Chimene. Go [i.e. no]; I am thy prosecutor, and not thy executioner.  If thou offerest me thine head, is it for me to take it; I ought to attack it, but thou oughtest to defend it.  It is from another than thee that I must obtain it, and it is my duty [lit. I ought] to pursue thee, but not to punish thee.

Don Rodrigo. However in my favor our love may plead, thy steadfast courage ought to correspond to mine; and to borrow other arms to avenge a father is, believe me, my Chimene, not the [method of] responding to it.  My hand alone was fit [lit. has understood how] to avenge the insult offered to my father; thy hand alone ought to take vengeance for thine.

Chimene. O cruel! for what reason shouldst thou persevere on this point?  Thou hast avenged thyself without aid, and dost thou wish to give me thine [aid]?  I shall follow thy example; and I have too much courage to endure that my glory shall be divided with thee.  My father and mine honor shall owe nothing to the dictates of thy love and of thy despair.

Don Rodrigo. O cruel resolution [lit. point of honor]!  Alas! whatever I may do, can I by no means obtain this concession [or, favor]?  In the name of a slain [lit. dead] father, or of our friendship, punish me through revenge, or at least through compassion.  Thy unhappy lover will have far less pain in dying by thy hand than in living with thy hatred.

Chimene. Go; I do not hate thee.

Don Rodrigo. Thou oughtest to do so.

Chimene. I cannot.

Don Rodrigo. Dost thou so little fear calumny, and so little [fear] false reports?  When people shall know my crime, and that thy passion [for me] still continues, what will not envy and deception spread abroad?  Compel them to silence, and, without debating more, save thy fair fame by causing me to die.

Chimene. That [fair fame] shines far more gloriously [lit. better] by leaving thee life; and I wish that the voice of the blackest slander should raise to heaven my honor, and lament my griefs, knowing that I worship thee, and that [still] I pursue thee [as a criminal].  Go, then; present no more to my unbounded grief that which I [must] lose, although I love it [him]!  In the shades of night carefully conceal thy departure; if they see thee going forth, my honor runs a risk.  The only opportunity which slander can have is to know that I have tolerated thy presence here.  Give it no opportunity to assail my honor.

Don Rodrigo. Let me die.

Chimene. Nay, leave me.

Don Rodrigo. On what art thou resolved?

Chimene. In spite of the glorious love-fires which impede [lit. trouble] my wrath, I will do my utmost to avenge my father; but, in spite of the sternness of such a cruel duty, my sole desire is to be able to accomplish nothing [against thee].