Father, thy wrath and the tension of thy mind are terrible; yet this charge, specious though its arguments appear, becomes a calumny, if one lay it bare. Small skill have I in speaking to a crowd, but have a readier wit for comrades of mine own age and small companies. Yea, and this is as it should be; for they, whom the wise despise, are better qualified to speak before a mob. Yet am Iconstrained under the present circumstances to break silence. And at the outset will I take the point which formed the basis of thy stealthy attack on me, designed to put me out of court unheard; dost see yon sun, this earth? These do not contain, for all thou dost deny it, chastity surpassing mine. To reverence God I count the highest knowledge, and to adopt as friends not those who attempt injustice, but such as would blush to propose to their companions aught disgraceful or pleasure them by shameful services; to mock at friends is not my way, father, but I am still the same behind their backs as to their face. The very crime thou thinkest to catch me in, is just the one I am untainted with, for to this day have I kept me pure from women. Nor know I aught thereof, save what I hear or see in pictures, for I have no wish to look even on these, so pure my virgin soul. I grant my claim to chastity may not convince thee; well, 'tis then for thee to show the way I was corrupted. Did this woman exceed in beauty all her sex? Did aspire to fill the husband's place after thee and succeed to thy house? That surely would have made me out a fool, a creature void of sense. Thou wilt say, "Your chaste man loves to lord it." No, no! say I, sovereignty pleases only those whose hearts are quite corrupt. Now, I would be the first and best at all the games in Hellas, but second in the state, for ever happy thus with the noblest for my friends. For there one may be happy, and the absence of danger gives a charm beyond all princely joys.
One thing I have not said, the rest thou hast. Had I a witness to attest my purity, and were I pitted 'gainst her still alive, facts would show thee on enquiry who the culprit was. Now by Zeus, the god of oaths, and by the earth, whereon we stand, I swear to thee Inever did lay hand upon thy wife nor would have wished to, or have harboured such a thought. Slay me, ye gods! rob me of name and honour, from home and city cast me forth, a wandering exile o'er the earth!
nor sea nor land receive my bones when I am dead, if I am such a miscreant! I cannot say if she through fear destroyed herself, for more than this am I forbid. With her discretion took the place of chastity, while I, though chaste, was not discreet in using this virtue.
LEADER
Thy oath by heaven, strong security, sufficiently refutes the charge.
THESEUS
A wizard or magician must the fellow be, to think he can first flout me, his father, then by coolness master my resolve.
HIPPOLYTUS
Father, thy part in this doth fill me with amaze; wert thou my son and I thy sire, by heaven! I would have slain, not let thee off with banishment, hadst thou presumed to violate my honour.
THESEUS
A just remark! yet shalt thou not die by the sentence thine own lips pronounce upon thyself; for death, that cometh in a moment, is an easy end for wretchedness. Nay, thou shalt be exiled from thy fatherland, and wandering to a foreign shore drag out a life of misery, for such are the wages of sin.
HIPPOLYTUS
Oh! what wilt thou do? Wilt thou banish me, without so much as waiting for Time's evidence on my case?
THESEUS
Ay, beyond the sea, beyond the bounds of Atlas, if I could, so deeply do I hate thee.
HIPPOLYTUS
What! banish me untried, without even testing my oath, the pledge offer, or the voice of seers?
THESEUS
This letter here, though it bears no seers' signs, arraigns thy pledges; as for birds that fly o'er our heads, a long farewell to them.
HIPPOLYTUS (aside)
Great gods! why do I not unlock my lips, seeing that I am ruined by you, the objects of my reverence? No, I will not; I should nowise persuade those whom I ought to, and in vain should break the oath Iswore.
THESEUS
Fie upon thee! that solemn air of thine is more than I can bear.
Begone from thy native land forthwith!
HIPPOLYTUS
Whither shall I turn? Ah me! whose friendly house will take me in, an exile on so grave, a charge?
THESEUS
Seek one who loves to entertain as guests and partners in his crimes corrupters of men's wives.
HIPPOLYTUS
Ah me! this wounds my heart and brings me nigh to tears to think that I should appear so vile, and thou believe me so.
THESEUS
Thy tears and forethought had been more in season when thou didst presume to outrage thy father's wife.
HIPPOLYTUS
O house, I would thou couldst speak for me and witness if I am so vile!
THESEUS
Dost fly to speechless witnesses? This deed, though it speaketh not, proves thy guilt clearly.
HIPPOLYTUS
Alas! Would I could stand and face myself, so should I weep to see the sorrows I endure.
THESEUS
Ay, 'tis thy character to honour thyself far more than reverence thy parents, as thou shouldst.
HIPPOLYTUS
Unhappy mother! son of sorrow! Heaven keep all friends of mine from bastard birth!
THESEUS
Ho! servants, drag him hence! You heard my proclamation long ago condemning him to exile.
HIPPOLYTUS
Whoso of them doth lay a hand on me shall rue it; thyself expel me, if thy spirit move thee, from the land.
THESEUS
I will, unless my word thou straight obey; no pity for thy exile steals into my heart.
(THESEUS goes in. The central doors of the palace are closed.)HIPPOLYTUSThe sentence then, it seems, is passed. Ah, misery! How well Iknow the truth herein, but know no way to tell it! O daughter of Latona, dearest to me of all deities, partner, comrade in the chase, far from glorious Athens must I fly. Farewell, city and land of Erechtheus; farewell, Troezen, most joyous home wherein to pass the spring of life; 'tis my last sight of thee, farewell! Come, my comrades in this land, young like me, greet me kindly and escort me forth, for never will ye behold a purer soul, for all my father's doubts.
(HIPPOLYTUS departs. Many follow him.)
CHORUS (singing)
strophe 1
