University of Virginia Library

IPHIGENIA.
For the feeble son of man
when the heavenly band prepare
hardship, danger and distress;
and have doom'd his shaken soul
frequent change from joy to woe,
or from woe to double joy:—
in the city's neighbourhood,
or on the remoter shore,
that, in gloomy hours of need,
steady help be never far,
they with foresight kind provide him
a calm a faithful friend.
On Pylades and on his undertakings
shower down your blessings, ever-living gods.
His is the nervous arm of youth in strife;
and his the luminous eye of age in counsel.
His soul is fraught with an exhaustless store
of holy calmness, which, with patient hand
he portions out to the poor wandering outcast;
diffusing balmy peace and wise resolve.
He tore me from my brother, whom my eyes
drank with fond gaze and ceaseless thirst, unheeding
how very near the rising cloud of danger
now sails. They'are hastening to the nook, wherein
the ship and their companions wait a signal,
and they have furnisht me an artful answer
in case the king shall urge the sacrifice.
I see I must be guided like a child.
I have not learnt disguise, nor know by cunning
to gain my purpose.—Falsehood, how I loathe thee!
A lie leaves not the soul at liberty,
nor comforts like a truly-spoken word;
but it torments the breast that forges it,
returning, like the dart which gods divert,
to wound the archer. Care on care assails
my anxious mind. Perhaps the fury seizes
my brother yonder on the'unhallow'd ground.—
Perhaps they'are caught, imprison'd—Sure I hear
the tread of armed men—A messenger
is hastening hither with the king's commands.
O how I fear to look upon the man
whom, with a false reply I must deceive.

IPHIGENIA & ARKAS.
ARKAS.
Priestess, thou mayst not thus delay the offering:
the king and people wait with loud impatience.

IPHIGENIA.
I should obey my duty and thy orders,
if unexpected hindrance had not stept
between my purpose and its execution.

ARKAS.
What thwarts the solemn order of the king?

IPHIGENIA.
Chance, which delights to laugh at human foresight.

ARKAS.
Say on—that I may bear the reason to him;
for he determin'd on the death of both.

IPHIGENIA.
As yet the gods have not determin'd on it—
Upon the elder of these men reposes
the guilt of shedding kindred blood. The Furies
pursue his footsteps; and the haunted wretch,
seiz'd in the inmost temple by a phrenzy
profan'd the holy shrine with present madness.
I hasten with my virgin-train to bear
the statue of the goddess to the shore,
there by lustration and mysterious rites
the ominous pollution to atone.
Let none presume to follow our procession.

ARKAS.
The king shall know this new impediment.
'Till he permit, begin not thou the rite.

IPHIGENIA.
That is a care belonging to the priestess.

ARKAS.
'Tis fitting that the king should hear what passes.

IPHIGENIA.
His counsel or command may alter nothing.

ARKAS.
Oft we consult the mighty out of form.

IPHIGENIA.
Do not insist on what I must refuse.

ARKAS.
Do not refuse a useful just request.

IPHIGENIA.
I yield—if thou return without delay.

ARKAS.
With speed I'll bear thy message to the camp
and soon be here.—There is a message, priestess,
which if I bore—'twould banish all confusion—
but thou hast scorn'd my honest prudent counsel.

IPHIGENIA.
All that I could I readily have done.

ARKAS.
It is not yet too late to change thy mind.

IPHIGENIA.
That is beyond our power.

ARKAS.
It may be painful.

IPHIGENIA.
Thou thinkst I might, because thy wish misleads thee.

ARKAS.
Wilt thou risk all so calmly?

IPHIGENIA.
I abandon
my fate to the decision of the gods.

ARKAS.
They'are wont to save mankind by human means.

IPHIGENIA.
What they point out it is for man to do.

ARKAS.
I tell thee every thing is in thy hand.
It is alone the anger of the king
that dooms these men to bitter death. The army
are now disus'd to this inhuman custom:
for many, whom their adverse fates have thrown
upon some savage coast, have there experienc'd
how godlike to the homeless wanderer
the friendly countenance of a man appears.
Do not forsake a work thou canst accomplish;
'tis easy to complete what's once begun:
for Mercy (when from heaven in human form
she stoops) does no where sooner spread her sway
than where a wild new people, full of life
courage and warmth, whose uncorrupted feeling
left to itself and vague uneasy bodings
flows undirected, bear the load of life.

IPHIGENIA.
O spare my agitated soul: thou canst not
direct its billows to thy will.

ARKAS.
As yet
ere 'tis too late, attempt shall not be wanting.

IPHIGENIA.
Thou feelest and thou givest pain—both vainly.
I pray thee leave me.

ARKAS.
'Tis to pain I trust,
it counsels wisely.

IPHIGENIA.
It torments my soul,
but lessens not my rooted strong repugnance.

ARKAS.
Why should a noble bosom feel repugnant
to benefits which flow from generous hands!

IPHIGENIA.
Why not? when the kind offices are meant
not to obtain my gratitude, but me.

ARKAS.
He who is disinclin'd will never want
excusing words. I'll mention to the prince
the things that happen. Wouldst thou but revolve
how nobly he has us'd thee, from the hour
of thy arrival to the present day.

[goes.
IPHIGENIA.
In evil hour the speeches of this man
have turn'd me back upon myself. I shudder.
For as the stream, by sudden torrents swell'd,
covers the rocks, that lie among the sand
upon its brink, so tides of joy o'erflow'd
my soul. I grasp'd impossibility.
'Twas as another silver cloud descended
gently to heave me from the earth, and rock me
into such slumbers, as involv'd my sense
when the kind goddess snatch'd me from destruction.—
My heart was wholly center'd on my brother,
I listen'd to his friend's advice alone,
my soul was only anxious how to save them:
and, as the seaman gladly turns his back
to the rude rocks of desert isles, I put
the thoughts of Tauris from me. Now the voice
of this plain honest man again awakes me,
and I perceive that those are also men
whom I abandon. Treachery resumes
her ugliest form. Be calm, my trembling heart,
will doubt and indecision tear thee now?
Thou must forgo a land of lonely safety
to beat about upon unsteady waves—

IPHIGENIA & PYLADES.
PYLADES.
Where is she? that my winged words may bear her
the welcome message of our near escape.

IPHIGENIA.
Thou seest me full of care, and needing much
the comfort that thy presence promises.

PYLADES.
Thy brother is recover'd. We have walkt
along the rocks of the unhallow'd coast
in chearful converse, nor observ'd a change
where not o'ershadow'd by the sacred grove:
and with increasing glory round his brow
the rosy light of youth and beauty plays.
Courage and hope sit beaming in his eye,
and his expanding heart is all unlockt
to the transporting pleasure of delivering
thee, his deliveress, from thy banishment.

IPHIGENIA.
Heaven bless thee, and may thy auspicious lip
ne'er know the tone of sorrow or complaint!

PYLADES.
I bring thee more—for Fortune, like a princess,
walks not abroad alone and unattended.
We found up our companions; in a nook
among high masking rocks they had conceal'd
the ship, and lay in painful apprehension.
They saw thy brother, and with shouts of joy
flew to receive him, and their restless zeal
demands an early hour for our departure.
Each hand seem'd eager for the oar, and, lo!
a favourable gale by all perceiv'd
spread from the shore its lucky-omen'd wing.
Then let us hasten to the temple: guide
my footstep, priestess, to the sanctuary,
that I may seize the object of our wishes:
my single shoulder shall suffice to bear
the statue of the goddess from its shrine.
I feel impatient for the honour'd burden.—
[He approaches the fane without perceiving her unwillingness—then looks back.
Thou standest quivering—tell me—why this silence?
Thou lookst confused—does any new misfortune
withstand our happiness? Hast thou neglected
to send the king the cautious, prudent message
that we agreed upon?

IPHIGENIA.
No, thou dear man.
Yet thou wilt frown; and even now I read
silent reproof upon that clouded brow.
The monarch's messenger has just been here.
I told him what thou hadst suggested to me.
He seem'd astonisht, earnestly besought me
to make the king acquainted with my project:
and now I wait his answer.

PYLADES.
That was wrong.
Danger again o'erhangs us. Why not rest
upon the privileges of thy offices?

IPHIGENIA.
I never have employ'd it as a cloak.

PYLADES.
Thy scruples, spotless soul, will ruin us.
Why did I not foresee this accident,
and furnish thee with means to ward it off?

IPHIGENIA.
Blame me alone. I feel the fault is mine;
yet to an earnest serious request,
whose fitness my own heart was conscious of,
I could not give a different reply.

PYLADES.
This wears a threatening aspect. Let us not
therefore be downcast, nor with headlong haste
betray ourselves. Wait thou the man's return,
but persevere whatever his reply,
for it behooves the priestess, not the prince,
to choose and fix the lustral rites. In case
he should require to see the man afflicted
with horrid madness, do not grant it him;
pretending that thou hast secur'd us both
within the temple. This will give us time
from its unworthy owners to bear off
the holy treasure. Phœbus smiles upon us,
and, ere we piously fulfill his orders,
has given us earnest of his kind protection.
Orestes is made well. With him the freed,
conduct us, breezes, to the rocky isle
where dwells the Delphic god, thence to Mycene;
that from the ashes of their chilly hearths
our fathers' gods may rise, in the glad fire
of their neglected homes again to bask.
Thy hand from golden censers shall disperse
their long-miss'd incense.—Thou shalt scatter life
and health and blessing on the happy threshold,
atone their favour, and to all thy kindred
dispense reviving blossoms of delight.

IPHIGENIA.
Toward the sunshine of thy pleasant words,
like a young flower, my lifted soul is bent.
How sweet the speeches of a present friend!
Their heavenly influence the lonely man
mourns for repining, in his bosom slowly
thought and decision ripen, which the words
of warm affection would have soon matur'd.

PYLADES.
Farewell. I run to calm our friend's impatience;
then shall in yonder thicket wait thy signal.
What art thou thinking of? A mournful train
of images is passing on thy brow.

IPHIGENIA.
Forgive me—like thin clouds before the sun
anxieties and cares are floating by.

PYLADES.
Be not afraid. Danger and Fear have form'd
a close alliance: they are old companions:
but 'tis an idle union.

IPHIGENIA.
I consider
those cares as honourable, that would lead me
not to deceive the king, my second father,
with treacherous flight and pillage.

PYLADES.
From a man,
who would have slain thy brother, thou art flying.

IPHIGENIA.
That man is not the less my benefactor.

PYLADES.
What fate requires is not ingratitude.

IPHIGENIA.
'Tis still ingratitude—necessity
may justify

PYLADES.
Thee, both to gods and men.

IPHIGENIA.
But my own heart remains dissatisfy'd.

PYLADES.
Excessive scruple is a veil for pride.

IPHIGENIA.
I am not wont to reason, but to feel.

PYLADES.
Thy feeling ought to teach thee self-esteem.

IPHIGENIA.
The heart is only easy, when unspotted.

PYLADES.
Beneath the hallow'd shelter of this temple
well hast thou fenc'd the inlet of thy heart.
In life we learn less strictness with ourselves,
and with the world without us. Thou wilt learn it.
So strangely fashion'd is the race of man,
so manifold and complex its relations,
that none may hope to keep himself unblemisht
both to himself and others. Nor are we
decreed to be the judges of our actions.
The first immediate duty of a man
is to pursue the path which heaven points out:
past conduct seldom he appreciates rightly,
and hardly ever what he is pursuing.

IPHIGENIA.
Thy words have almost won me to consent.

PYLADES.
Where there's no choice, persuasion is but needless.
To save thy brother and his friend one way
is open. Shall we hesitate to take it?

IPHIGENIA.
Yes, let me hesitate—thou couldst not do
to any man, whose benefits had bound thee,
with calmness such injustice as thou counselst

PYLADES.
If we are lost—upon thy conduct wait
the harsh reflections, to despair akin—
I see thou art not us'd to difficulty;
since thou art not dispos'd to purchase safety
by one false speech.

IPHIGENIA.
O for a man's firm bosom,
which, when it once conceives a bold design,
forgoes all obstacles for that alone—

PYLADES.
Thy opposition's vain. The iron hand
of fate commands, and its decided signal
is law supreme. Eternal Destiny
the gods themselves obey in humble silence.
What she imposes, bear—what she directs,
perform—the rest thou knowst. I soon return
to take the seal of safety at thy hands.

[goes.
IPHIGENIA.