The Distrest Mother/Act 2, Scene 1
ACT II. SCENE I.
Hermione and Cleone.
Her.Well, I'll be rul'd, Cleone: I will see him:
I have told Pylades that he may bring him;
But trust me, were I left to my own Thoughts,
I should forbid him yet.
I have told Pylades that he may bring him;
But trust me, were I left to my own Thoughts,
I should forbid him yet.
Cle.And why forbid him?
Is he not, Madam, still the same Orestes?
Orestes, whose Return you oft have wish'd?
The Man whose Suffering you so oft lamented,
And often prais'd his Constancy and Love?
Is he not, Madam, still the same Orestes?
Orestes, whose Return you oft have wish'd?
The Man whose Suffering you so oft lamented,
And often prais'd his Constancy and Love?
Her.That Love, that Constancy, so ill requited,
Upbraids me to myself! I blush to think
How I have us'd him; and would shun his Presence.
What will be my Confusion, when he sees me
Neglected, and forsaken, like himself?
Will he not say, Is this the scornful Maid?
The proud Hermione? that tyranniz'd
In Sparta's Court, and triumph'd in her Charms?
Her Insolence at last is well repaid.
I cannot bear the Thought.
Upbraids me to myself! I blush to think
How I have us'd him; and would shun his Presence.
What will be my Confusion, when he sees me
Neglected, and forsaken, like himself?
Will he not say, Is this the scornful Maid?
The proud Hermione? that tyranniz'd
In Sparta's Court, and triumph'd in her Charms?
Her Insolence at last is well repaid.
I cannot bear the Thought.
Cle.You wrong yourself
With unbecoming Fears. He knows too well
Your Beauty and your Worth. Your Lover comes not
To offer Insults; but repeat his Vows,
And breathe his ardent Passion at your Feet.
But, Madam, what's your Royal Father's Will?
What Orders do your Letters bring from Sparta?
With unbecoming Fears. He knows too well
Your Beauty and your Worth. Your Lover comes not
To offer Insults; but repeat his Vows,
And breathe his ardent Passion at your Feet.
But, Madam, what's your Royal Father's Will?
What Orders do your Letters bring from Sparta?
Her.His Orders are, if Pyrrhus still delay
The Nuptials, and refuse to sacrifice
This Trojan Boy, I should with Speed embark,
And with their Embassy return to Greece.
The Nuptials, and refuse to sacrifice
This Trojan Boy, I should with Speed embark,
And with their Embassy return to Greece.
Cle.What would you more? Orestes comes in time
To save your Honour. Pyrrhus cools apace:
Prevent his Falsehood, and for fake him first.
I know you hate him; you have told me so.
To save your Honour. Pyrrhus cools apace:
Prevent his Falsehood, and for fake him first.
I know you hate him; you have told me so.
Her.Hate him! My injur'd Honour bids me hate him.
The ungrateful Man, to whom I fondly gave
My Virgin Heart; the Man I lov'd so dearly;
The Man I doated on! Oh, my Cleone!
How is it possible I should not hate him!
The ungrateful Man, to whom I fondly gave
My Virgin Heart; the Man I lov'd so dearly;
The Man I doated on! Oh, my Cleone!
How is it possible I should not hate him!
Cleo.Then give him over, Madam. Quit his Court;
And with Orestes———
And with Orestes———
Her.No! I must have Time
To work up all my Rage! To meditate
A Parting full of Horror! My Revenge
Will be but too much quicken'd by the Traitor.
To work up all my Rage! To meditate
A Parting full of Horror! My Revenge
Will be but too much quicken'd by the Traitor.
Cle.Do you then wait new Insults, new Affronts?
To draw you from your Father! Then to leave you!
In his own Court to leave you—for a Captive!
If Pyrrhus can provoke you, he has done it.
To draw you from your Father! Then to leave you!
In his own Court to leave you—for a Captive!
If Pyrrhus can provoke you, he has done it.
Her.Why dost thou heighten my Distress? I fear
To search out my own Thoughts, and found my Heart.
Be blind to what thou seest: Believe me cur'd:
Flatter my Weakness; tell me I have conquer'd;
Think that my injur'd Soul is set against him;
And do thy best to make me think so too.
To search out my own Thoughts, and found my Heart.
Be blind to what thou seest: Believe me cur'd:
Flatter my Weakness; tell me I have conquer'd;
Think that my injur'd Soul is set against him;
And do thy best to make me think so too.
Cleo.Why would you loiter here, then?
Her.Let us fly!
Let us see gone! I leave him to his Captive:
Let him go kneel, and supplicate his Slave.
Let us be gone!—But what if he repent?
What, if the perjur'd Prince again submit,
And sue for Pardon? What, if he renew
His former Vows?-—But, oh! the faithless Man!
He slights me! drives to Extremities!—However,
I'll stay, Cleone, to perplex their Loves:
I'll stay, till, by an open Breach of Contract,
I make him hateful to the Greeks. Already
Their Vengeance have I drawn upon the Son:
Their second Embassy shall claim the Mother:
I will redouble all my Griefs upon her!
Let us see gone! I leave him to his Captive:
Let him go kneel, and supplicate his Slave.
Let us be gone!—But what if he repent?
What, if the perjur'd Prince again submit,
And sue for Pardon? What, if he renew
His former Vows?-—But, oh! the faithless Man!
He slights me! drives to Extremities!—However,
I'll stay, Cleone, to perplex their Loves:
I'll stay, till, by an open Breach of Contract,
I make him hateful to the Greeks. Already
Their Vengeance have I drawn upon the Son:
Their second Embassy shall claim the Mother:
I will redouble all my Griefs upon her!
Cle.Ah, Madam! whither does your Rage transport you?
Andromache, alas! is innocent.
A Woman plung'd in Sorrow; dead to Love:
And, when she thinks of Pyrrhus, 'tis with Horror.
Andromache, alas! is innocent.
A Woman plung'd in Sorrow; dead to Love:
And, when she thinks of Pyrrhus, 'tis with Horror.
Her.Would I had done so too!—He had not then
Betray'd my easy Faith. - But I, alas!
Discover'd all the Fondness of my Soul;
I made no Secret of my Passion to him,
Nor thought it dangerous to be sincere.
My Eyes, my Tongue, my Actions spoke my Heart.
Betray'd my easy Faith. - But I, alas!
Discover'd all the Fondness of my Soul;
I made no Secret of my Passion to him,
Nor thought it dangerous to be sincere.
My Eyes, my Tongue, my Actions spoke my Heart.
Cle.Well might you speak, without Reserve, to one
Engag'd to you by solemn Oaths and Treaties.
Engag'd to you by solemn Oaths and Treaties.
Her.His Ardour too was an Excuse to mine:
With other Eyes he saw me then! Cleone,
Thou may'st remember, every Thing conspir'd
To favour him: My Father's Wrongs aveng'd;
The Greeks triumphant; Fleets of Trojan Spoils;
His mighty Sire's, his own immortal Fame;
His eager Love;—all, all conspir'd against me!
— But I have done: —I'll think no more of Pyrrhus.
Orestes wants not Merit; and he loves me.
My Gratitude, my Honour, both plead for him:
And if I've Power o'er my own Heart, 'tis his.
With other Eyes he saw me then! Cleone,
Thou may'st remember, every Thing conspir'd
To favour him: My Father's Wrongs aveng'd;
The Greeks triumphant; Fleets of Trojan Spoils;
His mighty Sire's, his own immortal Fame;
His eager Love;—all, all conspir'd against me!
— But I have done: —I'll think no more of Pyrrhus.
Orestes wants not Merit; and he loves me.
My Gratitude, my Honour, both plead for him:
And if I've Power o'er my own Heart, 'tis his.
Cle.Madam, he comes———
Her.Alas! I did not think
He was fo near!—I wish I might not fee him.
He was fo near!—I wish I might not fee him.