University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

Porticoes of the palace adjoining to the sea. Ships near the shore.
Ulysses, Achilles in a military dress.
Ulys.
Achilles, I confess the hero now;
I see thee all thyself. O! how the dress
Of female weeds obscur'd thy godlike mien!
Behold the warrior now. The serpent thus
Forth issues to the sun, with youth renew'd,
And as he rides on golden spires, or trails
His lengthen'd curls, rejoices in his strength.

Ach.
To thee, O mighty chief, Achilles owes
A life restor'd: but like a captive scarce
Releas'd from bonds, I doubt my freedom still;
Still seem to view the dungeon's dreary gloom,
And hear the clanking of inglorious chains.

Ulys.
[looking out.]
Why comes not Arcas yet?

[aside.
Ach.
Are these, Ulysses,
Thy ships that sail'd from Greece?

Ulys.
They are: nor less
Will these with pride exult, than Argo once,
To bear their glorious burthen, while Achilles
Can singly weigh against that band of heroes,
And all the treasures brought from Phryxus' shore.

Ach.
Then wherefore this delay?

Ulys.
Ho! mariners,
Approach the land— [aside.]
And yet I see not Arcas.

Ach.
Why are not these Scamander's hostile shores?
There, there it shall be known how soon Achilles
Will cancel every fault, when glorious toils
Of fighting fields shall wash my stains away.
This sword shall plead forgiveness for the hours,
The slothful hours of Scyros: then perhaps
My trophies gain'd may swell the trump of fame,
And leave no time to blaze my follies past.

Ulys.
O! glorious warmth! O! godlike sense of shame!
That well befits Achilles: never, never
Such virtue could be hid from human kind,
And buried in the narrow bounds of Scyros.
Too far, O Thetis! thy maternal fears
Betray'd thy better sense: thou might'st have known
That here to keep conceal'd so fierce a flame,
All arts were vain and every labour fruitless.

Ach.
Behold the vessels now approach the shore:
Ulysses, follow me.

[going towards the sea.