University of Virginia Library

ACT V.

SCENE, A prison.
Ismena seated, Olinthus asleep by her, Attendant.
ISMENA.
Already hush'd in slumber!—O! sleep on,
Dear guiltless babe! these rugged walls to thee,
Are as the costly arras that surrounds
A prince's chamber, and the solemn clank
Of these rude chains, is as the music's note
To lull thee to thy rest—Where is my love,
My lord Timanthes?—Gracious powers! assist him,
And reconcile his soul to life and happiness!
He must, he shall—but look, Ianthe, see
My poor Olinthus smiles—blest omen sure
Of his lov'd father's fortune—happy state,
Of childish innocence—ha! smile again!
Thou dear resemblance of thy hapless fire,
His little self!—O! I could gaze for ever,
Till all the mother, 'wakening in my soul,
Would fix me down to life, to life and thee!

Enter Demophoon and Cephisa.
CEPHISA.
Behold, Demophoon, where reclin'd she hangs
O'er her young son; the silent mourner weeps
In heart-felt anguish—claims not this the tear
Of sympathizing sorrow?

DEMOPHOON.
Yes, Cephisa,
My breast has caught th'infection—and behold
Lost in herself she heeds us not, do thou
Speak comfort to her woes.

CEPHISA.
[going towards Ismena.]
Ismena—

ISMENA.
Ha!
Cephisa!—like some guardian spirit still
Thou hover'st round me—yet can grief retire,
Where goodness such as thine will not pursue?
To thee a mother owes this dear embrace!
But O! what do I see, Demophoon here!
Ah! sir, what means this visit? Com'st thou now
To give my sorrows peace? 'Tis but a moment
That severs life and wretchedness, and, Oh!
Would the same lips that seal Ismena's doom,
Restore Timanthes to a father's love,
To life—to pardon—

[kneels.
DEMOPHOON.
Rise—

ISMENA.
Still let me kneel,
'Tis for Timanthes—wherefore dost thou turn
Thy face to hide the starting tear—O! think,
You see him banish'd from a father's sight,
A wretched prisoner—yet, you answer not—
O speak!—Olinthus! look he wakes—Ianthe,
Haste, bring him, he shall plead his father's cause:
Come, little suppliant, see, Demophoon, see,
Mark but his looks, they cannot plead in vain—
He is your own, whate'er his mother's guilt,
Your royal blood flows in his infant veins,
Think that in him your once-lov'd son implores,
And in Olinthus now behold Timanthes.

DEMOPHOON.
This is too much—O! rise—my daughter rise,
And in a parent's arms forget thy sufferings.

ISMENA.
What do I hear!

DEMOPHOON.
Thy virtues have aton'd
For all that's past—Timanthes shall again
Be yours—Olinthus too—at once we'll bless
The husband and the father.

CEPHISA.
Why, Ismena,
Art thou still silent—see'st thou not that heaven
Crowns every hope Cephisa wish'd to raise?
And dost thou yet distrust the flattering scene?
Dispel thy doubts—

ISMENA.
And shall I then forget
These dreams of grief and terror!—let us leave
In these abodes the phantoms of despair,
And haste to life, to rapture, and Timanthes!

[Exeunt.
SCENE, another part of the prison.
Timanthes
alone.
Why should we covet life? What are its charms,
Since all degrees are wretched? Every state
Partakes of misery: in infancy
We tremble at a frown; in ripening youth
We're made the sport of fortune and of love:
In age we groan beneath the weight of years:
Now we're tormented with the thirst of gain,
And now the fear of loss: eternal war
The wicked with themselves maintain; the just
With fraud and envy: all our schemes are shadow
Vain and illusive as a sick man's dream,
And when we but begin at last to know
Our life's whole folly, death cuts short the scene.

Enter Cherinthus.
CHERINTHUS.
Where is my friend, my brother!

[embrace.
TIMANTHES.
Ha! Cherinthus,
Are these the tears due to thy brother's death,
When thus you press me with a last embrace?

CHERINTHUS.
What last embrace, what tears, what death, Timanthes!
Still live, and still be bless'd—these hands shall loose
Thy galling chains, these lips shall breathe the sound
Of life and happiness.

TIMANTHES.
Is't possible!

CHERINTHUS.
Our father now relents; the holy priests
With due libations have appear'd the powers,
And purg'd the fane from sacrilegious guilt:
A powerful advocate asserts thy cause—

TIMANTHES.
What tongue will plead for me, a wretched outcast
Of heaven and earth!

CHERINTHUS.
Cephisa—

TIMANTHES.
Ha! Cephisa!
She whom my scorn offended!

CHERINTHUS.
Not alone
For thee she pleads—She pleads Ismena's cause—

TIMANTHES.
For my Ismena!—breath of gods inspire
Her lips with eloquence!—O! my Cherinthus!
Should heaven propitious now—but O! I feel
A father's anguish here—couldst thou for me
Discharge his promise to the Phrygian king,
Give, in my stead, thy hand to fair Cephisa—

CHERINTHUS.
I own my soul has long ador'd Cephisa;
I love her with the tenderest passion, yet
I must not hope the princess e'er will deign
To accept my hand: thou know'st she came to wed
The kingdom's heir—

TIMANTHES.
Is this the only bar?
Then she is yours—I here renounce my claim
To Thrace, to empire.

CHERINTHUS.
Whither would Timanthes!

TIMANTHES.
Away, and seek the king; tell him, Cherinthus
Will from dishonour save the Thracian name:
O! fly, and with a brother's speed return,
My all depends on this eventful hour!

[Exit Cherinthus.
Timanthes
alone.
Indulgent powers! methinks my heart dilates
With new-reviving joy! shall I once more
Without a pang embrace my wife and son!

Enter Mathusius with a paper.
MATHUSIUS.
Timanthes! O! ill fated prince!

TIMANTHES.
Mathusius!
Thou know'st not what has chanc'd; the pitying hand
Of heaven even yet may save us, bring once more
Thy daughter to my arms—

MATHUSIUS.
Forbid it nature,
That thou should'st e'er embrace Ismena more!

TIMANTHES.
What means Mathusius?—speak—

MATHUSIUS.
Fate has unveil'd
A dreadful secret—and Ismena—

TIMANTHES.
Ha!
Say, what of her?

MATHUSIUS.
She is—Timanthes' sister.

TIMANTHES.
My sister!—what delusion—

MATHUSIUS.
No, Timanthes,
Too certain are the proofs.

TIMANTHES.
'Tis madness all—
Take heed, old man, my love can brook but ill
The dreams of doating age.

MATHUSIUS.
Unhappy youth!
Hear then the dreadful tale—when late for flight
I gather'd all my treasures to the shore,
I found a casket, that had lain conceal'd
E'er since I lost the partner of my bed:
Doubtless thou oft hast heard Barcene bore
Such faithful friendship to the queen deceas'd,
Our king's first consort, that the day which saw
Argea's death, beheld Barcene's too.

TIMANTHES.
I know it well—

MATHUSIUS.
This casket by Argea
Was trusted to Barcene, which contain'd
This paper, written by the queen's own hand.

TIMANTHES.
What paper? ha!—

MATHUSIUS.
[reads.
“Ismena is not daughter to Mathusius,
“But owes her birth to me and to Demophoon,
“By what event her fortune has been chang'd,
“Another mystic paper must disclose;
“Let this be sought for in the houshould temple,
“Beneath the footstool of the god.

“Argea.”

TIMANTHES.
Imposture all!

MATHUSIUS.
Behold the royal signet—

[gives the paper.
TIMANTHES.
What, say'st thou! Oh!

[drops the paper.
MATHUSIUS.
My prince—

TIMANTHES.
Away, Mathusius!

MATHUSIUS.
I dare not leave thee thus—

TIMANTHES.
I charge thee hence,
Thou minister of fate—haste to the temple,
And open all this tale of guilt and horror!

MATHUSIUS.
Yes, I must go—but O! ye pitying powers,
Look down, and send some messenger of peace
To guard him in this hour of dreadful trial.

[Exit.
Timanthes
alone.
Heaven hears him not—a night of black despair
For ever wraps me round—Olinthus now
Nephew and son! Ismena wife and sister!
Detested union! horrible to thought!
Fly, fly, Timanthes, hide thee from mankind,
Thou now must prove thy father's curse—behold
The furies here reviv'd of Thebes and Argos!
O! that these eyes had never seen Ismena!
What then I deem'd the violence of love
Was nature's secret force—what sound was that!
Enter Demophoon and Cherinthus.
My father!—hide me earth!—

DEMOPHOON.
My dearest son,
In these lov'd arms—

TIMANTHES.
Forbear—no more Demophoon
Must call Timanthes by that tender name.

DEMOPHOON.
Perhaps thou know'st not—

TIMANTHES.
O! I know too much—

DEMOPHOON.
I come to chace the clouds of black despair—
Thy faults are now forgiven—and once again
Ismena shall be thine—Still art thou silent!
Receive this dear embrace, thy pledge of pardon—
But say—why dost thou fly thy father's sight?

TIMANTHES.
I dare not look on thee—

Enter Ismena, Olinthus, and Attendant.
ISMENA.
My lord, my husband!

TIMANTHES.
Away and leave me.

ISMENA.
Ha! what means my love!
Are we not one? Has not relenting fate
Unravell'd all our sorrows?—this blest hour
Indulgent heaven restores thee to Ismena,
And dost thou welcome thus—

TIMANTHES.
Oh!—

DEMOPHOON.
Speak, Timanthes—

TIMANTHES.
I cannot speak—Ah! whither shall I fly
To hide—

DEMOPHOON.
Whom fly'st thou from?

TIMANTHES.
From men and gods!
From you and from myself—to solitude,
Where my remembrance may be lost for ever!

CHERINTHUS.
'Tis frenzy all!—Hast thou forgot each name
That wakes the soul to tenderness—behold
Thy brother here, thy son—

ISMENA.
Behold thy wife,
Who thus adjures thee by each thought, that now
Should fill thy breast, to hear and pity her!
Or if thy wife must plead in vain, yet hear
In this poor innocent the voice of nature—
What has he done, that thou should'st cast him off?
He never could offend—why dost thou shun
His harmless looks?—O! take him to thy bosom—
Now, by this hand—you shall not wrest it from me—
Once the dear pledge of happiness—

TIMANTHES.
No more—
Thou rend'st my heart—wife, father, son, and brother,
Are names of transport to a mind at ease,
To me they're sounds of horror!—take, O! take
That infant from my sight—his presence starts
A thousand dreadful thoughts—art thou not chang'd?
Dost thou not shudder—hear then, wretched woman!
Thou art—I cannot speak it—O, Ismena!

[Exit.
ISMENA.
Stay, stay, Timanthes, if I must be wretched,
Thy lips shall seal my doom—

DEMOPHOON.
Cherinthus, go—
Pursue thy brother's steps, and learn the cause
Of this mysterious grief—

[Exit Cherinthus.
ISMENA.
And is he gone?
Did he not cast me from his lov'd embrace?
Did he not spurn Olinthus from his arms?
Some horrid secret!—O! what art thou, great
Mysterious evil! that in darkness hid,
Gives double terror—but I'll seek Timanthes,
Nor leave him till I share in all he suffers!

[Exeunt Ism. Olin. and Attendant.
Enter Adrastus.
ADRASTUS.
The sacred pontiff now requests your presence
To meet Mathusius in the houshould temple,
On some important business that regards
Your house's honour, and the kingdom's weal.

DEMOPHOON.
To meet Mathusius! let us hence, Adrastus,
And learn what yet remains for suffering Thrace.

[Exeunt.
SCENE, The palace.
Enter Timanthes and Cherinthus.
TIMANTHES.
Away, Cherinthus wilt thou follow still
These steps accurst what would'st thou more of horror?
Leave, leave me to my woes—

CHERINTHUS.
O! yield not thus
To madness of despair—thou art indeed
Unhappy, but the hand of fate alone
Has driven thee down this precipice of ruin;
Thy blameless thoughts—

TIMANTHES.
No more, no more, Cherinthus,
Nought can extenuate have I not destroy'd
A father's peace, and stain'd a royal race
With blackest infamy—by horrid love
Impell'd, did I not trample on the laws,
And leap the bound, that seem'd by heaven design'd
To stop the dreadful union—has not rage
Urg'd these destructive hands—hold, hold, reflection—
Incest and sacrilege—

CHERINTHUS.
Now by the love
You bear Cherinthus, by those awful powers
That view the soul's recess, whose justice marks
The deed of hood-wink'd fate from the black dye
Of voluntary guilt, whose pity still
May sooth thy future life—

TIMANTHES.
My future life!—
Shall I then live to aggravate my crime
To love for, O! with horror I confess
I cannot shake Ismena from my soul—
Here, here she dwells—nor can this awful moment
Raze from my breast the husband and the father,
It will not be—one way—

[draws a dagger.
CHERINTHUS.
Hold, hold, my brother—
What would'st thou do?

MATHUSIUS.
[within.]
Give, give him to my arms—
Enter Mathusius.
Timanthes! my Timanthes! Oh!—

[embrace.
TIMANTHES.
Mathusius!
Why wilt thou save a wretch that must not live?
Away

MATHUSIUS.
O! thou art innocent Demophoon
Gave thee not birth—but I I am thy father—

TIMANTHES.
Thou!—gracious heaven! Is not Ismena then
My sister—Speak, Mathusius—

ISMENA.
[entering.]
Let me fly
To greet him with the sound of love and joy.
Enter Ismena, Cephisa, and Olinthus.
Yes, I will hold him ever to my heart!
Timanthes! 'tis too much—hence every vain
And but fear that frights thee from my arms!
No sister now—no rigid laws oppose
Our union more; Demophoon has confirm'd
Our mutual bliss, and universal Thrace
Shall now be witness to my boundless love!

TIMANTHES.
And is it given me then to clasp thee thus!
To gaze with guiltless transport! speak, my friends,
It cannot be—o'erwhelm'd but now with horrors—
Enter Demophoon with a paper, and Adrastus.
O royal sir! and may I then believe
These blest events—and is Ismena sprung
From your illustrious race—and may I now
Indulge the fond idea—

DEMOPHOON.
Yes, Timanthes,
This has unravell'd all—from yonder fane
I bring this scroll, which has dispell'd the fears
Which first Mathusius rais'd.

TIMANTHES.
All-gracious Heaven!

DEMOPHOON.
Thou wert exchang'd an infant for Ismena;
Argea, baffled in her hopes to give
An heir to Thrace, first by Arsene's birth,
And next Ismena's, from Mathusius' wife
Receiv'd, and gave thee to me as her own;
But verging on the brink of life, she left
A paper with Barcene, to produce,
If aught of danger should attend Ismena,
That paper which Mathusius gave thee first,
While in the houshould temple she dispos'd
This second scroll which has reveal'd thy birth.

TIMANTHES.
Then am I happy still—O! sacred sir!
Forgive each rebel act—but 'twas a cause
Might surely plead—'twas your Ismena—

DEMOPHOON.
Rise,
Come to my arms and be again my son,
This cancels all—

[embrace.
CEPHISA.
[leading Olinthus to him.]
See, see, Timanthes, one
Who claims your dearest care—behold him now—
Look how he reaches out his little hands
To clasp a father's knees, and meet his blessing.

TIMANTHES.
Thy mother's joy!—Olinthus—

ISMENA.
Yes, Timanthes,
It is Olinthus, whom but late you spurn'd
From your embrace—you spurn'd Ismena too—
And will you shun me still—no, no, Timanthes,
I have thee here—my beating heart confesses
Its wonted guest—O! we will part no more!
Our sufferings past shall be the grateful theme
Of many a future hour—Olinthus oft
Shall listen to our talk, and while he dwells
With infant wonder on his parents' story,
Drop the young tear of pity from his eye,
Cling to our breasts, and pay for all our sorrows.

TIMANTHES.
[to Cher.]
My brother! still that tender name is ours,
'Twas doubtless heaven inspir'd me to resign
The birthright I usurp'd—receive thy own.

MATHUSIUS.
Take back, my fate, what now remains of life,
For nothing more is worth an old man's care?

DEMOPHOON.
Mathusius, yes—thou still hast days of joy:
Here let oblivion's veil conceal the past;
We both have been to blame—see in Timanthes
The innocent usurper: thus we stand
Deliver'd from the annual sacrifice;
Cherinthus shall succeed—in him, Cephisa,
Behold the kingdom's heir—but this glad hour
Demands that tribute which the tongue of praise
Owes to that ruling Power who governs all!