University of Virginia Library

ACT V.

SCENE I.

The Interior of the Temple of Jupiter the Avenger—Ismene seated in the midst, in a Chair of State—Corinthians on the right, and Athenians on the left, side of the Temple —At the extremity on the right side, Hyllus standing —At the extremity of the left, Thoas seated.
IPHITUS.
Corinthians and Athenians! late opposed
In mortal conflict, dedicated now
To solemn work of Justice, hear the will
Of the Avenging Power, beneath whose roof
Ye stand thus marshall'd. Royal blood hath stain'd
A palace floor;—not shed in blazing war,
But in night's peace; not some hot soldier's blood,
But the thin current of a frame made sacred
To Orcus' gentlest arrow. Heaven requires
Both nations to unite in dealing death
Upon the slayer, who, unslain, will draw
Its withering curse on both. In yonder shrine
Which dim tradition's fearful whispers made
A terror to my infancy, a voice,
Which breath'd fell murmurs to ancestral ears,
Breaks centuries of silence to pronounce
The Queen as gifted to direct the shaft
To the curs'd head;—and every sign around us
By which the world invisible, when charg'd
With bloody secret, struggles to subdue
Things visible to organs which may send
Its meaning to the startled soul, attest
The duty I assume.—Ismene!

ISMENE.
Priest
Of Jove, I am attendant to thy summons;—
What is thy wish?

IPHITUS.
Sad widow of a king
Whose feeble life some cruel hand hath stopp'd,
I do adjure thee, by these hoary hairs,
That chang'd their hue from raven whilst thou shar'd
His mansion;—by celestial powers, who watch
Our firmness now;—and by those fearful gods,
Whom 'tis unblest to mention, lay aside
All terror, all affection, all remorse,—
If cause of penitence thou hast, to rend
The veil of darkness which the murderer wears,
And give him to his destiny. Begin
The solemn strain which shall attune our souls
To hearken and to execute!

[Solemn music.
IPHITUS.
Ismene,
Speak: Dost thou know the slayer?

ISMENE.
Yes!

IPHITUS.
Dost thou
Behold him now?

ISMENE.
[Looking wildly round.
I do not see the faces
Or know the names of all. Who is the man
That at the right side of the circle stands?

IPHITUS.
The youth with head erect and cloudless brow?
That is the orphan'd Hyllus.

ISMENE.
Who is he
That sits upon the the other side, apart,
With face averted?
[Thoas turns his head suddenly, and looks upon her.
I behold him now.
It is a dreadful duty you exact
From me—a woman. If I speak the name,
What sentence follows?

IPHITUS.
Death!

ISMENE.
And soon performed?

IPHITUS.
The Fates require that he thou shalt denounce
As guilty, must be led in silence hence,
And none behold him after, save his slayers.
Attend once more! Thou hast declared thou know'st
The guilty one! I ask thee—is he here?

ISMENE.
O Gods! He is.

IPHITUS.
Name him!

CALCHAS.
She shudders! See,—
I think she cannot speak!

IPHITUS.
If quivering tongue
Refuse its office, point the victim out.

[Ismene rises; turns towards Thoas, who rises, and confronts her; she trembles, pauses, and resumes her seat.
IPHITUS.
Thou hast confess'd the guilty one is here;
Where stands he?

[Ismene rises; points to Hyllus, shrieks “There!” and falls back senseless in her chair.
THOAS.
'Tis false!

[Creusa rushes forward and embraces Hyllus.
CREUSA.
Most false! O murderess!
Protect him, noble Thoas!

HYLLUS.
Peace, my sister:—
Implore no mortal aid; let us be patient,
And suffer calmly what the gods decree.
My life may satisfy.

IPHITUS.
It cannot be!
Hold—stir not—breathe not—from that shrine the voice
Of heaven will answer hers. Do ye not hear?
[A pause.
Hark!—It is voiceless, and the youth is doom'd.

THOAS.
Forbear, ye murderous judges;—look upon him!
See on his forehead Nature's glorious seal
Of innocence, outspeaking thousand voices,
Which shining in the presence of the gods
Still shows him guiltless.

IPHITUS.
Prove it.

THOAS.
With my life-blood!
O could ye place me in some dizzy cleft
Of inmost Thracian hills, when ribb'd with ice,
To hear from every rocky shelf a howl
Of wolves arous'd to famine,—I would stand—
Calm,—O far calmer than I stand,—to wait
Their fangs, and let my tortur'd sinews' strength
Attest his cause;—'twere nothing—'twere no pain—
To what the spirit feels. Thou talk'st of curses:
Beware! There is no curse with such a power
As that of guiltless blood pour'd out by mortals
In the mock'd name of justice.

HYLLUS.
[To Thoas, aside.
Thou wilt tell
Thy secret;—keep it. Leave me to my doom.

THOAS.
Never! Corinthians, hear me—

ISMENE.
[Recovering.
What is this?
Why waits the parricide still there? Who dares
Dispute my sentence?

THOAS.
I!

ISMENE.
Be silent. She
Who most in all the world should have command
O'er thee, requires thy silence.

PENTHEUS.
[Stepping forward from the Athenian rank.
By what right
Dost thou—Queen of the vanquish'd—dare command
The leader of the conquerors?

ISMENE.
By a mother's.

[Thoas sinks into his seat—Ismene descends and stands beside him.
ISMENE.
Athenians—victors!—'tis your fitting name,
By which I joy to greet you. Ye behold
One whom ye left to suffer, but who boasts
Your noblest blood. See! I command my son
To quit this roof, and leave me to the work
The gods have destined for me.

THOAS.
Stand aside!
I have a suit I would prefer alone,
Which may save guilt and sorrow.

IPHITUS.
[To Hyllus.
Lean on me.
To Thoas.]
Be brief.

HYLLUS.
I have no need; yet I will take
This thy last kindness; for I can accept it
Without a blush or shudder.

[All retire, leaving Thoas and Ismene in front.
THOAS.
Why hast heap'd
Foul crime on crime?

ISMENE.
Son! there has been no crime
Except for thee. The love that thou hast scorn'd
From the heart's long-closed shrine, outwhisper'd fate,
And saved thee.

THOAS.
Saved me! Thou mayest save me yet;
Recall thy sentence. Give me truth and death!

ISMENE.
And own my falsehood? No! Let us go hence
Together.

THOAS.
And permit this youth to die!
O that some god would mirror to my soul
Our mortal passage, while the arid sand
We pace; the yellow, sunless, sky above us;
And forms distort with anguish, which shall meet
Each vain attempt to be alone, enclose
The conscious blasters of the earth, till forced
To gaze upon each other, we behold,
As in eternal registry, the curse
Writ in the face of each! No; let us pray
For torture and for peace!

ISMENE.
If thou remain,
And risk dishonour to our house and me,
The poisonous cave below shall be my home,
And shelter me for ever!

THOAS.
Thou art brave,
As fits a matron of heroic line;
Be great in penitence, and we shall meet
Absolv'd, where I may join my hand to thine,
And walk in duteous silence by thy side.

ISMENE.
And couldst thou love me then?

THOAS.
Love thee! My mother,
When thou didst speak that word, the gloom of years
Was parted,—and I knew again the face
Which linger'd o'er my infancy,—so pale,
So proud, so beautiful! I kneel again,
A child, and plead to that unharden'd heart,
By all the long past hours of priceless love,
To let my gushing soul pass forth in grace,
And bless thee in its parting!

ISMENE.
Never!

THOAS.
[Rising.
Yes!
Haste ere the roof shall fall, and crush the germ
Of sweet repentance in us; take thy seat,
And speak as thy heart dictates—
[Drawing Ismene towards her seat.
Hear again!

ISMENE.
Unhand me—rebel son! Assembled Chiefs,
Ye called me—I have spoken once—I speak
No more; make way there!—I must pass alone!

[Exit Ismene.
THOAS.
[Calling to Ismene.
O! mother, stay! She's gone.

[Sinks into his chair.
IPHITUS.
Her word decides,
Unless the gods disown it. Peace! the altar
Is silent; the last moment presses on us—
Hyllus, the doom'd, stand forth!

CREUSA.
O pause; to thee
Thoas, I call; thou know'st him guiltless.

IPHITUS.
Hold!
No mortal passion can have utterance here,
When Fate is audible. To yield is ours;
Be calm as Hyllus, or forego his hand.

[Creusa sinks on her knees beside Hyllus; Iphitus lays one hand on the head of Hyllus, and raises the other towards heaven.
IPHITUS.
Dread Power, that bade us to this fane, accept
The expiation that we offer now,
And let this blood poured forth atone.

[Thoas suddenly falls from his seat to the ground Creusa rushes to him, and all surround him.
CREUSA.
Gods! what is this new horror?

[Opening the vest of Thoas, the dagger falls from it.
THOAS.
There! 'Tis done!
'Tis well accomplish'd.

CREUSA.
Hyllus, go!
Brother, no more—for thee he perishes.

THOAS.
I will not purchase a last taste of sweetness
By such estrangement. That steel bears the blood
Of Creon and his slayer;—how excus'd
I leave you, generous king, to witness for me.

Enter Calchas.
CALCHAS.
The queen!

THOAS.
Hold life a moment—what of her?

CALCHAS.
She rush'd,
With looks none dared to question, to the cave;
Paused at its horrid portal; toss'd her arms
Wildly abroad; then drew them to her breast,
As if she clasp'd a vision'd infant there;
And as her eye, uplifted to the crag,
Met those who might prevent her course, withdrew
Her backward step amidst the deadly clouds
Which veil'd her—till the spectral shape was lost,
Where none dare ever tread to seek for that
Which was Ismene.

THOAS.
Peace be with her! Pentheus,
Thy hand;—let Hyllus reign in honour here;—
Convey me to the city of my love;
Her future years of glory stream more clear
Than ever on my soul. O Athens! Athens!

[Dies.
HYLLUS.
Sister!

CREUSA.
Forgive me, brother.

[Falls on the neck of Hyllus.
HYLLUS.
Weep there; 'tis thy home.
Fate, that has smitten us so young, leaves this—
That we shall cleave together to the grave.

THE CURTAIN FALLS.