er, and not to the very marrow of the soul: and
the affections of the mind should be dissoluble, and so that we can slacken
them, or tighten.[9] But that one soul should feel pangs for two, as I now
grieve for her, is a heavy burden. The concerns of life carried to too
great an extent, they say, bring rather destruction than delight, and are
rather at enmity with health. Thus I praise what is in extreme less than
_the sentiment of_ "Nothing in excess;" and the wise will agree with me.

CHOR. O aged woman, faithful nurse of the queen Phaedra, we see indeed the
wretched state of this lady, but it is not clear what her disease is: but
we would wish to inquire and hear from you.

NUR. I know not by my inquiries; for she is not willing to speak.

CHOR. Nor what is the origin of these pangs?

NUR. You come to the same result; for she is silent with regard to all
these things.

CHOR. How feeble she is, and wasted away as to her body!

NUR. How could it be otherwise, seeing that she has abstained from food
these three days?

CHOR. From the violence of her calamity is it, or does she endeavor to die?

NUR. To die; but she fasts to the dissolution of her life.

CHOR. An extraordinary thing you have been telling me, if this conduct
meets the approbation of her husband.

NUR. [He nothing knows,] for she conceals this calamity, and denies that
she is ill.

CHOR. But does he not guess it, looking into her face?

NUR. [How should he?] for he is out of this country.

CHOR. But do you not urge it as a matter of necessity, when you endeavor to
ascertain her disease and the wandering of her senses?

NUR. I have tried every thing, and have made no further advances. I will
not however abate even now from my zeal, so that you being present may bear
witness with me, how I behave to my mistress when in calamity--Come, dear
child, let us both forget our former conversations; and be both thou more
mild, having smoothed that contracted brow, and altered the bent of your
design; and I giving up that wherein I did not do right to follow thee,
will have recourse to other better words. And if indeed you are ill with
any of those maladies that are not to be mentioned, these women here can
allay the disease: but if it may be related to men, tell it, that the thing
may be mentioned to physicians.--Well! why art thou silent? It doth not
behoove thee to be silent, my child, but either shouldst thou convict me,
if aught I say amiss, or yield