Saw him admit the foe, and through the palace
Spread fire and slaughter; yet appeared to those
Who knew him not, the avenger of that king
Whom he had slain: I pierced the savage crowd,
And in my feeble arms upraised your son,
And bore him thence; the pitying gods protected
His helpless innocence: these fifteen years,
From place to place I led him, changed my name
To Polycletes, hid him from the foe,
And now at last it seems have brought him hither,
To see a tyrant on Messene’s throne,
And Mérope the wife of Poliphontes.
mérope.
Thy tale has harrowed up my soul.
euricles.
He comes:
’Tis Poliphontes.
mérope.
Is it possible?
Away, good Narbas, hide thee from his rage.
narbas.
Now, if Ægisthus e’er was dear to thee,
Dissemble with the tyrant.
euricles.
We must hide
This secret in the bottom of our hearts,
A word may ruin all.
mérope.
[To Euricles.
Go thou and guard
That precious treasure well.
euricles.
O doubt it not.
mérope.
My hopes depend on thee: he is my son
Remember, and thy king.—The monster comes.
SCENE VI.
mérope, poliphontes, erox, ismenia, Attendants.
poliphontes.
The altar is prepared, the throne awaits you,
Our interests soon will with our hearts be joined:
As king, and husband, ’tis my duty now
Both to defend and to avenge you, madam:
Two of the traitors I have seized already,
Who shall repay the murder with their blood:
But, spite of all my care, the tardy vengeance
Hath seconded but ill my purposes:
You told me you would wish yourself to slay
The murderer, and I gave him to your justice.
mérope.
O that I might be my own great avenger!
poliphontes.
’Tis a king’s duty, and shall be my care.
mérope.
Thine, saidst thou?
poliphontes.
Wherefore is the sacrifice
Delayed? dost thou no longer love thy son?
mérope.
May all his foes meet with their due reward!
But if this murderer has accomplices,
By him perhaps I may hereafter learn
Who killed my dear Cresphontes: they who slew
The father would forever persecute
The mother and the son: O if I e’er—
poliphontes.
I too could wish to be informed of that,
And therefore I have taken him to my care.
mérope.
To thine?
poliphontes.
Yes, madam, and I hope to draw
The secret from him.
mérope.
But you must not keep
This murderer: I must have him; nay, you promised,
You know you did—
[Aside.
O cruel fate! my son!
What art thou doomed to?
[To Poliphontes.
Pity me, my lord!
poliphontes.
Whence is this sudden transport? he shall die.
mérope.
Who? he?
poliphontes.
His death shall satisfy thy soul.
mérope.
Ay: but I want to see, to speak to him.
poliphontes.
These starts of passion, and these sudden transports
Of rage and tenderness, that face of horror,
Might give me cause perhaps of just suspicion;
And, to be plain with you, some strange disgust,
Some groundless fears, some new alarm, hath raised
This tempest in your soul; what have you heard
From that old man who went so lately hence?
Why doth he shun me? what am I to think?
Who is he?
mérope.
O my lord! so lately crowned
Do fears and jealousies already wait
Around your throne?
poliphontes.
Why wilt not thou partake it?
Then should I bid adieu to all my fears:
The altar waits, prepared for Mérope
And Poliphontes.
mérope.
Thou hast gained the throne,
The gods have given it thee, and now thou wantest
Cresphontes’ wife to make his kingdom sure.
This crime alone—
ismenia.
O stop—
mérope.
My lord, forgive me;
I am a wretched mother; I have lost
My all; the gods, the cruel gods have robbed me
Of every bliss: O give me, give me back
The murderer of my son!
poliphontes.
This hand shall shed
The traitor’s blood: come, madam, follow me.
mérope.
O gracious heaven! in pity to my woes,
Preserve a mother, and conceal her weakness!
End of the Third Act.
ACT IV.
SCENE