NUR. The same, my child, a most delightful thing, and painful withal.
PHÆ. One of the two feelings I must perceive.
NUR. What say'st? Thou lovest, my child? What man!
PHÆ. Him whoever he is,[13] that is born of the Amazon.
NUR. Hippolytus dost thou say?
PHÆ. From thyself, not me, you hear--this name.
NUR. Ah me! what wilt thou go on to say? my child, how hast thou destroyed
me! Ladies, this is not to be borne; I will not endure to live, hateful is
the day, hateful the light I behold. I will hurl myself down, I will rid me
of this body: I will remove from life to death--farewell--I no longer am.
For the chaste are in love with what is evil, not willingly indeed, yet
still [they love.] Venus then is no deity, but if there be aught mightier
than deity, that is she, who hath destroyed both this my mistress, and me,
and the whole house.
CHOR. Thou didst hear, O thou didst hear the queen lamenting her wretched
sufferings that should not be heard. Dear lady, may I perish before I come
to thy state of mind! Alas me! alas! alas! O hapless for these pangs! O the
woes that attend on mortals! Thou art undone, thou hast disclosed thy evils
to the light. What time is this that has eternally[14] awaited thee? Some
new misfortune will happen to the house. And no longer is it obscure where
the fortune of Venus sets, O wretched Cretan daughter.
PHÆ. Women of Trœzene, who inhabit this extreme frontier of the land of
Pelops. Often at other times in the long season of night have I thought in
what manner the life of mortals is depraved.[15] And to me they seem to do
ill, not from the nature of their minds, for many have good thoughts, but
thus must we view these things. What things are good we understand and
know, but practice not; some from idleness, and others preferring some
other pleasures to what is right: for there are many pleasures in life-long
prates, and indolence, a pleasing ill, and shame; but there are two, the
one indeed not base, but the other the weight that overthrows houses, but
if the occasion on which each is used, were clear, the two things would not
have the same letters. Knowing them as I did these things beforehand, by no
drug did I think I should so far destroy these _sentiments_, as to fall
into an opposite way of thinking. But I will also tell you the course of my
determinations. After that love had wounded me, I considered how best I
might endure it. I began therefore from this time to be silent, and to
conceal this disease. For no confidence can be placed in the tongue, which
knows to advise the thoughts of other men, but itself from itself has very
many evils. But in the second place, I meditated to bear well my madness
conquering it by my chastity. But in the third place, since by these means
I was not able to subdue Venus, it appeared to me best to die: no one will
gainsay this resolution. For may it be my lot, neither to be concealed
where I do noble deeds, nor to have many witnesses, where I act basely.
Besides this I knew I was a woman--a thing hated by all. O may she most
miserably perish who first began to pollute the marriage-bed with other
men! From noble families first arose this evil among women: for when base
things appear right to those who are accounted good, surely they will
appear so to the bad. I hate moreover those women who are chaste in their
language indeed, but secretly have in them no good deeds of boldness: who,
how, I pray, O Venus my revered mistress, look they on the faces of their
husbands, nor dread the darkness that aided their deeds, and the ceilings
of the house, lest they should some time or other utter a voice? For this
bare idea kills me, friends, lest I should ever be discovered to have
disgraced my husband, or my children, whom I brought forth; but free, happy
in liberty of speech may they inhabit the city of illustrious Athens, in
their mother glorious! For it enslaves a man, though he be valiant-hearted,
when he is conscious of his mother's or his father's misdeeds. But this
alone they say in endurance compeers with life, an honest and good mind, to
whomsoever it belong. But Time, when it so chance, holding up the mirror as
to a young virgin, shows forth the bad, among whom may I be never seen!
CHOR. Alas! alas! In every way how fair is chastity, and how goodly a
report has it among men!
NUR. My mistress, just now indeed thy calamity coming upon me unawares,
gave me a dreadful alarm. But now I perceive I was weak; and somehow or
other among mortals second thoughts are the wisest. For thou hast not
suffered any thing excessive nor extraordinary, but the anger of the
Goddess hath fallen upon thee. Thou lovest--what wonder this? with many
mortals.--And then will you lose your life for love? There is then no
advantage for those who love others, nor to those who may hereafter, if
they must needs die. For Venus is a thing not to be borne, if she rush on
vehement. Who comes quietly indeed on the person who yields; but whom she
finds haughty and of lofty notions, him taking (how thinkest thou?) she
chastises. But Venus goes through air, and is on the ocean wave; and all
things from her have their birth. She it is that sows and gives forth love,
from whence all we on earth are engendered. As many indeed as ken the
writings of the ancients, or are themselves ever among the muses, they know
indeed, how that Jove was formerly inflamed with the love of Semele; they
know too, how that formerly the lovely bright Aurora bore away Cephalus up
to the Gods, for love, but still they live in heaven, and fly not from the
presence of the Gods: but they acquiesce yielding, I ween, to what has
befallen them. And wilt thou not bear it? Thy father then ought to have
begotten thee on stipulated terms, or else under the dominion of other
Gods, unless thou wilt be content with these laws. How many, thinkest thou,
are in full and complete possession of their senses, who, when they see
their bridal bed diseased, seem not to see it! And how many fathers,
thinkest thou, have aided their erring sons in matters of love, for this is
a maxim among the wise part of mankind, "that things that show not fair
should be concealed." Nor should men labor too exactly their conduct in
life, for neither would they do well to employ much accuracy in the roof
wherewith their houses are covered; but having fallen into fortune so deep
as thou hast, how dost thou imagine thou canst swim out? But if thou hast
more things good than bad, mortal as thou art, thou surely must be well
off. But cease, my dear child, from these evil thoughts, cease too from
being haughty, for nothing else save haughtiness is this, to wish to be
superior to the Gods. But, as thou art in love, endure it; a God hath
willed it so: and, being ill, by some good means or other try to get rid of
thy illness. But there are charms and soothing spells: there will appear
some medicine for this sickness. Else surely men would be slow indeed in
discoveries, if we women should not find contrivances.
CHOR. Phædra, she speaks indeed most useful advice in thy present state:
but thee I praise. Yet is this praise less welcome than her words, and to
thee more painful to hear.
PHÆ. This is it that destroys cities of men and families well
governed--words too fair. For it is not at all requisite to speak words
pleasant to the ear, but that whereby one may become of fair report.
NUR. Why dost thou talk in this grand strain? thou needest not gay
decorated words, but a man: as soon as possible must those be found, who
will speak out the plain straightforward word concerning thee. For if thy
life were not in calamities of such a cast, I never would have brought thee
thus far for the sake of lust, and for thy pleasure: but now the great
point is to save thy life; and this is not a thing deserving of blame.
PHÆ. O thou that hast spoken dreadful things, wilt thou not shut thy mouth?
and wilt not cease from uttering again those words most vile?
NUR. Vile they are, but better these for thee than fair; but better will
the deed be (if at least it will save thee), than the name, in the which
while thou boastest, thou wilt die.
PHÆ. Nay do not, I entreat thee by the Gods (for thou speakest well, but
base are [the things thou speakest]) go beyond this, since rightly have I
surrendered my life to love; but if thou speak base things in fair phrase,
I shall be consumed, [being cast] into that [evil] which I am now avoiding.
NUR. If in truth this be thy opinion, thou oughtest not to err, but if thou
hast erred, be persuaded by me, for this is the next best thing thou canst
do.[16] I have in the house soothing philters of love (and they but lately
came into my thought); which, by no base deed, nor to the harm of thy
senses, will rid you of this disease, unless you are obstinate. But it is
requisite to receive from him that is the object of your love, some token,
either some word, or some relic of his vest, and to join from two one love.
PHÆ. But is the charm an unguent or a potion?
NUR. I know not: wish to be relieved, not informed, my child.
PHÆ. I fear thee, lest thou should appear too wise to me.
NUR. Know that you would fear every thing, _if you fear this_, but what is
it you are afraid of?
PHÆ. Lest you should tell any of these things to the son of Theseus.
NUR. Let be, my child, I will arrange these matters honorably, only be thou
my coadjutor, O Venus, my revered mistress; but the other things which I
purpose, it will suffice to tell to my friends within.