The Distrest Mother A Tragedy |
 | 1. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 2. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 3. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 8. |
| 4. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 8. |
| 5. |
| 1. | SCENE I. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 8. |
 | The Distrest Mother |  |
SCENE I.
Hermionealone.
What have I done? where am I? where is Pyrrhus?
Ye Gods! what mean these Horrours?—I am undone!
My Soul is on the Rack!—I cannot bear it!—
Why do I wander like some guilty Ghost?
What brought me to this Place? what keeps me here?
The Court of Pyrrhus has no Room for me!—
Do I still doubt if I should love or hate him?
Hard-hearted Man! How unconcern'd he left me!
Did he once sigh? bestow one pitying Look?
Once shed a Tear? or speak one soft kind Word?
Did he so much as feign one Moment's Sorrow,
To calm my Griefs, and mitigate his Falshood?
—Why am I still thus anxious for his Life?
Why do I start at his impending Fate?
Shall he then live; shall the base Traytor live
To laugh at my Distress? No, let him perish!
Be quick, Orestes!—Execute my Orders!
Alass! my Orders? Oh preposterous Guilt!
Can I decree the Death of him I love?
Was it for this my Soul delighted in him?
Was it for this I left my Father's Court?
Have I then cross'd so many Realms and Seas,
To murder Pyrrhus?—
Ye Gods! what mean these Horrours?—I am undone!
My Soul is on the Rack!—I cannot bear it!—
Why do I wander like some guilty Ghost?
What brought me to this Place? what keeps me here?
The Court of Pyrrhus has no Room for me!—
Do I still doubt if I should love or hate him?
Hard-hearted Man! How unconcern'd he left me!
Did he once sigh? bestow one pitying Look?
Once shed a Tear? or speak one soft kind Word?
Did he so much as feign one Moment's Sorrow,
To calm my Griefs, and mitigate his Falshood?
—Why am I still thus anxious for his Life?
Why do I start at his impending Fate?
Shall he then live; shall the base Traytor live
To laugh at my Distress? No, let him perish!
Be quick, Orestes!—Execute my Orders!
Alass! my Orders? Oh preposterous Guilt!
Can I decree the Death of him I love?
Was it for this my Soul delighted in him?
Was it for this I left my Father's Court?
Have I then cross'd so many Realms and Seas,
To murder Pyrrhus?—
| The Distrest Mother | |