ACHILLES: AN OPE R A. ACT I. SCENE, The Palace. Thetis, Achilles. THETIS. EFORE I leave you, child, I muft infift upon your promife, that you will never discover yourself without my leave. Don't look upon it as capricious fondness, nor think (because 'tis a mother's advice) that, in duty to yourself, you are obliged not to follow it. Ach. But my character! my honour!-Wou'd you have your fon live with infamy ?-On the firft ftep of a young fellow, depends his character for life.-I beg you, goddefs, to dispense with your commands. Thet. Have you then no regard to my prefentiment ? I can't bear the thoughts of your going, for I know that odious fiege of Troy wou'd be the death of thee. Ach. Because you have the natural fears of a mother, wou'd you have me infenfible that I have the heart of a man? a man? The world, madam, must look upon my abfconding in this manner, and at this particular juncture, as infamous cowardice. AIR I. A clown in Flanders once there was. Thet. Keep your temper, Achilles :-'Tis both impious and undutiful to call my prefcience in question. Ach. Pardon me, goddess, for had you, like other mothers, been a mere woman only, I fhou'd have taken the liberty of other fons, and fhou'd (as 'tis my duty) have heard your advice, and follow'd my own. Thet. I pofitively fhall not be eafy, child, unless you give me your word and honour.-You know my com mands. Ach. My word, madam, I can give you; but my honour is already facrificed to my duty. That I you, when I fubmitted to put on this woman's habit. gave Thet. Believe me, Achilles, I have a tender regard for your honour, as well as life.-By preventing your running head-long to your destiny, I preferve you for future glory. Therefore, child, I once more infift upon your folemn promife. Ach. Was I a woman (as I appear to be) I cou'd, without difficulty, give you a promife, to have the pleasure of breaking it; but when I promife, my life. is pledg'd for the performance.-Your commands, madam, are facred.-Yet I intreat you, goddefs, to confider the ignominious part you make me act.In obeying you, I prove myself unworthy of you. Thet. My will, Achilles, is not to be controverted. Your life depends upon your duty; and pofitively, child, you shall not go to this fiege. AIR II. Gudgeon's long. Why thus am I held at defiance? A mother, a goddess obey! Will men never practise compliance, Till marriage bath taught 'em the way? Ach. Ach. But why muft I lead the life of a woman? why was I ftolen away from my preceptor? Was I not as fafe under the care of Chiron 2-I know the love he had for me; I feel his concern; and I dare fwear that good creature is now fo diftrefs'd for the lofs of me, that he will quite founder himself with galloping from place to place to look after me. Thet. I'll hear no more. Obey, and feek to know no further.-Can you imagine that I wou'd have taken all this trouble to have lodged you under the protection of Lycomedes, if I had not feen the abfolute neceffity of it? Ach. Were I allow'd to follow my inclinations, what wou'd you have to fear?—I thou'd do my duty, and die with honour.-Was I to live an age, I cou'd do no more. . Thet. You are so very obftinate, that really, child, there's no enduring you.-Your impatience feems to forget that I am a goddefs: Have I not degraded myfelf into the character of a diftrefs'd Grecian princess? "Tis owing to my artifice and infinuation that we have the protection of the king of Scyros. Have I not won Lycomedes's friendship and hofpitality to that degree as to place you, without the leaft fufpicion, among his daughters?-And for what, dear Achilles ?-Your fafety and future fame requir❜d it. Ach. 'Tis impoffible, madam, to bear it much longer.-My words, my actions, my aukward behaviour, muft one day inevitably difcover me.-I had been fafer under the tuition of Chiron. Thet. Hath not the prophet Calchas perfuaded the confederates, that the fuccefs of their expedition against Troy depends upon your being among 'em? Have they not emiffaries and spies almost every where in fearch of you? 'Tis here only, and in this difguife, that I can believe you out of the reach of fufpicion.-You have fo much youth, and fuch a bloom, that there is no man alive but must take you for a woman. What I am most afraid of is, that when you are among the ladies you fhou'd be fo little mafter of your paffions as to find yourself a man. AIR III. Did you ever hear of a gallant failór. Muft do what nature bids her do ; When lank and needy, Not think of mutton ; Can you perfuade him not to dine? Thet. Now, dear child, let me beg you to be dif creet. I have fome fea-affairs that require my attend. ance, which (much against my will) oblige me, for a time, to leave you to your own conduct. Enter Artemona. Art. The princeffes, lady Pyrrha, have been fitting at their embroidery above a quarter of an hour, and are perfectly miferable for want of you. Thet. Pyrrba is fo very unhandy, and fo monftroufly aukward at her needle, that I know she must be diverting. Her paffion for romances (as you must have obferved in other girls) took her off from every part of ufeful education. Ach. For the many obligations I have to the princeffes, I fhould (no doubt) upon all occafions fhew myfelf ready to be the but of their ridicule.-'Tis a duty that all great people expect from (what they call) their dependants. Art. How can you, lady Pyrrha, mifinterpret a civility? I know they have a friendship, an esteem for you; and have a pleasure in inftructing you. Thet. For heaven's fake, Pyrrha, let not your captious temper run away with your good-manners. You cannot but be sensible of the king's and their civilities, both to you and me.-How can you be fo horridly out of humour. Ach. All I mean, madam, is; that when people are fenfible of their own defects, they are not the proper objects of ridicule. Thet. Thet. You are fo very touchy, Pyrrha, that there is no enduring you.- How can you be fo unfociable a creature as to deny a friend the liberty of laughing at your little follies and indifcretions? For what do you think wonen keep company with one another? Ach. Because they hate one another, defpife one another, and feek to have the pleasure of feeing and expofing one another's faults and follies. Thet. Now, dear Pyrrha, tell me, is work a thing you pique yourself upon? Suppose too they fhou'd smile at an abfurdity in your drefs, it could not be fuch a mortification as if (like moft women) you had made it the chief bufinefs of your life? Art. Don't they treat one another with equal familiarity? Ach. But a reply from me (whatever was the provocation) might be look'd upon as impertinent. I hate to be under the restraint of civility when I am ill-ufed. Art. Will you allow me, madam, to make your excufes to the princeffes ?-The occafion of your highnefs's leaving her, I fee, troubles her.-Perhaps I may interrupt converfation. Thet. 'Tis aftonishing, child, how you can have fo little complaifance. This fullen behaviour of your's muft be difagreeable. I hope, madam, fhe is not always in this way? Art. Never was any creature more entertaining! Such fpirits, and fo much vivacity! The princeffes are really fond of her to diftraction.-The most chearful tempers are liable to the spleen, and 'tis an indulgence that one woman owes to another. Ach. The spleen, madam, is a female frailty that I have no pretentions to, nor any of its affections. AIR IV. Si vous vous moquez When a woman fullen fits, de nous. And wants breath to conquer reafon, Always thefe affected fits Are in feafon: Since 'tis in ber difpofition, Make her be her own phyfician. Nay, |