University of Virginia Library

SCENE VI.

Enter Juno, Pallas, and Venus to Paris.
Juno.
Saturnia , Wife of Thundring JOVE, am I,
Belov'd by Him, and Empress of the Sky.
First, Shepherd, fix on Me thy wond'ring Sight:
Beware, and View Me well, and Judge aright.

Pall.
This Way, Oh! this Way bend thy wond'ring Eyes;
'Tis Pallas claims the Glorious Golden Prize:
A Virgin-Goddess free from any Stain,
And Queen of Arts, and Warlike Arms I reign.

Venus.
Hither, Oh! hither turn Thee, Gentle Swain,
Shall VENUS sue, and shall She sue in Vain?
'Tis VENUS Only rules the GODS Above,
'Tis Love rules Them, and She Alone rules Love.

Paris.
I'm All Confusion—How shall I decide?—
A Title sure so Equal ne're was try'd.
Your Beauties thus United dim my Sight,
And I at Random gaze, o'rewhelm'd with too much Light.
Then let me view Apart each Heav'nly Fair,
For Three at Once no Mortal Eye can bear.

(Pallas and Venus retire to One Side of the Stage.)
Juno.
Let Great Ambition, Shepherd, fire thy Heart,
And All Thy Aims keep Pace with thy Desert.
Forsake thy Crook, and leave the Humble Plain,
For Thou wert Born o're All Mankind to reign.
Scepters and Crowns beneath Thy Feet I'll throw,
And Peace and Plenty shall around Thee flow.
This, This shall be Thy, Fate, if Mine's the Prize,
And with Success I mount the Azure Skies:
If in My Lap the Golden Ball be hurl'd,
That Moment Thou art Monarch of the World.

(She retires, and Pallas comes forwards.)
Pall.
Wake, Mortal wake; thy Drooping Spirits raise,
And waste no more in Sloth thy Youthful Days.
Resign thy Crook, and leave the Flow'ry Plain;
O! Sooth the Nymphs no more, my Gentle Swain,
Nor ever touch thy Tuneful Pipe again.
Thy Rural Sports, thy Wanton Dances cease,
And quit at Once, this Soft, Inglorious Ease.
Hark! Shepherd, hark! the Glorious Voice of War
Now calls Thee forth, and cries, For Arms prepare:
Hark! How the Martial Musick charms the Air!
The Ratling Drums their Chearful Marches beat,
And Concave Rocks the Generous Sounds repeat.
Let a Fresh Ardor in thy Bosom rise,
And Restless Glory sparkle in Thy Eyes.
I'll give Thee Courage to confront the Brave,
And What Thy Fancy dictates Thou shalt have.
Thy Foes shall at thy Feet All prostrate lye,
And at Thy Awful Nod shall live, or dye.
O! Think what Transports Every Conquest yields
The Victor, marching from the Bloody Fields!
O! Think how Great, how Glorious 'tis, to see
The Godlike Hero flush'd with Victory!
To see His Head with Wreaths of Laurel crown'd,
And hear Fame's Golden Trump his Praises sound!
To Me, Kind Swain, the Glorious Prize resign,
And Fame, and Certain Conquest shall be Thine.

[Pallas retires, and Venus comes forwards.]
Venus.
Stop, Lovely Youth, thy Choice a While delay,
And hear what Cytharea has to say.
Let not Ambition rob Thee of thy Ease;
Nor for False Glory quit the Charms of Peace.
Drive from thy Soul all Fear, and Anxious Care;
The Pomp of Empire's but a gilded Snare.
O! Think how fickle is the Warrior's Fate,
And what Distracting Cares attend the Great!
One Only Joy Mankind can truly know,
And Love Alone that Blessing can bestow.
Kind Nature fram'd Thee sure Alone for Love,
And All that see Thee must Thy Form approve.
Thy Form is so adorn'd with every Grace,
That Venus looks with Pleasure on Thy Face.
Happy's the Nymph that's circl'd in Thy Arms,
Altho' the Mistress of Ten Thousand Charms.
Should Beauteous Helen once Thy Shape survey,
With Pleasure She would gaze Her Heart away.
Soon would the Queen All other Joys despise,
And own the Triumph of Thy Conqu'ring Eyes.
To Me, Kind Swain, the Golden Ball resign,
And that Fair, Matchless Beauty shall be Thine.

Paris.
I yield, I yield, O Venus! take the Prize:
All Cupid's Darts are in Thy Lovely Eyes.
O, Beauteous Queen! O, Goddess of Desire!
Forbear to fan my Raging Passions higher,
With Greater Joys my Ravish'd Soul to move,
And be Propitious to my Ardent Love.

[Venus draws nearer to Paris, and Juno comes forwards.]
Juno.
Audacious Mortal, thus to slight My Love!
My Boundless Offers thus to disapprove!
Strait I'll ascend the Skies, to JOVE appeal;
To JOVE thy Partial Judgment I'll reveal.
Justly Thou'st drawn His Vengeance on thy Head,
And with His Thunder He shall strike thee dead.

(She goes out, and Pallas comes forward.)
Pallas.
Ungrateful Shepherd, thus to give the Prize!
And thus the Queen of Arts and Arms despise!
Thou shalt not long adore thy Helen's Charms;
I'll fright Thee with the Glorious Din of Arms.
The Spartan Chiefs shall soon thy Peace destroy,
Spight of thy Favourite Venus, and her Boy.
Soon to thy Cost, thou, Partial Youth, shalt know—
What 'tis Wars Goddess, thus provok'd, can do.

(She goes out.)
Paris.
My Judgment's past, and all Your Threats are vain:
Revenge Your Cause—To Mighty JOVE complain—
To Beauteous Venus I'll for Refuge fly,
And if She can't protect me, then I'll dye.

(He goes out with Venus Hand in Hand.)