 | Zenobia |  |
SCENE III.
Zenobia, Zopyrus. Rhadamistus, who enters again unseen behind.Zen.
[entering.]
And yet I know not whither thou would'st lead me.
Zop.
Fear nothing: follow me.
Zen.
[aside.]
My heart presages
Some evil is at hand.
[stops.
Rhad.
[to himself.]
Behold her here,
And with her Zopyrus.—Awhile I'll listen,
And prove his truth.
[stands apart.
Zop.
[to Zen.]
What dost thou? Come, Zenobia,
I lead thee to thy husband.
Zen.
When, O! when
Shall we behold him? Zopyrus, but now
Thou feign'dst him little distant.—Long, ah! long
With thee I've stray'd in these bewildering paths,
And yet I see him not.
Zop.
Thou hast him present.
52
My husband present!—O! immortal Gods!
Say how—where is he?
Zop.
I—I am thy husband.
Zen.
Eternal Powers!
Rhad.
[apart.]
Ha!—let the traitor die—
No—let us first learn all th' extent of treason
His impious arts have plann'd.
[about to draw his sword and discover himself; he stops.
Zen.
And hast thou thus,
Thus dar'd to address the wife of Rhadamistus?
Zop.
I now address his widow.
Zen.
Heavenly Powers!
Does not my husband live?
Zop.
But now I sent him
To meet his certain death.
Rhad.
[apart.]
I burn with rage!
Zen.
O! perjur'd traitor! Is it thus thou keep'st
Thy plighted faith?
Zop.
In what have I deceiv'd thee?
Zen.
In what? And said'st thou not that Rhadamistus,
Or Tiridates must, by doom severe,
Be made a wretched victim?
Zop.
'Tis most true.
53
That I might one of these at choice elect,
And thou would'st to my tears ensure his safety?
Zop.
Even so.
Zen.
And did I not entreat thee then
To spare a husband's life?
Zop.
Thou say'st it well:
I swore to obey thee, and to keep my oath,
Preserv'd for thee a spouse in—Zopyrus.
Rhad.
[apart.]
I can no longer hold.
Zen.
O! wretched prince!
O! my betray'd, my murder'd Rhadamistus!
Zop.
In vain thou call'st on him, who now resides
Amongst the dead.
Rhad.
[discovering himself.]
Thou liest—he lives, thou traitor!
To be thy punishment.
Zop.
I am betray'd.
Zen.
My life! my lord!
Rhad.
Thou double traitor! thus—
[draws, and is about to attack him.
Zop.
Forbear, or by this hand Zenobia dies.
[draws a dagger with his right hand and seizes Zen. with his left, in act to strike her.
Rhad.
[stopping.]
What would'st thou do?
Zen.
O! cruel, cruel fortune!
54
I cannot curb the fury that impels me—
—Most impious wretch!
Zop.
If thou but mov'st a step,
Zenobia's dead.
Rhad.
What misery is mine!
Zen.
O! my lov'd spouse! since Heaven restores my fame,
Let not his threats affright thee—No, my blood
Shall from this bosom freely flow, if pure
The purple stream, my soul, from mortal bonds
Be gladly loos'd; if loos'd, she leave behind
Without a blush, this chaste, unsullied frame.
Rhad.
O! dearest part of me! O! lively pattern
Of loyalty and truth—to find thee thus,
And in such hands!—O! Zopyrus! have pity!
If still thou bear'st a sense of human feelings,
Some remnant of the man—Restore my wife:
I never, never will exact revenge;
I swear it here—forget, forgive thee all.
Zop.
O! no—I shall not trust thy plighted faith—
Depart and leave me.
Rhad.
By the immortal Gods—
Zop.
Depart—or see her perish.
Rhad.
Savage monster!
A fury worse than black Cocytus' fiends:
55
[advancing.
Zop.
Take heed—
[threatening Zen.
Rhad.
O! hold—Where art thou, Rhadamistus!
O! give me counsel, Gods!—my wife!—thou traitor!
What torture do I feel!—At once my soul
Laments and raves—my heart is torn between
Contending pangs of tenderness and rage!
Zop.
Zenobia, come with me—thou, Rhadamistus,
Unless thou mean'st to see her dead before thee,
Beware how thou pursu'st us.
Rhad.
Pity now
Gives way in me to fury.
Zop.
Come, Zenobia.
Zen.
And does my lord forsake me thus?
Rhad.
O! no—
Take this, thou wretch!
[about to attack him.
Zop.
Then let her die.
[about to stab Zen.
Rhad.
O! hold!
Yet, yet forbear.
| Zenobia | |