University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

—A SQUARE BEFORE THE PALACE.
Trumpets sounding a dead march. Lysimachus led prisoner, Parisatis, Eumenes, Perdiccas, and Guards.
Par.
Stay, my Lysimachus! a moment stay!
Oh, whither art thou going?—Hold a moment!
Unkind! thou know'st my life was wrapt in thine,
Why would'st thou then to worse than death expose me?

Lysi.
Oh, may'st thou live in joys without allay!
Grant it, ye gods! a better fortune waits thee;
Live and enjoy it—'tis my dying wish;
While to the grave the lost Lysimachus
Alone retires, and bids the world adieu.

Pari.
Even in that grave will Parisatis join thee;
Yes, cruel man! not death itself shall part us;
A mother's pow'r, a sister's soft'ning tears,
With all the fury of a tyrant's frown,
Shall not compel me to outlive thy loss.

Lysi.
Were I to live till nature's self decay'd,
This wond'rous waste of unexampled love
I never could repay—Oh, Parisatis!
Thy charms might fire a coward into courage;
How must they act then on a soul like mine?
Defenceless and unarm'd, I fight for thee,
And may, perhaps, compel th'astonish'd world,
And force the king, to own that I deserve thee.
Eumenes, take the princess to thy charge:
Away, Perdiccas, all my soul's on fire.

[Exeunt.