Pyrrhus arrives to make what apology he can to the princess he is abandoning. Despite the fact that their fathers arranged their marriage without love on either side, he says, he had every intention of keeping his promise to wed her. But his love of Andromache has proved too strong; he is marrying the Trojan slave; and Hermione cannot despise his infidelity more than he does.
Ironically, Hermione replies that the apology matches the affront, and she taunts Pyrrhus with his inconstancy and his contempt for his sworn oaths. Naturally he expects her to forgive him. He has killed so many people: Hector's old father, the young girl Polyxena: Who can refuse anything to such a hero?
Pyrrhus says he is pleased to discover that she is so indifferent to his action and that she, in fact, never loved him. Hermione bursts out, "I not love you? What did I feel, then?" For him she refused many other princes; out of love she endured his infidelities--even now, when he has so cruelly abandoned her, she may love him still. If he has any feeling for her, he will put off his wedding to Andromache, even for a day. But she sees he is impatient to rejoin his bride-to-be. He may go to the altar to profane his sacred oath to Hermione, but he should be careful: Even there, Hermione may stand in his way.
Phoenix warns Pyrrhus to take care, Hermione may take revenge. But Pyrrhus thinks only of rejoining Andromache.
