if thou art by our Scythians seen Thy business is to dye But let 's retire and let th' Attendants bar These massy Gates for lo they come Euphrosine Enter Orestes Pilades Helymus Diores Euph. Shall we alarm the Guards Iph. Not for thy life My first request to great Diana is That I may ne're perform this cruel function For that which Reason utterly abhors Can ne're be acceptable to Divinity But if I am compell'd by these Batharians To do a deed which most my Soul abhors Let the Slaves destin'd for the Altar bleed But spare your Images ye pow'rs above In those two Godlike Youths Exeunt Iph. Euph. Or. You Helymus and you Diores Keep exact watch upon your several posts If we are caught on Scythian ground we die Ex. Hel. Di. I fear not for my self why shou'd a wretch That groans beneath intolerable woe Fear Death his kind Redeemer But for my Friend my Pilades I cannot chuse but fear Pil. I cannot fear with my Orestes near me Not even for Orestes Or. Alas you need not fear for me I am so exquisitely miserable That Death will long avoid me A wretch that labours with a world of woe By all but my Pilades forsaken By Gods and men forsaken And by the formidable Furies haunted Pil. Now your long miseries must cease take comfort The Delphick God has said it This is the Temple of the Dreadful Goddess Whose cruel Altars smoke with Human gore If we her Image can transport to Athens Your woes are at an end So said Diyine Apollo Or. See where that Image sits inthron'd in Horror And on the Bloody Battlements behold The spoils of murder'd Grecians The dreadful Gates are barr'd And the high Walls prohibit all access May we not justly then suspect this Oracle For how can we approach this fatal Image Or how can we transport it Pil. When we despair Great Love shall crown our action with success And from the Dangers of the place deliver us So said the God upon our Virtue then Upon our Friendship firmly let 's depend Immortal Love ne're stirs a moment from us Or. Above the world I swear I love my Pilades Then let us to the Ship retire That lies among the Rocks conceal'd And with the advantage of approaching night Sally with all our Friends Surprize and force the place Enter Helymus and after him Diores How now what means that ghastly look Hast thou too seen the Furies Why standst thou speechless What means that deep fetcht groan Why does Despair Stare thro thy haggard eyes Hel. My Lords defend your selves For from the Brow of yonder neighb'ring Hill A party of the Scythians have surpriz'd me Their reinless Steeds come scowring down the Mountain As they had Wings and seem to bend their course Directly tow'rds the Temple Or. It is enough my Pilades retire In the good Ship thy refuge quickly take While I with Helymus and good Diores Keep these inhumane Dogs that hunt for Blood at bay Pil. Had I made that Request to my Orestes By Heav'n I ne're shou'd have forgiv'n my self Because Orestes ne're could have forgiven me Should Pilades have ask'd his only friend To be so false so infinitely base As to desert him one day I must dye That is most certain and who knows how poorly How like the base born vulgar Cou'd I have ever wish'd to have faln more nobly Than fighting dying for my Dear Orestes How shou'd a Friend expire but with his Friend And not when Death has seiz'd his nobler part Drag a half wretched paralytick life His own forlorn Surviver Why wouldst thou then unkindly thus deprive me Of such a Death as I shou'd envy thee Then as we have liv'd let us embracing dye Now let them come Had they attack'd me only I wou'd have giv'n my wretched Breast to them That groans beneath th' intolerable weight Of never ceasing woe But since through mine they seek the life of Pilades By Castor and the friendly God his Brother They 'll find they safelier might have undertaken To have rousd the Hungry Monarch of the Woods While slumbring o're his young Enter Queen of the Scythians and Train Queen Give orders that the Horse remain at distance Let these on foot attend me to the Temple There 's something sad in my foreboding mind Tâ—â—â—s unbecoming of this pompous Festival 〈◊〉 night wâ—en Death-like Sleep had seiz'd on Mortals In the dread hour to silent Horror sacred This in the Visions of the Dark I saw The â—â—â—â—ings of th' Apartment where I lay Flew open with a Whiâ—â—windâ— violent blast And to my eyes appear'd th' amazing form Of 〈…〉 Goddess With 〈…〉 her head 〈…〉 Her 〈…〉 wrathful frown 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 the Fates â—â—reed She 〈…〉 Dreams are Dreams All 〈…〉 great Souls And I will think no more of it Seeing the Grecians Ha! 〈…〉 with Arms unlicenc'd And 〈…〉 〈…〉 that calls me Soveraign Or. 〈…〉 at us we are men And 〈…〉 ne're saw beforâ— Queen Yes I 'm a woman born to command men Pil. No to command Barbarians we are Grecians Queen By your exalted Speech and touring Meins I took you to be Gods But if you 're Grecians we shall find you mortal For if you 're Grecians know that you must dye Or. Then know that we resolve to die like Grecians Like two who know that we were born to die Pil. That ev'ry brave mans business is to die Or. Th' Employment of your Scythians is to kill But the whole business of a Grecians life Is like himself to die Pil. For Death is only certain all things else Depend on Fortune's Arbitrary freak And may or may not happen Death is Fate 's And only sure and common to us all Queen Gods how they talk I 'll see what they can do Fall on Or. Now the two friendly Brother Gods assist us They beat off the Scythians Queen Gods what have I beheld with what a fury They drove my Dastard Scythians all before theâ— As Whirlwinds drive the Dâ—â—â—â— Protect me great 〈…〉 Orestes Pâ—lâ—â—â—s Helymuâ— Diâ—â—â—s 〈…〉 Or. Now Madam you may see that thâ— we 〈…〉 Grecians are yet as faâ— aâ—â—â—â— your 〈…〉 As they 're below the gods But you are 〈…〉 Expecting we should 〈…〉 Because your 〈…〉 But we are able to 〈…〉 The high prerogative 〈…〉 Your Subjects as by 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 In all their Combate 〈…〉 Greatness of mind exciâ—â—◠〈…〉 Who conquers only to 〈…〉 And to improve the vanquish'd That you shall see your life your 〈…〉 Your Scepter 's yours once more 〈…〉 To shew more mercy to unhappy 〈…〉 Farewel Queen Gods Have I liv'd to hear such 〈…〉 'T is not the easie Conquers they obtain'd That mortifies my pride what 's 〈…〉 I have a greatness of my own a greatness Immortal like my Soul in which it dwells And ne're can suffer by my Subjects buseness But this is what tormentâ— me I have heard Gods I have heard them say such things as shows They who pronounc'd
Eyes it rowls To the dismal Deed she 's come to excite us And nothing but Blood can delight us Give us Blood give us Blood Give us a Flood Let it flow let it flow Strike strike the fatal Blow A shout just as the Ode ends Queen Oh insolence audacious insupportable Look out and see who 't is that dares disturb The Execution of this dreadful Ceremony Enter Messenger Mess Great Queen provide betimes for your security The Greeks returning bear down all before them And the next moment will invest the Temple Queen Are all the Gates madefast Mess They 'r all with Bars of solid Brass secur'd Queen Then I 'll prevent them Priestess do thy Duty Iph. Goddess look down thy Priestess is thy Victim Offers to stab herself the Victim throws off his Veil and 〈…〉 the Knife from her discovering himself to be Pilades 〈…〉 same time speaking as follows Pil. Oh hold 't is Sacrilege to strike that stroke Thy Beauties are the Darling care of Heav'n Look up and see the Wonder it has wrought On purpose to preserve them Queen May I believe my Eyes Amazing sight Euph. Miraculous Events Pil. Thou thought'st to die for the dear Man thou lov'st And I alas am come to die for him Iph. O all ye Pow'rs whose Wisdom rules the Universe Let me adore the Wonders of your Providence Queen Revenge thy injur'd Handmaid great Diana Revenge thy injur'd self we 're both betray'd By my own faithless Subjects we 're betray'd Pil. No cruel Queen thou see'st I am come to die And satisfie you both Queen Where is thy Friend Pil. Where at the Head of his Victorious Grecians Queen Oh cursed Fate What brought thee here to suffer in his stead Pil. Agreement with your Scythians and desire To save the only Man of all the World That 's fit to be a Friend by gaining time Enough for his Embarkment Queen What hast thou said Agreement with my Scythians Oh the vile Traitors Why should they agree to it Pil. To save themselves After our Greeks had forced my God-like Friend from them They who soon found their Victim irretrievable And knew what torments they must undergo Unless they could make you think they had retriev'd him They who with Wonder had beheld the Pow'r Of 〈…〉 Friendship in my Friend and me To my Apartment câ—me half dead with fear VVhere they inform'd me of our Grâ—â—â—â—â—â— Valour Your Threats their baseness and my Friend's escape I 〈…〉 gain time for hiâ— Embarkment 〈…〉 and die for him Queen 〈…〉 the Altar thus unbound Pil. 〈…〉 I agreed with them Death 〈…〉 embrac'd But the 〈…〉 of a Slave My free â—â—â—â— soul disdain'd 〈…〉 Wâ—â— ever any thing thing so great 〈…〉 And yet so tender and so true 〈…〉 me Grecian but so nobly 〈…〉 beauteous as thy Fraud 〈…〉 that thou must die 〈…〉 a God like Action 〈…〉 â—he Must he die for it To Iph. 〈…〉 it all ye Pow'rs 〈…〉 selves inspir'd this wondrous Virtue 〈…〉 least he ne'er shall die 〈…〉 But die thâ—â—â—â—st 〈…〉 Rites and great Revenge require it 〈…〉 thy Office 〈…〉 Oâ— never never 〈…〉 Ah miserable Creature think with trembling What Vengeance thou art drawing on thy Head â—â—â— the time presses I shall be prevented â—ake thou the sacred Steel and strike the Blow To another Priestess Scyth Make way for the Elder of the Captives there Make way Queen For the Elder of the Captives As the other Priestess is going to strikâ— Orestes enters runs between the Dagger and Pilades and embraces him Or. He lives he lives I have him in my Arms This turn ye Pow'rs has made amends for all Queen Confusion I am lost the Greekâ— are here Strike thro' them both Iph. Ah cruel fight Ah Gods I cannot bear it Thus let me intercept the barbarous Blow Aâ— the other Priestess goes to strike Iphigenia interposes Queen O Death and Vengeance Her her Heart transfix Priest Who 's the chief Priestess Queen Hers liâ—t thy exâ—â—â—ting Arm haste strike I 'm lost undone on every side betray'd And the next moment we shall be prevented Or. O hurt not her by Heav'n and Earth I adjure you â—oâ— I am come alone and come to die Queen What say'st thou 'T is impossible Or. 'T is certain Queen Wert thou not Rescued by thy Friends Or. I was Queen Hast thou been retaken then by our Sâ—ythians Or. Your Scythians are dispers'd and we are Victors Queen Where are thy Grecians then Or. Upon the horrid sommet of the Cliff By my Command obsequiously they wait Queen How got you entrance Or. At the Iron Wicket of the Postern where Arm'd with a hundred Javelins Death stands Centry And none can there unlicens'd pass and live Queen What brought thee to this fatal place alone Or. I come to die Queen Thou com'st to die the Conquerour comes to die Or. Afâ—er our Greeks had forced me from your Scythians And the shoâ—t Fury of the Fight was past As soon as the Retreat we slowly made Had giv'n me time for thought My Joy soon vanish'd all for soon I found That I had left all that I held most precious All that was dear to my afflicted Soul Ev'n in the Jaws of Fate Strait I prevail'd upon my valiant Friends T' attempt a second Rescue Then to my Friend's Apartment we all flew To force his Guards the Guards indeed we forc'd But him we found not there I grew inform'd Of his deplorable tho' God like purpose That his inimitable Love for me Made him to a bloody doom devoted stand At these inhumane Altars Swift as a Storm we hurried to the Temple But when I found the Massy Gates all barr'd The dreadful Rites begun and my poor Friend At the Altar and about to breath his last To breath his last for me Witness ye Pow'rs that thought I could not bear With rigorous Commands I enjoyn'd my Friends To leave me to the adverse Gods and Fate For Gods and Fate cry'd out that I must bleed Or else surviving ev'ry minute die My Friends unwilling yet with Tears obâ—y'd And here alone thâ— Conquerouâ—'s come to die Queen Unheard of Friendship Euph. Unâ—â—amplâ—d Faith Iph. O Constâ—ncy Diâ—iâ—â— Queen Was 〈◊〉 â—â—â—n so great a sight Of glorioâ—s Wâ—e before Euph. to Iph. Courage my Princess for the Gods declare for us They are here among us they are manifest For these are plainly more than Human Actions Queen I am o'recome I yield y' Almighty Powers To hurt such Viâ—â—ue were to touch your selves Such Virtue is Diviâ—ity Here set them free immediately Pr. Whom Queen The Grecians Pr. Both Queen Both. Pr. Then whâ—re's the Victim for our Solemn Rites Queen The Goddess has herself declar'd her Victim Pr. Whom Queen Enquire no more but set thy Prisoners free Pr. They are free Queen to Or. Grâ—cian I need not be asham'd to own That I am charm'd by thy exalted Virtue The Immortal Powers themselves are fond of less Twice in one night has it prevail'd upon me To give
you hold By vain enquiry plague my Soul no more Iph. Answer this once and I have done for ever How bears the Queen this terrible disaster Or. The Queen still met a more Tremendous Destiny Iph. Dissolve me Gods into a â—â—ood of Tears aside How fell she Or. Alas 't is terrible it shakes my Nature She fell by Iph. Whom Or. By the curst wretch to whom she gave his Being Iph. By her own Son Astonishment of woe Wherefore Or. His Royal Father he reveng'd Whom barbarously she murder'd Iph. Murder'd O Horror upon Horror Dismal Race The true Descent of Tâ—â—salâ—â— Deplorable the Crime and dire the Vengeance Or. And direly have the Gods repaid him Iph. 〈◊〉 he now 〈◊〉 Arges Or. Everywhere and no where 〈◊〉 Euphâ—osine Iphigenia goes to her Euph. Madam the Queen approaches Or. Hast thou observ'd that Lady well my Friend That 's so acquainted with th' affairs of Greece Pil. I have Or. Methinkâ— there 's much of Hellen in her form Pil. I was about t' inform you that I thought so Or. That very Air that set the world on fire Pil. As sweet yet check'd by something that 's severe And see the very motion of that eye That went to all beholders Hearts like Lightning That moves ev'n mine in this my lost condition aside Or. She is not only fair my friend she is good too She pities our misfortunes nay she weeps for them Pil. Pity 's the Harbinger of Love suppose That this should be the object which the god Foretold should be oblig'd by Love to assist us Or. I would to Heaven it were O hopeless wish For at the sight of her my Soul dilates itself As at the view of a long absent Friend Unsatiated with gazing Enter Queen Guard Queen At length our Scythians have redeem'd their Honour And haughty Strangers you are in our pow'r But to you Grecian we have obligations Which we disdain to owe. Guards let him instantly be free for th' other Strait to the Temple let him be conducted And there expire the Victim of the Goddess Or. The very mercy of a Scythians cruelty I gave you Life and Liberty because I thought them grateful gifts but Death 's the present The only present you can make to me Would you requite the gifts which I bestow'd on you With my Friends Life and Liberty requite them And let my Blood appease your cruel Goddess Queen Proud Hast thou then disdain'd my proffer'd mercy Know one of you is doom'd to die and instantly Determine which between you Pil. Scythians conduct your Prisoner They are going Or. Hold you Barbarians hold By all that wondrous pow'r of Sacred Friendship That but this moment charm'd your savage heart I here conjure you hold Consider how we from our earliest years To Pilades Have liv'd as if one will one soul had acted us Is this a time to differ why wouldst thou Usurp this wretched Death that is my Right Who drew thee from the Clime of gentle Greece To this inhumane shore What but my miseries seduc'd thee hither The pomp and the support of my sad state What have I done t' induce you to believe That I should proveso recreant to all goodness To let you suffer here instead of me Pil. Would you not have me suffer Or. Would I not have thee suffer canst thou ask it O my Friend Pil. And yet you urge me to survive you O contradiction Or. What hast thou done which can deserve the death Which fondly thus thou court'st Pil. What have I done that I deserve to live After the only man of all the world That 's fit to be my Friend Or. Thou hast no loss in me or if thou had'st Thou hast a Soul that is above thy Fortune Oh live my Friend and shew this cursed Race What Grecians can endure Pil. What live to see you here expire Before my very Face Live and stand tamely by while these Barbarians Sheath their accursed Knives in your Hearts blood Away I always own'd my self a man And own no Virtue of that barbarous nature Or. What will become of me If 't is so hard to thee to lose thy Friend To thee whose faculties are all entire Whose Soul 's in its full strength What must it be to me who bow my neck Beneath the Burthen which the Gods have laid on me Whose wounded spirit swoons beneath the pangs Of sorrow which no Tongue of man can utter O cursed sting of guilt that 's insupportable Pil. Thou hast no guilt the Gods themselves declar'd it Or. Oh I have done a deed Pil. The Gods commanded thee Or. Nature forbid me Pil. Nâ—â—â—re is theirs and theirs are all her Laws What their supream Authority has made Their independant pow'r can supersede Thou could'st not help performing their commands For what they will is fate Or. Then why at my last need have they forsaken me VVhy has the baser world disown'd this Fact And branded my great name with infamy VVhy gapes the Earth with ghastly yawns before me VVhile Hell unwilling from the Center bursts To shew me forms that fright my trembling Genius Blast all my Faculties unhinge my Reason And in a moment make me start to madness Yet while I had thee by me 't was impossible That I could be intirely miserable It was impossible that I could think Upon thy wondrous Faith thy wondrous Truth Upon thy wondrous Self and not be pleas'd That thought that only thought prevail'd upon me To bear the smarting wounds of my own Spirit To bear the loss of Peace the loss of Fame But must I lose my Friend and must I bear it Ye Gods I will not bear it and my plagues Shall be your aspect no longer Come ye Furies Ye formidable Goddesses ascend And threefold madness to befriend me seize me Pil. What shall I do His fury wildly champs upon the Curb Anon it foams and starting with a Bound Hurries him headlong far from Reasons Road I shake I tremble at the dismal consequence I can no longer bear this mortal Agony In him whom dearer than my self I love No more Compose the Tumult in thy Raging Spirits Thy friend has listen'd to thy Lamentation And with a bleeding heart has heard Thy miserable plea. Or. Is it not fitting then that I should bleed Pil. Grant me but one Request and thou shalt die Or. 'T is thine whate're it be Pil. But swear Or. Then by th' Almighty pow'r of our Jove By all our great Progenitors his Off-spring I swear Pil. That thou wilt die as thou hast liv'd My Friend and my Companion Or. Couldst thou doubt that How willingly I swear Pil. Then hast thou sworn that I shall not survive thee Or. Nay that my last Request Pil. Hold by the Gods to whom thou standst oblig'd By dreadful Oaths hold make not that request And be not perjur'd in the hour of Death Or. Ha! Now Death is arm'd and with a fearful Sting Queen Now Grecians who 's the Victim Or. 'T is I. Pil. 'T
is I. Or. Pil. 'T is both Queen But both it must not be I here am absolute But one shall fall a Victim to the Goddess Pil. To holy Friendship t'other falls a sacrifice Queen aside These are ye Gods the works of your own hands Your living Image To separate Apartments Guards conduct them Exeunt Guards with Orestes and Pilades Now to the Temple lead let 's there consult The Goddess she herself shall choose her Victim Exeunt Queen and Attendants Manet Iphigenia Euph. Iph. Stay my Euphrosine one moment stay Hast thou observ'd that Godlike Youth Who shew'd that noble sorrow Euph. I have Iph. Does he deserve the Death which we prepare for him Does he not say Deserve to be Immortal Euph. Yet he must die Iph. Dye Nature first he must not Dye Euphrosine Euph. Yes in the Arms of a young Beauteous Queen Iph. Ha! First let him bleed no let him live ye pow'rs Let Iphigemia Die Euph. Amazement What do I hear Iph. What wilt thou say when thou hast heard the rest Euph. The rest oh Heav'ns Iph. To my Apartment instantly let 's go There thou the secret of my Soul shalt know But not the very Winds of Heav'n must on it blow The end of the Second Act. ACT III. Iphigenia Euphrosine Iph. WIlt thou betray me Euph. I 'll rather dye with you Iph. Disswade me then no more I am determin'd And Fate crys out I must not lose a moment Be gone then fly and send the unhappy Grecian to me Enter Delia. Del. Madam the Queen commands that both the strangers Without delay be brought into her presence Iph. Unfortunate command that thus prevents me I will not be prevented inspire me thou Thou gentle God of Love for whom I act Delia inform the Queen that of the Captives The eldest is the Victim now Of these most dreadful Altars For such she says is great Diana's Will His Eyes are muffled and his Arms are pinion'd His Temples are with Holy Fillets bound Already has the sacred water cleans'd him And to the infernal Gods he stands devoted The other shall attend her instantly Exit Delia Euphrosine To me convey the eldest of the strangers And to the cruel Queen dispatch the other And thou Immortal Love whose conqu'ring pow'r Can give the Tender Timerous Virgin force Thus to defie the Terrors of the night Immortal Love indulge my bold design Preserve us thou preserver of the Universe Enter Orestes Or. Here all alone That pleases me But why Why I can gaze upon her unobserv'd And none condemn my weakness I have not half an hour to view the light And since I 've felt the extremity of woe 'T is fit I find some pleasure e're I dye Death's ghastly Image then I 'll chace away With Love's Transporting Thoughts But if those Thoughts once make me fond of Life I 'll think that I have reason to despair And so contented dye Coming up to Iphâ— It was your pleasure that a dying wretch Should come and take his leave of you Iph. Stranger I sent for you to give you notice That th' Altar is adorn'd the Steel prepar'd And the next moment they expect the Victim Or. The Victim will attend them But whose must be the executing arm Iph. Look how it Trembles at the Dreadful Deed Methinks with Horror Stranger you survey me Or. No do but strike with that soft melting look And my last breath shall Blessing pour my Soul on thee O Look ill suited to this cursed office That nought respires but Blood and horrid Murther How long have you possess'd it Iph. Last night the Scythians threatning horrid Tortures Compell'd me to accept of it But a more cruel wrack succeeds th' acceptance The fear of striking this accursed blow Has torn my heartin pieces Or. What object makes you start and turn so pale Iph. I sark heard you not the Temple doors Upon their hinges turning Or. No T was the hollow Breath of the Black North That grumbles on the Mountain Iph. My Apprehension every Moment murders me Ah Gods we must make haâ—â—â— the fatal Time draws nigh Or. Yet something wou'd I whisper to your Soul Wou'd you vouchsafe to hear me Iph. Alas 't is now too late we must be gone Or. To Death at your Command this readily I run Going towards the Temple Iph. Ah Gods You run you know not whither that 's not the way Suppose that â—ow some pitying God persuades me Yet to preserve you from impending Fate Or. And my Friend too Iph. And him too Or. To that propitious God my very self I 'll sacrifice Iph. Wou'd you take me the Partner of your Flight Or. The Partner What a Whirl of Fate is here Surprize and Joy distract me Iph. Wou'd you Or. Or may I perish in it unlamented Iph. No more Near yonder Western Point there lies A leaky Tempest-beaten tatter'd Bark In which Four Wretches slumber out the Night To fit them for the Labours of the Day That we must seize on and must trust to that Or. Alas we need not Near you Eastern Point The Sâ—out the Strong-ribb'd Argosic attends us A hundred daring Souls inclos'd in its huge Bulk All waiting on my Nod. Iph. Were you not wreck'd then Or. Among the Rocks the Vestel rides conceal'd Iph. What do I hear nay then the Gods regard us Remove a little further to the Right That no one from the Temple may discern you Thither I must return and thence transport The Image of the Goddess Or. That in my Rapture I had quite forgot Aside Iph. So shall we still be under her Protection And shall avoid the fierceness of her Anger Or. Alas You 've nam'd the very fatal Thing For which we touch'd on this accursed Shore Iph. Then came you here by choice Or. To fetch this fatal Image of the Goddess Iph. What mov'd you to it Or. The Delphick God ordain'd it Iph. Ha! How every thing I hear gives me new Life And makes my Blood run dancing to my Heart Six Grecian Virgins all of Noble Birth Within yon Temple wait upon my Call Who all wou'd offer up their Lives to serve me They tell me of prodigious Apparitions That have astonish'd them this fatal Night Two shall amuse the Queen with the Relation While the rest secretly transport the Goddess And thou old Night the Friend to Love and Stealth T' indulge this Stealth to which great Love compels me Redouble all thy Shades Aside Exâ—ect me in a Moment back again But on your Life re move not from the place Let me be sure to find you here So may you find the Happiness you wish for Exit Iph. Or. Confirm that Wish ye Heavens Heark Who comes there A Man Pray Heav'n a Friend What Alteration can a Moment make I who this Minute long'd to lay my Head Down in the dark and peaceful Grave Am now grown fond of miserable Life What sudden Vigour Love receives from Hope For scarce an Hour is past since the soft God
restore it but on Terms Impossible to be perform'd by us Queen Why did you then approve them Phel I never knew them well till I had left you Queen A meer Pretence Is Grecian Faith so known Had not you giv'n that Faith to remain here Pil. But then that Faith was on Conditions giv'n Which soon I found you never cou'd perform Queen Wherefore Pil. Because the Gift you offer'd was no Gift Queen What was no Gift The Present which you priz'd so Pil. Had it been real it had been inestimable You only gave me Words and the vain Promise Of what the Gods had taken from your Pow'r Queen Surely thou ravest Is not Diana's Priestess in my Pow'r Pil. Her Body is but tho' it be a glorious One Without her Soul I wou'd refuse the Treasure But love alone can of her Soul dispose And without leave obtain'd of you The God had frankly done it Queen Ha! To whom Pil. How fain you wou'd extort this Secret from me Queen How fain I wou'd by Heav'n I will extort it Pil. You never shall I know I am to bleed And with me too the fatal Truth shall die Queen Then 't is no Truth and thou wilt die a Villain Die with the Brand of an ungrateful Traytor An odious Hypocrite Pil. To be reveng'd for these opprobrious Wrongs I need but tell you what you ask proud Princess Queen Do it then Pil. Will you persist to urge me Queen I will The Priestess Who has touch'd her Heart Pil. In your own Breast the fatal Secret's lodg'd Queen Lodg'd in my Breast Pil. Ask ask your self the Question who is he Who finds the way of touching Scythian Hearts Queen Ha! Gods That stings Aside Here Guards withdraw your Pris'ner And bring Diana's Priestess hither instantly Exeunt with Pil. By yon Bright Goddess He 's come off with Honour But Oh the exalted Virtue of his Friend Who freely for his Friend can Life resign And for his Mistress can contemn a Crown This Raises him still more in my Esteem It wou'd do had he made a better Choice And is the Priestess then preferr'd to me Have I who have had the Ambition to behold Admiting Monarchs at my Feet adoring Liâ—'d to reflect with mortifying Soul That I my self to one unknown have offer'd And been O Gods by one unknown refus'd And for Diana's Priestess too refus'd Refus'd Scorn'd loath'd Oh how that tears my Heart But if thou hast a Soul with treble Scorn Return it Suffer him to take this Priestess And let his despicable Choice revenge thee What! must he gain her by the odious Boast That he has sacrific'd me to my Creature And can I suffer it I cannot think of it Without Distraction But the Priestess comes Enter Iphigenia So From whence come you Ha! whence these Disorders What makes you tremble And what strikes you dumb Iph. To such a haughty and insulting Look I have not learnt to answer Queen I look as it becomes me on my Slave Iph. The sight of such a Slave shou'd make you humble By shewing you to what excess of Wretchedness The Daughter of a mighty King may fall Queen Say From whence come you I command you answer Iph. I have no Pow'r to speak Queen So hasty was your Flight Iph. Who must not fly from acting Cruelties At which Barbarity it self can melt Queen Oh how those meek and melting Words Become the soft and tender Race of Tantalus Iph. The Race of Tantalus has been revengeful But yet it ne'er was bloody unprovok'd What have these Grecians done to me Queen What hadst thou done t' assembled Greece at Aulis What hadst thou done to thy own Father there Who to thy Ruin unprovok'd consented Nay pressâ—d it urg'd it Iph. My Mother urg'd it not I from the Heroines of our Race have â—eâ—rnt To shew soft Pity Queen Thou from the Heroines of thy Race hast learnt Thou hast fond Maid to shew a guiltier Passion Oh how their kind Reception of their Guests Had made their Names throughout the World renown'd Iph. For an Example of such kind Reception Perhaps I need not fly to Greece Queen I understand thee well Plagu'd by the Terrors of impending Wrath Thou would'st provoke and hasten Death thou would'st And have him swifter that he may be gentler But know fond Maid thou shalt not die so early Think of thy Gratitude to thy Preserver And think what that deserves Iph. My preserver Queen Was ever such audacious insolence Who was it sav'd thee from immediate Death At thy Arrival on the Sâ—â—â—â— of Tauris Iph. Would I had been a Man at that Arrival For then my Blood had â—â—ain'd your cruel Altars Queen O wretch ingrateful to that black Degree As to disown the mighty Obligation By which thou liv'st to saâ—â— thou art not oblig'd Would'st thou insinuate that thy Sex preserv'd thee Iph. Men are the Victims that your Goddess claims Queen Not always Iph. Tradition says so and your bloody Rites Are founded on Tradition Queen When she her self declares her awful Will Tradition's of no force But not the feeble voice of faint Tradition No the loud call of the descending Goddess Claim'd thee at Aulis her devoted Victim At least so Calchas said Iph. The fraud of Calchas plainly she Detected By suffering me to evade th'inhuman Altar Queen 'T was Clytemnestra's Sacrilege preserv'd thee And not the Goddess Who wracking thee on this her sacred Shore Strongly appears to Redemand her Fugitive Iph. Before these Grecians came you had no such thoughts Queen No thy soft graceful look and seeming innocence Inclin'd me to suspect the crafty Calchas But thy black Guilt appearing with thy Ingratitude Makes me repent of my mistaken pity Iph. O fatal pity Rightly term d mistaken True pity would have suffered me to bleed Then I had been at rest in the Dark Grave With my unhappy Parents Not have convers'd with everlasting woe In you Dire Tabernacle of Despair For there no smiling Beam of Joy is seen No gladsom sound is ever heard But all is always rueful Lamentation Queen If thuo'rt so sensible of this Then know that there 's a punishment preparing for thee A punishment that 's worthy thy perfidiousness If 't is so terrible to see these Sights So woful but to hear these sounds of Sorrow What must it be to act the bloody Office What must it be to one who has a Soul As soft as thine as melting ev'n as Mercies Iph. Ah miserable me Queen To act it nay and act it on a Grecian One who himself has only tender thoughts Or only tender Thoughts at least towards thee One who perhaps could die for thee for whom Perhaps ev'n thou could'st die Iph. Ah Gods Queen See how her Soul declares its weakness And now unable to contain its grief Pours forth a Deluge of Impetuous Sorrow What must it be to think the Dreadful time Of doing this accursed Deed approaches That the next Moment thou must stain thy Hands By going to his
we shall all of us 〈…〉 D'y ' hear We 〈…〉 The Cornets with their 〈…〉 Bind him you Slaves 〈…〉 How dare you stand 〈…〉 Or. My Grecians 〈…〉 I 'd give the World 〈…〉 While they bind 〈◊〉 But since it will 〈…〉 I ask not Liberty 〈…〉 I ask not ev'n a 〈…〉 Pour down your Plagues on my devoted Head Torment me rack me â—ear me Torture me any way unless by torturing heâ—â— Comfort her poor afflicted Heart ye Pow'rs And grant that at our next accursed meeting Grant cruel Gods that mine be all the Pain Iph. Break Heart that we may never meet again The End of the Fourth ACT. ACT. V. SCENE The Outward Temple Enter Queen Priests and Priestesses 1 Pr. SAve us ye eternal Pow'rs that save the Just 2 Priest Protect us great Diana 1 Priest What dismal Night is this 2 Pr. A dreadful Night indeed 1 Pr. Sure all the Elements will now be wrack'd And 't is the end of all things Queen Are you the Sacred Ministers of Heav'n And yet afraid of Thunder 1 Pr. Whâ—n Jove's disturb'd what Mortal dares be calm Queen I who am conscious of committing nothing That may provoke his Anger Are all things ready Pr. They are ev'n now th'adorn the fatal Image 〈…〉 Grecians are 〈…〉 And is it possible 〈…〉 could they force in spight of your resistance 〈…〉 up the Mâ—unâ—â—â—n's Steep ascent 〈…〉 You have heard how first by slow Degrees they ascended While as they mounted dâ—sky Clouds arose And Heaven appear'd to sâ—oâ—l upon th' Attempt And lowring blacken'd all their March while ours Upon the Margin of the horrid Summet With threatning Dares impatiently expected them But when within our Javelins reach they arriv'd Upon the sudden Jove declar'd aloud for them The dreadful Thunder from behind them roar'd While at our Scythians Eyes the blasting Lightning flew The Grecians with a shout that breath'd Defiance Receiv'd th' Auspicious Signal and the Thunder Seem'd as an Instrument of War t' excite them Hear ye Barbarians Hâ—ar great Jove they cryed Threatning Destruction to your cursed Race And as the Rocks Restor'd the Dreadful cry Murmuring they clash'd a formidable Din Upon their flaming Shields then shook their Horrid Spears Their Spears that bristled with th' amazing Beams Of the Retorted Lightning Hideous they ascended As flaming Furies mounting from the Abyss While all our Scythians look'd like pale Offenders When they behold Hell's Ghastly 〈…〉 Queen Infamous Slave◠〈…〉 Scyth This fron◠〈…〉 Where I great Queen by 〈…〉 Prepar'd the 〈…〉 When lo the 〈…〉 The Mournful 〈…〉 When in 〈…〉 I hurrying drag 〈…〉 Queen And 〈…〉 Scyth Not I 〈…〉 As we were 〈…〉 The Grecians that 〈…〉 Had driv'n our 〈…〉 And quite o'ercome 〈…〉 Swift as the Lightning 〈…〉 And in a Moment 〈…〉 Queen And thou art alive to tell this Scyth My Life was of Importance to your Service And therefore I preserv'd it A panick Fear had now dispers'd our Scythians Some fell some sled but all remain'd Disorder'd Iby this Voice alone retriev'd the Fainting Confirm'd the Doubtful and recall'd the Flying Ralliâ—d by me they still maintain'd their ground When I withdrew to inform you of your Danger And know your further pleasurâ— Queen O Death to all my Hopes Aside Return I charge 〈…〉 If thy 〈…〉 dear to thee with speed Return And tell thâ—se Scandals to the Scythian Race That they had better never have been born Than â—'er behold my Evâ—â— without the Prisoner Tell them they can but dieby Grecian Hands And if they die by them they die with Honour And they who die with Honour die with Pleasure But should they owe their Deaths to my Revenge Shout Oâ— Thou O Heaven that shouts the shout of Triumph â—ead in my Eyes the Rest and fly to inform them Ex. Scyth 1 Pr. The Gods apparently reject this Sacrifice Queen How durst thou think so 1 Pr. The prodigies so lately seen confirm it Scarce had the Night upon her Carr ascending Thrown her black Influence round the Mournful Hemisphere When a Mad Whirlwinds Subterranean blast Made the Dome tremble from its deep Foundation And shook the dreadful glories of its Spires Yet hide themselves from 〈…〉 they have given A Spirit worthy of the 〈…〉 Enter 〈…〉 Ha! Art thou then return'd What do 〈…〉 Grecians Scyth The Grecians make a surely slow Retreat Queen And where 's the Victim Scyth Look where the Scythians guard him towards the Altar Queen You are just ye pow'rs in all your ways Now let the Rites begin The flat Scene draws and discovers the Altar Iphigenia on the one side and Euphrosine on the other in Mourning postures The Victim veild is introduced by flat Trumpets a Train of Priests and Priestesses and Guards The Victim is led 〈…〉 after that a dreadful Symphony and then the following Ode Ode for the Sacrifice Three Priests Chorus of Priests and Priestesses 1 Pr. HAil great Diana â—ear and sâ—â— Chor. We Sacrifice thee 2 Pr. Hail Moon that with thy silver Light Govern'st the Empire of the Night Look down and see Chor. We Sacrifice to thee 3 Pr. And thou the Dreadfull'st of the three Hail Infernal Hecate Ascend and see Chor. We Sacrifice to thee II. Thee Great Diana thee Goddess renown'd for Chastity Thee first of all we Invoke To see us strike the fatal stroke On him who with a Heart prophane Thy very Altars sought to stain Thy presence open'd the dark Womb And gave him Entrance to the Light Thy presence too must open the sad Tomb And send him to Eternal Night III. Chor. Thee Goddess thee we all invoke To see us strike the fatal stroke 2 Pr. Thou Moâ—n that with thy Silver Light Govern'st the Empire of the Night Thee Goddess thee we next Invoke To see the fatal stroke As Horrour thou art pleas'd to see Horror loves to gâ—â—â— on thee Each Fiend and ev'ry ghastly Spright That so abhors thy Brother's Ray Yet oft forsakes eternal Night To revel in thy paler Day Chor. Thee Goddess Thee we next invoke Look down and see the fatal Stroke IV. 2 Chor. She sees she sees a gloomy Red Hâ—â— half her glowing Face o'erspread But â—h behold o'er half her Light Some Charm dâ—â—â—ses gloomy Night Iâ— must be some Thessalian Charm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your Trumpets give the alarm Let â—â—◠〈…〉 the Sky 〈…〉 〈…〉 your Drums Aâ—â—â—â—â— the Victim die V. 2 Pr. But hold till lastly thee 〈◊〉 Hecate Queen of Furies we invoke Ascend and see the fatal Stroke Ascend from everlasting Night Blasting Nature with the sight VI. She comes she cleaves the trembling Ground And spreading horrour all around Dâ—â—â—ly dies the misty Air Her dark and griâ—â—ly Features fright The coal black Steeds that drag the Night And Nature's Ceâ—tiâ—els they scâ—re Heark how with dreary Shriek the Owl And frighted Wâ—lvâ—s with dreadful Howl Her dire approach declare Chorus She 's here her Guard of Furies seâ— And Furies now as great are we Her Spirit rages in our Souls And in our frantick