Because of you I’ll die in shame.

Oh I need all new plans!

That man bitten to the brains with anger as he is

will speak against me to his father—tell your crimes—

and fill the land with my disgrace.

Curse you!

Curse anyone eager

to help a friend to ruin!

NURSE.

Go ahead and blame my failures, lady,

for the sting is stronger than your judgment now.

But I have answers too, if you allow.

I reared you, I am on your side.

I sought a cure

for your disease and found one not so nice.

Yet if I had succeeded you’d call me smart.

Smartness is relative to winning, isn’t it.

PHAIDRA.

So this is justice? This is supposed to be enough for me?

You cut me to the nerves and then say “Sorry!”

NURSE.

We’re wasting words. I went too far.

But, child, there is a way to save the situation even now.

PHAIDRA.

No more advice.

It was bad before.

Go—look to your own affairs, I’ll manage mine.

[Exit NURSE into palace.]

And you, noble women of Trozen,

grant me this favor I beg.

Keep in silence what you heard here.

CHORUS.

I swear by reverend Artemis daughter of Zeus,

I’ll show none of this to the light of day.

PHAIDRA.

Ladies, thank you.

One last thing.

I’ve got an idea

how I can leave my children a respectable name

and allow myself a way out.

For I will not shame my Kretan home

nor come to Theseus charged with corruption,

just to save one life.

CHORUS.

What do you intend?

PHAIDRA.

To die. How I’m not sure.

CHORUS.

Hush.

PHAIDRA.

Hush nothing.

I will pleasure Aphrodite, the one who destroys me,

by releasing myself from life this very day.

Bitter the love by which I’m beaten.

But I shall become

disaster for another

as I die—may he learn

not to swell himself on my misfortune.

If he gets a share of this disease he’ll learn self-control.

[Exit PHAIDRA into palace.]

Theseus finds a tablet in his dead wife’s hand. It falsely accuses Hippolytos of raping her. Hippolytos denies the accusation and stresses his chastity. His father Theseus refuses to believe him and resolves to send him into exile.

THESEUS.

PHEU [cry] the human mind! To what lengths will it not go?

Where will its reckless impudence end?

For if it swells from life to life

and each one exceeds the one before in evildoing,

the gods will have to add another world to this one

to make room for the unjust and the bad.

Look at this man: my own son yet

he shames my bed! And stands denounced

by this dead woman

as plain and utter evil.

Show your face to your father, polluted as you are!

Are you the one who walks with gods as if you were something special?

You, the model of purity, uncut by sin?