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SCENE I.
Enter ALCESIMARCHUS and MELÆNIS.ALCESIMARCHUS.
Love, I believe, was he who first invented
The tortures us'd among mankind.—For proof,
I need not look abroad: from my own feelings
I have sufficient ground for my conjectures.
In feeling mutual tortures, I surpass
All men—I'm toss'd, tormented, agitated,
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Torn, fainting am I hurried round; and thus
My inmost mind is in a cloud, that where
I am, I am not; where I am not, there
My mind is: such are all my faculties,
I like and like not as the moment passes.
Fatigu'd in mind, thus does love draw me on,
Pursues, drives, drags me, seizes and retains,
Drains me to nothing; and then gives me all:
All that he gives, retracts, and so deludes me.
From what he once persuaded, now dissuades;
What he dissuaded, holds out to my choice.
He treats me like the raging sea; and wrecks
My mind to madness;—nor is there an evil
I do not feel, but that I cannot down
And sink outright. My father, in the country
Detain'd me six days running at his seat there;
Nor could I see the mistress of my soul.
'Tis horrid to relate—
Mel.
D'you bam us thus,
For that at Lemnos you've another mistress,
Rich and betroth'd? Then have her—It is true,
We cannot number friends, or wealth with you;
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If you are wrung, you know whence it proceeds.
Alc.
May all the gods confound me!—
Mel.
Take your wish.
Alc.
If e'er I marry her my father gives me!
Mel.
And me, if e'er I give into your arms
Daughter of mine!
Alc.
And would you wish, Melænis,
I should forswear myself?
Mel.
Sooner than I
And my affairs be ruin'd, and my girl
Deluded thus.—Be gone, and find out those
Will trust your oaths—With us, Alcesimarchus,
You've forfeited your title to our friendship—
Alc.
Try me but once—
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I've made that tryal oft;
And have as oft had reason to repent.
Alc.
Nay, give her to me—
Mel.
I, in this new matter,
Of the old proverb will avail myself.
What I have given, I wish I had not given;
And what I have left ungiven, I shall not give.
Alc.
And so, you will not send her back again?
Mel.
Answer yourself for me.
Alc.
Not send her to me!
Mel.
You know my resolution, Sir, already.
Alc.
Fix'd in the heart?
Mel.
You think that I attend not:
What you say now? 'troth I don't hear at all.
Alc.
Not hear? alas! then what is to be done?
Mel.
Think you of that—You know your own affairs.
Alc.
Why then, may all the gods and goddesses,
Superiour, middle, and inferiour deities,
May Juno, queen and daughter of high Jove,
His uncle Saturn—
Mel.
'Troth, his father rather.
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May Ops the opulent, grandame of Jove!—
Mel.
His mother say—
Alc.
Ay, daughter, uncle, Jove—
You mad me—You're the cause of all these blunders—
Mel.
Proceed, proceed—
Alc.
May I not know your mind?
Mel.
Say on—I never shall desist—'Tis fix'd—
Alc.
Why then, may Jupiter, may Juno, Saturn—
May all—I know not what to say—Yet stay—
Hear, woman—Know, my resolution's taken.
May all the gods, great, little, middle, all,
Curse me; ne'er may I live to give Silenium
A single kiss! if I destroy you not,
Your daughter, you, myself, immediately—
And then to-morrow morning, murder both of you.
And afterwards, the third time I attack you,
By Hercules! I'll quite demolish you—
Unless you give her back to me again.
I've said it—So farewel—
[Exit.
Mel.
He is gone in,
And in a rage—What am I now to do?
If she return, things are but where they were.
Whene'er dislike comes on him, out of doors
He'll turn her, and bring home his Lemnian wife—
But I will in and follow him—In his frenzy
He may do mischief, if we are not cautious.
In short, as justice is not to be had,
When poor with rich contend, I would much rather
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But who's this hast'ning hither strait! On both sides
Danger and dread attack and quite distract me.
[goes apart.
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