NUR.  Why dost thou talk in this grand strain? thou needest not gay decorated words, but a man:  as soon as possible must those be found, who will speak out the plain straightforward word concerning thee.  For if thy life were not in calamities of such a cast, I never would have brought thee thus far for the sake of lust, and for thy pleasure:  but now the great point is to save thy life; and this is not a thing deserving of blame.

PHAE.  O thou that hast spoken dreadful things, wilt thou not shut thy mouth? and wilt not cease from uttering again those words most vile?

NUR.  Vile they are, but better these for thee than fair; but better will the deed be (if at least it will save thee), than the name, in the which while thou boastest, thou wilt die.

PHAE.  Nay do not, I entreat thee by the Gods (for thou speakest well, but base are [the things thou speakest]) go beyond this, since rightly have I surrendered my life to love; but if thou speak base things in fair phrase, I shall be consumed, [being cast] into that [evil] which I am now avoiding.

NUR.  If in truth this be thy opinion, thou oughtest not to err, but if thou hast erred, be persuaded by me, for this is the next best thing thou canst do.[16] I have in the house soothing philters of love (and they but lately came into my thought); which, by no base deed, nor to the harm of thy senses, will rid you of this disease, unless you are obstinate.  But it is requisite to receive from him that is the object of your love, some token, either some word, or some relic of his vest, and to join from two one love.

PHAE.  But is the charm an unguent or a potion?

NUR.  I know not:  wish to be relieved, not informed, my child.

PHAE.  I fear thee, lest thou should appear too wise to me.

NUR.  Know that you would fear every thing, if you fear this, but what is it you are afraid of?

PHAE.  Lest you should tell any of these things to the son of Theseus.

NUR.  Let be, my child, I will arrange these matters honorably, only be thou my coadjutor, O Venus, my revered mistress; but the other things which I purpose, it will suffice to tell to my friends within.

CHORUS, PHAEDRA.

CHOR.  Love, love, O thou that instillest desire through the eyes, inspiring sweet affection in the souls of those against whom thou makest war, mayst thou never appear to me to my injury, nor come unmodulated:  for neither is the blast of fire nor the bolt of heaven more vehement, than that of Venus, which Love, the boy of Jove, sends from his hands.  In vain, in vain, both by the Alpheus, and at the Pythian temples of Phoebus does Greece then solemnize the slaughter of bulls:  but Love, the tyrant of men, porter of the dearest chambers of Venus, we worship not, the destroyer and visitant of men in all shapes of calamity, when he comes.  That virgin in Oechalia, yoked to no bridal bed, till then unwedded, and who