University of Virginia Library

ACT IV.

A Grove. At the End of it the Temple of Juno.
Enter ALCANDER.
ALCANDER.
Hail to immortal Juno's sacred shrine!
Goddess of Argos, hail! Thou, in whose breast
Eternal hatred 'gainst Alcides' race
Dwells unextinguished! To thy altar, queen,
Lo, I devote his daughter! here, this hour,
In spite of Acamas, Macaria dies!

Enter THESTOR from the Temple.
THESTOR.
Alcander's order Thestor has obeyed;
Yet vainly sure the altars now must blaze,
Without a victim; when thy mortal foe
Th'Athenian army heads; when Acamas
The bold, th'intrepid, is gone forth to fight,
Perhaps to slay Eurystheus. That, at once,
Tumbles thy towering projects down; and all
Thy statesman's wiles are air.

ALCANDER.
And is Alcander
Thus known? Vain augur, there will be no battle:
I sent forth Acamas; by my instructions
He heads th'Athenian army; at his will,
Alcander this tremendous hero moves,
The puppet of his pleasure. Demophon
Has fool'd his brother with a mock command;
And after him sent orders, on his life,
Not to engage Eurystheus. Now believ'st thou
Thy altars smoke in vain?

THESTOR.
That's a device
Of policy indeed!

ALCANDER.
The same instructions
Go to each chief; while Conon, the king's son,
I, for a special purpose, have dispatched,
To make Eurystheus privy to the plot,
And bid him in his own entrenchments keep.

ACAMAS.
But still, should Acamas attack the ranks?—

ALCANDER.
They are too strong; he dares not. On the heights
Eurystheus is well posted, and must baffle
His boldest efforts. There will be no battle.

THESTOR.
Meantime, Macaria—

ALCANDER.
True; while her mock hero
Vaunts it before the troops, Macaria dies
At Juno's altar. Speed thee to the king,
Ere he finds time to cool; into his breast
Infuse, as thou art wont, religious awe.
Go then, without delay, his fancy fright
With slighted oracles, and vengeful gods
Ready to bolt their thunder.
Exit Thestor.
Triumph now
My heart! now glory in a daring deed,
Which fools call villainy, who want the spirit
To be successful villains. In my view
Glitters the crown of Argos; my hands now
The sceptre seem to grasp; and by my side
Eurystheus' sister sits in regal state:
My hopes can soar no higher; one cloud only
Lours o'er my prospect. Hyllus!—curse upon
The forward stripling. Hyllus lives! were he
Once placed within my compass—but this hand
Must crush him, and it shall. I have already
Sent forth a secret sword. But where's this victim?
Thestor wants power to work upon the king;
That power I'll quickly furnish; play the son
An engine on his sire.

Enter IOLAUS.
IOLAUS.
Behold the wretch,
Whose footsteps I've been tracing. This earth bears not
A more abhorred object to my eyes
Than thee; and yet I follow thee, thou vile
Artificer of fraud. But ruin gathers
Already o'er Eurystheus' head and thine.
Prophetic are my words: and Hyllus, Hyllus,
Comes to fulfil the prophecy.

ALCANDER.
Alcander
Can laugh alike at prophecy and prophet.
He soars, officious babler, 'bove thy sphere,
And the vain boy thou boast'st of: but go on;
In blind security go dreaming on,
Into the pit destruction digs.

Exit.
IOLAUS.
He's gone:
A deep, determined villain, who would wade
Thro' all the blood of all the royal race,
T'usurp the throne of Argos. But oh, never,
All-gracious Jove! let such a traitor wear
Thy own Alcides' crown. His black soul now
Sits brooding over some new villainy.
Alarming were his words—hold; let me ponder.

[He retires.
Enter DEIANIRA with an ATTENDANT.
ATTENDANT.
For worlds, my queen! for worlds, thou should'st not risk
A second time such perils. Gracious heaven!
My frighted ears still hear the soldiers scoffs!
Their levelled spears still lighten in my eyes!
Ah, go not to the palace; thy Macaria
Is safe; the king's her friend; thou hast the assurance
Of royal Acamas. Then be advised;
Back to Jove's temple.

DEIANIRA.
Thou art not a mother!
No darling child hast thou within the grasp
Of a fell tyrant! desperate else, like me,
Thou would'st rush forth thro' swords and threatening spears,
Without a thought of danger.—Go thyself
Back to Jove's temple. What should I do there?
I want no sanctuary without my daughter!
No world, no life for me!—Should Demophon—
Suspicion is the guest of guilty minds,
And shall not harbour here:—else should the king,
Forced by Eurystheus' threats, Alcander's wiles,
By passion, interest, policy, caprice—
Eternal powers! on what a slender thread
Hangs human happiness!
—Hah! Iolaus—

[Iolaus comes forward.
IOLAUS.
My queen! good heaven!

DEIANIRA.
Thou tremblest to behold
Thy queen thus rashly wanedring! thy queen too
Trembles at her own rashness! but distracted
With anxious doubts and fears, I sought the palace.
Hæmon, where art thou? whom thy queen dispatched
For quick intelligence—thou com'st not, Hæmon.
My fond impatience speeds not thy return—
Thou seest not danger in the frightful forms
Maternal passions paint it.—Still I hear
No tidings.—Iolaus, speak some words
Of comfort to me.

IOLAUS.
I, alas, am past
All power of comfort! an old blasted tree,
With moss o'ergrown, and wither'd!

DEIANIRA.
Thy heart heaves
With something thou would'st hide!

Enter HÆMON.
HÆMON.
From shrine to shrine
Vainly I follow—

DEIANIRA.
Hæmon, thou hast seen her;
And wherefore comes she not?—the sacrifice,
Is it perform'd?—oh, such suspence is death!
The victim, has it bled? then why, Macaria,
This terrible delay?

HÆMON.
She to the palace
Went with the king. When the procession passed,
At a small distance, I beheld the grove
With multitudes encircled; listening all
To hear the trumpet's signal, that devoted
The victim to the god. Along the vale,
Broken, by fits, came floating on the air
The sound of solemn hymning; I beheld
The priest in purple vestment take his stand;
I saw the sun beams glittering on his sword,
Uplifted for the blow; I heard the trump:—
Sudden 'twas all confusion!—

DEIANIRA.
Iolaus,
Thou'st caught my fears: I read them in thy eyes.
Alcander's ruffian band have crossed the rites—
The populace call on the king to yield,
Dread Jove! to yield my child!—But no; the ties,
The sacred ties of friendship, of relation,
He better knows—the debt of gratitude
He owes Alcides, deeply is engraved,
And to his race he'll pay it. Rest, poor heart!
Safe in that hope—safe in his piety
To heaven!—the best religion to the gods
Is mercy to mankind.

HÆMON.
The king's thy shield;
And every shaft the tyrant shoots shall back
Return to his own breast.

DEIANIRA.
It may be so.—
But yet, but yet this horrible suspense
The worst of apprehensions conjures up,
In their worst forms.—All dark where-e'er I turn!
And dismal all!—on a lone rock I stand,
The wild waves raving round me!

IOLAUS.
Yet awhile,
A little while endure—the thunder's o'er;
And now the scattering rack flies harmless on.

DEIANIRA.
My heart will bear no more! I'll to the grove:
Yet, to break in unbid!—a moment's pause—
What, if I enter here; in Juno's temple,
Try to propitiate the incensed power,
And make her less my foe? I'll enter here;
And try to deprecate her wrath. To th'temple
Lead on, thou good old man: prayers such as mine,
Prayers from a broken heart, plead not in vain.

[Exit with Iolaus to the Temple.
HÆMON.
Struck with an arrow, hapless queen, she flies
From place to place! but can't fly from herself.
Oh then, in pity to her woes, dread Jove!
In pity to her virtue!—hark, I heard
The tread of feet—'tis Demophon; what brings him
To Juno's temple?—with a priest he comes—
I'll to the sacred grove.

Exit.
Enter DEMOPHON and THESTOR.
DEMOPHON.
I tell thee, no:
Macaria must not bleed.

THESTOR.
My gracious lord—

DEMOPHON.
My mind misgives me; I will not consent.
Just as the sword was raised for sacrifice,
It thunder'd on the right; and from my lips
Ill-omen'd words involuntary fell—
My mind misgives me—priest, she shall not bleed.

THESTOR.
Forgive thy servant, who upon his king
Charges whate'er may seem of ill portent.
Thy doubts and thy delays, which mock alike
The priest and oracle; these from above
Bad omens of displeasure bring; which now
The victim hardly can avert:—no longer
Oppose her fate.

Enter ALCANDER.
ALCANDER.
Eurystheus, wild with rage,
Brands thee, oh king, with perfidy. Nay, mark
His dreadful menace; if this very hour
Macaria doth not on the altar bleed,
Thy son's life pays the forfeit.

DEMOPHON.
Conon's life?—
What! how! where is he?

ALCANDER.
In Eurystheus' camp.

DEMOPHON.
Eurystheus' camp?—oh I remember—fly—
Fly to Eurystheus' camp—prevent—inform—
Say, Demophon consents—this very hour
Macaria dies—quick to the Argian camp—
Haste, seize Macaria; bid the priests approach:
Thy violated altar now, dread queen!
Shall have due honours done—the victim bleeds.

ALCANDER.
Oh, transport to my soul! no human power
Can snatch her now from fate.

THESTOR.
Lo, king of Athens,
Obedient to heaven's call, the priests, in slow
Solemn procession, with Macaria move
To Juno's temple.

Solemn musick. A slow procession. MACARIA drest like a Victim, attended by Priests.
DEMOPHON.
Holy men, approach,
And execute your office. Demophon
No longer heaven's resistless will withstands.
Uninterrupted now the victim lead
To sacrifice.

THESTOR.
Virgin, thou there discern'st
Great Juno's temple: with profoundest reverence,
Behold, the servant of the sacred goddess
Conducts thee to the altar.

MACARIA.
Gods above!
To you Macaria lifts her latest prayer;
To you devotes herself for a lov'd parent.
Oh, let the sighs of innocence, to which
Your heavenly gates stand open day and night,
Find entrance! Let the virtues of her son
Lighten her loss of me! comfort them both!
The Queen and Hyllus comfort! for ye can,
Tho' poor Macaria cannot. Without pause,
Now do your office, priest. Nay, touch me not:
Freely to death I follow.

[She walks attended towards the Temple, with solemn musick.]
DEMOPHON.
Now, my son
Conon shall live; and Juno be appeased.

DEIANIRA and IOLAUS from the Temple.
DEIANIRA.
Hark, Iolaus! heard you not the sounds
Of sad solemnity? and lo, attired
By virgin vest—Earth hide me from the sight!
'Tis she! oh horror, horror! my dear daughter
Led forth a victim!—closer yet my child,
And closer! he who tears thee from thy mother
Shall bring the Furies with him!

DEMOPHON.
Deianira!

ALCANDER.
Curst accident!

DEIANIRA.
Priests, do your office—

DEIANIRA.
Hold!
Thou bloody tyrant, hold!—oh, lost to all
Humanity! from dæmons sprung thou art!
From vengeance, murder, death! whate'er of horror
Lays waste the world!—Could not her innocence,
Youth, beauty, all! not all—but yet thou could'st not!
Tyrant, thou dar'st not do it! the very stones
Would from this violated altar start,
In vengeance of the crime! Heaven's wrathful king
Blast with his bluest lightning!—Oh, what fiend
From hell could tempt thee to so damned a deed!

DEMOPHON.
Had I not patience beyond mortal man—
Injurious queen! what wert thou?—Goes she not,
Obedient to heaven's holy oracle,
A voluntary victim to preserve
Thy wretched being?—Seize her!

DEIANIRA.
Off! forbear!
Horrible wretch!

THESTOR.
What dreadful profanation!
Retire, before th'offended goddess—

ALCANDER.
Speak;
Pronounce the sentence; Conon bids thee speak!

DEMOPHON.
He does; and wakes each agonizing nerve
Within a father's breast! But to behold
That spectacle!—yet Conon, yet my son—
If one must die!—Sound, sound for sacrifice!

DEIANIRA.
No, dare not, as you're men! it were a sound
To start the powers of heaven!—I clasp thy knees!
Mercy! oh, mercy! on the most forlorn,
Unfortunate of womankind! No more
My frantic rage upbraids thee: by the name
Revered of parent, spare, oh spare my child!
And if you must have blood, take mine for hers!
And freely shall it flow.

MACARIA.
The impious hand,
Raised 'gainst her reverend age, is raised 'gainst heaven!
It braves the thunderer's bolts!

DEIANIRA.
Regard not her,
Unnatural child! she feels not for the mother
Who gave the life she scorns; regard not her:
Thee I again implore; in bitterness
Of bursting anguish, clasp thy knees again.
Nay, turn not—in the terror of thine eye
A drop I see, that will not be restrained;
'Tis nature pleading from my heart to thine!
Oh, hear her terrible, her tender cry!
And here the poignard plunge!

MACARIA.
Tempt not, rash king,
Tempt not the gods!—on thee, on all thy race,
A mother's innocent blood will cry for blood!
Macaria is the victim! speak the word
Which the gods spoke. Now, from yon opening heaven,
They all look down on this tremendous scene!
They view this agonizing heart, that heaves
To meet the blow! then, by that heaven, I charge you,
Plunge here the poignard!

DEMOPHON.
Sound to sacrifice,
And lead Macaria forth.

DEIANIRA.
Barbarian! no—
Thou shalt not force her from me; thus entwined,
We'll die together in each other's arms,
Mother and daughter!

Enter ACAMAS, speaking from Without. Guards, &c.
ACAMAS.
Where, where is this king?
Who with a mock command presumes t'affront
A brother. Hah! Macaria here a victim!
He dies! by heaven, he dies, whose touch profanes her!
Well may your eyes with guilty terror glare
On such a king! whose savageness would slay,
Even in a mother's sight, her dearest child.
Some god hold back my arm from brother's blood!

DEMOPHON.
Hah! dread'st thou not the thunder's vengeful bolt!
—It is not me—not me, presumptuous youth!
The goddess thou affront'st!—thy impious sword,
It rages against heaven!

ALCANDER.
Better submit,
[Aside to Demophon
Without contention; he shall soon repent.
Trust to Alcander, Sir; on his own head
I'll turn the tempest.

ACAMAS.
Say'st thou, miscreant!
Hence, while my wrath forbears thee.

DEMOPHON.
Horrible!
—But I will not profane with these loud brawls
This holy place. More than thy frantic menace
Doth that religious apprehension check
Our waked resentment.—Reverend seers, lead on.

[Exeunt Demophon, Priests, &c.
MACARIA.
My full heart must not—oh, it cannot speak
This tumult of emotion!

DEIANIRA.
Guardian god
Of me, Macaria, Hyllus!

ACAMAS.
Great occasion
Hurries me hence; else much hast thou to hear
Of Hyllus;—but this king! this brother! oh,
His perfidy sits near me!—Had he eyes,
Inhuman! to behold? and yet a heart,
A savage heart, to sacrifice such charms!
—I'll to him instantly—'fore all his troops
Confront him—and by heaven!—yet not him only—
That curst Alcander too!—Villain, beware—
But to the sanctuary of Jove's temple
Let my guards lead you; the blest hour speeds on;
Macaria still shall triumph; or this sword
To its foundation shake th'Athenian throne.

[Exeunt.