Racine: Phaedra

LIFE A DREAM 221
Three chidren ; one a son, Basilio,
Who wears—long may he wear !—the crown of Poland
And daughters twain : of whom the elder was
Your mother, Clorilena, now some while
Exalted to a more than mortal throne
And Recisunda, mine, the younger sister,
Who, married to the Prince of Muscovy,
Gave me the light which may she live to see
Herself for many, many years to come.
Meanwhile, good King Basilio, as you know,
Deep in abstruser studies than this world.
And busier with the stars than lady's eyes,
Has never by a second marriage yet
Replaced, as Poland ask'd of him, the heir
An early marriage brought and took away
His young queen dying with the son she bore him:
And in such alienation grow so old
As leaves no other hope of heir to Poland
Than his two sisters' children ; you, fair cousin,
And me ; for whom the Commons of the realm
Divide themselves into two several factions
Whether for you, the elder sister's child
Or me, born of the younger, but, they say,
My natural prerogative of man
Outweighing your priority of birth.
Which discord growing loud and dangerous,
Our uncle, King Basilio, doubly sage
In prophesying and providing for
The future, as to deal with it when come,
Bids us here meet to-day in solemn council
Our several pretensions to compose.
And, but the martial outburst that proclaims
His coming, makes all further parley vain.
Unless my bosom, by which only wise
I prophesy, now wrongly prophesies.
By such a happy compact as I dare
But glance at till the Royal Sage declare.
Enter King Basilio with his Council.
All.—The King! God save the King!