EPILOGUE TO PHÆDRA. Matthew Prior Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T075639 Prior, Matthew, 1664-1721. Poems on Several Occasions [English poems only]. London Printed for JACOB TONSON at Shakespear's-Head over against Katharine-Street in the Strand, and JOHN BARBER upon Lambeth-Hill. MDCCXVIII. 1718 pp. 274-276. [42],506,[6]p.: ill.; 2°.

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EPILOGUE TO PHÆDRA . Spoken by Mrs. Oldfield , who acted Ismena . Ladies , to Night your Pity I implore For One , who never troubled You before : An Oxford-Man , extreamly read in Greek , Who from Euripides makes Phædra speak ; And comes to Town , to let Us Moderns know , How Women lov'd two thousand Years ago . If that be all , said I , e'en burn your Play : I' gad ! We know all that , as well as They : Show Us the youthful , handsome Charioteer , Firm in his Seat , and running his Career ; Our Souls would kindle with as gen'rous Flames , As e'er inspir'd the antient Grecian Dames : Ev'ry Ismena would resign her Breast ; And ev'ry dear Hippolytus be blest . But , as it is , Six flouncing Flanders Mares Are e'en as good , as any Two of Theirs ; And if Hippolytus can but contrive To buy the gilded Chariot ; John can drive . Now of the Bustle You have seen to Day , And Phædra's Morals in this Scholar's Play , Something at least in Justice should be said : But this Hippolytus so fills One's Head — Well ! Phædra liv'd as chastly as She cou'd , For she was Father Jove's own Flesh and Blood . Her aukward Love indeed was odly fated : She and her Poly were too near related : And yet that Scruple had been laid aside , If honest Theseus had but fairly dy'd : But when He came , what needed He to know , But that all Matters stood in Statu quo ? There was no harm , You see ; or grant there were : She might want Conduct ; but He wanted Care . 'Twas in a Husband little less than rude , Upon his Wife's Retirement to intrude — He should have sent a Night or two before , That He would come exact at such an Hour : Then He had turn'd all Tragedy to Jest ; Found ev'ry Thing contribute to his Rest ; The Picquet-Friend dismiss'd , the Coast all clear , And Spouse alone impatient for her Dear . But if these gay Reflections come too late , To keep the guilty Phædra from her Fate ; If your more serious Judgment must condemn The dire Effects of her unhappy Flame : Yet , Ye chaste Matrons , and Ye tender Fair , Let Love and Innocence engage your Care : My spotless Flames to your Protection take ; And spare poor Phædra , for Ismena's sake .