 | Agis |  |
SCENE THE FOURTH.
Agis, Agesistrata, Agiziade, Anpharus, People.An.
Far from thy refuge, Agis, in the midst
Of such a throng, I did not think to find thee.
But yet more grateful witnesses than these
I could not wish to meet. I hither come
The will of Sparta to unfold to thee.
Agis.
It is ...
An.
Pacific.
Agis.
How?
An.
It breathes true peace,
If peace be not too adverse to thy views;
Or if at once security and greatness
Thou dost not seek in turbulence and discord.
Agis.
I ought not now to clear myself to thee:
Perhaps before them to whom I owe the homage,
Of this I shall acquit myself. Meanwhile,
What is this peace Leonidas proposes?
An.
Am I the monarch's messenger? I am
One of the ephori; in Sparta's name
Do I address thee. If thou now consent
149
(The true and wise ones,) and restore once more
Peace to the city, each new law of thine
Thyself condemning, Sparta, by my lips,
To-day restores to thee thy royal seat,
Which thou hast abdicated by thy flight.
Ages.
Agis ...
Agis.
I am thy son, oh mother; now
On me rely.—Thou, that in Sparta's name,
So that I make myself unworthy of it,
Offerest to me the throne, I pray thee take
This answer to Leonidas, that I
Would speak with him, ere to collected Sparta
I solemnly and finally appeal.
Agi.
I do beseech thee to my father go,
Oh Anpharus, and urge him to compliance.
Make him remember that he would not now
Be blest with life, had it not been for Agis;
That he to Agis as a consort gave
His much-loved only daughter ...
Agis.
Nothing else
Make him remember, than that we are both
The citizens of Sparta; and that now
The interest of all obliges him
To grant me audience.
An.
It is most uncertain
Whether he can or will confer with thee,
Till he has learn'd if his proposed conditions
Are by thyself rejected or embraced.
Agis.
He can, on no account, nor will he do it,
Refuse to hear me. I, from henceforth, quit
For ever my asylum: round my person
No train do I permit.—Spartans, to you
150
Here, undefended, innocent, alone,
Will I remain.—Anpharus, witness thou;
The time, the place, the circumstance, all now
Will be most opportune. Ere it be long,
I to this forum will return; and here
May the king not disdain to come to me.
I shall be here alone; but let him have
His satellites beside him; we shall be
By all the citizens of Sparta seen,
But shall not be by any of them heard.
An.
Since thou wilt have it so, I quickly fly
To bear the tidings to Leonidas.
| Agis | |