Part 2, Act 4, Scene 2 Summary

Olympia speaks in a brief soliloquy about her grieving misery, and bemoans the lack of means and opportunity for killing herself. Theridimas comes in, saying he has been looking for her and eager to hear whether she will permit him to love her. She refuses, saying she grieves too intently for her husband and her son and begging him to kill her. Theridimas tries to convince her that if she gives in to him she will become a queen, but she says the idea holds no appeal for her. He threatens to take her by force, but she stalls him by offering what she describes as a rare ointment that repels any attack. Theridimas is skeptical, but Olympia says she can prove it. She puts the ointment on her throat and asks that he stab her. When Theridimas asks...