Andromache by Jean Racine - Act 5

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Act five of Andromache by Jean Gascine, translated by Robert
Bruce Boswell. Act five, Scene one, Hermione.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Where am I? And what is it that I have done? What?
Yet remains what? Rage possesses me? How through these holes
I roam irresolute, devoured with grief, and no, not if
I love or hate his eye at parting seemed to
freeze my soul. Nor did he ever feign to pity. No,

(00:35):
not a moment's tenderness or sorrow. His heart refused to
grant a single groan. Deaf to my size, made all
my anguish calm, My tears evoke no sympathy in him,
And yet I mourn his loss, and for a crown
of sorrow. Still this weak heart throbs for him. I

(00:58):
tremble at the blow, so soon to fall, forget revenge,
and almost pardon him. But no, my sentence shall not
be revoked. Perish the traitor, since he is dead to me. Triumphantly,
he laughs my wrath to scorn and thinks this tempest

(01:19):
will dissolve in tears that always feeble and irresolute, with
one hand, I ward of the other blows past kindness
makes him deem it measureless, but other thoughts rather his
mind and gross. The traitor in his triumph little cares

(01:40):
whether the absent wish him life or death, and leaves
to me this dire perplexity. One stroke shall end it.
At Orestes's hand, he meets the death he ought to
have foreseen, which he himself has forced me to desire.
What is it I, then, who pronounce his deom? And

(02:00):
must he die? Because Hermione has loved him, He whose
oft repeated deeds gave ever fresh delight when heard again
to whom, in secret I had linked my lot here
to the fatal contract we were bound. Have I then
crossed so many lands and seas and come so far

(02:22):
only to dig his grave? To be his murderer? Ah?
He dies.

Speaker 1 (02:29):
Scene two, Hermione, cleone?

Speaker 2 (02:35):
What have I done? Cleone? Have you ought to tell me?
Where is Pirus?

Speaker 3 (02:41):
At the height of love and happiness, proudest of men?
I saw him to the temple, lead his bride his
latest conquest in his eye. There shone the light of
joy and hope. Gazing on her, he seemed to drink
intoxicating drafts andromage midst all the glad acclaim bore in
her heart sad memories of Troy, incapable, alike of love

(03:03):
and hate. Submissive, She nor murmured nor rejoiced.

Speaker 2 (03:08):
And Phyrrus carried he his bold affront to the end.
Observed you well, His countenance seemed he to taste calm
pleasure unalloyed. Did he not hither cast a single look?
Tell me, cleony, did you meet his eye? And did

(03:29):
he blush when he perceived you? There? Showed he with
troubled brow a sense of guilt? Or did his bride
support him to the last?

Speaker 3 (03:42):
He noticed nothing, and his safety seemed with honor's voice, forgotten,
like yourself, heedless of those who follow friends or foes.
He hastens onward to Love's wished for goal. Round Hector's son.
He has bestowed his guards and fancies danger threatens him alone.
Phoenix has him in charge, who to afford? Far from
the temple, and the palace brings the child, whose safety

(04:03):
seems the only care that Peirus knows.

Speaker 2 (04:06):
The wretch shall die?

Speaker 3 (04:08):
What said Orestes, he has entered with his men the temple?

Speaker 2 (04:13):
Is he ready to avenge my wrongs?

Speaker 4 (04:17):
I know not what you know?

Speaker 3 (04:20):
Not?

Speaker 2 (04:21):
Will Orestes do prove false?

Speaker 3 (04:25):
He worships you, but with a thousand scruples of remorse.
Contending now to honor he gives heed, and now to
love in peeris. He respects the throne Achilles and Achilles' son.
He fears the wrath of Greece and all the world.
But more than all, he said, he fears himself. As victor,
he would bring the traitor's head, but not as an

(04:46):
assassin odious name. At last, he entered, knowing not if
thence he should go forth blood guilty or a mere spectator.

Speaker 2 (04:55):
No, said triumph. He will watch without the wish to
like a jarring note. I know what scruples make his
courage blench. The coward fears to die, and fears not else.
My mother stooped not to a single prayer, yet in
her cause all grease rose up in arms her eyes.

(05:19):
Through ten years war saw twenty kings whose names she
scarcely knew, die for their sake. But while I but
ask death to a perjurer, charging a lover to avenge
my wrongs and so to win me at no risk
to him, I give myself, and yet I am refused

(05:43):
go to my own arm. Must for justice strike let
cries of pain through all the temple, ring their fatal
bridle shell in bloodshed end, and but one moment to
see the man Gna, shall my fury halt to choose

(06:04):
its pray, Orestes, shall as Spirris be to me? And
if by death I purchase my revenge, I'll gladly die
in such good company.

Speaker 1 (06:17):
Scene three Orestes hermione cleone.

Speaker 4 (06:23):
Madam, tis over, and your will is done? Yes at
the altar. Now the trader yields his life.

Speaker 2 (06:32):
Is Spirrius dead?

Speaker 4 (06:34):
He breathes his last. Our Greeks have blooded out his
guilt and blood. I gave my promise. Though this plot
to me appeared too horrible. With hasty steps, I sought
the temple. When I found our men had to the
very altar crept unseen him in the crowd, with countenance unchanged,
Pirrus perceived me and his courage seemed warmed at the sight.

(06:58):
Greece in my purse and braved, lending fresh glory to
his nuptial rights. Proudly, he raised on high the diadem
and placed it on the Trojan woman's brow with his
own hand, saying, I give to you my crown and
polight my troth rain o'er my realms, and o'er myself,

(07:19):
your son shall find in me a father's love. May
Heaven confirm the vow I make to you. His mother
and his foes be mine. I hail him as the
king of Troy. Applause resounded as he spake these words,
answered by cries of wrath from Gretchen throats. They thronged

(07:41):
around the traitor where he stood, so that I found
no place to strike, For each vie with his neighbor,
who should lay him low? Covered with blood, Vainly he
sought escape from countless blows, and at the altar fell. Thence,
passing through the terror stricken crowds, I can aim to

(08:01):
bring my princess to the port. There will our friends,
their hands with slaughter red be with us. Soon my
promise is fulfilled.

Speaker 2 (08:14):
What have they done?

Speaker 4 (08:17):
If their excess of zeal has marred your vengeance? Pardon
them for that. You would have had me be the
first to strike, that he might feel it was for
you he died. But twas my ardor prompted them to
act for your sake and yours only were they brought
within the temple. You may justly claim as sacrificed to
you the life they took as agents of the vengeance

(08:37):
you had planned.

Speaker 2 (08:38):
Traitor, be silent nor impute to me the crime which
brads you cowered. Let the Greeks applaud the impias act.
Go I disawn you your cruelty, and you who have
destroyed the noblest of mankind this fatal day punction. Visit

(09:01):
your fell hearts to check such slaughter. Who made you
the judge to sentence him to death? What was his crime?
What right had you to slay him? Tell me that
who bade you do it?

Speaker 4 (09:16):
Heavens it was you yourself, just now upon the spot
the order game.

Speaker 2 (09:21):
You should have paid no heed to love bereft of reason,
but have read my deeper thoughts. Saw you not while
I raved distractedly? My heart belied whatever words I spoke,
even had I meant them. You should have refused a
hundred times, repeated such a wish, asked me again before

(09:44):
the blow was struck, and then returned, or rather shunned
my sight. You should have let me wreak my own revenge.
What leered you? Hither? Hateful to mine eyes? Behold what
bitter fruit your life has borne? You bring me all
the ills that follow you, your embassy. It was fatal

(10:07):
to both. That to my rival made his thoughts inclined.
He might have else admitted me to share his heart again,
or feigned at least to love. Go you in this, Sapius,
I will stay Greece and my spartan home. I hear
renowns ye all my family enough for me that they

(10:29):
have bred a monster like yourself.

Speaker 1 (10:33):
Scene four Orestes.

Speaker 4 (10:37):
Was that Hermiami. I saw and heard she for whom
flowed the blood that I have shed? Did she not
call me triter murder am i Orestes and his pir
of slain was reasons light extinguished in my heart that
I should kill a king whom I revere in one

(11:01):
day violated sovereign's rights, an envoy's office and all human
ties profane, the altars where he stood at bay and
turn a sacrilegious regicide, and all for one who knows
no gratitude, who made me vow to slay him, or
she ne'er would see me more when I have done

(11:21):
the task. Her fury set, she taunts me with his blood.
She loves him as a monster looks on me far
from mine eyes. Forever she withdraws, and in her thankless
flight leaves me for higher names of reproach, incurred to
please her.

Speaker 1 (11:39):
Rage scene five Orestes, Pilodes, soldiers of Orestes.

Speaker 5 (11:49):
We must depart and leave this palace, sir, or be
content never to leave at all. Our Greeks defend the
gate one moment more, where our pursuer's forces grow too strong.
All here obey Andromache's commands. They treat her as their
queen and us as foes. And she herself, stubborn Wapius,

(12:14):
lived all duties of a faithful widow, pays and urges
vengeance haply, all the more that Hector's shade too claims
the blood of Greece. Let us not wait then till
they hem us round. Our men would join us, And
while all the crowds still gaze and gape upon Hermione,

(12:36):
we may pass through in safety.

Speaker 4 (12:39):
Come this way, no, friends, it is Hermione. I fain
would follow her last sentence. Can I not survive? Go?

Speaker 5 (12:49):
Let me expiate my crime Hermione? Forget her? Would you
still the instrument and object of her rage? Invite fresh
insult in among the dead? And because she dies, must
you perish too?

Speaker 4 (13:08):
She dies? Ye? Gods, what is it that I hear?

Speaker 5 (13:12):
Did you not know? We met her as we came,
with hurrying feet and frenzy in her eyes. She sought
the temple and found pirr Us, borne by soldiers whom
his blood the vengeance roused. Doubtless that sight stirred madness
to in her. We saw her as we stood above

(13:33):
the gate or pi Us, bending low, dagger in hand,
then eyes uplifting, plunge it in her breast and fall.

Speaker 4 (13:43):
Ah, Heaven has been pleased to inflict woes worse than
I looked for, never turned one moment from relentless punishment.
The gods have made my agony supreme, and found delight
devising miseries that I might serve as an example meat
of wrath. Celest you born to wretchedness. Well, I have

(14:06):
drained the cup and die content. Where are the lovers
to complete my joy? Let me be drowned in blood
their own in mind. Let me behold them as they
both expire, and three hearts be united that were long discordant.
But what thickness of black night enshrouds me? Suddenly? What

(14:29):
horror thrills through all my frame? With no way of escape?
Thank Heaven, I see a glimmering light tis blood streams
of red blood all around me? O, my lord, what
peeress must I meet?

Speaker 5 (14:44):
Thee?

Speaker 4 (14:44):
Everywhere? How has my hated rival scaped his wounds? Hold?
I have yet a stroke reserve for thee. But what
is this? Hermione, with arms encircling, tears him from the
threatened blow. Ye gods, what frightful looks she cast on me?
Serpents and fiendish face's dog her steps whilere your hands outstretched,

(15:06):
furies of hell? Whom do these snakes that hit above
your head? Threatened to sting? What means this horrid train?
Come ye to bear me to eternal knight? So be
it to your rage, or rest his yields. But no
leave vengeance to Hermione. Twere better that she'd tear me
limb from limb, yea, and devour the heart I offer her.

Speaker 5 (15:31):
Friends, he has lost his senses. While there's time, Let's
take advantage of this fit and save the prince. Our
efforts will be in vain if once his madness here
with consciousness return.

Speaker 1 (15:49):
End of Act five. End of Andromache by Jean Vascine,
translated by Robert Bruce Boswell,