 | Demophoon |  |
SCENE IV.
Demophoonalone.
Must all insult me thus? yon' haughty princess,
My daring subject, and rebellious son?
'Tis time to vindicate my slighted power.
Guards, see that Dirce be without delay
Led to the sacrifice: from her proceed
My son's presumption, and her father's guilt:
But were she innocent, she must not live;
117
And these Timanthes never will complete
Till death remove his Dirce. When the state
May be preserv'd, 'tis just to sacrifice
One life, tho' guiltless, for the general good.
Thus the swain, who lops away
Some superfluous flower or bough,
Hopes to see, a future day,
The plant or tree more lovely grow.
Some superfluous flower or bough,
Hopes to see, a future day,
The plant or tree more lovely grow.
Sense and reason must beware
One more favour'd part to cherish,
When the whole, without our care,
May for want of moisture perish.
One more favour'd part to cherish,
When the whole, without our care,
May for want of moisture perish.
[Exit.
| Demophoon | |