belch forth flame
Across his path. Ah, gods! It hurls itself!

Amazon.
Help! Help! The horses lose the guiding hand—
The car is overturned and dashed to splints.
But where is he?

Art.
Where I must follow him.

[Exeunt in haste, R. Enter Theseus and followers, L.]
Thes.
Where is the prince? Let me not come too late,
Ye gods, and thou, Poseidon, stay thine hand!
I was the fool of curst deceit, but thou
In whose clear sight he stood, devoid of fault,
Wouldst thou destroy him, at my frantic prayer?
Then should the heavens betray the innocent,
And spread their pall to give the guilty cover.
No, he shall live, to comfort my sad years,
That take their date of sorrow from this day
Of dark revealing.

Follower.
Who are these that bear
A weight along, with wild and clouded eyes?

[Enter Artemis and others, bearing Hippolytus. Music]
Art.
Theseus, behold your son.

Thes.
Disfigured thus?

Art.
'Tis as you wished.

Thes.
Hell's curses on the tongue
That falsely did accuse thee—still, thou breathest?
Oh! live, that I may heal thy wounds with love,
And wipe outrageous slander from thy brow.

Art.
It cannot be.

Hipp.
Father, have ever peace!

Thes.
Canst thou forgive me thine untimely death?

Hipp.
Wouldst thou remember me in coming years,
Think only that I loved thee!

Thes.
Pitying gods,
Can nothing save him?

Hipp.
[With great effort]
Thou hast other children—
If thou wouldst doubt them, think that they
Are thine, and trust the virtue of thy godlike race.
I perish! [Sinking back]


Art.
Give thy last look to me,
Whom thy fair life did honour. I am she
That smiled from Heaven—the Goddess Artemis.

Hipp.
Father, 'tis she! [Dies]


Art.
In fair Elysian fields,
Dream without sorrow of the things that were—
Beneath thy shadowy steps shall lilies spring,
While the pure-hearted, fleeting ere their time,
Shall joy to take their virgin rest with thee. [Music]


CURTAIN