第15章(1 / 2)

JUPITER, ALCMENE, CLEANTHIS, SOSIE

JUP.Do you want to drive me to despair? Alas! Stay, lovely Alcmene.

ALC.No, I cannot remain longer with the author of my grief.

JUP.I beseech youALC.Leave me.

JUP.What...?

ALC.Leave me, I tell you.

JUP.Her tears touch me to the heart; her sorrow troubles me.Allow me toALC.No, do not follow me,JUP.Where are you going?

ALC.Where you are not.

JUP.That would be a vain attempt to make.I am linked to your beauty by too close a bond to suffer a moment's separation from you.

I shall follow you everywhere, Alcmene.

ALC.And I shall flee from you everywhere.

JUP.I am very terrible, then!

ALC.Yes, more than I can say.Indeed, I look upon you as a frightful monster, a cruel, furious monster, whose approach is to be feared; as a monster to be avoided everywhere.My heart suffers incredible grief at the sight of you; it is a torture that overpowers me; I do not know anything under Heaven so frightful, horrible and odious, that I could not better endure than you.

JUP.Alas! Do these words really come from your mouth?

ALC.I have many more in my heart; I only regret I cannot find words to express all I feel.

JUP.Ah! What has my heart done to you, Alcmene, that I should be looked upon as such a monster?

ALC.Oh! Just Heaven! He can ask that? Is it not enough to drive me mad?

JUP.Yet, in a milder spirit...

ALC.No; I do not wish either to see or to hear anything of you.

JUP.Have you really the heart to treat me thus? Is this the tender love which I heard yesterday was to last so long?