My mother-fhe delights not in fuch acts;
Nor could fhe do it, but we must have known.
None but Oreftes then could pay these honours.
Have comfort, fifter; not the fame harsh god
With unremitting fury ftill purfues;
The storm o'erblown, a pleafing calm fucceeds;
To-day, perhaps, the low'ring fcene will change,
Revive our fouls, and brighten them with gladnefs.
Elect. Oh, fenfelefs raptures! how I pity thee!
Chry. What is the news ungrateful then at laft? 55.
Elect. You know not where you are, nor what you
Chry.. Do I not know what these my eyes beheld? Elect. Lofe not an hope in fearch of poor Oreftes, Nor build thy fafety there; for he is dead. Chry. Oh, heav'ns! where did you learn the fatal news?
Elect. From one who flood and faw the youth expire.. Chry. I ftand amaz'd! Where is this fatal herald? Elect. Carefs'd within, and welcome to my mother. Chry. Oh, fatal! Whofe were all those off'rings then, Which grac'd my father's tomb ?·
Elect.
-We must fuppofe
Some friend has plac'd them there, the monuments
Of dead Oreftes' love..
Chry.
·Deceitful joy!
Lhafted, ravifh'd with the ftrong delight,
Nor dreamt of this difaftrous turn of fate..
But now too well I find our former ills
Maintain their ground, and call up fresh afflictions !
Elect. Too true th' increafe; but if you'll learn of me,.
I'll teach you how we may redeem ourselves.
Chry. Oh, can we raise the dead to life again ?
Elect. Believe not my conceits tow'r up to madness. 75:
Chry. What would't thou then prefcribe, that I can
Elect. Refolve but to perform, what I advise. [aid in ?
Chry. If to our honour, fear not a repulse.
Who know that we have none; that cruel death
Elect. Think, nothing can without fome pains fucceed.. Chry. I do, and will contribute to my pow'r. Elect. Hear then the refolution I have form'd;: 'Twere vain to urge our want of friends to you,
Has torn them hence, and we are left alone.
While yet Oreftes liv'd, my flatter'd grief
Encourag'd hopes that he would one day come,
And fatisfy my father's crying blood:
But, now he is no more, I look on you,
To aid your fifter in the pious work;
And help to kill th' affaffin, curs'd Ægyfthus!
I'll spread the counsels of iny foul before you,
And we with open bofoms will converse.
Why should you ftill be paffive in your wrongs?
Is there redrefs in hope, but from ourselves?
Does not oppreffion grind us every way?
Are we not spoil'd of our paternal rights?
Debarr'd of Hymen's joys, and wasting all
Our bloom of life in virgin folitude?
And, Oh, believe it must be ever thus !
Nor will the tyrant's caution give us room
To propagate a race to his deftruction.
But if you'll follow the advice I give,
Your fire and brother fhall confpire to praise,
And, from the grave, applaud the gen❜rous action.
Then fhall you be faluted, noble, free,
As nature and your princely birth defign'd ;
And worthy youths fhall figh for your embrace.
For virtue is a charm fires every breast.
Do you not fee what glory, what applaufe,
You purchafe to yourfelf and me by this?
What citizen, what ftranger, feeing us,
Will not with these encomiums mark us out?
Behold the fifters!-friends, the rival pair,
Who from deftruction rais'd their father's house!
Who brav'd the fury of triumphant foes,
Attack'd their pomp, and ftruck the righteous blow;
Of life regardlefs!Thefe fhould always be
The fubjects of our wonder and our love;
These fhould be honour'd, courted, and proclaim'd,
And in our feafts, affemblies and our streets,
Hymn'd and diftinguifh'd for heroic fouls!.
Such language fhall we hear from every tongue,
And live eternal in the voice of fame.
Follow me, then; revenge your father's blood;
Make dead Oreftes fmile, and rescue me;
Refcue yourfelf; fhake off the guilty chain:
For gen'rous fouls difdain a vile dependance.
Cho. Prudence is ufeful in affairs like thefe,
To counfel, or embrace th' important task.
Chry. Had the but weigh'd her words before fhe fpoke,
She would have kept what now fhe has not done,
A modeft prudence, and an useful caution..
What profpect of fuccefs, that thus you arm,
And ask me to affift the daring work?
Regard your feeble fex and tender form,
In ftrength inferior to the foes you brave:
Behold how Fortune wooes them with her files,
While we are crufi'd by fate, and waste to nothing.
Who then, invading one defended thus,
But muft expect the death he thought to give?
Take heed we do not aggravate our ills,
And purchafe new diftrefs, if overheard:
Poor is th' advantage of that vain renown,
Which, panting to obtain, we earn by death!
Tho' death, perhaps, will be efteem'd a mercy;
And when 'tis courted, life fhall be our doom;
To fuffer on, and tafte protracted anguifh.
But, I conjure you, ere we furious run
Into the gripe of Fate, and caft away
The last remains of Agamemnon's blood,
Reftrain your rage, and what your rafhness utter'd
Shall perish, and be loft to my remembrance.
Be wife at length, taught by prevailing woe;
And, fince unable to contend, fubmit.
Cho. Be rul'd; for wifdom and a prudent mind,
Are the two greatest goods that men enjoy.
Elect. Your anfwer does not difappoint my thoughts;
For well I knew you would reject the work:
Therefore the noble task remains for me.
It must be done, and shall not want a hand..
Chry. Oh, had you been of this heroic foul
When first my father fell, you'd done it then!
Elect. I had the foul, but wanted. years for action.
Chry. And want them ftill for defp'rate acts like these.
Elect. How full of counfel! barren of affiftance! 165
Chry. For rafli attempts oft crush their wretched author.
Elect. Your wifdom I admire, your fears I hate.
Chry. The time will come when I fhall have your praife..
Elect. The time will never come, when you'll de-
ferve it.
Chry. Th' event of things will beft determine this. 170
Elect. Begone; for I expect no aid from thee.
Chry. You might. The fault is in your own refolves..
Elect. Go, and betray my counfels to the Queen!
Chry. I nourish not an hate that thirfts your ruin.
Elect. Yet you could brook to draw metodishonour. 175
Chry. Not to dishonour, but to prudent care.
Elect. Mul I then follow where your fancy leads ?
Chry. When you think better, you fhall lead-
Elect.
'Tis ftrange,
That the who speaks fo well fhould act so ill.
Chry. The condemnation on yourself returns.
Elect. But does not juftice warrant my defigns!
Chry. 'Tis dang'rous to be always ftrictly juft.
Elect. Such maxims ne'er fhall regulate my actions.
Chry. You would have caufe to thank me if they did.
Elect. By Heav'n, I'll not be fear'd from
my re.. folves. 185. Chry. And will you not be wrought to fafer counfels? Ele&. No; evil counfel is the worst of things.. Chry. You fet a wrong construction on my Elect. My purpofe is not new, a ftart of paffion; But weigh'd with reafon, and confirm'd by time. Chry. I'm gone, fince you my reafons disapprove, As I your actions.
I would not load you with my fecrets more,
Tho' you should kneel in tears, and beg to fliare them ::
It argues folly to pursue a trifle.
Chry. Enjoy your fancied wifdom by yourself;
When ruin'd, you'll too late approve my caution.
Electra remains on the Stage while the Chorus fings.
Why, when th' inhabitants of air,
With tender duty, grateful care,
Grant their aged parents food
'To whom their little fouls they ow'd;
Why do not reas'ning men the fame,
And their whole lives by thofe dumb patterns frame?
But by Jove's fhafts with terror bright,
By heav'nly Themis, and eternal right,
The wretch that dares their pow'r, fhall foon
Be from his guilty triumphs thrown.
Thou, Fame, that dost all mortal actions know,
Thy melancholy trumpet blow;
Pierce the centre with the found,
The ears of the Atride wound,
Whilft thou dost a tale relate,
Full of forrow, full of fate!
How all their house in wild disorder ftands;
The children difunite their friendly hands
How Electra, wretched maid!
Forlorn, t' a thoufand ills betray'd,
For her father melts in tears,
And a conftant forrow wears:
As in forrow-finging strains
The mournful nightingale complains.
Fearless of danger and of death,
She would a victory obtain,
Would fee the two domestic furies flain,
Can live a flave to guilt and impious fcorn?
And in the glorious cause refign her breath.
For who, of noble parents born,
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