Psyche | Page 9

his old age. A thousand kings, a
thousand rival kings, cherish love for you; you both owe your father a
son-in-law and grandchildren. A thousand kings vie with each other to
whisper their vows to you. Me alone the oracle demands, and alone, too,
I will die, if I can, without weakness, or, if not, at least without you as
witnesses of that little which nature has left me.
AGL. Then by sharing your woe we annoy you!
CID. I dare go somewhat further, we offend you!
PSY. No; but you add to my torture, and perhaps increase the wrath of
heaven.
AGL. It is your will; we go. May that same heaven, more just, and less
severe, decree for you the fate we desire, and for which our sincere
friendship, in spite of you and of the oracle, still hopes!
PSY. Farewell. This hope, these vows, my sisters, none of the gods will
ever fulfil.

SCENE III.--PSYCHE (_alone_).
Alone, at last, I can look on this terrible change, which from the
summit of highest glory hurls me to the tomb. This glory was without
parallel. Its sheen spread from pole to pole; all kings seemed created to
love me; all their subjects, looking upon me as on a goddess, were but
now beginning to accustom me to the incense they never ceased to
offer; sighs followed me, for which I gave naught in return. My soul
remained fancy-free, while it captivated so many, and in the midst of so
much love was queen of all hearts, and yet mistress of my own. Oh!
heaven! hast thou counted a crime this want of feeling? All this severity
which thou dost exhibit, is it because in return for their vows I have
given nothing but esteem? If such be thy law, why didst thou not create
in me that which merit and love create in others, and.... But what do I
see here?

SCENE IV.--CLEOMENES, AGENOR, PSYCHE.
CLE. Behold in us two friends, two rivals, whose only wish is to
expose our life to save yours.
PSY. Can I listen to you when I have refused two sisters? Princes!
think you that you could defend me against heaven? To surrender
yourselves to the serpent, whose coming I must await here, is but a
despair ill-becoming great hearts; and to die when I die is to overwhelm
a sensitive, soul, that already has but too many sorrows.
AGE. A serpent is not invincible; Cadmus, who loved no one, slew
Mars' own reptile. We love, and Love makes everything possible for
the heart that follows his standard, for the hand of whose darts he is
himself the guide.
PSY. Do you expect his aid in behalf of an ungrateful one whom all his
shafts have been unable to wound? Think you he can stay his
vengeance, when 'tis bursting forth, and help you to release me from its
stroke? Even if you should serve me, even if you should restore me to
life, what reward do you hope for from that which knows no love?
CLE. It is not by the hope of so lovely a reward that we are animated.
We seek only to obey the dictates of a love that dares not presume,
whatever its efforts may be, that it can be so fortunate as to please you,
so worthy as to kindle within you a responsive flame.
AGE. Live, fair princess, and live for another; we will behold it with a

jealous eye, we will die of it, yet of a death sweeter far than if we had
to see you die. If we cannot save your life by the loss of ours, whatever
love you may prefer to ours, we are ready to die of grief and of love.
PSY. Live, Princes, live, and no longer seek to ward off or to share my
fate. I believe I have told you, heaven seeks me alone; me alone has it
condemned. Methinks, I hear already the deadly hissing of its minister,
who even now draws nigh. My dread pictures him to me, ever offers
him to my view. Fear has mastered all my feelings; under its influence I
see him on the summit of this rock; I sink for very weakness, and my
fainting heart scarce keeps up a remnant of courage. Farewell, Princes;
flee, lest he poison you.
AGE. We have seen nothing as yet to astonish us. And since you deem
your death so nigh, if strength fail you, we have both arms and hearts
which hope never forsakes. It may be a rival has dictated this oracle;
and gold has made its interpreter speak. It would be no miracle if a man
has answered in the stead of a dumb deity; and everywhere we have but
too many