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some say this is ever my theme； for of a truth they always are evil。
So either let some one prove them chaste； or let me still trample on
them for ever。
（HIPPOLYTUS departs in anger。）
CHORUS （chanting）
O the cruel； unhappy fate of women！ What arts； what arguments have
we； once we have made a slip； to loose by craft the tight…drawn knot？
PHAEDRA （chanting）
I have met my deserts。 O earth； O light of day！ How can I escape
the stroke of fate？ How my pangs conceal； kind friends？ What god
will appear to help me； what mortal to take my part or help me in
unrighteousness？ The present calamity of my life admits of no
escape。 Most hapless I of all my sex！
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Alas； alas！ the deed is done； thy servant's schemes have gone
awry； my queen； and all is lost。
PHAEDRA （to the NURSE）
Accursed woman！ traitress to thy friends！ How hast thou ruined me！
May Zeus； my ancestor； smite thee with his fiery bolt and uproot
thee from thy place。 Did I not foresee thy purpose； did I not bid thee
keep silence on the very matter which is now my shame？ But thou
wouldst not be still； wherefore my fair name will not go with me to
the tomb。 But now I must another scheme devise。 Yon youth； in the
keenness of his fury； will tell his father of my sin； and the aged
Pittheus of my state and fill the world with stories to my shame。
Perdition seize thee and every meddling fool who by dishonest means
would serve unwilling friends！
NURSE
Mistress； thou may'st condemn the mischief I have done； for
sorrow's sting o'ermasters thy judgment； yet can I answer thee in face
of this； if thou wilt hear。 'Twas I who nurtured thee； I love thee
still； but in my search for medicine to cure thy sickness I found what
least I sought。 Had I but succeeded； I had been counted wise； for
the credit we get for wisdom is measured by our success。
PHAEDRA
Is it just； is it any satisfaction to me； that thou shouldst wound
me first； then bandy words with me？
NURSE
We dwell on this too long； I was not wise； I own； but there are
yet ways of escape from the trouble； my child。
PHAEDRA
Be dumb henceforth； evil was thy first advice to me； evil too
thy attempted scheme。 Begone and leave me； look to thyself； I will
my own fortunes for the best arrange。
（The NURSE goes into the palace。）
Ye noble daughters of Troezen； grant me the only boon I crave；
in silence bury what ye here have heard。
LEADER
By majestic Artemis； child of Zeus； I swear I will never divulge
aught of thy sorrows。
PHAEDRA
'Tis well。 But I； with all my thought； can but one way discover
out of this calamity； that so I may secure my children's honour； and
find myself some help as matters stand。 For never； never will I
bring shame upon my Cretan home； nor will I； to save one poor life；
face Theseus after my disgrace。
LEADER
Art thou bent then on some cureless woe？
PHAEDRA
On death； the means thereto must I devise myself。
LEADER
Hush！
PHAEDRA
Do thou at least advise me well。 For this very day shall I gladden
Cypris； my destroyer； by yielding up my life； and shall own myself
vanquished by cruel love。 Yet shall my dying be another's curse；
that he may learn not to exult at my misfortunes； but when he comes to
share the self…same plague with me； he will take a lesson in wisdom。
（PHAEDRA enters the palace。）
CHORUS （chanting）
strophe 1
O to be nestling 'neath some pathless cavern； there by god's
creating hand to grow into a bird amid the winged tribes！ Away would I
soar to Adria's wave…beat shore and to the waters of Eridanus； where a
father's hapless daughters in their grief for Phaethon distil into the
glooming flood the amber brilliance of their tears。
antistrophe 1
And to the apple…bearing strand of those minstrels in the west
then would come； where ocean's lord no more to sailors grants
passage o'er the deep dark main； finding there the heaven's holy
bound； upheld by Atlas； where water from ambrosial founts wells up
beside the couch of Zeus inside his halls； and holy earth； the
bounteous mother； causes joy to spring in heavenly breasts。
strophe 2
O white…winged bark； that o'er the booming ocean…wave didst
bring my royal mistress from her happy home； to crown her queen
'mongst sorrow's brides！ Surely evil omens from either port； at
least from Crete； were with that ship； what time to glorious Athens it
sped its way； and the crew made fast its twisted cable…ends upon the
beach of Munychus； and on the land stept out。
antistrophe 2
Whence comes it that her heart is crushed； cruelly afflicted by
Aphrodite with unholy love； so she by bitter grief o'erwhelmed will
tie a noose within her bridal bower to fit it to her fair white neck；
to modest for this hateful lot in life； prizing o'er all her name and
fame； and striving thus to rid her soul of passion's sting。
（The NURSE rushes out of the palace。）
NURSE
Help！ ho！ To the rescue all who near the palace stand！ She hath
hung herself； our queen； the wife of Theseus。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Woe worth the day！ the deed is done； our royal mistress is no
more； dead she hangs in the dangling noose。
NURSE
Haste！ some one bring a two…edged knife wherewith to cut the
knot about her neck。
FIRST SEMI…CHORUS
Friends； what shall we do？ think you we should enter the house；
and loose the queen from the tight…drawn noose？
SECOND SEMI…CHORUS
Why should we？ Are there not young servants here？ To do too much
is not a safe course in life。
NURSE
Lay out the hapless corpse； straighten the limbs。 This was a
bitter way to sit at home and keep my master's house！
（She goes in。）
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
She is dead； poor lady； 'tis this I hear。 Already are they
laying out the corpse。
（THESEUS and his retinue have entered； unnoticed。）
THESEUS
Women； can ye tell me what the uproar in the palace means？ There
came the sound of servants weeping bitterly to mine ear。 None of my
household deign to open wide the gates and give me glad welcome as
traveller from prophetic shrines。 Hath aught befallen old Pittheus？
No； Though he be well advanced in years； yet should I mourn； were he
to quit this house。
LEADER
'Tis not against the old； Theseus； that fate； to strike thee； aims
this blow； prepare thy sorrow for a younger corpse。
THESEUS
Woe is me！ is it a child's life death robs me of？
LEADER
The