Was then thy tenderness thro' fear, not love?
And didst thou, like a ferpent, twine about me
Only to fting? and does this parting please?
Oh how the clafps Atrides in her arms!
So the hugg'd me, and with her darting kiffes
Met me half way, as now fhe meets his lips.
How close she clings! and how with rapture melts!
Achilles is forgot - or if remember'd,

'Tis but to curfe me for her flaughter'd brothers.
Pat. If he is falfe, fhe is not worth this care:
If he is true, her virtue will fecure her.

Ach. No- fhe is true-by all the gods fhe loves me:
Her vows were juft, her tenderness fincere:
There could be no deceit in fuch embraces.

The joys the felt were mighty as my own,
I faw it in her eyes, that dy'd away,

I felt it in her arms, that claspt me close,
And in the eagerness of every kiss,

Love could not be diffembled in thofe moments.
But what's her love, her virtue, or her truth?
The ravisher has caught her, he must yield:

O how that image stings! Now, now he drags her,
His luftful arm, ftrong twisted in her hair,

In his right hand,

See the refifts

with his drawn fword he threatens;
and with her tender nails

She tears his cheeks,

and ftruggles out of breath ;

On heaven she calls, on her Achilles calls,

Help! help! he cries, I can refist no longer,

The ravisher's too ftrong, and innocence

Too weak for luft-Help! help! Achilles, help!
Arm, arm, Patroclus, let our fquadrons move,

Draw ev'ry fword to fave my ravish'd love;

Nor leave the flaughter till the tyrant lies

Struck to the ground, and cut to pieces dies. [Exeunt.

AGAMEMNON,

SCENE II.

NESTOR, ULYSSES,

whispering the king.

TALTHY BIUS

Ag. 'Tis well, Talthy bius - be it your care
To fee all fitting honours paid; we would
Seem juft, not terrible: and tho' our heart
Be fhut to any other love, the sex

Neftor, king of Pyle,

Commands respect.

What fays the holy man?

Neft. He'll not be mov'd.

[Exit Talthy bius.

Ag. But did you press him with your utmost art,

With all that force of famous eloquence

As I have heard you when the fquadrons fly,
Stop armies in a rout; make cowards turn
And run on certain death?

Neft. All that was fit, I faid.

Ag. And did you tell him of my wondrous love,
How much I grieve but at this name of parting?
That I'd to Argos fend her crown'd my queen,
That the fhould reign in Clytemnestra's stead,
That I would give him all the wealth of Greece,
Empty my coffers, ranfack kingdoms for him.

Net. [afide.] Half the price might purchase the whole sex,
Ag. And did you weep, my Neftor, could you weep

For fad Atrides? down thy reverend cheeks

Flow'd the round drops? did you add tears to words?
Neft. I wept indeed

[Afide.] For a new Helen born.

That brings more woes to Greece.

Ag. Inhuman prieft! why have the gods fuch fervants? The gods are merciful- but priefts are bloody, Peevish, hard-hearted, pofitive and proud;

Curft obftinate old man!

A word, Ulyffes

[Apart to Ulyffes.]

Saw you Chrufeis;

Ulyf. I did as you commanded, and inform'd her

Of this hard decree

-I would I had not.

Ag. Thou art a judge of tenderness, Ulyffes, The fair Penelope, whom thou hast left,

Oft gives thee waking thoughts

Oh! if to part,

Tho' but to meet again, be fuch a pain,
What is't to part for ever?

How bore fhe the surprising sentence?

Ulyf. At first she wept; and as we see the fun
Shine thro' a fhower, fo look'd her beauteous eyes
Cafting forth light and tears together.

Ag. You told it not as a thing fixt and certain.
Ulyf. Not wholly fixt, but fcarce to be avoided.
To tears fucceeded rage, like claps of thunder,
And then a calm - I left her in a fwoon.

Ag. Oh my torn heart!

Enter Chrufeis.

Chru. And muft we part? Atrides, must we part?
And do you fay it? has your tongue pronounc'd
The sentence of my death? have you confented?
Oh Agamemnon! all my fears were true,

My hopes were false, built on your faithless vows;
'Tis fcarce an hour, fince with your lips to mine,
Preffing my body in your eager arms,

You fwore, and call'd down ev'ry God to witness
That nothing ever should divide our loves;

And the next news, is, that we part for ever.

Ag. What will the fates do with me!

[dreamt,

Chru. The Greeks, the Greeks will have it; Chalcas has

Neftor has made a speech, Achilles frown'd,

And mighty Agamemnon must obey!

Has then this leader of the world in arms

No will, no reason of his own? must he,
Who governs all, by every one be govern'd?
Had Paris thus, Paris, who was no king,
No general, of no authority,

Had he for a few threats refign'd his Helen,

Troy had been freed from danger: Priam wept,
Caffandra prophefy'd, and Hector rag'd:

The people cry'd aloud to give her back,

The furious Greeks with fire and fword demand her.

Burn, barn, said he, proud city, Ilium fall,

Father, brothers, country; perish all;
But still be Helen mine, my love be mine.
Has Paris then more love than Agamemnon,
More courage to look danger in the face,
Or I lefs charms, to make my lover bold?

[Agamemnon stands filent, seeming in great distraction of thought, and looking fometimes fredfafily upon her. Neft. Were Agamemnon but a private man So might he love; and to a woman's arms Refign all other care: tho' that be weakness. But for a king, who has the charge of nations, Entrusted with the glory of his people,

Of many kings, confederates in his quarrel,
The vengeance of the gods

d

Chru. Why should the gods be angry at our loves? I leave no husband, no pollution bring,

I am no Helen.

Ulyf. The gods are absolute; whate'er they will
Must be obey'd. Nor ought we ask the cause.
See how he stands distracted with his thoughts,
This way, and that way, moving in his mind;
Oh! let him take the path that honour leads,
And veil those eyes that break his heart with doubts.
Chru. My glory is offended at his doubts,
Nor fhall the man who had my leave to love,
Forfake me till I pleafe. Try all your arts,
Plot, plot, Ulyffes; and thou Neftor, tempt him
With all the strength of pow'rful eloquence ;
Join Greeks and heaven, ambition, piety,
Like the gods tugging at the chain of Jove,
I will oppofe my eyes, and bring him back,
Ag. Oh Chrufeis!

Ulyf. Had Iphigenia been thus obftinate,
Our fleet at Aulis might have anchor'd still.
But he came forth a victim to the gods,
And chearfully obey'd their cruel call:
Th' affembly wept; the only, the look'd glad,
And offer'd to the knife her willing throat
To fave her father.Can a mistress be
Le's kind and tender than a daughter?

Chru. O that the gods commanded but my death.

How gladly would I die! to die and part

Is a lefs evil but to part and live

There, there's the torment change, ye gods, my doom; Take, take my life t'atone your bloody wrath;

Come, lead me to the altar, let me bleed;

Is there a fingle drop within these veins,
Is there a limb that I would leave unmangled,
To give my dearest Agamemnon joy?

[Agamemnon takes her in his arms.
live immortal- - thus

Ag. Live, live, Chrufeis

And thus embrac'd, and be of life as fure

As it is fure that we will never part.

Neft. [Apart to Ulyf] This Helen in our camp

Is worse than her at Troy.- O why have women beauty,

But as the Sfrens voice? To ruin

All they meet.

[awhile,

Ulyf. [To Neftor.] Let 'em alone to please themselves I have a plot fhall funder 'em, when moft

They think themselves fecure.

Chru. My dear Atrides, may I trust your love?
Tell me, my king, whilft thus around thy neck
I throw my arms, and prefs thee to my bosom,
Will you forfake me?

Ag. Empire and victory, be all forfaken,

All but Chrufeis.

Yes, ye partial pow'rs!

To plagues add poverty, disgrace, and shame;

Strip me of all my dignities and crowns,

Not one of all your curfes will be felt

Whilst I can keep this bleffing. Take, Oh! take

Your fcepters back, and give 'em to my foes; Give me but life, and love, and my Chrufeis, 'Tis all I afk of heaven.

Neft. Think of your oath, Atrides, how you fwore--
Chru. Yes, he has fworn; be witnefs heaven and earth,

Be witness fun and moon, and ev'ry star,
Be witnefs all ye gods, that he has fworn:
Is there an hour, either of night or day,
Free from fome oath of everlasting love?
Think, think on that, Atrides.