It kills,the poison of the Gorgon dragons.
TUTOR
And dost thou bear this gore blended in one?
CREUSA
No,separate;for with ill good mixes not.
TUTOR
O my dear child,thou hast whate'er we want.
CREUSA
With this the boy shall die,and thou shalt kill him.
TUTOR
Where?How?'Tis thine to speak,to dare be mine.
CREUSA
At Athens,when he comes beneath my roof.
TUTOR
I like not this;what I proposed displeased.
CREUSA
Dost thou surmise what enters now my thoughts?
TUTOR
Suspicion waits thee,though thou kill him not.
CREUSA
Thou hast judged well:a stepdame's hate is proverb'd.
TUTOR
Then kill him here;thou mayst disown the deed.
CREUSA
My mind ev'n now anticipates the pleasure.
TUTOR
Thus shalt thou meet thy husband's wiles with wiles CREUSAThis shalt thou do:this little golden casket Take from my hand,Minerva's gift of old;To where my husband secretly prepares The sacrifice,bear this beneath thy vest.
That supper ended,when they are to pour Libations to the gods,thou mayst infuse In the youth's goblet this:but take good heed,Let none observe thee;drug his cup alone Who thinks to lord it in my house:if once It pass his lips,his foot shall never reach Illustrious Athens:death awaits him here.
(She gives him the casket.)
TUTOR
Go thou then to the hospitable house Prepared for thy reception:be it mine,Obedient to thy word to do this deed.
Come then,my aged foot,be once more young In act,though not in years,for past recall That time is fled:kill him,and bear him forth.
Well may the prosperous harbour virtuous thought;But when thou wouldst avenge thee on thy foes,There is no law of weight to hinder thee.
(They both go out.)
CHORUS (singing)
strophe 1
Daughter of Ceres,Trivia hear,Propitious regent of each public way Amid the brightness of the day,Nor less when night's dark hour engenders fear;The fulness of this goblet guide To check with death this stripling's pride,For whom my queen this fatal draught prepares,Tinged with the Gorgon's venom'd gore: