s youthful Mars whom they praise has hitherto been able to
please thee; he possessed thy heart; he lived under thy law; and to
praise his valor is to honor thy choice.

_Chimene._ Every one [else] can praise it with some justice; but for me
his praise is a new punishment. They aggravate my grief by raising him
so high. I see what I lose, when I see what he is worth. Ah! cruel
tortures to the mind of a lover! The more I understand his worth, the
more my passion increases; yet my duty is always the stronger [passion],
and, in spite of my love, endeavors to accomplish his destruction
[_lit._ to pursue his death].

_Infanta._ Yesterday, this duty placed thee in high estimation; the
struggle which thou didst make appeared so magnanimous, so worthy of a
noble heart, that everyone at the court admired thy resolution and
pitied thy love. But wilt thou believe in the advice of a faithful
friendship?

_Chimene._ Not to obey you would render me disloyal.

_Infanta._ What was justifiable then is not so to-day. Rodrigo now is
our sole support, the hope and the idol [_lit._ love] of a people that
worships him! The prop of Castile and the terror of the Moor! The King
himself recognizes [_lit._ is in agreement with] this truth, that thy
father in him alone sees himself recalled to life: and if, in fine, thou
wishest that I should explain myself briefly [_lit._ in two words],
thou art seeking in his destruction the public ruin. What! to avenge a
father, is it ever lawful to surrender one's country into the hands of
enemies? Against us is thy revenge lawful? And must we be punished who
had no share in the crime? After all, it is only that thou shouldest
espouse the man whom a dead father compelled thee to accuse; I myself
would wish to relieve thee of that desire [_lit._ take the desire of
that from thee]; take from him thy love, but leave us his life.

_Chimene._ Ah! it is not in me to have so much kindness; the duty which
excites me has no limit. Although my love pleads [_lit._ interests
itself] for this conqueror, although a nation worships him, and a King
praises him, although he be surrounded with the most valiant warriors, I
shall endeavor to crush his laurels beneath my [funereal] cypress.

_Infanta._ It is a noble feeling when, to avenge a father, our duty
assails a head so dear; but it is duty of a still nobler order when ties
of blood are sacrificed to the public [advantage]. No, believe me, it is
enough to quench thy lov