poliphontes.
Dry up your tears;
He dies this moment: soldiers, do your office.
mérope.
[Coming forward.
O spare him, spare him.
ægisthus.
Ha! she pities me.
poliphontes.
Despatch him.
mérope.
O he is—
poliphontes.
Strike.
mérope.
Stay, barbarian,
He is—my son.
ægisthus.
Am I thy son?
mérope.
[Embracing him.
Thou art:
And heaven, that snatched thee from this wretched bosom,
Which now too late hath opened my longing eyes,
Restores thee to a weeping mother’s arms
But to destroy us both.
ægisthus.
What miracle
Is this, ye gods?
poliphontes.
A vile imposture: thou
His mother? thou, who didst demand his death?
ægisthus.
O if I die the son of Mérope
I die contented, and absolve my fate.
mérope.
I am thy mother, and my love of thee
Betrayed us both; we are undone, Ægisthus;
Yes, Poliphontes, the important secret
At length is thine; before thee stands my son,
Cresphontes’ heir; thy master, and thy king;
The offspring of the gods, thy captive now;
I have deceived thee, and I glory in it;
’Twas for my child: but nature has no power
O’er tyrants’ hearts, that still rejoice in blood:
I tell thee, ’tis my son, ’tis my Ægisthus.
poliphontes.
Ha! can it be?
ægisthus.
It is; it must be so;
Her tears confirm it: yes, I am the son
Of Mérope, my heart assures me of it:
And, hadst thou not disarmed me, with this hand
I would chastise thee, traitor.
poliphontes.
’Tis too much;
I’ll bear no more: away with him.
mérope.
[Falling on her knees.
Behold
Thus low on earth the wretched Mérope
Falls at your feet, and bathes them with her tears:
Doth not this humble posture speak my griefs,
And say I am a mother? O I tremble
When I look back on the dire precipice
I have escaped, the murder of my son;
Still I lament the involuntary crime
Didst thou not say thou wouldst protect his youth,
And be a father to him? and yet now
Thou wouldst destroy him: O have pity on him:
Some guilty hand bereaved him of a father;
O save the son, defend the royal race,
The seed of gods: defenceless and alone
He stands before thee: trample not on him,
Who is unable to resist thy power;
Let him but live, and I am satisfied;
Save but my child, and all shall be forgotten:
O he would make me happy even in woe;
My husband and my children all would live
Once more in my Ægisthus: O behold,
His royal ancestors with me implore thee
To spare the noble youth, and save thy king.
ægisthus.
Rise, madam, rise, or I shall never believe
Cresphontes was my father; ’tis beneath
His queen, beneath the mother of Ægisthus
To supplicate a tyrant; my fierce heart
Will never stoop so low: undaunted long
I braved the meanness of my former fortune,
Nor am I dazzled by the splendid lustre
Of these new honors; but I feel myself
Of royal blood, and know I am thy son.
Great Hercules, like me, began his days
In misery and sorrow; but the gods
Conducted him to immortality,
Because, like me, he rose superior to them:
To me his blood descends; O let me add
His courage, and his virtues; let me die
Worthy of thee; be that my heritage!
Cease then thy prayers, nor thus disgrace the blood
Of those immortal powers from whom I sprang.
poliphontes.
[To Mérope.
Trust me, I bear a part in your misfortunes,
Feel for your griefs, and pity your distress;
I love his courage, and esteem his virtue;
He seems well worthy of the royal birth
Which he assumes; but truths of such importance
Demand more ample proofs; I take him therefore
Beneath my care, and, if he is thy son,
I shall adopt him mine.
ægisthus.
Thou, thou adopt me?
mérope.
Alas! my child!
poliphontes.
His fate depends on thee:
It is not long since, to secure his death.
Thou didst consent to marry Poliphontes;
Now thou wouldst save him, shall not love do more
Than vengeance?
mérope.
Ha! barbarian!
poliphontes.
Madam, know
His life, or death, depends on thy resolve:
I know your love, your tenderness, too well,
To think you will expose to my just wrath
So dear an object by a harsh refusal.
mérope.
My lord, at least let me be free, and deign—
poliphontes.
He is your son, or he’s a traitor,