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diff --git a/old/7amag10.txt.20090107 b/old/7amag10.txt.20090107 new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9a0a5d1 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/7amag10.txt.20090107 @@ -0,0 +1,1990 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Magnificent Lovers, by Moliere (Poquelin) + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Magnificent Lovers + +Author: Moliere (Poquelin) + +Release Date: December, 2004 [EBook #7067] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on March 5, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MAGNIFICENT LOVERS *** + + + + +This eBook was produced by Delphine Lettau, Lee Chew Hung +and the people at Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +THE MAGNIFICENT LOVERS (LES AMANTS MAGNIFIQUES) + +BY + +MOLIERE + + +TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH PROSE. + +_WITH SHORT INTRODUCTIONS AND EXPLANATORY NOTES_. + +BY + +CHARLES HERON WALL + + + + +The subject of this play was given by Louis XIV. It was acted before +him at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, on February 4, 1670, but was never +represented in Paris, and was only printed after Moliere's death. It +is one of the weakest plays of Moliere, upon whom unfortunately now +rested the whole responsibility of the court entertainments. His +attack upon astrology is the most interesting part. + +Moliere acted the part of Clitidas. + + + +PREFACE BY THE AUTHOR. + + +The King, who will have nothing but what is magnificent in all he +undertakes, wished to give his court an entertainment which should +comprise all that the stage can furnish. To facilitate the execution +of so vast an idea, and to link together so many different things, his +Majesty chose for the subject two rival princes, who, in the lovely +vale of Tempe, where the Pythian Games were to be celebrated, vie with +each other in feting a young princess and her mother with all +imaginable gallantries. + + + +PERSONS REPRESENTED. + + +IPHICRATES & TIMOCLES, _princes in love with_ ERIPHYLE. + +SOSTRATUS, _a general, also in love with_ ERIPHYLE. + +ANAXARCHUS, _an astrologer_. + +CLEON, _his son_. + +CHOROEBUS, _in the suit of_ ARISTIONE. + +CLITIDAS, _a court jester, one of the attendants of_ ERIPHYLE. + +ARISTIONE, _a princess, mother to_ ERIPHYLE. + +ERIPHYLE, _a princess, daughter to_ ARISTIONE. + +CLEONICE, _confidante to_ ERIPHYLE. + +_A sham_ VENUS, _acting in concert with_ ANAXARCHUS. + + + +THE MAGNIFICENT LOVERS. + + + +FIRST INTERLUDE. + +_The scene opens with the pleasant sound of a great many +instruments, and represents a vast sea, bordered on each side by four +large rocks. On the summit of each is a river god, leaning on the +insignia usual to those deities. At the foot of these rocks are twelve +Tritons on each side, and in the middle of the sea four Cupids on +dolphins; behind them the god AEOLUS floating on a small cloud above +the waves. AEOLUS commands the winds to withdraw; and whilst four +Cupids, twelve Tritons, and eight river gods answer him, the sea +becomes calm, and an island rises from the waves. Eight fishermen come +out of the sea with mother-of-pearl and branches of coral in their +hands, and after a charming dance seat themselves each on a rock above +one of the river gods. The music announces the advent of NEPTUNE, and +while this god is dancing with his suite, the fishermen, Tritons, and +river gods accompany his steps with various movements and the +clattering of the pearl shells. The spectacle is a magnificent +compliment paid by one of the princes to the princesses during their +maritime excursion._ + +AEOLUS. +Ye winds that cloud the fairest skies, +Retire within your darkest caves, +And leave the realm of waves +To Zephyr, Love, and sighs. + +A TRITON. +What lovely eyes these moist abodes have pierced? +Ye mighty Tritons, come; ye Nereids, hide. + +ALL THE TRITONS. +Then rise we all these deities fair to meet; +With softest strains and homage let us greet +Their beauty rare. + +A CUPID. +How dazzling are these ladies' charms! + +ANOTHER CUPID. +What heart but seeing them must yield? + +ANOTHER CUPID. +The fairest of th' Immortals--arms +So keen hath none to wield. + +CHORUS. +Then rise we all these deities fair to meet; +With softest strains and homage let us greet +Their beauty rare. + +A TRITON. +What would this noble train that meets our view? +'Tis Neptune! He and all his mighty crew! +He comes to honour, with his presence fair, +These lovely scenes, and charm the silent air. + +CHORUS. +Then strike again, +And raise your strain, +And let your homes around +With joyous songs resound! + +NEPTUNE. +I rank among the gods of greatest might; +'Tis Jove himself hath placed me on this height! +Alone, as king, I sway the azure wave; +In all this world there's none my power to brave. + +There are no lands on earth my might that know +But trembling dread that o'er their meads I flow; +No states, o'er which the boisterous waves I tread +In one short moment's space I cannot spread. + +There's nought the raging billows' force can stay, +No triple dike, but e'en it easily +My waves can crush, +When rolls along their mass with wildest rush. + +And yet these billows fierce I force to yield, +Beneath the wisdom of the power I wield; +And everywhere I let the sailors bold +Where'er they list their trading courses hold. + +Yet rocks sometimes are found within my states, +Where ships do perish, so doomed by fates; +Yet 'gainst my power none murmurs aye, +For Virtue knows no wreck where'er I sway. + +A SEA GOD. +Within this realm are many treasures bright; +All mortals crowd its pleasant shores to view. +And would you climb of fame the dazzling height, +Then seek nought else, but Neptune's countenance sue. + +SECOND SEA GOD. +Then trust the god of this vast billowy realm, +And shielded from all storms, you'll guide the helm; +The waves would fain inconstant often be, +But ever constant Neptune you will see. + +THIRD SEA GOD. +Launch then with dauntless zeal, and plough the deep; +Thus shall you Neptune's kindly favour reap. + + + +ACT I. + +SCENE I.--SOSTRATUS, CLITIDAS. + + +CLI. (_aside_). He is buried in thought. + +SOS. (_believing himself alone_). No, Sostratus, I do not see +where you can look for help, and your troubles are of a kind to leave +you no hope. + +CLI. (_aside_). He is talking to himself. + +SOS. (_believing himself alone_). Alas! + +CLI. These sighs must mean something, and my surmise will prove +correct. + +SOS. (_believing himself alone_). Upon what fancies can you build +any hope? And what else can you expect but the protracted length of a +miserable existence, and sorrow to end only with life itself. + +CLI. (_aside_). His head is more perplexed than mine. + +SOS. (_believing himself alone_). My heart! my heart! to what +have you brought me? + +CLI. Your servant, my Lord Sostratus! + +SOS. Where are you going, Clitidas? + +CLI. Rather tell me what you are doing here? And what secret +melancholy, what gloomy sorrow, can keep you in these woods when all +are gone in crowds to the magnificent festival which the Prince +Iphicrates has just given upon the sea to the princesses. There they +are treated to wonderful music and dancing, and even the rocks and the +waves deck themselves with divinities to do homage to their beauty. + +SOS. I can fancy all this magnificence, and as there are generally so +many people to cause confusion at these festivals, I did not care to +increase the number of unwelcome guests. + +CLI. You know that your presence never spoils anything, and that you +are never in the way wherever you go. Your face is welcome everywhere, +and is not one of those ill-favoured countenances which are never well +received by sovereigns. You are equally in favour with both +princesses, and the mother and the daughter show plainly enough the +regard they have for you; so that you need not fear to be accounted +troublesome. In short, it was not this fear that kept you away. + +SOS. I acknowledge that I have no inclination for such things. + +CLI. Oh indeed! Yet, although we may not care to see things, we like +to go where we find everybody else; and whatever you may say, people +do not, during a festival, stop all alone among the trees to dream +moodily as you do, unless they have something to disturb their minds. + +SOS. Why? What do you think could disturb my mind? + +CLI. Well, I can't say; but there is a strong scent of love about +here, and I am sure it does not come from me, and it must come from +you. + +SOS. How absurd you are, Clitidas! + +CLI. Not so absurd as you would make out. You are in love; I have a +delicate nose, and I smelt it directly. + +SOS. What can possibly make you think so? + +CLI. What? I daresay you would be very much surprised if I were to +tell you besides with whom you are in love. + +SOS. I? + +CLI. Yes; I wager that I will guess presently whom you love. I have +some secrets, as well as our astrologer with whom the Princess +Aristione is so infatuated; and if his science makes him read in the +stars the fate of men, I have the science of reading in the eyes of +people the names of those they love. Hold up your head a little, and +open your eyes wide. _E_, by itself, _E; r, i, ri, Eri; p, h, +y, phy, Eriphy; l, e, le, Eriphyle_. You are in love with the +Princess Eriphyle. + +SOS. Ah! Clitidas, I cannot conceal my trouble from you, and you crush +me with this blow. + +CLI. You see how clever I am! + +SOS. Alas! if anything has revealed to you the secret of my heart, I +beseech you to tell it to no one; and, above all things, to keep it +secret from the fair princess whose name you have just mentioned. + +CLI. But, to speak seriously, if for awhile I have read in your +actions the love you wish to keep secret, do you think that the +Princess Eriphyle has been blind enough not to see it? Believe me, +ladies are always very quick to discover the love they inspire, and +the language of the eyes and of sighs is understood by those to whom +it is addressed sooner than by anybody else. + +SOS. Leave her, Clitidas, leave her to read, if she can, in my sighs +and looks the love with which her beauty has inspired me; but let us +be careful not to let her find it out in any other way. + +CLI. And what is it you dread? Is it possible that this same +Sostratus, who feared neither Brennus nor all the Gauls, and whose arm +has been so gloriously successful in ridding us of that swarm of +barbarians which ravaged Greece; is it possible, I say, that a man so +dauntless in war should be so fearful as to tremble at the very +mention of his being in love? + +SOS. Ah! Clitidas, I do not tremble without a cause; and all the Gauls +in the world would seem to me less to be feared than those two +beautiful eyes full of charms. + +CLI. I am not of the same opinion, and I know, as far as I am +concerned, that one single Gaul, sword in hand, would frighten me much +more than fifty of the most beautiful eyes in the world put together. +But, tell me, what do you intend to do? + +SOS. To die without telling my love. + +CLI. A fine prospect! Nonsense, you are joking; you know that a +little boldness always succeeds with lovers; it is only the bashful +and timid who are losers; and were I to fall in love with a goddess, I +would tell her of my passion at once. + +SOS. Alas! too many things condemn my love to an eternal silence. + +CLI. But what? + +SOS. The lowness of my birth, by which it pleased heaven to humble the +ambition of my love; the princess's rank, which puts between her and +my desires such an impassable barrier. The rivalry of two princes who +can back the offer of their heart by the highest titles; two princes +who offer the most magnificent entertainments by turn to her whose +heart they strive to win, and between whom it is expected every moment +that she will make a choice. Besides all this, Clitidas, there is the +inviolable respect to which she subjugates the violence of my love. + +CLI. Respect is not always as welcome as love; and if I am not greatly +mistaken, the young princess knows of your affection, and is not +insensible to it. + +SOS. Ah! pray do not, out of pity, flatter the heart of a miserable +lover. + +CLI. I do not say it without good reasons. She is a long time +postponing the choice of a husband, and I must try and discover a +little more about all this. You know that I enjoy a kind of favour +with her, that I have free access to her, and that, by dint of trying +all kinds of ways, I have gained the privilege of saying a word now +and then, and of speaking at random on any subject. Sometimes I do not +succeed as I should like, but at others I succeed very well. Leave it +to me, then; I am your friend, I love men of merit, and I will choose +my time to speak to the princess of.... + +SOS. Oh! for heaven's sake, however much you may pity my misfortune, +Clitidas, he careful not to tell her anything of my love. I had +rather die than to be accused by her of the least temerity, and this +deep respect in which her divine charms.... + +CLI. Hush! they are all Coming. + + + +SCENE II.--ARISTIONE, IPHICRATES, TIMOCLES, SOSTRATUS +ANAXARCHUS, CLEON, CLITIDAS. + +ARI. (_to_ IPHICRATES). Prince, I cannot say too much, there is +no spectacle in the world which can vie in magnificence with this one +you have just given us. This entertainment had wonderful attractions, +which will make it surpass all that can ever be seen. We have +witnessed something so noble, so grand and glorious that heaven itself +could do no more; and I feel sure there is nothing in the world that +could be compared to it. + +TIM. This is a display that cannot he expected in all entertainments, +and I greatly fear, Madam, for the simplicity of the little festival +which I am preparing to give you in the wood of Diana. + +ARI. I feel sure that we shall see nothing there but what is +delightful; and we must acknowledge that the country ought to appear +very beautiful to us, and that we have no time left for dulness in +this charming place, which all poets have celebrated under the name of +Tempe. For, not to mention the pleasures of hunting, which we can +enjoy at any hour, and the solemnity of the Pythian Games which are +about to be celebrated, you both take care to supply us with pleasures +that would charm away the sorrows of the most melancholy. How is it, +Sostratus, that we did not meet you in our walks? + +SOS. A slight indisposition, Madam, prevented me from going there. + +IPH. Sostratus is one of those men who think it unbecoming to be +curious like others, and who esteem it better to affect not to go +where everybody is anxious to be. + +SOS. My Lord, affectation has little share in anything I do, and, +without paying you a compliment, there were things to be seen in this +festival which would have attracted me if some other motive had not +hindered me. + +ARI. And has Clitidas seen it all? + +CLI. Yes, Madam, but from the shore. + +ARI. And why from the shore? + +CLI. Well, Madam, I feared one of those accidents which generally +happen in such large crowds. Last night I dreamt of dead fish and +broken eggs, and I have learnt from Anaxarchus that broken eggs and +dead fish forebode ill luck. + +ANA. I observe one thing, that Clitidas would have nothing to say if +he did not speak of me. + +CLI. It is because there are so many things that can be said of you +that one can never say too much. + +ANA. You might choose some other subject of conversation, +particularly since I have asked you to do so. + +CLI. How can I? Do you not say that destiny is stronger than +everything? And if it is written in the stars that I shall speak of +you, how can I resist my fate? + +ANA. With all the respect due to you, Madam, allow me to say that +there is one thing in your court which it is sad to find there. It is +that everybody takes the liberty of talking, and that the most +honourable man is exposed to the scoffing of the first buffoon he +meets. + +CLI. I thank you for the honour you do me. + +ARI. (_to_ ANAXARCHUS). Why be put out by what he says? + +CLI. With all due respect to you, Madam, there is one thing which +amazes me in astrology; it is that people who know the secrets of the +gods, and who have such knowledge as to place themselves above all +other men, should have need of paying court and of asking for +anything. + +ANA. This is a paltry joke, and you should earn your money by giving +your mistress wittier and better ones. + +CLI. Upon my word, I give what I have. You speak most comfortably +about it; the trade of a buffoon is not like that of an astrologer. To +tell lies well and to joke well are things altogether different, and +it is far easier to deceive people than to make them laugh. + +ARI. Ha! what is the meaning of that? + +CLI. (_speaking to himself_). Peace, fool that you are! Do you +not know that astrology is an affair of state, and that you must not +play upon that string? I have often told you that you are getting a +great deal too bold, and that you take certain liberties which will +bring trouble upon you. You will see that some day you will be kicked +out like a knave. Hold your peace if you be wise. + +ARI. Where is my daughter? + +TIM. She is gone away, Madam. I offered her my arm, which she refused +to accept. + +ARI. Princes, since in your love for Eriphyle you have consented to +submit to the laws I had imposed upon you, since it has been possible +for me to obtain that you should be rivals without being enemies, and +that, with a full submission to my daughter's feelings, you are +waiting for her choice, speak to me openly and tell me what progress +you each think you have made on her heart. + +TIM. Madam, I do not mean to flatter myself; but I have done all that +I possibly could to touch the heart of the Princess Eriphyle. I have +neglected none of the tender means that a lover should adopt. I have +offered her the humble homage of my great love, I have been assiduous +near her, I have attended on her daily. I have had my love sung by the +most touching voices, and expressed in verse by the most skilful pens. +I have complained in passionate terms of my sufferings. My eyes, as +well as my words, have told her of my despair and my love. I have laid +my love at her feet; I have even had recourse to tears, but all in +vain, and I have failed to see that in her soul she was in any way +touched by my love. + +ARI. And you, Prince? + +IPH. For my part, Madam, knowing her indifference and the little value +she sets upon the homage that is paid to her, I did not mean to waste +either sighs or tears upon her. I know that she is entirely submissive +to your wishes, and that it is from you alone that she will accept a +husband; therefore it is to you alone that I can address my wishes for +her hand, to you rather than to her that I offer my homage and my +attentions. Would to heaven, Madam, that you could bring yourself to +take her place, enjoy the conquests which you make for her, and +receive for yourself the affections which you refer to her! + +ARI. Prince, the compliment comes from a cunning lover. You have heard +that the mothers must be flattered in order to obtain the daughters +from them; but here however, this will be useless, for I have +determined to, leave my daughter entirely free in her choice, and in +no way to thwart her inclination. + +IPH. However free you leave her in her choice, what I tell you is no +flattery, Madam. I court the Princess Eriphyle only because she is +your daughter, and I think her charming in that which she inherits +from you; and it is you whom I adore in her. + +ARI. That is very pretty. + +IPH. Yes, Madam, all the earth beholds in you charms and +attractions.... + +ARI. Ah! Prince, pray, let us leave those charms and attractions; you +know that these are words I banish from the compliments that are paid +to me. I can endure to be praised for my sincerity, to be called a +good princess, for it is true that I have a kind word for everybody, +love for my friends and esteem for merit and virtue; yes, I can enjoy +all that; but as for your charms and attractions, I had rather have +nothing to do with them, and whatever truth there may be in them, one +should make a scruple of wishing to be praised when one is mother to a +daughter like mine. + +IPH. Ah! Madam. It is you only who will remind everyone that you are a +mother; everybody's feelings are against it, and it depends entirely +on yourself to pass for the sister of the Princess Eriphyle. + +ARI. Believe me, Prince, I have no relish for all this idle nonsense, +so welcome to too many women, I wish to be a mother, because I am one, +and it would be in vain to wish to be otherwise. This title has +nothing that wounds me, since I received it by my own consent. It is a +weakness in our sex, from which, thank heaven! I am free, and I do not +trouble myself about those grand discussions concerning ages about +which there is so much folly. Let us resume what we were saying. Is it +possible that until now you have been unable to discover my daughter's +feelings? + +IPH. They are a secret to me. + +TIM. And to me an impenetrable mystery. + +ARI. She may be prevented by modesty from explaining herself either to +you or to me. Let us make use of another to try and discover what she +feels. Sostratus, take this message upon yourself for me, and oblige +these princes by skilfully trying to discover towards which of the two +my daughter's feeling are inclined. + +SOS. Madam, you have a great many people in your court who are better +qualified than I for such a delicate mission, and I feel little fit to +do what you ask of me. + +ARI. Your merit, Sostratus, is not confined to the business of war +only. You have brain, tact, and skill, and my daughter greatly esteems +you. + +SOS. Another better than I, Madam.... + +ARI. No, no, in vain you excuse yourself. + +SOS. Since it is your wish, Madam, I must obey; but I assure you that +there is not one person in the whole of your court who would be less +qualified for such a commission than myself. + +ARI. You are too modest, and you will always acquit yourself well in +whatever is entrusted to you. Sound my daughter gently on her +feelings, and remind her that she must be early at the wood of Diana. + + + +SCENE III.--IPHICRATES, TIMOCLES, SOSTRATUS, CLITIDAS. + +IPH. (_to_ SOSTRATUS). I assure you that I rejoice to see you +held in such esteem by the princess. + +TIM. (_to_ SOSTRATUS). I assure you that I am delighted that the +choice should have fallen on you. + +IPH. You have it now in your power to serve your friends. + +TIM. You will be able to do good service to those you esteem. + +IPH. I do not commend my interests to you. + +TIM. I do not ask you to speak for me. + +SOS. My Lords, all this is useless. I should be wrong to exceed my +orders, and you will excuse me if I speak for neither. + +IPH. I leave it to you to do as you please. + +TIM. Do exactly as you think best. + + + +SCENE IV.--IPHICRATES, TIMOCLES, CLITIDAS. + +IPH. (_aside to_ CLITIDAS). Well, Clitidas, remember that he is +one of my friends. I hope he will still forward my interests with the +princess against those of my rival. + +CLI. (_aside to_ IPHICRATES). You may trust me. There is a great +difference between you and him. He is a fine prince, indeed, to +dispute it with you. + +IPH. (_aside to_ CLITIDAS). I will not forget such a service. + + + +SCENE V.--TIMOCLES, CLITIDAS. + +TIM. My rival pays his court to Clitidas; but Clitidas knows that he +has promised to help me in my love against him. + +CLI. Certainly. How very absurd to think of carrying the day against +you. A fine gentleman, indeed, to be compared with you! + +TIM. There is nothing I could not do for Clitidas. + +CLI. (_alone_). Plenty of fine words on all sides! But here is +the princess; we will take our opportunity to speak to her. + + + +SCENE VI.--ERIPHYLE, CLEONICE. + +CLEON. It will be thought strange, Madam, that you should keep away +from everybody. + +ERI. Ah! to persons like us, always surrounded by so many indifferent +people, how pleasant is solitude! How sweet to be left alone to +commune with one's thoughts when one has had to bear with so much +trifling conversation. Leave me alone to walk a few moments by myself. + +CLEON. Would you not like for a moment to see what those wonderful +people, who are desirous of serving you, can do? It seems by their +steps and gestures they can express everything to the eye. They are +called pantomimists. I feared to pronounce that word before you, and +there are some in your court who would not forgive me for using it. + +ERI. You seem to me to propose some strange entertainment; for you +never fail to introduce indifferently all that presents itself to you, +and you have a kind welcome for everything. Therefore to you alone do +we see all necessitous Muses have recourse. You are the great +patroness of all merit in distress, and all virtuous indigents knock +at your door. + +CLEON. If you do not care to see them, Madam, you have only to say so. + +ERI. No, no; let us see them. Bring them here. + +CLEON. But, Madam, their dancing may be bad. + +ERI. Bad or not, let us see it. It would only be putting off the thing +with you. It is just as well to have it over. + +CLEON. To-day it will only be an ordinary dance, Madam. Another +time.... + +ERI. No more about it, Cleonice. Let them dance. + + + +SECOND INTERLUDE. + +_The confidante of the young_ PRINCESS _calls forth three +dancers under the name of pantomimists; that is, men who express all +sorts of things by their movements. The_ PRINCESS _sees them +dance, and receives them into her service._ + + + + +ACT II. + +SCENE I.--ERIPHYLE, CLEONICE. + + +ERI. This is admirable! I do not think any dancing could ever be +better; and I am glad to have them belonging to me. + +CLEON. And I am very glad, Madam, for you to see that my taste is not +so bad as you thought. + +ERI. Do not be so triumphant. You won't be long before giving me my +revenge. Leave me alone here. + + + +SCENE II.--ERIPHYLE, CLEONICE, CLITIDAS. + +CLEON. (_going to meet_ CLITIDAS). I warn you, Clitidas, that the +princess wishes to be alone. + +CLI. Leave that to me. I understand court etiquette. + + + +SCENE III.--ERIPHYLE, CLITIDAS. + +CLI. (_singing_). La, la, la, la. (_Affecting surprise on +seeing_ ERIPHYLE.) Ah! + +ERI. (_to_ CLITIDAS, _who affects to go away_). Clitidas! + +CLI. I did not see, you, Madam. + +ERI. Come near. Where have you been? + +CLI. With the princess your mother, who was just going towards the +temple of Apollo, accompanied by a great many people. + +ERI. Do you not think this one of the most charming places in the +world? + +CLI. Certainly. The two princes, your lovers, were there. + +ERI. The river Peneus has here the most charming windings. + +CLI. Very charming. Sostratus was there also. + +ERI. How is it that he was not with us to-day? + +CLI. He has something on his mind which prevents him from taking any +pleasure in all those beautiful entertainments. He wanted to tell me +something; but you have so expressly forbidden me to intercede for any +one to you that I would not hear him, and I told him flatly that I had +no leisure. + +ERI. You were wrong to say such a thing to him, and you ought to have +heard him. + +CLI. I told him at first that I was not at leisure to hear him; but +afterwards I listened to what be had to say. + +ERI. You did well. + +CLI. In fact, he is a man after my own heart; a man with all the +manners and qualities I should like to see in all men. He never +assumes boisterous manners and provoking tones of voice, but is +prudent and careful in everything. He never speaks but to the point, +is never hasty in his decisions, is never annoying by his +exaggerations. However fine may be the verses our poets repeat to him, +I have never heard him say, "This is more beautiful than anything that +Homer ever wrote." In short, he is a man to my taste; and if I were a +princess, I would not see him unhappy. + +ERI. He is evidently a man of great merit; but what had he to say to +you? + +CLI. He asked me if you were very pleased with the royal +entertainments that are offered to you. He spoke of your person with +the greatest transports of delight, extolled you to the sky, and gave +you all the praises that could be given to the most accomplished +princess in the world, and with all this uttering many sighs which +told me more than he thought. At last, by dint of questioning him in +all kinds of ways, and pressing him to tell me the cause of his +melancholy, which is noticed by everyone at court, he was forced to +acknowledge that he is in love. + +ERI. How, in love? What boldness is this? I will never see him again. + +CLI. What are you offended at, Madam? + +ERI. To be audacious enough to love me, and, moreover, to dare to say +it! + +CLI. It is not with you he is in love, Madam. + +ERI. Not with me? + +CLI. No; he has too much respect for you, and he is too wise to do +such a thing. + +ERI. With whom, then, Clitidas? + +CLI. With one of your maids-of-honour, the young Arsinoe. + +ERI. Is she so very beautiful that he can think none but her worthy of +his love? + +CLI. He loves her to distraction, and entreats you to honour his love +with your protection. + +ERI. Me! + +CLI. No, no, Madam; I see that this offends you. Your anger forced me +to make use of this subterfuge; and, to tell you the truth, it is you +he loves to distraction. + +ERI. You are an insolent knave to come thus to sound my feelings. Out +of my sight this moment! Do you pretend to read people's thoughts and +penetrate into the secrets of a princess's heart? Away with you; let +me never see your face again.... Clitidas! + +CLI. Madam. + +ERI. Come here. I forgive you this affair. + +CLI. You are too kind, Madam. + +ERI. But on condition--mind what I say--that you will never mention it +to anybody, at the peril of your life. + +CLI. Enough. + +ERI. Then Sostratus told you that he loved me? + +CLI. No, Madam; I must now tell you the whole truth. I got from him by +surprise a secret he intended to conceal from all the world, and which +he said he would wish to die with him. He was in despair when I +wrenched it with subtlety from him; and, far from asking me to tell +you of it, he entreated me with the most earnest prayers never to +reveal anything to you; and I have committed a piece of treachery +against him by telling you what I have said. + +ERI. I am glad of it. It is by his respect only that he can please me; +and if he were bold enough to tell me of his love, he would forfeit +for ever both my presence and my esteem. + +CLI. Do not fear, Madam.... + +ERI. Here he is. Remember, if you are wise, what I have forbidden you. + +CLI. Certainly, Madam; I have no wish to be an indiscreet courtier. + + + +SCENE IV.--ERIPHYLE, SOSTRATUS. + +SOS. I have an excuse, Madam, for daring to disturb your solitude. I +have received from the princess your mother a mission which authorises +the bold step I now take. + +ERI. What mission is it, Sostratus? + +SOS. To try, to learn from you, Madam, towards which of the two +princes your heart inclines? + +ERI. The princess my mother shows a judicious spirit in choosing you +for such a message. This mission is very pleasant to you, no doubt, +Sostratus, and you must have accepted it with great joy? + +SOS. I have accepted it, Madam, because my duty obliges me to obey; +and if the princess had kindly listened to my excuses, she would have +appointed another for the task. + +ERI. What reason could you have had, Sostratus, for refusing it? + +SOS. The fear of not acquitting myself well. + +ERI. Do you think that I have not enough esteem for you to open my +heart to you, and say all you wish to know from me about the two +princes? + +SOS. As far as I am concerned, Madam, I have no desire to know +anything; I only ask you what you think you can say in answer to the +commands which bring me here. + +ERI. Until now I have had no wish to explain myself, and the princess +my mother has kindly allowed me to put off the choice which is to bind +me. But I should be glad to show to everyone that I am willing to do +something for your sake; and if you insist, I may give you this long +expected verdict. + +SOS. I will not importune you, Madam, and urge a princess who knows +well what she has to do. + +ERI. Yet it is what the princess my mother expects from you. + +SOS. I told her that I was sure to acquit myself but badly of my +message. + +ERI. Well, tell me, Sostratus; you have far-seeing eyes, and I believe +that there are few things that escape you. Have you not been able to +discover what everybody is anxious to know? Have you no idea of the +inclination of my heart? You see all the attentions that are bestowed +on me, all the homage that is paid to me. Which of these two princes +do you think I look upon with a most favourable eye? + +SOS. The conjectures we make upon such matters generally arise from +the greater or less interest we take. + +ERI. Which would you prefer of the two, Sostratus? Tell me which one +you would have me marry? + +SOS. Ah! Madam! your inclination, not my wishes, must decide the +matter. + +ERI. But if I wished to consult you in this choice? + +SOS. If you were to consult me, I should feel very much perplexed. + +ERI. You could not tell me which of the two you think most worthy of +preference? + +SOS. If I were to be judge, I should find no one worthy of that +honour. All the princes of the world would be too mean to aspire to +you; the gods alone can pretend to you, and you would have from men +but incense and sacrifice. + +ERI. This is very kind, and I esteem you my friend. But I must have +you tell me for which of the two you feel the greatest inclination, +and which is the one you reckon your friend? + + + +SCENE V.--ERIPHYLE, SOSTRATUS, CHOROEBUS. + +CHO. Madam, the princess is coming to fetch you to go to the wood of +Diana. + +SOS. (_aside_). Alas! how seasonably you came in. + + + +SCENE VI.--ARISTIONE, ERIPHYLE, IPHICRATES, TIMOCLES, SOSTRATUS, +ANAXARCHUS, CLITIDAS. + +ARI. You are asked for, my daughter, and there are some who are much +pained by your absence. + +ERI. I Should think, Madam, that they only asked after me out of +compliment, and that no one is as pained as you say. + +ARI. There are so many entertainments made for your sake that all our +time is taken up, and we have not a moment to lose if we wish to see +them all. Let us enter the wood at once, and see what awaits us there. +This is the most beautiful place in the world. Let us take our seats +quickly. + + + +THIRD INTERLUDE. + +_The stage represents a forest where the_ PRINCESS _has been +invited to go. A Nymph does the honours, singing; and to amuse the_ +PRINCESS, _a small musical comedy is played, the subject of which is +as follows:--A shepherd complains to two other shepherds, his friends, +of the coldness of her whom he loves; the two friends comfort him; at +that moment the beloved shepherdess appears, and all three retire to +observe her. After a plaintive love-song, she reclines on the turf, +and gives way to sweet slumber. The lover makes his two friends +approach to contemplate the beauty of his shepherdess, and invokes +everything to contribute to her rest. The shepherdess, on waking up, +sees her swain at her feet, complains of his persecution; but taking +his constancy into consideration, she grants him his wish, and +consents to be loved by him, in the presence of his two friends. The +Satyrs arrive, upbraid her with her change, and, distressed by the +disgrace into which they have fallen, look for comfort in wine._ + + +CLIMENE, PHILINTE. + +PHILINTE. +There was a time I pleased you well, +Content I lived, and loved the spell; +I had not changed for god or throne +The sway o'er you I held alone. + +CLIMENE. +So, when by gentle passion swayed, +You held me dear above all maid, +The regal crown I would have spurned +If for me still your heart had burned. + +PHILINTE. +Another's faith hath cured the wound +I nursed for you within my breast. + +CLIMENE. +Another's love for me hath found +Revenge I sought, and kindly rest. + +PHILINTE. +Chloris the fair true passion sways, +For me she pours her soul in sighs, +And I would gladly close my days +If so should bid her beauteous eyes. + +CLIMENE. +Myrtil, of youthful hearts the flower, +He loves me true e'en more than light; +And I, to prove love's mighty power, +Content, would pass to endless night. + +PHILINTE. +But if our passion's gentle ray +A lingering spark would kindle anew, +And from my heart expel to-day +Chloris the fair, thy love to sue? + +CLIMENE. +Though Myrtil loves me true, +Though constant e'er to sigh, +Still, I confess, with you +I'd gladly live and die. + +BOTH (_together_). +'Midst love then more than ever let us fleet +The lingering hours, and own a bond so sweet. + +BALLET, DIVERTISSEMENT, ETC. + + + +ACT III. + +ARISTIONE, IPHICRATES, TIMOCLES, ERIPHYLE, ANAXARCHUS, SOSTRATUS, +CLITIDAS. + +ARI. We must always repeat the same words. We have always to exclaim: +This is admirable! Wonderful! It is beyond all that has ever been +seen. + +TIM. You bestow too much praise on these trifles, Madam. + +ARI. Such trifles may agreeably engage the thoughts of the most +serious people. Indeed, my daughter, you have cause to be thankful to +these princes, and you can never repay all the trouble they take for +you. + +ERI. I am deeply grateful for it, Madam. + +ARI. And yet you make them languish a long time for what they expect +from you. I have promised not to constrain you; but their love claims +from you a declaration that you should not put off any longer the +reward of their attentions. I had asked Sostratus to sound your heart, +but I do not know if he has begun to acquit himself of his commission. + +ERI. Yes, Madam, he has. But it seems to me that I cannot put off too +long the decision which is asked of me, and that I could not give it +without incurring some blame. I feel equally thankful for the love, +attentions, and homage of these two princes, and I think it a great +injustice to show myself ungrateful either to the one or to the other +by the refusal I must make of one in preference to his rival. + +IPH. We should call this, Madam, a very pretty way of refusing us +both. + +ARI. This scruple, daughter, should not stop you; and those two +princes have both long since agreed to submit to the preference you +show. + +ERI. Our inclinations easily deceive us, Madam, and disinterested +hearts are more able to make a right choice. + +ARI. You know that I have engaged my word to give no opinion upon this +matter, and you cannot make a bad choice when you have to choose +between these two princes. + +ERI. In order not to do violence either to your promise or to my +scruples, Madam, pray agree to what I shall propose. + +ARI. And what is that, my daughter? + +ERI. I should like Sostratus to decide for me. You chose him to try to +discover the secret of my heart; suffer me to choose him to end the +perplexity I am in. + +ARI. I have such a high regard for Sostratus that, whether you mean to +employ him to explain your feelings or to leave him entirely to decide +for you, I consent heartily to this proposition. + +IPH. Which means, Madam, that we must pay our court to Sostratus. + +SOS. No, my Lord, you will have no court to pay to me; and with all +the respect due to the princesses, I refuse the glory to which they +would raise me. + +ARI. How is that, Sostratus? + +SOS. I have reasons, Madam, which do not allow me to accept the honour +you would do me. + +IPH. Are you afraid, Sostratus, of making yourself an enemy? + +SOS. I should have but little fear for the enemies I might make in +obeying the will of my sovereigns. + +TIM. Why, then, do you refuse to accept the power which is entrusted +to you, and to acquire to yourself the friendship of a prince who +would owe all his happiness to you? + +SOS. Because it is not in my power to grant to that prince what he +would wish from me. + +IPH. What reason can you have? + +SOS. Why should you so insist upon this? Perhaps I may have, my Lord, +some secret interest opposed to the pretensions of your love. Perhaps +I may have a friend who burns with a respectful flame for the divine +charms with which you are in love. Perhaps that friend makes me the +daily confidant of his sufferings, that he complains to me of the +rigour of his fate, and is looking upon the marriage of the princess +as the dreadful sentence which is to send him to his grave. Supposing +it were so, my Lord, would it be right that he should receive his +death-wound from my hands? + +IPH. You seem to me, Sostratus, very likely to be that friend whose +interests you have so much at heart. + +SOS. I beg of you, my Lord, not to render me odious tote persons who +hear you. I know what I am, and unfortunate people like me are not +ignorant of the limits which fortune assigned to their desires. + +ARI. Let us drop this subject; we will find means for overcoming my +daughter's irresolution. + +ANA. Are there better means of arriving at a conclusion that would +satisfy everybody than to consult the light which heaven can give us on +that marriage? I have already begun, as I told you, to cast the +mysterious figures which our art teaches us; and I hope soon to be +able to show you what the future has in reserve regarding this longed +for union. After that, who can still hesitate? Will not the glory or +the prosperity which will be promised to one or the other be choice +sufficient to decide it, and can he who is rejected be offended when +heaven itself decides who is to be preferred? + +IPH. For my part, I submit to it altogether, and I declare that this +way seems the most reasonable. + +TIM. I am entirely of the same opinion, and whatever heaven may +decide, I yield to it without reluctance. + +ERI. But, my Lord Anaxarchus, do you really read so clearly destiny +that you can never be deceived? And pray, who will give us security +for this prosperity, this glory which you say heaven promises us? + +ARI. My daughter, you have a little incredulity which never leaves +you. + +ANA. The proofs, Madam, which everybody has seen, of the infallibility +of my predictions are sufficient security for the promises I make. +But, in short, when I have shown you what heaven has in reserve for +you, you may act as you please, and choose one or the other destiny. + +ERI. Heaven, you say, Anaxarchus, will show me the good or bad destiny +that is in reserve for me? + +ANA. Yes, Madam; the felicity with which you will be blessed if you +marry the one, and the misery that will accompany you if you marry the +other. + +ERI. But since it is impossible for me to marry them both at once, it +seems that we find written in the heavens not only what is to happen, +but also what is not to happen. + +CLI. (_aside_). Here is a puzzler for our astrologer! + +ANA. I should have to give you, Madam, a long dissertation on the +principles of astrology to make you understand this. + +CLI. Well answered. I have no harm, Madam, to say of astrology; +astrology is a fine thing. My Lord Anaxarchus is a great man. + +IPH. The truth of astrology is an incontestable fact, and no one can +dispute the certainty of its predictions. + +CLI. Certainly not. + +TIM. I am incredulous enough in many things, but as regards astrology, +there is nothing more sure or constant than the certainty of the +horoscopes it draws. + +CLI. The things are as clear as daylight. + +IPH. A hundred accidents happen every day which convince the greatest +unbelievers. + +CLI. Quite true. + +TIM. Who could contradict the many famous incidents which are related +to us in books? + +CLI. Only people devoid of common sense can do so; how can anything in +print be doubted? + +ARI. Sostratus has not said a word yet. What is your opinion about it? + +SOS. Madam, all minds are not gifted with the necessary qualities +which the delicacy of those fine sciences called abstruse require. +There are some so material that they cannot conceive what others +understand most easily. There is nothing more agreeable, Madam, than +all the great promises of these sublime sciences. To transform +everything into gold; to cause people to live for ever; to cure with +words; to make ourselves loved by whomsoever we please; to know all +the secrets of futurity; to bring down from heaven, according to one's +will, on metals, impressions of happiness; to command demons, to raise +invisible armies and invulnerable soldiers--all this is delightful, no +doubt; and there are people who experience no difficulty whatever in +believing all this to be possible; it is the easiest thing for them to +conceive. But for me, I acknowledge that my coarse, gross mind can +hardly understand and refuses to believe it; that, in fact, it thinks +it all too good ever to be true. All those beautiful arguments of +sympathy, magnetic power, and occult virtue, are so subtle and +delicate that they escape my material understanding; and, without +speaking of anything else, it has never been in my power to conceive +how there is to be found in the heavens even the smallest particulars +of the fortune of the least of men. What relation, what connection, +what reciprocity, can there be between us and globes so immeasurably +distant from our earth? And how, besides, can this sublime science +have come to man? What god revealed it? or what experience can have +been formed from the observation of that immense number of stars which +have never as yet been seen twice in the same order? + +ANA. It would not be hard to make you conceive it. + +SOS. You would be more clever than all the others. + +CLI. (_to_ SOSTRATUS). He will deliver you a long discussion +about all this whenever you please. + +IPH. If you do not understand such things, you can at least believe +what is seen every day. + +SOS. As my understanding is so gross that I never could understand +anything, my eyes also are unfortunate enough never to have witnessed +anything relating to it. + +IPH. For my part, I have seen things altogether convincing. + +TIM. So have I. + +SOS. Since you have seen, you do well to believe; and your eyes must +be differently made from mine. + +IPH. But, in short, the princess believes in astrology; and I think we +may well, after her example, believe in it also. Would you say that +Madam has not intelligence and sense, Sostratus? + +SOS. My Lord, your question is rather unfair. The mind of the princess +is no rule for mine, and her understanding may raise her to light, +which I, in my meaner sense, cannot reach. + +ARI. No, Sostratus; I shall say nothing to you about many things to +which I give no more credence than you do; but as for astrology, I +have been told and been shown things so positive that I cannot doubt +them. + +SOS. Madam, I have nothing to answer to that. + +ARI. We will say no more about this; leave us a moment. We will, my +daughter and myself, go towards that fine grotto where I have promised +to go. Ha! something gallant at every step. + + + +FOURTH INTERLUDE. + +_The stage represents a grotto, where the_ PRINCESSES _go to +take a walk. As they enter it, eight statues, each bearing two +torches, come down from their recesses, and execute a varied dance of +different figures and several fine attitudes in which they place +themselves at intervals._ + +BALLET. + + + +ACT IV. + +SCENE I.--ARISTIONE, ERIPHYLE. + + +ARI. Nothing can be more gallant or better contrived. My daughter, I +wished to come alone here with you, so that we may have a little quiet +talk together; and I hope that you will in nothing hide the truth from +me. Have you in your heart no secret inclination which you are +unwilling to reveal to me? + +ERI. I, Madam? + +ARI. Speak openly, daughter; what I have done for you well deserves +that you should be frank and open with me. To make you the sole object +of all my thoughts, to prefer you above all things, to shut my ears, +in the position I am in, to all the propositions that a hundred +princesses might decently listen to in my place--all that ought to +tell you that I am a kind mother, and that I am not likely to receive +with severity the confidences your heart may have to make. + +ERI. If I had so badly followed your example as to have allowed an +inclination I had reason to conceal to enter my soul, I should have +power enough over myself to impose silence on such a love, and to do +nothing unworthy of your name. + +ARI. No, no, daughter; I had rather you laid bare your feelings to me. +I have not limited your choice to the two princes; you may extend it +to whomsoever you please; merit stands so high in my estimation that I +think it equal to any rank; and if you tell me frankly how things are, +you will see me subscribe without repugnance to the choice you have +made. + +ERI. You are so kind and indulgent towards me that I can never be +thankful enough for it; but I will not put your kindness to the test +on such a subject, and all I ask of you is to allow me not to hurry a +marriage about which I am not decided as yet. + +ARI. Till now I have left everything to your decision; and the +impatience of the princes your lovers.... But what means this noise? +Ah! daughter, what spectacle is this? Some deity descends; it is the +goddess Venus who seems about to speak to us. + + + +SCENE II.--VENUS (_in the air, accompanied by four_ CUPIDS), +ARISTIONE, ERIPHYLE. + +VEN. (_to_ ARISTIONE). Princess, in you shines a glorious +example, which the immortals mean to recompense; and that you may have +a son-in-law both great and happy, they will guide you in the choice +you should make. They announce by my voice the great and glorious fame +which will come to your house by this choice. Therefore, put an end to +your perplexities, and give your daughter to him who shall save your +life. + + + +SCENE III.--ARISTIONE, ERIPHYLE. + +ARI. Daughter, the gods have imposed silence on all our arguments. +After this, all we have to do is to wait for what they wish to give +us; and we have distinctly heard what their will is. Let us go to the +nearest temple to assure them of our obedience, and to render thanks +to them for their goodness. + + + +SCENE IV.--ANAXARCHUS, CLEON. + +CLE. The princess is going away; do you not want to speak to her? + +ANA. No; let us wait until her daughter has left her. I am afraid of +her; she will never suffer herself to be led like her mother. In +short, my son, as we have just been able to judge through this +opening, our stratagem has succeeded. Our Venus has done wonders, and +the admirable engineer, who has contrived this piece of machinery, has +so well disposed everything, so cunningly cut the floor of his grotto, +so well hid his wires and springs, so well adjusted his lights, and +dressed his personages, that but few people could have escaped being +deceived; and as the Princess Aristione is extremely superstitious, +there is no, doubt that she fully believes in this piece of deception. +I have been a long time preparing this machine, my son, and now I have +almost reached the goal of my ambition. + +CLE. But for which of the two princes have you invented this trick? + +ANA. Both have courted my assistance, and I have promised to both the +influence of my art. But the presents of Prince Iphicrates, and the +promises which he has made, by far exceed all that the other could do. +Therefore, it is Iphicrates who will profit by all I can invent, and +as his ambition will owe everything to me, our future is sure. I will +go and take my time to confirm the princess in her error, and, the +better to prepossess her mind, skilfully show her the agreement of the +words of Venus with the predictions of the celestial signs which I +told her I have cast. Be it your part to go and get our six men to +hide themselves carefully in their boat behind the rock, and make them +wait quietly for the time when the princess comes alone in the evening +for her usual walk. Then they must suddenly attack her like pirates, +in order to give the opportunity to Prince Iphicrates to rush to her +rescue, and lend her the help which is to put Eriphyle in his hands +according to the words of Venus. I have forewarned the prince, and, +acting on the belief in my prediction, he is to hold himself in +readiness in that little wood that skirts the shore. But let us leave +this grotto. I will tell you as we go along all that is necessary for +you carefully to observe. Here is the Princess Eriphyle; let us avoid +her. + + + +SCENE V.--ERIPHYLE (_alone_). + +Alas! how hard is my destiny! What have I done to the gods that they +should interest themselves in what happens to me? + + + +SCENE VI.--ERIPHYLE, CLEONICE. + +CLEON. Here he is, Madam; he followed me the moment he heard your +commands. + +ERI. Let him come hither, Cleonice, and leave us alone for one moment. + + + +SCENE VII.--ERIPHYLE, SOSTRATUS. + +ERI. Sostratus, you love me. + +SOS. I, Madam? + +ERI. Yes, Sostratus, I know it, I approve of it, and allow you to tell +me so. Your love appeared to me accompanied by all the merit which +could render it valuable to me. Were it not for the rank in which +heaven has placed me, I might tell you that your love would not have +been an unhappy one, and I have often wished for a position in which I +might fully show the secret feelings of my heart. It is not, +Sostratus, that merit fails to have for me all the value which it +should have, and because, in my inmost soul, I do not prefer the +virtues which you possess to all the magnificent titles which adorn +others. The princess my mother has also, it is true, left me free in +my choice, and I have no doubt that I could have obtained her consent +according to my wish. But, Sostratus, there are stations in life where +it is not right to wish that what pleases us should come to pass. It +is painful to be above all others, and the burning light of fame often +makes us pay too severely for having yielded to our inclination. I +never could, therefore, expose myself to it, and I thought I would +simply put off the bonds I was solicited to enter. But, at last, the +gods themselves will give me a husband, and all these long delays with +which I have postponed my marriage, and which the kindness of the +princess my mother made possible, are no longer permitted to me. I +must resign myself to the will of heaven. You may rest assured, +Sostratus, that it is with the greatest repugnance that I consent to +this marriage, and that, were I mistress of myself, either I should +have been yours or should have belonged to no one. This is, Sostratus, +what I had to tell you; what I felt I owed to your merit, and the only +consolation which my tenderness can show to your love. + +SOS. Ah! Madam, it is too much for one so undeserving as I am! I was +not prepared to die with such glory, and from this moment I shall +cease to complain of my destiny. If it caused me to be born in a rank +below what I could have desired, it has made me to be born happy +enough to attract some pity from the heart of a great princess, and +this glorious pity is worth sceptres and crowns; is worth the power of +the greatest princes of the earth. Yes, Madam, from the moment I dared +to love you--it is you, Madam, who allow me to use this bold +word--from the moment I dared to love you, I condemned the pride of my +aspirations, and determined upon the fate I ought to expect. Death +will not surprise me, for I am prepared for it, but your kindness has +thrown upon it an honour which my love never dared to hope; I shall +now die the happiest and most fortunate of men. If I may yet hope for +anything, I on my knees will ask two favours of you: to be willing to +endure my presence till that happy marriage which is to put an end to +my life takes place; and amidst the glory and long prosperities which +heaven promises to your union, to remember sometimes Sostratus, who +loved you. May I hope for those favours, O divine princess? + +ERI. Go, Sostratus; leave me. You little care for my peace of mind if +you ask me to remember you. + +SOS. Ah, Madam, if your peace of mind.... + +ERI. Leave me, Sostratus; spare my weakness; do not expose me to do +more than I have resolved upon. + + + +SCENE VIII.--ERIPHYLE, CLEONICE. + +CLE. Madam, I see you quite melancholy; will you allow your dancers, +who express so well all the passions of the soul, to come and give you +a sample of their skill? + +ERI. Yes, Cleonice; let them do what they like, provided they leave me +to my thoughts. + + + +FIFTH INTERLUDE. + +_Four pantomimists, as a sample of their skill, adapt their +movements and steps to the signs of uneasiness of the young_ +PRINCESS ERIPHYLE. + +BALLET. + + + +ACT V. + +SCENE I.--ERIPHYLE, CLITIDAS. + + +CLI. Where shall I go? which way shall I turn? Where am I likely to +find the Princess Eriphyle? It is no small pleasure to be the first to +bring news. Ah! here she is! Madam, I come to tell you that heaven has +just now given you the husband it reserved for you. + +ERI. Alas! leave me, Clitidas, to my gloomy sorrow. + +CLI. Madam, I beg your pardon, I thought I did well to come and tell +you that heaven has given you Sostratus for a husband; but, since it +is unpleasant to you, I will pocket my news, and go back just as I +came. + +ERI. Clitidas! I say, Clitidas! + +CLI. I leave you, Madam, to your gloomy melancholy. + +ERI. Stay, I tell you; come here. What is it you say? + +CLI. Nothing, Madam. One is sometimes too hasty in coming to tell +great people things they don't care about, and I pray you to excuse +me. + +ERI. How cruel you are! + +CLI. Another time I will take care not to come and interrupt you. + +ERI. Keep me no longer in suspense; say what it is you came to tell +me. + +CLI. An insignificant thing about Sostratus, Madam, which I will tell +you another time when you are less engaged. + +ERI. Keep me no longer in suspense, and tell me the news. + +CLI. You wish to know it, Madam? + +ERI. Yes, be quick. What is it about Sostratus? + +CLI. A wonderful adventure which nobody expected. + +ERI. Tell it me at once. + +CLI. Will it not trouble you, Madam, in your gloomy melancholy? + +ERI. Ah! Speak, I say. + +CLI. I must tell you, then, Madam, that the princess your mother was +going almost alone through the forest by those little paths which are +so pleasant, when a frightful boar--those ugly boars are always doing +mischief, and should be banished from civilised forests--when a +hideous boar, I say, driven to bay, I believe, by some huntsmen, came +right across the path where we were. I ought, perhaps, to adorn my +account with an elaborate description of this said boar; but you must +try and do without it, if you please, and be satisfied to know that it +was a terribly ugly brute. It was going on its way, and it would have +been as well not to disturb it; but the princess wished to show her +skill, and with her dart, which, if I may say so, she launched +somewhat unseasonably, inflicted a slight wound just above the ear. +The ill-bred boar turned impertinently upon us. We were then two or +three wretches who became pale with fright; each gained his tree, and +the princess was left alone, exposed to the fury of the beast, when +Sostratus appeared, just in time, as if the very gods had sent him. + +ERI. And so, Clitidas? + +CLI. If this account wearies you, Madam, I can put off the remainder +for another occasion. + +ERI. End it quickly. + +CLI. It is, indeed, quickly that I shall end, for a grain of cowardice +prevented me from seeing the details of the struggle, and all that I +can tell you is that, when we came back to the spot, we found the boar +dead and bleeding, and the princess full of joy, and proclaiming +Sostratus her deliverer and your husband, according to the words +spoken by the gods. When I heard this, I did not stop to hear any +more, and I ran in search of you to bring you this piece of news. + +ERI. Ah! Clitidas, you could never have given me a more welcome one. + +CLI. Oh! here they are coming to find you. + + + +SCENE II.--ARISTIONE, SOSTRATUS, ERIPHYLE, CLITIDAS. + +ARI. I perceive, my daughter, that you already know everything which +we are coming to tell you. You see that the gods have explained +themselves sooner than we expected. The danger I have just run has +told us what their will is, and it is easy to see that the choice +comes from them, since merit alone shines in the selection they have +made. Will it be repugnant to you to recompense with the gift of your +heart the one to whom I owe my life, and will you refuse to accept +Sostratus for your husband? + +ERI. Both from the hands of the gods and from yours, Madam, I could +receive no gift that would be disagreeable to me. + +SOS. Is not this a glorious dream with which the gods wish to flatter +me? Am I not to expect some dreadful awakenings which will plunge me +back into all the baseness of my former fortune? + + + +SCENE III.--ARISTIONE, ERIPHYLE, SOSTRATUS, CLEONICE, CLITIDAS. + +CLEON. Madam, I am come to tell you that Anaxarchus had till now +deceived both the princes, with the hope of favouring the choice upon +which their souls were bent; and that, hearing what has taken place, +they have both given way to their resentment against him, and things +growing worse, he has received several wounds, from which it is +impossible to say what may happen. But here they are both coming. + + + +SCENE IV.--ARISTIONE, ERIPHYLE, IPHICRATES, TIMOCLES, +SOSTRATUS, CLEONICE, CLITIDAS. + +ARI. Princes, you are very quick in avenging yourselves; if Anaxarchus +offended you, I was here to do you justice. + +IPH. And what justice can you have done us, Madam, when you do so +little to our rank in the choice you have made? + +ARI. Had you not both agreed to submit to what the order of the gods +or my daughter's inclination might decide in this matter? and of what +consequence can the interests of a rival be to you? + +TIM. Yes, Madam; we were ready to submit to a choice between the +Prince Iphicrates and myself, but not to find ourselves both repulsed. +It were some consolation to see the choice fall on an equal, but your +blindness is something terrible. + +ARI. Prince, I have no wish to fall out with one who has had the +kindness to praise me so much; and I beg of you, in all sincerity, to +base your sorrow upon better foundation. Try and remember, I pray, +that Sostratus' merit is known throughout Greece, and that by the rank +to which the gods raise him to-day the distance between you and him +disappears. + +IPH. Yes, we shall remember it, Madam. But, perhaps, you will be +pleased also to remember that two insulted princes may be enemies to +be feared. + +TIM. You may not have long to enjoy the contempt in which you hold us. + +ARI. I forgive all these threats for the sake of the sorrow of a love +which thinks itself insulted; and we will none the less go and see the +Pythian Games in all peace. Let us go at once, and let us crown by the +glorious spectacle this wonderful day. + + + +SIXTH INTERLUDE. + +_The scene represents a great hall in the form of an amphitheatre, +with a grand open arcade at the farther end, above which is a tribune, +closed by a curtain, and in the distance is seen an altar prepared for +the sacrifice. Six men, dressed as if they were almost naked, each +carrying an axe on his shoulder, like executioners of the sacrifice, +enter by the portico, to the sound of violins, and are followed by two +sacrificers who play, by a priestess, also playing, and by their +suite_. + +BALLET AND DIVERTISSEMENT. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Magnificent Lovers, by Moliere (Poquelin) + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MAGNIFICENT LOVERS *** + +This file should be named 7amag10.txt or 7amag10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 7amag11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 7amag10a.txt + +This eBook was produced by Delphine Lettau, Lee Chew Hung +and the people at Distributed Proofreaders + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Magnificent Lovers + +Author: Moliere (Poquelin) + +Release Date: December, 2004 [EBook #7067] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on March 5, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: Latin-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MAGNIFICENT LOVERS *** + + + + +This eBook was produced by Delphine Lettau, Lee Chew Hung +and the people at Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +THE MAGNIFICENT LOVERS (LES AMANTS MAGNIFIQUES) + +BY + +MOLIÈRE + + +TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH PROSE. + +_WITH SHORT INTRODUCTIONS AND EXPLANATORY NOTES_. + +BY + +CHARLES HERON WALL + + + + +The subject of this play was given by Louis XIV. It was acted before +him at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, on February 4, 1670, but was never +represented in Paris, and was only printed after Molière's death. It +is one of the weakest plays of Molière, upon whom unfortunately now +rested the whole responsibility of the court entertainments. His +attack upon astrology is the most interesting part. + +Molière acted the part of Clitidas. + + + +PREFACE BY THE AUTHOR. + + +The King, who will have nothing but what is magnificent in all he +undertakes, wished to give his court an entertainment which should +comprise all that the stage can furnish. To facilitate the execution +of so vast an idea, and to link together so many different things, his +Majesty chose for the subject two rival princes, who, in the lovely +vale of Tempe, where the Pythian Games were to be celebrated, vie with +each other in fêting a young princess and her mother with all +imaginable gallantries. + + + +PERSONS REPRESENTED. + + +IPHICRATES & TIMOCLES, _princes in love with_ ERIPHYLE. + +SOSTRATUS, _a general, also in love with_ ERIPHYLE. + +ANAXARCHUS, _an astrologer_. + +CLEON, _his son_. + +CHOROEBUS, _in the suit of_ ARISTIONE. + +CLITIDAS, _a court jester, one of the attendants of_ ERIPHYLE. + +ARISTIONE, _a princess, mother to_ ERIPHYLE. + +ERIPHYLE, _a princess, daughter to_ ARISTIONE. + +CLEONICE, _confidante to_ ERIPHYLE. + +_A sham_ VENUS, _acting in concert with_ ANAXARCHUS. + + + +THE MAGNIFICENT LOVERS. + + + +FIRST INTERLUDE. + +_The scene opens with the pleasant sound of a great many +instruments, and represents a vast sea, bordered on each side by four +large rocks. On the summit of each is a river god, leaning on the +insignia usual to those deities. At the foot of these rocks are twelve +Tritons on each side, and in the middle of the sea four Cupids on +dolphins; behind them the god AEOLUS floating on a small cloud above +the waves. AEOLUS commands the winds to withdraw; and whilst four +Cupids, twelve Tritons, and eight river gods answer him, the sea +becomes calm, and an island rises from the waves. Eight fishermen come +out of the sea with mother-of-pearl and branches of coral in their +hands, and after a charming dance seat themselves each on a rock above +one of the river gods. The music announces the advent of NEPTUNE, and +while this god is dancing with his suite, the fishermen, Tritons, and +river gods accompany his steps with various movements and the +clattering of the pearl shells. The spectacle is a magnificent +compliment paid by one of the princes to the princesses during their +maritime excursion._ + +AEOLUS. +Ye winds that cloud the fairest skies, +Retire within your darkest caves, +And leave the realm of waves +To Zephyr, Love, and sighs. + +A TRITON. +What lovely eyes these moist abodes have pierced? +Ye mighty Tritons, come; ye Nereids, hide. + +ALL THE TRITONS. +Then rise we all these deities fair to meet; +With softest strains and homage let us greet +Their beauty rare. + +A CUPID. +How dazzling are these ladies' charms! + +ANOTHER CUPID. +What heart but seeing them must yield? + +ANOTHER CUPID. +The fairest of th' Immortals--arms +So keen hath none to wield. + +CHORUS. +Then rise we all these deities fair to meet; +With softest strains and homage let us greet +Their beauty rare. + +A TRITON. +What would this noble train that meets our view? +'Tis Neptune! He and all his mighty crew! +He comes to honour, with his presence fair, +These lovely scenes, and charm the silent air. + +CHORUS. +Then strike again, +And raise your strain, +And let your homes around +With joyous songs resound! + +NEPTUNE. +I rank among the gods of greatest might; +'Tis Jove himself hath placed me on this height! +Alone, as king, I sway the azure wave; +In all this world there's none my power to brave. + +There are no lands on earth my might that know +But trembling dread that o'er their meads I flow; +No states, o'er which the boisterous waves I tread +In one short moment's space I cannot spread. + +There's nought the raging billows' force can stay, +No triple dike, but e'en it easily +My waves can crush, +When rolls along their mass with wildest rush. + +And yet these billows fierce I force to yield, +Beneath the wisdom of the power I wield; +And everywhere I let the sailors bold +Where'er they list their trading courses hold. + +Yet rocks sometimes are found within my states, +Where ships do perish, so doomed by fates; +Yet 'gainst my power none murmurs aye, +For Virtue knows no wreck where'er I sway. + +A SEA GOD. +Within this realm are many treasures bright; +All mortals crowd its pleasant shores to view. +And would you climb of fame the dazzling height, +Then seek nought else, but Neptune's countenance sue. + +SECOND SEA GOD. +Then trust the god of this vast billowy realm, +And shielded from all storms, you'll guide the helm; +The waves would fain inconstant often be, +But ever constant Neptune you will see. + +THIRD SEA GOD. +Launch then with dauntless zeal, and plough the deep; +Thus shall you Neptune's kindly favour reap. + + + +ACT I. + +SCENE I.--SOSTRATUS, CLITIDAS. + + +CLI. (_aside_). He is buried in thought. + +SOS. (_believing himself alone_). No, Sostratus, I do not see +where you can look for help, and your troubles are of a kind to leave +you no hope. + +CLI. (_aside_). He is talking to himself. + +SOS. (_believing himself alone_). Alas! + +CLI. These sighs must mean something, and my surmise will prove +correct. + +SOS. (_believing himself alone_). Upon what fancies can you build +any hope? And what else can you expect but the protracted length of a +miserable existence, and sorrow to end only with life itself. + +CLI. (_aside_). His head is more perplexed than mine. + +SOS. (_believing himself alone_). My heart! my heart! to what +have you brought me? + +CLI. Your servant, my Lord Sostratus! + +SOS. Where are you going, Clitidas? + +CLI. Rather tell me what you are doing here? And what secret +melancholy, what gloomy sorrow, can keep you in these woods when all +are gone in crowds to the magnificent festival which the Prince +Iphicrates has just given upon the sea to the princesses. There they +are treated to wonderful music and dancing, and even the rocks and the +waves deck themselves with divinities to do homage to their beauty. + +SOS. I can fancy all this magnificence, and as there are generally so +many people to cause confusion at these festivals, I did not care to +increase the number of unwelcome guests. + +CLI. You know that your presence never spoils anything, and that you +are never in the way wherever you go. Your face is welcome everywhere, +and is not one of those ill-favoured countenances which are never well +received by sovereigns. You are equally in favour with both +princesses, and the mother and the daughter show plainly enough the +regard they have for you; so that you need not fear to be accounted +troublesome. In short, it was not this fear that kept you away. + +SOS. I acknowledge that I have no inclination for such things. + +CLI. Oh indeed! Yet, although we may not care to see things, we like +to go where we find everybody else; and whatever you may say, people +do not, during a festival, stop all alone among the trees to dream +moodily as you do, unless they have something to disturb their minds. + +SOS. Why? What do you think could disturb my mind? + +CLI. Well, I can't say; but there is a strong scent of love about +here, and I am sure it does not come from me, and it must come from +you. + +SOS. How absurd you are, Clitidas! + +CLI. Not so absurd as you would make out. You are in love; I have a +delicate nose, and I smelt it directly. + +SOS. What can possibly make you think so? + +CLI. What? I daresay you would be very much surprised if I were to +tell you besides with whom you are in love. + +SOS. I? + +CLI. Yes; I wager that I will guess presently whom you love. I have +some secrets, as well as our astrologer with whom the Princess +Aristione is so infatuated; and if his science makes him read in the +stars the fate of men, I have the science of reading in the eyes of +people the names of those they love. Hold up your head a little, and +open your eyes wide. _E_, by itself, _E; r, i, ri, Eri; p, h, +y, phy, Eriphy; l, e, le, Eriphyle_. You are in love with the +Princess Eriphyle. + +SOS. Ah! Clitidas, I cannot conceal my trouble from you, and you crush +me with this blow. + +CLI. You see how clever I am! + +SOS. Alas! if anything has revealed to you the secret of my heart, I +beseech you to tell it to no one; and, above all things, to keep it +secret from the fair princess whose name you have just mentioned. + +CLI. But, to speak seriously, if for awhile I have read in your +actions the love you wish to keep secret, do you think that the +Princess Eriphyle has been blind enough not to see it? Believe me, +ladies are always very quick to discover the love they inspire, and +the language of the eyes and of sighs is understood by those to whom +it is addressed sooner than by anybody else. + +SOS. Leave her, Clitidas, leave her to read, if she can, in my sighs +and looks the love with which her beauty has inspired me; but let us +be careful not to let her find it out in any other way. + +CLI. And what is it you dread? Is it possible that this same +Sostratus, who feared neither Brennus nor all the Gauls, and whose arm +has been so gloriously successful in ridding us of that swarm of +barbarians which ravaged Greece; is it possible, I say, that a man so +dauntless in war should be so fearful as to tremble at the very +mention of his being in love? + +SOS. Ah! Clitidas, I do not tremble without a cause; and all the Gauls +in the world would seem to me less to be feared than those two +beautiful eyes full of charms. + +CLI. I am not of the same opinion, and I know, as far as I am +concerned, that one single Gaul, sword in hand, would frighten me much +more than fifty of the most beautiful eyes in the world put together. +But, tell me, what do you intend to do? + +SOS. To die without telling my love. + +CLI. A fine prospect! Nonsense, you are joking; you know that a +little boldness always succeeds with lovers; it is only the bashful +and timid who are losers; and were I to fall in love with a goddess, I +would tell her of my passion at once. + +SOS. Alas! too many things condemn my love to an eternal silence. + +CLI. But what? + +SOS. The lowness of my birth, by which it pleased heaven to humble the +ambition of my love; the princess's rank, which puts between her and +my desires such an impassable barrier. The rivalry of two princes who +can back the offer of their heart by the highest titles; two princes +who offer the most magnificent entertainments by turn to her whose +heart they strive to win, and between whom it is expected every moment +that she will make a choice. Besides all this, Clitidas, there is the +inviolable respect to which she subjugates the violence of my love. + +CLI. Respect is not always as welcome as love; and if I am not greatly +mistaken, the young princess knows of your affection, and is not +insensible to it. + +SOS. Ah! pray do not, out of pity, flatter the heart of a miserable +lover. + +CLI. I do not say it without good reasons. She is a long time +postponing the choice of a husband, and I must try and discover a +little more about all this. You know that I enjoy a kind of favour +with her, that I have free access to her, and that, by dint of trying +all kinds of ways, I have gained the privilege of saying a word now +and then, and of speaking at random on any subject. Sometimes I do not +succeed as I should like, but at others I succeed very well. Leave it +to me, then; I am your friend, I love men of merit, and I will choose +my time to speak to the princess of.... + +SOS. Oh! for heaven's sake, however much you may pity my misfortune, +Clitidas, he careful not to tell her anything of my love. I had +rather die than to be accused by her of the least temerity, and this +deep respect in which her divine charms.... + +CLI. Hush! they are all Coming. + + + +SCENE II.--ARISTIONE, IPHICRATES, TIMOCLES, SOSTRATUS +ANAXARCHUS, CLEON, CLITIDAS. + +ARI. (_to_ IPHICRATES). Prince, I cannot say too much, there is +no spectacle in the world which can vie in magnificence with this one +you have just given us. This entertainment had wonderful attractions, +which will make it surpass all that can ever be seen. We have +witnessed something so noble, so grand and glorious that heaven itself +could do no more; and I feel sure there is nothing in the world that +could be compared to it. + +TIM. This is a display that cannot he expected in all entertainments, +and I greatly fear, Madam, for the simplicity of the little festival +which I am preparing to give you in the wood of Diana. + +ARI. I feel sure that we shall see nothing there but what is +delightful; and we must acknowledge that the country ought to appear +very beautiful to us, and that we have no time left for dulness in +this charming place, which all poets have celebrated under the name of +Tempe. For, not to mention the pleasures of hunting, which we can +enjoy at any hour, and the solemnity of the Pythian Games which are +about to be celebrated, you both take care to supply us with pleasures +that would charm away the sorrows of the most melancholy. How is it, +Sostratus, that we did not meet you in our walks? + +SOS. A slight indisposition, Madam, prevented me from going there. + +IPH. Sostratus is one of those men who think it unbecoming to be +curious like others, and who esteem it better to affect not to go +where everybody is anxious to be. + +SOS. My Lord, affectation has little share in anything I do, and, +without paying you a compliment, there were things to be seen in this +festival which would have attracted me if some other motive had not +hindered me. + +ARI. And has Clitidas seen it all? + +CLI. Yes, Madam, but from the shore. + +ARI. And why from the shore? + +CLI. Well, Madam, I feared one of those accidents which generally +happen in such large crowds. Last night I dreamt of dead fish and +broken eggs, and I have learnt from Anaxarchus that broken eggs and +dead fish forebode ill luck. + +ANA. I observe one thing, that Clitidas would have nothing to say if +he did not speak of me. + +CLI. It is because there are so many things that can be said of you +that one can never say too much. + +ANA. You might choose some other subject of conversation, +particularly since I have asked you to do so. + +CLI. How can I? Do you not say that destiny is stronger than +everything? And if it is written in the stars that I shall speak of +you, how can I resist my fate? + +ANA. With all the respect due to you, Madam, allow me to say that +there is one thing in your court which it is sad to find there. It is +that everybody takes the liberty of talking, and that the most +honourable man is exposed to the scoffing of the first buffoon he +meets. + +CLI. I thank you for the honour you do me. + +ARI. (_to_ ANAXARCHUS). Why be put out by what he says? + +CLI. With all due respect to you, Madam, there is one thing which +amazes me in astrology; it is that people who know the secrets of the +gods, and who have such knowledge as to place themselves above all +other men, should have need of paying court and of asking for +anything. + +ANA. This is a paltry joke, and you should earn your money by giving +your mistress wittier and better ones. + +CLI. Upon my word, I give what I have. You speak most comfortably +about it; the trade of a buffoon is not like that of an astrologer. To +tell lies well and to joke well are things altogether different, and +it is far easier to deceive people than to make them laugh. + +ARI. Ha! what is the meaning of that? + +CLI. (_speaking to himself_). Peace, fool that you are! Do you +not know that astrology is an affair of state, and that you must not +play upon that string? I have often told you that you are getting a +great deal too bold, and that you take certain liberties which will +bring trouble upon you. You will see that some day you will be kicked +out like a knave. Hold your peace if you be wise. + +ARI. Where is my daughter? + +TIM. She is gone away, Madam. I offered her my arm, which she refused +to accept. + +ARI. Princes, since in your love for Eriphyle you have consented to +submit to the laws I had imposed upon you, since it has been possible +for me to obtain that you should be rivals without being enemies, and +that, with a full submission to my daughter's feelings, you are +waiting for her choice, speak to me openly and tell me what progress +you each think you have made on her heart. + +TIM. Madam, I do not mean to flatter myself; but I have done all that +I possibly could to touch the heart of the Princess Eriphyle. I have +neglected none of the tender means that a lover should adopt. I have +offered her the humble homage of my great love, I have been assiduous +near her, I have attended on her daily. I have had my love sung by the +most touching voices, and expressed in verse by the most skilful pens. +I have complained in passionate terms of my sufferings. My eyes, as +well as my words, have told her of my despair and my love. I have laid +my love at her feet; I have even had recourse to tears, but all in +vain, and I have failed to see that in her soul she was in any way +touched by my love. + +ARI. And you, Prince? + +IPH. For my part, Madam, knowing her indifference and the little value +she sets upon the homage that is paid to her, I did not mean to waste +either sighs or tears upon her. I know that she is entirely submissive +to your wishes, and that it is from you alone that she will accept a +husband; therefore it is to you alone that I can address my wishes for +her hand, to you rather than to her that I offer my homage and my +attentions. Would to heaven, Madam, that you could bring yourself to +take her place, enjoy the conquests which you make for her, and +receive for yourself the affections which you refer to her! + +ARI. Prince, the compliment comes from a cunning lover. You have heard +that the mothers must be flattered in order to obtain the daughters +from them; but here however, this will be useless, for I have +determined to, leave my daughter entirely free in her choice, and in +no way to thwart her inclination. + +IPH. However free you leave her in her choice, what I tell you is no +flattery, Madam. I court the Princess Eriphyle only because she is +your daughter, and I think her charming in that which she inherits +from you; and it is you whom I adore in her. + +ARI. That is very pretty. + +IPH. Yes, Madam, all the earth beholds in you charms and +attractions.... + +ARI. Ah! Prince, pray, let us leave those charms and attractions; you +know that these are words I banish from the compliments that are paid +to me. I can endure to be praised for my sincerity, to be called a +good princess, for it is true that I have a kind word for everybody, +love for my friends and esteem for merit and virtue; yes, I can enjoy +all that; but as for your charms and attractions, I had rather have +nothing to do with them, and whatever truth there may be in them, one +should make a scruple of wishing to be praised when one is mother to a +daughter like mine. + +IPH. Ah! Madam. It is you only who will remind everyone that you are a +mother; everybody's feelings are against it, and it depends entirely +on yourself to pass for the sister of the Princess Eriphyle. + +ARI. Believe me, Prince, I have no relish for all this idle nonsense, +so welcome to too many women, I wish to be a mother, because I am one, +and it would be in vain to wish to be otherwise. This title has +nothing that wounds me, since I received it by my own consent. It is a +weakness in our sex, from which, thank heaven! I am free, and I do not +trouble myself about those grand discussions concerning ages about +which there is so much folly. Let us resume what we were saying. Is it +possible that until now you have been unable to discover my daughter's +feelings? + +IPH. They are a secret to me. + +TIM. And to me an impenetrable mystery. + +ARI. She may be prevented by modesty from explaining herself either to +you or to me. Let us make use of another to try and discover what she +feels. Sostratus, take this message upon yourself for me, and oblige +these princes by skilfully trying to discover towards which of the two +my daughter's feeling are inclined. + +SOS. Madam, you have a great many people in your court who are better +qualified than I for such a delicate mission, and I feel little fit to +do what you ask of me. + +ARI. Your merit, Sostratus, is not confined to the business of war +only. You have brain, tact, and skill, and my daughter greatly esteems +you. + +SOS. Another better than I, Madam.... + +ARI. No, no, in vain you excuse yourself. + +SOS. Since it is your wish, Madam, I must obey; but I assure you that +there is not one person in the whole of your court who would be less +qualified for such a commission than myself. + +ARI. You are too modest, and you will always acquit yourself well in +whatever is entrusted to you. Sound my daughter gently on her +feelings, and remind her that she must be early at the wood of Diana. + + + +SCENE III.--IPHICRATES, TIMOCLES, SOSTRATUS, CLITIDAS. + +IPH. (_to_ SOSTRATUS). I assure you that I rejoice to see you +held in such esteem by the princess. + +TIM. (_to_ SOSTRATUS). I assure you that I am delighted that the +choice should have fallen on you. + +IPH. You have it now in your power to serve your friends. + +TIM. You will be able to do good service to those you esteem. + +IPH. I do not commend my interests to you. + +TIM. I do not ask you to speak for me. + +SOS. My Lords, all this is useless. I should be wrong to exceed my +orders, and you will excuse me if I speak for neither. + +IPH. I leave it to you to do as you please. + +TIM. Do exactly as you think best. + + + +SCENE IV.--IPHICRATES, TIMOCLES, CLITIDAS. + +IPH. (_aside to_ CLITIDAS). Well, Clitidas, remember that he is +one of my friends. I hope he will still forward my interests with the +princess against those of my rival. + +CLI. (_aside to_ IPHICRATES). You may trust me. There is a great +difference between you and him. He is a fine prince, indeed, to +dispute it with you. + +IPH. (_aside to_ CLITIDAS). I will not forget such a service. + + + +SCENE V.--TIMOCLES, CLITIDAS. + +TIM. My rival pays his court to Clitidas; but Clitidas knows that he +has promised to help me in my love against him. + +CLI. Certainly. How very absurd to think of carrying the day against +you. A fine gentleman, indeed, to be compared with you! + +TIM. There is nothing I could not do for Clitidas. + +CLI. (_alone_). Plenty of fine words on all sides! But here is +the princess; we will take our opportunity to speak to her. + + + +SCENE VI.--ERIPHYLE, CLEONICE. + +CLEON. It will be thought strange, Madam, that you should keep away +from everybody. + +ERI. Ah! to persons like us, always surrounded by so many indifferent +people, how pleasant is solitude! How sweet to be left alone to +commune with one's thoughts when one has had to bear with so much +trifling conversation. Leave me alone to walk a few moments by myself. + +CLEON. Would you not like for a moment to see what those wonderful +people, who are desirous of serving you, can do? It seems by their +steps and gestures they can express everything to the eye. They are +called pantomimists. I feared to pronounce that word before you, and +there are some in your court who would not forgive me for using it. + +ERI. You seem to me to propose some strange entertainment; for you +never fail to introduce indifferently all that presents itself to you, +and you have a kind welcome for everything. Therefore to you alone do +we see all necessitous Muses have recourse. You are the great +patroness of all merit in distress, and all virtuous indigents knock +at your door. + +CLEON. If you do not care to see them, Madam, you have only to say so. + +ERI. No, no; let us see them. Bring them here. + +CLEON. But, Madam, their dancing may be bad. + +ERI. Bad or not, let us see it. It would only be putting off the thing +with you. It is just as well to have it over. + +CLEON. To-day it will only be an ordinary dance, Madam. Another +time.... + +ERI. No more about it, Cleonice. Let them dance. + + + +SECOND INTERLUDE. + +_The confidante of the young_ PRINCESS _calls forth three +dancers under the name of pantomimists; that is, men who express all +sorts of things by their movements. The_ PRINCESS _sees them +dance, and receives them into her service._ + + + + +ACT II. + +SCENE I.--ERIPHYLE, CLEONICE. + + +ERI. This is admirable! I do not think any dancing could ever be +better; and I am glad to have them belonging to me. + +CLEON. And I am very glad, Madam, for you to see that my taste is not +so bad as you thought. + +ERI. Do not be so triumphant. You won't be long before giving me my +revenge. Leave me alone here. + + + +SCENE II.--ERIPHYLE, CLEONICE, CLITIDAS. + +CLEON. (_going to meet_ CLITIDAS). I warn you, Clitidas, that the +princess wishes to be alone. + +CLI. Leave that to me. I understand court etiquette. + + + +SCENE III.--ERIPHYLE, CLITIDAS. + +CLI. (_singing_). La, la, la, la. (_Affecting surprise on +seeing_ ERIPHYLE.) Ah! + +ERI. (_to_ CLITIDAS, _who affects to go away_). Clitidas! + +CLI. I did not see, you, Madam. + +ERI. Come near. Where have you been? + +CLI. With the princess your mother, who was just going towards the +temple of Apollo, accompanied by a great many people. + +ERI. Do you not think this one of the most charming places in the +world? + +CLI. Certainly. The two princes, your lovers, were there. + +ERI. The river Peneus has here the most charming windings. + +CLI. Very charming. Sostratus was there also. + +ERI. How is it that he was not with us to-day? + +CLI. He has something on his mind which prevents him from taking any +pleasure in all those beautiful entertainments. He wanted to tell me +something; but you have so expressly forbidden me to intercede for any +one to you that I would not hear him, and I told him flatly that I had +no leisure. + +ERI. You were wrong to say such a thing to him, and you ought to have +heard him. + +CLI. I told him at first that I was not at leisure to hear him; but +afterwards I listened to what be had to say. + +ERI. You did well. + +CLI. In fact, he is a man after my own heart; a man with all the +manners and qualities I should like to see in all men. He never +assumes boisterous manners and provoking tones of voice, but is +prudent and careful in everything. He never speaks but to the point, +is never hasty in his decisions, is never annoying by his +exaggerations. However fine may be the verses our poets repeat to him, +I have never heard him say, "This is more beautiful than anything that +Homer ever wrote." In short, he is a man to my taste; and if I were a +princess, I would not see him unhappy. + +ERI. He is evidently a man of great merit; but what had he to say to +you? + +CLI. He asked me if you were very pleased with the royal +entertainments that are offered to you. He spoke of your person with +the greatest transports of delight, extolled you to the sky, and gave +you all the praises that could be given to the most accomplished +princess in the world, and with all this uttering many sighs which +told me more than he thought. At last, by dint of questioning him in +all kinds of ways, and pressing him to tell me the cause of his +melancholy, which is noticed by everyone at court, he was forced to +acknowledge that he is in love. + +ERI. How, in love? What boldness is this? I will never see him again. + +CLI. What are you offended at, Madam? + +ERI. To be audacious enough to love me, and, moreover, to dare to say +it! + +CLI. It is not with you he is in love, Madam. + +ERI. Not with me? + +CLI. No; he has too much respect for you, and he is too wise to do +such a thing. + +ERI. With whom, then, Clitidas? + +CLI. With one of your maids-of-honour, the young Arsinoë. + +ERI. Is she so very beautiful that he can think none but her worthy of +his love? + +CLI. He loves her to distraction, and entreats you to honour his love +with your protection. + +ERI. Me! + +CLI. No, no, Madam; I see that this offends you. Your anger forced me +to make use of this subterfuge; and, to tell you the truth, it is you +he loves to distraction. + +ERI. You are an insolent knave to come thus to sound my feelings. Out +of my sight this moment! Do you pretend to read people's thoughts and +penetrate into the secrets of a princess's heart? Away with you; let +me never see your face again.... Clitidas! + +CLI. Madam. + +ERI. Come here. I forgive you this affair. + +CLI. You are too kind, Madam. + +ERI. But on condition--mind what I say--that you will never mention it +to anybody, at the peril of your life. + +CLI. Enough. + +ERI. Then Sostratus told you that he loved me? + +CLI. No, Madam; I must now tell you the whole truth. I got from him by +surprise a secret he intended to conceal from all the world, and which +he said he would wish to die with him. He was in despair when I +wrenched it with subtlety from him; and, far from asking me to tell +you of it, he entreated me with the most earnest prayers never to +reveal anything to you; and I have committed a piece of treachery +against him by telling you what I have said. + +ERI. I am glad of it. It is by his respect only that he can please me; +and if he were bold enough to tell me of his love, he would forfeit +for ever both my presence and my esteem. + +CLI. Do not fear, Madam.... + +ERI. Here he is. Remember, if you are wise, what I have forbidden you. + +CLI. Certainly, Madam; I have no wish to be an indiscreet courtier. + + + +SCENE IV.--ERIPHYLE, SOSTRATUS. + +SOS. I have an excuse, Madam, for daring to disturb your solitude. I +have received from the princess your mother a mission which authorises +the bold step I now take. + +ERI. What mission is it, Sostratus? + +SOS. To try, to learn from you, Madam, towards which of the two +princes your heart inclines? + +ERI. The princess my mother shows a judicious spirit in choosing you +for such a message. This mission is very pleasant to you, no doubt, +Sostratus, and you must have accepted it with great joy? + +SOS. I have accepted it, Madam, because my duty obliges me to obey; +and if the princess had kindly listened to my excuses, she would have +appointed another for the task. + +ERI. What reason could you have had, Sostratus, for refusing it? + +SOS. The fear of not acquitting myself well. + +ERI. Do you think that I have not enough esteem for you to open my +heart to you, and say all you wish to know from me about the two +princes? + +SOS. As far as I am concerned, Madam, I have no desire to know +anything; I only ask you what you think you can say in answer to the +commands which bring me here. + +ERI. Until now I have had no wish to explain myself, and the princess +my mother has kindly allowed me to put off the choice which is to bind +me. But I should be glad to show to everyone that I am willing to do +something for your sake; and if you insist, I may give you this long +expected verdict. + +SOS. I will not importune you, Madam, and urge a princess who knows +well what she has to do. + +ERI. Yet it is what the princess my mother expects from you. + +SOS. I told her that I was sure to acquit myself but badly of my +message. + +ERI. Well, tell me, Sostratus; you have far-seeing eyes, and I believe +that there are few things that escape you. Have you not been able to +discover what everybody is anxious to know? Have you no idea of the +inclination of my heart? You see all the attentions that are bestowed +on me, all the homage that is paid to me. Which of these two princes +do you think I look upon with a most favourable eye? + +SOS. The conjectures we make upon such matters generally arise from +the greater or less interest we take. + +ERI. Which would you prefer of the two, Sostratus? Tell me which one +you would have me marry? + +SOS. Ah! Madam! your inclination, not my wishes, must decide the +matter. + +ERI. But if I wished to consult you in this choice? + +SOS. If you were to consult me, I should feel very much perplexed. + +ERI. You could not tell me which of the two you think most worthy of +preference? + +SOS. If I were to be judge, I should find no one worthy of that +honour. All the princes of the world would be too mean to aspire to +you; the gods alone can pretend to you, and you would have from men +but incense and sacrifice. + +ERI. This is very kind, and I esteem you my friend. But I must have +you tell me for which of the two you feel the greatest inclination, +and which is the one you reckon your friend? + + + +SCENE V.--ERIPHYLE, SOSTRATUS, CHOROEBUS. + +CHO. Madam, the princess is coming to fetch you to go to the wood of +Diana. + +SOS. (_aside_). Alas! how seasonably you came in. + + + +SCENE VI.--ARISTIONE, ERIPHYLE, IPHICRATES, TIMOCLES, SOSTRATUS, +ANAXARCHUS, CLITIDAS. + +ARI. You are asked for, my daughter, and there are some who are much +pained by your absence. + +ERI. I Should think, Madam, that they only asked after me out of +compliment, and that no one is as pained as you say. + +ARI. There are so many entertainments made for your sake that all our +time is taken up, and we have not a moment to lose if we wish to see +them all. Let us enter the wood at once, and see what awaits us there. +This is the most beautiful place in the world. Let us take our seats +quickly. + + + +THIRD INTERLUDE. + +_The stage represents a forest where the_ PRINCESS _has been +invited to go. A Nymph does the honours, singing; and to amuse the_ +PRINCESS, _a small musical comedy is played, the subject of which is +as follows:--A shepherd complains to two other shepherds, his friends, +of the coldness of her whom he loves; the two friends comfort him; at +that moment the beloved shepherdess appears, and all three retire to +observe her. After a plaintive love-song, she reclines on the turf, +and gives way to sweet slumber. The lover makes his two friends +approach to contemplate the beauty of his shepherdess, and invokes +everything to contribute to her rest. The shepherdess, on waking up, +sees her swain at her feet, complains of his persecution; but taking +his constancy into consideration, she grants him his wish, and +consents to be loved by him, in the presence of his two friends. The +Satyrs arrive, upbraid her with her change, and, distressed by the +disgrace into which they have fallen, look for comfort in wine._ + + +CLIMENE, PHILINTE. + +PHILINTE. +There was a time I pleased you well, +Content I lived, and loved the spell; +I had not changed for god or throne +The sway o'er you I held alone. + +CLIMENE. +So, when by gentle passion swayed, +You held me dear above all maid, +The regal crown I would have spurned +If for me still your heart had burned. + +PHILINTE. +Another's faith hath cured the wound +I nursed for you within my breast. + +CLIMENE. +Another's love for me hath found +Revenge I sought, and kindly rest. + +PHILINTE. +Chloris the fair true passion sways, +For me she pours her soul in sighs, +And I would gladly close my days +If so should bid her beauteous eyes. + +CLIMENE. +Myrtil, of youthful hearts the flower, +He loves me true e'en more than light; +And I, to prove love's mighty power, +Content, would pass to endless night. + +PHILINTE. +But if our passion's gentle ray +A lingering spark would kindle anew, +And from my heart expel to-day +Chloris the fair, thy love to sue? + +CLIMENE. +Though Myrtil loves me true, +Though constant e'er to sigh, +Still, I confess, with you +I'd gladly live and die. + +BOTH (_together_). +'Midst love then more than ever let us fleet +The lingering hours, and own a bond so sweet. + +BALLET, DIVERTISSEMENT, ETC. + + + +ACT III. + +ARISTIONE, IPHICRATES, TIMOCLES, ERIPHYLE, ANAXARCHUS, SOSTRATUS, +CLITIDAS. + +ARI. We must always repeat the same words. We have always to exclaim: +This is admirable! Wonderful! It is beyond all that has ever been +seen. + +TIM. You bestow too much praise on these trifles, Madam. + +ARI. Such trifles may agreeably engage the thoughts of the most +serious people. Indeed, my daughter, you have cause to be thankful to +these princes, and you can never repay all the trouble they take for +you. + +ERI. I am deeply grateful for it, Madam. + +ARI. And yet you make them languish a long time for what they expect +from you. I have promised not to constrain you; but their love claims +from you a declaration that you should not put off any longer the +reward of their attentions. I had asked Sostratus to sound your heart, +but I do not know if he has begun to acquit himself of his commission. + +ERI. Yes, Madam, he has. But it seems to me that I cannot put off too +long the decision which is asked of me, and that I could not give it +without incurring some blame. I feel equally thankful for the love, +attentions, and homage of these two princes, and I think it a great +injustice to show myself ungrateful either to the one or to the other +by the refusal I must make of one in preference to his rival. + +IPH. We should call this, Madam, a very pretty way of refusing us +both. + +ARI. This scruple, daughter, should not stop you; and those two +princes have both long since agreed to submit to the preference you +show. + +ERI. Our inclinations easily deceive us, Madam, and disinterested +hearts are more able to make a right choice. + +ARI. You know that I have engaged my word to give no opinion upon this +matter, and you cannot make a bad choice when you have to choose +between these two princes. + +ERI. In order not to do violence either to your promise or to my +scruples, Madam, pray agree to what I shall propose. + +ARI. And what is that, my daughter? + +ERI. I should like Sostratus to decide for me. You chose him to try to +discover the secret of my heart; suffer me to choose him to end the +perplexity I am in. + +ARI. I have such a high regard for Sostratus that, whether you mean to +employ him to explain your feelings or to leave him entirely to decide +for you, I consent heartily to this proposition. + +IPH. Which means, Madam, that we must pay our court to Sostratus. + +SOS. No, my Lord, you will have no court to pay to me; and with all +the respect due to the princesses, I refuse the glory to which they +would raise me. + +ARI. How is that, Sostratus? + +SOS. I have reasons, Madam, which do not allow me to accept the honour +you would do me. + +IPH. Are you afraid, Sostratus, of making yourself an enemy? + +SOS. I should have but little fear for the enemies I might make in +obeying the will of my sovereigns. + +TIM. Why, then, do you refuse to accept the power which is entrusted +to you, and to acquire to yourself the friendship of a prince who +would owe all his happiness to you? + +SOS. Because it is not in my power to grant to that prince what he +would wish from me. + +IPH. What reason can you have? + +SOS. Why should you so insist upon this? Perhaps I may have, my Lord, +some secret interest opposed to the pretensions of your love. Perhaps +I may have a friend who burns with a respectful flame for the divine +charms with which you are in love. Perhaps that friend makes me the +daily confidant of his sufferings, that he complains to me of the +rigour of his fate, and is looking upon the marriage of the princess +as the dreadful sentence which is to send him to his grave. Supposing +it were so, my Lord, would it be right that he should receive his +death-wound from my hands? + +IPH. You seem to me, Sostratus, very likely to be that friend whose +interests you have so much at heart. + +SOS. I beg of you, my Lord, not to render me odious tote persons who +hear you. I know what I am, and unfortunate people like me are not +ignorant of the limits which fortune assigned to their desires. + +ARI. Let us drop this subject; we will find means for overcoming my +daughter's irresolution. + +ANA. Are there better means of arriving at a conclusion that would +satisfy everybody than to consult the light which heaven can give us on +that marriage? I have already begun, as I told you, to cast the +mysterious figures which our art teaches us; and I hope soon to be +able to show you what the future has in reserve regarding this longed +for union. After that, who can still hesitate? Will not the glory or +the prosperity which will be promised to one or the other be choice +sufficient to decide it, and can he who is rejected be offended when +heaven itself decides who is to be preferred? + +IPH. For my part, I submit to it altogether, and I declare that this +way seems the most reasonable. + +TIM. I am entirely of the same opinion, and whatever heaven may +decide, I yield to it without reluctance. + +ERI. But, my Lord Anaxarchus, do you really read so clearly destiny +that you can never be deceived? And pray, who will give us security +for this prosperity, this glory which you say heaven promises us? + +ARI. My daughter, you have a little incredulity which never leaves +you. + +ANA. The proofs, Madam, which everybody has seen, of the infallibility +of my predictions are sufficient security for the promises I make. +But, in short, when I have shown you what heaven has in reserve for +you, you may act as you please, and choose one or the other destiny. + +ERI. Heaven, you say, Anaxarchus, will show me the good or bad destiny +that is in reserve for me? + +ANA. Yes, Madam; the felicity with which you will be blessed if you +marry the one, and the misery that will accompany you if you marry the +other. + +ERI. But since it is impossible for me to marry them both at once, it +seems that we find written in the heavens not only what is to happen, +but also what is not to happen. + +CLI. (_aside_). Here is a puzzler for our astrologer! + +ANA. I should have to give you, Madam, a long dissertation on the +principles of astrology to make you understand this. + +CLI. Well answered. I have no harm, Madam, to say of astrology; +astrology is a fine thing. My Lord Anaxarchus is a great man. + +IPH. The truth of astrology is an incontestable fact, and no one can +dispute the certainty of its predictions. + +CLI. Certainly not. + +TIM. I am incredulous enough in many things, but as regards astrology, +there is nothing more sure or constant than the certainty of the +horoscopes it draws. + +CLI. The things are as clear as daylight. + +IPH. A hundred accidents happen every day which convince the greatest +unbelievers. + +CLI. Quite true. + +TIM. Who could contradict the many famous incidents which are related +to us in books? + +CLI. Only people devoid of common sense can do so; how can anything in +print be doubted? + +ARI. Sostratus has not said a word yet. What is your opinion about it? + +SOS. Madam, all minds are not gifted with the necessary qualities +which the delicacy of those fine sciences called abstruse require. +There are some so material that they cannot conceive what others +understand most easily. There is nothing more agreeable, Madam, than +all the great promises of these sublime sciences. To transform +everything into gold; to cause people to live for ever; to cure with +words; to make ourselves loved by whomsoever we please; to know all +the secrets of futurity; to bring down from heaven, according to one's +will, on metals, impressions of happiness; to command demons, to raise +invisible armies and invulnerable soldiers--all this is delightful, no +doubt; and there are people who experience no difficulty whatever in +believing all this to be possible; it is the easiest thing for them to +conceive. But for me, I acknowledge that my coarse, gross mind can +hardly understand and refuses to believe it; that, in fact, it thinks +it all too good ever to be true. All those beautiful arguments of +sympathy, magnetic power, and occult virtue, are so subtle and +delicate that they escape my material understanding; and, without +speaking of anything else, it has never been in my power to conceive +how there is to be found in the heavens even the smallest particulars +of the fortune of the least of men. What relation, what connection, +what reciprocity, can there be between us and globes so immeasurably +distant from our earth? And how, besides, can this sublime science +have come to man? What god revealed it? or what experience can have +been formed from the observation of that immense number of stars which +have never as yet been seen twice in the same order? + +ANA. It would not be hard to make you conceive it. + +SOS. You would be more clever than all the others. + +CLI. (_to_ SOSTRATUS). He will deliver you a long discussion +about all this whenever you please. + +IPH. If you do not understand such things, you can at least believe +what is seen every day. + +SOS. As my understanding is so gross that I never could understand +anything, my eyes also are unfortunate enough never to have witnessed +anything relating to it. + +IPH. For my part, I have seen things altogether convincing. + +TIM. So have I. + +SOS. Since you have seen, you do well to believe; and your eyes must +be differently made from mine. + +IPH. But, in short, the princess believes in astrology; and I think we +may well, after her example, believe in it also. Would you say that +Madam has not intelligence and sense, Sostratus? + +SOS. My Lord, your question is rather unfair. The mind of the princess +is no rule for mine, and her understanding may raise her to light, +which I, in my meaner sense, cannot reach. + +ARI. No, Sostratus; I shall say nothing to you about many things to +which I give no more credence than you do; but as for astrology, I +have been told and been shown things so positive that I cannot doubt +them. + +SOS. Madam, I have nothing to answer to that. + +ARI. We will say no more about this; leave us a moment. We will, my +daughter and myself, go towards that fine grotto where I have promised +to go. Ha! something gallant at every step. + + + +FOURTH INTERLUDE. + +_The stage represents a grotto, where the_ PRINCESSES _go to +take a walk. As they enter it, eight statues, each bearing two +torches, come down from their recesses, and execute a varied dance of +different figures and several fine attitudes in which they place +themselves at intervals._ + +BALLET. + + + +ACT IV. + +SCENE I.--ARISTIONE, ERIPHYLE. + + +ARI. Nothing can be more gallant or better contrived. My daughter, I +wished to come alone here with you, so that we may have a little quiet +talk together; and I hope that you will in nothing hide the truth from +me. Have you in your heart no secret inclination which you are +unwilling to reveal to me? + +ERI. I, Madam? + +ARI. Speak openly, daughter; what I have done for you well deserves +that you should be frank and open with me. To make you the sole object +of all my thoughts, to prefer you above all things, to shut my ears, +in the position I am in, to all the propositions that a hundred +princesses might decently listen to in my place--all that ought to +tell you that I am a kind mother, and that I am not likely to receive +with severity the confidences your heart may have to make. + +ERI. If I had so badly followed your example as to have allowed an +inclination I had reason to conceal to enter my soul, I should have +power enough over myself to impose silence on such a love, and to do +nothing unworthy of your name. + +ARI. No, no, daughter; I had rather you laid bare your feelings to me. +I have not limited your choice to the two princes; you may extend it +to whomsoever you please; merit stands so high in my estimation that I +think it equal to any rank; and if you tell me frankly how things are, +you will see me subscribe without repugnance to the choice you have +made. + +ERI. You are so kind and indulgent towards me that I can never be +thankful enough for it; but I will not put your kindness to the test +on such a subject, and all I ask of you is to allow me not to hurry a +marriage about which I am not decided as yet. + +ARI. Till now I have left everything to your decision; and the +impatience of the princes your lovers.... But what means this noise? +Ah! daughter, what spectacle is this? Some deity descends; it is the +goddess Venus who seems about to speak to us. + + + +SCENE II.--VENUS (_in the air, accompanied by four_ CUPIDS), +ARISTIONE, ERIPHYLE. + +VEN. (_to_ ARISTIONE). Princess, in you shines a glorious +example, which the immortals mean to recompense; and that you may have +a son-in-law both great and happy, they will guide you in the choice +you should make. They announce by my voice the great and glorious fame +which will come to your house by this choice. Therefore, put an end to +your perplexities, and give your daughter to him who shall save your +life. + + + +SCENE III.--ARISTIONE, ERIPHYLE. + +ARI. Daughter, the gods have imposed silence on all our arguments. +After this, all we have to do is to wait for what they wish to give +us; and we have distinctly heard what their will is. Let us go to the +nearest temple to assure them of our obedience, and to render thanks +to them for their goodness. + + + +SCENE IV.--ANAXARCHUS, CLEON. + +CLE. The princess is going away; do you not want to speak to her? + +ANA. No; let us wait until her daughter has left her. I am afraid of +her; she will never suffer herself to be led like her mother. In +short, my son, as we have just been able to judge through this +opening, our stratagem has succeeded. Our Venus has done wonders, and +the admirable engineer, who has contrived this piece of machinery, has +so well disposed everything, so cunningly cut the floor of his grotto, +so well hid his wires and springs, so well adjusted his lights, and +dressed his personages, that but few people could have escaped being +deceived; and as the Princess Aristione is extremely superstitious, +there is no, doubt that she fully believes in this piece of deception. +I have been a long time preparing this machine, my son, and now I have +almost reached the goal of my ambition. + +CLE. But for which of the two princes have you invented this trick? + +ANA. Both have courted my assistance, and I have promised to both the +influence of my art. But the presents of Prince Iphicrates, and the +promises which he has made, by far exceed all that the other could do. +Therefore, it is Iphicrates who will profit by all I can invent, and +as his ambition will owe everything to me, our future is sure. I will +go and take my time to confirm the princess in her error, and, the +better to prepossess her mind, skilfully show her the agreement of the +words of Venus with the predictions of the celestial signs which I +told her I have cast. Be it your part to go and get our six men to +hide themselves carefully in their boat behind the rock, and make them +wait quietly for the time when the princess comes alone in the evening +for her usual walk. Then they must suddenly attack her like pirates, +in order to give the opportunity to Prince Iphicrates to rush to her +rescue, and lend her the help which is to put Eriphyle in his hands +according to the words of Venus. I have forewarned the prince, and, +acting on the belief in my prediction, he is to hold himself in +readiness in that little wood that skirts the shore. But let us leave +this grotto. I will tell you as we go along all that is necessary for +you carefully to observe. Here is the Princess Eriphyle; let us avoid +her. + + + +SCENE V.--ERIPHYLE (_alone_). + +Alas! how hard is my destiny! What have I done to the gods that they +should interest themselves in what happens to me? + + + +SCENE VI.--ERIPHYLE, CLEONICE. + +CLEON. Here he is, Madam; he followed me the moment he heard your +commands. + +ERI. Let him come hither, Cleonice, and leave us alone for one moment. + + + +SCENE VII.--ERIPHYLE, SOSTRATUS. + +ERI. Sostratus, you love me. + +SOS. I, Madam? + +ERI. Yes, Sostratus, I know it, I approve of it, and allow you to tell +me so. Your love appeared to me accompanied by all the merit which +could render it valuable to me. Were it not for the rank in which +heaven has placed me, I might tell you that your love would not have +been an unhappy one, and I have often wished for a position in which I +might fully show the secret feelings of my heart. It is not, +Sostratus, that merit fails to have for me all the value which it +should have, and because, in my inmost soul, I do not prefer the +virtues which you possess to all the magnificent titles which adorn +others. The princess my mother has also, it is true, left me free in +my choice, and I have no doubt that I could have obtained her consent +according to my wish. But, Sostratus, there are stations in life where +it is not right to wish that what pleases us should come to pass. It +is painful to be above all others, and the burning light of fame often +makes us pay too severely for having yielded to our inclination. I +never could, therefore, expose myself to it, and I thought I would +simply put off the bonds I was solicited to enter. But, at last, the +gods themselves will give me a husband, and all these long delays with +which I have postponed my marriage, and which the kindness of the +princess my mother made possible, are no longer permitted to me. I +must resign myself to the will of heaven. You may rest assured, +Sostratus, that it is with the greatest repugnance that I consent to +this marriage, and that, were I mistress of myself, either I should +have been yours or should have belonged to no one. This is, Sostratus, +what I had to tell you; what I felt I owed to your merit, and the only +consolation which my tenderness can show to your love. + +SOS. Ah! Madam, it is too much for one so undeserving as I am! I was +not prepared to die with such glory, and from this moment I shall +cease to complain of my destiny. If it caused me to be born in a rank +below what I could have desired, it has made me to be born happy +enough to attract some pity from the heart of a great princess, and +this glorious pity is worth sceptres and crowns; is worth the power of +the greatest princes of the earth. Yes, Madam, from the moment I dared +to love you--it is you, Madam, who allow me to use this bold +word--from the moment I dared to love you, I condemned the pride of my +aspirations, and determined upon the fate I ought to expect. Death +will not surprise me, for I am prepared for it, but your kindness has +thrown upon it an honour which my love never dared to hope; I shall +now die the happiest and most fortunate of men. If I may yet hope for +anything, I on my knees will ask two favours of you: to be willing to +endure my presence till that happy marriage which is to put an end to +my life takes place; and amidst the glory and long prosperities which +heaven promises to your union, to remember sometimes Sostratus, who +loved you. May I hope for those favours, O divine princess? + +ERI. Go, Sostratus; leave me. You little care for my peace of mind if +you ask me to remember you. + +SOS. Ah, Madam, if your peace of mind.... + +ERI. Leave me, Sostratus; spare my weakness; do not expose me to do +more than I have resolved upon. + + + +SCENE VIII.--ERIPHYLE, CLEONICE. + +CLE. Madam, I see you quite melancholy; will you allow your dancers, +who express so well all the passions of the soul, to come and give you +a sample of their skill? + +ERI. Yes, Cleonice; let them do what they like, provided they leave me +to my thoughts. + + + +FIFTH INTERLUDE. + +_Four pantomimists, as a sample of their skill, adapt their +movements and steps to the signs of uneasiness of the young_ +PRINCESS ERIPHYLE. + +BALLET. + + + +ACT V. + +SCENE I.--ERIPHYLE, CLITIDAS. + + +CLI. Where shall I go? which way shall I turn? Where am I likely to +find the Princess Eriphyle? It is no small pleasure to be the first to +bring news. Ah! here she is! Madam, I come to tell you that heaven has +just now given you the husband it reserved for you. + +ERI. Alas! leave me, Clitidas, to my gloomy sorrow. + +CLI. Madam, I beg your pardon, I thought I did well to come and tell +you that heaven has given you Sostratus for a husband; but, since it +is unpleasant to you, I will pocket my news, and go back just as I +came. + +ERI. Clitidas! I say, Clitidas! + +CLI. I leave you, Madam, to your gloomy melancholy. + +ERI. Stay, I tell you; come here. What is it you say? + +CLI. Nothing, Madam. One is sometimes too hasty in coming to tell +great people things they don't care about, and I pray you to excuse +me. + +ERI. How cruel you are! + +CLI. Another time I will take care not to come and interrupt you. + +ERI. Keep me no longer in suspense; say what it is you came to tell +me. + +CLI. An insignificant thing about Sostratus, Madam, which I will tell +you another time when you are less engaged. + +ERI. Keep me no longer in suspense, and tell me the news. + +CLI. You wish to know it, Madam? + +ERI. Yes, be quick. What is it about Sostratus? + +CLI. A wonderful adventure which nobody expected. + +ERI. Tell it me at once. + +CLI. Will it not trouble you, Madam, in your gloomy melancholy? + +ERI. Ah! Speak, I say. + +CLI. I must tell you, then, Madam, that the princess your mother was +going almost alone through the forest by those little paths which are +so pleasant, when a frightful boar--those ugly boars are always doing +mischief, and should be banished from civilised forests--when a +hideous boar, I say, driven to bay, I believe, by some huntsmen, came +right across the path where we were. I ought, perhaps, to adorn my +account with an elaborate description of this said boar; but you must +try and do without it, if you please, and be satisfied to know that it +was a terribly ugly brute. It was going on its way, and it would have +been as well not to disturb it; but the princess wished to show her +skill, and with her dart, which, if I may say so, she launched +somewhat unseasonably, inflicted a slight wound just above the ear. +The ill-bred boar turned impertinently upon us. We were then two or +three wretches who became pale with fright; each gained his tree, and +the princess was left alone, exposed to the fury of the beast, when +Sostratus appeared, just in time, as if the very gods had sent him. + +ERI. And so, Clitidas? + +CLI. If this account wearies you, Madam, I can put off the remainder +for another occasion. + +ERI. End it quickly. + +CLI. It is, indeed, quickly that I shall end, for a grain of cowardice +prevented me from seeing the details of the struggle, and all that I +can tell you is that, when we came back to the spot, we found the boar +dead and bleeding, and the princess full of joy, and proclaiming +Sostratus her deliverer and your husband, according to the words +spoken by the gods. When I heard this, I did not stop to hear any +more, and I ran in search of you to bring you this piece of news. + +ERI. Ah! Clitidas, you could never have given me a more welcome one. + +CLI. Oh! here they are coming to find you. + + + +SCENE II.--ARISTIONE, SOSTRATUS, ERIPHYLE, CLITIDAS. + +ARI. I perceive, my daughter, that you already know everything which +we are coming to tell you. You see that the gods have explained +themselves sooner than we expected. The danger I have just run has +told us what their will is, and it is easy to see that the choice +comes from them, since merit alone shines in the selection they have +made. Will it be repugnant to you to recompense with the gift of your +heart the one to whom I owe my life, and will you refuse to accept +Sostratus for your husband? + +ERI. Both from the hands of the gods and from yours, Madam, I could +receive no gift that would be disagreeable to me. + +SOS. Is not this a glorious dream with which the gods wish to flatter +me? Am I not to expect some dreadful awakenings which will plunge me +back into all the baseness of my former fortune? + + + +SCENE III.--ARISTIONE, ERIPHYLE, SOSTRATUS, CLEONICE, CLITIDAS. + +CLEON. Madam, I am come to tell you that Anaxarchus had till now +deceived both the princes, with the hope of favouring the choice upon +which their souls were bent; and that, hearing what has taken place, +they have both given way to their resentment against him, and things +growing worse, he has received several wounds, from which it is +impossible to say what may happen. But here they are both coming. + + + +SCENE IV.--ARISTIONE, ERIPHYLE, IPHICRATES, TIMOCLES, +SOSTRATUS, CLEONICE, CLITIDAS. + +ARI. Princes, you are very quick in avenging yourselves; if Anaxarchus +offended you, I was here to do you justice. + +IPH. And what justice can you have done us, Madam, when you do so +little to our rank in the choice you have made? + +ARI. Had you not both agreed to submit to what the order of the gods +or my daughter's inclination might decide in this matter? and of what +consequence can the interests of a rival be to you? + +TIM. Yes, Madam; we were ready to submit to a choice between the +Prince Iphicrates and myself, but not to find ourselves both repulsed. +It were some consolation to see the choice fall on an equal, but your +blindness is something terrible. + +ARI. Prince, I have no wish to fall out with one who has had the +kindness to praise me so much; and I beg of you, in all sincerity, to +base your sorrow upon better foundation. Try and remember, I pray, +that Sostratus' merit is known throughout Greece, and that by the rank +to which the gods raise him to-day the distance between you and him +disappears. + +IPH. Yes, we shall remember it, Madam. But, perhaps, you will be +pleased also to remember that two insulted princes may be enemies to +be feared. + +TIM. You may not have long to enjoy the contempt in which you hold us. + +ARI. I forgive all these threats for the sake of the sorrow of a love +which thinks itself insulted; and we will none the less go and see the +Pythian Games in all peace. Let us go at once, and let us crown by the +glorious spectacle this wonderful day. + + + +SIXTH INTERLUDE. + +_The scene represents a great hall in the form of an amphitheatre, +with a grand open arcade at the farther end, above which is a tribune, +closed by a curtain, and in the distance is seen an altar prepared for +the sacrifice. Six men, dressed as if they were almost naked, each +carrying an axe on his shoulder, like executioners of the sacrifice, +enter by the portico, to the sound of violins, and are followed by two +sacrificers who play, by a priestess, also playing, and by their +suite_. + +BALLET AND DIVERTISSEMENT. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Magnificent Lovers, by Moliere (Poquelin) + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MAGNIFICENT LOVERS *** + +This file should be named 8amag10.txt or 8amag10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 8amag11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 8amag10a.txt + +This eBook was produced by Delphine Lettau, Lee Chew Hung +and the people at Distributed Proofreaders + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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