Page:Poems of Anne Countess of Winchilsea 1903.djvu/105

 INTRODUCTION ci ���a not altogether unintelligible distate for the abundant, self- conscious, successful virtue blooming about him. �Aristomenes follows the fashion set by Dryden, Lee, and Otway, in presenting as its hero a noted historical character. �Most of the events and most of the personages Aristomenes ... ....,, �come with little change from the narrative of �Pausanias, but Ardelia successfully manipulates dates and places in such a way as to bring the more picturesque por- tions of the life of Aristomenes very nearly within the compass prescribed by the unities, and that without too great sacrifice of probability or ordered sequence. The escape of Aristo- menes from the cave by means of the fox, and his rescue through the assistance of Amalintha, the daughter of his enemy, are cleverly made parts of a single incident, and Amalintha' s act is motived by the love she bears Aristor, the son of Aristomenes. This love is also elaborated into one of the sub-intrigues, another being the love between Demagetus, son to the Prince of Rhodes, and Herminia, daughter to Aristomenes. The play is curiously constructed, all the complications of the two subordinate love-stories hav- ing reached an apparently happy termination before the fifth act, and the hero, likewise, having succeeded in his contest with Sparta. But then a new set of cir- cumstances brings about a tragic end. Ardelia calls this play "wholly tragical," but till near the end it certainly moves likes a tragi-comedy. The real purpose of the play is to present the character rather than the fortunes of Aris- tomenes. He is shown in success and in failure, in joy and in sorrow, always with the intent that he may prove himself the best of men and serve as an incitement to virtue and to wisdom. He is the Aubusson of Love and Innocence. We see him idolized by the soldiers, loved and reverenced by his children, adored by the people. In war he is a lion. In captivity he speaks out brave words of defiance. His ��� �