 | Merope |  |
SCENE THE FIFTH.
Merope, Polydore, Ægisthus, Guards at the bottom of the Scene.Me.
Beloved son! ... My only son! ... I scarce
Can think it true ... And would I have destroy'd thee?
I? ... Yet my labouring and bewilder'd heart
Felt a mysterious check ... But what hard terms
Restore thee to me? ... Wherefore thus complain?
All terms are easy that restore my son.
Ægis.
Ah wretched me! It had been better far
That I had perish'd in my infancy.
Oh mother, whither, whither do I drag thee! ...
Pol.
Hear me, oh queen: a dire necessity
Constrains thee to submit. The cruel blow
Is but delay'd from the perfidious hope
Which hath possess'd the tyrant to gain time,
And not increase the universal hate.
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He, for a time at least, will hold with thee
His hard conditions: but if thou refuse,
He will resort to sanguinary schemes,
As to the most secure. 'Tis needful now,
Now, if it ever was, for thee to shew
Thyself a mother, and nought else. 'Tis true,
To a dire sacrifice thou doom'st thyself;
But for thy son thou dost it ...
Me.
For his sake
What would I not perform? What doubt? ...
Ægis.
Oh mother! ...
Pol.
But, if it be perform'd, there then arise
A multitude of hopes. The tyrant feigns;
I hope we may anticipate his projects.
No sooner will our ancient friends have heard
That the last son of their Cresphontes lives,
Than they will subtly stratagems devise
To rescue him from the perfidious tyrant.
If they behold him, what may we not hope!
Nothing is wanting to them but a leader ...
Ægis.
And I will be that leader.
Pol.
Yes, oh son ...
I dare to call thee by the accustom'd name ...
Their leader thou shalt be: within my heart
I feel a joyful presage; since the gods
Have heretofore vouchsafed to rescue thee
From the first violence of the frantic tyrant.
Meanwhile, dissimulation for a time
Is indispensable; thou, Merope,
Affect without reluctance to accept
The infamous conditions; 'tis thy duty:
Thou, youthful champion, struggle to assume
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As to root out from, or, at least in part,
Abate suspicion in the impious king;
Whence with his own arms thou may'st triumph o'er him;
Thou art constrain'd to this, if it concern thee
To break those heavy chains assumed for thee
By thy devoted mother.
Ægis.
Ah! I swear
To obey thee; swear at least while I am powerless.
Woe if a sword is offer'd to my wrath!
Ah then I only listen to my valour,
And to the prompting voice of my dead father.
Pol.
Ah! hold thy peace.—Lady, do thou consent,
That, in thy name, without delay, I go
To the usurper; here consummate art,
And prompt decision, are alike required.
I shall know better how to feign than thou.
Grant thy consent that I may pledge thy hand:
Confide in me; I will, if I am able,
Obtain at least a temporary respite.
If in his wish he persevere, to-day
To celebrate the impious nuptial-rites,
I place great hopes in the Messenian's aid.
Meanwhile do thou thy overweening courage,
And thou thy overweening hate, conceal.
I feel a mother's tenderness for thee;
And furthermore I have a father's sense,
And long experience: place in me reliance.
Ægis.
Oh father!
Me.
Speedily, my faithful friend,
Depart; dispose of me and my concerns.
I, with my son, will hence retire a little.
| Merope | |