University of Virginia Library

ACT II.

Scene a Fountain with Bowers of Myrtle around it, a Shepherdess lying in one that fronts the Stage sings.
SONG.
To Hill and Dale I tell my Care,
To Rocks and Streams how I despair;
To faithless Winds my fortune mourn,
The Winds in sighs my plaint return;
The Streams in murmurs, Hill and Dale,
And hollow Rocks my fate bewail
In Ecchoes kindly they resound
My moan, and seem to feel my wound:
He only that should hear is deaf,
He only that can give relief,
Despises me, and mocks my grief.

Phylante, Sileno, Shepherds and Shepherdesses come to her as the Song begins.
Phyl.
What hapless Virgin haunts these lonely Bow'rs,
Who with these mournful sighs disturbs our Plays?
Myrtilla? then 'tis but affected grief,
Such beauty ne'r had reason to despair.
Come, you to other notes must tune your voice,
To sing of Gods, and win immortal praise.
Sileno, since you challenge us to try
Whose Layes have greater influence on the Soul,
Whether the Trumpets lofty sounds prevail,
Less than the dying whispers of your Flutes.
Exert your utmost skill, for we accept
Your offer, and your Valley shall resound
With Musick, such as Eccho ne'r can learn.

Sileno.
We boast no skill, but from our artless Songs
Expect success, which Nature never fails.
When Birds untaught in Woods and Forests sing,
Their notes seem wild, and not so just as ours,
There's something in 'em yet which charms our ears
More than the finest graces of your art:
Why mayn't our Voices, uninflam'd like theirs,
Give the same Pleasure, tho they seem as wild.

Amintor (or Eudosius) and Aurelia.
Phyl.
Amintor and Aurelia! Let's retire,
And in the thickest of this beauteous shade
Attend their leisure to approve our mirth,
There meditate the business of the day,
And the rewards which we expect from Fame.

Aur.
I have thee, my Eudosius, I have all
That Heav'n can give me of my hearts desire:
I have thee, but how long shall I enjoy
The mighty blessing? this is all my fear,
And this the source of these untimely tears.
My Father—

Eud.
'Tis not in the power of Man
Nor Gods to part what Love so firmly joyns;
Nor have we liv'd for many rolling years
In sweet fruition of our wish, and past
Thro dangers eminent on both the Mains,
To fall at last by him that gave thee life.

Aur.
He'll look on me perhrps as on a Child,
The pangs of Nature may oppose his rage,
I in the combat of his soul be safe,
But how will you escape his dire revenge.
He'll view thee as the robber of his house,
That stole his dearest treasure thence, and lives
Unlicens'd in possession of those joys,
Which he and only he had right to give.

Eud.
That right by solemn Oaths he gave to me,
Himself first tempted me to soar so high,
To gaze upon thy Beauties with desire,
And when he wou'd have flung me from the Heav'n
To which his promise had advanc'd my hopes,
Oh was it possible for me to leave
Such Sweetness, such Divinity as thine:
And yield thee to the bosom of thy Foe?
What Danger cou'd have driven me to this,
For whom had I to please but thee?
Oh! were his power omnipotent as Jove's,
His will as sacred, and his wrath as fierce,
And I beheld thee thus profusely kind,
What fear cou'd interdict me thy embrace?
What duty check my transport, or defend
My arms, this circle of incessant joy?

Aur.
To have thee thus, Eudosius, tho I saw
My Father darting from his awful brow
His keenest arrows, yet my soul secure
In extasy, wou'd brave 'em all for thee.

Eud.
Away with sorrow, Fate already shews
A boundless store of happiness reserv'd
To recompence the troubles we have past.

Aur.
What made Arcadius visit our retreat?
What made this show'r of favour fall on thee?

Eud.
When, chosen by these Provinces, I went
To pay the homage which our Lord requires,
Our Presents, Flocks and Herds, and crowns of Flow'rs,
Were to the wealth of Italy preferr'd.
He askt me, whence this plenty, and these Youth?
Who rul'd for him, the Region whence they came?
And ravisht with their Elegance and Looks,
Declar'd this morn Amintor for their Lord,
As they with tears of earnestness implor'd.
Of you, Sir, smiling from the Throne on me,
He said, we've heard such wonders, we resolve
To see the Paradice which you possess,
And be our self a witness of your sports.

Aur.
Adrastus—what of him?

Eud.
My care of thee
Prevented me from being further known:
For tho I dy'd to take him to my heart,
I durst not let our Friendship then appear,
Lest e're we were prepar'd to meet his frown,
Arcadius had been jealous of our loves,
And we unheard had faln before his wrath,
Which now we may defeat, or else avoid.

Trumpets are heard.
Aur.
Hark, others of the Royal Train arrive,
The Trumpet ecchoes in this Vale of Peace,
A noise more dreadful than the din of War.

Enter Edrastus.
Eud.
Sink on my breast, and lose thy terrors there.
Oh, my Aurelia! if thou yet hast life,
Look on a sight which will enchant thy Soul.
My Brother! why dost thou behold me thus?
Why cruelly detain thee from my arms?
What message hast thou brought, are we proscrib'd?
Is Death presented us by thee, my friend?
I cannot argue with thee, nor endure
This distance. Oh Adrastus!

Adra.
Amazement! My Eudosius strikes me dumb;
My Prince, my Brother, and my dearest Friend,
To see thee, and embrace thee thus alive,
Is more than weak humanity can bear.
Forgive me, Madam, Nature flows so high
That I had almost lost my duty here.

Kneels.
Aur.
Oh rise, Adrastus, we're not now in Greece;
This posture suits not with our humble state.

Adra.
A thousand questions I have next to ask
Of my own Love, a thousand then of yours.

Aur.
Phylante's busy'd with her Rural friends,
And in our Groves instructing 'em to sing,
But she shall leave her talk to welcome you.
Ex. Aurel.

Eud.
That sigh which from thy bosome broke its way,
Discovers thou hast Secrets in thy heart
Which shake thy inmost Soul. Oh speak, my Friend!
Thou thinkst perhaps, that in these lowly weeds,
This pomp of ease, I dare not look on Fate,
Nor hear the name of danger, or of death.

Adr.
Oh my Eudosius, 'tis not this which swells
That storm which rages in my breast: I know
You ever were insensible of fear:
Nor is there cause of dread in our approach.
The Emp'ror oft has mourn'd your loss, and curst
His fond compliance with Placidia's will.

Eud.
VVhy those unmanly drops than in thy eyes?
Can I have joys in which thou wilt not share?
Can I have pleasures which are none to thee?

Adr.
Yes! you have pleasures that my Nature loaths;
To meet you thus a stranger to the world,
Deckt like a Virgin for the Bridal morn,
To find you thus in wanton Exile live,
Involv'd in fatal Luxury and Peace.
Your childish train like Cupids in our plays,
Your house the Image of the Paphian Court,
Breathing rich odours to debauch your sence,
And use you to forget your thirst of Fame.
Is this d' think delightful to a Friend,
Who once beheld you in the dusty Field,
Pierce thro the thickest of the Foes of Greece?

Eud.
Did'st thou not see the vision, that e'en now
With dazzling lustre fill'd this place, which Earth
Can't equal, nor the spangled worlds above?
Did'st thou not see her, shed her beams on me,
Her sweetest Influence, and wou'dst thou leave
Such happiness, for Empire or for Fame?

Ard.
When Love opposes Glory, tho 'tis worse
Than death to quit such fulness of delight:
Yet Fame, Ambition, and your peoples wants,
Shou'd rouse you from this Lethargy of ease,
And snatch you from the Syrens fatal charm.

Eud.
To thee this life, which now thou woud'st condemn,
To thee I owe this exile and this ease.
Thy Counsels first inspir'd me to resign
My States to thee, and in some distant Realm,
Secure my Princess from a Foes embrace.
By thee my people of my death were told,
The faith they ow'd to me they've sworn to thee,
Nor let thy jealousy disturb thy reign,
'Tis that or Envy urges this reproach.

Adr.
By Heaven you wrong me, I despise your Throne.
The Honour of our House, which I prefer
To Life, or Soveraign Dignity's concern'd;
And not to speak was to betray my friend.
But 'tis too late, I see you stand unmov'd,
You're deaf to every sound but sighs of Love:
Forgive me, 'tis too bold a truth, I've done.

Eud.
Oh my Adrastus, why dost thou attempt
To vex my tortur'd mind beyond its force?
Dost thou not think the trouble of this day,
Aurelia's danger, and thy Brother's care,
Sufficient to suppress me? Thou shalt see,
Insulted by the Waves of adverse Fate,
The Billows all shall break away in foam,
And beat on me as on a shoar of Flint;
But when a future Calm serenes our Sky,
When we have sported on a Sea of Joy,
And Peace is to this Land of Love restor'd,
I'll raise a Nation here, whose name shall live,
When Greece shall be no more.

Enter Aur. and Phyl.
Adr.
There spoke the Genius of our Godlike Line.
But oh! how vain my Reasons had appear'd,
Had these been here, before whose conqu'ring Eyes
The wisest and the bravest fall.
And Love is Truth and Fame.

Kneels to Phyl.
Phyl.
Welcome, my Lord, to this blest Realm and me.
To see you here, and not to wish you well,
Had I ne're known your merit, had been base,
But to the Brother of a friend I owe—

Adr.
Oh say not to the Brother of a Friend;
You owe to me, your Lover and your Slave,
All that to years of Constancy is due.
Oh my Phylante!

Phyl.
Nay, my Lord, forbear;
What for the tryal of my Friendship's done
Is what again I'd for Aurelia do;
Our Souls were one before I heard your name,
And when I saw to what she was expos'd,
Had I abandon'd her to Wilds and Seas,
To wander o're the pathless world alone,
Say—wou'd you then have thought me worth your heart?

Aur.
Too long you waste your Minutes in dispute.
Enter Sileno, Shepherds and Shepherdesses.
Behold, my Lord, the Natives of this place,
With what surprize they view your Princely mien.
The pride of Courts by them unseen till now.
Oh happy Ignorance; that never felt
The sting of wild Ambition, which will oft,
Ev'n in these humble Mansions vex my Soul.

Enter Sylv. and Messenger.
Mess.
The Emp'ror with his Train are on their way,
And at the Palace now will soon arrive.

Sylv.
We are all ready to receive the Court,
With splendour equal to their mighty name.

Phyl.
Advance Sileno, let the sports begin,
We'll have no time to think of future ills.
The Fury Terror, by our Lays disarm'd,
Shall cease to sting, and fly the Magick sound.
For shou'd your Musick be preferr'd to ours,
The sighs of Lover to the voice of War:
Or be the Conquest, Shepherds, yours or mine,
VVe're sure to triumph o're our Judges both.

After a Symphony of Hautboys and Flutes, Sileno sings.
Ye Birds, who in our Forests sing,
Ye Winds, that wanton with our Trees,
Ye Streams, that murmur to forsake your Spring,
Be silent, ye outrageous Seas,
Attend the Rural Song:
'Tis Love's the theme, Love all our Lays employs,
Parent of Heavenly Verse, and heav'nly Joys;
With numbers soft as their Desires,
With Words and Notes which speak their Fires,
He warms the Tuneful Throng.

Then the Trumpets play, and the Kettle-Drums. That over, A Lady sings.
Cease your Amorous Pipes and Flutes,
The Trumpet for the Prize disputes;
The Swains must listen to a loftier sound,
You only flatter their despair,
The Trumpet drives away their Care,
And makes 'em languish for a nobler wound.

Sileno.
Hark! what frightful notes I hear,
Which Eccho is tormented to reply;
The trembling Sheep and Shepherds fly;
The Plain and Mountain struck with deadly fear;
This Clangor sure was made for Death;
Our Pipes and Flutes have no such fatal breath.
They ease our Pains, they sooth our Care;
These sounds wou'd drive us to Despair;
Forbear the dreadful notes, forbear.

Flutes and Hautboys again.
Shepherd.
See, the trembling Sheep revive,
The Shepherds seem again to live.

Shepherdss.
These gentle murmurs suit our Shades,
And best our Passions move;
With pity they inspire our Maids,
And teach our Youth to Love.

Chorus.
These gentle, &c.

Hautboys and Flutes again.
Aur.
You both have happily perform'd your part,
By one transported, by another charm'd,
You both excell'd by turns.

a March is heard.
Eud.
Again the noble Clangor rends our Caves,
And tells us our Imperial Guest is nigh,
This the important hour on which depends
Our lasting Peace, and this begins with smiles.
Oh may't not prove, as we have sometimes seen,
A stormy noon succeed a chearful morn?
But why shou'd we the worst of fortune fear,
Love was our crime, and Love is master here.

Ex. Omnes.