Jean Racine (1639–1699). Phædra.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14. |
| |
| Act III |
| | | Scene II |
| |
| |
Phædra (alone)
Venus implacable, who seest me shamed | |
| And sore confounded, have I not enough | |
| Been humbled? How can cruelty be stretch’d | |
| Farther? Thy shafts have all gone home, and thou | |
| Hast triumph’d. Would’st thou win a new renown? | 5 |
| Attack an enemy more contumacious: | |
| Hippolytus neglects thee, braves thy wrath, | |
| Nor ever at thine altars bow’d the knee. | |
| Thy name offends his proud, disdainful ears. | |
| Our interests are alike: avenge thyself, | 10 |
| Force him to love— | |
| But what is this? Œnone | |
| Return’d already? He detests me then, | |
| And will not hear you. | |
| |
|
|
