University of Virginia Library

LV. A Dialogue between Alexander, Calisthenes, and Statyra .

Alex.
By Heav'n! I vow,
I ever did believe till now,
All sublunary pow'rs did to my Scepter bow,
And Majesty did triumph only in my brow,
But since I have this Captive view'd,
A new dominion does intrude,
And I conclude,
We Conquerours may by the Conquer'd be subdu'd.

Cal.
What means this transportation? Sir is all
The Gods and I have done for you too small
To satisfy your appetite withall?

Alex.
Oh! Love! I must resigne
This inconsiderable rule of mine,
To that unbounded sway of thine!

Cal.
Command this cowardly passion to leave you,
for it will but deceive you.
Why should you dye a Martyr in amorous fire?
'Tis too much below man
To doat on a Woman,
And dye,
Like a flye,
In the flames of desire.

Alex.
'Tis not great courage or good parts,
(Though you, Calisthenes, of both have store)
Can shield our breasts against Love's Darts,
The more our courage is and witt, our Love's so much the more.
The Warrier must lay down his Armes,
The Monarch must vail his Crown,
Both being subject to Loves Armes,
Must to Loves pow'r bow down.

Cal.
Love is but a Wildfire got into the brain,
That Prince that has power and yet will refrain,
Is happy, and happy, and happy again.

Alex.
Fair Conqueress of the World and me!
My Laurel I resigne,
And am become a prisoner now to thee,
Being captivated by those eyes,
The gaudy wealth of Persia I despise,
Ambitious only now to bee,
Thy Captive as thou hast bin mine.

Stat.
Victorious Monarch! whose great name,
Tires out the restless tongue of fame,
Your unexampled actions to proclaim!
Who when you do but come and view,
All other Princes can subdue;
And make them yield their Empires up to you!
O let it ne'r be truly said;
Great Alexander did upbraid,
And triumph ore a wretched Captive maid!
That were a cruelty below
Your great and generous soul to show
And more then our frail Sex can undergo.

Alex.
Can love be cruel?

Stat.
What is Love?

Cal.
'Tis something men fancy to come from above,
Which over-rules their Reason.
'Tis of the same nature which Fayries and Elves,
A Deity Mortals have fain'd to themselves:
And though Poets bring him from Heav'n, we know
His generation is from below
The Girdle—

Alex.
Oh! forbear, forbear!
I can no longer endure to hear
This blasphemy and treason!

Cal.
If it be so, 'tis as you make it,
What's done or said, is good or bad
As the beholders or the hearers take it.

Alex.
Come, my Satyra, never minde
What old and surly Souldiers say,
Love must be deaf as well blinde,
To all that stops him in his way,
You'r happy if you are but kinde
And lay aside the customary Nay,
Next to denyal nothing can torment more then delay.

Stat.
I have not art enough to know
What I should do;
If I deny,
I dye.
Being now wholly in your power,
'Tis an imprudence to deny,
When I nor can defend my self, nor fly.
And if my heart I cast
Upon your love, that's but a blast,
And your high flame's extinguish'd in an hour.

Alex.
No (my Satyra) nere suspect,
I'll ever slight, where once I did affect,
The Sun, your Persian God, may cease to move,
But Alexander can ne'r cease to love.

Stat.
Spoke like your self, but oh! my merit
Is farr below so great a Spirit.

Alex.
I have you in my pow'r 'tis true,
And can command you whom I woe,
But oh! the Conquest of a heart
Transcends all Souldiers pow'r and Art.
'Tis for that, for that I sue.
Your face and body's nothing without you.

Shee kneels, Alex. takes her up and Exeunt.