£ H A O N. 



Phaon.] How ? Thou art Nireus ? 



Nireus, whom Aglae to Charopus bore, 

 Nireus, in faultlefs fhape and blooming grace^ 

 The lovelier! youth of all the grecian race ; 

 Pelides only matclid his early charms ; 



Nireus.] But few his troops, and fmall his ftrength 

 in arms. 



Phaon, with an air of felf-fatisfaflion.] I am not fo 

 vain as to compare myfelf with thee — though, by 

 Caftor ! there was no want of flatterers who called me 

 the Nireus of the age, the fecond Hyacinthus, and 

 Adonis returned to life. And I do not even fcruple to 

 confefs that there were moments when I could fcarceiy 

 truft myfelf to look into a fountain, for fear of meeting 

 with the fate of NarcifTus. 



Nireus afide7\ The naufeous creature ! 



Phaon.] Let me embrace thee, beautiful Nireus ! I 

 feem to perceive myfelf in thee — let me embrace thee ! 



Nireus, drawing backwards.'] Thou art too precipi- 

 tate, Phaon ! 



Phaon, thoughtfully^] Alas, alas ! What a fudden 

 transformation ! As I hope for favour from Venus, it 

 is all a myftery to me ] 



Nireus.] I underftand it perfectly. 



Phaon.] But didft thou not fay, that on thy firft 

 coming hither, thou hadft the fame experience ? Yet 

 thou haft recovered thy priftine comelinefs. Oh, tell 

 me, beautiful Nireus, is there then no hope left for 

 me, that I mall again at leaft become what once I 

 was ? 



Nireus.] May the good gods preferve thee from it ! 



g g 3 Phaon.] 



