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
Natives Where I must linger out a wretched life Far from my Country and my dear Relations Far from the sweet society of Ladys Whose Souls with ev'ry Grace and Virtue fraught Alone can by their Conversation give Insipid life a Relish 'T is now five years since the last wretched Grecian Was thrown upon this Coast and I alas Am utterly a stranger to whate're Has happen'd to my Country and my Friends Only last night last feardful night Orestes My only Brother and the second hope Of Royal Agamemnon's High born Race Broke my distracted slumbers with dire Visions That quite dismay'd my Soul my very Dreams All in this place are like the Natives dreadful Euph. However you exclaim against those Natives To you they are less barbarous than your Grecians And far more gentle than a cruel Father To them you owe your Liberty your Honour To them too next the Gods you owe the punishment Of a curst Slaves design upon them both When for 〈◊〉 space of three revolving Moons The Grecian â—â—eet had windbound lain at Aulis And great Achilles longing lay impatient To urge the Trojan Fate Calchas aloud proclaim'd throughout the Army That the offended Gods deny'd the Winds Till that the King of Kings who stood oblig'd By an old Vow to offer to Lucina The loveliest product of the fertile year Should sacrifice his Beauteous Iphigenia Iph. Why wilt thou old Calamities renew Euph. To reconcile you more to your misfortune And shew you what great things the Gods have done for you Tho you ungratefully repine the King By damnable Ambition urg'd consented To what the Camp with one accord demanded And make your Marriage with the great Achilles The subtle lure to draw you down from Argos Iph. The fraud of Calchas and of dire Ulysses False fatal Marriage Euph. And tho true untimely Scarce had ten Springs then bloom'd upon your Cheek And yet your tender Mother Clytemnestra Betray'd and flatter'd by the hope of seeing Your Destiny united to a Hero's And such a Heroe from a Goddess sprung Too soon consented to the fatal Journey Iph. I wou'd not hear the rest Euph. You must at Aulis The subtle Clytemnestra found the Cheat Then like a Raging Lyoness whose young Some desperate Hunter in the Toils entangles Your Raving Mother soon dismay'd your Father Flew to his Tent with Fury in her Soul And Terror in her Eyes storm'd wept pray'd shriek'd Till she at last prevail'd on his hard heart So far she shook his fainting resolution Iph. What canst thou mean by this sad repetition Of what I wou'd not hear Euph. Once more I tell you To reconcile you to your Scythian Fate For to that strange degree you were undone That only Scythia's shore cou'd have preserv'd you From a worse Fate than that from which you fled For after that your Mother had prevail'd Upon your Father to retract your Destiny It was determin'd that at dead of night You shou'd by stealth from Aulis be convey'd To Thracian Polimnestor's Court There to remain conceal'd till the event Of that fam'd Expedition And that a Lesbian Slave in shape and size And age resembling yours In a long Veil should dye for Iphigenia So you escap'd and so all Greece was cheated Iph. Unfortunate escape for that which follows Was ten times worse than Death and barely mention'd Strikes to my Heart like Fate and shakes my Nature Euph. Yet I must on your peace of mind depends on it That day it happen'd that there came to Aulis A Master of a Vessel in his Boat Whose Ship lay out some leagues at Sea Being bound for the Propontis The Master was by Birth of Tomos The Country where the Isther It self at all it s sev'n wide mouths Discharges in the Euxine To him you were deliver'd with large Treasures And six small Virgins of your Train of which My wretched self was one To be convey'd to Thracian Polimnestor With him we at the Ship arriv'd and sail'd But then that Beauty which at Land had made you The most unfortunate of women Had like to have prov'd more fatal on the Main For fir'd by that and by the Treasure tempted The Captain past by Thrace and the Propontis Designing to transport us all to Tomos Iph. Oh the Villain Euph. As soon as in the Euxine all the world Appear'd to be compos'd but of two Elements The desperate Caitiff made a damn'd attempt We helpless wretches shriek'd to Heaven for succour When strait upon the wings of all the winds Th' avenging Gods flew down from Heav'n to Rescue us Jove gave th' alarm to Nature strait the Thunder From different quarters roar'd and the Blue Lightning Thwarted the Lightning in its slanting flight The Sea Gods in a moment turn'd the Seas Up from their deep Foundation They roaring out in liquid Mountains roll'd With intervals of horrid Vales between them While â—â—â—â—aming Monsters eccho'd to our shrieks Death in a thousand shapes at once appear'd And each of them amazing Iph. The very bare remembrance of that Storm Still strikes a thrilling Horror to my Heart The terriblest I ever saw Before I saw this ev'ning Euph. Yet 't was by that that gracious Heav'n preserv'd us For now the Vessel tumbling in the Abyss The King of Terrors in his dismalst shape Star'd in the Villains face and made him soon Desist from his curst enterprize A sharper care now seiz'd his guilty Soul Three days and nights adrift before the Storm We in the Deep lay rolling on the fourth The Tempest wrack'd us on this Scythian shore We strait were by the Natives seizd the Master And all his Crew the Crew of guilty wretches Who would have sacrific'd our spotless Honours To their infernal lusts that very night Yielded their throats at great Diana's Altars We were preserv'd and constituted part Of the bright train attendant on the Goddess Iph. See thou hast talk'd this Tempest over too But ah the goodly Ship is seen no more And all the wretches in its hollow womb Are perish'd in the waves and now alas The Elements seem reconcil'd and now The angry Ocean sinks into a Calm As if it like a Hungry Lyon roar'd But for its prey and were by that appeas'd But look Euphrosine what two are those Who with such friendly care assist each other To climb the craggy steepness of the Cliff While two at distance with unequal pace Pursuing pant behind them Euph. The wretched Remnants of the Wreck Who come to perish here Iph. Strangers they by their garb appear and Grecians With what laborious toil they mount And ever and anon They stop and cast an eager eye Tow'rds these Tremendrous Altars Euph. The foremost wears affliction in his aspect And the black Cloud that lowrs upon his Brow Seems to declare strange wretchedness of sorrow Iph. Yet sorrow on his Brow majestick sits And shows that from no common cause it springs His mien seems earnest and his looks profound Like one upon important business bent Ah wretch
the Grecians Running we gently rear'd them from the ground And cherish'd him who wanted most our help Till quickly we recall'd his fleeting Spirit Then into different Bands we all dividing Some ran among the Rocks to seek the Flyers And to the Temple some conduct the Captives But see they now draw near Iph. Euphrosine inform the Queen of this VVhile I receive the Grecians Euph. Be wise and come away Why would you see a sight that would distract you Iph. I would to Heaven it would for that distraction VVould drown a world of woe in sweet forgetfulness 'T is better surely not to know than knowing To know that we are infinitely miserable But if I cannot bear these objects here How shall I then endure them at the Altar How shall I there approach them how shall I there Let me not think of it that thought has Daggers in it Euph. Be wise and come away Iph. These noble youths bring news from Greece Euphrosine 'T is now five years since I beheld a Grecian Oh how I long to hear from my dear Country Besides consider what I left in Greece I left a Father there Euph. A cruel one Iph. Let him be cruel still I am his Daughter I left a Mother there she was not cruel Her very eyes were not so dear as I to her I owe my very life I owe my all To her exceeding Tenderness There too I left the darling of my Soul The darling of my Virgin Soul a Brother On whose young Temples scarce the seventh Summer Had shed its golden Down Can I be thought to have left all these behind And to have left them all behind entirely Ah no! Their Images are here Euphâ—osiâ—e And here remind me of the dear Originals Incessantly remind me There are no other objects here of tenderness Or none excepting thee And I thou know'st am in my nature soft Then to indulge that softness strait retire And leave me here to ask these noble youths After my Country and my dear Relations Ex. Euph. Enter Orestes Pilades Guard Approach ye most unfortunate of men Ill-fated youths the Sons of wretched Parents Wretched your Brothers and your Sisters miserable Or. Madam we know we are your Victims And come resolv'd to dye For Souls undaunted why this vain compassion By you we bleed and you deplore our destiny If that you think by softning our firm minds To make death dreadful to us you mistake us To Souls prepar'd such little arts are vain Not all your Scythian Javelins once could daunt us Nor can your Female Lamentations melt us Your cruel Gods when we approach their Altars Shall blush to see two men two dying men Unshaken and undaunted as themselves Amidst their high security Iph. So high a mind in such a low condition But from whence are you miserable men How long have ye been wanderers from your Country A long long time 't will be e're you return to it Or. Seek not to soften us by vain inquiries Nor to disturb us in our hour of Death Iph. Grecians you are I see but of what Province I must be answer'd my reasons are most urgent Or. How should our answers possibly concern you Iph. Are you Brothers Or. We are not so near as Brothers and yet nearer Iph. Then you are Friends it seems What may we call you Or. Miserable Iph. That is the name which Fortune has bestow'd upon you I ask not after that Or. The moâ—e we keep our names conceal'd The more we keep this shameful Fate conceal'd This Fate so much unworthy of us Tho our Hearts bleed our Names shall never suffer Iph. Say then what State what City gave you Birth Or. Madam we came resolv'd to dye And Death is now our business Iph. There 's time enough alas for Death And long you will enjoy him Answer me first oblige me so far Grecian Or. Argos renown'd throughout the World 's my Country Iph. Ha! Argos Is it possible O Heav'ns Tell me the truth I here conjure thee Grecian Or. Within Mycaenaes Walls I first saw light Mycaenae once the Towring Queen of Cities Iph. And yet you left it for this dismal place Or. Ev'n so the gods would have it Iph. They 're welcome Guests to me who come from Argos Or. And Death 's the hearty welcome we expect Iph. Grecian you may inform me of some things Which most my impatient Soul desires to know Or. You will be answer'd speak Iph. You have heard of Troy whose Fame has fill'd the Universe Or. Oh would to Jove I ne're had heard of Troy Not in my very Dreams Iph. 'T is said it now by Fate of War lies low Or. But oh severely have its Heav'nly Founders Upon its Conquerors reveng'd its fall Iph. Is Hellen at the last return'd Or. As fatally to some of mine As ever she departed Iph. She once had like t' have fatal prov'd to me too Or. My obligations to her are well known Iph. The common hatred of all Grecians she Say are those Grecians yet come back Is Calchas yet return'd Or. The lying Prophet perish'd on th' Aegean Iph. And Ulysses Or. A wanderer upon Earth and Sea The outcast of the world Iph. At length then halting vengeance has o'retaken them And proud Achilles lives he Or. In Fields where once Troy stood his Head lies low And he in vain at Aulis was contracted To wretched Iphigenia Iph. False fatal Marriage The fraud of Calchas and of dire Ulysses aside But run there any Rumours now in Greece Touching the Fate of that unhappy Princess Or. She who was sacrific'd at Aulâ—â— Iph. She. Or. Alas They talk of her as of a pleasing vision Sent down from Heav'n to chear our eyes a moment And then to Re-ascend But Madam who are you who here enquire Thus circumstantially of Grecian matters Iph. I too was born in Greece and young was torn from it Should I proceed my story is so strange That it could ne're find credit with you How bears the General his high Felicity Or. What General I am grown an utter stranger Ev'n to the very names of all the happy Iph. The King of Kings Imperial Agâ—memnon Or. I cannot will not speak enquire no further Iph. Now by the Gods proceed I here conjure you 'T is a long time since last my Soul knew comfort Or. The King of Kings is now but common clay Iph. Then are his Children wretched say how died he Or. Most miserably for himself and others Iph. Alas but how Or. As Troy and Priam tumbled from their height As all the Race of Tantalus has faln So perish'd Agamemnon by a Woman Iph. A wretched creature sure whoe're she be Or. She weeps by Heav'n from whence these flowing tears Iph. I mourn reflecting on his former happiness I mourn the sad vicissitudes of Fate The ills that every hour befal Mortality The common sad condition of poor man My own â—orlorn estate How bears the Queen Or. Hold by the Gods I here conjure
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
are not founded on Reason they will be sure to fall of themselves For all opinions are sure to change and prejudice and malice are sure to dye only Reason is always the same and only Truth is immortal The general success of the following Poem has been neither dispicable nor extraordinary I have pleas'd those whom I desir'd to please and the rest will one day follow But let the Writers value themselves upon Fortune who have nothing else to rely on To which of her scribbling Favourites has she not been kind has she not been coming But short have been her fantastick favours her affections fleeting and general contempt a terrible reverse has follow'd 'T is my Ambition to owe my Success to Reason and not to Chance to please the most judicious and the best of men and so to please for ever PROLOGUE Spoke by Mr Verbruggen The Genius of England rises to a Warlike Symphony SEe Brittâ—â— see before your ravish'd eyes See England's lofty Guardian Genius rise Admiring see that formidable mien That is by Gods with veneration seen That from great Neptune due Respect can draw And keep the watry trembling world in awe I who â—our Souls with all that s great inspire With soaring thoughts and each sublime desire 'T is I my Brittons who vouchsafe t' appear And. 〈…〉 God like Sons assembled here And 〈…〉 set you assembled all At 〈…〉 of my Majestic call 〈…〉 the Tragick Muse I have led Who had 〈◊〉 â—olling Moons been from you fled Forlorn forsaken the Celestial Maid In Solitudes disconsolatâ—â— straid Wild as a Bacchanal I saw her rove This 〈◊〉 Child of Memory and Jove Her once victorious eye now look'd Despair With miserable cries she rent the air Beat her Immortal Breasts and tore her golden Hair Am I by all forsaken then said she Oh is my Brittain faln to that degree As for effeminate Arts t' abandon me I left the enslav'd Italian with disdain And servile Gallia and dejected Spain Grew proud to be confin'd to Brittain's shore Where Godlike Liberty had fix'd before Where Liberty thrives most I most can soar Once more I thought t' inspire Athenian flights And once more towr to Sophoclean heights But oh she cry'd I feel a Ruder care And I have chang'd Ambition for Despair Here Song and Dance and ev'ry Trifle reigni And leaves no room for my exalted strains Those Arts now rule that soften'd foreign Brâ—â—es And sunk the Southern Nations into Slaves This said the Muse my Brittons against you Oh Supreme Jove And 〈…〉 It is so wanton are you 〈…〉 That my Degenerate Sons I have 〈…〉 Or what is worse ye 〈…〉 Oh what wou'd my 〈…〉 Or Edward's Soul returning 〈…〉 To see a Bearded more 〈…〉 Dissolv'd and dying by 〈…〉 To give you wholesoâ—◠〈…〉 With me the Tragick 〈…〉 To your soft neighbours 〈…〉 But listen you to â—â—â— great 〈…〉 'T is true the 〈…〉 But what can weaken our 〈…〉 Where cannot we exert our 〈…〉 Yet from his mortal voice 〈…〉 Whatever in the following Scen◠〈…〉 Whate're may from 〈…〉 That 's his from that 〈…〉 But to what 's ours 〈…〉 And ours is all that 's brave and 〈…〉 And which can raising 〈…〉 Friendship 's the virtue which we 〈…〉 He makes a Patriot too who makes a 〈…〉 Who freely for his Friend reâ—â—gns his 〈…〉 Would for his Country meet a glorious 〈◊〉 With silent awe my Brittons then attend View the great Action of a Grecian Friend And learn degenerate 〈◊〉 thoughts t' amend From Grecian fire let English hearts take flame And grow deserving of that noble name For not the boundless Main which I controul â—â—n so delight my Eyeâ— or charm my Soul As I am pleas'd when my brave Sons I see Worthy of Godlike Liberty and me He sinks to the same Symphony that he rose IPHIGENIA ACT I. Storm Iphigenia Euphrosine Iph. DEfend me great Diana Defend thy Iphigenia thou bright Goddess The wretched Servant of whose cruel rites Before thy Sacred Temple here I stand A Storm so dreadful my eyes ne're beheld Not ev'n in this accursed Scythian Climate O're which the furious God of War presiding The restless 〈…〉 and the outrageous elements All 〈…〉 War Euph. 〈…〉 something surely above Nature in it Iph. 〈…〉 Storm 's so terrible to us How must it look alas to those poor Souls With conqu'ring Death conflicting on the Main Look there Euphrosine's a fight will melt Thy pitying heart within thy tender bosom See in the mouth of this tempestuous Bay Upon the Sommet of whose horrid Cliffs This threatning Fabrick stands Yon goodly Vessel of a foreign make No Pilot to conduct it but the Tempest Before the foaming surges bounds along Euph. Bless me ye pow'rs what god can save them sinking Shou'd they scape foundring in the wild Abyss Anon they run amain upon the Rocks Of this inhospitable shore Iph. Or if by wondrous chance they avoid those Rocks Something more dangerous than the Rocks or Seas And rougher than the rudest of the Winds Attends them on the shore Euph. If they are caught on Scythian ground they dye And fall the Victims of these dreadful Altars Iph. They die but by whose hands Euphrosine Ah miserable me Tho in this place The men are more relentless than the Rocks Yet here are always Women to be found More savage than the cruelst of their men Enter Messenger Whence art thou And to whom Mess From you uncultivated Eastern Plain O're which our Roving Scythians drive Their wandring Habitations Our warlike Queen has sent me to demand If all things are prepar'd to solemnize Our great Diana's Annual Festival Iph. Tell her they are The Garlands are prepar'd the Victim's crown'd The Sacred Pomp of the Procession's ready And nothing but the Queen herself is wanting For now the night the fatal hour approaches Mess I fly to let her know it Exit Iph. Ah woe Euphrosine But yesterday This fatal office was conferr'd upon me Which to refuse had brought me certain Death And yet this night already I must Heav'ns My Blood runs chill within me at the thought Of executing this most horrid office Euph. Yes you 're to plunge your Knife in human Blood But 't is the Blood of Strangers Were you to offer up your darling Child Or to embrue your Hands in the dear Blood Of one who lov'd you and was belov'd by you How then wou'd your poor trembling Heart recoil At the bare thought of such a dreadful office Yet Iphigenia from a Race descends To which from Tantalus to Agamemnon Those dismal deeds have been but too familiar You sacrifice a Stranger to Diana Remember that your Father Agamemnon A Daughter wou'd have sacrific'd Iph. O dire Original of all my woe Why my Euphrosine wou'dst thou remind me of it To that intention of a cruel Father I owe a tedious twelve years misery I owe a tedious twelve years residence In this sad Clime where Heav'ns inclemency Frowns all the year upon the Horrid
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
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
thee Life to give thee Liberty But since thou shew'st thou valuest not thy own I here bestow thy Friends upon thee too Or. From my soul I thank you Queen But Custom which 〈◊〉 Scyâ—â—iâ—â—â— Law requires That they whom my Prâ—rogative â—â—â—s free Must become Scythians by Espousing Scythianâ— Or Or. But Liberty in that too will be necessary Queen As free as is the Wind shall be thy choice Thou shalt be forâ—'d in nothing yet permit me To give thy Wife a Dowry worthy thee Thy Souls surpassing greatness I admire Which Heaven that form'd it sure design'd for Empire Accept of mine thy wiser nobler Sway Will polish these Barbarians into Men. Thine are the vast extended Plains of Tauris My self my Subjects Men and Women all Shall govern'd be by thy unbounded Sway The Soveraign Partner of thy Royal Bed Among a thousand Scythian Beauties choose And make her happy who 's most worthy thee Then I am lost again Iph. aside Pil. Art thou not mov'd Or. Amaz'd confounded Gods Are these the words Of a Barbarian of a Savage Scythian But be she what she will Such generous Passion I ne'r knew till now No not in Greece but oh its Artful modesty Queen What no reply My Present sure deserves at least your Thanks Or. Oh! It deserves much more than I can pay Oh! It deserves my Heart my very Soul And now ev'n now I ought to be beheld Paying my Adorations at your Feet And off'ring all my self with fervent Vows But oh have pitty on so lost a Creature Who has no Heart no Soul no Vows to pay Who has given all these who has given himself away A Voluntary Slave one so accurst That though he mortally detests Ingratitude Yet wants the power nay wants the very will To pay th' Immense acknowledgment he owes Queen Suppose some God should free you from this Passion Or. I wish not to be free Queen Yet put the Case you were this moment free Might I expect to find you grateful then For Grecian I am loth to think you hate me Or. Hate you O Heaven of all your lovely Sex You I esteem and you I most admire Should I say more I basely should deceive you To wrong you in that Nature that indeed Would be the height of black ingratitude For all my softer thoughts another claims Who though the tenderest of her gentle Sex Yet has a Tyrants force upon my Soul But were I not prevented by that Passion Now Prostrate at your Feet you should behold me Prouder to obey your absolute Commands Than to Controul th' extended Plains of Tauris Queen May I believe thee Or. Yes could I haue resolv'd to say what 's false You had heard a falshood that would more have pleas'd you Queen But swear Or. Propose the Oath Queen Swear by the dreadful Altar you have escap'd Or. By this Tremendous Altar then I swear Queen This Altar then shall free that from a Passion That 's so unworthy thee 〈◊〉 like the Priestess To the Ministers For her the Goddess 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her Victim Here take 〈◊〉 bind 〈◊〉 drag her to the Altar And in he◠〈◊〉 some plunge the Sacred Steel Pr. O Heaven The Priestess Or. Impious Proposal Pil. Think not that we will e're endure that sight Queen Think not that you 'll endure it Think where you are You both are in my power Pil. They who dare die are always in their own Our Breasts shall intercept th' accursed blow Queen Guards 't is your Duty to take care of that Or. No barbarous power can force us to survive her Queen Die then and prove the Plagues which for the Perjur'd The direful Goddesses prepare below As soon as she expires thou to be mine Hast by th' inviolable Altar sworn Or. In what a Mase O Fate am I entangled But think reflect by all the Gods I adjure you And Oh regard that lovely dying Face Meek and resign'd in these extreamest Sufferings Oh look and stop th' Abominable Blow Mercy sweet Mercy will it self Be murder'd by that Blow Look cast your Eyes around behold a sight Enough to dissolve Flint see these Barbarians Whose Eyes have been inur'd to ghastly Murder Whose Crâ—â—son Arms are dy'd with horrid Grain Ev'n they Dissolve they meâ—â— their Eyes shed Tears Those Cruel Eyes that â—ever 〈◊〉 before Look how they 're seiz'd with hidden Horror all But above all look up be hold your Goddess Think that you see her 〈◊〉 wrathful Frown Denouncing Plagues on your Devoted Heads Think that already her avenging Arms Are lifted and prepare the dreadful Judgments That must be pour'd on this accursed Race Revenging with its utter extirpation Her Priestess Murder'd and here Shrine prophan'd Pr. Seythians 't is true These Judgments we must fearfully expect If we lay impious Hands upon the Priestess All Scyth Unbind the Priestess set her free immediately Queen Hear me first Scythians and you Grecians hear Scythians what slavish Doubt has seiz'd your Souls What â—ear you To provoke the dreadful Goddess This is her Victim she her self has claim'd her Nay and with so much vehemence has claim'd her She left th' Immortal Mansions of blest Beings On purpose to demand her and too long This Priestess has already liv'd Devoted to her I till this hour forgive it awful Goddess I by a Tender weakness mov'd preserv'd her And Heaven best knows how I have been rewarded Now for you Grecians you too shall be satisfi'd Pil. No never if she dies Queen Yes though she dies for when you know this Priestess You will your selves demand and urge her Fate At least if you 're the Sons of those brave Grecians Who carried their Heroick Arms to Asia And with a thousand Sail Beleaguer'd Troy With one accord your Fathers urg'd her Fate Nay her own Father to the Altar doom'd her Because the severe Goddess had exacted her Pil. May I believe my Sense Am I awake Or. O all y' Immortal Powers How am I tortur'd By the fierce pangs of wondrous Expectation Queen But Death by her Mothers Artifice she escap'd While a young Lesbian Slave in Shape and Size And Age resembling hers in a long Veil Was at the Altal offer'd in hear stead Or. Support me Gods Support me Queen Why dost thou thus exclaiming interrupt me Or. Oh! I have most amazing things to tell you But first Important Questions I must ask I have Important things t' enquire of her And Queen assure thy self on what I say Thy Peace thy lasting Happiness depends Queen Speak but be short then what are the Gods doing Or. Say then poor lost abandon'd Virgin say Didst thou from bleeding at a Grecian Altar By thy fond Mothers Artifice escape Iph. I did and thank the Gods a thousand times for it By that escape I have liv'd to dye for thee Or. Talk not of Death alas but answer me O thou art sure the Darling Care of Providence And it has wrought prodigious things to save thee How comâ—â— it that thy strange Escape