CHORUS (chanting)

O, too clearly didst thou hear our queen uplift her voice to
tell her startling tale of piteous suffering. Come death ere I reach

thy state of feeling, loved mistress. O horrible! woe, for these
miseries! woe, for the sorrows on which mortals feed! Thou art undone!

thou hast disclosed thy sin to heaven's light. What hath each
passing day and every hour in store for thee? Some strange event

will come to pass in this house. For it is no longer uncertain where
the star of thy love is setting, thou hapless daughter of Crete.

PHAEDRA
Women of Troezen, who dwell here upon the frontier edge of Pelops'

land, oft ere now in heedless mood through the long hours of night
have I wondered why man's life is spoiled; and it seems to me their

evil case is not due to any natural fault of judgment, for there be
many dowered with sense, but we must view the matter in this light: by

teaching and experience to learn the right but neglect it in practice,
some from sloth, others from preferring pleasure of some kind or other

to duty. Now life has many pleasures, protracted talk, and leisure,
that seductive evil; likewise there is shame which is of two kinds,

one a noble quality, the other a curse to families; but if for each
its proper time were clearly known, these twain could not have had the

selfsame letters to denote them. So then since I had made up my mind
on these points, 'twas not likely any drug would alter it and make

me think the contrary. And I will tell the too the way my judgment
went. When love wounded me, I bethought me how I best might bear the

smart. So from that day forth I began to hide in silence what I
suffered. For I put no faith in counsellors, who know well to

lecture others for presumption, yet themselves have countless troubles
of their own. Next I did devise noble endurance of these wanton

thoughts, striving by continence for victory. And last when I could
not succeed in mastering love hereby, methought it best to die; and

none can gainsay my purpose. For fain I would my virtue should to
all appear, my shame have few to witness it. I knew my sickly

passion now; to yield to it I saw how infamous; and more, I learnt
to know so well that I was but woman, a thing the world detests.

Curses, hideous curses on that wife who first did shame her
marriage-vow for lovers other than her lord! 'Twas from noble families

this curse began to spread among our sex. For when the noble
countenance disgrace, poor folk of course will think that it is right.

Those too I hate who make profession of purity, though in secret
reckless sinners. How can these, queen Cypris, ocean's child, e'er

look their husbands in the face? do they never feel one guilty
thrill that their accomplice, night, or the chambers of their house

will find a voice and speak? This it is that calls on me to die,
kind friends, that so I may ne'er be found to have disgraced my

lord, or the children I have borne; no! may they grow up and dwell
in glorious Athens, free to speak and act, heirs to such fair fame

as a mother can bequeath. For to know that father or mother has sinned
doth turn the stoutest heart to slavishness. This alone, men say,

can stand the buffets of life's battle, a just and virtuous soul in
whomsoever found. For time unmasks the villain soon or late, holding

up to them a mirror as to some blooming maid. 'Mongst such may I be
never seen!

LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Now look! how fair is chastity however viewed, whose fruit is good

repute amongst men.
NURSE

My queen, 'tis true thy tale of woe, but lately told, did for
the moment strike me with wild alarm, but now I do reflect upon my

foolishness; second thoughts are often best even with men. Thy fate is
no uncommon nor past one's calculations; thou art stricken by the

passion Cypris sends. Thou art in love; what wonder? so are many more.
Wilt thou, because thou lov'st, destroy thyself? 'Tis little gain, I

trow, for those who love or yet may love their fellows, if death
must be their end; for though the Love-Queen's onset in her might is

more than man can bear, yet doth she gently visit yielding hearts, and
only when she finds a proud unnatural spirit, doth she take and mock

it past belief. Her path is in the sky, and mid the ocean's surge
she rides; from her all nature springs; she sows the seeds of love,

inspires the warm desire to which we sons of earth all owe our
being. They who have aught to do with books of ancient scribes, or

themselves engage in studious pursuits, know how Zeus of Semele was
enamoured, how the bright-eyed goddess of the Dawn once stole Cephalus

to dwell in heaven for the love she bore him; yet these in heaven
abide nor shun the gods' approach, content, I trow, to yield to

their misfortune. Wilt thou refuse to yield? thy sire, it seems,
should have begotten thee on special terms or with different gods

for masters, if in these laws thou wilt not acquiesce. How many,
prithee, men of sterling sense, when they see their wives

unfaithful, make as though they saw it not? How many fathers, when
their sons have gone astray, assist them in their amours? 'Tis part of

human wisdom to conceal the deed of shame. Nor should man aim at too
great refinement in his life; for they cannot with exactness finish

e'en the roof that covers in a house; and how dost thou, after falling
into so deep a pit, think to escape? Nay, if thou hast more of good

than bad, thou wilt fare exceeding well, thy human nature
considered. O cease, my darling child, from evil thoughts, let

wanton pride be gone, for this is naught else, this wish to rival gods
in perfectness. Face thy love; 'tis heaven's will thou shouldst.

Sick thou art, yet turn thy sickness to some happy issue. For there
are charms and spells to soothe the soul; surely some cure for thy

disease will be found. Men, no doubt, might seek it long and late if
our women's minds no schemedevise.

LEADER
Although she gives thee at thy present need the wiser counsel,

Phaedra, yet do I praise thee. Still my praise may sound more harsh
and jar more cruelly on thy ear than her advice.

PHAEDRA
'Tis even this, too plausible a tongue, that overthrows good

governments and homes of men. We should not speak to please the ear
but point the path that leads to noble fame.

NURSE
What means this solemn speech? Thou needst not rounded

phrases,-but a man. Straightway must we move to tell him frankly how
it is with thee. Had not thy life to such a crisis come, or wert

thou with self-control I endowed, ne'er would I to gratify thy
passions have urged thee to this course; but now 'tis a struggle

fierce to save thy life, and therefore less to blame.
PHAEDRA

Accursed proposal! peace, woman! never utter those shameful
words again!

NURSE
Shameful, maybe, yet for thee better than honour's code. Better

this deed, if it shall save thy life, than that name thy pride will
kill thee to retain.

PHAEDRA
I conjure thee, go no further! for thy words are plausible but

infamous; for though as yet love has not undermined my soul, yet, if
in specious words thou dress thy foul suggestion, I shall be

beguiled into the snare from which I am now escaping.
NURSE

If thou art of this mind, 'twere well thou ne'er hadst sinned; but
as it is, hear me; for that is the next best course; I in my house

have charms to soothe thy love,-'twas but now I thought of them;-these
shall cure thee of thy sickness on no disgraceful terms, thy mind

unhurt, if thou wilt be but brave. But from him thou lovest we must
get some token, word or fragment of his robe, and thereby unite in one

love's twofold stream.
PHAEDRA

Is thy drug a salve or potion?
NURSE