 | Semiramis |  |
SCENE THE FOURTH.
Manet Assures. To him enter Cedarus.ASSURES.
Well, faithful Cedarus, say, what success?
Say, will the seeds of hatred and rebellion
Which we have sown in men's distemper'd bosoms,
Will they spring up, will they ere long bring forth
The fruits of discord and intestine war?
CEDARUS.
I dare hope much, my lord—at length the people
Break their long silence, and, impress'd no more
By that dread awe in which the vaunted name
Of great Semiramis had bound their senses,
They now demand to know this empire's heir;
Say they must have a king to hold their scepter,
And that Semiramis must name Assures.
ASSURES.
O source of endless shame!—must then my glory,
My rank, my very fate, depend on her?
Was it for this, ye powers, I murder'd Ninus,
And, wading deeper thro' the sea of blood,
Cut off his infant son, and so removed
My only barrier to th'Imperial throne?
Have I done this to crawl in Babylon,
To be a subject?
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Check th'ignoble thought.
ASSURES.
Spite of myself I am compell'd to praise her;
For, Cedarus, I've seen this godlike woman,
When the vast empire like a drunkard reel'd,
And as a coward shook with rude commotion,
Into her hands take the disjointed rule,
With the sharp sword of justice mow oppression,
Stop all the various sources of corruption,
Silence the murmurers, stifle the tumults,
And with such art and wisdom mould the state,
That peace and order have embrac'd each other.
CEDARUS.
But now her genius grovels in the dust.
ASSURES.
Behold in me a mighty minister,
But robb'd of power; a prince but without subjects;
Encircled with high honours, yet dependant.
But woe befall her, if th'ungrateful woman
Drives to extremes her desperate confederate.
| Semiramis | |