 | Philip |  |
Scene II.
—A room in the Palace.(Philip, seated upon the throne; with Lysimachus and Onomastes upon lower seats at either hand. Perseus and Demetrius stand on opposite sides, attended by their respective friends.)
Onomastes.
Under submission, my dread liege,—thus read,—
And truth-like most it seems,—the blacker stain
Flies from the charge,—and leaves upon the prince
No spot save such as . . .
Philip.
Truth-like may it seem,
And yet be false as hell!
Dem.
'Tis true as heaven!
And the foul charge as foolish, as 'tis foul!
My true offence is that I'm loved at Rome:—
With this you taunt me, father; and call crime,
What ought to be my glory. I sought not,
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To be sent thither. When you gave command,
I but obeyed;—and such my conduct there
As, humbly do I hope, reflected not
Upon yourself, your crown, or country, aught
That honour censures. 'Tis yourself, my father,
That have my friendship with the Romans caused:
While you're at peace, that friendship will subsist:
But, at the war's first signal, it will die,
And I'll proclaim our enmity. Our love
In peace was born, and cannot live in war.
If, father, towards yourself I lack respect;
Or, if against my brother . . .
Philip.
Stay,—enough!
Who'd be a father, seeing sons like mine,
That should be staffs whereon his age might lean,
Turned into rods to bruise him!—Brothers? Asps!
A false accuser this, or that a wretch
Unfit to live, who would his brother's life
Have taken from him! But I know you now.
Upon my throne both turn your guilty eyes,
And just so long would suffer me to live,
That, by surviving one of you, I hold
The crown for th' other . . .
Dem.
Never such a thought . . .
Philip.
Silence, presumptuous boy! May the king speak?
Demetrius, and Perseus,—not from words,
Or from such hasty trial, will I pass
On this affair my sentence, but from all
Your other actions, small as well as great,
And from your general carriage, which shall be
O'erlooked with keenest scrutiny. Go now,
And, if you can, in heart, as well as name,
Be brothers.
Perseus.
I would be so.
Dem.
Would you were!
[Exeunt, on opposite sides, Perseus and Demetrius, and their partisans.
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He's clear of this;—yet fouled with what is worse:
His heart's a traitor, for it clings to Rome.
Oh wretched Philip! cursed with sons like these!—
My reverend friends, I thank you,—ere the night
I'll farther speak with you. As you pass hence,
Bid the lord Dymas here.
Onom.
Our love and duty
Are ever at your bidding.
Lysim.
And our prayers
Are for your good success.
Philip.
Farewell. I thank you.
[Exeunt Lysimachus and Onomastes.
He shall not live, if I do prove him false.
By heaven! I'd pluck my heart from out my breast,
Could it conspire with Rome;—and shall my son
Be dearer than the very seat of life?
(Enter Dymas.)
Come hither, Dymas. I believe thee true;—
Single of heart,—and with no party leagued
To warp thy judgment, or thy virtue taint.
Dymas.
Your majesty too deeply honours me.
Philip.
Not more than thy deserts. I have a task,
That, for its proper execution, asks
A pure and upright soul; a wary eye,
Observing all things,—and a judgment ripe.
These qualities are thine.
Dymas.
My gracious liege!
Philip.
Speak not; but hear me. For some certain end,—
Not now to be disclosed,—I would make proof
If, from the top of Hæmus, all that stretch,
Incredible, of prospect may be seen.
'Tis said, the Black Sea, and the Adriatic—
The Danube, and the cloud-surmounting Alps,
And the vast, beauteous plains of Italy,—
All lie within the scope of that hill's ken.
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I've heard 'tis so, my liege.
Philip.
That will I prove:
And, to that end, to-morrow shall set forth.
With me goes Perseus; but Demetrius stays:
Him to thy special charge do I consign.
Watch every motion;—dive into his soul;—
Hear his discourse;—and lead him on to speak
His unrestricted mind;—and, when he halts,
And looks suspicious,—then do thou speak first,
What he would seem to ponder.—When he grieves,
Do thou be sorrowful;—and, when he laughs,
Be thou his echo.—If he talk of Rome,
Do thou out-go him when he praises most:
If of his brother, let his deepest hate
Find thine yet deeper;—so his very heart
Shall lie for us to read;—and, of his guilt,
Or innocence, assured,—our future course
Shall, with unhesitating step, be trod,
Acquitting, or condemning.
Dymas.
My dread liege!
The subject lives but in his monarch's smile:—
And every sense and faculty he owns
Is his but as an instrument to use
In his great master's service.—Your command
Truly will I obey:—yet in such fear,
Knowing my weakness,—and this mighty task,—
As that I'd gladly to some stronger back
Have left the valued burthen. But 'tis mine;
And I will labour in it.
Philip.
Be a spy—
Not a seducer. Tell the guilt thou seest—
But, make none.—'Tis a fearful trust thou hast:
A prince's life,—a monarch's happiness,
Lie in thy hand. If other than the truth
Thy tongue shall tell:—if bribe, or party zeal,—
Or any base advantage of thine own,
Sway thee to falsehood,—there's no plague in hell
Horrid enough to pay thee.—Look well to't.
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My gracious liege . . .
Philip.
No, no; I doubt thee not,
I do but warn thee. On the strongest bridge
We tread with caution when a gulf's below.
Were I to doubt thee,—doubt must quickly change
To strong assurance. Monarchs do not toy
With traitors, proved, or dreamed of. Fare thee well—
Yet stay a moment.—Look thou leave not aught
To uncertain memory, that may disguise,
Or alter, or distort what once was plain.—
Keep thou a tablet, where each word and deed,
Fresh in thine ear, or eye, may be fixed down,
For me to ponder on.—He is my son:
Heaven grant he prove not false!—And yet, if true,
His truth makes Perseus false!—Accursëd Rome!
All is thy doing. Oh! Eternal Gods!
Give but one hour of conquest; and, all else,
Refuse me if you will.
[Exit.
Dymas.
Demetrius—
Thy fate is in my hands; and thou must fall.
I do not hate thee;—nay, I honor thee:—
But, plucking thee from thy bright eminence,
I may myself uplift even to that height
From which thou fallest.—Power and honor call,
And I must follow them. Good—I would be;—
Great—must be. So farewell Demetrius.
I'll lead thee to the precipice's brow;—
Philip shall hurl thee down.
[Exit.
| Philip | |