University of Virginia Library

Scene the First.

A Council-Table: the King of Scythia seated on a Throne, Officers Attendands, and Guards.
King.
Bring the fair Prisoner forth, and let's examine
What Reasons could inspite her with this cruelty?
—How beautiful she is!

[Gazes on her.
Enter Cleomena, in Fetters, Lysander with the Guard.
Cleo.
Thy silence seems to license me to speak,
And tell thee King that now our faults are equal;
My Father thou hast kill'd, and I thy Son;
This will suffice to tell thee who I am:
—Now take my Life since I have taken his,
And thou shalt see I neither will implore
Thy needless Clemency by word or sign:
But if my Birth or Sex can merit ought,
Suffer me not to languish any longer
Under these shameful Irons.

[With scorn.
King.
Cruel as fair, 'tis with too much Injustice
Thou sayst our Crimes are equal;
For thou hast kill'd a Prince that did adore thee;
And I depriv'd thy Father of his life
When he assaulted mine in open field,
And so, as cannot leave a stain on thee,
Or give the Cause to say I've done thee wrong.
But if I had, wherefore (oh cruel Maid)
Didst thou not spare that Heart that di'd for thee,
And bend thy Rage against thy Father's Foe?
But thou well knew'st in killing of Thersander,
The Fathers life would quickly follow after.

Cleo.
I will not seek excuses for my actions,
But I protest to thee before the Gods,
It was not to revenge my self on thee
I kill'd thy Son;
But what he suffered was for his own sin,
For he has banisht from me all on earth
That could compleat my happiness—
[Weeps.
—And now dispose my destiny as you please,
Only remember that I am a Woman.

King.
What thou hast said will find but little credit:
—But yet—Thersander lives;
And if it please the Gods to spare that life,
I shall have generosity enough
To set thee free in favour of thy Sex
And my Thersanders love.

Cleo.
Not dead! why should the Gods protect him?

King.
Her Soul is sure possest with some despair:
Madam, I doubt you need not fear his life,
He will obey and die as you desire—
[Weeps.
But now with satisfaction till he see you
Conducted into Dacia.
I should not of my self have been so generous
T' have given you freedom with the life of him
Who did deserve a kinder destiny;
But 'tis his will,—and possibly his last,
Therefore you're free, and may depart this Camp
Whene'er you please; onely this favour grant,
(If an unhappy King may hope for any)
You'll suffer him to take his last farewell.

Weeps.
Cleo.
Immortal Gods! how can it be? a man
Whose wickedness arm'd me against his life,
Shou'd shew such virtue in the rest of's Actions!
—Sir, I will see the Prince,
Not as the price of what you offer'd me,
But that he may confess he did deserve
A death less glorious than I have given him:
And I shall take it well if he will own
That which may justifie my offence to you.

King.
Madam, I thank you—
—Dismiss her Fetters, and if she please
Let her have Garments suitable to her Sex,
Onely the Guards attend her at a distance.

[Go out severally.