HIP POLYTUS
(Enter the Nurse.)
Phaedra
This is fine service you have rendered me,
corrupted, damned seducer of your friends!
May Zeus, the father of my fathers' line,
blot you out utterly, raze you from the world
with thunderbolts! Did I not see your purpose, 685
did I not say to you, "Breathe not a word of this"
which now overwhelms me with shame? But you,
you did not hold back. And therefore I must die
and die dishonored.
Enough of this. We have a new theme now.
The anger of Hippolytus is whetted.
He will tell his father all the story of your sin 690
to my disparagement. He will tell old Pittheus, too.
He will fill all the land with my dishonor.
May my curse
light upon you, on you and all the others
who eagerly help unwilling friends to ruin.
Nurse
Mistress, you may well blame my ill-success, 695
for sorrow's bite is master of your judgment.
But I have an answer to make if you will listen.
I reared you up. I am your loyal servant.
I, sought a remedy for your love's sickness,
and found, . . . not what I sought.
Had I succeeded, I had been a wise one. 700
Our wisdom varies in proportion to
our failure or achievement.
Phaedra
So, that's enough
for me? Do I have justice if you deal me
my death blow and then say "I was wrong: I grant it."
Nurse
We talk too long. True I was not wise then.
209