14 ION ; A TRAGEDY. 



The common life which every slave endures, 

 And meanly clings to ? No ; within yon walla 

 I shall resume the banquet, never more 

 Broken by man's intrusion. Councillors, 

 Farewell ! go mutter treason till ye perish ! 



A conspiracy is formed to liberate Argos from the sway of the 

 guilty and now heaven-accused tyrant, in which heaven prompts Ion 

 to take a share. Chance allots to Ion the post of honour and danger, 

 as the king's destroyer, and he receives at the altar the knife conse- 

 crated " to untrembling service against the king of Argos and his 

 race." Phocion's lot calls him to second Ion if he should prove faint- 

 hearted. Meanwhile, by the agency of a slave, Irus, the proof of 

 Ion's true and royal lineage is established, on hearing which Cle- 

 manthe, not ignorant of the conspiracy (for her fears had led her 

 to track Ion to the rendezvous) wildly urges her father to stop or pre- 

 vent the act of parricide, and prevails on him to seek the palace 

 whither Ion was to strike the blow of death to Adrastus and freedom 

 to Argos. The scene in which Ion wakes the sleeping monarch, and 

 bids him prepare for death, and the recognition of Ion, through 

 Medon, is, if we mistake not, the finest in the whole Play. Its earlier 

 portion only is here given. Adrastus is asleep and Ion enters with a 

 knife. We refer our readers to pp. 80 84 of the work. 



Ion's purpose is stayed ; but vengeance follows Adrastus from the 

 dagger of another conspirator, whose parent had fallen a victim to 

 the king's bloody tyranny. Ion re-enters, supporting his wounded 

 father, and is pronounced " king of Argos" by his dying lips. A 

 king indeed is Ion, a king too, patriot enough to save his country 

 by his own death. This high bearing and stern resolution to die for 

 Argos'disarms the enmity of the foes of Adrastus's race, and arrests 

 the assassin arm of his friend Phocion. The scene in which this as- 

 sassination is attempted is certainly one of the grandest passages that 

 we ever read in any play, and affords scope for the highest powers of 

 tragic representation. 



[Enter PHOCION behind, who strikes at ION with a dagger.'] 

 Phocion. This to the king of Argos ! 



[!ON struggles with him, seizes the dagger, which he throws away.~\ 

 Ion. I will not fall by thee, poor wavering novice 

 In the assassin's trade thy arm is feeble 

 Phocion ! was this well aim'd ? thou didst not mean 

 Phocion. I meant to take thy life, urged by remembrance 



Of yesterday's great vow. 

 Ion. And couldst thou think 



/ had forgotten ? 

 Phocion. Thou ? 



Ion. Couldst thou believe, 



That one whose nature had been arm'd to stop 

 The life-blood's current in a fellow's veins N 



Would hesitate when gentler duty turn'd 

 His steel to nearer use ? To-morrow's dawn 

 Shall see me wield the sceptre of my fathers ; 

 Come, watch beside my throne, and, if 1 fail 

 In sternest duty which my country needs, 

 My bosom will be open to thy steel, 

 As now to thy embrace ! 

 Phocion. Thus let me fall 



