University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

Zethan and the guards drawn up.
Zeth.
Soldiers! let every man of you be ready
To aid the hero in his enterprize;
Prepare your sabres for an instant action,
Should fate demand it, strike the blow with vigour,
'Tis the last blow of victory or death.

[Enter Almanzor.]
All.
Almanzor!

Alm.
Yes, Almanzor comes before you,
And begs you to secure him from destruction.
Yes, I entreat you, guards, by all that heav'n
Or earth contains, to aid me 'gainst the traitor.

All.
No aid for thee! already we've decided.

Alm.
Is this your kindness, soldiers! to your prince,
To one, who long has been your benefactor,
By whom the choicest gifts have been bestow'd
In rich profusion on your thankless heads?
Can you not pity one, who pitied you?
Can you rebel against your king and master,
And with such deeds as this repay his kindness?
How will you feel to see me mangled, butcher'd
And weltering in my gore? will no compunction
Harass your bosoms, will the sight be pleasant,
Or will you weep to see Almanzor's corpse?

Zeth.
Whine on, thou boy; think'st thou we've hearts like women?

Alm.
Know I'm thy prince! Know I am great Almanzor!
Treat not Granada's prince with such disdain;
I bid you ground your arms and learn submission.

Zeth.
Thinkst thou we listen to such idle words?

Alm.
Remember I have often been your leader,
Think of the deeds of valour we have done,
When hand in hand we fought our country's foes.
And shall my valour be forgotten quite,
Can't it at least excite your admiration?
What is in Zamor more than in Almanzor?
He's brave and so am I; he fears not death,
Nor shall Almanzor ever start at dying.
But is he not the son of fickle fortune,
Blown by the sudden breath of prosperous deeds
To all his glory, while I am a prince,
From a long line of brave and glorious kings,
Nobly descended?

Zeth.
Talk no more of that!
What care we for the splendour of a crown;
It is the valorous soul, that makes one noble.

Alm.
Soldiers! remember well the sack of Murcia!
Think how we mounted o'er that horrid breach,
Where every shape of death was visible!
Did you behold me tremble? did you mark
The slightest perturbation in my features?
And when the Spaniards, in their latest fury
Of desperation, rous'd their utmost strength
And drove it full against our band of heroes,
When every man of you shrunk back with fear,
Did I then yield an inch? no, tho' the bravest
Then shook like cowards, I withstood the foe,
And by my firmness gain'd that glorious day.
Look at me and admire your valiant leader!
Him, who was fearless, when you all were cowards,
And learn to be submissive to his word.

All.
Remove him from our sight! he'll change our purpose.

Alm.
I'll never leave this place, till I prevail.
No, traitors, you shall never pass this limit,
But o'er my corpse. Oh! are you not asham'd
Of this vile treason? shall your well-earn'd fame
Be darken'd by such hellish deeds as this?
Spurn, spurn the traitor, who would shroud your glory
In treason, rise superior to his pow'r
And show the world the brave are ever faithful.

All.
Leave us! nor longer shake our fix'd design.

Alm.
No, I will never leave you till I die,
You ne'er shall drive me from this point, till death
Has clos'd my eyes forever: can you think,
Base rebels! that I tremble at your sabres?
I fear not death! come on with all your rage,
I stand a rock unmov'd amid your fury;
Here is my bosom, 'tis Almanzor's bosom,
Let him, who chooses, pierce it to the heart.

All.
This is too much; no, we will never harm thee.
Hail to the Prince, the noble, brave Almanzor;
Death to the traitor, who would make us rebels
And shade our fame with an eternal gloom.