University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

An open space near the walls of the city, with halfruined houses on each side, and a row of arched pillars thrown across the middle of the stage, as if it were the remains of some ruined public building; through which is seen, in the background, a breach in the walls, and the confused fighting of the besieged, enveloped in clouds of smoke and dust. The noise of artillery, the battering of engines, and the cries of the combatants heard as the curtain draws up, and many people discovered on the front of the stage, running about in great hurry and confusion, and some mounted upon the roofs of the houses overlooking the battle.
Voice
(calling from the wall).
See! see! how, cluster'd on each other's backs,
They mount like swarming bees, or locusts link'd
In bolt'ring heaps! Pour fire upon their heads!

2d voice.
Cast down huge beams upon them!

3d voice.
Hurl down the loosen'd fragments of our wall!

4th voice.
Ho! more help here! more stones! more beams! more fire!
Weapons are useless now.

1st voice.
See how that giant Turk, like an arch fiend,
Climbs on you living mountain of curved backs!
He gains the wall! O hurl him headlong down!
He is hurl'd down.

[A great shout from the besieged.
2d voice.
Send to the emperor or to Rodrigo:
They on their diff'rent stations hold it bravely;
This is the weakest point. Ho! send for aid!

[Exeunt several soldiers from the walls, as if running for succour. The noise of artillery, &c. is heard as before, and afterwards a loud crash as of some building falling. Enter many people in great terror from the walls, running off by the front of the stage different ways, and enter at the same time Constantine and some of his friends, who stop them.
Con.
Turn, turn! O turn, my friends! another push!
Let us still stop the breach, or fall like men.
[Enter Justiniani from the walls with a hasty and disordered step, pale and writhing with pain.
Merciful heav'n! do mine eyes serve me truly?
Justiniani, with pale haggard face,
Retiring from his post!
Where are you going, chief!

[Stopping him sternly.
Just.
Where nature, urged beyond the pith of nature,
Compels me. 'Midst yon streams of liquid fires,
And hurling ruins and o'erwhelming mass
Of things unknown, unseen, uncalculable,
All arms and occupation of a soldier
Are lost and turn'd to nought: man's strength is nought:
The fangs of hell are in my new-torn flesh:
I must on for a space and breathe fresh air.

Con.
Go to! this moment is the quiv'ring ridge
That stands between our success or our ruin:—
The sight of thy turn'd back from their screw'd pitch
Will turn more hearts than all the pressing foe:
Thou must not go.

Just.
I am a mortal man:
The fangs of fiends are in my new-torn flesh:
Nature compels me, and I must have succour.

[Exit hastily, and writhing with pain.
Con.
Alas! God pity him! one luckless moment
Of weakness and of anguish brings to him
A wound that cannot be up-bound. Poor nature!
[Enter many fugitives from the walls.
Turn, turn! O soldiers! let not this shame be! [To the fugitives.
[As he is endeavouring with his friends to rally them and push forward, a terrible shout is heard, and enter a great crowd of fugitives from the walls.

What shout was that?

Fugitive.
The Turks have gained the breach, and through it pour
Like an o'erboiling flood.

Con.
Then is the city lost—the dark hour come—
And as an emperor my task is closed.
God's will be done!
[Throwing away the imperial purple.
Now is there left for me these sinew'd arms,
And this good sword, the wherewithal to earn
A noble soldier's death.
Come on with me who will, and share the fate
Of a brave comrade.

A fugitive
(joined by several others).
Yes, we'll share thy fate,
Comrade or sov'reign, noble Constantine!
We will die by thy side.

[Exit Constantine, followed by his friends and several of the fugitives, and passing through the pillars to the background, rushes amidst the confusion of the fight. A terrible noise of arms, &c. and presently one of the pillars in the middle of the stage falling down, a wider view of the battle is opened, and the Turks are seen rushing through the breach, and bearing every thing before them.
Re-enter Constantine wounded, but still fighting bravely, though oppressed with numbers, and falls down near the front of the stage, the enemy passing on and leaving him.
Con.
Am I then left?
Oh, is there ne'er a Christian soldier near me
That will cut off my head? Ho! thou Turk there!

[To a Turk who is going to pass him.
Turk.
Art thou not dead?

Con.
No, one half of me, Turk, is living still,
[Raising himself half up from the ground.
And still a match for thee.

Turk.
Ha! sayst thou so? we'll put it to the proof.
Yet thou'rt a brave man, though thou art a Greek,
I would far rather let thee die in peace.

Con.
No, no! have at thee!
[Pushing at the Turk with his sword, who, turning against him as he is half raised from the ground, thrusts him through the body.
I thank thee, friendly foeman, this will do:
Thou hast done me good service.

Turk.
And thou art welcome to it. Fare thee well!
A good death to thee! for thou art no Greek.

[Exit.
Con.
Ay, this will do: this hath the true stern gripe
Of potent speedy death. My task is closed.
I now put off these weeds of flesh and blood,
And, thanks be unto Him who clothed me in them!
Untarnish'd with disgrace. What cometh after
Full surely cometh well. 'Tis a dark pass.—
[Catching at a dropped garment that has been left by some of the fugitives on the ground near him.
Here is a ready shround to wrap my head:
This death deals shrewdly with me.

[Covers his face and dies, after a considerable struggle.
Enter Rodrigo, Othus, and Marthon, with two or three of their followers, fighting bravely with a party of Turks, whom they beat off the stage.
Othus.
Now for a space those ruffians stand aloof:
This is a pause that calls upon the mind:
What shall we do?

Rod.
How do men act, when they together stand,
On the last perch of the swift-sinking wreck?
Do they not bravely give their parting cheer,
And make their last voice loud and boldly sound
Amidst the hollow roarings of the storm?
E'en so will we: we'll bear our manhood up
To the last push.

Othus.
Thou speakest well, brave seaman: thou dost speak
What the heart owns: we will do even so.
But oh, that our brave leader now were near us,
Living or dead! Doth no one know his fate?
I thought by him to have died.

1st fol.
What corpse is this so cover'd? on its sandal
It wears th' imperial bird in fretted gold.

Othus.
Then it is he!
[Tearing off the covering eagerly from the head of Constantine.
O thou brave heart! thou hast gone to thy rest
With honour. Heav'n be praised that thou hast!
Here round thee our last gathering point shall be:
Here will we fight, nor shall thy honour'd body
Suffer, whilst one of us has strength to fight,
The slightest insult.

Rod.
Ay, they shall hack us into raven's meat,
Ere on his gallant corpse there be impress'd
One touch of impious hands!

[A loud noise of shrieking and terror heard without.
Othus.
Hear the wild cries of terror and despair,
Mix'd with the din of carnage! Now those cowards,
Who let this brave man all unaided perish,
Are suff'ring that which, in his fellest pinch,
The valiant never suffers.
But see, the enemy again returns
With doubled fury!

Rod.
Come they? then we are ready for them. Yonder
Stands a small walled dome, within whose portal
We for a time may face ten thousand foes:
There will we take our stand, and there will we
Do our last deeds of men. Come on, brave mates!
Take up our honour'd treasure; and, so burden'd,
He that doth grapple with us had as lief
Pull from the lion's hug his bosom'd whelp.

[The followers take up the body, and Othus and Rodrigo retire, defending it bravely from a party of Turks, who enter and fall upon them as they are bearing it off.